What is Pinterest and Why Businesses Should Be Paying Attention

by Frederika Angus

Pinterest. It’s social media’s newest fastest growing platform. It’s been around for almost 2 years and this past Tuesday reached 11.7 million monthly active users. If you have a business that requires you market to consumers, pay attention to what’s going with Pinterest.

The best part about Pinterest is that unlike using SEO techniques to rank highly in google search, this platform allows users to discover and experience your brand visually. And unlike Facebook and Twitter where the content visibility is limited to the time you post it, pinning content goes on and on as more people collaborate and share within the same interest.

Get up to speed quickly on why your brand should care about this social media platform and how to get started right away.

Great article on the basics on Pinterest from Mashable
http://mashable.com/2011/12/26/pinterest-beginners-guide/

Tips on how to read your ideal customer’s mind using Pinterest
http://www.arealchange.com/blog/read-mind-pinterest

Very specific ways for your brand can leverage Pinterest
http://techcrunch.com/2012/02/12/five-ways-brands-can-leverage-pinterest/

Using Pinterest for Marketing
http://blog.hubspot.com/blog/tabid/6307/bid/31434/6-Compelling-Reasons-You-Should-Use-Pinterest-for-Marketing.aspx

9 Ways to capture the attention of ideal customers
http://www.inc.com/john-brandon/9-tips-boost-your-business-pinterest.html

Let me know what questions you have below.

Find me on Pinterest here and connect with me.

And if you’re convinced that Pinterest is the right platform to expand your brand and ready to get started but need an invite, go to my contact page here http://nextlevelvision.com/contact/. I’ll make sure you get an invite sent to you with 24-48 hours.

Talk to you soon!

Imagine your business as an open house. Your visual branding will cause your ideal customers to look and perhaps even stop out front. While branding causes people to look, the biggest question for business profitability is how do you get people in the door?

When it comes to marketing, in particular, digital marketing, two forms exist. Pull and push. Understanding the concept of push and pull marketing will help as you develop strategies to expand your brand’s products and services online.

Push Marketing

Push marketing is where the company is pushing messaging to create excitement or interest. The customer hasn’t asked about or for your services and products. In traditional advertising this is done in the form of commercials, and magazines or radio ads. Online, methods such as banner advertising, Pay-Per-Click ads and email marketing are used. This method allows your target market to know you exist and provide a solution they might need.

Pull marketing

Pull creates awareness and when done well, a demand. Pull marketing is about positioning your brand so that as your prospective customers are seeking information, you are who they find. Its intent is to attract ideal customers and is usually done more organically. Customers who are gathering information in your area of expertise are less likely to have their guard up as they would in an unsolicited sales pitch. Websites with blogs along with SEO (search engine optimization) and even your social media presence, allows customers to find you, develop relationship that can grow into profits for your business.

Both push and pull marketing help expand and elevate your brand and business online. The two types are not mutually exclusive, meaning; it’s not a decision to select either push or pull. Both push and pull marketing strategies should work together. Often times without the promotion of push, websites and blogs would never get off the ground.

Push and pull marketing works best in tandem to grow profits for your brand. It is important to find the balance of pushing on certain avenues such as email marketing and using social media. Especially because both are great ways to develop relationships that will result in long-term brand loyalty. Know where your prospective customers are looking for your products and services and position yourself to be the one they find.

Talk to you soon!

Stand Out From the Crowd with your Social Media Content

by Frederika Angus

Social media can be overwhelming. Especially when you are using social media for your business and you want to be heard and stand out from the crowd.

At the end of 2011, Facebook had on average 483 million daily active users. Twitter had over 100 million active users. Google+ had more than 150 million active users. Those numbers are continuing to be on the rise.

That’s a lot of competition!

It’s like being a small fish in a small pond with millions of other small fish for small businesses.

And at the rate that social media moves, your ideal customers can forget about you just as quickly as they found you. It’s like my mom always told me, “Out of sight. Out of mind.”

Your brand cannot afford to be out of sight from potential revenue generating opportunities nor out of the mind of your ideal clients. This is why your branding efforts on social media is critical for you to stand out. Social media branding is bigger than a great profile picture or background. While your brand strategy should incorporate visual elements, those visual elements should help support your overall brand message.

