“The brands that are winning are the ones who understand people the best,” says Shaunna Keller, a digital and social account supervisor at Brand Content, a communications agency.

Keller works with a team of strategists, community managers and analysts who are responsible for understanding people well, studying their behaviors and then building digital roadmaps for brands seeking to connect with those people.  They make sure consumer’s desires are heard and their needs are met.

“A lot of this work involves helping clients to think about what matters now and where the focus should be.  It’s no longer on their brand, it’s on consumers,” she says.

Before Brand Content, Keller spent most of her career accelerating the content program at Skullcandy, a lifestyle and performance audio brand.  She re-imagined Skullcandy’s global social media strategy, putting consumers at the heart of it.

DELIVER PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

“Smart brands understand that it’s not enough to simply exist on digital platforms. They need to deliver really personalized and relevant experiences in order to connect with real people,” she tells HER Magazine.

At Skullcandy, Keller helped the brand double its Instagram followers, attract 2 million Facebook fans and triple sales from social channels.

“When I was growing Skullcandy’s audience, it was a very different environment.  Organic reach and engagement were very much the focus. Now the environment has shifted to a paid model, where algorithms curate our world view,” she says.

Keller finds value in social ads because brands can reach people where they’re already spending their time.  You can find out what a specific audience likes and needs and create content that is personal and helpful to them.  “Your success is earned by mastering proper targeting,” Keller says.

CHANGE YOUR APPROACH

The focus used to be on creating different content for different platforms like Facebook and Instagram.  Now brands need to take that to the next level by creating content for different audiences within each platform.

“You must keep learning and be willing to change your approach and experiment with each new platform as it emerges,” she says.

Read this article in our November issue here. 

Keller, who also contributes to the strategic direction of Brand Content, says her entire team is made up of all women.  Her team works on almost every project that comes through the agency and since digital is always evolving and based in the future, their number one job is education.

“People will be skeptical of what you’re saying and you will be required to prove the value of your recommendation at every turn,” she says.

PAY ATTENTION TO PRIVATE MESSAGING

Keller’s team is also focusing on helping clients stay ahead of the digital curve.  One area they are paying close attention to is how people are connecting online via messaging apps.

Over 1 billion people use WhatsApp, the instant messaging service, to stay connected with their family and friends.  In September, the company announced they will be testing new features to make it easier to for people to get in touch with businesses.

Keller says Artificial Intelligence (AI) can dramatically impact the connection you have with a consumer through mediums like messenger and voice.  (Think virtual agents or chatbots who use keywords to answer consumer questions.)

“I think that is the next evolution of social media, this addition of a private ecosystem, where we’ll see a transition from a high frequency of conversations happening in public to most of the conversations occurring in messaging apps or private group chats.”

There has been a shift in how people connect online and Keller plans to keep a close watch.

“It will alter social media, as we know it now, which is fascinating.  We’ll be helping our clients stay ahead of the digital curve, which will continue to be both challenging and very rewarding,” she says.

The post Social Lead Shaunna Keller on What Brands Should be Focusing on Now appeared first on HER Magazine ™.

