Author: Min Tang

Categories
Social Marketing

Making Your Brand Stand Out On Social Media

Businesses and brands are constantly competing for attention on social media, and with all the noise and incessant messaging, how can you make your voice heard?

You have to find ways to cut through the noise and stand out like a unicorn in a sea of donkeys.

But how? By knowing how to standout on social media.

How to Stand Out on Social Media

Here, I’m revealing a few of my favorite social media marketing tactics that have helped me grow my businesses and stand out on social media.

1. Plan a content strategy and create an editorial calendar for your social channels.

Marketers are sometimes at a loss at what to post on social media.

Successful social media marketing doesn’t happen on accident — there’s a strategy in place, just as there is with a blog.

Look at the big picture and come up with social content that will resonate with your audience.

Map out seasonal content, as well as content related to events or launches your company is planning.

Work closely with your editorial and marketing teams to know what’s coming down the pipeline and strategize the best ways to promote it.

2. Invest in the right social channels.

It’s not just about what social content you share — it’s also about where you share it.

Not all social platforms are created equally, and where one business gets amazing engagement, another might fall flat.

B2Bs, for example, might do very well on LinkedIn, but not so hot on Instagram.

Meanwhile, B2Cs usually thrive on Instagram.

Find the platform that aligns with your audience.

3. Dive into new social platforms headfirst.

Another unicorn social tactic?

Find the latest and greatest platform, and dive in — before your competition.

One prime example?

Facebook Messenger.

The open rates on this thing are sky high (80% on average).

There are 300 million active monthly Messenger users, and you can communicate with them straight through Messenger in an engaging format that they prefer!

Whether you want to create customer service bots, bots that can schedule appointments, or bots to deliver key content, you can do it all on Facebook Messenger.

Since it’s relatively new, however, there’s little competition — which gives you a prime opportunity to get in and get ahead.

4. Always add visuals.

Whether it’s video or static images, visuals always up the engagement on your social content.

Hire a photographer to create a library of images for your brand to use, and/or invest in a high quality stock photography site — the kind that has images that don’t actually look like a stock image.

On a budget?

Comb through a license-free site like Pixabay or Stocksnap.io for unicorn visual content that won’t cost you a dime.

5. Create a consistent aesthetic for your social content.

Creating a consistent theme with your accounts helps you establish and grow brand awareness, especially on Instagram.

Practically, this means using a consistent color palette and the same filters to come up with a distinct feel and look.

This makes your posts look visually appealing to your followers and customers, and more — it reflects your brand’s image.

6. Know your audience and anticipate their needs.

Knowing your audience means you’ll know what kind of content they’ll find useful and want to engage with.

To that end, do as much persona research as you can so that you can thoroughly understand your customers and audience.

This will help every aspect of your marketing, including your social media marketing.

7. Pay attention to your social media analytics.

In addition to doing persona research, always look to your analytics to find out what’s working and resonating with your audience, and what isn’t.

Based on that data, you can move forward and create more content that’s in line with what your what’s already working and move away from the social content that isn’t cutting it.

8. Create a place where your visitors and customers can add their feedback.

Customers often rely on reviews and they appreciate businesses where they can leave their feedback.

According to Huffington Post, 70% of businesses that give the best customer experience use customer feedback?

Encourage feedback on your own social channels, and use it to inform your own service and practices.

Want Your Brand to Stand Out on Social Media? Try These 8 Tips [SmallBizTrends]

Categories
People & Relationships

Bringing Your Team Together

Team-building activities can be great fun while helping to improve individual skills and the overall dynamic of your staff. Pick the right activity to boost employee morale and even gain insight into their potential for development.

Here are twenty varied ideas for excellent team-building activities.

Escape Room

Escape room activities replicate problem-solving situations that teams might encounter in real everyday situations. The nature of an escape room adventure also makes it impossible for less confident team members to hide behind the stronger and more dominant characters, although it does help highlight the natural leaders in the group.

Scavenger Hunt

There are lots of varieties for this kind of team-building activity so conduct a little research first to see what best suits your particular business and team dynamic. Usually you would split into smaller teams with directives that take them around the city you’re based in, each working together to figure out the clues and claim the reward.

