StartupNation

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• Take the Time to Avoid These Costly, Common Social Media Mistakes
• Business Basics: 10 Best Organizational Apps To Help Startups
• Why The Traditional Strategic Annual Plan is Failing You
• What is Social Audio and How Can it Boost Your Business?
• WJR Business Beat: Top Marketing Channel in 2022? Email (Episode 351)

Take the Time to Avoid These Costly, Common Social Media Mistakes Posted: 25 Jan 2022 09:00 PM PST Building a thriving social media presence doesn't happen overnight, and the most common mistakes revolve around attempting to boost your reach and engagement too quickly. These blunders can cost you followers, customers and credibility. Fortunately, these mistakes are avoidable. Read on to discover how to put your best foot forward as you break into the realm of social media. Social media mistake #1: Using templates You may be tempted to use templates to create your social media content. Free programs like Canva are handy when churning out content, and there's no denying they make the job easier. The problem is that they are so widely used that everyone's content starts to  look the same. When templates first hit the Internet, they looked fresh and inspired, but in no time at all, the same tired graphics are popping up all across the web. It doesn't take long before viewers write these posts off as unprofessional and mass produced. As a content creator, you want to stand out from the crowd. Premade templates make your content look  unoriginal. When posting social media content, quality always trumps quantity. Share only your best content, even if that means less of it goes out overall. Quality posts resonate with your audience. Over time, your reach and engagement will increase. If you are hard-pressed for time and tempted to try a template, try the next best thing. Take inspiration from the template, but craft your own graphic. 9 Steps for Building Your Brand on Social Media for Respect, Recognition, Results and Revenue Social media mistake #2: Creating content across multiple niches Creating content across multiple niches may broaden your audience base, but mass-producing the information without custom tailoring it to each niche comes across as lazy. Each social media platform has a different audience. If you don't take time to figure out who you're talking to and how to address them, you appear out of touch and unrelatable. Additionally, posting content to multiple platforms requires a substantial amount of extra time. Each social media platform you become active on involves new followers to engage with and new content to upload. Because the audience on each platform expects different things from your content, it's a good idea to create entirely new content for each. If you're blasting the same content to platforms you haven't thoroughly researched, you're bound to be getting less than optimal outcomes. Exploring each niche upfront seems like a lot of effort, but improved results will validate the investment over the long haul. 7 Simple Reasons Your Social Posts Are Falling Flat Social media mistake #3: Using growth hacks to boost social media presence Yes, some content creators go viral overnight, but building a social media presence takes time, dedication and commitment for most people. Many people try to circumvent the process by using growth hacks. At first glance, bots make your account look phenomenal. Each time you post, hundreds of comments pop into your feed, "Great post! Nice picture! Great comment!" Likes and followers appear out of nowhere. Not surprisingly, tons of people buy followers to boost their numbers. Many people even appear to have success with this shortcut. The problem arises when people take a look at your profile. It's not difficult to determine real followers from bot accounts. Once you try this tactic, you lose the credibility you built with real people. In all honesty, isn't it real people you're trying to reach in the first place? Automating engagement strikes followers as inauthentic and fake. In the long run, growth hacks like this only serve to damage your online presence. Social media mistake #4: Perfectionism Many people use social media to curate their highlights. They think people will only follow them if they are picture-perfect and scripted. Believe it or not, this approach can make you appear dull and unoriginal. While everyone thinks they want perfection, staring it in the face can be a bit of a turnoff. People often garner more success when they are seen as human. Content creators who make mistakes, have bad days or flub a line every once in a while are relatable. Relatability and authenticity on social media translate into followers. Take time to prepare professional content, be an expert on your topic and use the best equipment you can get your hands on, but don't get hung up on perfection. Being yourself is far better than being perfect when it comes to social media. The biggest takeaway for new content creators is pacing. Social media success is attainable, but it only comes with effort, creativity, originality, dedication and commitment. Avoid templates, untailored content across multiple niches, and growth hacks. Stick to quality content that allows you to show your authentic brand to the world. The post Take the Time to Avoid These Costly, Common Social Media Mistakes appeared first on StartupNation.