1. Have a consistent look or theme. The photos you publish need to look beautiful in two frameworks: the timeline, and your profile. First of all, every photo needs to be gorgeous and engaging enough to catch the eye of the user scrolling through their timeline. Editing apps like Snapseed or A Color Story are incredibly useful to make those pictures pop; practice using them until you’ve got a quick system you can breeze through! That will help with the second framework: you also want to make sure those photos look consistent when they’re seen all together on your profile. Maintaining a similar theme, color scheme, or even just using the same filter every time, can give those photos a much more cohesive look when they’re all lined up. That look is a big part of what will inspire inquirers to click the ever-evasive ‘follow’ button, so don’t neglect it.
2. Use your analytics. One of the best parts of the business profile on Instagram is the analytics. My favorite tool? The bar graph that shows what time of day your audience is most active! Study after study can tell you that Monday at 5 pm or Friday at 10 pm are the ‘busiest times on Instagram,’ but that’s out of 700 million people. It won’t matter if 80% of them are active around 9 am on Sunday, if none of those 80% are your followers. Your analytics shows you what time your followers are the most active, given the history of that day of the week. That way, you know to post your photo riiiiight at one o’clock, not three hours later when your engagement has dropped.
3. Take those selfies! Or any face picture, really. It’s just a fact of life: photos with faces in them get more engagement. So stop being shy and smile for the camera every once in a while! If that seems off-brand to you, try reposting content that includes your product — featuring your followers is a sure way to keep them engaged.
4. Connect with a pod. Teaming up with and collaborating with your peers is key for growing your own community on Instagram, and a pod is a great way to start. In a pod, each person commits to liking/commenting on the photos of everyone else in the pod. Every pod has slightly different methods and styles, but that’s the basic idea. Because the Instagram algorithm rewards engagement, getting a quick flurry of likes and comments on your photo right when you share makes it more readily visible to your other followers, because it will have a higher ranking on their timeline. Be careful of pods, however — joining too many, or any that you don’t care about too much, can start to feel forced (and ultimately exhausting). The key to keeping it organic is to engage with a pod of people you’re genuinely interested in; work with folks who are like-minded, who post images that you want to see regularly. Then you’re getting all the ‘numbers’ benefits of the pod, but you’re still keeping it authentic!
5. Consider hiring influencers. Instagram influencers can reach huge audiences and grow your own following significantly with shout-outs in their posts. For new businesses this can seem intimidating, but the price might be more reasonable than you think. Reach out and DM someone you admire with a following of 10k or higher (the higher, the more expensive it will be) and ask them if they have a media kit or a rate-per-post. After you hear from a few different folks you’ll start to get a handle on the standard rates in your industry, and you’ll know the type of reach you can afford.
6. Switch up your website link! Way too many businesses just keep that clickable real estate as simply a gateway to their website. It can be used for so much more than that! If you feature a product in your post, change your link to that specific product purchase page on your site for couple hours. If you’ve got a new content upgrade, make sure the link goes right to the download/sign-up page. Whenever you’ve got a new blog post, share about it on Instagram and adjust the link accordingly. Help your followers engage in the more effective way by giving them interesting places to visit!
7. Play with Stories and Live. So many business owners are intimidated by these two features, but here’s the thing: Stories and live videos need much less curation and cultivation than your average photo, because they disappear! Live videos disappear immediately, which is counterintuitively great for engagement — everyone knows that if they don’t watch now, they won’t be able to see that video ever again. Fomo works in your favor. Stories, on the other hand, are a fun way to playfully engage with your audience without worrying about editing or stylizing your photos; these are true behind-the-scenes pics and videos where you can let loose and have a little fun. Try the face filters; try the doodle tool; connect to your website and use hashtags. What’s the risk? If it doesn’t look good, it will be gone tomorrow! But if it works, your followers will know you in a more interesting and engaging way — which means they are that much closer to becoming customers.

Remember, although there are all kinds of strategies to grow your followers on any social media platform, each one has some special quirks you can harness to maximize your marketing. Instagram is no exception, and if it’s where your ideal clients lives (or plays), you’ll want to jump on board, stat — and start growing your tribe!

The post Seven Ways To Maximize Your Instagram Business Profile appeared first on HER Magazine ™.

But ‘social media,’ unfortunately, is a bit of a vague concept — and getting more vague by the week. If you have limited resources, you won’t be able to manage twenty different profiles, and that’s okay. Instead, focus on just one platform; become a rockstar there to get the full benefit. Twitter is one of the ancient houses (in social media time); a behemoth that, if your target demographic lives there, can be indispensable to your bottom line.

How, you ask? Well, once you’ve established a bio, a pic, and a respectable handle, there are a few strategies that can help you stand out from the pack.

1. Find Your People. Twitter is the inventor of the hashtag, and its users happily tag on a daily basis. This is incredibly useful when you’re trying to find your target audience — all you have to do is find the hashtags they’re using. For example, if you’re a yoga studio in Seattle, click on the #SeattleYoga hashtag to find a bunch of yogis in Seattle. Like, follow, and reply to their posts and, before you know it, you’re growing your own audience of Seattle-based yoga enthusiasts!
2. Customer Service. A lot of brands are using Twitter as their customer service home base, and it’s incredibly effective. If a client has an issue with your product and tweets about it, you can simply tweet back and connect with them to resolve the issue. In a day and age when too many people are pulling away from the ‘time-consuming’ nature of email in favor of more immediate means of communication, Twitter is basically king. Sure, you’ve got to be careful — don’t let yourself get baited into a Twitter war. The brand never wins in those situations, trust me. But if you’re honestly trying to help your customers, Twitter can be a great place to authentically connect and offer support.
3. Grab Some Media Attention. Has anyone been following the Wendy’s Twitter feed recently? Because whoever took over their account is seriously (and hilariously) savage. From openly comparing their competitors to garbage, to brutal mockery of the fools who criticize them, Wendy’s has garnered the praise and adoration of anyone who loves sarcasm and shock value. Considering their main demographic is mostly broke college students, this is a very effective marketing technique, and a great practice for any business on Twitter. Find your target demographic. Discover what they love. Then figure out how you can be exactly that; establish your voice and stay consistent. People will notice and, if you did your research, you’ll draw in your ideal customer.
4. Build Your Following. The more active you are on Twitter, the more you engage with your target audience, the more your audience will grow. Engaging is really the key here. Assuming you have an amazing profile (great pic, compelling bio, fantastic content), you still have to be discovered. Those followers have to find you. This is where engaging comes in: Using hashtags, or perhaps the ‘follower’ list of a competitor, go through tweets from your target audience and favorite, retweet, reply, and follow. Get involved, completely on brand, of course. Then, when they see your name in their notifications, they just might click ‘Follow.’
5. Share coupons and deals! Any content marketing you do is ultimately for the purpose of leading to sales, right? So don’t forget to direct your followers to your product! Eat24’s Twitter strategy is an excellent case study: not only to they have a specific brand voice, engage in customer service through Twitter, and actually create funny content, but they’re releasing a coupon every weekend for $2 off. If you tweet at them asking about it, they tell you the coupon! What a way to engage your customers, right? That keeps your followers close, builds trust in your audience, motivates others to follow you, and (best of all) drives sales!

