Tag: business success

  • Stop Hacking, Start Creating

    Stop Hacking, Start Creating

    Hacks Are Not The Answer


    Stop Chasing Social Media Hacks: When What Actually Works in Content Creation

    If you’ve ever found yourself Googling “best Instagram strategies for 2025” or scrolling endlessly through videos promising “the one secret to growing your audience overnight,” this post is for you. Also, this post may hurt, because the magic isn’t in hacks, trends, or quick fixes. It’s in the work you do day after day, showing up for your audience and improving over time. One step, one post, one lesson at a time.

    Let’s cut through the noise and talk about what actually works when it comes to content creation—and no, it doesn’t involve buying yet another course or following the latest viral trend.

    Why Hacks and Trends Won’t Build a Sustainable Strategy

    Hacks and trends promise quick results, but they rarely deliver long-term growth. Why? Because they’re often built around gaming a system that’s constantly changing. Just a heads up the algorithm and those people that work at places like Instagram, they know what you are doing before you know what you are doing. So a successful hack one day is a failed account the next. Then add in all the variables that exist on your account and nobody elses. Stop trying to beat the system and do the work needed to work with the system.

    Content creation isn’t about outsmarting Instagram or TikTok—it’s about connecting with your audience, building trust, and providing value. That takes time and consistency, not shortcuts. So, what should you focus on instead? Four key aspects that will lead to success with your content creation.

    Four Key Aspects of Content Creation


    Create Content Regularly (Even If It’s Not Perfect)

    Consistency beats perfection every time. Why? Because every piece of content you create is a chance to learn, connect, and grow your audience. Every piece of content should have a goal and no matter how it performs it reveals something about your audience.

    Here’s how to make consistency manageable:

    • Choose What You Want to Create Start with 2-3 one should be the content that you love to create the most (think of it as a reward for actually doing the thing) and the other needs to be the type of content that your audience loves to consume
    • Set a realistic schedule. You don’t need to post daily—3 times a week is enough to build momentum. Commit to your consistency and have your audience hold you accountable.
    • Repurpose like a pro. Turn a blog post into a carousel. Chop up a live session into Reels. A single idea can fuel multiple posts.

    Remember: Your audience isn’t looking for perfect—they’re looking for helpful, relatable, and consistent.


    Experiment With Formats, Styles, and Messaging

    The best way to figure out what works for your audience? Test, test, and test some more. Think of yourself as a content scientist, running experiments to see what resonates. If you haven’t tested it for yourself you have no idea if it is a good strategy for you. I recommend up to 20% of your content at any given time should be experimental.

    Inside my Signature Membership I teach the Rule of 3 when it comes to experimenting with content creation, and it is a bit more complex than it sounds but what you want to remember is that you want to always iterate off a proven success. Here are some things you can do when experimenting

    • Mix up your formats. Post a mix of videos, text-based posts, carousels, and infographics to see what grabs attention. Try to always post one video a week at least.
    • Try different tones. Alternate between storytelling, educational, and conversational posts.
    • Play with CTAs. Ask for comments, saves, shares—see what drives engagement.

    And don’t forget to review the results! Your analytics will tell you what’s working, so you can do more of that and less of what’s not.


    Learn From Experience (Not Just Data)

    Data is a powerful tool, but it’s not the only teacher. Your own experience and intuition are just as valuable.

    Here’s how to reflect on your content:

    • Ask yourself questions. After each post, think:
      • Did this feel aligned with my signature style?
      • Did it spark engagement or conversation?
      • What would I tweak next time?
    • Embrace the “flops.” A post that doesn’t perform isn’t a failure—it’s feedback. Use it to refine your approach.

    Over time, you’ll develop a better sense of what works for your unique audience.


    Focus on Building Trust, Not Just Followers

    Followers are nice, but trust is what actually builds a loyal community. And trust comes from showing up as your real (yeah, I said it) self. Show up on your profile, in lives, in the comments, on other peoples pages. The more you show up the more relationships you build. And relationships are the foundation of a successful business.

    Here’s how to create connection:

    • Show your face. People connect with people, not logos. Don’t be afraid to hop on Stories or share a behind-the-scenes moment.
    • Share your “why.” Let your audience in on your mission, your struggles, and what drives you.
    • Engage meaningfully. Respond to comments, answer DMs, and create content that feels like a conversation.

    The more consistent and genuine you are, the more trust you’ll earn—and that’s what leads to lasting growth.


    Why Consistency Beats Hacks Every Time

    At the end of the day, content creation is a long game. Hacks might give you a quick spike, but consistency is what builds a foundation for sustainable success. Here’s why this approach works:

    • You build a deeper connection with your audience over time.
    • You get better at creating content simply by doing it.
    • You develop a clear understanding of what works for your brand.

    Ready to Get to Work?

    The next time you’re tempted to chase the latest trend or hack, remember this: the magic isn’t in a secret strategy or a perfect post. It’s in the work you do, day after day, to show up, create, and connect. Remember Posted is better than PERFECT!

    So, what’s one thing you can commit to this week to level up your content game? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to cheer you on.


  • 5 Things You Can Learn About Signature Style from the Eras Tour

    5 Things You Can Learn About Signature Style from the Eras Tour

    Turns out, Miss Taylor Alison Swift knows a thing or two about having a Signature Style!

    Alright, Swifties—let’s talk about the Eras Tour. 

    First, a little confession: I’m a closet Swiftie. When I scored floor seats for myself and my sister to this concert, we were expecting an epic concert. It is Taylor Swift after all. But honestly? What we got was so much more than just an outstanding performance. It was pure, unbeatable insanity. I walked away totally mind-blown—not just by her talent but by the genius business moves happening at every turn.

    The Eras Tour wasn’t just a concert. It was an experience. Every detail was perfectly crafted, and it hit me: Taylor Swift is a master of something we could all learn from—the power of a signature style. Let’s break it down, shall we?