How do you expand your brand through social media in a stand out way?

Too often I see the “self-proclaimed experts” sharing the ideas and opinions of everyone else and very little of their own original content. It’s fine to share great articles and quotes that resonate with you from others … occasionally through out the day. The trouble starts when you begin to bombard your following with everyone else’s opinion.

This style of social media content distribution downgrades your expert credibility and leaves them with questions like:

If you are the expert, where’s your opinion? Why should I follow you if I can just follow the person whose content you’re always promoting?

It’s difficult to differentiate why you are different from the thousands of competitors you have on social media with this strategy. That’s why it is vital that your website has blog functionality attached to it or that it is completely built using a content management system like WordPress.

You have to be the creator of valuable content that your target market can’t wait to not only read, but consume.

3 Tips For Stand Out Content in Social Media

1. Commit to writing at least twice a week. Yes, I understand you have work to do and you don’t need another thing on your plate. This is only recommended this to those who want to go beyond their current level of success. Your ideal customers are consuming the majority of their content in snippets of 140 characters and through article links on status updates. Get your brand in front of them consistently to avoid the out of sight, out of mind syndrome.
2. Use current events as a way to attract into your niche. We are in a right now society. Content that is quickly consumed and shared via social media is relevant to what is going on in the world. After Steve Jobs died, the internet and social media platforms immediately had articles and graphics posted for others to consume from all different perspectives. Write content in your niche that people are currently searching and looking for.
3. Share you! People recognize and respect authenticity. Don’t be afraid to be genuinely you as your write. It’s not necessary for you to write like a journalist for people to love and appreciate what your write. Ensure that your content sounds the same as if someone was talking to you across the table sharing coffee. The best way stand out in the conversation is to contribute content with your unique and fresh way of thinking.

Stand out brands are leaders in their industry. Social media is a great, cost-effective avenue to expand your brand quickly. Elevate your social media strategy by standing out with your content.

Talk to you soon!

The Power of Belief For Your Brand Growth and Profitable Business Success

by Frederika Angus

“If you believe you can, you probably can. If you believe you won’t, you most assuredly won’t. Belief is the ignition switch that gets you off the launching pad.” Denis Waitley

Businesses are built and grow based on your belief. Oftentimes people tell me that they would love to be a business owner. Being able to do work that you love and have a passion for, determining your schedule for greater freedom and flexibility, and having the ability to create a legacy and wealth for your future is appealing. Unfortunately, the next thing they say starts with a big BUT.

“But I just don’t think I am cut out to be an entrepreneur.” “But I don’t have the time.” “But I don’t think that this idea will work.”

Today I want to encourage you to Change Your BUT! I am not just talking about reciting some affirmations over and over again. I am talking about changing your mindset about what you believe is possible for you and your business.

Credible personal and expert branding is supported with your belief. If you know that you are an expert in your industry as a fashion stylist, chef, makeup artist, software developer, business strategist, whatever you have skill in, you will be treated and compensated as such.

As William James said “Belief creates the actual fact.” What facts are you creating in the marketplace for your brand based on your belief?

You see branding is more than design element or a necessary part of your overall marketing strategy. The power of branding lies in the mind. It is rooted in the perception that people have about you and your business. As the face of your company, you have the opportunity to shape that belief for your clients and customers by what it is you believe for yourself and the value your business has.

Start this process by asking and answering these 3 questions.

1. What does your ideal client currently believe about you and your business? All brand strategies should begin with a clear idea of how you are being seen in the marketplace. Your client’s perception of you produces their reality and it is important in the development of a brand message.
2. What do you believe about you/your business? If what you believe and what your customers believe to be true about you are not in agreement, your branding efforts have a huge disconnect. This is usually the point a brand strategy experts should be brought in to create or transform the brand message.
3. What do you want people to believe about you and your company? Brainstorm the ideas that you want to leave people with. Every word that people read about you, every visual element they see, the voice and tone of every message, should reflect who you are and what you stand for.

How you and your clients perceive your business will make an impact in the expansion, growth and overall success of your branding efforts. “Beliefs have the power to create and the power to destroy.” Tony Robbins. Be mindful of your thoughts and the power they have on your brand.

Talk to you soon!