Twitter can be a wild, wild place, but if you know what you’re doing, you can reap wonderful rewards for your business. Just make sure you’re staying on brand, creating great content, engaging with the community, and most importantly: driving customers towards your product.

The post Five Ways To Use Twitter For Your Business appeared first on HER Magazine ™.

Why digital algorithms?

Essentially, the main aim of digital algorithms is to keep consumers on social media platforms longer by showing content that you’ve previously engaged with.  Gone are the days of chronologically presented timelines, and a much more strategic consumer-based enjoyment feed has taken its place.  With Facebook kicking off the strategy-based trend, Instagram following suit and Twitter not far behind, how will you successfully appeal to your audience with these algorithms in place?

Facebook

If you’re using Facebook on a personal or business level, no doubt you’ve noticed a steady loss of response to your content – particularly over the last year.  This isn’t because your friends have all of a sudden started to hate you.  Phew!  More so, their engagement rates have been spread across many pages and platforms.  During an interview with Buffer Social, Michael Stelzner, CEO of Social Media Examiner explains that each Facebook post on a business page is distributed to a select sample group of your following to ‘test’ the engagement that your post will receive.  If it receives nada you can expect that it’s not going to get sent out to other customers from here.  And news flash, this is not what we want. So what can you do to make your Facebook posts more appealing?

Longer Videos

Facebook loves it when you post videos.  By making them longer, they’re more likely to shoot to the top of the feed too.

Original Content

Like any platform, original content reigns supreme.  With a particular emphasis on new and exciting content, aggressive requests of your target audience such as ‘share this’ or ‘comment here’ are frowned upon by Facebook’s bots and will negatively impact your exposure.  Keep your content fresh for your audience and Facebook will tip its hat to you with a more accessible share rate.

Go Live

Even if no one is watching your live feed, it appears that your non-live content is sent to a larger percentage of your target audience. Genius!

Instagram

While the early days saw Instagram posts being viewed in your feed in reverse chronological order, these feed formats are now long gone.  Similarly to Facebook, Instagram is showing consumers content which is being engaged with, as part of their trending digital algorithms.  This means that social media strategies are crucial for the overall success of Instagram accounts.  So what are some actions you can put in place to broaden your insta-horizons?

Hashtags

Michael Aynsley of Hootesuite suggests that using the right hashtags can really bump up your exposure, so it’s worth doing your research.  Check out what your competitors are hashtagging and discover niche tags for your market.  Keep your hashtags relevant to your field and image.  While ‘love’ is one of the most highly used hashtags, having been used over a billion times on Instagram (no kidding, look it up!), Aynsley explains that this will not accurately represent every image you post, or target your specific customer base.

High Quality Imagery

This goes for Facebook too.  Stelzner simplifies the reasons behind this beautifully.  Each platform essentially has inbuilt computers, analyzing your content for quality.  While this has dramatically reduced scam like images, it also means that you don’t want grainy ones on your feed either.

Insights

Mary Blackiston, Content Marketing specialist for SUCCESS agency recommends taking note of which posts are generating the most engagement and then deciphering why this may be.  For example, if one image receives 150 likes and the other is hit with 400 likes – how do these vary?  Are the images vastly different?  Have you introduced new hashtags? Was one caption ridiculously funny and the other inspirational?  Get to the bottom of what your audience is looking for and make note of how you can continue appealing to them consistently.

