Creating Courage with Melanie Dyann Howe

What do I mean by optimizing your marketing? Getting the most of your efforts, your content, and your social media profiles. Essentially, we want all of this marketing stuff to benefit us, not hurt us or cause us pain without the gain. We want bigger outcomes without bigger efforts. 

In this episode, I cover five areas where you can optimize your marketing. 

• Improve how you organize and access your files
• Utilizing hidden features of your social media profiles
• Getting more out of your core content
• Ensuring your website is clear
• Save time in how you create your core content

Links Mentioned in this Episode:
Melanie's LinkedIn Profile
Episode 8: How to Re-purpose Your Core Content
Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller
DIY Marketing with Melanie Facebook Community

Support the show

Learn more from me on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram

Get a 14-Day Free Trial of StreamYard with My Partner Link

You likely have a Facebook Page. If you also have a Facebook Group for your business, it's possible that you've wondered if you should even bother with your Facebook Page anymore.

In this episode, I'm going to explain why Facebook Groups are starting to get even more attention - so much so that some businesses are no longer putting content on Facebook Pages. I'll share why I believe this is a critical mistake and why I think you should consider both.

Links Mentioned in this episode:
Episode 4: What the Heck is the Social Media Algorithm
DIY Marketing with Melanie Facebook Group
Social Media Foundations Free Online Course

Support the show

Learn more from me on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram

Get a 14-Day Free Trial of StreamYard with My Partner Link

Remember the movie, Field of Dreams. Its where the quote "If You Build it, They Will Come?" When Iowa farmer, Ray, hears a mysterious voice one night in his cornfield saying "If you build it, he will come," he feels the need to act. He builds a baseball diamond in the middle of his cornfield and eventually, the ghosts of baseball legends come through the corn and play baseball. It's an amazing movie...

This concept of just building something and your dreams come true doesn't typically apply to the online marketing world. Especially your website. Creating a website is not the same as launching one. 

Too often businesses fail to do the work AFTER their site is launched. The work of driving traffic to their website. In this episode, I'm sharing eight strategies to help you drive traffic to your website so you can get more leads.

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

https://www.melaniedyann.com/blog/episode-5-the-real-reason-you-should-be-on-social-media-for-business

https://www.melaniedyann.com/blog/episode-11-why-you-can-t-only-rely-on-social-media-to-market-your-business

https://youronlinegenius.com/ep-66-building-your-business-with-facebook-groups-with-bobby-klinck/

Support the show

Learn more from me on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram

Get a 14-Day Free Trial of StreamYard with My Partner Link

You've probably heard the experts say, "You don't own Facebook so you shouldn't put all of your eggs in one basket." What does that even mean?

Obviously, you know you don't own Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, Pinterest. Here's the skinny...

If you're relying on social media to communicate with customers, take orders through messenger, sell products, and market your business this is fabulous. But, it can't be the only place you spend your time and money.

The social media platforms can change in a New York minute without notice. This means some of the features you're relying on to "operate" your small business could be taken away. Even worse, they could take your business profile down for violating policies you may not even be aware of (because who really reads all of that legal stuff).

What would you do if that happened? Would customers still be able to learn from you, to order from you, to contact you? As long as you have other avenues for them to contact you and to learn about you, you're probably in pretty good shape.

But social media continues to change and will continue to change. What doesn't have to change is your email address and your website address. There is no excuse for any small business to not have both (insert tough-love tone of voice here).

I cover all of this and help you understand why these weird statements are so important to embrace. Let's talk about why you can't only rely on social media to run your small business.

Links Mentioned in this Episode:
Episode 4: What the heck is the social media algorithm?
DIY Marketing With Melanie Facebook Group

Support the show

Learn more from me on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram

Get a 14-Day Free Trial of StreamYard with My Partner Link

Today I'm going to share an idea that will help keep you motivated and your spirits up when you have those icky moments of self-doubt or simply when this whole business journey just feels hard as hell.

I want you to keep all of the encouraging words people share with you. These come in the form of handwritten notes, direct messages, emails, reviews, and conversations. When the tough gets even tougher. Save them all. 

Put them into an encouragement bank where you can pull them out when you need those reminders of how awesome you are. These words will help you get motivated, inspired, and ready to take action again. Here's how to handle the three types of the message we receive. 

When you receive hand-written notes or cards, keep them. Either post them on a corkboard or create a keepsake box for them. BUT, keep the box visible. You'll need the visual prompt to open it up and read those notes of gratitude. 

For the electronic messages, online reviews, and texts you're going to save them in an electronic note like Google Docs or Evernote. Take a screenshot of the message or copy and paste the message. If you do this, make sure you capture the person's name, date, and time you received the message. 

