#GiftYourBusiness – The Gift of Time


For most small businesses, time is often a source of frustration. Not having enough time, how to balance time between life and work, time is money, and many other aspects of time management that can be overwhelming. The truth of the matter is, taking the time to figure out how to best utilize this precious resource is vital to running a successful company. This month’s series is focused on gifting your business what it needs for growth in the new year. Gifting your business the commodity of time will lower stress and increase profit. 
Be Strategic
December is the month for thinking about what you will do next year. Diving blinding into it without a plan is wasting valuable time, effort and energy. Take a few hours to plot out what each month should look like – goals, priorities, and desired results. Having a month-to-month outline will help you stay focused and on task. If you aren’t sure how to accomplish this, or what your year should look like, it may be time to invest in a business coachto help you get on track.
Use Technology
New apps and devices are being created every day with the goal of helping businesses get ahead. It is important to find tools that both streamline and automate processes. Does it make your life easier? Does it speed up output? Then it is worth investing in. Be cautious of having too many tools and spreading yourself too thin.  Also, if a tool is more hassle than you thought it would be, don’t hesitate to change your game plan. The time involved in trying to figure out a complicated tool or in bouncing between various options is a waste. Take the time this month to ask fellow business owners and entrepreneurs what tools they love – and absolutely hate.
Eat the Frog
We all have a project that we put off because we know it is going to take more time and energy than the others – or simply because we can’t stand doing it. A popular time management phrase is ‘Eat the Frog’, which basically means do this project first. Get it out of the way. That way you can power through your other tasks without this one looming overhead.  
Outsource & Delegate
Another approach to dealing with tasks you don’t like or don’t have time for is to either delegate or outsourcethe work. It can be hard for some leaders and entrepreneurs to give up some of their work. However, this could mean freeing up your schedule to focus on business growth instead of daily tasks and projects. Find a reliable, talented and trustworthy individual and begin unloading time consuming tasks to others.
Evaluate Meetings
Meetings are often unavoidable. However, try to keep them to a minimum. Ask yourself just how valuable or necessary the appointment is. If it’s absolutely necessary, be sure to go in with an agenda or outline to keep everyone on task. Time each agenda item. If the problem hasn’t been resolved within the timeframe, task attendeesto go back and problem solve and come up with solutions at a future meeting. Don’t allow people to sidetrack or derail the meeting.
Prioritize
It can be easy getting caught up in checking voicemail, responding to emails or checking social media. It’s true that these tasks need to be accomplishedbut it’s ridiculous how often, and how many times, you do this throughout the day. Put aside time each day to accomplish these low priority tasks. Time yourself and do it at the point of the day where you are typically least productive. If your most productive energy is first thing in the morning, don’t waste that time checking your email. If the 2 PM slump usually slows you down, that might be the perfect opportunity to tackle the least important projects.
Time is an easy resource to waste. Not having a plan up front will ensure that time is not used wisely. #GiftYourBusiness the full extent of the time and resourcesyou have available by giving thought and planning to how you will use your time to #BeAwesome next year.
~ Social Media is changing the way people do business.  Don’t get left behind ~ 



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Hollie Clere, of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn,Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+ , YouTube,Pinterest, Instagram  and the tools to manage them. 

Click here for her Social Media Workshops, Classes and Seminars.

Social Seven: Tools of the Trade – Buffer

Social Seven – Social Media Podcast
With Erin Cell of Socially Powered and Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor



Tools of the Trade – Buffer

Buffer is a content creation and management tool to help increase engagement and save time. Content can be created within the tool and scheduled for posting. There is a queue where content can be added and then scheduled and posted as desired. This allows users to pick the best times of day to post and schedule social media content in advance. 
 

Buffer can be used in tandem with Hootsuite. Buffer is great for tweets and Google+, but can’t be used for Facebook. It is more beneficial to post content natively in Facebook, when possible. However, these tools compliment each other so well that is often best to use them together instead of separately.
Buffer offers up to ten different feeds for favorite social media accounts. Users can add RSS feeds and share links from websites instead the tool’s dashboard. Buffer will pull the latest stories and content for you and allow you to share it.
Buffer analytics are available as well. For some clients, numbers matter and they want to see engagement ratios. There are some aspects, such as dark traffic, that keep users from getting visibility at all since it is mobile activity. How do you track mobile users versus other users? Are those numbers actually right? It’s hard to say. So, it’s important to keep them in mind when viewing analytic reports. Each platform offers it’s own set of analytics. However, Buffer does offer this as an option.

Think Buffer might help you with scheduling content and staying on top of your social media? Follow us on social media to find out when our Social Seven podcast is streaming live!

Social Seven: Tools of the Trade – Hootsuite

Social Seven – Social Media Podcast
With Erin Cell of Socially Powered and Hollie Clere of The Social Media Advisor



Tools of the Trade – Hootsuite

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Hootsuite is one of our very favorite social media management tools. Hollie uses Hootsuite every day and sets it up for her clients.  What she loves about Hootsuite is that there is all the flexibility in the world to customize content. You can also add images, schedule timing, and upload different items. There is also a new functionality now where you can add pictures to different albums and, therefore, add multiple images.
 