Karaoke Night

If you have plenty of extroverts on your staff then a karaoke night might just be the best way to let them express themselves and get to know each other better. It can work for more introverted groups too, helping to coax them out of their shells and let their hair down for an afternoon or evening.

Go-Kart Racing

This activity is growing increasingly popular for all sorts of groups from stag or hen parties to birthday celebrations. It is an exciting event that everyone enjoys and it will encourage some fun competitiveness between team members who will grow closer as a group because of it.

Laser Tag

Another activity that encourages friendly competition as well as teamwork and coordination is the classic laser tag or laser quest. As well as being great fun, the games are also an opportunity for team members to practice and improve their strategic thinking skills.

Community Volunteering

There are numerous options for your team to make a difference in the local community. Try volunteering to help with a cause. It could be filling care packages for a local children’s hospital. Or clearing out a public green space that has become overgrown or filled with rubbish. Find an activity that benefits your local community. And give your business some good PR in the bargain!

Mystery Dinner Party

Arrange for people from different departments or others who don’t often interact with other to have dinner at a restaurant or at someone’s house as a way to integrate and get to know each other better.

Weekly Lunch Date

An alternative to the mystery dinner idea is the weekly lunch date, with the theme or venue chosen by a different member of staff each week. It is a great opportunity to get to know each other better and learn about new foods and interesting flavours at the same time.

Kayaking or Canoeing

Maybe dinner or lunch sound a bit pedestrian to you. Why not get your team out on the river for some crazy kayaking adventures. It is one of the best bonding and team-building activities as keeping yourself out of the water is pretty strong motivation to work in harmony together.

Trampoline Park

You can also think a little further out of the box. Try bringing your team to a trampoline park for some bouncy fun and frolics. This can be an especially good idea after a particularly pressurized period at work. So your team can really work off the stress.

 Tourist Spots

The problem with living in or near a city is you often take the special attractions for granted as they’re always just right there. Pick something the majority of the team haven’t done before and embrace the silliness of being a tourist in your own city!

Countryside Outside

Similar to the tourist idea but a little more adventurous. Arrange a visit to the countryside or a forest or just somewhere that gets you away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Pack picnics and some fun games to enjoy for a team-building exercise that feels like old-fashioned family fun.

Art Class

There are various classes you can take like painting or clay-sculpting that everyone can do together for an interesting activity that really taps into the creative sides of your employees. It will be fun and interesting for your staff, and insightful for you too.

Improv Class

While painting might be a relaxing way of gaining insight into your employees’ natural creativity levels, an improv class will show you even more about the various characters on your staff. It is also a brilliant way to develop improvisational skills and the ability to innovate quickly and effectively in real life situations.

Local Sports Events

Smaller local sports teams do not charge very much for fans to attend (if at all), so find one who is competing at home soon and bring along your employees who can bond over their shared support of the local sports team.

Boozy Brainstorming

Instead of simply arranging an early finish and drinks after work on a Friday or two a month, head to a suitable bar with the intention of carrying on working for an hour or two with a brainstorming session. You may be surprised how much creativity is unleashed with a little

Yoga Classes

Some stretching and relaxing might be exactly what your team needs to unwind from a stressful week. Doing it together creates a shared experience that can create a strong bond between team members.

Water Balloon Catching Game

You’ll probably want to wait for a nice warm day before suggesting this one. And perhaps warn your employees to bring a change of clothes! Head to the local park with some balloons filled with water and have pairs play catch with them, each taking a step further away with every successful catch.

Duel of the Blindfolded Buddies

Split your staff into two teams. Blindfold one member from each. Each team must then verbally direct their blindfolded teammate to a hidden object somewhere in the vicinity.

Professional Development Workshop

This shared learning experience can be specifically related to the roles of your employees. Or it can be used to developed new skills such as leadership, task management or sales techniques.

 

Categories
Success Attitude

Ace Your Next Business Presentation

I’ve been doing a lot of presenting recently, especially online summits and I have no problem admitting that it’s tough. For those not born with natural eloquence, public speaking can be remarkably nerve-racking.