    First, Some Background on the Tour

    If you somehow missed it (where have you been?!), Taylor announced the Eras Tour in 2022 after dropping Midnights. The concept? It was a celebration of every phase of her career, with each “era” getting its own spotlight. For over 3.5 hours, Taylor performed 40+ songs grouped into distinct acts, each representing one of her albums.

    The level of detail was next-level crazy. Each song had its own outfit, choreography, and staging, and every era was unique and could stand alone as a piece of art. And, of course, Taylor being Taylor, she even revamped the show halfway through the tour to include songs from The Tortured Poets Department. Critics loved it. Fans couldn’t get enough. And Swift streams skyrocketed across the board.

    Upon arriving at the arena in Toronto, I was shocked by the lack of chaos. This HUGE event is bound to have some chaos, but there was nothing but organization and smiles. Even the hour-and-a-half souvenir line was well organized and almost enjoyable. As we walked down to our floor seats, it hit me that this would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and as the clock counted down to Taylor getting on stage, I got goosebumps. It must have been cold in there!

    From start to finish… I was blown the F*CK AWAY!

    Now let’s talk about these lessons—because this is where things get good.

    1. A Signature Style Evolves—And That’s a Good Thing

    What makes Taylor Swift iconic is how she reinvents herself with every album. She’s never stuck in one place, but she’s always Taylor. Whether it’s her country roots, glittery pop anthems, or indie vibes, each era feels like a fresh take on the same person we’ve loved all along.

    Takeaway: You don’t have to stay the same to stay true to yourself. Your “style” can grow and evolve with you. Think about who you are now and how you can reflect that in your work, your life, or even your Instagram posts.

    2. Own Your Story—Every Part of It

    Taylor’s had her fair share of drama over the years (Kanye, Scooter Braun, anyone?), but instead of letting it define her, she’s taken control of the narrative. Whether it’s re-recording her albums or writing songs that spill all the tea, she shows us what it means to own your story and keep it moving. She knows what people are going to say and she beats them to the punchline.

    Takeaway: Don’t let someone else write your story for you. Whatever challenges you’re facing, own them. Use them. They’re part of what makes your journey so uniquely yours.

    3. Over-Deliver Like Your Reputation Depends On It

    When I tell you Taylor went all out during this concert, I’m not kidding. Every song had its own costume, set, and vibe, and she performed each like the grand finale. For over three hours, she gave 110%—and you could feel it in every second.

    Takeaway: Whether it’s your job, your passion project, or how you show up in life, bring your best. People notice. And when you over-deliver, they’ll remember you—and tell everyone about you.

    4. Connection is Everything

    Taylor doesn’t just perform; she connects. Whether it’s through surprise songs, heartfelt lyrics, or chatting with fans on TikTok, she makes everyone feel like they’re part of the experience. And because of her the fans are like one big family that sings together, loves every moment, and yes even exchange friendship bracelets. 

    Takeaway: People want to feel seen, heard, and valued. Whether it’s in your relationships, your work, or even on social media, focus on connection. That’s what keeps people coming back for more.

    Here’s the thing about the Eras Tour—it wasn’t just a celebration of her music; it was a genius business move. By performing songs from all her albums, Taylor boosted streams for her entire catalog, not just her latest releases. She’s not just a musician—she’s a brand, and the Eras Tour was a masterclass in branding done right.

    5. Your Signature Style is Your Superpower

    Takeaway: Your signature style isn’t just how you look or sound—it’s how you make people feel. It’s the vibe you create and the connection you build. Use it to tell your story, show your value, and grow your impact.

    BONUS: When You Care, People Will Pay

    I was going to leave this one out but it is important… Let’s talk ticket prices for a second. Yeah, they weren’t cheap (looking at you, Ticketmaster!), but almost every fan walked away saying, “Worth. Every. Penny.” Why? Because Taylor poured her heart and soul into every single moment of that show. I as a closet Swiftie even got goosebumps a couple times. You could tell she cared, and that made it all worth it.

    Takeaway: People are willing to invest in you if you show them you’re invested in them. It’s not about being the cheapest or flashiest—it’s about being real, caring, and delivering something that feels meaningful.

    So, What Can We Learn from the Eras Tour?

    Whether you’re a coach, or a creator, or someone just trying to stand out in this crazy world, the lessons from the Eras Tour are clear:

    • Evolve but stay true to yourself. Your story—and style—should grow with you.
    • Own your narrative. Don’t let anyone else define you.
    • Over-deliver. Whatever you do, give it everything you’ve got.
    • Build connection. People remember how you make them feel.
    • Leverage your style. Use it to tell your story and grow your impact.
    • Care deeply. It shows—and it makes all the difference.

    If Taylor’s taught us anything, it’s that creating a signature style isn’t just about looking cool—it’s about building something unforgettable. So whether your “era” is still in its first act or you’re gearing up for a whole new one, remember this: Your style is your power. Lean into it, and you’ll create something truly magical.

    Now, Swifties—what’s your favorite lesson from the Eras Tour? Let’s chat in the comments!

  • Content Creation Made Easier: Using What You Have

    Content Creation Made Easier: Using What You Have

    Updated June 2024

    Content Creation is a Full-Time Job + Overtime

    Content creation can be hard. It can be time consuming. Content creation can be a downright pain in the butt. If you have ever been in charge of creating content for a business, non-profit, or even for your personal blog you know that at times it feels like content creation is your full-time job. And it is making you work overtime.

    Seriously, we feel your pain!

    We have adapted a couple tricks to make your life easier.  In Content Creation Made Easier we will discuss strategies that will make your content creation easier. The first one which we discuss here is what I called Breaking Down Your Blog. I believe that adopting the strategies outlined in these blog posts will revolutionaize your content creation strategy, and make you a happier content creator.

    Before The Creation Even Starts

    Prior to revealing our first hack, there is something that should be done before the content creation even begins. You must find a content scheduler that allows you to post as far as 6 months in advance and auto publishes to the platforms that you utilize. Yes, 6 months in advance. Although, I would prefer 12, but six will suffice. It should also be a tool that you like to use, not one that you dread. Simply because if its a drag you aren’t going to want to do it and you won’t get the most out of these content hacks.

