6 Creative Ways to Increase Engagement for Your Small Business

6 Creative Ways to Increase Engagement for Your Small Business Engagement matters more than ever before. Instead of running out to the local big box store for needs, customers want to feel like they’re a part of something bigger, something more. They want to feel like they know the companies they do business with and that the companies know them. The focus on engagement is why movements like Small Business Saturday and other shop local campaigns have generated interest over the past few years. In fact, a whopping 97 percent of consumers search for local stores online before resorting to the big brands: They’re looking to engage and connect. They want to be more than a number. As a small-business owner, this should matter to you. In fact, one of your top priorities should be increasing customer and potential customer engagement. Not sure where to start? Don’t worry, consider the six tips below to get moving in the right direction. Focus on Education Knowledgeable customers feel more equipped to make decisions than those jumping into a product search on the fly. When your brand is the one providing that knowledge base, you’ll be ahead of the engagement game. Consider using a combination of in-store fliers, email marketing campaigns and online blog posts to provide education relating to the products you offer. How-to pieces, along with answers to common questions, could ensure that a customer stays on your site, or in your store, rather than looking elsewhere to make a purchase. Education also sets your brand up as a knowledge source, giving customers a reason to return. Ask Questions If you’re not sure where your customers stand, what they’re looking for or how you can better engage, the best way to start is to ask questions â€" which is another way to engage in the first place. To engage your customers through questions, consider: Creating online surveys that are advertised on social media accounts and through email marketing. Simply asking questions to those who come into your store at checkout: “Where did you hear about us?” “Why did you choose our store today?” “What can we do to improve your next shopping experience?” Starting online discussions. Use social media accounts to start discussions, then serve as a moderator to keep the conversation going. Use the information you gain from asking questions to improve your marketing and promotion strategies for the future. Alter the In-Store Experience, Digitally When a customer is shopping in your brick-and-mortar store, they may have questions. Sure, they could turn to their smartphone for answers relating to a product, but if you can use this as an opportunity to engage, you’ll be ahead of the game. Digital signage, ranging from wall-mounted television displays and LED displays to shelf-edge displays and kiosks, allow customers to see products in action, to learn about specifications and to interact with a product prior to making a purchase decision. With a recall rate of 52 percent, digital signage can significantly increase engagement. Host a Contest It’s amazing what people will do for a gift card or other simple prize. You can harness the power of a prize by hosting a contest to boost your small business’s engagement. In fact, the average business’s online following increases by 34 percent following an online contest. Consider which social media account you have the most active following on, and where your customers spend their time. Start there. Set up a contest â€" a photo-sharing contest, a contest for answers to questions, or something else â€" along with a hashtag if applicable and deadlines. Include clear rules for entry. Then, take it live. Share your contest and market it in-store and online. Each day or week, share some of the entries, making sure to tag those who submitted them. This method of engagement not only starts conversations and drives attention, it also spreads your brand to potential customers that may not have heard of what you have to offer. Promote Your Products It’s obvious that, as a small-business owner, you’ll want to promote your products and services. What if promotion became a two-way street? It can. Consider promoting new products through video posts online, long before they launch in your store or become available for purchase. You can take this to the next level by promoting potential products during the idea stage. Ask your customers to share their thoughts and opinions. Consider this online focus group an opportunity to engage. Thank those that share opinions and ask follow-up questions to keep the conversation moving. Attracting attention while engaging customers just became easier than ever. Stay Active Social media pages are not stagnant advertisements. Unfortunately, this is how many brands treat them. They set up social media accounts that share contact information, then forget to ever log in again. When customers search for local brands, social media pages are likely to appear in the search results. A blank or unused page sends a variety of messages, from “this business no longer exists” to “this business doesn’t care enough about customers to engage online.” This is a dangerous spectrum to fall onto. According to Yahoo Small Business, Facebook is now the most visited site in the world, 53 percent of individuals recommend products and companies on Twitter and 5 million images are uploaded to Instagram each day, meaning the opportunities to engage â€" on any and every social network â€" are endless. Just to get started, consider using your social media accounts to: Share company updates Introduce members of your team â€" the more personal, the better Upload photos from in-store happenings and local events Ask questions and start discussions Promote products Offer promotions and discounts From online opportunities to taking advantage of customers that walk directly into your store, engagement possibilities are endless for small businesses that really care about what their customers think. Best of all, most of these tactics require little to no upfront investment. If you’re ready to increase customer engagement, consider what you’re hoping to accomplish, then use the strategies above to get started.