How to Calm Down Before a Presentation

We can’t all deliver the next Gettysburg Address, but there are several small things you can do prior to your next big presentation that will help calm your nerves and set you up for optimal oration.

1. Practice. Naturally, you’ll want to rehearse your presentation multiple times. While it can be difficult for those with packed schedules to spare time to practice, it’s essential if you want to deliver a rousing presentation. If you really want to sound great, write out your speech rather than taking chances winging it. If you really want to practice, it’s best if you do it with the pros. Consider attending a media training workshop online to make sure you’re always prepared to answer any difficult questions.

Try to practice where you’ll be delivering your talk. Some acting strategists suggest rehearsing lines in various positions-standing up, sitting down, with arms open wide, on one leg, while sitting on the toilet, etc. (OK, that last one may be optional.) The more you mix up your position and setting, the more comfortable you’ll feel with your speech. Also try recording your presentation and playing it back to evaluate which areas need work. Listening to recordings of your past talks can clue you in to bad habits you may be unaware of, as well as inspiring the age-old question: “Is that what I really sound like?”

2. Transform Nervous Energy Into Enthusiasm. It may sound strange, but I’ll often down an energy drink and blast hip-hop music in my earphones before presenting. Why? It pumps me up and helps me turn jitters into focused enthusiasm. Studies have shown that an enthusiastic speech can win out over an eloquent one, and since I’m not exactly the Winston Churchill of presenters, I make sure that I’m as enthusiastic and energetic as possible before going on stage. Of course, individuals respond differently to caffeine overload, so know your own body before guzzling those monster energy drinks.

3. Attend Other Speeches. If you’re giving a talk as part of a larger series, try to attend some of the earlier talks by other presenters. This shows respect for your fellow presenters while also giving you a chance to feel out the audience. What’s the mood of the crowd? Are folks in the mood to laugh or are they a bit more stiff? Are the presentations more strategic or tactical in nature? Another speaker may also say something that you can play off of later in your own presentation.

4. Arrive Early. It’s always best to allow yourself plenty of time to settle in before your talk. Extra time ensures you won’t be late (even if Google Maps shuts down) and gives you plenty of time to get adapted to your presentation space.

5. Adjust to Your Surroundings. The more adjusted to your environment you are, the more comfortable you’ll feel. Make sure to spend some in the room where you will be delivering your presentation. If possible, practice with the microphone and lighting, make sure you understand the seating, and be aware of any distractions potentially posed by the venue (e.g., a noisy road outside).

6. Meet and Greet. Do your best to chat with people before your presentation. Talking with audiences makes you seem more likeable and approachable. Ask event attendees questions and take in their responses. They may even give you some inspiration to weave into your talk.

7. Use Positive Visualization. Whether or not you consider yourself a master of Zen, know that plenty of studies have proven the effectiveness of positive visualization. When we imagine a positive outcome to a scenario in our mind, it’s more likely to play out the way we envision.

Instead of thinking “I’m going to be terrible out there” and visualizing yourself throwing up mid-presentation, imagine yourself getting tons of laughs while presenting with the enthusiasm of Jimmy Fallon and the poise of Audrey Hepburn (the charm of George Clooney wouldn’t hurt either). Positive thoughts can be incredibly effective-give them a shot.

8. Take Deep Breaths. The go-to advice for jitters has truth to it. When we’re nervous, our muscles tighten-you may even catch yourself holding your breath. Instead, go ahead and take those deep breaths to get oxygen to your brain and relax your body.

9. Smile. Smiling increases endorphins, replacing anxiety with calm and making you feel good about your presentation. Smiling also exhibits confidence and enthusiasm to the crowd. Just don’t overdue it-no one enjoys the maniacal clown look.

10. Exercise. Exercise earlier in the day prior to your presentation to boost endorphins, which will help alleviate anxiety. Better pre-register for that Zumba class

11. Work on Your Pauses. When you’re nervous, it’s easy to speed up your speech and end up talking too fast, which in turn causes you to run out of breath, get more nervous, and panic! Ahh!

