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How to Create LinkedIn Sponsored Content Ads: A Walkthrough https://ift.tt/2UkMPNH Want to try LinkedIn advertising but don’t know how to get started? Wondering which ad type you should try first? In this article, you’ll learn why LinkedIn sponsored content ads are perfect for your first campaign. You’ll also find a walkthrough for setting up and launching your own ad campaign for website visits. You’ll discover valuable tips for audience targeting, choosing a bid amount, and customizing ad creative and copy. Why LinkedIn Sponsored Content Ads?You may have heard that LinkedIn ads are expensive, and that may be true. But part of the reason for that could be people not using the right combination of ad formats and bidding. This article focuses on how to run sponsored content, which is what I recommend to all of my clients as the first foray into LinkedIn ads. Sponsored content ads are by far my favorite type of ad format because they’re low-risk and high-reach. They’re good at reaching people because they’re right in your news feed, which is the first place people go on LinkedIn. Sponsored content is also a nice middle-of-the-road format. It’s not LinkedIn’s least expensive ad type and certainly not LinkedIn’s most expensive click. You can get a lot of reach for middle-of-the-road prices. Sponsored content ads are also very versatile; you can run video, carousel, or lead gen form ads off of them. To start creating LinkedIn sponsored ads right now, read the article below for an easy-to-follow walkthrough or watch this video:
#1: Create a New LinkedIn CampaignStart by opening your Campaign Manager dashboard. Click in the campaign group you want to use and then click Create Campaign. Now choose an objective for your campaign. This article breaks down the different objectives and when you might use them. For our purposes, go with Website Visits. #2: Define Your Audience TargetingAfter you’ve chosen your objective, the next step is to set up your targeting. For the purposes of this article, suppose you’re advertising a social media marketing conference and want to target an audience of social media marketers. We’ll look at how to do that through LinkedIn audience attributes—Company, Job Experience, and Interests and Traits. In the Audience section, scroll down to Who Is Your Target Audience? and select Audience Attributes on the left. Next, choose Job Experience on the right and then Member Skills. Now you see a search box you can use to find LinkedIn member skills to target. For your campaign, you want to reach social media marketers so type “social media” in the search box. LinkedIn will then show you skills related to your search term including Social Media Marketing, Social Media Optimization, Social Media Advertising, and Social Media Measurement. If you select the four skills mentioned above, you get a target audience size of 8.5 million people, which is quite large. I generally recommend audience sizes between 20,000 and 80,000. To further qualify these people, click Narrow Audience Further. Let’s assume that companies with fewer than 10 employees aren’t likely to send a representative to your conference so you want to narrow your audience by company size. Under Audience Attributes, choose Company > Company Size. Now select all of the options that let you target companies with 51 or more employees. As you make your changes, LinkedIn recalculates your target audience size, which is now 4.3 million. You also want to narrow your audience by seniority so click Narrow Audience Further again. This time, for Audience Attributes, choose Job Experience > Job Seniorities. While anyone can get value from attending a social media marketing conference, you want to focus only on managers for this campaign. Select the checkbox for Manager and your target audience size drops to 570,000, which is still a little higher than where you’d like it to be. The next step is to filter by interests, so click Narrow Audience Further once again. Under Audience Attributes, choose Interests and Traits > Member Interests > Marketing and Advertising > Digital Marketing. If you look through these interests, you’ll see a Social Media Marketing interest. Select this interest to reach people who have engaged with posts on LinkedIn about social media marketing. Now your target audience size is right at 47,000, which is within the range you want. Now that you’ve selected your audience, the final step in defining your audience is to make sure you’ve unchecked Enable Audience Expansion. #3: Select the Sponsored Ad TypeNext up is choosing your LinkedIn ad format. You can do a carousel (similar to Facebook) or a video but I almost always recommend sticking with a single image. With video, you need creative and video tends to be expensive on LinkedIn. Carousel means you have to create multiple ads every time you create one ad and it doesn’t give you much of a performance benefit. Join thousands of fellow marketers. Receive the training and support you need to accomplish your marketing objectives! Under Placement, you see the option to enable the LinkedIn Audience Network. Selecting this option can be helpful if you have small audiences that you’re trying to get in front as often as possible. However, with a target audience size of 47,000, I don’t think you need it. #4: Set Your Budget and ScheduleIn the Budget & Schedule section, set a daily budget you’re comfortable with. It can be as low as $10 per day. For Bid Type, I recommend starting with cost per click, because it’s the least risky way to do it. And be sure to uncheck the Optimize My Bid for More Results checkbox to start with. When it’s checked, LinkedIn will use their data set to decide who out of your target audience should see the ads. To just get a level set of who this audience is and how they respond to your ads, you don’t want any sort of optimization happening yet. For Bid Amount, LinkedIn will recommend something that looks pretty high—$15.87 per click in this case. If you want to see how low LinkedIn can go, type in $2 here and LinkedIn will come back and say something like, “Your bid needs to be at least $6.76.” Now that you know what the very minimum is, type this amount in the Bid Amount field. Let’s look at why you’d want to do this. If your daily budget is $50 per day, you can spend $50 per day on this minimum bid ($6.76 in this case) and you’ll get the cheapest cost per click possible from the network. But if you’re bidding $6.76 and you only end up spending about $20 per day, you’ll know that you probably have to come in and increase your bids. Before you leave this screen, click the pencil icon at the top of the page and enter a descriptive name for your campaign. Pro Tip: I like to name my LinkedIn campaigns based on the ad format, objective, and audience. For this example campaign, you might structure the name like this: “SC” for sponsored content, “WV” for website visits, and then describe who this audience is. The name above reflects that you’re targeting people with SMM Skills (social media marketing skills), Mgr Sr (manager seniority), and SMM Interest (Social Media Marketing interest) who are in the U.S. When you’re finished naming your campaign, click Next. #5: Create Your LinkedIn Sponsored AdNow you’re ready to set up your ad. On the next screen, click Create New Ad. Start by entering your introductory text, which is the most important part of your sponsored content ad. You need to convey two key points here:
In the Destination URL field, type in your full URL with UTM parameters (if you’re tracking those). As soon as you add your destination URL, LinkedIn will grab the first image on that page, use the title tag as the headline, and insert the meta description of the page as the ad description. To insert a different image, click the X to remove the existing image. Then click Upload and navigate to the image you want to use, which should be 1200 pixels wide by 627 tall. For the headline, I like to describe what people are getting—what the offer is— as well as give it a name. The description can be whatever you want because, for some reason, this field is never seen anywhere. Finally, select your call to action (CTA). For advertising a conference, your CTA might be something like Learn More, Register, or Attend. When you’re finished setting up your ad, click Create. Note that when the Add to Campaign checkbox is selected, this ad will automatically be added to the campaign that you’re building. #6: Launch Your LinkedIn CampaignNow you’ll see the status of your ad, which is “Campaign in Draft.” So as soon as you click Next, you’ll have the opportunity to launch this campaign and this ad. LinkedIn shows all of the options you’ve selected so you can review them. If everything looks good, hit Launch Campaign and this campaign will be live. ConclusionNow you know exactly what you need to do to launch your own sponsored content ads on LinkedIn. Follow the tips above for targeting your audience, choosing a bid amount, and customizing ad creative and copy. What do you think? Will you try LinkedIn sponsored content ads? Share your thoughts in the comments below. More articles on LinkedIn ads:Join thousands of fellow marketers. Receive the training and support you need to accomplish your marketing objectives! Social Media via Social Media Marketing | Social Media Examiner https://ift.tt/1LtH18p March 25, 2020 at 05:06AM
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Jolene Cherry Shares 5 Social Media Tips For Yoga Instructors https://ift.tt/33U1enf Your job title may read “Yoga Instructor,” but you are, in fact, your own business, and that means staying relevant with the latest trends in outreach and client communication. In other words, social media is an absolute must, even if it doesn’t jive with the rest of your lifestyle. Despite their inherent flaws, socialized online platforms can make a world of difference in today’s fast-paced business climate. According to yoga instructor Jolene Cherry, social media done well can help yoga teachers establish their brand, engage with their students, and educate communities that otherwise have limited access to physical yoga studios. “As a business owner, managing your reputation in all forms is essential, but social media inherently embraces vulnerability. My teaching philosophy preaches transparency, and digital channels are the perfect outlets.” In this article, Jolene Cherry shares five proven tips yoga teachers can adopt to grow their clan with authenticity. 1. Know Your Audience In business, discovering your niche can help you thrive. The same goes for social media engagement. Before you start blasting the web with filtered photos of challenging yoga poses, reflect on the type of audience you want to create a connection with via apps like Instagram. Naturally, targeting your existing clients and friends is an excellent launching pad, but be open to growing beyond your comfort zone. Experiment with content as you hone your voice and style, then look for patterns in who and how people respond. Profile backgrounds, likes, and comments will help steer you in the right direction, though remember to stay true to your being and project your core values. 2. Authenticity Internet trolls adore calling out those who post inaccurate information online, especially profoundly altered photos in the fitness realm. As a yoga teacher, you’re already concerned with helping people find the truth within their bodies and mind, so apply the same mentality to your social media shares. Be courageous and allow people to see the REAL you in addition to all those glamorous moments you’ve experienced as an energetic yogi. 3. Cadence You’ve heard the saying “content is king.” To build an audience and, more importantly, maintain engagement over time, you need to develop a social media strategy based around consistency. Finding the optimal cadence can be tricky at first since you need to post enough to remain relevant, but not too much that you overwhelm everyone and lose followers. Keep your posting goals weekly and then slowly ramp up once you become more comfortable and efficient. Odds are you’ll need to adjust your plan at least a dozen times before you discover what works, but as a diligent yoga practitioner, that shouldn’t discourage you. 4. Content Eventually, your followers will help reveal what content is working as well as posts that are dead in the water. As you start, focus on sharing what you’re most passionate about in terms of yoga practice, teaching, and well-being. Be mindful, personable, and leave your ego at the door. 5. Growth Every fiber in your being will urge you to refresh the page for new likes and followers, but you must resist drinking from this cup. Instead of obsessing on the number of followers that you accrue, focus on putting out quality content that you’re proud of. Just as you nurture your skills as a teacher, embrace growth as a content creator and look for areas of improvement. Celebrate the small wins, have fun, and remember to breathe. About Jolene Cherry: Jolene Cherry is a passionate yoga instructor and health advocate who excels in a variety of yoga styles, especially Vinyasa Yoga, traditional Ashtanga Yoga, Power Yoga, as well as meditation-oriented Yin Yoga. She believes striking a balance in life is the key to wellbeing and aims to help her clients reach that balance through physical activity, mindfulness, and healthy nutrition. When she is not working, she volunteers at Yoga in the Park and is a big dog lover. The post Jolene Cherry Shares 5 Social Media Tips For Yoga Instructors appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog March 24, 2020 at 04:17PM Twitter is donating $1M across two foundations to support journalism during the coronavirus pandemic3/24/2020
