Happy Spring ….  here’s to the arrival of vaccines for us all as we acknowledge the one year anniversary of the pandemic!  Going forward online conversation, socializing, marketing will continue to grow and grow within our business & personal lives, be it for the new found convenience or just because we have discovered the amazing “worldwide” doors that are open to us online!!  A plus you might say from the pandemic.

This week, I hope to support your “ease” in participating online by simplifying your understanding of the flow of communications. Know that it doesn’t have to be complicated ….

Communications … marketing, sales, networking, socializing, personal … ALL types of communications, follow a natural flow that comes within our natural instincts as human beings. It’s possible (and very easy) to overthink this flow… make it complicated, confuse the issue, and just enable ourselves to get in our own way for having our communications be successful.

I believe the easiest way to describe this natural flow is with stages that have applicable labels to all assigned styles of communications, such as marketing, sales, networking, socializing, personal. Labels that will simplify are: Trust, Credibility, Expertise, Loyalty.

• TRUST is the first stage. It begins when we are first attracted to people. We are attracted because of a likeness between us, something that we both have in common … similar tastes, likes, likeness, etc. As we learn more & “like” more & more, we begin to build “trust.”
• CREDIBILITY follows trust. As we begin to trust new acquaintances there may be something said that hits home, causes a high-five, a “wow … that’s me!” reaction. We show the person that we “get them!” These are the moments and words that build “credibility.”
• EXPERTISE evolves from these earlier “get to know” stages. Now there is a reason to want to know more, explore each other, find out how far we can take this matching of our selves that has been so “right on” while building trust & credibility. This is also where things can get messy. There are lots of “matches” to explore and learn about. We want to be at our best and show our “expertise.”
• LOYALTY is part of our human instinctive behavior also. We find something we like and go with it, we maintain a loyalty to it. Ever have a hard time leaving your hair cutter? Or manicurist? There is a seeded loyalty that seems to always come with these services.. and they are the best way I can describe it.   All the pieces are good and we want to keep our communications .. they are working, so stay put!! It’s what keeps couples together, friendships strong, and yes, clients returning with repeat and referral sales.

I hope you see how easy this flow can be applied to ALL your  communications. If you would like guidance on applying its simplicity to your sales & marketing communications, (or other) let’s have a conversation. I integrate it into my trainings and it is a core piece of my “7 Step Formula For Achieving All Goals” … which upon learning once, you’ll discover how easy it is to apply when going after additional communication goals & more!  ​​​​​​

Be #communicationsstrong

Here’s to your communications success in 2021!

margie   

Here is a question for you!   How many things did you believe about online marketing, when you first began being active, that ended up being falsehoods???   It can lower your overall motivation and excitement for all that social media & digital marketing DOES provide. So should it be of benefit, I wanted to share  4 false assumptions that ALL  my clients, across the board, believed when they first arrived at my trainings.  I  refer to these false assumptions as myths  …. 

1.  When we post, our posts will be shown to ALL our connections, friends, followers, peeps, etc.
   It would be sooooo nice if this was accurate, but I am sorry to say it is a myth.  Back in the day it may have worked that way.  In theory it is said to work that way.  But in today’s online environment bandwidth does have its limits for all the social media/digital marketing platforms.  And each platform has its algorithm for who gets to see what. It is wise to inquire with each platform we use to get a good understanding who will see the posts we spend time creating and why they get to see them!!
   .
2. Our target market will immediately see our posts when we use keywords and hashtags.
   The word in this myth that makes the difference is “SEE” – A  keyword or hashtag may get posts into designated feeds for viewing, but our prospects still need to “see” our posts.  Messaging must be created for the stage of the buyer journey we are targeting with our messaging,  Also there is the old adage that something needs to be “in front” of people at least 7 times (heard its gone to even 14 these days)  before it is “seen” by viewers/readers.It is not an automatic “build it and they will come” activity … some focus, thought & patience is required. PLUS, even a good use of keywords & hashtags can have other elements affect their success, for example, how many posts use our chosen hashtag and where will that put us in the feed based upon the quantity generated at the same time!   And, per social media platform, be sure to know how keywords & hashtags are applied –  are they even used for traffic routing? are they mixed with other elements of the platform’s algorithm?  And so on.
   .
3.  It’s about us! 
   It’s never about us in marketing and sales, online and offline!  It is always about the prospect & client.  Every post we create…. All our online messaging … MUST be focused on our market audience and where their mindset is.  What will THEY respond to?  What will catch THEIR attention?  They come to their social platforms with much on their minds and scan through the posts …  and this is where any engagement we hope to achieve must begin. It is imperative that we know our buyers well so we can connect to THEM and their needs.It is also most beneficial to present messaging so that it speaks directly to our readers.   Beginning a post with “I” just puts ourselves in between the message and the reader … it distances the message which defeats the purpose and lessens the opportunities.
   .
4. Videos will open doors.
   Don’t get me wrong here. Videos are great!  BUT when used for opening new doors they can limit the opportunities because people need to be motivated to click open a video and watch OR if it arrives in process, people need to decide to take the time to continue watching.  There are other types of content with short messaging that can be seen just as it passes by in the feed  …. without having to read … or use any effort. They just get included in the reader’s scan of the feed.  These are the type of posts that will create initial attraction to us and upon that ATTRACTION & AWARENESS taking place…  videos, depending upon the topic & length can be a perfect “next step.”   Think PURPOSE with videos.