Tactics and Strategies

While all of this information is important to consider when mastering digital algorithms, there are a variety of ways to increase their effectiveness.  Whether you’re interested in creating leads, making sales or simply gaining more exposure for your brand, personality or business, a strategy is crucial for digital success.

Genuine Community Engagement

By genuinely connecting with your following in the form of likes, comments and sharing posts which are specifically valuable to your target audience, Stelzner assures that this will increase your customer engagement on the other end too.  Your target market and following want to see content that’s going to provide them with value.  Depending on your audience, this may be in the form of inspiration, information or targeted content, which will benefit them directly.  Again, find what your target market is looking for and focus on giving the people what they want!

Call To Action

Give your audience a reason to want to know more about you.  Whether that’s directing them to your website and encouraging them to sign up to your mailing list, downloading a free guide or simply providing them with useful content that they want to share with their friends.  This is a big one.  When your content is shared across platforms by your following, the algorithm gods take this pretty seriously.

Campaign Strategizing

Ultimately, if you use these trending digital algorithms to your advantage, you’ll know that having people simply liking and commenting on your posts isn’t enough.  Yes, you’ve gained access to a targeted following but how do we transfer this to sales, providing your customers with extra information and cementing their interest in you?  By formulating a clear campaign strategy, such as encouraging followers to sign up to your emailing list, download a product or contact you about your services, you are then able to gain access to your following on your terms.  Passive scrolls and likes are a fab way to begin interacting with your target market but once you hold the reins, you can use this to your advantage and really start kicking butt when it comes to getting in touch and forming meaningful relationships with your target audience.

The post How To Master Digital Algorithms appeared first on HER Magazine ™.

Post again! Don’t miss that — where did she comment? Did I comment yet? Should I change my handle?? Wait — what’s a handle?!

Any of this sound familiar?

For anyone new to using social media for their business, the task can seem wildly daunting. Sure, middle schoolers these days practically breathe social media — they could manage their Instagram profile in their sleep (or at least, in their bed when they’re supposed to be asleep). But that’s because they were born into it the way us older generations were born into telephone calls. We’ve never lived without them, and so accept them as a natural part of the social order. But if you’ve watched as much Downton Abbey as I have, you know that the telephone caused just as much of an upset (actually, probably more) than the introduction of Facebook.

Even if you don’t quite get why, you probably know by this point how monumentally powerful social media is as a business tool — and you want to utilize it. While every platform is different, I’ve managed social media profiles for businesses for years, and I’ve noticed a few trends for maximizing the effect across the board. Whether you’re Snapchatting, Facebooking, Gramming or Mastondonning, there are three things you always need to keep in mind: Content, Calling Card, and Community.

1. Content – This is so basic, but I’m shocked how many people neglect it. They end up treating their social media as a dumping ground for ads and links to their own web sites, begging followers to click through with plastered, messy banners or overly-hashtagged tweets. No matter where you post, no matter what platform you inhabit, unique content will always be king. Always. Social media is about sharing, not just taking. So what are you going to share? Every platform has a different style of content they allow, so of course you’ll want to live within those boundaries. Just make sure your content fits your brand, is enjoyable to read/experience/watch all on it’s own, and comes out consistently. Whether you want to post every month or every day, keep it religiously consistent and high-quality.
   
2. Calling Card – This is your profile. Your landing page, of sorts. The last thing people see before they hopefully click “Follow.” On Facebook you get a banner image, a profile photo, an “about” paragraph, and all kinds of real estate below that. On Instagram you get a bio and a pic. On Snapchat you get a ghost pic, a handle and a name. Whatever your platform, analyze the space you have, and maximize it. Make your profile pic amazing — and make sure it looks amazing as a thumbnail, because that’s the only way it will be seen. Make your bio engaging; make that banner compelling. Your profile is your calling card, and it can absolutely make or break your follower numbers. Check that it looks great in mobile and on desktop; screen shot several different versions and ask your friends what they think. It should be clear at a glance what your brand or product is, and what exactly people will be able to expect should they hit that button and follow you.

3. Community – So you’ve got great content, and your profile page is glorious, but your follower growth is still minimal. Why? Well, within the platform, how will anyone ever see you? No one just searches random usernames and checks to see if they’re interesting. People have to stumble across your stuff organically. Well, you could use paid ads in some instances, but that’s less organic — and on some platforms, it’s not even an option. The best way to be seen at any party is to be a social butterfly. Interact with your community. Use a hashtag or a big profile to find the right followers, and interact with their content. Like, comment, follow, share, play; be friendly. Get out there. When you do that, they’ll see your name (or profile pic, etc) in their notifications. They might just say, “huh, who’s this person that just shared my post?” They’ll go to your profile. And, if you put the work into making your profile beautiful, they’ll love it. They’ll want more. And they’ll follow.

