Page 74 – Passion Squared

“Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know more.”

Confucius

(image via Google)

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

Have you ever heard the nursery rhyme “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me”? OMG. That was actually something we put into children’s minds.

I like to think we have evolved more intellectually and emotionally to know how incredibly damaging that message is. But sadly, that is not always the case.

Words matter… in business and in life.

They create an awesome experience. Or create a not so awesome one.
They help build confidence. And they can destroy it.
They build relationships. And break them.
They build trust. Or create doubt.
They can excite me. Or they can bore me.

How much time do you spend choosing the words you are using in your business communications, both online and off?

How much care do you use when choosing the words you use when coaching a team member or speaking to a colleague?

How conscious are you of the words you choose when talking to yourself? (and please don’t even tell me you don’t talk to yourself. We all do. Whether we are conscious of it or not.)

Some wander through the social web, through business, and life, using words that have the potential to cause damage. But some choose to use words that empower, enrich the conversation and create awesome experiences.

Your choice. Choose wisely.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

Mad Love For @larisadoll

October 13, 2014Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW, PASSIONISTA PROFILE

“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.”

Zig Ziglar

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

Social listening and healthy stalking does have its privileges. And that is exactly how I discovered and met one of the most passionate and inspirational hairdressers I have ever known, Larisa Love aka @larisadoll on Instagram.

If you read my blog or listened to my Masters Series interview with Winn Claybaugh, then you have heard me speak of this awesomeness creator. I have been watching and listening to her for almost a year now.

One of the most awesome things I get to do at Passion Squared is connect with the best of the best, study them, learn from them, and many times actually meet them offline, then carry that message to my clients and community.

I’m not gonna lie, I am a big fan, and when Larisa and I set our date to meet, I got butterflies in my tummy. Why? Respect. Plain and simple. I knew this girl was special, but I also knew I only knew her online persona. And awesomely enough, she also works in the most beautiful bungalow at Butterfly Loft Salon in Encino. So butterflies were for sure an appropriate emotion.

So what did I learn about what makes Larisa so awesome?

1. Authenticity
Larisa is the real deal. As beautiful inside as out. This is probably the most important thing to learn about her success. Authenticity is everything in today’s world, and you can be Insta famous, have a gazillion followers, but fall flat offline if you are not truly authentic.

2. Focus + Direction
Larisa has such insane clarity of direction and focus for such a young (in years) human. People often ask me what is one of the most common challenges I see working with small businesses in the beauty and wellness worlds. My answer. Focus and direction.

3. She Knows Her Why
Larisa is crystal clear on her why, promise, purpose and target market as a brand. She is consistent in her work, her brand identity, her boundaries, and how she presents her brand and creates stories that matter on Instagram. She knows her brand why. Remember, as the awesome Simon Sinek says, “People don’t buy what you do, they buy WHY you do it.”

4. Instagram Can Build A Business
Larisa learned very early in her short 4-year career as a hairdresser that Instagram would be the platform to engage, connect, build relationships and ultimately grow a business that has her booked until 2016 with 800 people on her waiting list. She chose one platform, she chose to focus intently on it, and she has never wavered. She spends at minimum 2 hours a day creating content, posting and engaging with her followers. You may think 2 hours is a lot of time. My question back to you is are you happy with your marketing plan and how it’s helping you grow your business?

5. Consistency
This could be Larisa’s middle name. Her beautiful work speaks for itself. But what matters even more is her consistency. In branding, in hair, in engagement, in posting, in content creation, and in voice.

Can every stylist have 40K followers and an 800-person waiting list? I don’t really know. But what I do know, is the above traits and actions are just some of the reasons Larisa has been SO successful, and it also happens to be traits and actions I see in many others creating awesome in their business.

As I have said before and I will always say, there is NO secret or magic pill. Creating awesome takes commitment, courage, consistency and most of all caring. And Larisa is all of those things and so much more.

If you are not already, follow @larisadoll and learn. Then go out and create your own kind of awesome.