There are more myths out there, but these four were across the board  upon the arrival of my clients. If you have some or all of these false beliefs, I hope this article has helped you know the truth.  I welcome any questions you may have!

I also invite all who are serious about creating effective content & messaging to come and learn one-on-one with me.  While you learn you create “with me” content & messaging you can put immediately into action!   Click here to know more of the details …

.Be #communicationsstrong

Here’s to your communications success in 2021!

margie   

Do you have a strategy for your business communications?   Using one makes a world of difference.   Just look at this image for starters …

Strategies Rule! They make accomplishing goals much easier AND more achievable!

Why? Because focused thinking is used to plan the entire journey of getting from A – Z prior to beginning the journey. There is no more “guessing” as you go .. . no taking a shot with fingers crossed! You have a directive, a guide!

A great example of the difference between having a strategy and not having one is simply when working on a jig saw puzzle! If you have ever sat down to work on one you dump out a box with 500 – 1,000 pieces and begin! I remember being very young and actually looking at each piece and trying to find a home for it by building up from the first two pieces I would “finally” find that fit together. THEN I “learned” that I could sort & group the flat edge pieces, then pieces with holes for tabs, pieces with tabs, and then sort again by color etc!  There was a plan, a strategy, to use that made it so much easier and achievable.

The next breakthrough I had in finding a GREAT strategy was in my voice and data networking career. I realized one day while reflecting, in general, on all the technology I have watched evolve and have been a part of that a MAJOR common denominator was/is the international standard of communications for computer networks. This standard was comprised of 7 layers, from the plug to the screen / output device and it was applied consistently across all the types of transmission and technologies I worked with through the years. AND it worked! It was what kept it all together and also allowed one to know where to go when things needed fixing.

I started to apply it to human communications and found a direct parallel. And why not? A human being developed these 7 layers, right! It is built upon the way our minds work in general. MORE EYE OPENING … as I studied it more and more, the standard is built upon a process that we all use subliminally for our everyday decisions … more on that another time.

As a business communication strategy it is perfect. It takes the “pieces” that are part of a marketing campaign and tightly layers them together so you cannot get off track, keeping you on the path to your goal as follows…

1. Define Your Goal
2. Who do you need to talk to for achieving goal? What are their demographics?
3. Where are they located either online & offline?
4. Based upon their locations, map the buyer journey, attract, connect, engage, convert and define umbrellas of topics needed for success at each stage of the buyer journey. (for example, CEO’s relate to profits & revenue).
5. Building on layer #4, define examples of exact messaging topics needed for success at each stage of the buyer journey. (for example, CEO’s need stats & facts showing what makes money).
6. Identify the specific medium that best presents the communications at each stage of the buyer journey … video, text image, plain text, webpage, pdf, image, slideshow, etc.
7. Execute!

These 7 layers take the mystery out of “what to post online, when, where & how!” They create an easy to follow directive. AND give those who use it great insight into their own business communications. Lots of new awareness is uncovered that can be beneficial within one’s marketing mix and beyond.  We tend to slide around on the surface of our messaging and communications … digging in deep makes us sharper and wiser!

Another benefit of these 7 layers is once learned, they can be applied to ANY goad you have!! Honest! I joke, but it’s actually true that one can use these 7 layers to have your kids do what you want them to do… or close. 🙂 You have a fighting chance, let’s say that!!

Strategies make all we do much easier. Having a plan works. Having a plan that you can rely upon is even better.

Let me know if you’d like to learn these 7 layers by choosing a real targeted goal and working together with me in implementing the 7 layers for reaching your goal. It’s the core of T H E, my program that stands for Target, Harness(the pieces), Execute. Let’s have a complementary conversation ..  contact me at 310-306-1453 or margieh@todaysway.net

Take 2021 on with focus, purpose, and success. A strategy makes that happen… one more time …. easier and more successfully!!

Be #communicationsstrong

Here’s to your communications success in 2021!

margie