Is it Better to Use Your Business Logo or a Picture of Yourself on Social Media?

by Frederika Angus

Last week, I met one of my new twitter followers by accident.

On social media, I am determined to be authentic and to be my best me all the time. I make sure that I share valuable information about business and always sprinkle my personality in. I even share personable details about myself and my life without crossing the line to being way too personal.

Most, if not all, of my followers know from my tweets I am a HUGE sports enthusiast. Our kids have played sports since they were big enough to walk. We also have season tickets to both our local NFL and NBA teams While out at a Charlotte Bobcats game with the family, apparently I was really into the music they were playing. (Music is another of my loves!) The cameraman thought that it would a great opportunity to put me on the big screen for the enjoyment of thousands. You know to hype up the rest of the crowd!

[Bobcat player Reggie Williams signing autographs before the game]

I didn’t think much of it then but as we were preparing to head out with the rest of the crowd, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

“I would recognize you anywhere. You’re Frederika, from twitter,” she said. “Seeing at you on the JumbTron is just like seeing your picture when you tweet!”

She continued to share how she appreciated the content I shared on Twitter and was glad that she could meet me in person. It was as if we already knew each other just from our interaction on social media.

If you desire expert branding, being the face of your business and connecting with your clients (and your potential customers) in a memorable way, your profile picture needs to be of you. Steve Jobs was masterful at being the face of Apple and by doing so not only created loyal brand enthusiast but built a significant legacy for years to come.

Achieving the same is possible for you and made easy through social media. Using social media to brand and position yourself puts you on the same playing field as the big guys, quickly with minimal cost. That is where your customers hang out, search and digest the majority of their information. Putting a clear, professional headshot up as your profile picture makes a big difference in the level of connection and relationship you develop with your clients. Unless you are already have household brand recognition through your logo, becoming the face your brand is the best way to elevate your brand and expand your business to the next level.

Leave a comment below and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you.

Talk to you soon,

Is It Time For A New Logo or To Refresh Your Existing Logo? 3 Lessons Your Business Can Learn From the Carolina Panthers Logo Refresh

by Frederika Angus

Yesterday my local NFL team, the Carolina Panthers, released a brand new logo. Welllllll, it’s really not so new. But they did take the existing logo and made a few design changes to better reflect the direction they wanted their brand to go in. As a small business owner you can learn from what they did and use these lessons for your own logo branding projects. Here’s how.

The Panther’s logo had been the same since the inception of the team in 1995. A lot has changed in 17 years. Google.com did not exist. There was no iPhone or even iPod. And there certainly wasn’t a Twitter or Facebook. 1995 just so happens to also be the year that I spent 4 weeks of my summer in Indiana, learning more about how program computers and design graphics on a college campus with 100 other students.

Old Logo

New Logo

Lesson #1 – Things may have changed since you started your company or created a corporate identity. Your brand has to remain relevant for the current environment. Know what is fresh and attractive to your ideal clients and be sure to incorporate that into your logo branding strategy. What worked even as few as 2-3 years ago may now need to be refreshed or tweaked to better portray your brand.

In the PR statement released by the Carolina Panthers, it shared that their goal was to have a ”more aggressive, contemporary look.” They also stated that the newly designed logo was intentionally created to appear more three-dimensional for use in the digital space.

Lesson #2 – Be sure to know the personality of your business and how you want to be seen.

The logo update was very clear about showing the more aggressive side to the Panthers. (I guess in football you can’t have enough aggression.) The designer was able to achieve this goal because the organization was very clear about how they want to be seen in comparison to the previous logo and up against their competition.

Lesson #3 - Identify where and how you intend to utilize your logo.

Because the Panthers are forward thinking about their branding efforts, they knew to specify the need to have a logo that translates well in digital mediums (websites, social media, mobile apps) as well as billboards, paraphernalia, and on the players’ uniforms. Can you see how the different logos show up different even in this article?

These tips will help you as you work on branding or even rebranding with your logo.

Talk to you soon!

Building Your Small Business, Networking and Having Enough Time to Spend With Your Family. Is It Possible?

by Frederika Angus

When you decided to go into business, your goal was probably to generate an income, a substantial income. Now it wasn’t all about the money, but the lifestyle that the additional money could provide for you. This business was supposed to be a bridge between the life you currently have and the one you dream about. You know, the life where you live comfortably without the stress of bills, are free to dictate how you spend your time instead of being told, and enjoy doing fulfilling work and serving your clients.

I wholeheartedly believe that entrepreneurship is a great vehicle to make all of those things happen. As an entrepreneur, I can also tell you that all of those things don’t happen if you don’t make enough money in your business to eliminate the need for a full or part-time job. One of the best ways to put money in the bank is to have a large enough funnel of prospective ideal clients.

Networking to expand your brand and reach of influence is a very smart way to to gain new customers. Unfortunately, the way networking is typically done does not produce a very good ROI, or return on your (time) investment.

I received a great question from a client requesting tips on how to add networking to an already full plate. What is a busy entrepreneur that loves time with their family, has an additional job and is even going to school to better their skills for their clients to do?

Really there are only two options (since we know not networking means no new work coming in). Either you decide to network live or online. Let me explain.

If you decide you will do in-person networking events, be selective. I value spending time with my family and creating memories that will last a lifetime. Every event that presents itself for networking is not necessarily the event for me. Select events where you know that the people in attendance are of high quality. These are the people that are not at events because they want to be seen or they have nothing else to do. Be mindful to associate and network with people who may know your ideal client or even potentially be your ideal client.

Also understand that at networking events you are the representative for the brand. Yes, especially at live networking events, you are branding via your business cards and your overall appearance and attitude. Because of the corporate clients that I attract, I understood the importance of being memorable in a very cookie cutter industry. My cards are intentionally not like most. It has a flair and quality that reflects me and allows me to standout days and even weeks after meeting someone. Just this past week I happened to run into a person from a past business function and he identified me first by my business card which reminded him I was unique in the marketplace and that we should talk further.

Learn how to network online from your couch and even while you sleep!  You have enough going on in your life that you don’t need “one more thing to do.” Networking usually takes time away from the things or the people that you would prefer to spend your time with. If you are not already making good use of the technology that is available, start today. Connect with me on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to help expand your online network. Developing relationships on these platforms is a good way to also expand your brand where your ideal clients hang out without being intrusive.

If your networking purpose is to generate new leads and prospective customers, there are strategic methods, systems and tools that you can use that will work for you even while you aren’t working your business. Weigh your return on investment. Would you rather spend 2 hours talking to a person in hopes that you will be able to schedule a meeting that might one day lead to a customer? Or would your 2 hours be better spent with friends, family, or even doing what you love and taking care of yourself while your lead generation is handled for you?

Over the next few weeks, we will further discuss how to build your brand online in such a strategic way that you are actively adding new prospects to your network because they are already looking for you. I’m looking forward to sharing these innovative strategies and techniques that will take your business to the next level.

In the meantime, be sure to post any comments or questions you have below.

Talk to you soon!

Questions To Ask A Business Coach? Let Me Hear From You!

By Frederika Angus

Although my schedule is very limited to answer questions on an individual basis, I would like to hear from you!

If you had the opportunity to ask a business coach or a mentor, anything that would help move you and your business forward, what would you want to know more about?

Is it social media marketing?

Branding techniques for any budget?

The best software or tools to help you better manage your time?

Are you looking to learn how to add residual income into your business?

Take some time and ask me a question in the comments below.

No question is to small or for that case too big. The only stupid questions are those that aren’t asked. Your question may be the one that will help many others.

If there are areas where you are struggling in your business or need to gain clarity, ask a business coach.

Post your question now!

I’m looking forward to it.

Talk to you soon!

Keeping Up With the Joneses – Free Tools That Will Help Your Business Hear the Marketplace

by Frederika Angus

How much time do you spend researching your target market? Your industry? What about your competition? How consistently are you obtaining feedback from your clients?

If your answer is not enough or not at all, don’t feel badly. Most solopreneurs and many small business owners don’t have dedicated research and marketing departments. Unfortunately, not knowing what the marketplace desires or needs could really be hindering your profits and your branding.

If your small business is just starting up or hasn’t been involved in the marketplace for many years, you may not have much insight into target market research or industry trends. You may only recognize the terms because you know they are included in formal business plans. The benefits of being able to “see” what is upcoming and having your ears to the ground are numerous.