Business Basics: 10 Best Organizational Apps To Help Startups Posted: 25 Jan 2022 09:00 PM PST The creation of mobile apps has changed the way we live and work. They've enabled us to do take on a range of daily tasks, including instant messaging, file sharing, to-do lists, online banking and more. They've also made running a business much easier by allowing business owners to undertake tasks on the go and always stay connected with organizational apps. So, if you've recently started a business and you're looking for some apps to make your life easier, this article is for you. Below, we've put together a list of 10 of the best apps to help you stay organized and keep your startup running smoothly. 1. Microsoft To Do If you love writing a to-do list and often have multiple lists on the go, the Microsoft To Do app is a lifesaver. You can use the app to create lists, set reminders, keep track of notes and even sign voice notes to specific tasks for extra detail. Using this app, you'll get all the satisfaction of a paper list, but without having to carry your notepad around with you. You can access your lists on your phone, laptop, tablet or desktop at any time. 2. Calendly Have you ever double-booked yourself or perhaps forgotten about a meeting entirely? If so, you know that juggling multiple times, dates and events can be stressful and confusing. But thanks to Calendly, it doesn't have to be. Calendly allows you to send a link to recipients showing your availability, and they can choose a time that's convenient for them. It is then added directly to your calendar. This way, you will never miss a meeting or important event again. StartupNation exclusive discounts and savings on Dell products and accessories: Learn more here 3. LastPass If you find that you're always setting and forgetting passwords and going through the painstaking and irritating steps of setting up another one, LastPass is the app for you. This handy app is the ideal way for you to keep all your passwords safe and in one easy-to-access location. This way, you don't have to remember multiple passwords for your various work and personal accounts. This can make things much quicker and easier when trying to go about your working day. 4. Trello If you need a hand with project management, Trello is a great organizational app that is fun and flexible. You can create multiple boards, lists and cards where you can set tasks and add notes. You can also share your boards and tag others on your notes when you need to, making collaboration much easier. And if you've got deadlines, you can set completion dates on your cards to help keep you on track. The system is simple and easy to use, with drag and drop functionality, and it helps you to keep on top of projects and other work-related tasks. 5. Evernote As a new business owner, it might feel like you're trying to juggle a thousand tasks at once, which can get a little stressful. Evernote is an app and cloud-based system that helps you stay on top of almost every thought and task you need to keep track of. The app is essentially made up of virtual sticky notes and is a place where you can create to-do lists, record voice notes/memos, scan business cards, receipts, documents and more. This way, you can keep a record of everything and anything. This helps you to clear your mind and means you have a safe and easy space to store and find all the information you need to run your business smoothly. 6. Google Tasks Like Microsoft To Do, Google Tasks is another popular task management system that allows you to keep on top of your tasks and to-do lists. Best of all, you can integrate the app with your Gmail and synchronize this across all your devices, so you can access your tasks and lists from anywhere at any time. 7. Slack If your startup is run by a small team, the Slack app is a great way to help everyone stay organized and connected, allowing them to work and collaborate seamlessly. And the great news is, if your team is small enough, you can actually use the system for free. The app allows users to send instant messages, share files, write to-do lists and set reminders. The app can also be easily integrated with other systems that your business might use, such as Google Drive, Dropbox and Mailchimp. 8. DocuSign When you're trying to work on the go or from different mobile devices, there are times when it can feel like you are still limited, despite the sheer number of apps out there. One such issue that business owners have faced in recent years is being able to collect or share signatures via mobile devices. For example, you might need to get a client's signature to complete an agreement or sign off on a contract for hiring a new employee. Whatever the case may be, DocuSign allows you to stay on top of your work when meeting in person to get a signature is not an option. 9. Quickbooks Quickbooks is a great accounting app for startups that allows you to keep on top of payments, invoices and expenses. It connects your business to your bank, PayPal and other payment systems and can be used to track or pay invoices, pay your employees, upload photos of receipts and even track your company's financial well-being. What's more, it gives you access to real-time data, so not only can you stay organized and on top of invoices and payments, but you can also access profit and loss reports at any time. 10. Time Timer Finally, when you're trying to stay organized and productive, having a to-do list can be great, but then you still need to find the motivation to get going and actually tick things off. Timer apps, sometimes referred to as productivity apps, allow you to set aside blocks of time in your day to tackle certain tasks. This means that during your set time, you focus solely on the task at hand and don't try to juggle anything else. Time Timer is one such app that helps you to set timers and reminders, stay productive and meet deadlines. Those that practice working in time blocks often find they are much more productive than those who don't. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready: Help for small businesses Big news. StartupNation and Verizon are bringing something special to all small business owners. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready is a free resource for learning basic business skills, the latest digital technology and more. Sign up now. Download more information HERE. The post Business Basics: 10 Best Organizational Apps To Help Startups appeared first on StartupNation.