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Twitter is donating $1M across two foundations to support journalism during the coronavirus pandemic https://ift.tt/2QKw1xn Social media companies have been hard at work to make sure they play a helpful rather than harmful role in disseminating news and information about the coronavirus pandemic. Today, Twitter took an extra step beyond its own platform to put its efforts into the wider, already under-pressure world of journalism. Twitter announced that it would be donating $1 million equally between two organizations, the Committee to Protect Journalists and the International Women’s Media Foundation, to further their work specifically related to supporting those reporting on Covid-19. Organizations like the IWMF and the CJP always play a vital role — respectively in supporting the work of female journalists and in defending all journalists who are working in complicated environments or with tricky subject matter. But it’s in times of crisis that you can especially see how vital their existence is. If you look now on the CJP site, for example, there are a number of stories shedding light on how journalists covering coronavirus news are under threat, particularly in countries where governments are trying to suppress too much negative information passed to the public. It’s a role that is especially urgent to play now, given just how much people are turning to the news and the public service that journalists are playing in getting information out. The fact is that journalists are in no way immune from the wider theme of the world right now, which is that this global pandemic has drastically altered nearly every aspect of our lives. As Vijaya Gadde noted when announcing the grants, “Right now, every journalist is a COVID-19 journalist.” And given Twitter’s deep link with news, this means journalists’ plights — with some risking their health if not their lives to report stories — are Twitter’s plights. “Journalism is core to our service and we have a deep and enduring responsibility to protect that work.” Indeed, the larger economic pressures of this public health crisis are a huge blow to journalism, which was already under a lot of financial pressure as a business. To that end, Gadde noted that the funds will be used in some way to help with that, “to ensure these organizations can continue their work in the face of new economic strains and to directly support journalists.” Twitter is not the first social media organization to donate to journalism. Last week, Facebook also announced two tranches of $1 million each that it was donating respectively to news organizations for coronavirus reporting, and to fact-checking organizations to make sure the content shared on Facebook remains on the straight and narrow when it comes to being accurate. “We are grateful for Twitter’s generous support. Our efforts at CPJ are focused on ensuring that journalists around the world have the information and resources they need to cover the COVID-19 pandemic safely. And we are pushing back against governments that are censoring the news, and restricting the work of the press. We need timely, accurate information flowing within countries and across borders so that political leaders, health policy experts, and the public at large can make informed decisions at this critical moment,” said Joel Simon, Executive Director, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), in a statement. “Right now, there is a great need to support our community of journalists covering, and dealing with, this global pandemic. Based on our decades of work with journalists who operate in dangerous and difficult environments, the IWMF understands the critical role that safety and security plays in the industry. Thanks to the incredible support of Twitter, the IWMF will be able to address the needs of our community of journalists more deeply and robustly. By supporting journalists from diverse communities, together we can support the most representative news possible in this evolving time,” added Elisa Lees Muñoz, Executive Director, International Women’s Media Foundation (IWMF), in her own statement. Social Media via Twitter – TechCrunch https://techcrunch.com March 24, 2020 at 01:22PM
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New COVID-19 Marketing Support Hub for SMBs from Promo.com https://ift.tt/2QIVR4D With the current economic strains, every SMB is impacted right now. Many don’t have a 30- or 60-day runway during these times and must turn to online ordering, marketing and communications to help supplement. For the brick and mortar stores that haven’t relied on digital marketing, it can be an overwhelming experience. Companies around the world are developing free resources to support those impacted, like Promo.com has done with their newly launched COVID-19 Support Hub for SMBs. More than resources, the company is giving their time and expertise, too. With a newly transformed SMB Facebook Group (see below) and weekly support meetings, they’ve gone a step further to hand hold in an otherwise vast space of information. This hub is a marketing centerpiece filled with free marketing tools, helpful articles and resources, and more to get SMBs through these challenging times. Additionally, Promo.com is offering a free Promo Plan for SMBs and a Free Promo Plan for NPOs. The company has dedicated their internal resources into developing this quickly.
They are also transforming their FB group of 5,000 people to focus exclusively on COVID 19 crisis support for SMBs. During times like these it’s important to seek out the helpers and those who want to see SMBs survive (and once again thrive) this moment in time. The post New COVID-19 Marketing Support Hub for SMBs from Promo.com appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog March 24, 2020 at 11:44AM
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Marketing in Times of Uncertainty: Tips From Top Marketing Pros https://ift.tt/2UdcUxW Are you unsure how to approach your marketing during a crisis? Looking for wisdom from well-known marketers? To help you make wise decisions during trying times, we tapped the minds of top marketers to answer these questions: #1: Your Business Must Sell to Survive: Daniel HarmonThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?Yes! Absolutely! Marketing on social media is like having a digital salesperson. Imagine firing all your salespeople and expecting revenue to continue. Should you adjust what isn’t driving results? Of course. Should you continue to try new messages and offers that fit the context of this environment? Absolutely. The Question: Should I be running ads on social media? What kind of messaging should I use?Yes. For the same reasons as above. Let’s talk more about what kind of message you should not be using. Don’t be tone-deaf (show your creative to others before you throw it in a campaign and offend people). Focus on the clarity of your message and don’t be afraid to ask for the sale. Show clearly how your brand solves a problem or satisfies a need people have. The Question: How can I use social media to move my transactions online?Video is still the most powerful format for quickly taking people from zero exposure of your brand to sold. Lean into video for your ad campaigns. Lean into video for improving the power of your message on your landing/squeeze pages. Shoot scrappy stuff on your phone while you’re “social distancing.” Jimmy Fallon is doing it for the Tonight Show. Why can’t you? If you need a starting point for your video, we’re offering our 14-Day Script Writing Challenge for free at https://ift.tt/2UeBVJ9. We just ask that you practice social distancing to help stop the spread of COVID-19. The Question: Should my social media strategy change? How?Now is not the time to focus on vanity metrics (views, likes, reactions, comments, shares, impressions, etc.). They’re very alluring but you need sales! Sales are the lifeblood of your business. The brands that don’t maintain sales in these tough times will likely struggle to survive. No matter how good your content looks like it’s doing, if it’s not driving people to buy, you need to find out where and why you’re losing your customer and then fix it! Serve the customer. Follow the data. Follow the sales. Daniel Harmon is co-founder and chief creative officer at Harmon Brothers, the creators of ads for brands such as Squatty Potty, Purple, Chatbooks, and FiberFix. #2: Adjust the Tone of Your Social Posts: Mari SmithThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?I would recommend using this time to evaluate your offerings. And only continue with the social media content that feels sensitive and relevant to your audience. Continue to provide value, no matter what. But, depending on the type of product or service and your industry, if you’re still in a position to promote online, first keep in mind the likely current emotional and mental state of most of your audience. Many small business owners are feeling immense fear around their livelihood. And, on a personal level, many people are in shock and are deeply grieving the loss of the life they knew only a week or two ago. As marketers, those who are incredibly sensitive to the emotional state of others can use this time to build community and foster deeper relationships with customers, peers, and even competitors. Look for cooperative and collaborative opportunities. Look for ways you can be of service. Consider generous pricing models, deferred payment plans, or pay-what-you-can-afford options. The Question: Should I be running ads on social media? What kind of messaging should I use?Pay close attention to your own Facebook and Instagram feeds at this time and notice which paid placements feel sensitive to the current climate and are well-worded versus those that feel entirely disruptive and tone-deaf. (I’ve seen several of the latter myself but also some of the former.) Just as with your organic social media content, strive to reword your messaging so it truly speaks to the difficulties your audience is facing right now. For example, I’m running one paid placement campaign with one of my brand ambassador partners just now, an online video tool. I hosted a Facebook live video broadcast and used the following wording for the paid placement: “Using Video to Communicate More Deeply With Your Audience. With all of us doing our very best to communicate digitally during this time of isolation and challenge, we can use the power of video to more effectively connect with our customers and prospects.” There was a bit more to the narrative but that gives you an idea. The Question: How can I use social media to move my transactions online?If you typically host in-person events for your audience, transitioning to virtual events can be relatively straightforward. Tools such as Zoom or BlueJeans are great choices. Also, check out HeySummit for multi-speaker/multi-session events. Use your social channels to promote these online events. But keep in mind that registrations may not be as high as expected while your audience is adjusting to the massive changes happening right now. If you’re a product-based, brick-and-mortar business, transitioning to selling online can take a bit of time if you weren’t already set up to sell digitally. Strive to start small and build up. Make use of a Facebook or Instagram shop. Check out platforms such as Shopify or BigCommerce, and marketplaces like Etsy, eBay, and Amazon. As the restrictions continue, unfortunately, deliveries will continue to be impacted. Hopefully, this just means being delayed a bit. If you’re a service-based business that typically meets clients/customers/patients in person consider how, during this time of social distancing, you can take your knowledge and teach online in a group/virtual class setting. Or meet with clients one on one virtually. Tools like Zoom, Skype, FaceTime, or Messenger video calls can work well. Even if you’re used to doing absolutely everything in person and are questioning how you could produce something of value to sell online, there are definitely ways to get started relatively easily. For instance, try setting up a Facebook group and just using your phone or webcam to do live video broadcasts. You can use a PayPal link to ask your audience to pay what they can afford. Or consider looking at Patreon. By way of example, I was speaking with a leader in the bridal business who has a large group of wedding makeup artists. These artists are taking their knowledge and meeting virtually with clients one on one to do virtual makeup lessons, review cosmetic brands, and go through “What’s in your makeup bag?” reviews. The goal is to add more individual, customized value versus what someone could find online themselves. The Question: Should my social media strategy change? How?Absolutely, it should change. Others may disagree with me here and that’s fine. Each of us has to find his/her own way. I chose to be on personal lockdown for a full week before it was mandated by California’s governor, given the gravity of the global situation. And once