You'll also run into people who will encourage you or you'll have very memorable conversations. Someone will share with you how you're changing their life or how much they appreciate bringing their kids to come and shop in your store. These need to also be captured and saved. Here I encourage you to journal about the conversation. Save in in the same place you save the other virtual notes, OR if pen and paper is your thing, get a journal specifically for these moments. Put it with your cards. 

This collection of words and messages is your encouragement bank. We all need to be encouraged every once in a while, and this bucket of goodness will be one of your best tools to get your out of the rut and back to taking action. 

Support the show

Learn more from me on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram

Get a 14-Day Free Trial of StreamYard with My Partner Link

Whether they’re related to your business or your life, bright, shiny objects pop up and steal your productivity. Those shiny objects may even be amazing ideas for growing your business. But if you chase every idea the moment it pops into your head, you won’t follow through with anything. 

Your productivity will be zapped, you’ll feel chaotic and unsuccessful. 

That’s why I’m sharing four tips to help you shelve those bright, shiny ideas so you can focus on what’s in front of you. You’ll make progress in your current workload AND be able to follow up on those great, new ideas later. 

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Mindset: The New Psychology of Success: https://www.amazon.com/Mindset-Psychology-Carol-S-Dweck/dp/0345472322

Finish: Give Yourself the Gift of Done: https://www.amazon.com/Finish-Give-Yourself-Gift-Done/dp/1591847621

6 Secrets to Finishing What You Start (Marketing Made Easy Podcast Interview with John Acuff): https://www.amyporterfield.com/2018/09/228/

Join my Free DIY Marketing Community. https://www.facebook.com/groups/DIYMarketingWithMelanie

Support the show

Learn more from me on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram

Get a 14-Day Free Trial of StreamYard with My Partner Link

Do you have a podcast? Do you have a blog? Publish consistent video content? These are examples of pieces of core content. What if you could take that core piece of content and convert it into multiple pieces of content, including social media posts? You can my friends and in this episode, I'll teach you how. 

You’ll learn how to convert a video to a blog post and vice versa, plus how to create multiple social posts from one piece of content. Buckle up, we’ve got lots of DIY marketing to cover!

Grab the Free Quicksheet to help plan out this content.

Links Mentioned in this Episode:
Canva
Animoto

*Some links may be affiliate links. That just means if you enroll with this link, I might get a teeny tiny commission. Have no fear, the prices have not been inflated to compensate me.

Support the show

Learn more from me on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram

Get a 14-Day Free Trial of StreamYard with My Partner Link

If you haven’t already done a live video, chances are you’ve thought about it (and likely been scared away). In this episode, I cover how to combat the most common arguments I hear for avoiding Live video. From your content to your looks, I’ve got tips to increase your confidence. By the end of this episode, I hope you’ll feel ready to take the plunge and reap the benefits live video has to offer you! 

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

https://www.melaniedyann.com/FiftyFBLiveIdeas

Join my Free DIY Marketing Community. https://www.facebook.com/groups/DIYMarketingWithMelanie

Support the show

Learn more from me on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram

Get a 14-Day Free Trial of StreamYard with My Partner Link

Sometimes the right app can make a challenging process so much easier and even fun. There are thousands and thousands of apps designed to improve our lives, keep us entertained, and help us reach new levels.

In this episode, Mel shares five of her favorite powerhouse apps that will help you take your small business or team to the next level in your marketing efforts. She'll explain how Trello, Asana, Google Docs, Evernote, and Canva are the five powerhouse apps every small business needs.

In addition to what each app can do, she'll also explain how all of them used together creates magic for your productivity efforts.

You can check out these apps and the other apps Mel loves on her Fave Tools Page* at https://www.melaniedyann.com/resources
*Some links on that page include affiliate links. 

Support the show

Learn more from me on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram

Get a 14-Day Free Trial of StreamYard with My Partner Link

Let’s talk about why your business is on social media. Brands often think they are online, particularly on social media, to sell something. Their content is geared toward making a sale and, quite frankly, ignores the needs of their prospective customers.

Social media is a great place to promote your business. But, if you’re spending most of your time online promoting yourself, you are definitely missing the biggest opportunities social media has to offer. 

But that’s not going to be you...not after you listen to this episode where I'll break this concept down. I'll share some key tactics that will help you use social media so people can learn to like, know, and trust you - eventually becoming either an advocate or a customer. 

Support the show

Learn more from me on YouTube
Connect with me on Instagram

Get a 14-Day Free Trial of StreamYard with My Partner Link