Why The Traditional Strategic Annual Plan is Failing You Posted: 25 Jan 2022 09:00 PM PST For small to mid-sized enterprises, the annual strategic planning process can be fraught with frustration. On one hand, it is acknowledged that the most accepted best practice for a business to go from their vision to achieving their stated result, for example, grow revenue by 5x over 24 months with existing resources and infrastructure, is tied to the creation and implementation of a strategic document, like the annual plan or the large PowerPoint, that has all the supporting initiatives and tasks embedded within. On the other hand, those traditional methods are just static words on a page, and it is nearly impossible to observe the cause-and-effect relationship that comes from making daily decisions and to see how those decisions impact the likelihood of achieving critical goals, milestones and KPIs.  Additionally, the research is clear, there is a staggering high failure rate of 70% for small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) when they attempt to go from vision to result. Why? For most, the dream of entrepreneurism starts with an idea.  The classic "build a better mousetrap." With that idea comes a flood of creativity on how to put that idea into motion. That becomes the vision of the company. The energy flows white-hot as management begins to envision what it is that the company wants to achieve, i.e., their desired outcome. Soon objectives and tasks follow on how to tactfully take the vision and turn it into results. That stage is execution. For most, the vision, goals and execution get memorialized within a report and the work begins to make it a reality. As the process begins, too often the vision gets lost, the execution plan stalls and the likelihood of reaching those desired outcomes become more and more fleeting.  Why? Too often the vision gets lost, the execution plan stalls and the likelihood of reaching those desired outcomes become more and more fleeting.  Why? Entrepreneurs are constantly bombarded with both known as well as unpredicted issues that impact the enterprise. These issues, or "daily fires," can easily evolve to become a vampire, draining time, resources and energy for management and the enterprise. And it is becoming more common for management and their teams that their days distill down to fighting fires versus executing their strategic plan so that they can achieve their desired result. This paradigm is supported by the fact that lower-performing teams spend 83% more time fighting fires. Management is all too aware that it is the fires, the competitors, the changing market, the resource constraints, the work that is done and the work that is not done that impact the direction the enterprise travels. Common Mistakes Entrepreneurs Make in Their Business Journey The problem with the traditional strategic planning method is that it has no way of depicting all these forces in real time. If there is no easy way to adjust and realign the plan to address today's needs, then there is a greater chance that the lack of actionable intelligence is placing management in an inferior position to execute effectively. Today, it is hard to imagine jumping into your car for a long trip, to an unfamiliar destination, without first entering your destination address into a GPS. We rely on GPS to provide us with the turn-by-turn directions to ensure that we are on the right route to get to our desired destination in the most efficient way, rerouting when traffic, accidents or the unknown impair our ability to arrive on time. Long gone are the days of unfolding the road map, choosing your route and just driving. Yet, that is exactly what too many SMBs do when it comes to their strategic planning process. They are stuck relying on an inert document that has no way to reflect the circumstances of the moment. For the SMB, the traditional annual strategic planning process often does not provide a positive ROI on the time and capital invested. It is becoming more common for management and their teams that their days distill down to fighting fires versus executing their strategic plan. The one cold hard truth that every entrepreneur knows is that at the end of the day, the work must get done. There are only so many hours in the day and the choice is clear, revenue producing activities take precedent over the time-consuming process of updating the strategic plan, even though ironically, the strategic plan is vital to achieving your stated result. The research also collaborates what it takes to create, and then constantly update, the traditional plan is often an arduous and frustrating process and is a driving reason why now is the time to retire the traditional strategic plan. With a new year, comes new thinking. Like the retirement of the traditional road map, it is time to retire the inert strategic document. In its place, it is time to implement a rolling, ongoing, short- and long-term plan that allows management to see how today's circumstances and decisions impact both the desired short- and long-term goals. In doing so, management will be in the best position to make adjustments in real time as needed and to ensure that those adjustments become aligned throughout the organization, which allows  management to both manage the daily fires while at the same time making sure that the strategic plan provides the best path to achieve the desired result. When building a rolling and dynamic strategic plan it is essential to construct a solid foundation upon which to build. When assembling that foundation, it is key to implement a "work backwards" methodology that will help identify and explain the cause-and-effect relationships within the decision paradigm of the enterprise. The following six steps provide a pathway forward to begin the process to transform your static strategic document. Step 1: Illustrate how the business creates value. At my company, Execution360, we like to start with a flowchart. Keep it simple, clean, concise, and coherent. A flowchart