Tag: Education

#LearningIsAwesome – The Value of Learning Something New

In the spirit of the Back To School time of year, we realized that you are never too old to learn something new. Our kids shouldn’t be the only ones continuing their education this Fall. So pick up some extra school supplies because we are going to list the 5 reasons you should open yourself up to learning new things!
You Will Live Longer
In a study done by Reader’s Digest, professionals found that people who read more for 30 minutes a day for years would on average live two years longer than those who didn’t read at all. Instead of watching tv at night, try to pick up a book, you might just live longer!
You Will Get Better Job Offers
By continuing to learn everyday, you are guaranteed to increase your knowledge, literacy, and understanding of new innovations. These skills will show in job interviews and you are more likely to get the job you want than someone who’s brain power has been stagnant since grade school. If you are a small business owners, those offers could look like speaking engagements or opportunities to spread your message to a wider audience.
You Will Win Family Arguments
There is little that is more satisfying than the silence that follow’s a relative’s inability to retort an intellectual conversation at the dinner table. With Thanksgiving on the horizon, it might be time for you to work out your brain for any potential family arguments.
You Will Find New Talents
When you spend the time to learn a new task, you may find that you have a knack for it. Don’t avoid learning a new skill just because you don’t think you have the time for it or you think you’re too old to learn. Instead rent out a book from the library or take a class on a skill you’ve never tried.
You Will Make New Friends
You might not be convinced but there are other people out there in the same position as you! You may meet someone new in a class or connect with someone online who is also trying to learn something new. Or you could learn a new language and find yourself meeting people from all over the globe! The possibilities are endless!

Being an adult is no longer an excuse; there is so much value to learning something new even when you are no longer in school. So pick up a book, sign up for a class, or join an online forum and start learning! Can’t wait to see your AWESOME!
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.

#AuthenticallyAwesome – Authentic Education in Your Branding



Marketing has changed drastically in the past decade. The days of telemarketing, direct mail, and traditional advertising are long gone. People are choosing how they consume media – including how they are being sold products and services. We fast forward through commercials, toss our junk mail, have spam folders, and avoid answering calls or doorbells from people we don’t know. Permission-based marketing is really the only way to connect with a target audience anymore. That is why content marketing and influencer marketing have had so much traction. Today consumers have complete control over who gets to market to them. This is why consistent, quality content is the way to attract potential leads and clients. We have to give our audience something they wantto read, engage or interact with.
Permission marketing is the privilege (not the right) of delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them.
Seth Godin
Today’s strategies for reach revolve around creating informational and educational content that the right audience will want to consume.  Our rates of media consumption are off the charts right now, especially on our mobile devices. Never in the history of humankind have we been so connected or driven to consume data, media and content. The online noise is LOUD. How does a small business owner make an impact and be found?
The answer is: they provide content that people find valuable.
Enter stage left – influencer marketing. Influencer marketing has a two-fold effect. Many marketers focus on the benefit of the reach that can be found in connecting with the audiences of popular influencers. However, the other huge perk of interacting with, and then becoming, an influencer is that you are building credibility and establishing yourself as an expert in your field.
How do you establish yourself as a trusted expert and advisor? You offer education to your audience. This educational offering can take many forms…blogs, white papers, videos, webinars, or podcasts. Select the medium you feel most comfortable with and that you feel confident your audience will consume. You are a business owner for a reason – you have a skillset that others find valuable.  You provide value. Don’t convince yourself that you have to nothing to say or share. There are people eager to pay attention to what you have to say.
How do you make your educational offerings authentic? Don’t spend time attempting to copy or emulate someone else’s content. This is an easy way to get started but you have to give your followers something unique to you. They are following you because they appreciate what you have to say and how you express it. If you haven’t developed a “voice” for you and your brand – it’s time to do so. Authenticity is creating a voice and tone for your content that not only represents your branding but is also an accurate and honest depiction of who you are. That sort of content is what resonates with people.  It’s the way to create brand advocates – passionate followers who share your message wide and far….for free…just because your content impacts them in a positive way.
Incorporating education into your branding takes time and effort and doesn’t always have a measurable ROI. Finding a way to share this type of content in an authentic way is going to take some brainstorming and effort. However, the end result of this is a wider reach and a more dedicated following. What business doesn’t want that with their online presence?

Now go out there and create something AWESOME! I can’t wait to see you spread your message with the world.

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.