    Breaking Down Your Blog

    Create Blog and Affiliated Social Media Posts Simultaneously

    Do you have a business blog? Are you creating regular posts for it? Is this content also being shared on your social media?

    If you don’t have a business blog, you should consider starting one, and you can read why (insert link). If you aren’t using your blog as the basis for your social media posts, you might be missing out. Your blog and social media should be closely related, feeding into each other and serving as powerful tools to answer your audience’s questions and establish yourself as a leader in your niche.

    Two to Twenty Birds with One Stone

    Creating your blog posts and the affiliated social media posts simultaneously is an efficient way to maximize your content creation efforts. If you write a well-structured blog post, it will naturally include sections that discuss specific topics. These topics often have sub-sections explaining certain ideas. If an idea is important enough to have its own sub-section, it likely deserves its own social media post too.

    For example, if your blog post has three main topics and each topic has three sub-sections, you’ve already got 10 social media posts. Here’s how: you’ll write a post about the overall topic of the blog and why it’s important, which is one post. Then, you’ll create nine more posts based on each topic and sub-section. So, 1 overall post + 9 topic/sub-section posts = 10 social media posts.

    Why The Scheduling Tool is Important

    I don’t recommend bombarding your audience with 10 posts on the same topic over two weeks. It’s essential to vary your content. What I do recommend is creating the content and then scheduling the posts. Typically, I write one blog post a week and post about two concepts from my blogs each week. The first post is about the new blog, and the second post is a subsection from a previous blog, ideally related to the week’s new blog topic, but this isn’t always possible.

    In an ideal scenario, you revisit blog topics on your social media with a fresh perspective (a new subsection post) every 5-6 weeks. When you publish the blog, you also add the posts to your scheduling tool for future dates. This approach allows you to “set it and forget it” (though you will still need to engage with the posts). You’ll adjust the posts for the best fit, but this method provides you with pre-set content weeks in advance.

    An Exercise in Abundance

    A few years ago, I asked members of my Facebook group to break down one of my previous blog posts into potential social media posts. The blog post we used is listed below along with the results. From this blog, we came up with the following social media post topics:

    1. Creating connections
    2. Selling the emotions (2 posts)
    3. Being heard in a crowded marketplace
    4. How your brand story creates uniqueness (example post)
    5. Why story is the most powerful and flexible tool (longer form post)
    6. Reviewing key aspects of a brand story
    7. Sharing TED Talks and EchoStory resources
    8. Tapping into emotions (example post)
    9. Connecting with your audience
    10. “First this, then that” storytelling examples (2 posts)
    11. Exploring the “Why” (Why you do what you do)
    12. Why your audience should care

    From this single blog, we identified approximately 14 social media posts. While this is above my average, it was a content-heavy blog covering many essential storytelling topics. Creating social media posts simultaneously with the blog keeps the content fresh in your mind. You’ll only need to do hashtag research once, the photos used in your blog are readily available, and other potential slow-downs are minimized.

    The Most Amazing Thing

    If you keep this up for just five weeks, with an average of 10 posts per blog, you’ll have almost one post per week ready for your social media for nearly an entire year! Imagine that—one less post to create every week for a year, and you’re only five weeks into this strategy. Isn’t that amazing? I promise, this hack can be a social media game-changer. For the past three months, I’ve been doing this, and I no longer feel the constant anxiety of needing to create content for my profiles. I always have something ready in the pipeline if needed.

    But What If I Don’t Blog and Have No Plans to Start One?

    I’m not here to argue (though I do encourage considering a blog)! You can use this hack for other content, such as breaking down your monthly newsletter to customers or creating five posts over five weeks based on an excellent article you found, like “The 5 Best to Do .” Content creation is challenging, but this hack is about working smarter, not harder.

    Pro-Tip

    Ready to go pro? Video content engages audiences at much higher rates than other forms of content. Whenever possible, create video content. When breaking down content into posts, identify which ones might be better as videos. Record these videos while the topic is fresh (wear season-neutral clothing) and use them when needed. Getting one video from each piece of content will help establish you as a leader in your niche.

    Now Your Blog is Working As Hard As You

    Your blog is now carrying some of the content creation load. Even if you handle all the content creation for your blog, you’re streamlining the work. Creating content in advance alleviates the “oh my god I need something to post” panic we’re all too familiar with. You can adapt this strategy to suit your needs, but I believe it can transform how you approach and manage content creation for your business.

  • Content Creation Strategies for Success on Social

    Content Creation Strategies for Success on Social

    Updated June 2024

    Content Creation Strategies for A Successful Social Media Existence

    We all know that content is king. Without content, we can’t conquer the other two essential aspects of a successful social media campaign: consistency and engagement. Given the crucial role of content, it’s vital to employ multiple content creation strategies to stay ahead on social media. These strategies can simplify content creation, produce more reusable content, enhance engagement, and free up more time for you to focus on running your business.

    Clarifying Content Creation

    To clarify, content generally refers to anything you post on your social media profiles, website, or newsletter. However, I don’t support the practice of collecting and publishing other people’s content on your business pages. Sharing other people’s content does not tell your unique brand story; it highlights someone else’s. When I mention content, I mean the content you create to tell your story on your social media profiles. This includes posts for stories, short-form video content, photo content, custom GIFs, and blogs

    Documentation Instead of Creation

    Gary Vaynerchuk often gets credit for this approach, as he bases his social media strategy on documenting his life instead of creating content. He frequently records his day-to-day business activities and shares them as content. Gary discusses this content creation strategy on his blog. He isn’t spending time specifically creating content; instead, he’s going about his daily activities, and the content essentially creates itself. While you may not think your life and job are entertaining, everyone loves a behind-the-scenes look.

    Why it works:

    • Authenticity: It provides a genuine glimpse into your daily life.
    • Huge time saver: You create great content for stories and informal posts without extra effort.
    • Increased frequency: This approach allows you to show up more frequently on social media.

    Challenges:

    • Consistency: Remembering to set up a recording device or take photos can be tricky.
    • Engagement: Not everyone has as exciting a life as Gary Vaynerchuk, but authenticity still resonates with audiences.

