Ch - Ch - Changes - Website Security - Facebook Business Pages

I'll be the first to admit, I don't like change. I worked for a company where we joked about the only contant was change.  So over the years I learned to go with the flow.  I get used to doing things a certain way and then things change and there's a learning curve to get up back up to speed.  This newsletter is about changes to website security and upcoming changes to Facebook Business Pages.

First let's talk about the change to website security.  From the website 'Wired' comes an article on the changes to unencrypted websites.

NEARLY TWO YEARS ago, Google made a pledge: It would name and shame websites with unencrypted connections, a strategy designed to spur web developers to embrace HTTPS encryption. On July 24th, it finally followed through.

With the launch of Chrome 68, Google now will call out sites with unencrypted connections as "Not Secure" in the URL bar. The move flips the convention of how Chrome displays the security of sites on its head. 

It's a warning worth heeding. Under an unencrypted HTTP connection, any information that you send across the web can be intercepted by a hacker or other bad actor. In extreme cases, like in what are called man-in-the-middle attacks, someone could pose as a destination site-tricking you into handing over your credentials, credit card info, or other sensitive information.

It's not just about making sure that user information is private; it really ensures the integrity of the website."

For what it's worth, Chrome is not alone in posting warnings next to HTTP sites; Firefox has explored it also. Between the two, they hold 73 percent of browser market share. In addition, Google notes that the vast majority of Chrome traffic-76 percent on Android, and 85 percent on ChromeOS-already travels across an HTTPS connection. 

So how do you get your website encrypted?

1. Step 1: Host with a dedicated IP address. In order to provide the best security, SSL certificates require your website to have its own dedicated IP address. ...
2. Step 2: Buy a Certificate. ...
3. Step 3: Activate the certificate. ...
4. Step 4: Install the certificate. ...
5. Step 5: Update your site to use HTTPS.

For the complete explanation and 'how to,' click here.

Now for the next subject, the changes to the templates for Facebook Business Pages.

If you have a Facebook Business page or are the administrator for one, you've probably already received notice that as of August 23rd your template for your business page will more than likely change, depending on what type of page you currently have.  The good news is, you don't have to wait, you can go ahead and be proactive and make the change now.

Here is a short 4 minute video that explains the change and the options:

Need help?  Give me a call and we'll figure out which one best suits your business.

I hope you have found this to be helpful. Your comments are welcomed and appreciated.

To Your Success,

Annette

Painted Lady Enterprises

'Helping You and Your Business Look Good'

DIY Marketing

This month is 'Do It Yourself Marketing' Month.  So what is your marketing strategy?  Do you do it yourself or do you have someone else doing it for you?  Or a combination of both?  Either way, do you know what is working?  If not, that should be your first action item.  Start tracking what's working and what's not.  This will save you lots of money over time.

Below are some strategies for marketing that I recommend.  I believe they will work for most any business.

• Know Your Target Market.  Get very specific.  Who can use your products and services?   Consider the demographics of your perfect client.  Often times the more specific you can be about your perfect referral, the better the chances of receiving a referral.

• Networking is a great way to market your business and build relationships in order to gain business.  It is recommended to be part of a closed networking group like BNI (one industry represented per Chapter) and 2 open networking groups (multiple of the same industry), i.e. The Chamber of Commerce, Business Alliance, etc. and perhaps a service group like Kiwanis, Rotary, etc.  Building relationships by seeing the same people over time creates visibility which builds creditability in order to receive word-of-mouth referrals.

• Keep in touch with prospects and clients.  Not everyone you meet may need your product or service right now, but if you stay in touch with them, perhaps in the future if they have a need, you will be top of mind because you kept in touch and will be the one they call or refer.  In my a previous blog, I covered tips for Customer Loyalty which gave information and tips.
• Methods for keeping in touch include Social Media, Newsletters, Greeting Cards, Phone Calls, drop by visits, etc.

• Marketing Materials that represent you, your products, and services well.  Make sure your branding and message is consistent across all platforms.  Whether you are marketing face to face or online ensure your logo, photos, tag line, colors, are consistent.  You can be a one person show, but the little things can make you look like the 'big guys.'

• Track Everything.  Go back through your last 6 to 12 months of business and determine where the business came from.  And depending on the answer would determine where to focus more.  Ask each new client, how did you find us?  Let the stats drive your future marketing efforts.  

 Much of this you can do yourself, but do you have the time and the skill set?  It's always best to consider what you do best and like and enjoy doing and delegate the rest.

I hope you have found this to be helpful. Your comments are welcomed and appreciated.

To Your Success,

Annette

Painted Lady Enterprises

'Helping You and Your Business Look Good'

Customer Loyalty and Relationship Marketing

This month is International Customer Loyalty Month.  It is said that it takes 5 to 25 times more time and money (depending on which reports you read) to gain a new customer vs. working to retain the ones we have.