Differentiation is Easy, Once You Set Your Own Standard - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Differentiation is Easy, Once You Set Your Own Standard - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career When Dan Schawbel initially invited me to be a contributor on PersonalBranding.com I was honored but also confused about how a leadership and workplace communication expert could add value here. So, before accepting I took time to assess how I wanted to position my contributions. I realized that personal branding comes down to how and what each of us regularly communicate in the manifold contexts in which our personal brand impacts our level of results. After coming to that conclusion it was a no-brainer for me. I decided the place for me to start must be to share a comment from a participant in a recent workshop for a senior leadership team at a medium-size, regional not-for-profit agency. In the early minutes of my program I ask the audience this simple question: “What are your biggest frustrations or challenges with communication in your professional or personal life?” A young woman responded with “not communicating.” Sensing a teachable moment  I investigated further as to the meaning of her comment. She replied, “when people just don’t communicate. I replied, “Oh, so you mean there is just radio silence. No response to a request or comment you make.” “Yes!” She replied emphatically. I then asked her “you are aware that ‘not communicating,’ is actually not possible because as human beings we cannot not communicate, right?” She, like many others, needed me to explain. Let me explain and tie it into its importance for personal branding. Not communicating sends some message that we must learn more about. If we don’t investigate it leads to assumptions and judgments, which are never useful to building the trusting relationships we need. Not communicating could mean many things, such as: We don’t know how to respond and decide not to respond so we don’t look bad. We do know but want to hold on to the information for “job security/control” issues. We don’t like the person making the request and this is a passive-aggressive way to show it. We truly are overwhelmed and just haven’t been able to get to it. It’s just not a priority for us. All of those “reasons” send a message. None of them are good for our personal brand because it puts the control for defining our personal brand solely in the mind of others. By “not communicating”, we give up our power to define our personal brand and how we are perceived. If we have invested time, energy and financial resources into building our personal brand, we lose brand credibility by “not communicating,” or communicating less than promptly. Here’s one tip that can transform your personal brand: Call your own voice mail and listen to the outgoing message. If your message says anything like, “I’ll call you back as soon as possible,” or “I’ll call you back at my first opportunity” change it immediately. Change it to something that gives people certainty that they will hear back from you in a reasonable time frame. You can choose whatever timeframe you think is reasonable. My clients have chosen things like “within 24 hours,” “within 4 hours,” “before the end of the day,” etc. Choose whatever you are comfortable with. The only caveat is you have now set a standard that will enhance your personal brand when you live up to it and make you look like a fraud when you don’t. So you know I walk my talk, call me at 845-463-3838 to hear my outgoing voicemail and see if I fulfill my personal and professional brand promise. The first 5 that call and leave a contact information Ill offer a FREE 60-minute Leadership Communication Strategy Session. Author: Skip Weisman, The Leadership Workplace Communication Expert, has worked with business leaders and their teams to transform both individual and organizational performance in industries from banks to plumbers since 2001.Skip’s experience helping his clients has shown that the biggest problems in workplaces today can be directly traced to interpersonal communication between people in the work environment. Having spent 20 years in professional baseball management, his first career in which he served as CEO for five different franchises, has given Skip tremendous insights and skills for build high-performing teams. Learn more about Skip at  www.WorkplaceCommunicationExpert.com  and  www.SkipWeismanSpeaks.com

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Why Your Presentations Suck -- and How to Make Them Much Better