    Utilizing User-Generated Content

    This content creation strategy is doubly valuable because it not only eliminates the need for you to create content but also surprises and delights your customers. Additionally, sharing user-generated content serves as social proof, aka “hey look your peers like me and you should too!”

    Here’s how it typically works: a customer purchases something from you, loves it, and creates a post showcasing the item while raving about its features or benefits. They tag you in their post, and to make them feel special while showing others how great your product is, you share their content on your social media profiles (with proper permission, of course). We explore the concept of user-generated content in more detail in this blog post.

    Why it works:

    • Efficiency: The user has already created the content.
    • Authenticity: Highlights real-life use of your product.
    • Social Proof: Demonstrates that others enjoy your product.

    Challenges:

    • Strategy: You need a plan to encourage user-generated content.
    • Monitoring: You must keep an eye out for content to share. 
     

    Breaking Down Your Blog

    How many pieces of engaging content do you think you can pull from a single blog post? You might be surprised by how much you can create from a well-written blog. I once worked with a group of content creators, and we managed to break down a single blog post into 100 pieces of unique and informative social media content. By spacing this content out over a few weeks, you can have a significant portion of your educational posts prepared well in advance. I discuss this strategy in detail in this blog post. It’s all about working smarter, not harder.

    Why it works:

    • Efficiency: You already have the content, knowledge, and often photos for the posts.

    Challenges:

    • Initial Effort: You need to write a comprehensive blog.
    • Variety: Relying solely on this tactic can make your content feel repetitive over time.
     

    Live Video Content

    Overcoming the fear of doing live videos was one of my biggest challenges. If I hadn’t virtually met Eve Voyevoda a few years ago at an event organized by Melanie Richards, I might still be intimidated by this medium. However, once you conquer that hurdle, the value of live video is incredible. Live video is one of the best ways to present yourself authentically on social media, showcasing your unique quirks and laid-back vibe, which encourages others to connect with you. By creating content that highlights your personality and adds value to your audience, you can also save time!

    Why it works:

    • Connection: It’s one of the best ways to create a genuine connection with your audience.
    • Engagement: Enables live interaction.
    • Efficiency: Saves time.

    Challenges:

    • Overcoming Fear: Getting comfortable with live video.
    • Content Creation: Developing content that has both value and personality.

    The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose Content Creation Strategy

    You already have great content that holds significant value and has been posted in some form before. Here’s how to maximize its potential:

    REDUCE: Break down long-form content into multiple short-form pieces.

    REUSE: Share content across different platforms by staggering the publication times.

    RECYCLE: Repeat your key messages and posts since people need to hear them multiple times to remember.

    REPURPOSE: Transform top-performing posts into new content formats for different platforms.

    You can also work in the opposite direction. For example, I create weekly content for my BNI group presentations, which I then use as stand-alone social media posts. This weekly content builds up to a more comprehensive presentation I give approximately every ten weeks. This presentation also forms the basis of a blog post.

    Often, I turn these presentations into monthly webinars, focusing on a critical aspect of the content. This tactic allows me to create focused social media posts around the webinar’s key elements. Additionally, I can create videos from the most engaging social media posts and blog entries. The possibilities are endless with this strategy.

    Why it works:

    • Efficiency: You’ve already done the research and created the content.
    • Expertise: You know the subject well.

    Challenges:

    • Variety: Ensuring you aren’t overly repetitive.
    • Creativity: Finding new and innovative ways to repurpose content.

    Planning Versatile Content that Presents Next Steps

    One successful but challenging content creation strategy involves testing content on your calendar with the potential to build more if it proves successful. Here’s how I make it work: During a particular week, I select three different topics that I believe my audience might want a deeper look at and create a single social media post for each. Based on the reactions to those posts, I can gauge interest in a specific topic. If there is enough interest, I create additional content on that topic, measure its success, and, if warranted, dive even deeper. This strategy led to a post on social proof evolving into a blog post, which eventually became my first webinar.

    Why it works:

    • Incremental Creation: You create content incrementally, measuring the success of each topic.
    • Engagement: You focus on topics that have already shown potential to engage your audience.

    Challenges:

    • Depth: Sometimes a deeper dive is needed.
    • Metrics: Paying close attention to metrics and creating content quickly to keep your audience engaged.

    The Take 3 Strategy for Short-Form Video

    This content strategy helps you avoid spending excessive time creating short-form videos. It’s easy to get lost in the pursuit of perfection, which is ultimately unattainable. Without setting limits, you could spend hours creating an 8-second video. To prevent this, I developed the Take 3 strategy, which allows you to record up to 3 takes for each of the 3 sections of your video, significantly reducing content creation time. We achieve this by incorporating a research and planning phase into our short-form video creation process, setting us up for efficient recording. I cover this in detail in my Signature Membership, which you can learn more about here.

    Why it works:

    • Efficiency: Prevents endless takes and saves time.
    • Acceptance: Encourages posting imperfect videos.

    Challenges:

    • Discipline: Sticking to only three takes can be tough.
    • Quality Concerns: Ensuring the video still represents your brand well.

    Collaborative Content Creation

    Many social media platforms, especially Instagram, are making collaboration easier, and it’s something we should incorporate into our strategies. There are several ways to collaborate:

    • Guest Posts: Feature content from industry experts or influencers on your profile and reciprocate by guest posting on theirs.
    • Interviews: Conduct and share interviews with thought leaders or key figures in your industry, this can be done live and even multicast to multiple platforms. 
    • Partnered Posts: Create a post together that is shared on both profiles, discussing a topic relevant to both audiences.

    Collaborative posts are beneficial because they help you reach a new audience.

    Why it works:

    • Efficiency: Splitting the workload.
    • Exposure: Getting in front of a new audience.

    Challenges:

    • Coordination: Aligning timelines and aesthetics.
    • Effort: May require additional work.

