Tag: #BeAwesome

#RelationshipsMatter – Message Someone You Haven’t Seen in Years



Friends come and go. It is a natural part of life. We grow up. We move. We change jobs. Throughout it all, the one constant is usually change. Occasionally, you may want to reach out to an old friend, or colleague, but navigating this process can be cumbersome. However, you can reconnect in so many ways, from social mediamessaging to good old fashioned hand written letters. If you want to kick it old school, you could even pick up the phone and make a call.  
Do a Little Research

There is always a reason to reconnect with someone, whether it is just to re-kindle a friendship or make a business connection. Once you know your reason then it’s time to do a little research to help guide your interactions and avoid possible awkwardness. Keep in mind the reason why you lost contact, it may be awkward to reconnect if the reason you stopped communicating in the first place was a bad one.
You may have known the individual very well a few years ago, but are you in the same place you were then? More than likely not and neither are they. Take a peek through their social profiles to see what they have been up to and what is currently going on in their life. You may find an opening to use to get in touch with them. Popping a Happy Birthday message across and following up or commenting on a picture are both great ways of softly reconnecting.
Connect!

The simplest way to reconnect with someone is by sending them a message, but avoid the generic ‘HI, how are you?’ lines as this usually leads to a short awkward conversation. Using your research try sending a more detailed question such as ‘Hi, saw you went to Hawaii this year. Did you have a great time? I went last year and stayed at (hotel name). Where did you stay?’. You are opening a channel of conversation based around a common topic. This could easily lead to branching out into other topics and building your friendship again.
If you are looking to connect with an old colleague the utilize some memories of working together, or find something that you know will interest them to share. Avoid coming across as a cheesy car salesman pushing a proposal that may not even tie in with their current activities. 
Reconnecting and building new relationships with people can be nerve wracking for some and does not always pan out but taking that risk and sending them a message does not cost anything and could result be socially beneficial. The holiday season is a great time to reach out and wish people well and ask how they are doing.
Who will you reconnect with this week? 

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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.

#RelationshipsMatter – Write a Letter to a Friend

In our digital age so many people rely on text messages, social media updates and instant messaging to stay in touch with their friends and family. We are becoming more and more distant from our friends without even realizing it; relying on these quick electronic updates to feel connected. However, getting out a pen and paper helps you to connect in a much more personal way and can make people feel more appreciated. Here are a few reasons as to why:

Letters make us feel special – When you open up the mailbox and see a hand-written letter, straight away you are curious, exhilarated and happy that someone has taken the additional time to write you a letter. Many people keep hand written letters received in a binder or special box to look back on – although you can save an email it just doesn’t feel the same.
You don’t know need to write much to make a difference – If you have just met someone, why not send a postcard with a little note to say ‘Hi, was lovely to meet you today :)’. It can make them smile and help your friendship bloom.
You can focus on that individual – Writing a letter allows you to focus on that individual rather than make a generic message out to everyone, it forces you to think about the person and your friendship with them. It gives the reader the feeling that you are having a conversation directly with them and although slow – as the name snail mail suggestions –  the connection is consistent and continues to stay personal.
No pressure to respond instantly – all our lives are different and when we receive text messages or instant messages we feel it necessary to reply straight away, if we can’t we feel guilty for ignoring them. However, a letter allows us to take our time replying and make the content more valuable than a quickly typed text message. 

Not just for personal but for business too – Business is so fast paced that the last thing we think about is writing a letter, due to the time it takes. Instead of writing a newsletter, handwrite it as a letter instead sending it to those special customers who deserve a little more of a personal touch. Handwritten letters to business associates and consumers can allow you to let your creativity to show – especially if you are a designer. Additionally, there is less risk of it getting lost amongst other emails and more chance of people taking the time to read them – who isn’t interested in seeing what a hand-written letter has to say.

Relationships matter and the more effort that goes in to cultivating those relationships, the stronger and more valuable they will be. Letters are the simplest forms to foster those friendships, so take a step back in time and start re-connecting with your friends.
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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.

#BrandConsistency – Themes in Your Marketing Can Help With Consistency

One highly-useful tool for Brand Consistency is the use of themes. Marketing themes help solidify your branding in the mind of your audience. There are two areas you should consider when it comes to themes: visual recurring themes and thematic messages.