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Why Your Presentations Suck -- and How to Make Them Much Better Michael Baldwin says weve been in a downward spiral since the first spectacular presentations were made with cave drawings 32,000 years ago. Since then, weve been subjected to boring slides cluttered with too much information and confusing or irrelevant graphics delivered by someone who is clueless as to why the audience appears to be sleeping with their eyes open. Now Baldwin, a former executive with Ogilvy Mather New York and winner of numerous copywriting awards, is providing a blueprint of how even the most technical orcomplicated informationcan be delivered so it grabs an audiences attention and boosts the presenters career. When youve got a lot of data or information to present, dont feed it to the audience with a firehose. You have to allow them to get their head around things, he says. That means you cant cram information on a slide and then just read it to the audience. The slide is supposed to enhance the presentation, which means you shouldnt use boring stock photos or charts that fail to convey a message clearly and quickly, he says. In his new book, Just Add Water, Baldwin gives suggestions on how to provide more simple,compelling presentations. The key, he says, is to start with what youre going to do to drive your audience from point A to point B. That means youve got to look at things from the audiences perspective and then determine where you want to take them. It all begins with what he calls a crystal clear objective,such as convincing the CIO that putting citizen development into play will help IT cut its application backlog, or your boss that your department deserves new equipment. To accomplish that, you need to focus on: A story. As a presenter, you may get anxious when it comes to making a presentation. But Baldwin says that by sharing the things youre passionate about, you can eliminate nervousness and help make a strong connection to the audience. Stories have the power to plant situations, scenes, characters and images in peoples minds that theyll never forget, he says. If you dont have a personal story that applies to your presentation, Baldwin suggests talking about subjects that youre passionate about. (One of Baldwins clients, a World War II history buff, used a battle story to illustrate a point.) Ensuring the logic flows.Slides must flow logically from one to the next, each building upon the one before it. Baldwin suggests beginning with index cards, and until thats done, dont go anywhere near a computer and try (read the rest here)