will begin the process of understanding your enterprise visually. Step 2:  Think about the key metrics (for example revenue, profit, customer satisfaction, marketing success, close rate, team skills, systems, etc.) that you can use to map out how the organization works. Then score the organization on each metric (Green=good, Yellow=ok, Red=poor). Be quantitative where possible and qualitative where needed. Step 3: Write down the high-level business goals, short and long term. Consider first the mission/vision of the enterprise. Ask the questions that need to be answered, for example, what are the goals that if achieved will deliver on that mission? Step 4: During this step, you want to identify the objectives that if achieved will deliver on the goals. Before you write them down, look at the flowchart and the performance of each metric. Which metrics are most important, and what objectives will help improve the performance of those metrics?  The objectives should be a combination of what will deliver on the goals and what will improve the key metrics. If possible, score the objective based on the metrics that affect it. Step 5: Create the projects and tasks that will deliver on the objective. Examples of questions that need to be explored. To create accountability, make clear who is in charge of each project and task and when it should be completed by. Step 6:  On a periodic and as-needed basis, update the scores and ranking of the metrics and see how it is affecting the objectives. To keep the plan current, a good rule of thumb is to review at minimum twice per month.  Continue to review the results; are the projects and tasks effectively advancing the objectives?  At my company, we developed technology to automate this step. The following is a link to a process flow diagram. There are a myriad of reasons why management and employees both dislike the strategic review process.  The most reoccurring reason is that the strategic review topics are disconnected from the organization's current circumstance. However, if the organization is tracking strategy and executing properly and the plan is up-to-date, then having a review meeting can happen on demand with very little preparation. It should be as easy as pulling up a report that consolidates the strategic items for that employee or team and reviewing their performance and the impact it has on achieving key milestones and KPIs. A rolling, ongoing, short- and long-term plan will provide management with a clear understanding of how it creates value and how it is performing.  Remember, it is much easier to make good decisions when those decisions are based on the most current actionable intelligence derived from within the enterprise itself. The post Why The Traditional Strategic Annual Plan is Failing You appeared first on StartupNation.

What is Social Audio and How Can it Boost Your Business? Posted: 25 Jan 2022 09:00 PM PST We're entering a new golden age — one of social audio. Talking and tuning into discussions on social audio has become the equivalent of posting on your Instagram and LinkedIn feeds. Clubhouse couldn't have come at a better time. The platform launched in April 2020 with the air of invite-only exclusivity as the world went into lockdown. It was welcomed with open arms by a captive global audience yearning for human connection without Zoom fatigue. The number of social media mentions jumped from 400,000 during its launch to December 2020 to 4.9 million during the first quarter of 2021. The popularity of social audio continues to grow and now includes Twitter Spaces, Spotify, Discord and Reddit. StartupNation exclusive discounts and savings on Dell products and accessories: Learn more here (Talkwalker data shows that announcements of new audio social networks captured the audience's attention, but Clubhouse continues to be the most discussed of all) What does this mean for entrepreneurs? It means more opportunities to build community, thought leadership, develop your brand and become customer-centric. The global pandemic forever changed the ways that businesses and consumers interact. The expectations are high, and the channels for communication now include social audio. In fact, 82% of respondents to Talkwalker's State of Conversation survey reported changes in the importance of consumer and market intelligence for their brand since the start of the pandemic. While COVID-19 has boosted digital interactions, consumers have been looking for more human interaction and support in their brand experiences. Consumers expect a human element to their interactions with brands on the social platforms they frequent. Now is the time for businesses to adapt or get left behind. Many of the same rules that apply to traditional social media platforms hold true when getting started on social audio. Here are some tips to make the most of this new medium and have fun while doing it: Pick just one — at least for now When getting started, pick the one social audio platform that will best allow you to reach your target audience. Take a step back and assess who you want to reach and where they spend their time. Are you looking to connect with a general audience or are you after a niche community that frequents a specific social audio platform? If you have a large Twitter following, focus your efforts on Twitter Spaces rather than starting from scratch on another platform. Related: Clubhouse Explained and 4 Reasons Why Entrepreneurs Should Find an Invite Be consistent Consistency matters, especially when building your social media engagement strategy. Be consistent about your message and frequency as well as the timing of your presence. If you’re an expert in finance, make that the overarching topic of your sessions. Share insights, advice and your experiences as an entrepreneur with listeners. Select the same day and time each week to schedule your Clubhouse Room or Spaces session. Before you know it, scheduling your sessions will become a regular routine, and the same goes for followers who add you to their