Don’t be afraid to slow down and use pauses in your speech. Pausing can be used to emphasize certain points and to help your talk feel more conversational. If you feel yourself losing control of your pacing, just take a nice pause and keep cool.

12. Use a Power Stance. Practicing confident body language is another way to boost your pre-presentation jitters. When your body is physically demonstrating confidence, your mind will follow suit. While you don’t want to be jutting out your chest in an alpha gorilla pose all afternoon (somebody enjoyed Dawn of the Planet of the Apes a bit too much), studies have shown that using power stances a few minutes before giving a talk (or heading to a nerve-racking interview) creates a lasting sense of confidence and assurance. Whatever you do, don’t sit-sitting is passive. Standing or walking a bit will help you harness those stomach bats (isn’t that more appropriate than butterflies?). Before you go on stage, strike your best Power Ranger stance and hold your head high!

13. Drink Water. Dry mouth is a common result of anxiety. Prevent cottonmouth blues by staying hydrated and drinking plenty of water before your talk (just don’t forget to hit the bathroom before starting). Keep a bottle of water at arm’s reach while presenting in case you get dry mouth while chatting up a storm. It also provides a solid object to hurl at potential hecklers. (That’ll show ’em.)

14. Join Toastmasters. Toastmaster clubs are groups across the country (and the world) dedicated to helping members improve their public speaking skills. Groups get together during lunch or after work to take turns delivering short talks on a chosen topic. The more you present, the better you’ll be, so consider joining a Toastmaster club to become a top-notch orator. Just don’t forget, it’s BYOB (Bring Your Own Bread).

15. Don’t Fight the Fear. Accept your fear rather than trying to fight it. Getting yourself worked up by wondering if people will notice your nervousness will only intensify your anxiety. Remember, those jitters aren’t all bad-harness that nervous energy and transform it into positive enthusiasm and you’ll be golden. We salute you, O Captain! My Captain!

Worried About Your Next Business Presentation? 15 Ways to Calm Your Nerves [SmallBizTrends]

Categories
Teamwork & Leadership

How Body Language Affects Your Presentation Skills

There’s a reason “The Room Where It Happens” is one of Broadway hit Hamilton’s standout songs: the track’s theme — longing to be included among key decision-makers in the place in which decisions are made — is timeless.

The right type of body language can help get you into that room.

Confident body language is a self-fulfilling prophecy of sorts: The more you project success, competence and resources, the more those things will likely be awarded to you. As far as the body language you want to present, making it a habit is vital. Just as important is spending time in the same vicinity as the people with the power to help you reach your goals — and projecting confidence to them, said Mark Bowden, author of Winning Body Language and other books on the subject. Being in the right place at the right time with the right people is the best way to use your body language to supercharge your goals.

Whether you’ve got your eyes set on a raise, partnership, promotion or any other new business opportunity, here are five body language tips to help get you there.

Take advantage of your full height.

Four or five inches in height — in other words, the difference between the 25th percentile and the 75th — could translate to a salary increase of 9 to 15 percent, according to research published in 2015. Though you can’t grow taller by sheer force of will, you can make use of every inch you’ve got by standing (and sitting) tall.

“Power, status and confidence are nonverbally displayed through the use of height and space,” said Carol Kinsey Goman, creator of the LinkedIn Learning course “Body Language for Leaders.”

Don’t be afraid to take up space.

If you’re looking to add a few more notches to your perceived height, make a habit of taking up more space: Stand up and move around when presenting in a meeting, hook your elbow on the back of your chair while seated or spread out your belongings on the conference table, Goman said.

Another strategy: Sit a handspan from the table in meetings and negotiations, Bowden said. You’ll appear taller because others in the room will be able to see more of you, and when you reach out to take something from the table, such as a notepad or glass of water, your arm will stretch out further — resulting in the perception that you’re taking up more space. For better or worse, our built-in instincts tell us that big is more powerful than small, Bowden said. People tend to award higher salaries, honor and resources to those they perceive as more powerful.

Don’t discount the power of a smile and eye contact.

