“Brands are either part of the conversation or they’re not and as a result, they’re either part of the decision-making cycle or they’re absent from the heart, mind, and actions of the connected customer.”
Brian Solis, author of Engage and The End of Business As Usual
As many of you know, I spend a ridiculous amount of time on the web. I have a healthy obsession with engaging and listening because I care about you and want to help you and your business.
Recently, I have seen a lot of chatter on Facebook about the ROI (return on investment) of engaging on the social web, and how it really is just a big waste of time. What that tells me is there is still a BIG misunderstanding of these platforms and how important they are to the future of business, both big and small.
Engage.
These online platforms are no different than our offline platforms (i.e. the salon) when it comes to business. They are designed to allow us to engage with current and future customers in a meaningful way. To listen, to have two-way conversations, to solve problems, to build relationships, to create and deliver value. How in the world can someone not see the ROI in that? SMH.
Listen.
I overheard a conversation a while back from a business saying “If we have a business Facebook page, then customers will want to talk to us and ask us questions, and that is a lot of work.” My response was simple: What could possibly be more important than engaging with and listening to your customers? How awesome is it that they care enough to engage with your business and buy something from you? Think about it.
Care.
I love this infographic that illustrates the trend of the connected customer when it comes to expecting customer care via social platforms. By 2014, refusing to communicate with customers via social channels will be as harmful as ignoring phone calls and emails. WOW. Take a moment and let that sink in.
(infographic discovered on Google courtesy of Bluewolf)
Erik Qualman, author of Socialnomics said it best…”The ROI of social media is that your business will still be around in 5 years.” I could not have said it any better.
So remember. Engage. Listen. Care. Three simple yet powerful words to remember, both online and off.
If you ever have any questions for me regarding my blog posts, feel free to post questions to Facebook or email me by clicking here. I will always respond, both online and off. Because I care.
“More contact means more sharing of information, gossiping, exchanging, engaging – in short more word of mouth.”
Gary Vaynerchuk
There is no denying the facts. In today’s world, it is so important for local businesses to be engaged on review platforms such as YELP, Google Places, Citysearch and the like. People are talking about you, people are looking for you, your job is to know what they are saying and to be discoverable on the web.
Check out this super cool infographic that shows the facts about how potential new clients use review sites. Powerful stuff, and even more powerful for your business if you pay attention and use these platforms to help generate word of mouth and attract new clients.
(infographic discovered on Google courtesy of Milo)
To learn more about how to claim your YELP page, click here to view our webinar.
If you are looking to engage more deeply in the social + digital web in 2013, we offer one-on-one mentoring to help you craft a plan and learn how to use these platforms to help you achieve your dreams. Click here for more information. We look forward to hearing from you.
(shared with LOVE from your passionistas Nina + Gordon)
“Build it, and they will come” only works in the movies. Social Media is a “build it, nurture it, engage them, and they may come and stay.”
Seth Godin
Happy Giving Tuesday, yes, that is the new term being used after the shopping frenzy’s known as Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday and a day dedicated to giving back to those in need through charitable donations. Very important indeed.
Today we wanted to focus on Cyber Monday as we see a huge opportunity for salons to become part of the estimated $1.42 billion dollars spent yesterday. How you ask? Well let’s first take a look at the stats in this awesome infographic.
Now lets talk about how you can be part of this online shopping frenzy, not only to increase revenue but more importantly to offer value, convenience and options for your clients.
One of the coolest trends we see is the shift towards gifting experiences over “things”. And what better gift is there than an experience in your salon or spa?
So we gotta ask…
1. Do you offer Online Appointment Booking?
2. Do you offer Gift Cards (that are able to be purchased online?)
3. Do you offer Series or Packages of your services (that are able to be purchased online?)
There are several ways you can begin to engage in the online sales world, not just for Cyber Monday, but 365 days a year to increase engagement, traffic and ultimately sales.
One small business we work with offers packages to their clients, available for purchase online, and ran a special between Black Friday and Cyber Monday and sold $8000 in packages. Yes, you read that right. Wow.
Did you offer any Cyber Monday specials? Are you considering offering online sales in the future? Two very important questions to ask yourself as we move into 2013.
(shared with LOVE from your passionistas Nina + Gordon)
“Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep.”
Scott Adams
In the world of engagement on the social + digital web, a lot of what we are doing is quite frankly trial and error. We will not know what truly engaging content is until we actually start creating content and pay attention to the response of our community. And it takes time, sometimes several months, to find your groove, but once you do, it’s pretty awesome.
Yes, we know the theme of our content, our story, our message, and our goals, but until we actually begin trying different things, without fear of making mistakes, we will never know what makes our fans hearts sing.
We found this handy infographic with some tips for Facebook engagement. And while it may or may not be exactly how your community acts and reacts, its certainly worth a try.
Come on, go for it! What’s the worst thing that could happen? You make a mistake? We call that creativity.
“We’ve GOT to make noises in greater amounts! So, open your mouth, lad! For every voice counts!”
Dr. Seuss, Horton Hears A Who!
One week from today, we will be electing a President. We are not nor would we ever tell you who to vote for, we just want you to vote. Because every vote, and every voice, COUNTS!
While many of us are exhausted by all the rants and ugliness being shared on our Facebook news feeds, there is a good news side to all of the craziness. This infographic on How Social Media Inspires Voters is an awesome example of the engagement and empowerment the social + digital web has brought to us all. Wow!
(Infographic discovered on Mashable, courtesy of Online College Courses.)
Has the social web inspired you to get out and vote? We sure hope so.
(shared with LOVE from your voting passionistas, Nina + Gordon)
PS: Please vote. Please make sure your voice is heard. It counts.
(infographic discovered on Google courtesy of Milo)
