Small Minded Media

For most of us above a certain age, the # sign is still something we associate with the keypad on a phone.  For those below a particular age, the # sign is known as a hashtag and it’s used constantly on social media.  (And no, I’m not saying what age that is.)

So what is a hashtag and how do you use it?  

Basically, a hashtag is used as a way to categorize content on social media platforms.  I like to think of it as a file folder, and it’s especially useful during an event.  For instance, if you think about last week’s Republican debate, you could have gone to the search bar on Twitter and typed in #RepublicanDebate.  Every tweet from around the world that used that hashtag would show up in your feed - whether you are following them or not.

For platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, hashtags are very important.  With so many images to sort through, many users of those platforms rely on hashtags to find what they’re looking for.  For instance, someone may search “short hair styles” and every picture or Pin that added #shorthairstyles to their photo description shows up in that search.

Now there is a big difference between personal and business content that’s utilizing hashtags.  I’ve seen Facebook posts from friends who listed nothing but hashtags.  No content, no story, just a picture and 12 hashtags:  #badday #feelfat #chocolateistheenemy #chippedmynail #badmoonrising #funk

In business, you’ll want to use hashtags sparingly.  Thoughtfully, but sparingly.  In fact, this point is covered in an article I found from Hootsuite.  If you’re looking for more information, you can get a great overview of hashtags from this article.

If there’s one negative thing about the current state of technology, including social media, it’s that everything gets “old” rather quickly.  Eight months ago.  Eight years ago.  18 years ago. In internet terms, 1988 was not only an era of zipper pants, big hair and neon, there may well have been dinosaurs competing for parking spots.  

So if it’s “out-of-date” is it worthless?

In terms of content and connecting with customers, I don’t think so.  And here’s an example …

Millions were swept up in Serial, a weekly radio podcast that delved into the murder of a high school girl, and the subsequent conviction of her former boyfriend.  It was downloaded over 5 million times and averaged more than 1.5 million listeners per episode.

Can you imagine? Listeners had to wait for Thursday before a new episode was available.  And wait they did.  There were even grumblings over Thanksgiving when Serial took a break for the holiday and made listeners wait (gasp!) another week.

The point is, I’m not old enough to remember weekly radio shows, but at its core, that’s what Serial is. And look at the amazing response its received.  Speculation on Twitter, Facebook shares and comments, anti-Adnan and pro-Adnan camps.

On its own merits, would you have thought a weekly radio show would be successful?  A weekly radio show?  Oh sure, and while we’re at it, let’s crank up our Model A and grab a 5-cent grape soda from Cletus at the full-service gas station.

Here’s the key to using something considered “out-of-date.”  It all boils down to the content.  Sarah Koenig, the voice and investigator behind the Serial podcasts, is a master storyteller.  The questions, the interviews, the suppositions, the red herrings – it is riveting to listen to.  Ms. Koenig is an absolute genius at un-spooling the story, piece by piece.

So how does this connect to you, your business and social media?

While social media has most of us running around trying to find and utilize the latest advancements - don’t forget that it’s possible to use something from the past to create a connection with your customer.  

As I pass the one year anniversary of launching my own business, it feels like I’ve been at it for about 60 days.  It’s hard to believe that after months of procrastinating, then moving at warp speed, I launched Small Minded Media a year ago.

I write this for those of you who’re thinking about starting your own business ...

Money in My Savings Account

This is probably the most important thing I had when I started my business, and it’s the most important thing I have today.  Having a savings allowed me to launch without having to borrow a penny, so I never had a repayment schedule hanging over my head.

In April and May, I lost three clients, one of whom was my biggest client, and that was a massive hit.  It may not sound like a big deal, but I liken it to running over a bag of Styrofoam peanuts in a Humvee.  My income was the Styrofoam peanuts.

I gave myself 15 minutes to freak out (and I’m not ashamed to say I took every minute) then crunched the numbers to see where things stood.  I had kept all extra income in my business account - I didn’t touch it - so it gave me about three months of breathing room.

Because I had that money, I was able to stay afloat.  In other words, I did not have to get my resume together and start reaching out to friends and colleagues.  A savings account, with money in it, is crucial.

Business is Business - It’s Not Personal

I mentioned I lost a couple of clients.  One of those clients was my very first customer and it was a tough phone call to take.  But here’s the thing:  if a business loses business and they need to trim their expenses, you may find yourself on the wrong side of those scissors.