    Content is the Key to Success on Social

    If content is the key to success on social media, then these strategies are your roadmap to mastering it. Experiment with them all, mix and match to see what resonates best with your style, story, and audience. If you want to learn more about these content creation strategies or how to build a plan that leads to social media success, reach out to Jonathan directly. You can also join us in the Signature Membership

  • Establishing Yourself As An Expert On Social Media

    Establishing Yourself As An Expert On Social Media

    Updated May 2024

    Establishing Your Expertise with EDUTAINING Content

    One of the key strategies for businesses on social media is to provide EDUTAINING—Educational, Useful, or Entertaining content. This type of content engages your audience and helps establish you and your business as an expert in your field. But why is it so important to position yourself as an expert on social media?

    Why Establish Your Expertise

    People trust experts because they believe experts know what they’re doing. Building this trust is crucial for growing your audience on social media. Providing content that adds value and engages your audience is the best way to create momentum and grow your business. Here are some ways to start establishing your expertise:

    • Offer Useful Tools: Share tools and resources that your audience will find beneficial.
    • Answer Questions: Engage with your audience by answering their questions.
    • Provide Solutions:Solutions to common problems your audience faces.

    These actions help position you as a valuable resource.

    The Importance of Providing Value

    Providing value is a significant step in becoming an expert—someone your audience likes, knows, and trusts. When seen as an expert, your audience will turn to you first for information on a subject. Focusing on delivering valuable content and answering questions, rather than just promoting your business, helps your audience view you as a resource, not just a salesperson.

    Tailoring Your Content

    Every business is different, and your niche will help you determine what types of content will be most beneficial to your followers. To better understand what your audience values, consider surveying your clients. Ask them directly what content they want to see from you.

    By consistently providing EDUTAINNG content, you engage your audience and establish your credibility and expertise, making your business the go-to resource in your field.

    Examples of Expert Content

    As the Regional Social Media Coordinator for BNI Hudson Valley, I develop the monthly content calendar for the organization. This calendar provides each chapter with specific types of posts to focus on and includes important themes for the month. With the holiday season approaching, we’re enlisting the help of member businesses to establish themselves as experts by providing valuable content and answering questions within their areas of expertise.

    To illustrate how we can all engage with our audience, I assigned each member of my BNI Chapter a specific topic. They were tasked with creating content on that topic from November 1 to New Year’s. By doing this, BNI highlights the talent within each chapter and positions itself as a valuable resource for its audience.

    How This Applies to You

    You might not be a BNI member, and your business might not be included in the examples, but this approach is still valuable to you. Use this as inspiration to brainstorm types of content your business can provide to its audience. Consider your services, values, and seasonal focus. Look at what people are searching for in your niche. What questions are your clients or customers asking? Create content that answers those questions and showcases your expertise.

    Establishing Yourself as an Expert: Content Examples

    Below are examples of content types based on the expertise of BNI members. These examples focus on the holiday season, but businesses can tailor their content to their specific focus at other times of the year. For instance, during the holidays, an accountant might write a blog post titled, “5 Things to Avoid Spending Money on This Holiday,” whereas, at other times, they might focus on “What You Need to Know About the Looming S-Corp Deadline.” It’s perfectly fine to adjust your style to reach a broader audience with educational posts, especially during certain seasons.

    • Health and Wellness Coach, Healthy Eating Options this Thanksgiving.
    • Computer Services, Avoid Falling Victim to Black Friday Scams.
    • Business Financial Services, Holiday/ End of Year Benefits for Employees.
    • Individual Financial Services, How to Not Go Broke This Holiday.
    • Social Media/Graphic Design, 5 Tips to Sleigh Your Social Media Campaigns This Holiday.
    • Cleaning and Restoration, Plan for A Cozy Holiday Instead of A Wet and Soggy One.
    • Insurance, Snow Birds and Their Insurance Policies.
    • Computer & Website Development, How to Update Your Google My Business Page for the Holidays.
    • Real Estate, How Closing on Your New Home in December Can Help Keep The Inlaws Away.
    • Booze Expert, Best Holiday Booze.
    • Financial Services, Financial Health Check-Up for the New Year 

    Key for Success

    You are not directly promoting your business or service when establishing yourself as an expert. You are providing your audience with useful information that is “company agnostic.” Providing this valuable information to your audience is an excellent way for them to get to know you and your area of expertise. It helps build relationships and allows you to earn their trust. Pushing your product or service takes away these benefits.

  • Brand Alignment: New Year, (Re)New Brand

    Brand Alignment: New Year, (Re)New Brand

    Brand Alignment: Conducting Brand Reviews to Ensure Brand Health

    It is a commonplace for a brand to overlook the importance of alignment. Companies view a brand as something that is completed once and requires little or no maintenance. This tendency to overlook brand alignment is why we developed the New Year (Re)New Brand webinar. The webinar serves as a reminder of the importance of conducting a yearly review of your brand.

    Completing a yearly brand review ensures that any adjustments and realignment necessary for your brand occurs. The practice of completing a regular brand review also creates awareness of shifts in the marketplace, your business, or your employees. It also allows your businesses to adjust to small changes before any significant issues arise. When a brand is no longer appropriately aligned, the impact can be dramatic.

    The Impact of A Poorly Aligned Brand

    What happens when your brand is no longer aligned with your story and values? One of the significant impacts of a brand being out of alignment is the loss of trust from your customers. This loss of confidence is most visible when customers no longer believe the claims that a brand is making. Additionally, customers don’t think the company is making good on its claims. Another significant impact of poor brand alignment is the perception that the brand is out of touch with the current marketplace or possibly even reality. These are generally symptoms of brands that are dramatically misaligned. The practice of conducting a yearly brand review will prevent poor brand alignment from ever occurring.

    Yearly Brand Alignment Review

    Conducting an annual brand review is an essential part of maintaining a healthy brand. This will ensure that youer brand remains appropriately aligned with your unique brand story and values. At JRH Graphics, we recommend utilizing the 9 Components of Brand Workbook as the starting point for your annual Brand Review. During this review, you should look at the changes you have made in the past year. Additionally, account for shifts in the market and eliminate any invalid differentiators.

    A thorough brand review helps you feel confident that you are entering the new year on the right foot. Go into 2020 as a brand and business that is fully aligned and ready to make a difference.

  • Level Up Your Social Media in 2020 with These 9 Tips

    Level Up Your Social Media in 2020 with These 9 Tips

    Are You Ready to LevelUp

    Level Up Your Social Media in 2020 with these 9 Tips!

    The Role of Planning

    As I have said before, content is king, consistency is queen, and when you take control of these two things with a little bit of planning, you will be amazed at the things you will have time to do. All 9 of these strategies and tips help build a solid foundation for all of your social media platforms. You will be able to expand upon as you master each tactic. We are all on this journey together, some have leveled up already, others are working on solidifying the foundation. But we are all learning, and I hope these tips help you build a robust yet flexible presence on social media that allows you to be responsive to trends while expanding your reach and growing your business. So, let us jump in!

    Set Goals and Define Your KPIs

    Want to Level Up Your Social Media in 2020, then you must define what Leveling Up looks like for you. What are the Key Performance Indicators used to measure if you are reaching that goal? Make sure that you assign the proper metrics to your goals and understand what a positive outcome would look like for this goal. Need help understanding social media metrics before you set these goals? My go-to tool is the SproutSocial.com blog, when I am looking for information on metrics. I have this blog post bookmarked for reference.

    Without these goals and our ability to measure them utilizing the metrics, we have no way of defining success or failure. Without goals, how do we know what we are hoping to accomplish? Set goals for your social media and clearly define success. Share these goals with your team, so everyone is on the same page and working towards the same thing. Review the metrics regularly and share your findings with your team. Encourage feedback.

    Have A Plan

    Having a plan for your content is one of the best ways to save time, focus on engagement, and Level Up your social media profiles. If you are not planning your content chances are you are spending too much time reinventing the social media wheel.

    Set Your Goals

    Set a goal for yourself. How much content are you planning now? Increase that by 20% over the next 2 months. In four months aim to increase your current percentage by 50%. Work your way up to having approximately 75% of your content/posts planned across your platforms with approximately 25% free per platform to flex current events, and other spur of the moment content in as needed. This makes sure your content always feels fresh and current.

    Create the Plan

    Review and Utilize the 9 Essential Posts framework from JRH Graphics to ensure that you are providing your followers with varied content that speaks to them. This tool also helps you not exceed 20% of posts being promotional material. I utilize it during every step of my content calendar planning process. Along with the 9 Essential Posts, we use the Macro, Meso, Micro planning process for creating a content calendar like the one we discussed in this post.

    Overview of The Planning Steps

    First, we look at the big picture, including all holidays, promotions that will anniversary, and significant themes that will repeat from last year. We usually complete the macro step either quarterly or do it at the start of the year and revisit each month to be sure we are not missing anything. After the macro level, we move onto the meso step, which is where we review the monthly themes, the events we are planning, any major product launches, etc. This step is where we lay down the ideas for the posts, types of posts we wish to include in campaigns, and make high-level plans for creative needed. The final step is the micro-step, which is a task completed every week. During micro-planning, you lay in the content for your posts and set them to go in your scheduling tool.

    The Benefits

    Thisw process allows you to have a plan for your year, month and weeks and provides you with a structure within which to post. While you may not have the specifics of every post pre-entered you know what you will be posting which relieves the, “OMG what do I post today stress.” This process along with my Breaking Down the Blog strategy which I will discuss in the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle section also allows me to have blog posts scheduled out almost a year in advance.

    Level Up Your Social Media by Engaging

    Did I hear you complain about not having an engaged audience? Whose fault is that? Oh, so you responded to the “thumbs up” you got on your photo of your breakfast this morning? That thumbs-up was engagement for that member of your audience. If you did not respond, you know what you are saying? You just told that member of your audience that YOU DON’T CARE. And if you don’t care, then why would they continue to engage. The worst part, you are saying that publically and everyone can see it. That is not going to help you Level Up your social media this year.

    In Order to Level Up in 2020

    In order to Level Up Your Social Media you need to engage the people that are already engaging you in the way that you want them to be involved. Need words as comments, then when you get a thumbs up, respond with, “Thank you, I am so glad you liked this post” or “Thanks for liking this post, what was it that spoke to you?” And when you engage with your followers like this, you are publically saying, “THANKS FOR ENGAGING, I LOVE YOU GUYS!” The act of engaging with your audience makes your audience more likely to participate in the future. So at a minimum, acknowledge the likes, respond to comments, and always respond to DMs.

    Bonus Pro Move

    Depending on the situation, because you don’t want to be creepy, engage with them on their profiles. If they have a business page, comment there. All engagement is beneficial, and showing a follower that you are willing to take the time to engage them in their playground shows how great you are. As they comment back, watch what they do.

    Do they ask a question? Are they commenting back in more than four words? Watch what they do and engage again in that way. By the way, why is it four words? Because four words are what it takes for Instagram to recognize the comment as content-rich.

    Level Up Your Social Media by Being Human

    Being human shouldn’t be hard. After all, you are a human, so it should be easy to portray yourself as a human on your social media. That is your first mistake. Instead of describing yourself as something, you must be who you are, not anyone else. When Lea Berry and I discussed authenticity earlier in 2019, authenticity was starting to get overused as a buzzword. As this year has progressed, the tolerance for inauthentic brands has almost wholly disappeared. Authenticity will continue as a trend in 2020. The only way to capture an audience is by showing the ups and downs, the real emotions, the struggles, and the fantastic and unexpected successes. Gone are the days of nameless CEOs, and brands without a story and social consciousness.

    Your Winning Story

    At JRH Graphics, we believe stories are the most powerful tool in any companies marketing toolkit. Your winning story is authentic; it has an emotional hook, can capture an audience and convince them to go along on this ride with you. We believe that stories are part of what makes us human, and that is why a simple story can inspire action and produce change. Stories are what make JRH Graphics different. Let us help you tell your winning story!