Every platform has all kinds of unique strategies, and every marketing firm will tell you there are a thousand and one more ways to grow your following. They’re right; there are many more ways to do this. But these are the basics of any organic growth across any platform. If you’re overwhelmed and trying to figure out where to start, pick the platform that sounds the most fun to you (or perhaps where your ideal client spends the most time) and follow these steps. It takes time, it takes commitment, and it takes consistency, but underneath the all the mysterious strategies out there is this basic template. Make great content, have a great profile, and engage with your community.

It’s that simple (and that difficult).

The post Social Media Strategy: A Cheat Sheet appeared first on HER Magazine ™.

There are so many articles out there encouraging us to spend less time on social, and more time with people in real life. Okay, I get it. I agree on a philosophical level. But if you’re running a business? SM has to be part of your strategy.

I wrote a recent articles for Forbes talking about generating real business value from social media. There is so much confusion about the powerful business tools at our disposal, which is why we’ve focused some of our attention in the June issue of HER Magazine to DIY social media tips and other online marketing tactics like email automation.

I don’t claim to have all the answers for you, but what I do know is with major retailers closing their doors due to the rise of e-commerce and more millennial entrepreneurs crushing it online than people who’ve been in brick and mortar for ten, twenty years – times are changing.

Either you’re going to adapt or be left behind, and as I was driving down a busy road the other day noticing all the storefronts – I couldn’t help but to think about whether or not these business owners solely relied on word of mouth and referrals.

I realize that’s how many companies are built. But to scale? To reach the masses? You’ll have to explore new strategies, and the first stop you should make? Online.

I hear a lot of people say Facebook ads don’t work for them, or they’ve tried posting this and that – they aren’t generating results. You’ve got to take a look at why. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, to admit that you don’t know! It’s the only way you grow.

This month we’re diving into some pretty deep topics like e-mail automation and social media like I mentioned – don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions. There’s never one single article that will answer everything, but it can at the very least get you pointed in the right direction.

Also in this issue, is Rasheeda Frost on the cover. She’s most famously known for her role on Atlanta’s Love & Hip Hop but as she’s evolving from hip hop star to business woman – she wanted to share an important message with women about motherhood and the journey to the top.

Click the cover to read the story in our monthly magazine. To access the June issue, download the issue in iTunes or Google Play.

How did she build an empire? The short answer: perseverance. 

If it’s anyone who knows how to smash social media, it’s her. Take notes, she’s highly engaged with her audience and knows how to leverage her assets to get more people through the doors of her clothing store, Pressed.

Here’s a short clip from our video interview in Atlanta.

The post How to Build a Business Empire appeared first on HER Magazine ™.

It’s the difference between spending thousands of dollars a month on Google advertising, and spending a minimal amount every month to grow traffic in the long run.

The challenge for any business is growing traffic to your website without having to pay for  search engine optimization (SEO) or expensive pay-per-click advertising.

Studies have proven that for most websites, organic traffic converts much better than traffic from other sources.

There are countless ways to increase your organic traffic.

But wait!!!!

There’s a cost – your time.

If you have time to invest in your website, increasing your organic traffic is a walk in the park with these few simple steps.

Write for the human, not the search engine

Working with our marketing clients on a daily basis has opened me up to a lifetime of the question, “How does SEO actually work?

It’s a great question, and one that truly only Google has the answer to!

When you optimize your content for people and not for Google algorithm, it pays off in the long run.

The idea here is that whenever you are writing content for your website, other websites or your social media channels, you should be creating educational and useful content that will draw your potential customers to you

This will, over time, naturally increase your SEO and establish your website as the go-to source for people who have a particular problem that you are discussing.

Stuffing your website with keywords is not going to pay off; make sure you are writing useful content that Google will thank you for in the long run.

If need be, hire a professional writer to help you create dynamite content.

Use those long-tail keywords

Okay, sure. In the previous point I’ve said you should be writing for humans and not “keyword stuffing”, so now I’m telling you to use keywords – have I gone insane?

The answer is no.

Using long-tail keywords is important in establishing your website as the go-to destination for your particular niche or service.

According to marketing expert, Neil Patel, a few years ago Amazon made 57% of its sales from long-tail keywords.

It’s important to target long-tail keywords so that over time you can get into Google’s top 10 for associated keywords.

The question then is, how does one find long-tail keywords?

Head over to Google AdWords Keyword planner and throw in your main keywords. Next, click on the “get ideas” button and the “keyword ideas” tab.

Then, search high-volume keywords that get at least 1000 monthly searches and then find the long-tail variations.

