5 Steps To Creating #InstaAwesome

5 Steps To Creating #InstaAwesome

August 10, 2015Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” Dale Carnegie

Ok, so I am pretty sure you do not need convincing that Instagram is the platform of the moment for so many people and businesses. And by that I mean, the impact of relationship and biz building for creative small businesses and the humans who lead them and work in them. #fact

But there are still so many myths and misconceptions on how to create awesome with the platform so I thought I would share what I know to be true and where to begin… And yes, I have written about this many times, and yes, I believe it cannot be repeated enough. So here we go…

Why
First and foremost, as with any platform, we always start with why, as the great Simon Sinek says. The objective. As in, why are we engaging on Instagram and why does anyone care? Instead of focusing on followers, focus on creating value, consistently. Yes, consistently. Let me say that one more time, consistently.

1. What is your story?
People respond to stories. Brands and businesses tell stories. What is yours? And while we are on that topic, what is in your about section? It matters. Why are you, who are you, and how do I connect with you?

2. What value will you bring to the conversation?
Listen more than you talk. But when you do talk, what value are you bringing to the table? This is not about self-promotion, it is about creating value.

3. What will your theme be?
All the best Insta’s have a theme. A look. A feel. A vibe. They exude energy. And your theme needs to be consistent with your brand identity. Your overall brand look and feel.

4. What hashtags will you use to connect, engage and become more discoverable?
Yes use hashtags, even more important, use them consistently. Unless you are Beyoncé, then clearly there is no need, we will seek you out. But if you are not Beyoncé, here are the general guidelines for local businesses…

a. Use popular hashtags that are consistent with your content and story. i.e. #ombre #braids #bridalhair #fitspo #athlete
b. Use branded hashtag, always. In my case, its #passionsquared
c. Use your local hashtags. In Portland, its #PDX, in Downtown LA, its #DTLA, find yours by searching hashtags on Insta or Google it.

5. How much time are you willing to invest in building relationships, engaging, and content creation?
Ok, this is where the pro’s and amateurs divide. If you are serious about building relationships, engaging, and listening, then you will invest the time. Period. How much? It depends on your content and engagement plan. I spend 2+ hours a day on Instagram. It is my primary social platform. And yes, a majority of my referrals come from Instagram. Is there a secret? Nope.

BONUS Tips!
When capturing, creating and posting content, please keep these things in mind…
Take a gazillion photos so you can choose the best one. One photo is not enough. How many are enough? You will know when you get the money shot.

Only post quality stuff. Really, did Nina just say that? Duh. Yes, I did, cause it needs to be said.

What do I mean by quality stuff? Lighting, Background, Detail, Clarity

Want to see how some others are doing it? Follow these passionate and talented humans. And look for themes, quality, consistency, storytelling, backgrounds, lighting, clarity, and detail. And educated eye and is an awesome eye. And why do I share these? Because I know for a fact Instagram has helped empower their biz + their lives. And I only work with facts. Not hype. Not theory. Simply facts.

@larisadoll
@xostylistxo
@glamiris
@hairgod_zito
@jaywesleyolson
@theconfessionsofahairstylist
@lalasupdos
@butterflyloftsalon
@andrewdoeshair
@anthonythebarber916
@sugarskulls
@heatherchapmanhair
@amberdodzweit

And of course, @passionsquared

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina

Are You Listening?

Are You Really Listening?

July 19, 2015Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” Ernest Hemingway

Listening. A lost art? I don’t think so. But I do think many are not quite getting how important it is on social platforms and how many messages and opportunities there are to build relationships, offer solutions and learn.

Nearly every thing I do in business is strategic. Authentic, but strategic. I am a businesswoman. I build people who build businesses, including my own. And as a businessperson, you must begin to learn how to listen and be strategic to if you want to create more awesome.

So here is how the story goes…

I posted the pic above last week with the caption… “Missing my lash extensions + needing a laugh at the moment.” There was a not so hidden message to those who were listening.

The most telling thing was, out of 280 likes and 74 comments, only ONE person reached out to me about their lash services & products. ONE. Only ONE awesome human really listened and read this post strategically, and said to themselves…. “Hmmmmmmm… sounds like Nina is craving some lash services. Maybe I should reach out to her.”

This is social listening at its finest. Not spamming. Not attention seeking. Not self-serving. None of those. It was all listening. Seeing a need or problem. And providing a solution.

Think about it. What would happen if you spent more time on social platforms listening than talking? What would you learn? A lot. I promise. Try it. Then let me know how it goes. I’m listening.

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina

Storytelling header

4 Steps To Creating + Curating Awesome Content

July 6, 2015Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

Purpose driven marketing begins (and ends) with a story. – Me

The daily dilemma is seems for so many marketers today, (and if you are reading this and you own a business or work in one, you are a marketer) is what to share on social platforms. And my answer is always the same, which is with questions back, which I know is so frustrating to many. Why do I ask questions? Because I do not know the answer until I know more about the story you want to tell. And how do you figure that out? Start here…

What is your purpose and promise as a business?
What do your clients and future clients value?
What is your objective for engaging on social platforms?

When you know the answers to the above questions, then go here…

1. Create content that communicates your purpose and promise.

2. Create content that tells authentic stories.

3. Create content that your clients and future clients value.

4. Use hashtags (Instagram) and search tools (Google, Pinterest) to curate content that your clients and future clients value and help you tell your story.

BONUS: Make the client the hero of your story. It’s not about us. It’s always about them. And be human. Human always works.