Even if you worked really hard.  Even if you delivered.  Even if you went above and beyond.  Even if they loved your work and felt you were a valuable piece of their business.  You still might lose that client.

So when all is said and done, you have to know that it’s business - it’s not personal.  And handling that moment professionally is one of the most important things you can do.

Expect the Up’s and Down’s

If you’ve gotten to this point of my article, you can deduce that a fluctuation in clients and income means things are going to change.  Almost all the time.  

You know that saying, same sh**, different day?  Yeah, that doesn’t really exist when you own a small business.  Clients announce their departure, a new client emerges after months of courting, you may try a new marketing avenue, you may find yourself with writer’s block for four days.

 The only thing that is constant is change. - Heraclitus

And yes, I am quoting ancient Greek philosophers for a change.

The Learning Continues

I said this back in January, when I wrote my first article on starting a business called, “Will You Start Your Own Business This Year?” and it still holds true:  nothing and no one could have prepared me for this amazing learning experience.  Even if something “bad” happens, it still teaches me something new.  Despite the up’s and down’s, this remains one of the best decisions I ever made.

How old is your profile picture?  Did you take it on a cell phone?  While at your sister’s wedding?  

Fact is, I have needed to update my profile picture for about a year. Ok, three years.  I was using an old photo from my cell phone - from a show that I don’t even work on anymore!  Talk about out-of-date.

So I finally pulled the trigger, hired a photographer, and got my headshot done.  Big deal, right?  Well, it is a big deal.  Right or wrong, we live in an image-driven society and putting effort into any profile picture speaks volumes.

I’ve already received a couple of inquiries, so here’s the photographer’s information, and I highly recommend him:

Moa Pereira (He’s Brazilian and speaks Portuguese, English, Spanish, Italian and some French.  Yes, I feel very dumb around him.)  You can reach him via email at [email protected].  

Analytics.  Traffic.  Likes.  Comments.  ReTweets.  Follows. 

In the social media world, most of us live and die by the numbers.  I’m certainly no different, and like you, take notice when an article strikes a chord and garners a response.  But there are times when you should ignore the popularity of your content, or lack thereof.

I recently had a meeting with a potential client that owned a hair salon in Dallas.  A majority of their customers are brunette or blonde. Clearly, any time they’re mentioning one or the other, they are connecting with a large swath of their target audience.  But what about red heads?  Should they be passed over?

This is a great example of ignoring the numbers.  Can you imagine how thrilled red heads would be to get content specifically aimed at their somewhat rare hair color?  Wouldn’t it be nice to read an article that spoke to hair care products or styling tips for those with red hair?

Because this is a smaller segment of the population, you may not get a ton of numbers associated with that content.  However, it might really resonate with that audience and you could garner a few customers just by focusing on them and their needs.

In the digital age we live in, we are seeing a constant cycle of what’s new, what’s hot, and what’s relevant.  Because of this, the impression is that if it’s more than six minutes old, it’s likely irrelevant.  That may be true in how we communicate with each other, but not when it comes to business.

In many ways, business is much more methodical and practical when it comes to the digital age. Which begs the question: is blogging still viable?  Just saying the word “blog” sounds old and tired, but the truth is, it’s a great way to post content about your business.

Remember, most people are not staring at your website anticipating new information.  In fact, most people don’t give a flip about your website.  And that’s where social media comes in the door and takes a seat.  When you post news and information to your social media platforms, you are letting people know who you are and what you’re doing.

One of the easiest ways to post content is by adding it to the blog on your website then linking that story to LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, etc.  If you dislike the word blog, change the name.  Here are a few examples I’ve seen and used for my clients:

What’s Happening Who We Are What We Do In the Works This Week News & Resources

I think you’ve got the idea.  

No matter the name, your blog operates the same which means, it should not be a weekly advertisement about what’s on sale or why people should buy from you.  I like the 8:2 ratio … For every 10 posts, eight should be informational while only two should be a call to action.  Please, please do not badger people on a weekly basis to buy from you.  That is not what social media is for.

For most of us, when we spend time or money on something, we expect a return on our investment.  And that’s likely how most products or services are sold:  buy (a.) and you will get (b.).  If we don’t get (b.), we ask for a refund, stop purchasing it, write a crummy review, or spend our time doing something else.

Clearly, I’m not breaking news on how business works, but when it comes to social media, you can throw this whole equation out the window.  And here’s why …

Social media should be viewed as another avenue of communication.  Period.  If you think you’re going to put time into providing social media content then find 262 people outside your door trying to purchase your product or service, you are going to be very disappointed.  

But like a phone number, an email or a website - those items make it easier for you to communicate with your customers, right?  So go ahead and put social media in the same category.  You are going to be providing information and the return could be months away. 

And as you start wrapping around the idea of social media as another form of communication, remember, your content should fall into one of these categories:

*It should solve a problem

*It should tell people something about you or how you do business

*It should tell people something about your industry

No matter what platform you’re using - LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, Houzz, etc. - you should try and post something new each week.  You do not have to write a white paper every seven days. You can simply re-post an article you found insightful and tell me what you liked about it.  You can post something great that happened with a customer. You can warn people about a price increase that’s coming in the summer – and tell them why it’s happening.

Social media will mostly be a one-way street of information.  But that’s okay because the second thing you are creating is trust. And who do we buy from?  People we know, like and trust.  If I don’t know you, I don’t know if I like you, and I don’t know if I can trust you.  But here’s the great thing about social media:  it allows you to build trust with people by giving them information.  It’s a gift.  And you may or may not receive a gift (their business) in return.  

Finally, like it or not, this is the way business is being conducted.  Think of it this way:  if you were searching for a personal trainer, who would you gravitate toward?  Someone who stapled a leaflet on a telephone poll, or someone who not only had a website, but offered weekly tips on eating healthy, at-home exercises, and an article on whether copper-infused workout gear works.  

If you’ve been utilizing social media, you know how important good images can be.  And if you’re using several platforms, you know that some images work better than others.  So why doesn’t that photo of your embroidered jeans look good on Twitter?

Whether you’re trying to post an image on your LinkedIn profile page, or want to share a vacation photo on Facebook, both platforms ask for different sized photos.

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could print a cheat sheet with photo sizes for various platforms?  Well say hello to Christmas in June because I’ve linked a simple guide that offers optimum photo sizes for each platform:

I have never been a huge proponent of the Facebook business page.

For some time, Facebook has limited the number of posts that actually made it to your followers.  Take that in:  people who actually liked your business, and wanted to know what was happening, only received about 12% of the posts from your company page.

And in January 2015, it got worse.  At that time, Facebook business pages had to promote almost all posts in order for their fans to see them.  The Wall Street Journal had the crummy news back in November (This is an older article which is now asking for a login or subscription) … here’s the link:  http://on.wsj.com/1y6sPxx

Is there a solution? What if you can’t afford to “boost” every post?

When it comes to my clients, one thing I’ve been experimenting with is using a company page AND a personal account to post content.  

One of my customers is a commercial construction company in Ft. Worth. We’ve been trying to grow their Company Page on LinkedIn but it hasn’t gained much traction.  About five months ago, I started adding content to the Company Page and the personal LI account of one of the partners.

He has over 550 connections on LinkedIn.  The Company Page has under 50 followers.  Each week, I am posting new content on both accounts.  The result? Obviously, more people are seeing the content which has led to more engagement on both accounts.  I’ve been very pleased with the results so far.

Might this work on Facebook? I think it’s worth a try, but be very careful!  Be thoughtful about what you’re posting on your personal account.  Remember, your business content should do one of the following:

1.  Solve a problem.

2.  Let people know about you and how you do business.

3.  And/or tell people something about your industry.

Of all the social media platforms, Google + remains a complete and total mystery to me. For the last two years, I have heard that Google+ is about to hit the big time so better jump on board! Despite the continual trumpeting, I have yet to see any increase in its use and I have no plans for any of my clients to join the lonely cornet player on that bandwagon.

A recent survey by Social Media Examiner, asked marketers to pick the single most important social media platform, and here are their answers:

*54% Facebook

*17% LinkedIn

*12% Twitter

*8%   Blogging

*3%   Google+

*2%   You Tube

*1%   Pinterest

In a follow-up question to those same marketers, they were asked how they will change their future social media activities. Blogging was the top priority with 68% saying, they will either add or expand their blogging efforts. Google+ came in sixth.

Had I taken part in that survey, Google+ would not have made my list. I do not utilize it and I know of only one person who engages that platform on a regular basis. If a social media tree falls in Google+, does it still make a sound?

I believe Google +’s siren song is that utilizing their platform increases your search engine ranking. For those who don’t want to “sponsor” their posts on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn, this sounds like a glorious pay off. But if your audience isn’t on Google+, what difference does it make?