Visual Brand Consistency

Visual Brand Consistency is something we’ve mentioned before. You want your images and messages to follow guidelines you’ve built for your company. Think of brands you know. Pepsi and Coca Cola are two that really stand out. Across the board, they use the same branding style: Colors, fonts, etc. to push their brand into the mind of the consumer.So how do you create visual brand consistency? 

  • Create a brand use document where you list how your logo icon can be used. Make sure you provide a color and black and white logo. Place your logos in a group folder so your employees can use the logos as needed for official correspondence.
  • Use uniform colors across your social media platforms and website. 
  • Standard graphic layouts. It’s best to create a graphics template for your preferred social media interaction. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and more all have ideal size requirements. Create templates that meet those needs. Don’t forget to include a PowerPoint and video template that has your logo already inserted. Creating these templates will save you time and money since no one will have to guess which layouts work.
  • Uniform images with logo placement. To further expand on your logo style guide, you need to determine where your logo and text should be placed. Consistency is key. 
  • Keep the same cover image for all aspects of your social media platform so your customers aren’t jarred by inconsistency. Modify it, of course, to adapt to the platform’s requirements, but keeping consistent is necessary for making you stand out in a crowd.

Thematic Consistency 

  • Create a one-line summary of your company, a tagline if you will. Expand it, by adding a two-sentence paragraph that further explains the mission of your company. After this, create several in-depth paragraphs with detailed descriptions. Provide your blogs, social media, and website links in that final detailed description package. Use these as needed depending on your social interaction. If you have room for a one-line summary, then use that. If you have an opportunity to further explain, use the more in-depth options. These files, like the logos mentioned above, should be available for your company’s use.
  • Create themed content based on your company’s values. If you believe in speedy delivery, create content that emphasizes that part of your brand. If your company puts the customer first, emphasize that instead. While you can have more than one value, choose the one you want to emphasize over the others.
  • Release themed content on a consistent basis. Whether you’re doing a Q&A, highlighting new trends, or providing motivational content on Mondays, keep your content consistent with both releases and styles.

These are just some ways to get you started. If you’re ready to tackle #BrandConsistency, start with your brand and logo use document. Decide which fonts, colors, and logo can be used. Once you have that established, move into building thematic content. Templates are key to speed and quality, so make sure you set them up as soon as possible.Do you have any tips on Brand Consistency? Let us know in comments. 

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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.

#BrandConsistency – How Consistency in Social Media Helps Your Brand

Consistency in Social Media is a necessary component for gaining and keeping loyal followers. Here are some of our top tips on being consistent:
1. Create a familiar look across all platforms. Your brand is a style, a unique voice among a sea of distractions. You want your potential clients and customers to recognize your brand no matter the platform (or mobile device) they use. Visual branding is just as important as the message you wish to share. For brand consistency, you’ll want to use the same color palette, logo/avatar, use the same filters in places like Instagram so your images look organized and part of an overall package, and consider using templates for graphics you share on social media sites. This will make the fonts, colors, designs, and size constant.
2. The voice must be the same across all platforms. A voice is more than grammar and spelling (but that’s important too!). It’s about how you speak to the public. Are you relaxed? Do you take a formal tone? Do you go out of your way to make viewers feel invited? Or do you prefer to keep a wall up between you and your customers and client? Deciding your brand’s voice involves these three elements: company culture, your audience, and your authenticity.
3. Humor is a unique form of communication. It can break the ice, relax or offend others, or reflect on the social and moral core of the individual. Sometimes, it can be all of these things at once. Keep your humor focused on your brand. When you use humor, imagine how someone new to your brand would interpret it. According to Sprout Social, 71% of consumers have unfollowed a brand on social media because they were embarrassed by the brand’s posts. You are on public display. Don’t forget that.
4. Consistent posting is key to brand success. Lack of interaction on your social media pages will leave a potential client/customer thinking you have gone out of business, or worse, that you don’t care about their business. If time is a factor, use social media tools to keep your pages updated.
Brand name recall is key to building a loyal following. Reinforce your brand’s beliefs and goals.
And one more bonus tip: Create powerful calls to action. Don’t be shy. This is still business. 
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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.

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