A big shout out of gratitude and thanks to Larisa, her beautiful, kind and talented BF @dylankelly and David and Alexis, the awesome owners of Butterfly Loft Salon for such a special evening. I am in awe of all of you and so grateful to know you.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

(awesome photos courtesy of @larisadoll)

The Wake Up Call

October 6, 2014Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

The Universe is not short on wake up calls. We are just quick to hit the snooze button. -Brene Brown

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

Many of us have had them. Some of us don’t know we have. And some of us just hit the snooze button when they happen.

Wake up calls happen all the time, in business and in life. The opportunity for us is to listen for them and to them, if we want to create an awesome biz + life.

Wake Up Call #1
A few team members are asking for raises all within a few days of each other. To me, that is a sign of something deeper. Meaning, it’s time to connect with those team members to see where they are in their career and life. Something is behind the desire for a raise. What is it?

Wake Up Call #2
A slew of social posts about a particular company seem to be gaining momentum and people are just not happy. Will that be a wake up call, or is that company not even listening?

Wake Up Call #3
People begin not showing up to meetings, or come in late to work. Do we build resentment or decide to dig deeper into why that is.

Wake Up Call #4
Sales begin to slowly drop, less new clients are coming in, and staff is leaving. Do we see that as a wake up call or do we hit the snooze button and blame the month, season, weather or staff member.

Wake Up Call #5
A series of not so awesome YELP reviews are posted about a business. All saying similar things. The front desk staff is not nice, nobody answers the phone, the bathrooms are dirty. A wake up call? You bet. But only if the business is listening.

Wake Up Call #6
A feeling of stress and overwhelm continue to fill our bodies. Is this a wake up call? You bet it is. It’s time to look at our lives and begin to create space to breathe and get to the source of the stress and overwhelm so it can be fixed.

Awareness is the key in listening for wake up calls. It is so much easier to hit the snooze button versus dealing with issues, problems or wake up calls. It takes a ton of courage to listen for them and deal with them. And until we do, be prepared for that alarm to keep ringing.

Do you have any wake up calls you have ignored only to have them come back bigger and louder? I would love to hear your thoughts. I’m listening.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

PS: I Know You Liked Your Post

September 29, 2014Nina KovnerENGAGE

“Focus on how to be social, not do social.”

Jay Baer

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

So I asked a very simple question last week on Facebook and Instagram, thinking I would get a pretty straightforward answer. “Is it OK to like our own posts on Facebook, Instagram or any other social platforms?” I applaud all those who courageously shared their thoughts. Thank you!

Now I could have been more clear, I was speaking about business pages and posts, not personal. So this post is about business pages and my professional view is based on countless hours of engaging myself, reading, researching, following respected leaders in the space, and watching my own and my clients behaviors and analytics.

The short answer
No, there is no need for your business to like its own posts. And if people are paying attention, it looks kinda lame and desperate.

The longer answer
Why Are We Even There?
The purpose of engaging on social platforms for business is to share, engage, listen, build relationships and create connections. Based on the objectives of the business being on a social platform, those actions could result in increased traffic to your website, referrals and revenue.

How Can We Create More Engagement?
1. Sharing your business posts to your personal pages (if the target audience is similar) can increase engagement on Facebook, since personal pages seem to show up more in the news feed than business pages.

2. Creating a content strategy that creates value for your followers.

3. Posting consistently and often. How often? It depends on your audience. And only trying different approaches and measuring them will give you that answer.

In the end, the goal is not to try to game the system, the goal is to create relevant, meaningful content that adds value to your community. Whether its on Facebook, Instagram, a blog or e-newsletter.

We move towards what we focus on. So instead of focusing on likes or being seen, I say we focus on how we can be of service to the humans that choose to follow us and listen to us. And liking your own post just does not fit into that.

What are your thoughts? Please share your comments below, or on Facebook, and of course, you can always inbox me. I’m listening.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

4 Awesome Content Creation Tools

September 24, 2014Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

“Create something people want to share.” John Jantsch

(originally posted May 19th, 2014)

Your content is your marketing. Both online and off. I have said it what seems like a thousand times since starting Passion Squared. And the question I get over and over again is how in the heck do I create content?

