How To Market Without Spending Money

How To Market Without Spending Money

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How To Market Without Spending Money

How To Market Without Spending Money
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When we start our journey as entrepreneurs we often times don’t have a huge marketing budget or any marketing budget at all for that matter.  Your amazing idea takes a lot more time and money than you first realized. Investing in your business is one of the best things you can do, however sometimes you have to get creative when you are first starting out. If you are willing to invest your time, you can learn How To Market Without Spending Money.

It is true that money can help your business grow faster. You can reach a larger audience quicker by spending money on ads, promotions, and marketing. However, there is no better way to grow your audience organically than putting yourself out there when building your brand. Learning to be intentional with your time and targeting your ideal clients is something you can do for free. Try to be original and different to set yourself apart from your competition.

 

Today I am going to share some of my favorite ways to market by spending little to no money.

GIVE

The more you give the more you receive. Make it part of your practice (even when you start to make money) to give, give, and give some more. This strategy is one I have used for years and  have seen a huge return. Clients/customers love getting things for free. Offer your clients something free on a regular basis. This can be a service or a free download. You want your ideal clients to keep checking in. You goal is to become memorable. They might not use your service/product today but when they are ready, you want them to think of you.

 

Think of creative things you can give your audience. A downloadable printable, e-book, free guide, or course. No matter what you give, make sure it is valuable; this will help you build trust. Remember when you give something away in your business that you try to get an email. Your goal is to get potential clients in your funnel so you can nurture the relationships and build the know, like, and trust factor.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media can be a great way to communicate with your audience and build a strong brand. It can take a lot of time to manage the various platforms and our efforts to expand our reach are getting more challenging. But it’s free! It doesn’t cost to post and even if your reach isn’t what you want it to be, clients still love interacting with businesses this way.

 

There are so many social media platforms available. Choose 1-2 platforms that your ideal client uses and consistently show up. When you feel like you have a handle on those, add more platforms to your workflow. It is a numbers game—the more you post, the more likely your audience will see you.

 

Engage with your audience and start building relationships. Your audience will grow organically and relationships will develop. If you are investing time and don’t see a lot of growth, reevaluate and try a different platform. Social media can be a full-time job so make sure you create time boundaries to ensure you are working on other parts of your business as well. As your business starts to grow, consider outsourcing some of your social media.

BLOG

Starting a blog cost very little upfront and it is one of the best tools you can use for marketing. Creating a blog is a great way to position yourself as an expert, but also serve your clients with useful information. Providing useful information helps strengthen your brand. Your blog has potential for growth and opportunity. It can help create a community for your business.

Your blog can become a hub that your audience will visit and revisit to learn, get inspired, and connect. Your blog is managed by you, and you have complete control over that space. When you are consistent about producing valuable content, it can be one of your most valuable marketing tools.

PINTEREST

Pinterest is not only a place to get great ideas, but it is an awesome marketing tool. Next to Google, Pinterest is one of the best visual search engines available. Sharing your work through pins is a great way of marketing.

 

People use the search bar to find anything and everything. If they find what they are looking for they re-pin it to their own boards, which in turn gives you more exposure. When people discover one of your pins and click on it, it redirects them to your website to find more information.

 

Remember that Pinterest is a visual platform so use beautiful and appealing imagery and graphics to attract people. Be strategic with your keywords and participate in group boards. Consider using the Tailwind App to improve your reach and gain exposure.

NEWSLETTER LIST

If you don’t have an email or newsletter list, start one today!  Email marketing is a great way to stay connected with people. With the ever-changing algorithms of social media, email has become a more reliable method of connecting with your audience.

Once you have started your newsletter list, be consistent and leverage that resource. You don’t have to send out an email just when you are trying to sell something. Use it to build a relationship and then when the time comes to sell, your audience will be more likely to purchase or invest.

 

Your newsletter doesn’t have to be long or complicated. Your goal is to create value while building trust. You can also send out your recent blog post, An inspiration quote or a life or business hack. Understand your audience and keep them in mind when you create your newsletters. Remember these people gave you their email. They want to hear from you!

VOLUNTEER

Seek opportunities to volunteer. Get involved in your community and serve with other like-minded individuals. Serving and helping non-profits or other organizations is great way to create relationships within your area. Look for organizations that are in sync with your values. Try to find causes that you are passionate about as to keep you motivated. When you make service and volunteering a part of your brand you will see the benefits.

FB GROUPS

Participate in Facebook Groups where your ideal clients reside. Be active by posting, commenting, and engaging with others. This is a great way to help others and to talk about what you do. Make sure you are genuine and authentic and don’t come off pushy or salesy. Read the rules of the group before joining to ensure you know and abide by them.