Statistics say that if a business retains only 5% of their customer base, it can increase their business by 50%.  Why?  Because loyal happy customers will keep buying and will refer new business.

68% of all customers are lost due to perceived indifference! A customer who feels appreciated will not go elsewhere when the competition comes calling.  They will remain loyal rather than go shopping for price.

Repeat customers spend 67 percent more. They are your referral engine.  After 10 purchases, a customer has typically already referred up to 7 people.

Giving Great Customer service = Good Business

Having Customer Loyalty = Great Business!

So why work harder when we can work smarter by continuously showing our current customers appreciation.  To keep relationships strong, businesses need to regularly remind clients that they are important to them. They also need to remind them who they are, what they do, what services they offer, and why they are their best choice for their product or service. Busy people tend to choose the fastest solution to a problem. By keeping in touch, a company makes themselves stand apart from the rest of the crowd and their clients are more apt to call them the next time they need their product or service.  Social media is a good way to remain visible to prospects and clients.  Email marketing is also good way to remind prospects and clients you are still around and in business.  But doing something more personal sets a business apart from the rest.  From page 115 of The 29% Solution ..."Good follow-up is not just doing what is required or what you've promised to do.  It also involves going BEYOND what is expected. 

Tradition says greeting cards are personal. Greeting cards have a traditional feeling of warmth and sincerity; our culture maintains that greeting cards are personal and are sent from someone with whom there is a relationship. In a world of impersonal form letters and mass email, memorable greeting cards are a refreshing marketing tool that will add a personal and memorable touch to the interaction with clients. By incorporating greeting cards into a retention strategy, the message is being sent to the client that an important relationship exists.

I invite you to check out a true referral system that is simple and easy.  SendOutCards has completely overhauled their system adding many new features making it is easier than ever to follow up and show prospects and clients real appreciation.  No more points.  No more expense account.  Just pay for the cards and gifts you send.  Try it out today.  It now works similar to an ITunes account.  Set up a Free account and see all the new features.  Or if you’ve ever had an account, it’s still there.  Download the app and even send cards from your mobile device.  Here’s the link  www.RelationshipMarketingMadeEZ.com  Click on ‘Business’ to see all the new features, i.e. premade drip campaigns for various industries.  A contact manager system that is some people pay hundreds of dollars for and it doesn’t send cards.  Or I can send you a short video that explains all the new features.  And I would be happy to talk with you and show you all the new features.  What ever is easiest for you, I’m here to help.

“We must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference, ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up to big differences that we often cannot foresee.”

                                                                                 - Marian Wright-Edelman

Happy Keeping in Touch,

Annette

Painted Lady Enterprises

‘Helping My Clients and Their Business Look Good’

Social Media Platforms - Which Ones to Use

Why post on Social Media?  To create visibility and awareness about you, your products, and/or services.

Which platforms should I use?  It depends on your target market and demographics.  In order to know where to post, you have to know who your best clients are.  Who can use your products or services?  And don’t say anybody, everybody, anyone, everyone, because not all those folks have money to buy your products or services even if they could/should use it.  So, think in terms of age group, locale, industry, income, interests, etc.  The better you can narrow this down, the better you will know which platform to use for Social Media.

Let’s look at the major ones – Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat.

According to a recent report by http://www.pewinternet.org, Facebook is still the leader with 68% of Americans having Facebook accounts.   74% of those with Facebook accounts say they check their accounts at least once per day.  51% say they check their accounts more than twice per day.

While not a traditional social media platform, YouTube is used by 73% of U.S. adults and 98% are 18 – 24 year olds.

For younger adults 18 to 24, Instagram is viewed as the platform of choice with 71% and 45% using Twitter.  And for this age group 78% use Snapchat.

Pinterest is substantially more popular with women at 41% and men at 16%.

LinkedIn remains popular with college students and high-income households at 50%.

The bottom line is seven of 10 Americans use some form of social media.  Defining your target market for your products and services will determine where to focus your social media efforts. 

Below are two sites with a more in depth look at the numbers/reports.

Reference:  http://www.pewinternet.org/2018/03/01/social-media-use-in-2018/

Fact Sheet from 2017 on Social Media use: http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheet/social-media/

My questions when determining which platforms to use:  Which ones do you currently use?  You’re probably interacting with friends and like-minded people already, so it makes it easier to post and manage.  If you can link other accounts to what you already use, that’s like getting a freebie.  For instance, linking Facebook to Twitter and/or Instagram to Facebook.  I say use what you can easily post to and don’t rule any out any just because the numbers may say differently.   

And/or if you’re outsourcing your social media, cover as much and as many as your budget will allow.  Personally, my favorites are Facebook (link it to Twitter), YouTube if you like to do/can and want to do videos, Instagram if you have a visual product/service, and LinkedIn to post your professional resume. 