Before we dive into the tools I use the most and think are the most awesome, lets begin at the beginning.

1. Your content needs to tell a story.
2. It needs to be compelling and relevant to your community, clients, and audience.
3. It needs to be consistent with your brand why, promise, story and image.
4. It needs to be quality.
5. It needs to be easy to share.

The best content you can create as a service business to share on your social platforms is happening everyday around you. Whether you are in beauty or wellness, you are connecting with clients, seeing results, playing with your team, and creating experiences, all of which are perfect opportunities to capture those moments, on film. And by film, I mean your phone. If its important to you, you will do it. Just like anything.

Here are my 4 most awesome content creation tools…

1. Pic Stitch App

I love Pic Stitch because it is the tool that creates before’s and afters and allows us the ability to tell a story through a collage of photos. Before’s and afters are still the most popular pieces of content I have seen work on Facebook and Instagram. But it can also be used to show a style and products, different angles of a cut, a smoothie recipe with the ingredients, etc. You can even brand these pics by using your logo in one of the boxes. #awesome

2. Flipagram App

We all know that video can be SUPER engaging, and what I love about Flipagram is that we can make “videos” with music. Simply using photos in our phone, and music from our iTunes. These are great for creating Instavids, the 15 second videos on Instagram and for auto-posting to Facebook. I have seen some of my highest engagement numbers when using this tool. And, the bonus, we can add our logo into the “slide show” to create branded content. #awesome

3. Pic Monkey

This is my go-to platform to create all my morning quote posts. Once you create a branded template, or picture, you simply import it into Pic Monkey and type away. There is a paid version with more fonts and options, and a free version which is what I use. Again, branding is key here, so find a great designer to create the templates for you if you are not skilled in that area, like me.

4. Canva

My latest obsession! I love Canva so much and just began working with it. It has pre sized templates for Facebook posts, cover images, Instagram, Pinterest and more. There are free graphics and paid graphics you can use. Their font selection is not my fave, but I am sure they will be adding more. I created my latest Facebook cover photo using Canva, by simply choosing the Facebook cover photo template, importing The Weekly Dose of Awesome logo, and choosing a white background. #awesome

So, first things first. Create a plan tied to your objectives. Then begin creating. Then share. Then measure.

And most importantly, if you want to create compelling and relevant content, engage a designer to help you create templates, to size your logo properly and even in some cases, create your content. And if you are thinking you can’t afford it, I am telling you, you cannot afford not to if you want to create awesome in your marketing. Think about it like this… As a hairdresser, you get pretty worked up when people do their hair at home, think about how the designers of the world feel when they see crappy graphics.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

UPDATE on September 24, 2016
I still use these tools weekly except Flipagram. I’ve added Diptic, Afterlight, WordSwag and PicPlayPost to my go to faves. The point is, some things never change, and some things evolve, just like biz + life. #awesome

Blog

“Without knowing the force of words, it is impossible to know more.”

Confucius

(image via Google)

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

Have you ever heard the nursery rhyme “Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me”? OMG. That was actually something we put into children’s minds.

I like to think we have evolved more intellectually and emotionally to know how incredibly damaging that message is. But sadly, that is not always the case.

Words matter… in business and in life.

They create an awesome experience. Or create a not so awesome one.

They help build confidence. And they can destroy it.

They build relationships. And break them.

They build trust. Or create doubt.

They can excite me. Or they can bore me.

How much time do you spend choosing the words you are using in your business communications, both online and off?

How much care do you use when choosing the words you use when coaching a team member or speaking to a colleague?

How conscious are you of the words you choose when talking to yourself? (and please don’t even tell me you don’t talk to yourself. We all do. Whether we are conscious of it or not.)

Some wander through the social web, through business, and life, using words that have the potential to cause damage. But some choose to use words that empower, enrich the conversation and create awesome experiences.

Your choice. Choose wisely.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

“Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days.”

Zig Ziglar

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

Social listening and healthy stalking does have its privileges. And that is exactly how I discovered and met one of the most passionate and inspirational hairdressers I have ever known, Larisa Love aka @larisadoll on Instagram.

If you read my blog or listened to my Masters Series interview with Winn Claybaugh, then you have heard me speak of this awesomeness creator. I have been watching and listening to her for almost a year now.

One of the most awesome things I get to do at Passion Squared is connect with the best of the best, study them, learn from them, and many times actually meet them offline, then carry that message to my clients and community.

So what did I learn about what makes Larisa so awesome?

1. Authenticity Larisa is the real deal. As beautiful inside as out. This is probably the most important thing to learn about her success. Authenticity is everything in today’s world, and you can be Insta famous, have a gazillion followers, but fall flat offline if you are not truly authentic.

2. Focus + Direction Larisa has such insane clarity of direction and focus for such a young (in years) human. People often ask me what is one of the most common challenges I see working with small businesses in the beauty and wellness worlds. My answer. Focus and direction.

5. Consistency This could be Larisa’s middle name. Her beautiful work speaks for itself. But what matters even more is her consistency. In branding, in hair, in engagement, in posting, in content creation, and in voice.

As I have said before and I will always say, there is NO secret or magic pill. Creating awesome takes commitment, courage, consistency and most of all caring. And Larisa is all of those things and so much more.

If you are not already, follow @larisadoll and learn. Then go out and create your own kind of awesome.

A big shout out of gratitude and thanks to Larisa, her beautiful, kind and talented BF @dylankelly and David and Alexis, the awesome owners of Butterfly Loft Salon for such a special evening. I am in awe of all of you and so grateful to know you.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

(awesome photos courtesy of @larisadoll)

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

“Focus on how to be social, not do social.”

Jay Baer

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

So I asked a very simple question last week on Facebook and Instagram, thinking I would get a pretty straightforward answer. “Is it OK to like our own posts on Facebook, Instagram or any other social platforms?” I applaud all those who courageously shared their thoughts. Thank you!

The short answer No, there is no need for your business to like its own posts. And if people are paying attention, it looks kinda lame and desperate.

How Can We Create More Engagement? 1. Sharing your business posts to your personal pages (if the target audience is similar) can increase engagement on Facebook, since personal pages seem to show up more in the news feed than business pages.

2. Creating a content strategy that creates value for your followers.

3. Posting consistently and often. How often? It depends on your audience. And only trying different approaches and measuring them will give you that answer.

In the end, the goal is not to try to game the system, the goal is to create relevant, meaningful content that adds value to your community. Whether its on Facebook, Instagram, a blog or e-newsletter.

We move towards what we focus on. So instead of focusing on likes or being seen, I say we focus on how we can be of service to the humans that choose to follow us and listen to us. And liking your own post just does not fit into that.

What are your thoughts? Please share your comments below, or on Facebook, and of course, you can always inbox me. I’m listening.

(shared with LOVE from Nina)

1. Authenticity
Larisa is the real deal. As beautiful inside as out. This is probably the most important thing to learn about her success. Authenticity is everything in today’s world, and you can be Insta famous, have a gazillion followers, but fall flat offline if you are not truly authentic.

2. Focus + Direction
Larisa has such insane clarity of direction and focus for such a young (in years) human. People often ask me what is one of the most common challenges I see working with small businesses in the beauty and wellness worlds. My answer. Focus and direction.

5. Consistency
This could be Larisa’s middle name. Her beautiful work speaks for itself. But what matters even more is her consistency. In branding, in hair, in engagement, in posting, in content creation, and in voice.

The short answer
No, there is no need for your business to like its own posts. And if people are paying attention, it looks kinda lame and desperate.

How Can We Create More Engagement?
1. Sharing your business posts to your personal pages (if the target audience is similar) can increase engagement on Facebook, since personal pages seem to show up more in the news feed than business pages.