Copy those keywords and then find the longer variations in a tool like KeywordTool.io and voila – your list of recommended long-tail keywords.

Happy searching!

Read more about creating organic traffic inside HER Magazine. Access May’s issue, by downloading our magazine in iTunes or Google Play.

The post How To Create Organic Traffic appeared first on HER Magazine ™.

Would you still do it? If your answer is no – get out.

Out of business that is. I’m always putting off this letter to last minute. Often times, I’m waiting for inspiration to hit. I’ll stew over what to write for days…because I know if I waste your time with crap content, you’re done with me.

So if I’m going to take up your time, then it better be good. And I better be succinct. I’ll do my best.

In business – we should always give our best. We’ll miss the mark sometimes, and that’s okay. But that’s not what I’m here to discuss. A group of us (women and men) had the opportunity to hear Gary Vaynerchuk speak on stage a few weeks ago. If you don’t know who he is, he’s most famously known for his Ask Gary V show – a snapchat investor, a big proponent of being a content machine and leveraging social media to do it.

He says most businesses go wide but don’t build depth. So where does depth come from?

For some of us, it’s the stuff we don’t want to do. For others, it’s the stuff we don’t know how to do. And a lot of this stuff he’s referring to involves spending a lot of your free time. The payoff is huge, but most of us don’t see that far ahead. We’re too busy looking directly in front of us, and all too often – in the rear view mirror.  

Gary V says the game is changing in a big way thanks to technology – we can scale our businesses faster, but we can also get lost in the noise.

For those of you who aren’t using content to create value and influence – you’re dead. He said it, not me. But I agree.

• Social Media (a picture is worth a thousand words. use the idiom to your advantage.)

• Written Content (when people don’t have time to listen and just want to read)

• Video (live streaming, and edited footage)

• Audio (think podcasting)

Here’s the problem with doing all the above – for free by the way …it takes time, and so many of us lack the patience when it comes to business (including myself).

The formula he outlined above is a lot of give, give, give. There’s hardly any ask actually.

Here’s where I circle back to my original question: what if it took you ten years?

Someone asked me that – what if it took you ten years to build HER Magazine before it was ‘successful’?

(and success is relative, but let’s be real – we are newcomers to the game of digital media. tv news is in many ways astronomically different.)

And I’m okay admitting that. It’s unique, and here’s why. You get to watch us build this business, from the ground up. There’s something kind of cool and scary about it, all at the same time.

If we fail, we won’t be the first. We will probably fail, many times. We’ve already failed (and learned as a result). We started this crazy venture in 2015. We changed our name, our brand, our niche – because when the market speaks up, you pivot.

What we won’t do is give up. And there’s something terrifying but important about creating that intention in your business.

You may slightly switch strategies (or even entirely) – your business may evolve, but what if it took you a decade before you saw massive success?

Would you still do it? If the answer isn’t yes, entrepreneurship is not for you.

I think you’ll find this month’s cover powerhouse insanely inspiring. Kimra Luna is the epitome of a woman who built her business from the ground up, and she hit a few road bumps along the way. Who doesn’t? Her story however is one you won’t be able to pull away from.

If you had any excuses before, she’ll leaving you wondering why you have so much self-doubt. Kimra knows a thing or two about pain, but she’s also someone who doesn’t allow her past to dictate her future. She’s been to the bottom before, which makes her fearless pursuit even that more moving.

Enjoy our April issue, for free. On the advice of Gary V…

This is my Letter from the Founder in the April issue of HER Magazine. To access this month’s issue for FREE (yes, free) go here to access it in iTunes and here for Google Play. 

The post What if it took your Business a decade to succeed? appeared first on HER Magazine ™.

“Join our new group! Inside, this group – you’ll learn this and that.”

None of us needs one more Facebook group to join, do we? Forget joining, sometimes we don’t even have the choice. People are adding us to their new Facebook groups every day. 

Unsolicited invites? We don’t recommend it.

And then there’s this.

There’s nothing worse than joining a new group only to be inundated with spam and calls to join someone’s team TODAY or miss out on the opportunity of a lifetime! Anyone else sick and tired of the spam?

Just because there are a lot of not-so-great groups out there doesn’t mean we should log off just yet. Facebook groups have become the new networking groups, so listen intently. 

You can easily make new business connections on your lunch break or while riding the train. For many work-at-home moms, Facebook groups are invaluable. Without a doubt, they’re a great way to network and connect without having to find childcare.

No matter what business you’re in, it’s important to find the right group or groups for you. While some are filled with spam and offers, there are others that are beautiful, supportive places for new entrepreneurs. Don’t underestimate the importance of community, especially when you’re just starting out.