NETWORKING EVENTS

Become active in networking groups and events in your area. Some have annual fees to join, but several have no or little cost to participate. Go into networking with the mindset of helping others and building relationships. If you attend networking events with the purpose of finding clients, you may find yourself feeling disappointed. Set goals for yourself to build relationships and help others and referrals and business will surely follow.

CREATE TUTORIALS

A great way to market your brand is by creating tutorials. Teaching others tips, tricks, and secrets is an excellent way to serve your audience and help you get exposure. After creating tutorials, use appropriate keywords in your description. Think of tutorials that your ideal client may search for. Teaching and educating your ideal clients is a very effective way of marketing while building the “know, like, and trust factor.”

VIDEO

Video is proving to be one of the best ways to market your brand today. If you are a business that is putting off video because you hate yourself on video, you will want to work through that. Consumers are drawn to video and implementing it into your marketing cost very little.

COLLABORATE

Build relationships with others in your industry. Take the time to create relationships and support one another. Working on your business doesn’t always mean you have to be sitting behind your computer. Make it a priority to build and nurture relationships. Put others before yourself and always ask how you can help others first. Look for opportunities to collaborate by cross promoting and supporting one another. If you can find the right group of people you will find you have created a sales team for one another.

Despite what you might think, marketing your business doesn’t mean spending a ton of money. If you are willing to put in the time and energy into developing relationships in different channels, your business and brand will grow organically. If you are committed, you can learn how to market your business without spending money.

Redefine Business Podcast

I'm Brittni Schroeder!

I’m a Diet Coke drinkin, chocolate eatin, Netflix watchin, all-around good time! I want to show you how to grow and scale your business. Let’s be business BFFs! 

Women's Business Coach

Organizational Coach Jancee Wright

Organizational Coach Jancee Wright

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Organizational Coach Jancee Wright

Organizational Coach Jancee Wright
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I am Jancee Wright. I am a professional organizer and an organizing coach from St George, Utah which is just a couple of hours out of Las Vegas. I help families organize their homes from top to bottom and all the in-betweens and I create easy systems for families to maintain and as a little bonus, I like to give it that final fence touch! I opened my business 4 years ago and I started out with interior design..I worked designing several client’s homes, when one of my clients asked me if I did or knew of anyone that did organization. She wanted help organizing her pantry. Well… it just happened to be that I LOVE all things organization and have always had organized systems in my home and told her I would LOVE to help her design and organize her pantry and we did just that she absolutely LOVED it, told all her friends about me and the rest is history.  

Best piece of advice you got about running your own business?

Let yourself fail often. And boy have I ever. I have learned so much in the past 4 years, about myself, about what works and what does’t, different processes, marketing, everything. So much growth has happened because of that advice. I’m a perfectionist by nature, so I know that if I hand’t received that advice I would have been really hard on myself when things did’t turn out as planned. One of my biggest fails that I learned quickly from was how I would conduct an in -home consultation. I went from drawing the design out on a piece of paper to taking photos on my phone and organizing it in the notes of my phone along with measurements under each photo. This has been an incredibly smooth process because then I have before/after photos all organized under each individual client. It’s been an honest game changer. 

3-5 tips on how to organize your office:

  1. Incoming Papers (To Do + To File) 
  2. Recycle and Shred
  3. File Storage
  4. Filing System
  5. What to Keep and What to Toss
  6. Office Supplies

Your favorite time management tips

We talk a lot about “time management” in the world but I have reflected over the past several years on how my energy level determines more of my ability to feel fulfilled and be productive than how much time I think I have.

Things to Recognize Regarding Energy Management

1. We are born with a certain level of energy.

2. The things that build your energy are the things you love.

“The factors that build your energy are the things that bring you joy. The things that light you up.”

3. The things that drain your energy are the things that don’t matter to you.

“If I am pouring my energy into a problem that I can’t control, I am dumping it all into a bucket with a hole in the bottom.”

What Does Energy Management Look Like in My Life?

I work in the morning when my energy is naturally higher. Those morning hours are like gold! I also try not to do anything worthwhile after 10pm. I turn into a grumpy witch! For the most part, if something requires my attention or any type of creativity, I need to focus on them earlier in the day. I like to save more mundane or mindless tasks with lower energy times of day. I get into a flow before I work with some self-care habits. Some things I do regularly to maintain my happy energy are getting a regular manicure, doing a creative exercise before I begin working, I try to go for a walk or do a gratitude practice. I ask myself “What else could I be doing?” That helps me accomplish something more meaningful than scrolling through my phone or watching Netflix.

“Try to fill your life more with the things that you love, and try to eliminate more of the things that don’t matter to you. And realize that it is all so personal.”

Redefine Business Podcast

I'm Brittni Schroeder!

