Fast Marketing Minute

Do you have a competitor that’s totally winning the social media game?  Don’t be jealous. Use it to your advantage.

Start by watching the competition’s posts to check out what gets the most engagement and to see what your shared target audience reacts best to. Write down those ideas for your own content.

You can actually uncover their entire strategy by using the social media tracker tool on SEMRush. You can also track what the competition is posting and identify trending hashtags to use.

Another thing to do is to look at the reviews and recommendations of your competition. If their customers love something about them, make sure it’s something you’re doing. If you find a trending problem that’s showing up time after time, offer the solution on your social media and everywhere else.

If you want to get extra sneaky with your Facebook ads, target people who like a competitor’s page. Some might think it’s a gray area, but it can be effective, especially if your ad focuses on a benefit that your competitor doesn’t offer. Outsmart the competition by doing your homework.

OK, let’s up it to 49 Shades of Gray. Stay with me, it’s not what you’re thinking. Here’s a simple strategy to steal your competitors followers. Scroll through their Instagram following and pick a few people to follow every day. Slowly, people will follow you back, growing your audience and who knows, there may be a chance that they’ll be your customer one day.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. What are your biggest competitors doing? I can help you figure it out. Email me at [email protected]. Talk tomorrow!

 

 

People always ask me, what are the hot promotional products right now?

A branded water bottle never goes out of style. Whether it has an insert to infuse fruit or it’s a heavy-duty insulated travel mug, people always sipping and hydrating. And health-conscious clients never have enough.

While cheap tote bags are over-done, othe types of reusable bags are popular, like lunch bags, travel duffels, cooler bags and backpacks. These types of branded bags will get used with purpose instead of getting folded up and forgotten in someone’s trunk. Worse, thrown out. We can’t let that happen.

Popsockets were popular for a while, but rings are used more now. They’re less bulky. You can still print your logo on the sticky pad.

Power banks continue to be the rage, but it’s common to give them away. Now, you can get power banks in custom shapes. Choose something that fits your brand. People will LOVE them and think they’re awesome. I just saw one that looked like a mini beer bottle being given away by a brewery.

The best promo gift to give away will always be something that fits your brand though. A yoga studio could give away mats. If you specialize in beauty, give away branded lip balms. A salon could give away their own blend of a body creme. Choose something that will remind your clients of you in a way that says -- yes, I’m glad to be doing business with you.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. Tell me about your most successful promo item giveaway. You can find me on  Instagram, Facebook and Twitter at RobinSamoraPR. Oh,

and ask me about my favorite promo products vendor. Her name is Rachel Leone at Leone Marketing. Talk tomorrow.

 

When you finally land a big speaking gig, it can be exciting. But how do you turn one speaking gig into many? With follow-up of course. Always be selling, right? That includes promoting yourself and tooting your own horn.

As soon as you get booked, go back and mark the date on your calendar when you were first contacted. Then, you know when to reach out the following year about speaking again or asking for a referral.

After your presentation, collect a few testimonials from the audience. You can record this on your phone or get written reviews. Video is always more powerful. Ask people for their opinion, what they learned, and how it will help them in their businesss. You want to determine value here.

About a week after the event, send a hand-written thank-you note to the organizer.  In two weeks, email your testimonial video to the team who hired you and ask about future events. You can also offer new video when you follow-up next year.

You also want to make sure to upload the video on social media and include it on your website. Give special thanks to the folks who hosted you -- and to the audience for attending. This will boost your like, know, trust factor. As much as you might hate video, organizers want to see you speak, then they’ll consider hiring you. And, include event and association hashtags.

Do this, and people will remember you. And if you were good, they’ll probably refer you to others in the industry. Making a lasting impression with authentic follow-up and a quick, on-the-spot video can go a long way. Just remember, done is better than perfect.

I’m Robin Samora host of the Fast Marketing Minute. Want to grow your speaker brand? You can get even more tips about public speaking by following my Top 40 Small Business Marketing Blog. Find it at RobinSamora.com/blog. Talk tomorrow!

 

If you’re a public speaker like me, you’re used to having a lavalier mic hooked onto you, but being mic’d up can be a little intimidating, especially after hearing horror stories of people saying something back stage that wasn’t meant to be heard -- or worse, hearing the toilet flush.

So how do you wear a lavalier mic like a pro? Well first of all, make sure you turn it off when you aren’t on stage. Even then, just assume it’s always on. Think before you speak -- or better yet be quiet, and again, stay out of bathrooms. Usually you won’t put on a mic until right before you speak anyway.

Placement is also important. Guys have it easy. Lavaliers are usually affixed to the lapel of a suit jacket or between the buttons of a shirt. Pretty straight forward. For ladies wearing a dress, mics can be clipped to your dress, near the top. Now, if you want to get professional, using moleskin to tape it to your skin near your sternum. That’s a Hollywood trick. Hey, if you don’t know where the sternum is, it’s in the center of your chest. If you’re reading show notes, here’s a link from Wikipedia to help you locate yours.

Next. Make sure you have a sound tech to help out and always double-check that your battery is fully charged, and that the volume is at the correct level before walking on stage. You don’t want to awkwardly unclip your transmitter to adjust these things, especially for us ladies who have them - err - under our clothing. Hopefully you’ve had a sound check to figure out these things ahead of time. If not, ask for one.

And last piece of advice? Just be you.

This is Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. Are you ready to take your speaking career to a level that requires a microphone? We should talk about how to get you there and promote your expertise. Connect with me at RobinSamora.com. Talk tomorrow!

 

Today we’re talking about prepping for a media interview.

It’s exciting to be contacted by the media to be featured as an expert, but it’s also a little scary to be “on the record.” The first way to prepare is to make sure you have a full understanding of why you’re being interviewed. Then you can make sure you’re well-versed on the subject. Sometimes if you ask, the interviewer will give you a few questions ahead of time. But, not always, so always be prepared.

So the reporter asks you a question. Then what. It’s ok to pause for a minute to decide how best to respond, but don’t take forever to answer the question, and please don’t um um um for 30 seconds. Everything you say can end up in print or on TV, so compose yourself to develop a thoughtful answer that’s on point. Which is why you want to practice.

Keep a few important points in mind that you want to make. This will help you stay on topic. You should also try to think ahead of time and jot down one or two good quotes that support your answer. Strong quotes give you credibility and make a reporter’s job easier. It also makes your story more relatable and memorable.

Be prepared to go a little off-topic, too. The interviewer may ask industry questions or want more information about your professional or personal life to round out the story.

The closing of the interview shouldn’t be a call to action, unless you have permission. In that case, don’t be overly promotional. Your expertise is promotion enough. This isn’t an advertorial, so don’t treat it as one.

This is Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. If you need more tips about how to get featured in the media, you can find them on my top 40 small business marketing blog at RobinSamora.com/blog. Talk tomorrow!

 

Despite growing social networks, email marketing is still important as ever, but how can you grow your audience -- especially when you feel like yours is flat?

While it seems like a no-brainer, make sure you have a “join my email list” link on your website. Or a similar phrase that let’s a visitor know they’ll get valuable information. And, be sure to include it on every page. You never know when someone wants to opt-in.

You can also reinforce this concept with an exit pop-up that shows up when someone is about to click out from your website. Think “hey before you leave, let’s stay in touch.”

Offer your potential customers something of value like an exclusive report or insider tips in exchange for their email. For example, people who sign up for my weekly marketing tips, Robin’s Rainmakers, get access to my free report, 10 Best Strategies to Jump Start Your Marketing and Get New Clients.

Promote your exclusive content. Use it as a value-add to build credibility. Put a call-to-action in your cover photos on social media. It’s a lead magnet, to attract your target audience -- so make sure it’s written for them -- not just for you.

And when you speak at events, ask the event host for a list of registrees. Make it part of your speaker terms that they share it with you. And if there’s a presentation, ask for an email address in exchange for the slides.

This is Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. If you need help building your business, download a copy of my free report; 10 Best Strategies to Jump Start Your Marketing and Get New Clients at RobinSamora.com/JumpStart. I’d love to help you grow your business. Talk tomorrow!

Facebook is making a ton of changes. These are the three you really need to care about for your business.

* Facebook has changed how it calculates reach and impressions, so if you’ve seen a decrease, your numbers aren’t really going down. Don’t panic! Take a beat and see how your numbers trend over the next few months.

* You now have more options for ad targeting. You can target users by their interests and behaviors. Then once you reach this specific audience, you can lure them in with a click-through to messenger. Now you have a lead that’s actually reaching out. Bonus: you can integrate messenger with your CRM like HubSpot, Zoho, and Pipedrive. Now their info is yours forever.