the outbreak was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, one of the first things I did with my own daily posts on Twitter and LinkedIn was to remove any ‘playful’ emojis and any overly exuberant language. These things are my style and brand. I wanted to be extremely sensitive to toning things down and honoring that people in my audience are likely feeling a lot of fear. I looked for helpful, informative, credible resources to share. I shifted my content strategy on both my Facebook page and primary group to asking how I could help, how I could be of service. I’ve increased how often I’m leading Facebook Live video broadcasts, too, which is one of the most effective ways to connect with your community on a much more personal level. I’ve also been emailing my subscribers with a similar tone. I’m striving to be mindful of avoiding using all the buzzwords (pandemic, coronavirus, COVID-19, etc.) in my content and messaging, as those have become such trigger words for emotion. (I just received an email from a marketer, as I write this, about the coming ‘coron-apocalypse’; like I say, to each his own. But because that’s so dissonant from my style, I unsubscribed from that marketer’s list.) Instead, I want to be a voice of calm, a voice of hope, and a voice of peace to my audience. In terms of how to change your own strategy, I would say to just look into your own heart right now. Yes, people are fighting for their livelihoods, and that’s completely understandable. I suggest you find a way to be innovative, creative, collaborative, and mostly, to ensure the absolute safety of your audience first and foremost. Mari Smith is the premier Facebook Marketing Expert, a social media thought leader, author of The New Relationship Marketing, and co-author of Facebook Marketing: An Hour a Day. #3: Use Content to Serve and Help Your Customers: Michael StelznerThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?In the middle of a global crisis, it’s important to put yourself in the shoes of your prospects. If they are focused on stocking up on groceries, getting their children acclimated to homeschooling, or the health and safety of their family, you might want to rethink your strategy. If your product or service doesn’t help people resolve those personal needs, consider pausing your direct marketing—for a short time and until you get a new strategy in place (more on that coming up). That said, if you’re selling the right kinds of products and services, you should be marketing. For example, if you’re a restaurant, consider running ads that promote your delivery services. If you help businesses produce tele-events, offer remote learning tools, or help schools or churches go live on video, get your message out there. Let people know you can help them. If you don’t offer the above types of services, use this time to shift from direct selling to content marketing that is useful to your prospects. Why? Right now, people are watching videos more, reading more, and listening more. How can you use video, blog posts, and podcasts to show up and help your customers solve the problems they’re facing right now? When you do move back into a regular marketing cadence, remember that the world is in shock and your messaging will need to be crafted with empathy and wisdom. Mike Stelzner is the founder of Social Media Examiner, author of the books Launch and Writing White Papers, and host of the Social Media Marketing Podcast. #4: Reinforce Stability: Derral EvesThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?Of course you should continue with your social marketing, no matter what type of business or service you offer. Seize on this opportunity to do organic and paid strategies that are the opposite of what’s currently going around: fear. Fear-based marketing can be effective but it’s temporary and can be damaging for you in the long run. Long-term businesses stick around by reinforcing the opposite of fear: stability. Stability and predictability should be what you’ve always offered in the past and what you should continue to offer now and in the future, global pandemic or not. Analyze what you can bring to your customers, both current and potential, and figure out how your message can rise above the noise. Connect with your customers and offer them value, consistency, and hope. Derral Eves is founder of VidSummit, a recognized YouTube and audience development strategist, and consultant. #5: Leverage Video to Stay Connected: David Meerman ScottThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?I think rather than “promote my business,” it’s much better to consider how you can help people in this difficult time. Don’t sell products and services. Instead, think of ways to give back to the community by providing information of value to people via social media. The Question: Should my social media strategy change? How?When we can’t meet people face to face, video is an excellent tool. I recommend that social media marketers step up their use of video. Mirror neurons are a group of cells in the premotor cortex and inferior parietal cortex of our brains. These neurons are fascinating because they not only activate when we perform an action—biting into an apple—they also fire when we observe somebody else performing the same action! People unconsciously bond with actors and artists and speakers they see on screens and on stage because of mirror neurons. Mirror neurons also help explain why we feel that we “know” movie stars and television personalities. Our brains tell us that we’ve been in their personal space because of the feeling of proximity generated by our seeing them up close on the screen. The same concepts can be applied to videos. Businesses can use the concept of mirror neurons to build fans by paying close attention to camera placement and how you interact with the camera:
David Meerman Scott is a marketing strategist, entrepreneur, advisor to emerging companies, VC strategic partner, and author of 10 books including The New Rules of Marketing & PR. #6: Assess Your Future Content Queue: Neal SchafferThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?The current pandemic is making us question everything we do both as people and for business. However, regardless of what’s thrown our way, we and our businesses always need to fight to survive. Therefore, I have told my clients to continue to promote their business on social media as normal. Most businesses outside of a few industries like travel or hospitality are still operating normally. As long as that’s the case, you’re missing out on opportunities if you’re not promoting your business on social media. With a recession undoubtedly about to hit us, as well as competing with ongoing conversations about the pandemic and its effects, the ROI of those promotions may go down. To build long-term trust with potential clients so your business can thrive once everything gets back to normal, it’s critical that you don’t simply pull the plug and instead hold the course. You probably want to do a sanity check and ensure that your promotions are as compassionate and empathetic as possible in light of what we’re going through. Perhaps make the content more educational or offer special help if you can afford to. The Question: Should I be running ads on social media? What kind of messaging should I use?With a probable downturn in the economy, the ROI of your ads on social media may be lower than normal. Furthermore, you’re obviously competing with a lot of information about the impact that the coronavirus is having worldwide. However, if you’re in business to truly serve others, this is also an opportunity to show the compassionate side of your company. I would also tend to believe that because we’re probably entering a recession, ad spend by bigger brands might decrease and therefore the costs you incur might also be lower now. That being said, if you’re going to advertise, you need to be cognizant of the situation that most people are in and make sure your messaging is sensitive to that. If you are an eCommerce company or provide some sort of virtual service, people can still do business with you as normal. If you require people to come into a physical store or come into physical contact with you, it’s going to be much more difficult to generate ROI from ads unless you pivot to providing similar service virtually. You need to consider all of these things when running ads on social media today. However, just like the ads we still see on TV and online, as long as you run a coronavirus sanity check against your ads, there’s no reason to simply stop advertising unless that data shows you that the ROI isn’t high enough or ad feedback shows that this isn’t optimal timing. If that’s the case, you need to revise and optimize your messaging and choice of marketing channels. The Question: How can I use social media to move my transactions online?If there’s one thing that the coronavirus has taught us, it’s that the impact of the pandemic will force more people to transact online. Therefore it will be even more important for businesses to shift more marketing budget to digital and social media marketing. The easiest way to use social media to move transactions online isn’t to use it to broadcast advertising or promotional messages, but to use it in these times as an educational channel to let people in other businesses know how you can support them through these tough times. Reminding them of all of the online support that your company offers and any new ways of engaging with your business online is great content to provide on social media to increase trust with users; inform and influence them to move more transactions online. The Question: Should my social media strategy change? How?I don’t believe you need to change the core of your social media strategy. It’s probably a smart move to make a slight, potentially temporary pivot in light of the current situation. I don’t see much change in who’s using what social network, but clearly you’re competing organically against a lot of content that people are consuming about the coronavirus pandemic. My advice would be as follows:
Neal Schaffer is president of PDCA Social, teaches digital media to executives across the globe, and is the author of four books including The Age of Influence – The Power of Influencers to Elevate Your Brand. #7: Pause and Adapt Your Messaging: AJ WilcoxThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?Yes, you absolutely should, but you need to adapt. During a crisis, it can be perceived as tone-deaf to actively market and share, but agile teams have the ability to customize their message and offers to be a resource to those thinking about the crisis, rather than coming off as ignoring those feeling pain. I recommend pausing marketing activity during the initial shock of the crisis, and then finding ways to adapt your message to help those in crisis. Avoid any messaging that would make it appear that you’re exploiting the crisis rather than providing value. Sharing organically, both as a company and as individuals, on LinkedIn is incredibly effective as it’s one of the only channels where organic sharing is still given a lot of exposure. Moving from commercial messages to messages of inspiration and hope is an excellent move. At some point, people will become tired of talking about the crisis, and you’ll be able to go back to business as usual. AJ Wilcox, founder of B2Linked, LinkedIn Certified Ads Partner, and host of The LinkedIn Ads Show, has scaled and managed some of the world’s most sophisticated accounts worldwide. #8: Educate With Empathy: Robert RoseThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?The question to ask yourself isn’t “When do I start marketing again?”—but rather, “What is it I’m marketing?” How are you adding value to a potential customer’s experience? Whenever you decide is correct and whatever channels you use—now is the time for your content to be inspirational, educational, or useful. But, most importantly, this content has to be in context with where your audience is. If your audience’s house is on fire, now isn’t the time to educate them on fire safety. For instance, if you’re in financial services, this isn’t the week to educate people on maximizing their 401K. Rather, you might provide useful and comforting advice about what’s really going on in the markets. There has never been a better time to get your content marketing strategy in order and into a more proactive editorial stance that can shift at a moment’s notice. Robert Rose has provided strategic marketing advice and counsel for global brands such as Facebook, Salesforce, NASA, CVS Health, McCormick Spices, Hewlett Packard, Microsoft, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. #9: Humanize Your Brand Voice: Rich BrooksThe Question: Should my social media strategy change? How?Whatever your social media strategy is now, your social media posts for the #newnormal should be filled with empathy and understanding. Most of your audience is stuck at home. Some have lost their jobs. Their businesses are struggling. They are filled with concern, anxiety, and possibly even despair. Being tone-deaf can get you enshrined in the “social media horror stories” hall of fame. That doesn’t mean that your posts have to be filled with doom and gloom, but seeing how you can help people rather than pitch people is a start. Some of this depends on who you are and what your brand voice is.