#EducationMatters – Educate Your Clients on All Your Services

Are you educating your clients on all of your services? You can’t assume a person will know everything your company offers based on a quick description on your social media pages (if they even read that). You also shouldn’t assume your clients know everything about you. It’s just not realistic.
Don’t rush out and flood your mailing list and social media platforms with a flood of updates, or one long unending message about what you do. That will likely frustrate your clients and make your reputation suffer. So how do you educate your clients without being spammy about it?
Here are some suggestions that will help you educate your clients AND get them intrigued about your services. You don’t have to do all of them, but consider one or two.
  • Update your site. Consolidate all your services into one informative page. Make sure it’s easy to read and understand. Break down each service into a three sentence (or less) description. ProTip: It’s also a good idea to develop a FAQ that covers common regular questions and any you receive about services. If you have one, make sure you link the FAQ on this information page.
  • Each service you provide should have a more detailed explanation. Whether you do this by individual web pages or as expanded tabs on your information page is completely up to you, but it needs to be there.
  • Create a blog postabout your services. Be informative, and explain how you help the client with each service. It can be as detailed as you like, but you can easily keep it as brief as the site update suggestion from above. Then, post your blog post link on all your social media sites. Make sure your title is eye-catching and the first three sentences are intriguing. Future questions can be directed at either this blog post or the information page you make.
  • Do you have two or more services that are normally purchased together? If so, why not combine them into a package that clients can purchase at a discount? This promotion can also be a great way to mention other services you provide. This one is excellent for mailing lists, by the way.
  • Choose a day of the week to inform your clients on all social media accounts about your business. Then, select one aspect of your business and talk about that. It helps to have an image to go with your post. That image should be easy to read and understand. One of my clients uses a definition image where they list a service they provide and then write out that two to three sentence description. Make the background eye catching. You should know that white text with a black outline can go on any background, so you should use that for consistency and viewing ease from mobile devices.
These are just some ways to inform your clients of your services. One thing to keep in mind: your audience for Twitter isn’t the same as Facebook. Nor is your mailing list the same as your Instagram. Expect that your clients aren’t all aware of the same information. Repurpose your content instead of setting up an information page on one social media site (like Facebook) and using that link to give your clients information.
One other thing, and this is important. Don’t just share your own stuff. Talk about other things, places, events, ideas, and more. If you are constantly trying to sell your services, you’ll come off looking cheap and shady. To #BeAwesome in social media you will need to take into consideration the type of content your audience wants and provide that regularly.

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.

#EducationMatters – Open a Book & Learn Something New

“Unless you do something beyond what you’ve already mastered, you will never grow.”
– Ronald E. Osborne

In life and in business, truer words were never spoken. With so much knowledge at our fingertips through online courses, books, seminars, and more, there is no better time to extend your scope of understanding.

Imagine that your business is water and your knowledge is the river bed it travels down. If you stop learning, the river stops flowing and the water becomes stagnant. Knowledge serves three purposes:

  • 1.     Expand your horizons, both as an individual and as part of a business
  • 2.     Encourages flexibility in change
  • 3.     Provides wisdom and inspiration from those who have been there before you


Don’t limit yourself to business-exclusive topics, either. A person who only studies business will only understand other business-focused individuals and may lose sight of the customer’s needs. A mind needs balance. Time management, spiritual journeys (to include creative expression), biographies, history…the sky is the limit on what you can learn and who you can learn from.

Here are several free (or mostly free) resources available to you:

MIT Open Courseware: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology has offered its course curriculum for free to anyone. From Urban Studies and Planning, to Math, to Global Studies and Languages, there is a courseavailable for anyone.

Your Local Library: You’re probably familiar with this place, but did you realize most libraries have access to online courses, ebooks, and more through a company called Overdrive? If you have a long commute, why not check out their audiobook selection? Learn while you travel. If you want to know whether your local library has this available, check here.

Kindle Unlimited: For a subscription fee per month, you can have access to hundreds of thousands of Kindle Unlimited titles with just a touch of a button. KU allows you to download up to ten titles at a time. If you’ve filled up your allotted space, no worries. Just click on the book you want and Amazon will ask you which book you’d like to return. It’s like an infinite lending library since new titles are added every day. Another bonus you may not be aware of: KU pays authors a small amount per page read, so everyone wins. The Amazon reading app is available on all mobile devices and desktops, so don’t worry about compatibility. Many titles also come with a free audiobook as well.

These are just some resources to get you started. It’s imperative that you set aside personal development time every week. It doesn’t matter if it’s thirty minutes a week or thirty minutes every day, #EducationMatters when it comes to honing your edge. The team here at The Social Media Advisor hopes that these resources help you continue to #BeAwesome.

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.
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