I hope you have found this to be helpful.  Your comments are welcomed and appreciated.

Sincerely,

Annette

Painted Lady Enterprises

‘Helping You and Your Business Look Good’

Starting a New Business

Tips, Tools, Recommendations, and Things to Consider.

So, you think you want to start a business.  Be your own boss. You have a great idea for a product or service.  Being your own boss can be fulling and satisfying, but before jumping in, here are some tips, tools,* and recommendations* to consider. 

(* I have referenced people, businesses, tools, books, etc. in this article which I recommend.  Also, see the reference list at the end of the article and yes some are affiliate links).

-        Do your due diligence.  Whether you think you have a new idea for a product or service or a new twist on a current product or service – Research.  Ask questions.  Talk to the business owners who are currently doing what you want to do.  Find out the pros and cons.  Especially the cons.  Perhaps talk to a business consultant or a business coach.

-       Target Market.  Who’s going to buy your product or service?  Not who needs it, but who has the money to buy.  There may be people who need your product/service, but not have the means to buy it.  Get very detailed and specific with the demographic you wish to target.  This will help you with your marketing plan. 

-        Create a business plan.  Think about it.  Would you build a house without a plan?  A business plan is creating your vision.  All the steps to get your business up and running to the day to day operations.  If you’re a ‘big picture’ kind of person, then have someone who thinks about the details to help you. 

-        All the Legal Stuff.  How should you set up your business?  What permits are needed?  Trademarks?  Copyrights?  Licenses?  Best to consult a business attorney or a CPA.

-        Company Structure.  Think of your business as you as the bus driver.  Where are you going, and do you need help and if so when and how much?  Will you need full-time employees or part time contractors?  Seasonal help?  Outsourcing?  Virtual help?  When considering who will help, consider what you do best and delegate the rest to the best possible source.  You can’t know it all or do it all.

-        Financing.  Whether you’re buying a franchise or starting from scratch, ‘it takes money to make money.’  How much is it going to take to get up and running?  How long is the expectation before the business shows enough profit to be self-sustaining?  Equipment cost?  Marketing?  Salary for yourself and wages for help?  Office space?  Merchant Services?   And the list goes on.  Even if you start out as a one-person solopreneur, all these costs need to be a consideration.  Talk to a financial advisor well versed in business startups.  Also, consider a business loan rather than use your life savings.  

-        Keeping it all Straight.  Bookkeeping is a must so that you maximize all your finances and take advantage of all tax benefits.  Intuit Quickbooks is great to ensure all the I’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed. 

-        Marketing.  Getting ready to make your debut and putting your best foot forward.  It’s important to ensure all your marketing elements are in place, i.e. your website, social media, business cards, brochures, signage etc. Whether you are a brick and mortar business, or your office is in your home or your vehicle, you want to ensure your professional image is represented well across all platforms.

-        Networking.  Getting the word out and meeting the right people who want you to succeed as much as you do is very important.  In today’s market, it’s not enough just to build a website and hang out a sign, especially if you’re not the only ‘mousetrap’ in town.  And we would all prefer a warm referral rather than a cold lead.  One of the oldest and best networking organizations is Business Network International.   I also highly recommend ‘The Networking Guru’ by James Barber.  It is a good short read and explains the basics of networking to build relationships in order to build a business.  In fact, James has written a 2^nd book, ‘The Networking Guru – The Next Level’ that also goes over some of the other aspects mentioned above, i.e. business plan, business coach, networking, etc.   I recommend reading his second book first.  It’s more about setting up the infrastructure for a business to succeed.

Yes, there are a lot of things to consider starting a business.  It can be very scary as well as exciting and rewarding.  Seek out those who are doing what you want to do and who are successful.  Pick their brain.  And be sure and ask the question, ‘What do you wish someone had told you before you started your business?’  Learn from those who have gone before you.

To Your Success,

Annette

Painted Lady Enterprises

‘Helping You and Your Business Look Good’

Resources Referenced in this article:

Business Coach – Russ Young with Action Coach

CPA – Robin Rudisill, CPA with Kenneth D. Rogers, CPA

Staffing - Kim Holland – KC Staffing Solutions

Virtual Assistant for Relationship Marketing, Social Media, Email Marketing, Admin Services, Basic WordPress Website – Annette Mason – Painted Lady Enterprises

Banker – Joy Riddle – Bank of the Ozarks

Bookkeeping/Invoicing – Intuit Quickbooks

Merchant Services – Randy Amerson – Netcom PaySystem

Website Domains and Hosting – www.DomainsMadeEZ.com

Signage – Alpharetta Sign Company

Networking – Business Network International – BNI.com or for Georgia – BNIATL.com

Books – James Barber – The Networking Guru – Traits of Champion Networkers and The Networking Guru – The Next Level

Need other recommendations?  Please let me know.  I would be glad to provide a reliable source for you.