routines. Create an experience Why do people enjoy social audio so much? The main reason why people like these new platforms is they allow for good conversations, thanks to their live format. Other drivers are special guests or celebrities who can sometimes enter these chats and engage with listeners. Tap into your network, and invite a special guest to discuss trending topics in your industry during your next session. Make it a point to also be a guest on others' Spaces or Rooms. Think of this as the social audio equivalent of a guest blog post. Make some noise If a tree falls in the forest and there's no one around to hear it, does it make a noise? Be sure to make some noise around your new presence on social audio. Promote your sessions on traditional social channels or send an email to your newsletter subscribers with details on where to find you. Incentivize attendees with giveaways, the opportunity to ask questions, access to exclusive information and other creative forms of engagement. Set goals, measure and iterate Social audio platforms currently do not offer measurement tools. That means you need to measure your efforts and set goals on your own. On Clubhouse, aspire to start your own club, which is a group tailored to a specific topic or interest. Clubs require platform approval and can be submitted for approval once you've hosted a room three times. Below are a few key metrics to track: Determine how many people you want to reach over time, and take note of your followers and growth each week and quarter. Keep track of engagement by noting how many people stay for a full broadcast and how many drop off and when. Are you seeing any trends? If so, it may be time to mix up your content and strategy. Sign Up: Receive the StartupNation newsletter! Listen and learn Listening and responding to customers' needs is key to the success of any business. Participating in a new social media platform gives you access to your very own focus group. It allows you to tap into customers’ expectations, experiences, preferences and aversions. Brands that listen to consumers and understand the voice of the customer will benefit from competitive advantages. The brands that take insights and turn them into action will stand out in a crowded marketplace, build brand loyalty and retain customers. Key takeaways for social audio success All good ideas need planning and strategy to become successful ones. Prioritize your content engagement strategy and take an iterative approach as you dive into this new world. Before going all in, spend time on the platforms you're considering. Follow others, and take note of the things that stand out to you across different spaces and rooms. Your throughout approach and early adoption will pay off. Originally published July 9, 2021.  The post What is Social Audio and How Can it Boost Your Business? appeared first on StartupNation.

WJR Business Beat: Top Marketing Channel in 2022? Email (Episode 351) Posted: 25 Jan 2022 11:42 AM PST On today’s Business Beat, Jeff Sloan talks about why small business marketers in 2022 believe that email is the top go-to channel to use. Tune in to the Business Beat below to learn more:   Tune in to News/Talk 760 AM WJR weekday mornings at 7:11 a.m. for the WJR Business Beat. Listeners outside of the Detroit area can listen live HERE. Are you an entrepreneur with a great story to share? If so, contact us at editor@startupnation.com and we'll feature you on an upcoming segment of the WJR Business Beat!   WJR Business Beat Transcript Good morning, Paul! So many bases to cover if you’re a small business owner. You’ve got to produce whatever it is that your company sells. You’ve got to find the right distribution channels and partners. And of course, you’ve got to get the word out. You have to market and create awareness leading to interest, which ultimately leads to sales. So how are small businesses doing that these days? Well, here it is Paul. Small business marketers in 2022 believe that email is the top go-to channel to use in 2022. The new Traffic Trend study just released by e-commerce platform ClickBank indicates that roughly 28% of marketers will focus on email as their top choice. Now, Facebook marketing comes in a close second at 25%, dropped a bit, no less still in second, and thn 17% will focus on Google and YouTube. So why has email risen as king today? Well, here are a couple of reasons among many. First, while emails are sent out en masse, of course, there are amazing tools now available to marketers that allow you to facilitate personalization with each individual customer. For example, you can address each customer by name and provide specific content, which targets each customer’s individual purchase behaviors and preferences, and this leads to tighter relationships and that leads to more business. Second, you can showcase your expertise. Emails do more than offering promotions and deals these days. The best marketers use email as part of a content marketing strategy. If your business sells fishing poles, you’ll provide content on key things to look for when purchasing a pole where the fish are biting these days. And what bait is hooking the big one. When you do this, your customers find value in reading your emails and you can mix in subtle promotions and deals alongside the content, and they build confidence as a result of you showcasing your expertise. And third, you can use email as a means to collect really high value data on your customers, especially in today’s world of tighter privacy regulations. That is gold. So, there you have it, Paul. The best marketers this year focused on email first and for a good reason. And if you’ve got a small business and you’re tasked with marketing, go with the email. I’m Jeff Sloan, founder and CEO of startupnation.com, and that’s today’s Business Beat on the Great Voice of the Great Lakes, WJR. The post WJR Business Beat: Top Marketing Channel in 2022? Email (Episode 351) appeared first on StartupNation.

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