Want to be memorable? Break out a toothy grin. Research published in 2015 suggests that “socially positive signals conveyed by smiling faces” may prompt people’s memory of both the person they met and the meeting’s context — especially if they perceived both of those factors as positive. Smiling at someone also often triggers them to return the gesture — and that muscle movement, in turn, can positively impact their emotional state.

And it may be one of the oldest tricks in the book, but it’s oft-repeated for a reason: Eye contact projects confidence. Aim to maintain eye contact for 50 to 60 percent of the time you speak with someone, Goman said. Here’s a strategy to help you build the habit: When starting a conversation, look into the other person’s eyes for long enough to note their color.

Talk with your hands.

People perceive quality leaders to be calm and assertive, and there’s a type of body language that denotes those qualities: open-handed gestures at navel height. This movement inherently suggests that you’re honest with nothing to hide, and it also projects trust, credibility, confidence and calm, Bowden said — all before you’ve even opened your mouth to speak.

An oft-cited piece of research published in 2007 focuses in on Broca’s area, an area of the brain associated with speech production, and suggests that making hand gestures while speaking can play an important cognitive role for both a speaker and a listener. For the former, it can aid in “semantic retrieval and selection,” or choosing which words to use and why. Goman, an executive coach, said that when her clients incorporated gestures into their speeches, their speech content improved and their use of “filler words” decreased.

Identify your common nervous gestures, then work to break those habits.

Whether it’s twirling your hair, wagging your foot, rolling your neck or fidgeting with your hands, you likely have a go-to nervous tic (and if you’re unsure what it is, your peers can likely point you in the right direction). Repetitive anxious behavior often takes away from the image you’re trying to portray: a calm, cool and collected leader.

To reset your body language and project confidence, take a deep breath and practice being still, Goman said. There’s a good chance that practicing meditation can help that feel more natural, and there are a host of apps out there for beginners who want to dip a toe in the water.

These 5 Body Language Secrets Could Put You on the Road to a Million Dollars [Entreprenuer]

Categories
Entrepreneurship

Becoming An Entrepreneur After You Lost Your Job

People are not born entrepreneurs. They normally become one after a problem is presented to them. Some are trying to solve a common issue we face, while some are trying to change the world. Throughout my entrepreneurial journey, one of the most common catalysts I have found for entrepreneurship has been associated with job loss.

Many people seem to get a kick-start to become an entrepreneur when they lose their job. This is exactly what happened to me. I was only a part-time self-professed content marketer when I lost my job. I had to make a decision at that time to either re-enter the workforce or take the plunge into the world of entrepreneurship. Almost four years later, I operate a growing marketing firm and write for publications such as Entrepreneur.

Alex Charfen, co-founder and CEO of Charfen, attributes this kick-start to new-found freedom. “The reason so many people start businesses after losing their job is that it’s often the first time they get a taste of freedom,” says Charfen, who is the author of Entrepreneurial Personality Type: Your guide to the most important and misunderstood people among us. “They’re finally away from the constraints of a job, from someone managing their outcomes every day — and immediately, it’s hard to go back. When we feel the freedom of leaving the constraints of a job, it’s very hard for our personality type to go back. So, oftentimes, losing a job is when entrepreneurs finally wake up.”

From looking for work to helping others find work.

Downsizing is never a fun experience and for Sanjay Sathe it was no different. “Opportunity often comes disguised in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat,” says Sathe, reciting a quote from Napoleon Hill. It was Sathe’s “temporary defeat” that led him into the world of entrepreneurship.

Related: 15 Steps I Took to Successfully Reinvent Myself After Losing Everything

The word came in 2006, when Sathe was vice president of Enterprise Data Management for a division of Sabre Holdings, that the unit was being taken private and downsizing was part of the reorganization.

“I was given the services of a traditional outplacement company,” says Sathe. “It took me a couple of weeks to get an appointment, then I drove 45 miles and sat in the lobby for a while before someone took me into a conference room and gave me a big spiel about my life. They gave me a binder and told me to come for a class the next day. When I got out the first thing that came to mind is that these folks are living in the stone age. The world has changed, the way we look at job search has changed.”