Here are six places to start. 

HER Circle by Nineveh Madsen

Okay, had to do it – a little self-promotional here, but it would feel silly including a bunch of groups only not mention this publication’s private group. Besides, just ask their members: they’ll vouch for the awesomeness (they hope so anyway). Nineveh Madsen – a former TV news journalist who left the broadcast industry in 2015 to launch a media and marketing company shares business inspiration in her VIP group, HER Circle documenting her journey through building a business. And it’s not always pretty. The group was founded on the same principles as HER Magazine.  

Members get access to articles published to HER Magazine (including our monthly magazine in iTunes and Google Play) the instant they are made public. VIP members get  interaction with Madsen and other group members. You also get access to video stories, business tips, and LIVE hangouts.

HER Circle is unique because it’s invitation only – you won’t get an invite until you’re deep into Nineveh’s email list.

Other groups to join? That’s right – we’re perfectly fine dishing on the other great groups out there because one size does not fit all. Besides, we want you to get know the different groups – as entrepreneurs, it’s all about encouraging each other to grow.

You grow, we grow. 

We grow, you grow.

Online Business BFFs by Melyssa Griffin

This group’s focus is all about creating a community around genuine connections and friendship, instead of purely growing your own business. Group founder Melyssa Griffin says the group is “a place for online entrepreneurs to lend support, give feedback, and share advice. This is truly one of the most encouraging and strategic communities on the internet!”

To join, simply request access on the group’s Facebook page. 

The Confident Ladies Club by Kate Crocco

Kate Crocco is a confidence and mindset coach helping women reach new levels in their lives and businesses. She often pops in for live chats and trainings, and provides tons of support to her members. The group’s description is right on: “The Confident Ladies Club is a place for women in business to come and feel supported, get encouragement, accountability, and weekly tips to help grow YOU to in turn grow your biz!” 

The Why Warrior Tribe with Amber Lilyestrom

Amber Lilyestrom is a proud warrior for her why and teaches group members how to channel their inner why in life and business. This group is so much more than a place to find support for your business.

“This is a sacred space to share inspiration, energy and ideas around building your dream brand, business and LIFE,” says Lilyestrom. 

Social Boss with Caitlin Bacher

Caitlin Bacher is an expert at leveraging your social media to grow your business. In her private group, Bacher explains, “I help entrepreneurs magnetize their social media to attract MORE customers.”

A customer magnet? Yes please! This group is especially great for all the creatives and artists out there.

The Creative’s Corner by Julie Harris

And, speaking of creatives, you’ll definitely want to check out The Creative’s Corner. This group is geared toward creative small business owners.

According to the group description, “this community is all about providing creative support and guidance for the modern digital small business owner. Here, you can ask questions, get suggestions, make special announcements, reach out for guidance and meet new incredible people just like you making lists and taking names in the digital world of business and design.”

This group is exclusively for email subscribers, so if you’re interested head over to sign up for Julie’s newsletter.

How to make the most of Facebook groups

While these groups are all amazing, joining too many can quickly become overwhelming.

Look through the list and pick two or three to commit to. Check in with these groups and participate in the chats. When someone asks a question, be one of the first to offer valuable, promotion-free solutions. That’s right – add value, before the ask. 

After joining a group, make it your mission to provide as much value as possible.

Don’t be one of those people hogging the news feed with all of your “stuff,” but don’t just hang out on the sidelines, either. Lead with value and shared tips that have really helped you in business. When someone in the group asks a question, leave a thoughtful answer. Make a conscious decision to focus on what you offer, rather than what you’ll get out of the group. You just might find yourself in communication with a group’s owners, discussing ways to collaborate on revenue-generating products or trainings. All just from being a friendly group member!

Ready to start your own?

If you’ve been thinking of starting your own group, do not become discouraged by the sheer number of female entrepreneur groups available. Remember, there is not one Facebook group leader out there with your unique gifts and experiences. You don’t have to fit some cookie-cutter model. You can, and should, break the mold and create a beautiful space you are proud of.

When I started my group, The Sisterhood of the Hustlin’ Mamas, I took a lot of time to think about how I could best serve my fellow mamapreneurs. In our group, it is all about support and community. Instead of going with the usual daily themes, I made up my own. For example, in order to create a close sisterhood, I initiated Giving Tuesdays where we offer free gifts to each other, such as a free download or coaching call.

Your group can be anything you make it. Focus on what your audience needs and go from there. With all of the negativity out there, make your group a breath of fresh air!