10 Things You Should Know Before Your Job Interview

10 Things You Should Know Before Your Job Interview Photo Credit â€" Pexels.comAre you in the process of landing a job, but are worried that you’re not ready for the interview phase especially if you just finished the college?Getting the interviews right is needed if you are to make an impact with a potential employer. Without good quality interview skills you might never land that dream job of yours.In this article you’ll learn 10 different considerations that must be made in when you are going to interviews in the pursuit of a new job.1. Expect awkward questionsevalYou can write up a long list of commonly asked interview questions and prepare answers for all of them. However, when you get to the interview you might not be asked any of the questions you thought would come up.Therefore, you need to be prepared for original and unique questions that might be thrown at you.Don’t be surprised by questions that you never thought might come up, but instead tackle them in a calm and logical manner.Perhaps ask a friend or family member to thrown interesting questions at you in order to get prepared for this in an interview setting.2. Dress appropriatelyIf prior to the interview you were given permission to dress casually then by all means do so. However, if you’re going to impress the potential employer then make sure to turn up in a suit. It shows a level of professionalism and that you are taking the job interview seriously.If they see that you cannot be bothered to dress appropriately for the job interview then they will expect that you are not the type of person to try hard in the workplace too.Dressing for the part will also make you feel better and give you the confidence needed to carry out a great interview.3. Research the employerevalIt’s important to come prepared by researching the employer beforehand. By finding out the little details you can figure out the type of employees that they are looking for. As a result you can create the right impression at the job interview and increase your chances of getting hired.If you turn up at the interview knowing very little about the company in question, then you’ll run the risk of looking unprepared.The interviewer will be impressed if you have a bunch of facts and number at your disposal related to the company that’s giving you the interview.4. Body language is importantIt’s said that most of the communication that we do is in the form of body language and not verbal communication. Therefore, you must make sure to be conscious of how you carry yourself.evalFor example, don’t slouch but instead sit up straight in your seat. Also when you shake the hand of the interviewer ensure that it is a strong handshake, because this shows your presence in the room and indicates confidence.5. Ask clever questionsDon’t be scared to ask a question or two of your own. If you end up asking the right questions then this will go down well with the interviewer.For example, if you ask something specific about how you should carry out a specific t ask in your desired role then it shows to the interviewer that your head is in the game, and you’re thinking about how you’ll fit in with the company.You can prepare a list of possible questions to ask before you arrive at the interview. However, also consider comping up with some new questions as the interview progress if they are appropriate.6. Be yourselfAt the interview you need to give the potential employer a sense of who you are. Getting a job is also ensuring that there is a right fit between the person and the company.If you fake your personality in order to get the job you might not actually be the right fit for the atmosphere that you’ll be working in. This is not ideal for you or the company that’s hiring you.7. Turn up on timeFirst impressions count for a lot and the way to ensure that you get off on the right foot is by turning up on time. If you cannot make it on time for the interview then it doesn’t give the interviewer much confidence that you’re going to turn up for work on time.In the event that you have an emergency be honest about it and you might get a shot at another date.8. Sell yourselfWhen appropriate take the time to sell yourself in order to close the deal. There is no point in being mild when it comes to this aspect because you can bet that the competition is also going to highlight their positive points.evalSelling yourself is an activity that you can practice before the interview takes place. Simply figure out the reasons for why the company should hire you and what you can bring to the table.By doing this in a concise but truthful manner you can make the job of the interview easier. Also try to backup each of the points you make with evidence.9. Write a good CVIn the interview the CV will likely play a role. The interviewer will have it out in front of them and want to go over the information you have entered.Therefore, it makes sense that the CV should have plenty of related good points in there and also be truthfu l. If you lie in the CV then you’ll need to keep lying, and eventually you’ll be found out.It’s important that you take the time to write the CV using great sentence structure and grammar. This indicates to the interviewer that you’ve taken the time to give your best effort when writing the CV.evalIf you aren’t confident in your CV writing skills then you can always practice or look for examples online.10. Be thankful for the opportunityAt the end of the interview don’t leave without expressing how thankful you are for having the opportunity to get the interview. You could also say how much it would mean to you if you got the job.By showing how much you are invested in this you’re going to indicate that you are really going to try hard to do well and stay in the job.Ideally employers are looking not only for skilled workers, but also ones that are going to care and be committed for the long term.ConclusionBy taking the 10 different considerations above in mind you can begin to figure out what the secrets are for executing a perfect interview that makes you irresistible to hire. There is an element of luck involved in interview, and this is especially true if there is a lot of competition.However, by taking the tips in this article into consideration you can begin to tilt the odds of success in your favour, and hopefully get that dream job you have been aiming for.Remember that practice makes perfect so you’ll get better at interviews the more you attend.

Blog Action Day - What Can One Individual Do To Address Climate Change Take Action! - Kathy Caprino

Blog Action Day - What Can One Individual Do To Address Climate Change Take Action! As with any major shift occurring in the world, one person can’t turn it around all by him/herself. But each of us can have a direct and significant impact, and that impact reverberates and spreads. Blog Action Day ’09 asks us to take responsibility today, speak up, and spark a global discussion on climate change. Join the discussion â€" add your voice!   Clearly, we are accountable for how we live our lives, for what we model for others and our children. We are responsible for the core messages we send to our family, our community, and the world about what we value, support, and wish to protect and nurture.   How each of us addresses this climate crisis is very similar to the ways in which we handle our own personal crises.   What’s the best way to deal with any crisis?   1. Get out of denial â€" Admit we have a serious crisis on our hands, and take concrete action to address it.   2. Get accountable â€" Take responsibility for your own actions and do what you can.   3. Treasure the good â€" Know what makes life worth living, and value and protect it.   4. Plan for the future â€" Understand yourself, your goals,  and the far-reaching implications of your actions. Think about the future and what you want to build and leave behind, not just of the present.   5. Commit to being the change you want to see â€" Step up, and realize that even one new promise or decisive action can create a shift and make all the difference.   In my family of four (with two school-aged children), we focus on doing what we can to contribute to slowing climate change. We use less energy, and cut down on waste. We turn off lights, appliances, and computers that aren’t in use. We’ve reduced our driving, and commit to carpooling wherever possible. We recycle, use energy efficient appliances, support locally grown food, keep the temperature in our house a few degrees lower, properly insulate our home and heater, and take shorter showers and fewer baths.   Another way we contribute to facilitating positive change is by supporting political candidates who care deeply about this issue, and who are 100% committed to enacting policies, laws, and endeavors that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Most importantly, we discuss the issue openly with our children and explore what new things they and their generation can do to help.   I hope people will continue to find their own ways to create breakthrough in how they address this serious crisis. In dealing with climate change, as in handling our personal crises, failing to understand that we’ve co-created the problem and need to shift our behavior, is simply playing the victim. That type of thinking, as we’ve learned, will never get us where we need and want to go.   For me, participating in this action day has spurred me to step up my commitment (for one, I will stop using plastic bags for grocery shopping, starting today).   What one step can you take today to step up your commitment?   Thank you for sharing your voice and participating.   Wishing our world many powerful breakthroughs.

5 Action Words For Writing Resume - A Little Lesson in Writing

5 Action Words For Writing Resume - A Little Lesson in WritingThere are many more than five important resume action words for writing but for now, this will give you an idea. The first action word is the subject line. It is used to draw attention to your resume and the main reason for getting it into your hands.Your resume should be written in such a way that it catches the attention of the reader right away. The only place where this rule does not apply is the resumes of well-known or established companies that provide services. These resumes can still have some advantages, because it is one of the first things they look at when they pick you out of the bunch.Two other action words for writing are not really action words but they're just as important. These words are your resume copy sentence. They represent the beginning of your copy and they represent the part of your resume that tells your employer how you can help them.The rest of your resume is built around these two action wor ds and therefore they are also very important. Use them often but don't overdo it and always make sure that they reflect your personality. There is nothing worse than getting a job after job and then finding out that you don't like what you're doing.The other action words for writing are the summary and conclusion. You must make sure that both your summary and your conclusion capture your passion for your job and that you really know what you do. You must be able to bring the reader on the same page with you and with whom you're with.Finally, the last action words for writing are the references. These are the people that you would need if you had to go back and hire someone else to take care of your duties. They are also key to your continued success.These action words for writing should help you get your resume up on paper. This is the part of your resume that makes it stand out from the others and the only place where you can impress the employer enough so that they would choose y ou over the other candidates.

Writing a Musical Theatre Resume

Writing a Musical Theatre ResumeWriting a musical theatre resume is not as hard as it looks. Instead of having to remember everything that you have done in your life, it is easier to narrow it down to the important points that will make it more efficient. It is important to do this because you want to be able to provide the best possible resume to someone who needs to see it. If you have trouble doing this, this article will give you some tips that will help you with the writing of your resume.Make sure to start out with your career and personal information. This is probably the most important part of your resume. This is what will allow you to be able to provide a letter of reference for employers. If you are still at school, give your name, address, phone number, email, and type of school. After this, you can list any other information you may have that is relevant to your career.It is important to start by stating why you are applying for the job. The first paragraph is the one th at describes your motivation and why you are interested in the position. A small paragraph detailing your experiences and successes will follow this one. This is the only section that is important. After this, you can focus on just about anything else that you feel would be of interest to a prospective employer.An important section of your resume is the areas where you should not go over. This is an area that is very important because many times this is all that a potential employer will see. If this section is not well written, it will appear sloppy, unprofessional, and will not get any responses.Next, describe your strengths and weaknesses in this section. After you have listed everything that you can think of, list any jobs that you may have held. Do not forget to list any volunteer work you may have done for charities or other organizations. However, it is important to realize that the best resume is one that you cannot live without. Try to avoid writing too much detail on this section.Finally, describe what you know about how to get a show-business job. This should be an introductory section. Be sure to include all of the skills that you possess. It is important to emphasize the abilities that you have that show that you are valuable to the production. This will show your strengths and abilities and let the potential employer know that you are not only interested in the job, but that you know how to get it.You can write a musical theatre resume in many different ways. However, it is important to get the basics right so that you will be able to fill the entire form with accurate information. Hopefully this article has helped you with your music theatre resume writing.