* Facebook groups will continue to grow and thrive. If you have a really niche market or a community vibe in your industry, it could work for you and have a big return.

I’m Robin Samora, host of Fast Marketing Minute, I write marketing and action plans for businesses of all sizes. One thing for sure is that they get results.

If you’re looking to grow your business and get more visibility, contact me for a complimentary PR Evaluation. I’m at RobinSamora.com/PREvaluation. Talk tomorrow!

 

Do you want your business or brand to look bigger than you are? What we’re talking about is positioning. Creating an image of having a more powerful persona online and in your industry.

Now, if you feel like you’re living the “fake it til you make it” strategy, stop. Nine times out of ten, in my math anyway, you’ve probably already made it. Kiss the Imposter Syndrome goodbye!

So how do you make your audience see a stronger, more accomplished you or business? Well, first be confident and own your expertise. But don’t be arrogant.

Keep growing your own media channels. Have a well-thought out website and offer valuable content. Streamline your social media by creating a cohesive look across all platforms. Even what you wear should align with your brand -- when you’re not at home in your yoga pants.

Most importantly, have big ideas. I mean big ideas because it all starts from within! Make big goals and make plans to achieve them. Share your goals with others and get them on board. You know deep down you can’t get there alone, so ask for help. From your team, your colleagues, other experts. It’s like crowd-funding -- but with brains!

Create value around yourself and your brand. Give back to your audience with amazing content that provides value. Offer advice when asked. Help others without expecting anything in return.

Now, if you don’t have the resources or skills to build a wide range of service offerings, create partnerships with other companies or people who you can refer the work out to. You can’t possibly do it all. Get some help. Help is a good 4 letter word.

Bottom line, you can start a company by yourself, but you can’t build it all alone.

I’m Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. Do you need some help building your brand? Check out my website at RobinSamora.com and ask about my complimentary PR Evaluation. Talk tomorrow!

 

Have you ever been ready to jump on a video call, webinar or Facebook Live and thought, “geesh, that’s not what I thought I looked like in the mirror!” Believe it or not, there’s a science to looking good on video -- especially when it’s up-close-and-personal.

Here are some quick tips to look your best.

Wear an outfit that fits your brand personality and is in line with your industry. If you wouldn’t normally wear a business suit at a meeting, don’t do it on camera either. Be authentic -- true to who you are.

Clothing really does make a difference, so best advice is to go simple. Avoid prints. They can be distracting and clash with your background. Another tip is to stay away from high-contrast colors.

Camera placement is super important too. Chances are your desk is at waist-level. Great for typing but really bad for your chin. Use a high counter or stack your laptop on some books. You want your webcam to be at eye level. Make sure you look at your camera and not your screen when you’re talking.

Next is lighting.  If you want the best results, close the blinds (if you have them) and set up a couple of desk lamps behind your camera or laptop. Put them on either side of your screen and point them toward your face, so you don’t get any weird shadows.

And as we all know, practice makes perfect-ish. Do a few test runs to find the best lighting, camera placement, and outfit for your next presentation. Then, record it, so you can watch yourself. You may love it, you my hate it, but it’s all part of the process.

This is Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. Invite me to your next webinar, so I learn more about you and see how you apply these tips. Email me at [email protected]. Talk tomorrow!

 

Even the best presentation can be ruined by these 5 public speaking mistakes.

Mistake #1: Reading your slides. Your slides should have images, graphics and maybe a couple short bullets. They should be the headlines - not the copy.

Mistake #2: You don’t practice. Stumbling a bit at the beginning because you’re nervous is different than being completely unprepared. Practice enough times that it’s perfect in your living room, and it will come across as brilliant on stage.

Mistake #3: You over-practice. When you memorize your presentation word-for-word, it will probably seem and sound boring. Be excited about your topic. And don’t be afraid to work a little off-the-cuff. Have your main points, but feed off the tone of the conference or the energy of the room to share the best anecdotes.

Mistake #4: You data dump. Pouring too many stats into a presentation will just overwhelm your audience. Sprinkle 2 or 3 amazing stats that drive home your topic into your presentation.

Mistake #5: You don’t use the right amount of humor. Having a few appropriate jokes keeps the audience engaged. No need to be a class clown or people won’t take you seriously. But humor is a great icebreaker.

This is Robin Samora with the Fast Marketing Minute. If you need help taking your public speaking to the next level, find me on social media at RobinSamoraPR or through email at robinsamora.com. Talk tomorrow.