What would it be worth for you to know the needs of your customer, provide them and be the sought out industry expert?

Fortunately, there are tools available for free that can work for you while you continue to get the work of the business done. In this article, I’ll discuss my two of my favorites. They will help you keep up with the Joneses, whether your Jones is Customer Jones, Industry Jones or Competition Jones, and enable you to make informed business decisions.

Google Alerts

Google has a very innovative group of tools that has changed how we use and even refer to web searching and the internet. Google Alerts are emails sent when Google finds new relevant information that match your specific search terms. The results provide you with a listing of newspaper articles, web pages and blogs allowing you to monitor anything on the web.

You can set up alerts for your business name, your name, keywords, your website address, even on your competition’s company name to “hear” what the world has to say. You can even decide how often you want the alerts delivered to you. For more critical terms, like your name (if it isn’t a common name) or the name of your company, it may be best to have at a minimum a daily delivery. For industry terms, you may only want to receive information once a week.

Twitter

I am a social media enthusiast (read: I am a social butterfly that loves spreading her wings via social media). As a researcher, consultant and strategist, I absolutely love the power of being able find out anything, immediately, with social media. As a marketer, coach and encourager, the ease of being able to share valuable information with people I may not otherwise have met is one of the highlights of my day. As much as I enjoy Facebook, I have to confess Twitter is my favorite when it comes to hearing what people are saying.

The biggest bonus to Twitter is the search functionality. Pop in your company name or industry keyword and you are instantly connected to real-time updates. Depending on which Twitter app you have installed on your smart device, you can even save those searches for future use and see what new information is available in the palm of your hand.

Hearing the marketplace has just gotten easier!

Do you have any favorite tools to listen to what marketplace is saying? I’d love to hear them!

Talk to you soon!

Tebowing Your Brand – What Your Small Business Can Learn About Branding From Tim Tebow

by Frederika Angus

Hate him or love him, Tim Tebow, NFL quarterback for the Denver Broncos, has become the sports media’s favorite topic. The more I observe his style of play and how he handles himself on and off the field, there are a few lessons for entrepreneurs that will help you with your own small business branding.

Faith in the face of adversity. Being a business owner can be tough. While I believe that anyone can be an entrepreneur, it takes a very dedicated, strong person that is willing to face challenges head on to actually be and entrepreneur. There will always be naysayers, competitors and obstacles to overcome.

Because Tebow hasn’t played like most quarterbacks in the league, he has been discounted by the analysts, football fans, and even the management of his team. Nevertheless, Tebow has stood steadfast in his belief in himself. He is unwavering in his stance that he has the skills and ability to be a quarterback, not a running back or tight end, in the NFL.

In order for your business and brand to last, you must have faith that you are not only designed to be a business owner, but also that your skills and abilities are ready for the challenges. As I expressed in Start Your Small Business Brand Strategy By Bringing You to the Table, you have to be the brand as an entrepreneur. Your business success in branding will go as far as your faith will allow you to believe.

Clear conviction of who you are and what you are here to do. One quality that sets entrepreneurs apart from the rest, is their ability to get clear and obtain laser like focus and run with their business vision. In the beginning stages of business planning and mapping out products and services you can offer, the clarity you have in knowing exactly what your value and uniqueness is in the marketplace is critical. Your brand has to stand out from the crowd. Clearly communicating those factors that are different, valuable and relevant to your customers with consistency is important to branding.

Tim Tebow is a good example of knowing who he is purposed to be and what he must do. He very clearly and consistently communicates who he is in every interview so that there is no mistake about his value and why he does what he does. He stands out so strongly that those who wouldn’t normally follow sports have heard of him.

Be consistent on and off the field. Your clients as well as your competition are always watching you. This is especially true if you are on social media. Do not project yourself to be one way in front of your clients and then present yourself differently on Twitter or Facebook. Doing so is a sure fire way to ruin your brand credibility.

Tebow is known for consistently expressing his faith whether he is on the field after making a game winning play or at a hospital visiting with children.

The Tim Tebow brand is one of the most talked about in all of sports. Even those who don’t like his style of play can’t help but to continue to talk about him. This is a powerful place to be as a brand. Utilize these tips and build a brand for your business that is the topic of discussion of your customers.

Talk to you soon!