But if you scan your email inbox, Twitter Timeline, LinkedIn Pulse, or your Facebook News Feed, you’ll see a number of posts with apocalyptic headlines in an effort to get you to read their content. 

Titles promising absolute failure or absolute success are an incredible turn off to most people. Every once in awhile, I’ll take the bait and see what the article is about. It’s usually ridiculous. And what’s worse, they may have gotten me to bite, but in the end, they wrecked my trust. And that is a very bad outcome.

Obviously, you want as many people as possible to read your content, but if the title doesn’t offer a pay off, you could forever lose a follower/reader/customer/potential client. 

There is a website that sends weekly health tips and articles to my inbox. They recently sent an email with the title:  Green Smoothies May Be Bad for Your Health. 

What?! Oh no!  I have a smoothie once a week. Sometimes more. But I saw that title and thought, am I adding something that’s bad for me? Is there new research that shows organic spinach is as dangerous as arsenic?

I clicked on the article to see what was going on. The author spent the first portion of the article talking about how healthy green smoothies are.  Uh yes, I knew that.  That’s why I drink them.  The last two paragraphs mentioned that if you’re drinking a green smoothie for every meal, every day - over time, it might soften your teeth because you aren’t chewing your food.

Are you &#*%@ kidding me? If I drink a green smoothie every day, for every meal, over a lengthy amount of time, my teeth might soften? I immediately found their unsubscribe link and took my name off their list.

Now that’s an example of a headline with a terrible payoff. Non-informative, alarming for no reason, and irritating beyond words. Goodbye website with your health tips.

Be very careful with your titles and headlines. Try and avoid titles that offer apocalyptic outcomes, absolute failure or success, or alarming your readers/customers for no real reason.

I have looked at numerous company websites and wondered if they’re still operating.  I don’t see any news about new clients, new projects, new industry information – nothing.  Fact is, they may be popular and extremely busy, but if you don’t frequent their business, how would you know?

If you’ve drank my yummy Kool-Aid and you’re ready to start adding content to your website and social media platforms, what should you post?  This is still one of the most common questions I get asked and to review, your content is going to fall into one of three categories:

·      It will solve a problem

·      It will tell me something about you and/or how you do business

·      It will tell me something about your industry

For the sake of providing information, I’m going to use Fort Construction; a fast-growing commercial construction company based in Fort Worth.  They hired me in August to come on board and take over their web content and social media.

When we began, they were very leery of social media.  Now, Scott Price, one of the partners at Fort Construction, has this to say:

“Small Minded Media has stepped in to update and maintain our website.  

The best aspect of working with Kelly is that I don't have to worry about our

website appearing outdated.  She creates the updates, tracks down the

people and writes the articles.  It makes me feel good about our

appearance within social media.”

If you scroll through Fort Construction’s “News and Events” page, you’ll find:

*  Economic news

*  A client celebrating their grand opening

*  An article on a Fort Worth neighborhood

*  A project in Grapevine that’s receiving some attention

*  Announcing a new client

*  Spotlight on an architect they work with

*  News about a Fort Worth neighborhood

You can see how varied the content is and here’s what we’re finding:  their clients (old and new) really appreciate being mentioned. Developers and architects are also appreciative of getting their names on the company’s website.   And really, who wouldn’t want a free mention?  Because Fort Construction is committed to our plan, they look engaged in their business, in their industry, and in the community.  

I have included a link to Fort Construction’s “News and Events” page so you can see what consistent posts look like. Or, you can visit their Company Page on LinkedIn at Fort Construction, LP.

I will be the first to admit that keeping up with regularly scheduled posts can be a pain in the ashtray. For the last month, I’ve been busy building an ark which doesn’t leave much time for writing or posting content. (Those of you in North Texas will understand what that’s all about.)

I’ve noticed that some people may be trying to “cheat the system” by posting content without adding the date. A couple of days ago, I was looking at a law firm’s website – a firm that is expanding – and clicked onto their News page. It was full of stories about recent hires, Texas Employment Law, and media interviews they’ve done.

As I scrolled through the content I started wondering, exactly when did they hire their two new associates? When did they do that interview with the Houston Chronicle? When did their company sponsor that 5k race for charity? No dates were attached to the posts so I had no idea how old or new these stories were.