And show people how you and your team are coping. We’re traditionally an in-office company but that has changed. So we posted a GIF of our morning staff meeting held on Zoom and another where we celebrated happy hour together… at our own homes. It was BYOB by necessity. Be human. Rich Brooks is president of flyte new media and founder of the Agents of Change podcast and conference. #10: Use Social Media More: Chris BroganThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?Absolutely, but you might also consider using the best (and first) online social media: email. Email marketing is still double-digits more effective than things like Twitter and Facebook. Join thousands of fellow marketers. Receive the training and support you need to accomplish your marketing objectives! The Question: Should I be running ads on social media? What kind of messaging should I use?If you sell B2C, absolutely. If you sell B2B, it’s a bit more nebulous. You need to set appointments just like the old days. The Question: How can I use social media to move my transactions online?Social media makes for great digital customer service and it helps you guide people to virtual marketplaces but you have to have set up your website or other systems to promote distance sales. The Question: Should my social media strategy change? How?I don’t consider social media a strategy. It’s a channel. You should use it more during these times. Chris Brogan is president of Chris Brogan Media, CEO of Owner Media Groups, and the author of nine books. He has spoken for or consulted with brands such as Disney, Coke, Google, GM, Microsoft, Coldwell Banker, Titleist, Scotts, Humana Health, Cisco, Sony USA, and many more. #11: Understand Your Relationship With Your Customers: Chris StrubThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?Social media is, and always has been, a place where people go to talk about what’s going on in their lives with the people who matter to them. Businesses have always been a necessary-but-not-happily-invited guest because while we all have our own work interests, no one goes to social media to intentionally consume advertising. However, the glacially paced generational shift among businesses to “be more human,” as Mark Schaefer says, has been greatly accelerated by the ongoing circumstances related to the coronavirus. Now more than ever before, people are looking to social media for comfort, for help, and in an era of social distancing, for friendship. Businesses that have already recognized the fragility of their role in the social media ecosystem and whose ethos is already defined by a sincere culture of compassion, awareness, and understanding have already earned the trust of their customer base. They may not even need to continue promoting their business on social media. On the contrary, businesses that have historically just used social media as a promotional tool and continue along such a path will see not only their ‘results’ diminish and disappear—they’ll inevitably start to experience backlash as tone-deaf and insensitive. Chris Strub is an award-winning mobile storyteller, social media speaker, and author who works with nonprofits and giving days nationwide. #12: Help and Give Back to Your Community: Duncan WardleThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?The question companies should be asking themselves is, “How can I use my social media presence to support my community?” Right now, the goal isn’t to promote your business but to offer leadership and support during this unprecedented time. Therefore, your posts should at least meet ONE of the following requirements: Educate: Does your post educate your followers on a relevant topic? Can you help them learn about resources in your niche that will help them in this difficult time? What can you offer for free that will provide educational value to your community? Empower: Does your post empower people? Motivational quotes, inspirational stories, and practical tools are all examples of how we can empower our community. Community: If you’re a brick-and-mortar business, how can you support your community during this time? Do you have products or services that you can give back to the community? (To illustrate, a local distillery making hand sanitizer for free.) Can you showcase other resources that are available in your community? Do you have or can you create a custom community to help your followers through this time? To visualize this, a national yoga studio chain in Canada was forced to close all its studios, so they created a Facebook group and instructors across the nation are offering free yoga classes every day. This provides value and keeps clients engaged with the brand, which may see new potential clients joining the studio once the doors reopen. Collaboration: If there ever was a more important time to collaborate, this is it. “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much.” —Helen Keller Entertain (with caution): With a million memes, quotes, and hilarious examples of “COVID-19 survival,” be wary of sharing at this time. We recommend keeping those jokes to personal Facebook feeds, not as a brand strategy. This is a very trying time for everyone so ensuring your strategy is thoughtful, kind, and supportive at all times is paramount. Engage (with caution): Engaging and creating a community has always been what social media is about; however, if it looks like you’re engaging to help grow YOUR brand during this time, well then, it’s not the appropriate post. Now isn’t the time to self-promote. Help and serve others first. The Question: Should I be running ads on social media? What kind of messaging should I use?Ask yourself why you’re running ads. Are you running ads because you always run ads? Are you running ads to meet your quotas at the end of the month? Right now, ads need to be placed with extreme caution because now is not the time for businesses to be promoting themselves. People are facing uncertainty financially, are concerned about their health, and their families’ well-being. An ad could send the wrong message about priorities and hurt your relationship with current and potential consumers. If you choose to place ads, be sure that they’re customer-centric and add value to anyone who sees them. Focus on providing free tools and resources. Or save your ad budget until such a time that it’s appropriate to advertise again. The Question: How can I use social media to move my transactions online?While everyone is anxious to build an online revenue stream, the focus of moving online should be to give back to your community at this time. Focus on building out groups and communities that can offer support. Whether it’s offering specific expertise or a way of staying connected while everyone is practicing social distancing, put in extra effort to empower and support your community. This is a phenomenal opportunity to create meaningful connections with your followers that you may not ever have again. The Question: Should my social media strategy change? How?Every social media strategy is different, and with things changing daily, we recommend that you be open to adjusting your strategy daily as well. Here are some excellent examples we’ve seen of how companies have adjusted their feeds to a community-centric approach: Chiropractor to Community: Rebound Sport and Spine is a neighborhood chiropractor. When COVID-19 entered the community, the clinic voluntarily shut down to protect their clients and staff, and then turned their whole marketing strategy over to the community. Now they’re focusing on the businesses, leaders, and community members who are providing exemplary services, new neighborhood experiences, and creative ways to light up the community. They are crowdsourcing ideas daily from locals and providing resources and inspiration to their community during this trying time. Coworking Space to Entrepreneurial Launch: Launchpad Coworking Space may have temporarily closed their doors but they’ve opened their social feeds to support local entrepreneurs in their community. Every day, they feature local businesses in their neighborhood that are creating services for clients. This includes a local tap house that was forced to close but opened up their services for beer delivery. Another feature included a local children’s yoga studio that’s offering free children’s yoga classes every morning at 10 AM. Entrepreneurs are the heart of the community and Launchpad has found a way to shine a light on them and the services they offer to the neighborhood. Duncan Wardle, the former vice president of innovation & creativity at The Walt Disney Company, is a world-renowned creativity speaker. #13: Give Rather Than Take: Carlos GilThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?There’s nothing wrong with promoting your business on social media during this time of crisis. While other agencies and companies scramble to stay afloat, potential clients may need your services (example: copywriting, graphic design, video editing, etc.) due to various reasons such as a reduction in workforce or employees required to work from home. Now is when you should speed up while others slow down. The Question: Should I be running ads on social media? What kind of messaging should I use?It’s okay to run ads on social media but be empathetic and refrain from using language that might cause fear or appear as though you’re capitalizing on chaos (for instance: “End of Days Sale!” or “Limited Time Coronavirus Offer!”). Instead, run a contest or giveaway that still promotes your product without relying on running a paid ad on Facebook. To visualize this, knowing that many are working from home or self-isolating at home, I decided to run a giveaway recently on my Instagram, which cost nothing except a few books. The Question: Should my social media strategy change? How?Yes! Leverage your “social currency” (following) to give value to others; for example, using Twitter as a platform to crowdsource random acts of kindness or a LinkedIn post as a makeshift job board. In this economy, giving rather than taking will repay itself tenfold years after this crisis blows over. Carlos Gil, founder of Gil Media Co. and author of The End of Marketing: Humanizing Your Brand in the Age of Social Media and AI, is an award-winning digital storyteller with over a decade of experience leading social media strategy for global brands including LinkedIn, Winn-Dixie, Save-A-Lot, and BMC Software. #14: Advertise With Care: Charlie LawranceThe Question: Should I be running ads on social media? What kind of messaging should I use?There are three scenarios you might be in right now when it comes to Facebook and Instagram advertising. The first is if you’re already running ad campaigns and they’re still delivering good results for your business. If this is the case, then you shouldn’t stop advertising. Some advertisers in certain verticals such as eCommerce have seen a dramatic increase in sales over the last few weeks. The second, more unfortunate position you might be in is if your business is seriously affected by the global coronavirus crisis and your current advertising has decreased dramatically in effectiveness. For instance, your supply chain has been affected or your route to market such as a physical retail location is having to close under government advice. Unless you can adapt your business to bring your customers to purchasing online, you should stop advertising and use the money elsewhere in the business. The third and final scenario you might find yourself in is that you aren’t advertising but think you should start and can capitalize on current events. There’s a fine line on what’s appropriate at a time like this. Facebook has already taken action to ban the sale of virus-related products such as masks and hand sanitizer that people were selling at inflated prices. This predatory practice is unacceptable and immoral and I’m glad Facebook has stopped those advertisers. One reason to start advertising your business is if it fits into a vertical that will do well based on the changes in consumer behavior we’re seeing. People are now going to be spending more time at home with their kids (if schools are closed in your country) and on their phones. Verticals include streaming services, online learning and software, essential household products, and healthcare products (that aren’t against ad policies). One important reason why now is the time to continue your advertising (assuming your business is not at risk) is because of a key change we’ve noticed across ad accounts. That is, CPM (the cost to reach 1,000 people with your Facebook ads) is decreasing so it’s becoming cheaper to advertise and reach your target audiences. From a messaging perspective, be empathetic, supportive, and understanding of the times we’re living in right now. Reassure both your current customers and your potential customers. How you act as a business to both your customers and employees during times of extreme hardship shows the world your true colors. Think of them as people, not just numbers. Charlie Lawrance is the founder of Gecko Squared, a Facebook ads strategist, and speaker who works primarily with SMBs. #15: Do Business but From a Place of Service: Andrea VahlThe Question: Should I be running ads on social media? What kind of messaging should I use?You should definitely keep running your ads on social media if your ads are still performing at the level they need to be. But your message should most likely change. Acknowledge the crisis in some way, maybe by talking about the challenging time or letting people know you understand the difficult situation. Facebook does seem to be deleting some posts and ads that specifically mention COVID-19 or coronavirus but it remains to be seen if that was a glitch or something more permanent. In any crisis, you must be mindful of people who are more affected than others. Come from a place of service. But you don’t have to halt all aspects of your marketing because that’s dangerous to the future of your business. Watch your reports to see if there’s a decrease in your performance. I’ve actually seen some businesses that have had better results in the short-term because more people are online. But again, it’s better to think about how you can serve your community. This crisis is changing rapidly so you must be sensitive to the current situation. We’ll all get through it together! Andrea Vahl is a social media speaker, consultant, and co-author of Facebook Marketing All-in-One for Dummies. #16: Serve Your Customers: Marcus SheridanThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?Absolutely. But you must have soul. And you must have tact. The fact is, your buyers are still buying and researching, and it’s your job to answer their questions, fears, issues, worries, and concerns regarding your product or service. Not only that, but you must keep the lights on. Somehow, you’ve got to make payroll. And the only way you’re going to do that is to find a way to generate sales and revenue. If someone tells you that you shouldn’t be marketing your business right now, there’s a good chance they’ve never written a paycheck in their life. Marcus Sheridan is the co-owner of the digital sales and marketing agency, IMPACT, owner of River Pools and Spas, and author of They Ask, You Answer. #17: Assess Pricing, Offerings, and Strategy: Ian ClearyThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?Yes, it’s more important than ever before to let your current and potential customers know that you’re still open for business. Continue sharing valuable content and engaging with your audience. Just make sure you don’t share anything that would look like you’re trying to profit from the coronavirus pandemic. The Question: Should I be running ads on social media? What kind of messaging should I use?Yes, as I said in the previous answer, it’s important to get right out in front of audiences. Continue to retarget visitors to your website with ads on social media. Also, if you’ve changed your product/service offering as a result of the current environment, you need to get that message out there. The Question: How can I use social media to move my transactions online?Think about what’s going on in your potential customer’s world at the moment and what they need to survive. Can you tailor your product/service offering and messaging based on this? Can you come up with new products or services? Or maybe you could adjust your pricing structure to reflect the current environment. Your competitors may be hitting the pause button but there are still plenty of opportunities out there. The Question: Should my social media strategy change? How?You should definitely review your social media strategy because the environment and mood have changed. You’re not going to be sharing all singing-and-dancing posts about a booming economy anymore. Also, what you’re offering in terms of products/services may have changed so your messaging may change. As everything is changing quickly at the moment, it’s important to adjust the implementation of your strategy as required. Ian Cleary is the founder of RazorSocial, a company focused on delivering successful digital marketing projects and lead generation for B2B companies, and a global keynote speaker. #18: Adapt Your Marketing to the Current Climate: Andy CrestodinaThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?Pause social marketing, catch your breath, and then get back to work. But consider ways to adapt. Ask yourself:
These are common social media strategy questions. But you may not have asked them lately. You need to do that now. When you resume, you may see a little blowback from a few voices that don’t want to see marketing. They’ll say it’s too soon. They’ll call you tone-deaf. But remember that eventually, the show (and life) must go on. Our brands and our clients’ brands need us. At some point, we need to get back to work as a population within an economy. When is that point? That’s up to you, the social strategist. But don’t wait too long. Don’t let your brand be another victim of coronavirus. Andy Crestodina, a co-founder of Orbit Media—an award-winning, 38-person web design company in Chicago—and author of Content Chemistry: The Illustrated Handbook for Content Marketing, has provided web strategy and marketing advice to more than 1,000 businesses. #19: Position Your Marketing Around Hope and Inspiration: Bella VastaThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?Absolutely. Businesses that are still functioning need be out there, controlling the narrative. First and foremost, turn any automatic post schedulers off. Then you can get to work. Use social media to say tell people you’re still open. Remind people that doing business with you doesn’t have to involve a trip to your shop; help your customers help you by showing them how and where to buy gift cards from you. Tell the stories of the people you employ—those who are counting on you for an income. The Question: Should I be running ads on social media? What kind of messaging should I use?Turn your regularly scheduled campaigns off and use ads to highlight stories of other businesses that are open and surviving, and to offer help. To illustrate, you can open a pop-up group on Facebook in which to interview subject matter experts who can offer professional guidance to the business owners you serve; consider topics such as financial advice, HR advice, legal advice, etc. Encourage business owners to fight for their businesses and give them the tools they need right now. The Question: Should my social media strategy change? How?Marketers know that what worked last week won’t necessarily work for you this week; this is especially true now and your social media posts should reflect that. People are losing livelihoods and businesses. To help people stay positive, build your social media strategy around hope and inspiration. Bella Vasta, an authority on Facebook Groups, has helped grow all types of businesses from multimillion-dollar corporations to mom-and-pops. She’s the author of the book, The Four Types of Dogs Every Business Needs and host of the long-standing podcast, Bella In Your Business. #20: Ask How You Can Help: March SchaeferThe Question: Should I continue to promote my business on social media? How?I suggest that we need to view our businesses and customers through the lens of grief. Every single person I know is experiencing loss right now. That loss may be related to economic or employment factors, the freedom to travel, a social life with weddings or celebrations… the list could go on. People are grieving and that means the tone of the country (and much of the world) is somber and fearful. If your business isn’t absolutely relevant right now, your customers may not be interested in you no matter what you do; working harder may not make a difference. So, how do you continue to do business? Rather than a hard sell, consider how you might talk to a grieving friend. Ask, “What can I do for you?”, “What do you need from me and my company right now?”, “How can our business ease your pain in this time of loss?” Mark Schaefer is a globally recognized keynote speaker, educator, and business consultant. He’s the author of six best-selling books and his blog {grow} is hailed as one of the top marketing blogs in the world. #21: Be Hyper-Aware of Where People Are on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Amanda BondThe Question: Should my social media strategy change? How?The answer is yes, but different for each of us. We need to reflect on what is going to best serve us as business owners, marketer and social media strategists – what will allow us to fill our own cups so that we can then serve others. To visualize this, some people are responding by creating resources for these times and some people are called to curate these resources. Still others, like me, are responding by pulling back on outward social media posting in favor of supporting the internal community we already have. When the people in that community feel supported, they can become one of the first two people. The Question: Should I be running ads on social media? What kind of messaging should I use?I am still working with people who are running ads and there’s no morally right or wrong answer here. What’s important to acknowledge is that there are both opportunities and consequences in front of us right now. For example, many businesses will stop advertising and that means ad inventory will go up and ad pricing will go down. On the flip side, ads may be cheaper and you’re getting my eyeballs but are you certain people are looking for the solution you offer, right now when job security or food scarcity matters are more pressing? If you do run ads, change any verbiage to be less frivolous. People aren’t looking for luxury goods right now; they’re looking for security, comfort, and safety. Be sure your copy addresses those needs sensitively. Amanda Bond is the founder of The Ad Strategist, a business that helps entrepreneurs create Facebook ads that convert. What do you think? How have you adapted your business during uncertain times? What advice can you offer to other businesses? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Join thousands of fellow marketers. Receive the training and support you need to accomplish your marketing objectives! Social Media via Social Media Marketing | Social Media Examiner https://ift.tt/1LtH18p March 24, 2020 at 05:07AM
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Adapting to More Digital and Social Ways of Being in a Time of Crisis https://ift.tt/3adVQO5 A few weeks ago I was happily working away on a talk for Adobe Summit in Las Vegas. The topic? How to use social media to sell shoes. Well, there was going to be more to it but that was the major point: social can drive sales. Fast forward to now. I’m locked in my office with my restless canine colleagues, just up the hill from King County Washington, which is ground zero in America for COVID-19 outbreaks. These days, I’ve been thinking a lot about social media’s value. It’s so much bigger than selling a few sneakers. Social platforms offer critical infrastructure, helping government agencies, hospitals, and health care organizations coordinate fast responses and speedy citizen engagement. We’re also seeing personal benefits, as social media becomes an irreplaceable tool for easing our isolation and connecting in new ways. On top of the devastating health crisis, businesses face a looming recession. It’s easy to become overwhelmed and trapped in near-term thinking. Business survival. Making payroll. Getting things out the door. A survey by Econsultancy of 500 marketers at major brands found that marketers are already deciding between short-term tactics and long-term planning. In fact, 47% (41% in the UK, and 53% in North America) of marketers say they have delayed or are reviewing strategic initiatives, such as digital transformation or restructuring. These days have been—and will continue to be—tough. But this is also an opportunity to become better corporate citizens, build new ways of working together, and demonstrate leadership in uncertain times. Employees will remember leaders who led. Customers will remember who showed up, what we said, and how we helped them. Here are three ways organizations can adjust their business and communications strategies to stay connected and demonstrate leadership in the chaotic months ahead.
1. Use social to protect human connectionHumans are social animals. And crises like these threaten to break those critical bonds. Of course, social platforms have had a few bumpy roads in terms of public trust over the last few years. But we’re seeing a new chapter. “In a moment when so much seems to be coming apart,” writes the Verge’s tech columnist Casey Newton, “the big tech platforms—for better and for worse—have become vital infrastructure for our new disaster-age lives. We expect regular briefings from elected officials and public-health agencies—and we ought to expect regular briefings from tech infrastructure as well.” The need for 1:1 connection has surged. In a press call about Facebook’s response to the virus, Mark Zuckerburg reported that WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger usage has more than doubled since the start of the crisis. In particular, global consumers are turning to each other with voice calling and 1:1 messaging. Community-focused uses of social media have increased on Facebook, with 300 local coronavirus support groups forming in the last few months with a combined membership of more than a million people. “I never thought I would say this, but we’re using Facebook to express love to our neighbors in really meaningful ways,” says Morgan Schmidt, an admin for one of those Facebook Groups in Bend, Oregon. Her group helps people housebound by the coronavirus crowdsource help with daily tasks. Likewise, Reddit reports traffic increases of 20–50% in subreddits related to business, finance, news, education, travel, and sports over the past week. The community r/coronavirus now ranks second among the website’s top growing communities with 1.2 million members, while subreddits around finance, stocks, and business have surged, according to AdWeek. And research by the influencer agency Obviously found a 22% increase in Instagram campaign impressions from Q4 2019 to Q1 2020 and a 27% jump in engagement on average on TikTok from February to March. We saw this ourselves with Hootsuite Inbox, which our clients use to manage inbound social media comments, replies, and private messages from their customers. We had the highest usage in our history last week, showing just how hard every organization is getting slammed with 1:1 customer interactions. Two ways to build connections in a time of crisis Specifically, there are two types of action organizations can take to build lasting impressions on customers: either do good, or make people feel good. Doing goodFor years, we’ve heard about the need for brands to have deeper purposes. Well, now it’s time to put those lofty purpose statements to the test. A CEO rising to these challenges and building employee and customer trust in the most turbulent of times is Delta’s CEO Ed Bastian. On Twitter, he’s announced that he is giving up 100% of his salary to support Delta. If your business is doing something to help the cause, and something that will help your customers, it’s a good time to use the full force of employee advocacy programs to distribute the message. In addition to trusted organizations like the WHO sharing critical information on social platforms, peer-to-peer sharing is critical for making those updates spread far and wide. As Dr. Alan Fyall, associate dean of academic affairs at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, University of Central Florida told Forbes, “Accuracy of information is critical in such instances with the credibility of the source of the message paramount. This is why official government, be it at the city, county, state or federal level, is so important as their credibility is the most sound.” Twitter found that 75% of COVID-19 related tweets are retweets, demonstrating the need to complement official brand publishing and advertising with peer-to-peer sharing. And as Edelman found, when the first exposure to a message comes from a peer, it increases the level of trust, especially when then combined with paid and owned content. Source: EdelmanMaking people feel goodLizzo—the artist who makes it impossible not to feel good when she’s around--led a mass meditation for her 8.4 million Instagram followers to “promote healing during this global crisis.” The sports fitness brand Lululemon also launched meditations on Instagram. In China, DJs are performing live sets on apps like TikTok and Douyin while audience members react in real time on their phones, as reported by the New York Times. And Hallmark—the poster brand for feeling good—announced that they’re bringing back their famous Christmas movie marathons a little earlier this year to help your self-quarantine. View this post on Instagram Not every organization exists to save the world. So how can you add a little lightness and connection to your regular cadence of content and tactics? 2. Use social to mitigate business disruptionAccording to Econsultacy, 87% of marketers in North America predict an increase in the use of online services by consumers during the outbreak. Seventy-five percent also predict an increase in ecommerce usage, as do 70% of UK marketers. Compelling approaches have emerged from China, which was earliest hit by the coronavirus. The cosmetics company Lin Qingxuan had to close 40% of its stores during the height of the crisis there. But rather than lay off employees, the company redeployed more than 100 beauty advisors as online influencers. By leveraging social tools like WeChat to connect with customers and drive purchases, Lin Quingxuan was able to triple sales versus last year. Organizations are also rapidly deploying virtual technology. “With social distancing limiting physical world interactions, we are seeing increased interest in AI consultations and AR virtual try-on,” Perfect Corp CEO Alice Chang told Glossy. “Consumers are looking for digital solutions, and we expect more and more brands will be turning to digital-first strategies in the days and weeks to come.” While virtual experiences are helping to keep retail and service businesses afloat, people still want human interaction. Perfect Corp launched an AR training service to provide brands with livestream training for their beauty advisers, who work using a live chat tool. This helps brands like Estée Lauder and Nars to create a blend of virtual experiences with human help from in-store associates. According to Perfect Corp, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, the addition of virtual try-on technology generated 2.5 times higher ecommerce conversions for brands. Many tiny businesses—especially in service industries such as fitness centers and beauty salons—have pivoted completely to social-only service with some interesting results. Sophie Pavitt, for example, is a New York-based facialist. As she told Glossy, when the epidemic hit, she saw an instant spike in in-office cancellations. She turned to Instagram and started offering live guided facial tutorials on her Instagram channel. The first experiment, on Instagram Live on March 15, saw more than 10% of her 7,285 followers tune in. She booked 36 virtual consultations as a result. Now she’s doing tutorials on Instagram Live every Sunday so customers can give themselves facials while staying indoors and indulge in some self-care during this stressful time. In all these examples, we can expect that these new digital capabilities and increased demand for online and social interaction by customers will outlast the epidemic and become the new normal in the years to come. 3. Use the lessons of the present to build for the futureWhile short-term tactics are needed to adjust to our new realities, organizations need to think longer term, using the rapid lessons learned during the pandemic to build lasting relationships with customers. What lessons offer bigger strategic solutions that we can develop in the months ahead? First, it’s clear that many organizations were caught off guard with the speed of digital business, particularly in the realm of real-time analytics and brand protection. During the moment we need them most, hospitals, health care companies, and government agencies have been hit by a storm of cyberattacks in recent weeks. “You can expect the attacks to escalate as fast as the virus panic escalates,” said Avivah Litan, vice president and distinguished analyst at research and advisory firm Gartner, in the Wall Street Journal. While the storm rages, these organizations don’t have the resources or capacity to rewire security practices. This underscores the urgency of finding ways to minimize the damage of cyberattacks, clean up inactive social accounts, better secure employee access, and start building new capabilities such as brand protection monitoring, social listening, and tighter internal controls for digital publishing. It’s also critical to ensure that social data—that fast, instant pulse and glimpse into what global consumers are thinking—is properly connected to other sources of digital intelligence such as your website traffic, security and compliance warning beacons, and CRM systems. You can’t wait three weeks for a status report from your traditional analyst team before making a decision in a crisis. As an expert from the World Health Organization put it: “If you need to be right before you move, you’ll never win. Perfection is the enemy of the good when it comes to emergency management. Speed trumps perfection.” That said, if you move too quickly and make a mistake, it’s important to be open and transparent about it to your audience, correcting it just as quickly. We’ve also seen how organizations with digital transformation efforts well underway are coping much better than organizations too firmly rooted in the physical world. Take health care, for example. According to Business Insider, the health care company PlushCare saw a 40% bump in virtual appointment volume since December. The US government is encouraging consumers to turn to virtual consultations with doctors, instead of making trips to the hospital for minor issues. As Business Insider predicts, the epidemic will introduce millions of people to telemedicine, a new digital behavior that will outlast the panic and present telemedicine providers with long-term growth opportunities. Finally, many companies have also been abruptly thrust into remote work. At Hootsuite, we’ve dramatically increased our use of tools like Facebook’s Workplace, as well as our employee advocacy program to quickly share information, update employees with videos from our CEO, and track how customers are responding to our crisis communications messaging. We’re going to break a lot of old processes, develop new collaborative skills, and learn important lessons about keeping our employees engaged in a remote setting. These will be key insights to bring back to our physical offices when the crisis passes. A little help in the months aheadFor those planning to use social media, we’re giving away Hootsuite Professional to small businesses and nonprofits. Organizations impacted by the crisis can get free access to our professional plan until July 1, 2020, helping them stay connected to their customers and communities. The post Adapting to More Digital and Social Ways of Being in a Time of Crisis appeared first on Hootsuite Social Media Management. Social Media via Hootsuite Social Media Management https://ift.tt/1LdunxE March 23, 2020 at 07:28PM
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INFOGRAPHIC: Will we see an influx of remote work when social distancing is lifted? https://ift.tt/2JmEbYN Virtually chatting with many former office-only employees, there’s been an interesting anecdotal trend in comments, “I’m actually happier at work now.” Probing a bit more it tends to come back to a toxic office environment. From inept leadership to simply co-workers who don’t get a long there are many “office-only” reasons that reduce job satisfaction. We are in an unfortunate time that is forcing us to innovate and experiment. Exactly how much time in an office setting is needed by workers where an office isn’t essential? Burnout and chronic stress run rampant in traditional office settings due to ever-increasing goals and profit demands. It’s can be a rare sight to see leaders actually walk the talk and hiring based on culture (although it does happen). Remote and WFH setups may actually eliminate some of the key causes for chronic stress and burn out. Online PhD Degrees recently created an infographic on the top reasons attributed to these things and the top three may be impacted by our social distancing careers.