    Content Creation Can Be Hard

    We certainly know that content creation can be hard. The number one question we get at JRH Graphics is, “How can I create better content in less time?” While hacks and shortcuts are certainly available, you still need to put in the work with social media. There is no magic bullet. But what are you doing right now? Is it related to your business? Could it be “B roll” content, aka something you put in stories?

    Document Don’t Create

    Gary V. is famous because of this. He is always documenting what he is doing and putting that out as content because it is. Not only that, but everybody loves a peek behind the curtain. They want to see how things happen, what life is like, and what struggles a business faces. These posts are not the pretty perfect Instagram feed content that everyone knows is inauthentic now.

    Welcome to the life of an entrepreneur, you can’t be afraid to show the real you. Behind the scenes content is key, document what you are doing. It is one of the best, no short cut, short cuts I can give you. And it will help you level up your social media in 2020!

    Use Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Concept to Level Up Your Social Media

    Reduce the time you spend creating content by reusing content like blog posts and recycling content and redistributing it in another format.

    Reuse

    Your long format videos, blog posts, and webinars can all be broken down into smaller tips and points and distributed on their own with a link tyong them back to the larger piece. I discuss best practices for this process at length in this post. In many cases I am able to get over 10 viable social media posts from a blog allowing me to schedule educational content out for many many weeks. You have already done the hard work creating these pieces of content, make sure you get the most out of them.

    Recycle

    It is true you can’t magically create a movie from a blog post but you can utilize the research and points you made in that blog post to deliver a video. Look at how you could expand on a point you made or take a deeper dive on a concept. Recently, I turned a 9 post story into a series of 9 Live Videos that discuss different strategies for Leveling Up Your Social Media in 2020. These 9 story posts and videos are the basis of a blog post that dives a bit deeper into these tips. Finally, this blog post will be turned into a webinar that shows people how to utilize the tools and strategies discussed and provides them with practical solutions to common problems.

    Level Up Your Social Media by Creating More Content Your Followers Want

    Utilize the 9 Essential posts to create varied content and then build on the successes of your top-performing ones by utilizing the Rule of 3 for Social Media. The Rule of 3 for social media allows you to apply a more scientific way to measure why a post is successful, as seen on the worksheet to the left. You change one aspect of the content at a time, leaving the other two points and see how it performs. I explain it in the video below.

    Understanding Your Metrics

    To make sense of what your existing content is telling you about your audience, you need to be able to understand your metrics. Most social media platforms have metrics built-in, and they are handy to start. As your campaigns and presence on social media expands, you will probably want to invest in a third-party app to measure your social media success. Also, if you need help understanding your metrics, I recommend utilizing the SproutSocial Blog as your go-to research tool. I have regularly referred to the blog post, All The Social Media Metrics That Matter

    Level Up with More Video Content in 2020

    If you want to Level Up your social media in 2020, you will need to create more video content. From Live Videos to more extended form videos, you must create videos for social in 2020. Not only are videos the most engaging form of content, but most of the platforms are prioritizing videos as well. Video is going to need to be a part of your plan for social media for the long haul.

    Instead of Making Excuses, Make Videos

    I have made all the excuses. I created lots of stories as to why my brand was different and didn’t need to include video content right up until this year. It wasn’t until I started losing followers at a terrifyingly fast pace that I accepted that I needed to add more video content in my campaigns. Even then, I avoided Live videos because I was sure nobody wanted to see me go live. Well, I will admit it here. I was wrong. (It’s okay nobody will read this far anyway). I was wrong about not needing to include video. I was wrong about not needing to go Live. In the past two months, I have moved further into creating videos, and for the first time in 10 months, I have had almost three weeks of having gained not LOST followers on all platforms. The key is to show up on your social media where people are and in the way that they are consuming content. Take it from me, stop making excuses, and start making videos.

    Level Up Your Social Media in 2020 by NOT Selling on Social

    Businesses fail when they view social media as a selling platform. Community is the basis of social media, and those of us on there selling are in enemy territory. So instead of marketing on social media, level up by providing value to your followers. Build up your reputation as an educator. People need to be able to like, know, and trust you before they make a purchase. Add value to your audience by answering questions they may have, and by providing content that is value-rich and solves real problems, your ideal client is facing. Establish yourself as an expert on social media, and position yourself as the first person to go to if a member of your audience has a question. Eight of every ten posts should provide value to your audience and not sell, especially as you begin establishing yourself and your company. Your CTA in these educational, value-adding posts should ask what else you can provide to help them. You will become the resource your audience can trust, and with trust eventually comes sales.

    It is Time to Level Up Your Social Media

    Win big in 2020 by applying these strategies on your social media platforms. Each strategy helps you build a solid foundation to build upon. 2020 is going to be the most social year yet, so get the most out of your social media and build your following. You got this!

  • Business Transparency: Real Conversations Series

    Business Transparency: Real Conversations Series

    Are You Ready to Dive Into Transparency Head First

    Jonathan Howard of JRH Graphics and Melanie Richards of Increase Your Visibility Discuss Business Transparency

    • Jonathan Howard
    • JRH Graphics
    • www.jrhgraphics.com
    • jhoward@jrhgraphics.com
    • facebook.com/jrhgraphics
    • instagram.com/jonathanrhoward

    Business Transparency

    In its purest sense, business transparency means apparent, unencumbered honesty. A transparent company is a company that is honest in its business practices. However, there is more to it than that. Open companies do not hold anything back from their employees, customers, and investors. No hidden agendas and the narrative is unified.  Transparency requires all information required for collaboration, cooperation, and collective decision making is available. Transparency is essential to the success of any business in the correct marketplace and a major building block needed for trust to be established. Simple right? You all know what that definition means and how you can apply it to your business. That’s okay we aren’t sure about some of it either. It’s not surprising that many believe that transparency is nothing but an overused buzzword.