I’m a Diet Coke drinkin, chocolate eatin, Netflix watchin, all-around good time! I want to show you how to grow and scale your business. Let’s be business BFFs! 

Women's Business Coach

Perfectionism- Blessing or curse

Perfectionism

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Perfectionism-Blessing or Curse

Perfectionism- Blessing or curse
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I joke that I am a perfectionist with borderline OCD. My kids always complain that I need to have everything perfect all the time. I used to think that was a compliment. They would get so annoyed when their hair had to always be done and their beds made. I frantically ran around the house cleaning everything, including closets, minutes before we traveled out of town. I cringed at inside-out socks in the laundry and repeatedly demonstrated the importance of putting towels away with the folds facing outward. I’m pretty sure, in my case, perfectionism is not a compliment. Can you relate? The curse of perfection can sometimes hold us back and we don’t realize it.

If improving a relationship with your children or spouse is a priority, does stressing all day about a perfect house help you accomplish this? Does spending hours and hours on updating your website and email templates make sense when you could be out networking and marketing your business? Does your perfectionism help or hinder you? Many times, the need for perfection arises because we worry what others think about us when in reality, we have no control over other people’s thoughts. We create stories of criticism. Our negative self-talk takes over and paralyzes us. 

I was a photographer for over 10 years, and I also owned a photography magazine, with that being said imagery and aesthetics was at the center of everything I did. When I first started, I would spend hours and hours photoshopping out of place hairs or clothing that wrinkled in the wrong places. Everything had to be perfect. I noticed things that no one else would ever notice. I was spending time and energy that could have benefited me if I had used it differently. It was years into my career that I realized there was beauty in imperfection.

I often see some of these same behaviors in my business now. I catch myself holding off on putting offers out because I want them to be perfect. I realize when I do this, I am only holding myself back. I have had to really work on being okay with the occasion mis spelled word, a link that doesn’t work, or graphic that doesn’t look exactly how I want it. I have realized that through my mistakes and imperfections I have learned the most.

Our businesses are all about trial and error. If we don’t fail, we don’t succeed. When we don’t take action, we don’t get results. When we have an offer, a presentation, a social media post that we want to put out, but we start to feel like it isn’t good enough and we decide not to put it out there. What happens?  We don’t take action and we don’t get results. The old cliche of “practice makes perfect” still holds true. The more times you practice and put yourself out there, the better you will become. Take a look at some of the leaders in your industry. I guarantee if you go back in time and look at their work at the beginning it is flawed. There is a tactics that says if we want to get good at something we have to do it 100 times or more.  Dissect that principle down in your business. Think of all the things in our business we feel we are not good at and do them 100 times. I promise you will improve and gain more confidence.

There is nothing wrong with striving for perfection. In fact, consistently working towards your best self is encouraged. When we strive to become better and achieve our goals, we find happiness and joy in our growth. However sometimes perfectionism can have the opposite effect. We hold ourselves back because we convince ourselves if it isn’t perfect, it isn’t good. This thought can lead to inaction, causing us to waste endless amounts of time on perfecting projects that do not support our goals or our priorities. 

When we can recognize our thoughts and learn to manage them, we will see positive change.  Our house might be a little disheveled, or our website might be outdated, but the energy we would have otherwise used has been utilized in other, more valuable, areas. Don’t let the curse of perfection hold you back. The next time you find yourself stuck in the details, remember: progression over perfection.  Remember if you want results you have to take action even if the action is not the best!

Redefine Business Podcast

I'm Brittni Schroeder!

I’m a Diet Coke drinkin, chocolate eatin, Netflix watchin, all-around good time! I want to show you how to grow and scale your business. Let’s be business BFFs! 

Women's Business Coach

Holding Core Values in Your Business with Jillian Garry

Holding Core Values in Your Business with Jillian Garry

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Holding Core Values in Your Business with Jillian Garry

Holding Values in Your Business with Jillian Garry
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If you’ve ever wondered what holding core values in your business looks like, you’ll love this conversation with Jillian Garry. 

About Jillian Garry

Jillian is the founder of The Anastasia Co, a home goods + stationery brand based in Omaha, Nebraska. Her products are designed to help you share encouragement and be intentional in the areas that matter most.

Her Mission

At Anastasia Co Jillian’s mission is to help you live intentionally in the areas of your home, habits, and faith.  She designs stationery, apparel, and home goods focused on the things that matter and serve a purpose. 

 

She’s sold to almost 1000 shops across the world now.

 

She partners with a lot of other small businesses like clothing boutiques, coffee shops, bookstores, wineries, breweries, salons, gift shops, bakeries, churches, and anywhere that has a retail section. In addition to being on different market places, and selling direct to consumers, she does wholesale selling to other retailers. 