Sathe saw that the industry was ripe for disruption. He found that trying to find a job online was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. “It was a full-time job in itself,” he adds. “I had to go through a multitude of websites and there was no intelligence on the sites. I had to do the same thing again and again each day.” It was then he got the idea to create what he describes as an “eHarmony in the job space.”

Sathe founded RiseSmart in 2006 as a way to connect job seekers with employers. He led the company into being one of the fastest growing outplacement companies in the world. In late 2015, it was acquired by Dutch human resource consulting firm, Randstad Holding NV, for $100 million. Not a bad result for getting laid off.

Being an entrepreneur is not easy. Sathe likens his experience with being on a rollercoaster. He says there were many “ah-ha” moments, but it wasn’t until the company received its first round of Series A funding that he felt he was on his way with a successful venture. Prior to its sale last year, RiseSmart raised a total of $27 million in venture capital.

As far as advice goes for people thinking of stepping into entrepreneurship, Sathe passes along a quote from Wayne Gretzky, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” Sathe adds, “I would say you don’t get these chances often, to come out of your comfort zone and get challenged. A lot depends if you want to go on the offense and take up the challenge or not. Also appetite for risk and personal circumstance, of course, is there but I would highly recommend people to get a taste of entrepreneurship.”

Related: You Are Your Biggest Obstacle in Becoming an Entrepreneur

From the NFL to at-home senior-care.

“I never gave it a second thought,” says Tafa Jefferson, referring to his decision to enter the world of entrepreneurship. After playing football in college and then professionally for the Chicago Bears, Jefferson was able to pursue his dream thanks to an injury he sustained with the Bears. “I always knew that I’d eventually be an entrepreneur, whether I played one or 10 years in the NFL. Getting injured when I did just expedited the inevitable.”

Jefferson sustained an injury that would not allow him to return to the NFL. With football no longer an option, he faced a decision that many of us have faced — try to go back into the workforce or pursue entrepreneurship. The current franchisor chose the latter.

Jefferson went into healthcare, a profession that was already close to his family. His mom worked as a caregiver, and upon his return from the NFL, he found that many nurses were being let go by a local company. He combined his knowledge of the business along with his father’s entrepreneurial spirit to start what eventually became known as Amada Senior Care, a senior home healthcare service.

“It was a natural fit for what I knew and what opportunity was there,” says Jefferson. “Between learning how to be an entrepreneur from my dad and learning to love seniors from my mom, I guess I was kind of raised to do this.”

Jefferson has enjoyed success with the business. It has grown to 60 franchise locations in 25 states with plans to open a total of 200 by 2018. However, Jefferson does not measure his success by numbers.

“I think success is defined differently by different people,” says Jefferson. “I’d say I felt success the first time I met with my first client and matched them up with a really good nurse and they were both ecstatic about having each other. I knew at that time that I’d found something that I could feel really good about doing for the rest of my life.”

“Be grateful.” This is the best piece of advice Jefferson gives to people facing the same situation of job loss. “My business partner Chad Fotheringham lost his job after a successful 10 year career with Pfizer and he always talks about how it was the greatest blessing of his life.”

He also adds that most people in the corporate world already have the skills to be entrepreneurs. “Most people who work in corporate jobs don’t realize how well their skills and training translate in the entrepreneurial world. They have been trained to think that the corporation is the reason for the success. However, in reality the only reason those corporations are successful is because they have a lot of very talented employees that could take those skills and work ethics and be very successful in their own businesses.”

Overall, the decision to enter entrepreneurship worked out great for Jefferson. In the end, he says hard work will eventually pay off. “If you are hardworking and willing to take a little more risk, you can build your own brand.”

Finding your career path.

If you lose your job and think about starting a business, you are definitely at a crossroads. You can choose to re-enter the job market or venture out on your own. There are many risks associated with both but your new found freedom could be the key to your entrepreneurial success. While not guaranteed, you don’t have the pressure of your current job to hold you back from pursuing your dreams.

On a final note, running your own business is not for everyone. I have run several, not all of which were successful, but I will say that there is no other path I would choose.

Lost Your Job? Consider it a Wake-Up Call to Become an Entrepreneur. [Entreprenuer]