    A Real Conversation

    Business transparency is precisely the type of topic we love to cover on the “Real Conversations Series.” It’s a hot button subject and many people have strong opinions on topics like this. Hot button topics provide for exciting conversations. Jonathan of JRH Graphics and Melanie Richards of Increase Your Visibility sit down to have a real discussion about transparency. Nothing to sell, no agreed-upon discussion points, no script, and no roadmap. Just a real conversation that touches on a wide variety of subjects ranging from the role of vulnerability in transparency to the role respect plays in business. For new entrepreneurs we explore the importance of just showing up as well as allowing your true self to guide your way. And for established entreprenuers we look at what it means to be an expert adn the key steps needed to establish your expertise on social media.

    This lively conversation was important and very fun to have with Melanie. We hope that it helps entrepreneurs understand a bit more about difficult topics such as transparency and how they may impact your business.

    What Are Your Takeaways?

    Jonathan and Mel provide you with their takeaways at the end of this video, but we want to know what you have as takeaway. What did you learn? What stuck with you? Has this video changed the way that you look at transparency as a whole. We would love to hear your comments in the comment section of the blog below or on social media! If you have questions that you want answered, please reach out and ask us.

    Also, please share what would have made this video better or what expectations you had for the video that were not met. Our goal is to continue to provide you withthe best information available, with a practical spin.

    Please note, this is the 2nd in the Real Conversations Series, if you would like to see the first one look for Authenticity Beyond The Buzzword!

  • Sleigh Your Social Media This Holiday Webinar

    Sleigh Your Social Media This Holiday Webinar

    Sleigh Your Social Media This Holiday Webinar

    The 9 Essential Posts is the framework we use at JRH Graphics to ensure that each of our clients in creating and posting content to their followers that is varied and has the potential to engage. The framework is free to download here, so grab your worksheet today! During the holiday season, social media can be a burden. Customers take priority. And somebody needs to work on adding at least 5 hours to every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Here at JRH Graphics, we feel your pain! That is why we created this Webinar that uses some tips from our Content Calendar Strategies and The 9 Essential Posts and gives you lots of great ideas, prompts, and jumping-off points so you can sleigh your social media during this holiday.

    Sleigh Your Social Media This Holiday Video and Slide Deck

    We know that you are excited to sleigh your social media this holiday! We won’t get in the way any longer. Below you will find the video recording from the webinar as well as the slide deck. The links are live in the slide deck. Click on any of them, and they will bring you to the source of the content! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

    Not So Fast Mister

    It hasn’t been 56 minutes yet. The webinar was 56 minutes long! No time to watch now? Go over to YouTube and tag the video to “Watch Later!”

    You don’t think I can provide value? Okay, I certainly am a bit hurt by you saying that to me. However, you are entitled to your opinions!

    Okay, you didn’t mean it that way! Great because I think things like the Holiday Gift Guides and the “Thank You” Campaign are strong ideas. Even the reminders on types of things to post to keep your community up to date on what’s happening in your area are pretty valuable things. Not to mention, the Letters to Santa behind-the-scenes concept will highlight how cool your business is and engage a new audience. Oh, and the Virtual Scavenger Hunt based on the highly successful Instagram Loops could be a real winner for you. The Virtual Scavenger Hunt is my favorite. Links and suggestions for a bunch of “Edutaining” holiday posts and DIY content that is sure to engage this holiday is even included!

    That’s Better

    I am glad you went back and watched the webinar and reviewed the slide deck. You are ready to go! I hope the webinar inspired you and provided you with some great ideas on ways you can sleigh your social media this holiday. If you use any of these ideas, I would love to see them at work, so please tag @jrhgraphics on Facebook or @jrh_graphics on Instagram and Twitter! Happy Holidays!

  • 7 Strategies for Successful Storytelling Webinar

    7 Strategies for Successful Storytelling Webinar

    Power Up Your Brand Story on Social Media Webinar

    We developed the 7 Strategies for Successful Storytelling webinar as a companion lesson to the blog post, Your Story on Social: 7 Ways to Maximize Impact. With storytelling being the foundation of the services we offer at JRH Graphics we wanted to take a deeper dive on this topic and highlight ways businesses can utilize these strategies immediately. We also wanted to highlight how each of these strategies could be utilized in various organizations and businesses so we provided specific exxamples of each in practice and shared some of the results we have seen.

    Storytelling on Social Media

    Goldfish attention span longer than human We reviewed the following seven strategies on the webinar, including why the strategy is successful and how to actually utilize the strategy.

    1. Get Visual
    2. Enroll Users Help
    3. Verify with Proof
    4. Create a Story Arc
    5. Expand on the Blog
    6. Enroll Influencers to Help Magnify Your Story
    7. Create Connections

    The 3 Big Win Strategies

    We focused the webinar of the following 3 Strategies that we consider our Big Win Strategies.

    1. Create an expanded narrative by utilizing the concept of story arcs. A story arc allows you to tell more of your brand story over the course of multiple posts creating deeper engagement. You brand story touches multiple aspects of your business so it should naturally touch multiple areas of your social media marketing.
    2. The second strategy is expanding your story on your business blog. Expanding your story on your blog helps highlight your knowledge within your niche and establishes you as a leader. This strategy can result in significant payoffs as blogging has a tremendous return on investment.
    3. BIG WIN strategy number three is to build relationships with your audience and followers. Social media is meant to be social, and businesses must utilize the tools available to build relationships with followers. Engaging with your followers will build trust. Talking with your followers builds loyalty. Educating your followers establishes you as an expert.

    Enjoy The Webinar

    Since we build flexible and adaptable solutions into our strategies all of the tips and strategies are moldable to your unique situation. We make sure that each strategy is adaptable to a variety of companies and that it will help you tell your winning story. Please enjoy the webinar. If you have additional questions or want to provide feedback or suggestions please reach out. Webinar also visible on the JRH Graphics channel on YouTube

    9 Essential Posts for the Holidays

    Please join us for our next webinar.  We will look at the 9 Essential Posts Framework utilized by JRH Graphics and review how to use it to get the most from your posts on social media this holiday season. Using the 9 Essential posts framework and pairing it with a content calendar you can plan the best ways to engage with followers. The framework makes it easy to provide varied content that is educational, entertaining and useful for your audience. Join us on this webinar, and “sleigh” your social media this Holiday! Get it, sleigh instead of slay!