 

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Does Canva work with Hootsuite? Yes, you can use your Canva images within Hootsuite and schedule it out. The capture feature takes an image from a blog post or article and automatically puts into the content.
The reporting offered through Hootsuite is a little bit pricey. However, the overview can be beneficial to see a simple snapshot. Plus, it can be sent via email. Clients can also be notified when a post goes out through the tool.
The bulk import option is a lifesaver, especially for Twitter users. Sometimes it is a little bit finicky but saves quite a bit of time. It’s an option to import a lot of tweets all at once. This is great for social media content managers to reuse or repurpose old content. Twitter content moves constantly so it’s unlikely that followers there will ever notice that the content has been posted prior.
Free or paid version of Hootsuite? It’s a reasonable fee for the ease of use and benefit that you get from the tool. There are over 180 apps within the site. However, there is a free version available as well. Users can upload a video from YouTube into Hootsuite.
Should you schedule Facebook posts through Hootsuite? Is there a difference in reach and engagement when posting through the tool? It depends on the type of post.
There is a rumor that Facebook penalizes account owners who schedule posts through other sites or tools because they want users to natively post directly from the site. However, Facebook scheduler doesn’t always work and you can count on Hootsuite posting the content as scheduled. This is still a bit of uncharted territory so be sure to monitor engagement when using Hootsuite and compare it against what you receive when you post to Facebook directly.
Think Hootsuite has a place in your toolbox for scheduling content and staying on top of your social media? Follow us on social media to find out when our Social Seven podcast is streaming live!

What are Trends on Twitter and How to Use Them


https://thesocialmediaadvisor.com/

The Internet is a vast, endless asset filled with potential just waiting for someone to grab it and use it. Twitter is one of the most popular and utilized social media websites with over 300 million users. Companies and marketers are all vying for ways to make that work in their favor. Going viral is the mark of success on social media and trending on Twitter is the way to get that done. Unfortunately, no one can just decide to trend because that reaction is entirely up to Twitter users. So, how does a company grasp trending and make it work for them?
Do Your Research
To do anything well, you must first become familiar with theterritory. Before going to college, you look into the academic programs and tour the campus. What do you do prior to your big job interview? You look at the company’s website and found out what they are all about. Can you find success in a project by jumping in blindly with no idea what you are doing? Sure. It’s been known to happen. However, you significantly up your chance of being successful if you do your research ahead of time.
This is true for trends on Twitter as well. Do you understand Twitter? If not, register an account and take it for a spin first. Look into what is trending. Why is it trending? What contributes to the trend? Just like a keyword density search, what trends will work for your cause or business? How are people reacting to the trends? The answers to this information will make you so much more prepared to use trending wisely.
Top Ten Troubles
Many companies wanting to take advantage of Twitter trending, head straight to the top ten trends. Then they try to find a way to incorporate what they are doing into what is already hot. The idea has merit. Those trends are already grabbing attention and making waves and jumping onto those coattails might help you.
The masses of Twitter are wise. They can spot a fake interaction. While some believe any attention is good attention, a bright spotlight on how not to use social media is not the way you want to gain visibility. Also, if the trend isn’t related to what you are selling – how effective is the attention you are getting? Things will peak for a short time but then people will drift away because the audience was interested in the trend, not you.
However, don’t give up on trending just because the Top Ten doesn’t suit you. There is so much out there on Twitter and a niche market or service can still make an impression on social media even if it can’t break the top ten barrier.
Trends that Aren’t Trendy
Like with any fad, some are meatier than others. Trends are destined to be temporary so it’s important that companies focus on solid trendsand not just what is trendy. The goal behind trending on Twitter is to get enough people talking, and posting, and #hashtaging an idea. However, the true motivation for businesses should be to not only get people talking but to keep them talking long after the trending stalls. The trend is the hook but it requires sustenance to convert those conversations into loyal followers. Ask yourself if this trend has the potential to do that or if it’s just a spur of the moment fancy that fades just as easily as it soared?
Join the Conversation the Right Way
Twitter is a tool and, if understood, can be used to manipulate and garner new followers. However, like so many other paths, if you take the easy route and only think of Twitter as a tool to be used to increase your business then you are missing out on the true potential it possesses. Spamming, scamming, and cutting corners will be apparent to anyone interested enough to pay attention to you.
Join the conversation or a start a new one. Engage and interact with your followers in ways that feel meaningful to both you and your audience. If you are going to invest this much time in figuring out Twitter and its trends, make that time valuable and productive. Find the right trends. Pay attention to what is trending and don’t miss out on something that truly works for what you do. Get familiar with Twitter’s tools and the best way to monitor trends and conversations. Really connect with people and then don’t forget to follow up with them.  Monitor, track and study your results so you can focus on which are working for you. Then repeatyour successes. These are the ways to journey through trending and make it a viable part of your social media arsenal.
Get the idea of how best to utilize Twitter trending but still not sure where to start? Give us a call to brainstorm where to begin or how to make the most out of what you are already doing.

~ Social Media is changing the way people do business.  Don’t get left behind ~ 

https://thesocialmediaadvisor.com/

Be sure to Follow us and Let’s Engage!

Hollie Clere, of The Social Media Advisor is a “#BeAwesome” Developer, Social Media Brand Builder, Content Manager, Trainer and Author in LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Google+ , YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram and the tools to manage them.
Click here for her Social Media Workshops, Classes and Seminars


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