One reason dates are left off posts is to make you think everything is recent. You certainly can’t prove otherwise without a little digging – and who has time for that? (Ok, I have time for that but it’s part of my business. The rest of you should get back to work.) But what’s the message: I want to trick you into thinking we are constantly adding news and events to our website?

Listen, this isn’t the most egregious thing I’ve seen … if you’ve bumped into a dude wearing jhorts and a mullet, you know what I’m saying. But why go for the sleight of hand?  

I know time is an issue for just about everyone, so start small and add content once every two weeks. Let people know what charities you’re involved with, what project has just completed, offer your thanks for a valuable partner. You get the picture. But please, choose your post day and add the date to your content.

When it comes to your content on social media, your ultimate goal is to be a thought leader. I hear these two words thrown around quite a bit. I’ve said them myself. It sounds pretty impressive but I often see blank stares when this term is used with clients, or even in casual conversation.

According to Forbes.com, here’s one of the many definitions floating around out there:

A thought leader is an individual or firm that prospects, clients, referral sources, intermediaries and even competitors recognize as one of the foremost authorities in selected areas of specialization, resulting in its being the go-to individual or organization for said expertise.

If Nyquil came in the form of words, this would take me down for the count. I find it a tad bit, well, overwhelming.

There are so many facets to running a business – and doing it well – I don’t really have the time or the inclination to impress my competitors or intermediaries. An intermediary? If I meet someone who works in the same industry, I hope they find me competent, kind and generous. I doubt I’ll lose any sleep wondering if they found me to be a thought leader.

So let’s simplify things. There’s another word that’s not so new and shiny; one that better sums up how you should think about what to write and what to post. That word is “resource.” In my opinion, this offers better direction.

Whatever your business, product or service – share what you know, what you’ve discovered, and what others have written.   Think of yourself as a resource for your clients, potential clients and those simply looking for information.

As a reminder, your social media should fall into one or more of the following categories:

It should solve a problem It should allow people to get to know you and/or your business It should say something about your industry

If you were thinking of creating a new logo for your business, or perhaps, revamping your website, are there particular colors you should use?  Do men and women feel the same about purple?  Does yellow cause anger or is it a good call to action color?

I don’t normally delve into the science and psychology of color, but I read this interesting article about colors and the responses they can create.  

“In a peer reviewed journal article, Satyendra Singh determined that it takes a mere 90 seconds for a customer to form an opinion about a product. And, 62-90% of that interaction is determined by the color of the product alone.” (from www.emeraldinsight.com)

Mind boggling, isn’t it?  Up to 90% of our interaction can be determined by the color of the product.  Think it’s an accident that Facebook, Pay Pal, Twitter, and yes, LinkedIn all use blue?  It’s not.  I attached the article if you’d like to read through it.  Fascinating.

To put it simply, genius.

The goal of your social media content is to show that you are a “thought leader” in your industry. Not only should you be sharing your opinion, you should be sharing other people’s opinions, findings, and facts.

Here’s a few guidelines:

* If you’re feeling stuck and uninspired, sharing other people’s content is a great way to add content without taking too much of your time.

*Do not claim this material as your own. This is very naughty and I’m sure a Social Media Police Task Force is being assembled. Ok, probably not, but do the right thing and attribute.

*Be sure and add your own comment when introducing someone else’s article, video, or post. Do you agree? Disagree? Seeing the same trend? Re-posting someone else’s content is lazy unless you offer your own take as well.

For many people, using social media for their business is still something of a mystery.  What’s an even bigger mystery is what they should post.

If you’ve read my previous posts, you know it’s important to post content consistently.  Keep it simple and for the beginner, pick one platform (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, blog, etc.) and post something new once a week.

Now let’s tackle the mystery of what to post.  What is good content?  Good content typically falls into three categories:

It     solves a problem

It     provides insight into your product, service, or industry

It     allows people to get to know you and how you do business

If you’re a make-up artist and blue eye shadow is the latest trend, tell me how I can apply it without looking like Mimi from The Drew Carey Show.  Better yet, include three pictures that show me your step-by-step process.

If you’re an insurance agent with State Farm, tell me what kind of claims you’re seeing right now and how I can protect myself or my property.  If you’re a money manager with Edward Jones, suggest two things I can do to save money this month.

I know what you’re thinking: not one of these posts is actually leading a customer to call me.  You’re right … maybe they won’t call you today.  But if you offer a great piece of advice, you’ve created a small amount of trust. And who do we buy from?  People we know, like and trust.