Here is an example for Passion Squared…

My purpose and promise is empowerment, clarity, truth, authenticity…

My clients are creative small business owners and the people who work in them who are seeking love, inspiration, support, clarity, guidance, comfort, reassurance, stress relief, authenticity + truth.

My content communicates the above through quotes, blogs, newsletters, videos and broadcasts.

The content I curate is from sources that fit my promise, purpose and my story. I would not curate (share) from sources, which I would call off brand; content that is dis-empowering, shaming, bullying, negative, self centered or demeaning.

My objective for engaging is to listen, build relationships, share and connect with humans who need my services.

Yes, you can continue to randomly post content a few days and week and wonder why you have little to no engagement, and why you are having so much trouble building a community of followers, or you can do the work. By the way, this is the same process for creating awesome offline content. So either way, its best to start here.

Want to learn how to create more awesome in your career, life + biz? If you are a creative small biz owner, check out A School for Owners. In A School, you get a ton of love, support + brain food, all in a safe, sacred space.

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina

Passion Squared on Periscope

Creating Awesome with Periscope

June 22, 2015Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

“Your content is your marketing.” Me

Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you for listening.

It seems almost every day there is a new platform, and people get all geeked out on it, jump in quickly while others sit back and observe. What has happened with Periscope for the professional beauty industry has been quite awesome to watch. What is Periscope you ask? A live streaming app, owned by & integrated with Twitter.

Now, before I get into my thoughts on Periscope, here are a few fundamentals to remember when it comes to choosing platforms and content plans.

Be where your clients are. How do you know? Ask. Observe. Listen.

Less is more. Always. I would rather you engage successfully on one platform than attempt to engage half heatedly on two or more.

So, as long as we are all clear on that, here are my initial thoughts on creating awesome with Periscope…

1. I Love It
And I am a tough customer. I do not jump to jump, I jump when I see something that I believe can delver a ton of value and I see this happening quickly on Periscope. Why? Engagement, community, conversations, behind the scenes, all of it is stuff our communities crave.

2. Less Is Always More, Unless We Are Talking Espresso or OITNB
Oh wait, I already said that. But it bears repeating. This is part of a larger content strategy discussion, but it’s important to remember that TMI and random chatter does not add value to your brand, in fact, it can take away value. This is true on any platform, post consistently, but be mindful to post content that matters. The more random noise you make, the less people listen + hear.

3. Your Content Is Your Marketing
And on Periscope it is no different. Think about your brand story, your brand why, what your clients are seeking by following you, how you can add value to the conversation. Begin there.

4. Be Mindful of Your Biz Model
What? Yes, think about it. If you are an educator and offer paid courses, be mindful of how much content you share and what types of content you share. And please remember, your content is your marketing. Free content is for sure a strategy, one I use often (and strategically) at Passion Squared, but too much free content could impact your course sales. Make sure you understand your model, know your business, know your customer and be thoughtful and strategic in how and what you share. Be generous, yes, but be mindful.

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina

I would love to connect with you on Periscope, you can find me at @passionsquared2 (same as Twitter)

3 Ingredients of An Awesome Social Post

3 Ingredients of An Awesome Social Post

June 1, 2015Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

“We have to dare to be ourselves, however frightening or strange that self may prove to be.”  May Sarton

Here is the audio version of this post. Thank you for listening.

Whether it’s an Instagram shot, a Facebook post, a YouTube video or a blog, there are a few key ingredients to making whatever story you are telling awesome!

1. Make it Relevant
When people choose to follow us, it is because they have decided there is something of value we have that they want. We must take those follows seriously, and stay focused on delivering the value they came for. That means keeping our content and stories relevant. Focus on value. How are you delivering value?

Example: As Passion Squared, people do not come to me for technical cutting skills or workouts (lol) no, they come to me for information on business, career, personal development and empowerment. Thus, my storytelling and content remain relevant to that which my community desires.

2. Make it Human
This is probably where most get stuck, and in working with my clients and A School coaching groups, it is by far the biggest obstacle. “I don’t know what to post” is what I hear most often. This is a symptom of two things… One is you are not yet clear on your brand story, thus you have no clear content plan. So always start there. What does your community value? What is your brand story? Connect those two dots and you are on your way. Number two is, you are trying WAY too hard. Social means just that, social, so be social. Be human. Keep it real. Keep it authentic. Keep it conversational. Keep it consistent. People will respond. I promise.

Example: I post pics of my dogs all the time; they are part of my brand story. However, one day, I chose to not only post a pic of my rescue Faith, but also tell the very personal and human story as to why I named her Faith. It was the most liked dog pic I have ever posted. Get it? Good!

3. Make it Visual
And by visual, I mean awesome visuals. Graphics. Clean. Clear. Awesome. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. If you don’t know how to make things visually awesome, practice. Take 10 photos for every post, make sure the lighting is good, background clean, subject awesome. Practice. Practice. Practice. If you are making word graphics, there are a ton of apps and tools to make that happen. I love Canva.com and WordSwag, just to name a couple.

Example: I wrote a blog post a few weeks back about 5 lessons I learned from my beauty school experience. It was recently shared on a major beauty industry distributor Facebook page, and went NUTS! And by nuts I mean over 1000 clicks. Why? It was relevant, #1, it was visual, it featured a picture from 1987 of me, in beauty school, lol. And once people clicked, it was most definitely human.

So now it’s your turn. Take a look at your social content, and use this list as a way to measure your current content. It is stacking up? Are you getting the engagement you wish? This is a good place to start.

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina