Are We Too Connected?

“Social Media is about sociology and psychology more than technology.”

Brain Solis

When we talk about the social + digital revolution, many immediately think about the technology side of things.  The screens, the platforms, and the “smart” people behind all of it. It can sometimes be very intimidating.

We propose we think about it in a different way.  Instead of thinking about the medium or the technology, lets think about the power of the medium, and how it is engaging, empowering and connecting people both locally and globally.  Now we’re talking, yes?

Most people need to be connected, to be engaged, to be recognized, to be listened to, to seek knowledge and information.  And when we look at technology and platforms this way, it all becomes a bit more exciting and way less intimidating.

Beauty professionals are masters of sociology and psychology, you practice it every day in the salon, with your team and your clients.  So guess what, you got this!

But can society be too connected?  Check out this super funny clip from last weeks Parks & Recreation.  Can you relate?


(video discovered on NBC)

Is it really technology’s fault that we cannot put down our iPhone?  The honest answer is its not about the technology, its about how we choose to use the technology.  So no more hating on technology, instead, think about all the ways you can use these platforms to get closer to your dreams.  And yes, we can be too connected, but remember, its a choice.

If you are serious about learning how to engage and connect on social + digital platforms, we offer one-on-one coaching and mentoring to help you grow and become more discoverable on the web.  Click here to learn more about our program.  We look forward to helping you live your dream.

(shared with LOVE from your passionistas Nina + Gordon)

Do You Like Me?

They Like Me, They Really Like Me

“Activate your fans, don’t just collect them like baseball cards.”

Jay Baer

Do You Like Me?

So Two Hairdressers Walk Into A Bar
In the social + digital world, one BIG thing many of us have forgotten is that the online world is no different than the offline world, it’s still all about the people.  It’s one big cocktail party, just instead of hanging at the bar, we are hanging at a new “virtual bar”.

Asking for likes over and over, spamming other peoples pages, collecting likes like baseball cards is kind of missing the point of community building.

To have an effective community online, you need your community engaged.  The real purpose of these platforms are to help us listen, engage authentically, build relationships, have meaningful two way conversations, deliver value, to become discoverable on the web and ultimately grow our businesses through word of mouth and referrals.

Give Them Something To Talk About
What you need is right likes which are the people you are targeting and marketing your services and products to.

The most important number to be mindful of is your engagement rate, on Facebook, that’s the “talking about this” number.  That is the number which represents your real community, meaning people are liking, commenting, sharing, checking-in at your salon or RSVP’ing to an event.  In order to increase engagement, you need to provide content worth sharing (posts, tweets, blogs, pins, etc.) A good “talking about this” percentage on Facebook is between 10-30%. Anything above that is awesome, anything below that just says you need to revise your content and posting plan.

Here is some simple math, we promise…
Talking About This Number (divided by) Total Page Likes = Real Engagement Percentage

So, instead of “collecting likes” like baseball cards, remember first that each like represents a REAL person who has chosen to engage your page and your business.  People want to be loved and recognized and have come to your page to see if there is something of value to them.  If you give them something compelling, relevant, interesting and cool to share, like or comment on, believe us, they will.

For more information on how to craft an authentic, engaging and effective social + digital plan to become more discoverable on the social web, give us a shout on Facebook, Twitter or click here.

PS: We like you, we really like you.  Thank you for being here with us.

(shared with LOVE from your passionistas Nina + Gordon)

 

 

Awesome Facebook Photo Cheat Sheet

“The simplest things are often the truest.”

 Richard Bach

Seriously one of the most awesome discoveries on the web recently.  And while Facebook likes to change things up on us often, this is a great foundation for us all to ensure our images look their best; a super important part of building our brand image on the social web. Yay!

Facebook Photo Size Dimensions Infographic by Louise Myers

Courtesy of: Louise Myers Graphic Design

Thank you Louise Myers for creating this simple, yet incredibly useful tool.

(discovered on Google and shared with LOVE from your passionistas Nina + Gordon)

5 Steps to Updating Your Twitter Page

“The only thing constant in life is change”

François de la Rochefoucauld

So Twitter surprised the social web yesterday when they changed their page layout.
If you are up for an adventure and love change, here is a simple step-by-step.

1. Log into your Twitter account

2. Go to Settings

3. Click on Design

4. Click on Change header to upload a header image (you can preview it and play around a bit with different photos to see what looks the best)

5. Click Save

Ta-Da! You did it!  Awesome!

Do you like the “new” Twitter?  Do you use Twitter for business, fun or both? Lets play on Twitter, you can follow us @passionsquared2

(shared with LOVE from your tweeting passionistas Nina + Gordon)

 

 

 

Once Upon A Time

“I realized the importance of having a story today is what really separates companies.  People don’t just wear our shoes, they tell our story.”

Blake Mycoskie, CEO, Tom’s Shoes

 

What an awesome illustration of the power of social platforms and how, through pictures and videos, we can tell our stories.  Something to really think about when we create and curate content for our business on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, etc…

How are you telling your brand, salon, company stories through pictures and videos on the social web?

We offer one-on-one mentoring to help you shape your story and develop your brand.  Click here to share your goals + challenges with us, and to see if our mentoring program is right for you.

(discovered on Pinterest and shared with LOVE from your passionistas Nina + Gordon)