Our communication and leadership abilities will only be amplified during this time, leaving little room to “blame” or hide behind incompetency. Expectations will have to change simply because of the economy. We are in a time of change and that includes the way founders and CEOs lead their companies and change their corporate cultures. The post INFOGRAPHIC: Will we see an influx of remote work when social distancing is lifted? appeared first on Social Media Explorer. Social Media via Social Media Explorer https://ift.tt/2onGYog March 23, 2020 at 07:19PM Best Employee Monitoring Software https://ift.tt/396fzOg The modern workforce is constantly continuously to the Internet. For the most part, you can trust your employees to stay on-task and use Internet-connected devices for work purposes. But there is always the possibility and temptation to be unproductive on company time. Whether it’s browsing Facebook, shopping online, or playing games, employee monitoring software can help you manage this behavior. In addition to improving productivity, employee monitoring software can enhance your security system as well. Your staff could be visiting unsafe websites or failing to apply appropriate safety protocols. A disgruntled employee could intentionally do something malicious as well. Some monitoring software focuses on security, while other options specialize in time tracking and productivity management. It all depends on what you’re looking for. The 9 Best Employee Monitoring Software of 2020The market is flooded with monitoring tools and software for employee productivity and security in the workplace. But these are the top nine best employee monitoring tools out there right now:
I’ll give you an in-depth review of each one below. We’ll cover the features, benefits, prices, and other considerations to help you find the right one for your needs. Best Employee Monitoring Software ReviewsVeriatoVeriato ranks high on our list of employee monitoring tools because it has everything and anything you could ask for in this space. They offer cloud-based employee monitoring software that records and tracks the following activity like:
It’s easy for you to customize productivity reports. You can even set up real-time alerts for when an employee tries to visit a restricted website or download a flagged program. Any business can use Veriato. You don’t need to have an IT infrastructure in place for it to work. In addition to the standard employee monitoring software, Veriato has other tools for security. You can get employee investigation software. This can be used to document activity for something like a nondisclosure or non-compete violations.
Corporate data theft, misconduct, and compliance violations can all be caught and recorded using this software. You can silently deploy it on both Mac and Windows devices without anyone’s knowledge. Veriato offers AI-driven threat detection as well. The software will automatically watch all employee activity and analyze those actions using big data and AI. Security teams will automatically be alerted if a potential threat is detected. Pricing for employee monitoring from Veriato starts at $12.50 per device per month. You can test it out first with a free trial. ActivTrakActivTrak is a cloud-native employee monitoring tool that specializes in measuring employee productivity. The software analyzes all workplace activity from each employee. You’ll get reports that will help you identify your hardest-working staff, as well as workers who are unproductive. ActivTrak will show you each employee’s level of engagement. The software will alert you if an employee is at risk of becoming disengaged. ActivTrak is an excellent way to improve any inefficient workflows. You can see the steps that employees go through to complete tasks in real-time. It allows you to set benchmark times for certain tasks as well. Some of the top features and benefits of ActivTrak include:
All of this can be managed with the easy-to-use dashboard. ActivTrak’s pricing is transparent and affordable. They offer a free forever plan that’s available for up to three users. It includes all of the software’s core features. For those of you who have larger teams and want access to advanced features, you’ll pay just $7.20 per user per month. All contracts are billed on an annual basis. HubstaffHubstaff is an ideal choice for those of you who are managing a remote workforce. Keeping your staff engaged and on-task when they aren’t in the office can be a challenge, but this software helps hold them accountable. Some of the top features of Hubstaff employee monitoring include:
It’s commonly used in industries like cleaning, construction, consulting, real estate, health care, agency, professional services, and freelance. Hubstaff integrates with popular tools like Asana, Trello, Zoho, Insightly, Liquid Planner, Basecamp, and other software that you’re already using. With Hubstaff, you can track URL and app activity. The software lets you monitor work in progress with optional screenshots. You’ll be able to view employee activity levels based on keyboard and mouse usage on each device. Hubstaff has a mobile app that allows you to track usage on the go. You’ll have access to detailed reports and real-time activity from the palm of your hand. The geofencing and GPS monitoring help you get a deeper understanding of when your team arrives or leaves a remote location. This holds them accountable and eliminates the need for manual time-punching. Hubstaff has four different plans:
All of the paid plans are available for a 14-day free trial. You can get two months free if you sign up for an annual contract instead of a month-to-month plan. Time DoctorMore than 83,000 companies trust Time Doctor for employee monitoring. It’s used by big brands like Allstate, Verizon, Home Depot, and Survey Monkey. Time Doctor integrates with other tools and software that you’re already using. Some of the top integrations include Salesforce, Trello, Slack, Asana, Teamwork, Basecamp, and Freshdesk. As the name implies, Time Doctor specializes in time tracking to enhance employee productivity. Your staff will get pop-up alerts when they are unproductive or visit websites that are unrelated to work. Each employee will get a daily report on their productivity metrics so they can make adjustments on their own. Supervisors and managers will also be able to tell which employees are the most productive and which ones are slacking off. Top features available from Time Doctor include:
You’ll have the ability to customize certain features for specific employees based on their position. Pricing starts at $12 per month per user. The price per user is discounted based on the size of your team. No long-term contracts are required, and you can cancel at any time. You can try Time Doctor for free with a 14-day trial. InterGuardInterGuard is a top employee monitoring solution for businesses that want to beef up security. The top features can be segmented into four major categories: Monitor Employee Productivity
Insider Threat Protection
Website Blocking and Filtering
Investigations and Compliance
For those of you who give employees access to sensitive data, InterGuard will be a top solution for you to consider. The software is designed to not only prevent suspicious or fraudulent activity but also actively respond to threatening situations. InterGuard has exfiltration management. So you can block or report any sensitive data from being sent via email and web forms. This works both on or off network, which is ideal for remote staff. All of the policies can be customized. The software also has a feature for remote file deletion. If a laptop containing sensitive files is stolen, you can remotely delete any files or folders. InterGuard has endpoint lockdown, which allows you to take complete control of a user’s computer or laptop during a potential breach. You can delete files, retrieve files, and lockdown the endpoint. Pricing starts at $9 per month per user with an annual contract for the cloud-hosted version of InterGuard. To install the software in your data center, you’ll need to get a quote for an enterprise solution. TeramindTamarind is a top employee monitoring solution for large organizations and enterprises. More than 2,000 businesses trust Tamarind for employee monitoring, insider threat detection, and data loss prevention. Common industries that can benefit from this software include technology, healthcare, retail, manufacturing, energy, finance, legal, and government. Here’s an overview of Teramind’s best features and capabilities:
Tamarind has specific solutions for things like remote employee monitoring and vendor access management. You can give vendors restricted access to network use and view all activity. Both cloud and on-premise solutions are available. But enterprises will likely lean toward the on-premise software. The pricing for both cloud and on-premise software is:
There is a minimum of five endpoints for a cloud plan and a minimum of ten for on-site plans. Cloud plans are available for a 7-day free trial. Businesses interested in an on-premise plan can get a 14-day free trial. Get two months free with any plan if you commit to an annual contract. SentryPCSentryPC has a diverse range of monitoring software. In addition to businesses, they offer solutions for schools, homes, and families. For businesses, SentryPC will show you exactly how your employees are using computers and Internet access at work. You can use this tool to block social media usage, news websites, games, messenger apps, and more. The benefits of SentryPC can be segmented into three main categories—activity monitoring, time management, and content filtering. Top features of this software include:
Compared to some of the other options on the market today, SentryPC is also extremely easy to use. You don’t need an IT team or anything like that to get started, which is why it’s such a popular choice for small to mid-sized businesses. Here’s an overview of the pricing:
As you can see, the cost per license decreases based on the size of your team. There’s a plan for small businesses, large organizations, and everything in between. StaffCopStaffCop is another option to accommodate businesses of all different shapes and sizes. The standard plan monitors up to 100 computers in the same network, and the enterprise plan monitors up to 25,000 computers. Some of the top features for StaffCop Standard include:
You can block actions and access to specific websites, applications, or devices (like USB storage). StaffCop provides real-time monitoring, performance monitoring, and data loss prevention. It’s also designed to help increase employee motivation in the workplace. As an all-in-one solution for monitoring and security, StaffCop is a top solution for small business owners. Here’s a look at some of the prices that fall in the small business range:
StaffCop software is offered as a license. So you won’t pay a monthly or annual rate. Any updates within the first year of buying the software is free. The software will continue to work after one year, but you’ll need to pay if you want the latest updates. Work ExaminerWork Examiner has employee monitoring solutions for on-site staff as well as your remote workforce. Although the cloud-based software is issued by a third-party provider—Controlio. I found this a bit strange, so I’d stick with the on-premise software. For those of you interested in monitoring remote employees, use Hubstaff (reviewed earlier). With Work Examiner, you’ll benefit from the following top features:
One of my favorite features of Work Examiner is the current activity monitor. From a single dashboard, you can see what everyone is doing at a given moment. You’ll know what applications they are using and see their current active window. If a computer is not active, you’ll know exactly how long that user has been away from the screen. Similar to StaffCop, Work Examiner is also a license based on the number of devices you want to monitor. You can try Work Examiner free for 30 days, which is the best free trial that I’ve seen in this industry. 30 days is more than enough time to determine if you’re happy with how it works, so it’s definitely worth trying out. How to Choose the Best Employee Monitoring Software For Your BusinessHow can you find the best employee monitoring software for your company? There are several different factors that should influence your decision. This is our methodology. You can use it to narrow down your options. Business SizeHow many employees or devices do you need to monitor? Some software is made for teams of just five or ten, while other software is best for businesses with hundreds or thousands of employees. The location of your staff is important as well. Certain software is cloud-based, while other is on-premises. You’ll need a cloud solution to monitor remote workers. Pricing StructureEach company offers software in a different way. Some charge you a monthly or annual subscription fee. Others license the software. A license is typically good for one year. You might even get free updates within that year. After the year is up, you’ll need to pay for any new updates. Licenses could be more appealing for small businesses that just want to pay a one-time fee. Just know that you won’t have the latest versions if you don’t pay to update your software. But it will continue to work. FeaturesThe features are the most important part of an employee monitoring solution. This really comes down to why you want employee monitoring software in the first place. Do you just want to restrict certain websites and applications for computers on your network? Or do you want to track and record what your employees are doing online? Are you looking for employee monitoring that boosts productivity? Or do you need software that specializes in security? These are the types of questions that you need to ask yourself. Some software offers an all-in-one solution, but that won’t be necessary if you’re just interested in one feature set. Ease of UseNot every business has an IT team or internal security department. Small business owners will likely be managing employee monitoring software on their own. You’ll need to make sure that the software is easy to use and deploy. Otherwise, it defeats the purpose that you’re looking for. Most solutions offer a free trial or even a free forever plan with a limited number of devices. I’d recommend trying a demo or trial for any software before you buy. ConclusionWhat’s the best employee monitoring software? It depends on what you’re looking for. Here’s a quick recap of the solutions we reviewed in this guide:
From small businesses to enterprises and everything in between, there’s an employee monitoring solution for everyone on this list. Social Media via Quick Sprout https://ift.tt/UU7LJr March 23, 2020 at 08:40AM
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Best Invoice Factoring Companies https://ift.tt/3bnBiD0 Unpaid invoices are part of running a business. It’s a frustrating and unfortunate reality for small business owners everywhere. You rely on those receivables to pay your bills, purchase inventory, and fund all of the other operational costs of running a business. If your business has unpaid invoices and you’re low on cash, invoice factoring will be a top solution for you to consider. What is invoice factoring? Invoice factoring is not the same as a traditional business loan or business credit line. Your business sells qualifying unpaid invoices to a factor for upfront cash. You’ll typically receive anywhere from 70% to 95% of the value while paying a factoring fee until the invoice is paid. If you’re interested in getting instant cash for your unpaid receivables, this guide will help you find the best invoice factoring company for your business. The 7 Best Invoice Factoring Companies of 2020Invoice factoring can be a complex subject for small business owners who aren’t familiar with how it works. With so many different companies to choose from, finding the best option for your organization can feel a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, I’ve already done all of the research for you. These are the top seven invoice factoring companies for you to consider:
I’ll give you an in-depth review of each company as we continue through this guide. This will help you find the best choice for your needs. Best Invoice Factoring Companies ReviewsBlueVineBlueVine has delivered more than $2 billion in funds to 20,000+ customers. This is one of the most well-known and reputable online business lenders on the market today. They offer business lines of credit, business term loans, and of course—invoice factoring. BlueVine has factoring lines of up to $5 million. Factoring rates start at just 0.25% per week. The approval process is fast. For businesses that need cash right away, you can get approved in just 24 hours. I like BlueVine because the funding process is easy and flexible. You’ll have the opportunity to get higher credit limits based on the strength of your customers. BlueVine’s fees are transparent, so you always know exactly how much the factoring will cost you. Instead of collecting recurring payments, they charge a weekly fee that’s due when the invoice gets paid. You’ll have full control over what invoices get sold—only fund what you need without committing to a long-term contract. Here’s how the process works. In less than ten minutes, you can apply online. Just provide some basic details about your business and customers. The application approval process typically takes 24 hours. Once approved, simply submit any unpaid invoices by syncing your accounting software or uploading them to your BlueVine dashboard. BlueVine pays 85-90% of the cash instantly. You’ll get the rest of the money, less the BlueVine fee, once the invoice gets paid. These are the minimum qualifications to get started with invoice factoring from BlueVine:
You’ll also need to provide BlueVine some basic details about your invoices and show three months of recent bank statements. altLINEaltLINE has been serving businesses for over 80 years. During that time, they’ve provided $424 million in funded invoices. Unlike other invoice factoring companies on the market, altLINE is a direct source of funding. It’s a division of the Southern Bank Company. Since altLINE is not a middleman, they don’t need to charge additional borrowing costs like third-party providers. Business owners can benefit from these savings. In addition to invoice factoring, altLINE offers accounts receivable financing. While the two terms are often used interchangeably in the world of small business lending, they are not the same. Invoice factoring offers great flexibility for business owners. Accounts receivable financing has stricter guidelines related to the credit profile. With that said, AR financing will usually provide businesses with preferred financing terms. altLINE will deliver up to 90% of qualified unpaid invoices for factoring. Common industries for invoice factoring with altLINE include:
As a federally regulated bank, altLINE is 100% transparent about their fees and term structures. Factoring rates start at just 0.50%. You’ll also benefit from a fast approval process without an application fee. In addition to invoice factoring and accounts receivable financing, altLINE also has asset-based lending for businesses. This is another way to borrow money against your receivables. Triumph Business CapitalThe domain name for Triumph Business Capital is invoicefactoring.com. With a name like that, you better be a top invoice factoring company—and that’s exactly what they are. Triumph Business Capital is a member of Triumph Bancorp, which is financial services organization that’s publicly traded. In addition to invoice factoring, they offer a wide range of other business and financial services like:
This company has helped 7,000+ small and mid-sized businesses with working capital needs. They offer invoice factoring services for the following industries:
I like Triumph Business Capital because of their easy to use web portal. The dashboard and process is a simple way to manage your funding. You can always stay up to date with your account and information, no matter where you are. You’ll also have direct access to support from the Triumph Business Capital team. Breakout CapitalBreakout Capital has a unique invoice factoring service that they call “FactorAdvantage.” It’s a customized solution for businesses that don’t meet qualifications from other lenders and factoring companies. FactorAdvantage is somewhat of a combination between invoice factoring and a small business loan. Here are some of the top advantages of this service:
Breakout Capital is a great option for startups because they don’t have a strict approval process.
With all of that said, Breakout Capital’s invoice factoring rates are a bit higher than some of the other companies we’ve reviewed. Invoice factoring starts at 1.25% per month. For startups that want to borrow up to $500,000 using unpaid invoices, Breakout Capital is a top company for you to consider. FactorAdvantage is unlike any other product I’ve seen on the market today. TCI Business CapitalTCI Capital has been serving businesses for more than 20 years. They offer monthly funding lines from $50,000 to $10 million with invoice factoring. B2B organizations that use TCI Capital for invoice factoring typically fall into one of the following categories:
TCI Capital adds a personal touch to their invoice factoring services. They encourage you to talk to a representative that will help you find the best solution for your current situation and needs. TCI Capital also ensures that the solution works well for your customers. Like most companies, TCI Capital’s factoring fees are based on volume. So it’s a better option for those of you with higher volumes if you want access to preferred rates and fees. The TCI Capital website has an awesome tool to help you calculate your factoring costs. Choose your desired advance rate of 70%, 80%, or 90%, and enter your average monthly sales. Select your customer payment terms (net 30, 60, 90, or 120), and the tool will automatically calculate your fees. For example, let’s say you average $10,000 per month with net 60 terms on your invoices. If you want 90% of cash in advance, the factoring fee is $200. With TCI Capital, you’ll get fast approvals, simple onboarding, and month-to-month terms. They offer high advances and same-day funding to provide you with reliable cash flow. Riviera FinanceRiviera Finance has been providing financial services to businesses since 1969. With more than 50 years of experience, this company is a top solution for invoice factoring. I’d recommend Riviera Finance to businesses that need cash fast. They offer some of the quickest turnaround rates in the industry, with guaranteed 24-hour funding. Riviera Finance is a non-recourse invoice factoring service. They also offer credit services and receivables management in addition to financing, all within the umbrella of invoice factoring. Depending on your business type, industry, and clients, Riviera Finance will fund up to 95% of qualified invoices. You’ll have complete flexibility for funding on-demand. Arguably the biggest standout of Riviera Finance is its credit management services. They guarantee the credit on all of your factored invoices. If an invoice is unpaid, Riviera Finance becomes the credit manager and assumes the risk. As a result, no debt it created on your end, and the company protects you from bad debt on all of the invoices that they factor. Riviera Finance has an exceptional receivable management system as well. They handle to the following tasks:
You’ll benefit from instant access 24/7 to all of your account receivable information through an online account dashboard. Paragon FinancialParagon Financial is another non-recourse invoice factoring company. So you can get funded without assuming the liability for unpaid invoices. This institution is a bit smaller compared to some of the other companies on our list. They’ve been around for more than 25 years but only worked with 2,200+ businesses. With that said, they’ve funded more than $2 billion during that time. It’s a great option for startups, entrepreneurs, and businesses with tax issues. They typically work with lots of government contractors. To qualify for invoice factoring with Paragon Financial, you’ll need a minimum of $30,000 in monthly sales. This is a bit higher compared to other options that we’ve reviewed. However, your personal credit won’t impact any approvals. Since Paragon assumes the risk, they make decisions based on the credit of your clients. In addition to invoice factoring, Paragon Financial also offers purchase order financing and working capital for government contracting. How to Choose the Best Invoice Factoring Company For Your BusinessAs I said before, invoice factoring can be complicated. It’s important that you find the right invoice factoring company to meet the needs of your business. There are certain factors that you should look for when you’re evaluating an invoice factoring service. This is our methodology for narrowing down your options. RecourseWhat happens if one of your customers fails to pay an invoice to the factoring company? Depending on the company you choose, you could be responsible for this debt. Recourse factoring typically offers lower fees. But this comes with higher risk. Non-recourse invoice factoring means that the factor assumes the liability if the invoice goes unpaid. This is a better option for businesses who can’t risk a client withholding payment. FlexibilitySome of you may only want to factor one or two invoices. Doing this on-demand is known as “spot factoring.” You’ll have complete control over which invoices are factored and when it happens. Some invoice factoring companies require “whole ledger factoring.” In this case, you won’t have as much control. Generally speaking, spot factoring is the preferred choice for business owners. Factoring FeesLots of business owners see the short-term benefits of invoice factoring—upfront cash. But they overlook the fees that this will cost. Some invoice factoring companies lure you in with low factoring fees, but then hit you with additional fees like:
I’d recommend an invoice factoring company that offers transparent pricing. You should only have to pay the factoring fee, without any of these additional charges or hidden fees. Funding TimeHow soon do you need cash? For those of you who need funds quickly, look for an invoice factoring company with fast turnaround times. There are companies out there that will fund your business within 24 hours of submitting a qualified invoice. ConclusionWith so many invoice factoring options to choose from, these are the top seven companies on the market today:
Invoice factoring is generally reserved for B2B organizations. But there are still plenty of different niches and unique circumstances within that category. This list has an option for everyone. Social Media via Quick Sprout https://ift.tt/UU7LJr March 23, 2020 at 08:25AM
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Best Direct Mail Services https://ift.tt/2UaylzN Direct mail is still a viable marketing strategy. It’s easy to lose sight of this when you’re putting more emphasis on online advertisements, email, and other digital marketing tactics. But direct mail is an effective and affordable way to drive brand awareness, generate leads, and engage with new customers. It’s an excellent opportunity for both new and established businesses to reach consumers who may not see their digital presence. In order to have success in this space, you need to find a reliable direct mail service. Direct mail services help you deliver promotional content to consumer and business mailboxes. A basic direct mail company will print, stamp, and deliver your flyers, postcards, or brochures. Some services take that one step further by providing you with design templates and helping you create a list of viable address. Use this guide to find the best direct mailing company for your business. The 8 Best Direct Mail Services of 2020Even though so many people believe that direct mail is dead, there are still countless direct mail services on the market today. The high number of companies in this space proves that the industry is still alive and thriving. After extensive research, I’ve narrowed down the best direct mail companies to eight options:
I’ll give you an in-depth review of the features, benefits, and use cases of each one below. Best Direct Mail Services ReviewsNextDayFlyersNextDayFlyers is one of the most popular direct mail services on the market today. They offer a wide range of products at an affordable rate with fast delivery times. With NextDayFlyers, your company can send:
NextDayFlyers will store your inventory, verify addresses, presort your products, and send your mail. You can also rent mailing lists for campaigns as well. Use NextDayFlyers for EDDM (every door direct mail) postcards. Navigating through this platform is easy. Simply choose the size of your flyer, customize the cardstock, add a gloss or matte coating, and select your quantity. You can create artwork directly on their website or upload your own file. You’ll see the cost for your direct mail campaign in real-time as you continue to make changes. As the name implies, NextDayFlyers does offer next business day printing turnaround. Although you will pay a higher price for this premium service. But it’s a great option for time-sensitive offers and campaigns. PrintingForLess.comPrintingForLess.com is another well-known and reputable direct mail service. It’s a one-stop-shop for both printing and mailing needs for businesses. As a full-service mailing house, PFL has mailing lists and every door direct mail services. You’ll also benefit from a wide range of resources and tools like free templates and direct mail tips. Before you start producing and mailing at scale, PFL will give you custom free printing samples. You can choose from different paper types, weights, coatings, binding options, effects, and other products to see which one is the best for your business. To request a sample, simply fill out a form online, email PFL, or call their customer support team. Some standouts of the features, sizes, and options available for direct mail via PFL include:
More than 200,000 businesses trust PFL for their needs. The service has been used by popular brands like Zappos, 99designs, Constant Contact, British Airways, and more. VistaprintVistaprint is arguably the most recognizable name in the world of business printing. This online service offers everything and anything you can imagine for every business type. Some popular categories include:
In addition to this extensive list of offerings and more, Vistaprint also has a postcard mailing service. Vistaprint will create and mail these postcards for you. Simply design your card, send them your list of addresses, and Vistaprint will handle the rest. Vistaprint has both standard and oversized postcards. Don’t have a mailing list? No problem. You can buy a targeted list directly through this platform as well. I like using Vistaprint because they have so many other products and services. So if you want to get your mailing service from the same provider as your other promotional products and printing needs, you can get it all in one place. Gunderson DirectGunderson Direct is a full-service direct marketing agency. For 16+ years, this organization has been driving leads for big brands like PayPal, ZipRecruiter, Postmates, AAA, Adobe, Wells Fargo, and Dish Network. They even work with some of the best business loan companies like Lending Club. The experts at Gunderson Direct have everything you need to know to get the most out of your direct mail campaigns. Here’s how the process works. You’ll start with a consultation with the Gunderson Direct team. Based on your needs, they’ll help you create a mailing list using their own database as well as external resources. Gunderson Direct will manage your entire direct mail campaign from start to finish. They take a creative approach to direct mail and provide detailed reports and analytics for each campaign. These reports will show KPIs, benchmarks, and detail new opportunities for improving performance and ROI. All of Gunderson Direct’s services are customized. So you’ll have to contact their team to request a quote and get more information about your direct mailing needs. PostcardManiaMore than 90,000 businesses trust PostcardMania for printing and mailing. It’s a top option for high-volume postcard direct mail because of its low prices and bulk discounts. PostcardMania offers the following services:
I like PostcardMania because the platform has an extensive resource of designs for businesses in nearly every category. Here’s a sample of the roughly 80 different industries served by PostcardMania:
The list goes on and on. PostcardMania has a unique service called Everywhere Small Business. As the name implies, this is a multi-channel marketing effort that includes direct mail. In addition to mail, you’ll also benefit from mail tracking, targeted Facebook follow-up advertisements, Instagram ads, Google follow-ups, and call tracking. PostcardMania targets the same people who are receiving your promotions in the mail across digital advertising channels. It brings multiple campaigns together for lead generation and brand awareness. Pricing for high-volume standard-sized postcards starts at just $0.05 per piece. You likely won’t find a better bulk rate in the industry. Cactus MailingCactus Mailing is a simple and straightforward direct mail service that’s ideal for small businesses. Some of their top success stories include a 700% return on investment for one business and $150,000+ in new revenue for another. Overall, Cactus Mailing has helped more than 17,000 businesses increase sales, promote brand awareness, and acquire new customers through direct mail. Top services include:
Similar to some of the other services on our list, Cactus Mailing also offers “Smart Marketing.” This program includes Google display ads and landing pages in addition to direct mail postcards. Cactus Mailing has a helpful ROI calculator tool and an extensive design gallery. Some of the top industries using Cactus Mailing include dentists, restaurants, salons, spas, churches, real estate, retail, fitness, and more. Another reason to consider Cactus Mailing is because they are always running great specials if you combine more than one service. Contact them today for a quote on your direct mailing needs. SaasMQLSaasMQL is extremely unique compared to the other direct mail services on our list. I’ll start off right away by saying this company is not for everyone. SaasMQL offers account-based demand generation for SaaS businesses. If your organization falls into this category, SaasMQL will be a top choice to consider. In most cases, direct mail isn’t associated with SaaS. But SaasMQL has revolutionized the way that you approach your lead generation strategy. They use direct mail to create leads and opportunities with mid-market and enterprise-level prospects. Using a direct mail campaign, one of their clients generated more than 50 qualified meetings in less than two months. This generated over $2 million. How do they do it? Instead of just sending a flyer or a postcard, SaasMQL sends packages to businesses. This stands out compared to the hundreds of emails, calls, and junk mail these people get on a daily basis. Nobody is going to take a package and just throw it in the garbage. In addition to direct mail, SaasMQL will help you with other account-based marketing campaigns and analytics. They have everything you need for SaaS demand generation across multiple channels. PsPrintPsPrint has a wide range of products available for direct mail. Unlike other services that just offer postcards or flyers, PsPrint will create and mail:
Their services include mailing list processing, CASS certification, inkjet addressing, and postal resorting. PsPrint offers a quick turnaround as well. Your order can be mailed out in two to five days after the printing job has been completed. The entire process can be managed online. Just select your product, upload your artwork, and attach your mailing list. PsPrint will even send you an extra prints that weren’t mailed. The “overs” are free if they fit into one box. For those of you who don’t have a mailing list, PsPrint will help yo create one in less than 15 minutes. Just answer some questions related to your target market based on age, income, zip code, and other details. How to Choose the Best Direct Mail Service For Your BusinessAs you can see from this list, each direct mail service is unique. Finding the best one for your business can be difficult if you don’t know what to look for. This is our methodology for narrowing your choices down. I’ll explain each factor in greater detail below. Design OptionsFirst impressions are crucial for direct mail campaigns. It’s important that your final product looks sharp and professional when it’s delivered to a mailbox. Find a direct mail service that helps you create a high-quality design. Some services offer industry-specific templates. Other companies let you choose the quality, size, and finish of your products. Designs should be eye-catching and informative as well. Mailer TypesCertain direct mail services are limited in what they’ll print and mail for you. Just because a company offers a product for custom printing, it doesn’t mean that it’s available for direct mail. Common mailer types include:
For some of you, a postcard will be sufficient. But if you’re looking to send more detailed information about your organization, you might want to consider a brochure or catalog. Although uncommon, companies like SaasMQL even send packages via direct mail for certain business types. Mailing ListsWho are you sending your direct mail campaigns to? Not every business has a mailing list on hand. For those of you who don’t, you’ll want to find a direct mail service that will help you generate a targeted list. Sometimes this is free and part of the service. Other times you’ll need to pay extra to buy or rent a list. Turnaround TimeSome direct mail campaigns are more time-sensitive than others. If customers and prospects are receiving a mailer after a promotion has expired or come to an end, it’s a huge waste of money. Once printing is complete, mailing turnaround time ranges anywhere from next business day to ten business days. You can usually pay extra to get your mailers out faster. But it’s better to find a direct mail service that works quickly at no additional cost. Price and VolumeIn most cases, price and volume go hand-in-hand for direct mail campaigns. The more you order, the less you pay per piece. Make sure you use a direct mailing service that offers transparent pricing. Sometimes companies will draw you in with a low per piece cost, but don’t include the costs for print and postage until the end. Sometimes you can get see the prices online. But lots of direct mail companies offer custom quotes based on your needs. Additional ServicesIt’s rare to see a company that only offers direct mail. Lots of the options on our list include additional services for other marketing campaigns and common business needs. For some of you, it could be more cost-effective to bundle these offerings with one company. Even if you don’t need them today, it’s something to consider for your future plans. ConclusionWith so many direct mailing services on the market today, these are the top eight that I’d recommend:
There’s a service provider on here for every business across all industries. From startups to B2B organizations selling software, direct mail is for everyone. Social Media via Quick Sprout https://ift.tt/UU7LJr March 23, 2020 at 08:11AM |
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