Like what you’re reading? Access HER magazine’s monthly publication in iTunes or Google Play – it’s where we feature powerhouse women you can learn from and share exclusive content you won’t find here.

The post Not another Facebook Group appeared first on HER Magazine ™.

The President may be limited to 140 characters, but that doesn’t stop Donald Trump from continually pushing the envelope with his tweets to the world. Even before being inaugurated, Trump has been able to remarkably impact markets and sway CEOs through the influence of his Twitter account.

But the #TrumpTweetEffect, a hashtag now trending on – you guessed it – Twitter, seemed to have met its match when he unapologetically called out Nordstrom for dropping his daughter Ivanka’s clothing line.

My daughter Ivanka has been treated so unfairly by @Nordstrom. She is a great person — always pushing me to do the right thing! Terrible!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 8, 2017

With PR in mind, the retailer issued a statement avoiding emotion and even politics. Although, not everyone was buying the company’s explanation, Nordstrom said the decision to drop the Trump brand had nothing to do with politics and everything to do with plummeting sales.

@polowhite Over the past year, the brand’s performance has declined – our teams have decided not to buy additional product for now.

— Nordstrom (@Nordstrom) February 8, 2017

“Nordstrom is an example of exactly what to do in this situation,” says Dr. Rob Fazio, of OnPoint Advising.

Nordstrom’s stock took a hit at first, but by the end of the day? They were back up on top.

Fazio, an expert in crisis communications for Fortune 500 companies, says Nordstrom’s response is an opportunity for businesses, both big and small to devise a “Trump Tweet Plan.”

And we know what you may be thinking: what are the chances that the leader of the free world will smack-talk my business to his more than 24 million followers? Fazio says to think of your Trump Tweet Plan like insurance. Besides, the President’s tweets are a valuable lesson in crisis communication.

How will your business handle twitter attacks in general?

“The beauty of social media is open access,” Fazio says. “The downside is that it provides a platform to any disgruntled customer.”

So, how can you be proactive about your crisis communications strategy? Fazio lays out these four key steps to follow.

1. Make a plan

The key to coming out on top in a Twitter war is to avoid an emotional reaction. Easier said than done, right? Fazio says the emotional impact of a social media comment can make the situation feel like it needs an immediate response. That’s why he recommends having a protocol in place.

“Your plan should consist of how you communicate, what you communicate, and who you consult.”

Just because your company is the target of a tweet that could generate bad publicity doesn’t mean you have to respond on the same platform. Consider writing an Op-Ed, a LinkedIn post, issuing a statement, or creating a video to articulate your message.

“You don’t want to give the person making the comment ‘homefield advantage.’ Where can you most effectively get your point across? That’s where you should be,” Fazio says.

2. Get the message right

What Nordstrom did so right was avoiding an emotional reaction. Fazio admits it can be a challenge convincing the alpha personalities that lead the country’s biggest companies not to let their damaged reputations cloud their judgment.

“Don’t take them on directly,” he cautions about addressing critics. “Align with them and shift.”

Companies can still have conversations and hold meetings with those they disagree with. A lot more can be accomplished through a seat at the table than a shouting match online.

3. Plan for your top 5 worst case scenarios

When you’re dealing with the endless possibilities of what can be said on social media, a multi-faceted approach to crisis management is best.

“Ask yourself, what are the five most terrible things someone could say about us? Then plan how you would set the record straight in those situations,” Fazio advises.

In each response, he adds, you should be appreciative of the feedback, share the facts, then let it dissipate. Above all, ensure every message relates to the values your brand stands for.

4. Build your communications team

Even if you’re a solopreneur, having a team to consult about your communications can be extremely valuable. Look beyond your friends and relatives. Start pulling together opinions you respect, even if they differ from your own.

“Make sure you’re tapping into people that disagree with you. It might not be easy, but it’s so important to see outside of your own vision,” Fazio says.

Keep these three tips from Fazio in mind when considering who is on your team:

• Are they credible?

• Are they candid?

• Are they connected?

In other words, your advisors should have experience in your field. You should be able to trust they’re telling it to you straight. And, they should have rare insight about succeeding in your industry.

With these tips, even small businesses can master the communications plan. In some ways, the smaller a business, the more impact a response can have. Fazio is a proponent of showing subtle strength, as opposed to desperation.

So, we’ll boil it down to this simple, yet powerful thought: tweet others like you’d want to be tweeted.

Like what you’re reading? Access HER magazine’s monthly publication in iTunes or Google Play – it’s where we feature powerhouse women you can learn from and share exclusive content you won’t find here.

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The post 4 Steps to Building Your @realDonaldTrump Tweet Plan appeared first on HER Magazine ™.