Her Advice

Don’t go into business for the money. If your only goal is money, you’re going to get really frustrated really quickly.

 

When you pour your heart into something that you truly love, and just focus on the impact that you’re making, the money will naturally come. If the heart of what you’re doing is something you’re passionate about, it’ll be something that will carry you through even when it’s tough.

 

Once you experience the freedom that comes with having control over your time and your schedule, there’s no going back.

 

I always circle back to our mission statement. I ask myself: does this ultimately point people in the direction of being more intentional in their lives? And most importantly, does it help me love God and love people? And so if the answer is yes or no, that decides the direction I go.

 

There are several different ways to sell your product just in addition to your website and Instagram. You don’t need to be on every platform right away. But solely relying on one channel for your sales can be really risky. And so I always encourage people to not put all of their eggs in one basket.

 

Connect with Jillian Garry

Check out her online store here. 

Follow her on Instagram here.

Redefine Business Podcast

I'm Brittni Schroeder!

I’m a Diet Coke drinkin, chocolate eatin, Netflix watchin, all-around good time! I want to show you how to grow and scale your business. Let’s be business BFFs! 

Women's Business Coach

The Ultimate Client Experience

The Ultimate Client Experience

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The Ultimate Client Experience

The Ultimate Client Experience
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If you want to become memorable, in your business, you need to create the ultimate client experience. Your clients want to be seen and heard. They want to genuinely feel like you care about them. When we create a great client experience people will talk, and we all know this the best marketing tool EVER!

What is a client experience?

Your client experience begins as soon as someone has that initial first impression of you. It begins before they are even clients. A client experience is how you make potential clients and clients feel throughout their experience working with you and beyond.   This feeling might start when they following you in Instagram, but can last long after the project has finished. I often say if my clients don’t feel like I am their business BFF, then I didn’t do my job!

Website

When it comes to your website, this is typically the first step in the process. Design your website to attract your ideal client, ensure your copy speaks to them and they feel a connection.  You want your ideal client to feel like you are talking directly to them.  Make sure your brand is cohesive and reflects your brand.  This is why it is really important to know and understand your ideal client so you can relate to them. Think of your website as a first date and your social media as your second and third date when you really get to know a person.

Social Media

Social Media is your opportunity for your audience to really get to know you. You have the ability to really build the know, like, and trust factor. This is the chance to not only position yourself as the expert, but to really connect and relate to your audience. I you want to relate to your audience you have to really understand your audience.

 

If your ideal audience is a stay home mom that lives in chaos, then it’s okay to show up a little disheveled. She might relate to that and feel like you get her. If your ideal audience is someone who wants their life to be organized and controlled, then it is important that you show up put together. You might be a hot mess behind the scenes, but when you show up in your business pull it together!

 

Social Media is a great tool to show your audience you value them and you want to help them. Keep that in mind when you create content. Also, something important to remember this is also a time to connect with your audience. It doesn’t have to be all business. Throw in some humor and vulnerability.

Next steps

When your ideal client has resonated with your website and/or social media the next step is to get in touch to inquire about how they can work with you.  You want to make sure it is clear and obvious as to what the next step is.  If you offer more than one service or product let them know of the various ways they can work with you.  If you have a contact page try to avoid using terms like contact me, but instead tell them exactly what the next step is.  For example, you could say schedule a consult with me, get my price list, or apply to work with me. 

 

Side note: you need to maximize your time and you don’t want to waste time on a consult or answering emails if they are not serious about working with you. Make sure you are clear and transparent about who you work with.

 

Once a client has reached out to you whether it is through a scheduling app or an email make sure to respond immediately letting them know you received their email and you will get back to them within a specific amount of time. If too much time passes your potential client might feel put off.

  

Pro Tip: If you find yourself typing the same email over and over again, use a template that you can customize.  Even better and this is what I would highly recommend setting up an automation to ensure your potential client get’s an immediate response.

The booking process

You booked a client. You have officially taken your client to the next level in your relationships. Like any good, healthy relationships communication is key. You want to make this part is easy for your client as possible.  You want to walk them step-by-step through the process ensuring they know exactly what they are doing every step of the way.  Don’t overwhelm them with too much information upfront, consider sending several smaller emails using bullet points or a checklist. The key here is to keep things moving quickly while keeping your client informed at each stage of the process.

 

If your clients have to sign a contract consider using a program that allows a digital signature such as HelloSign or Adobe Sign. There are a lot of different project management systems available that will send the contracts and do the invoicing for you.

After booking

They’ve signed on the dotted line and paid their deposit. Depending on what service you offer, there might now be a wait between booking and the project starting. You want to make sure your client feels loved during this period also. This is a time to set yourself apart from your competition and dazzle them with the details. 

Here are a few ideas:

  • A welcome packet with any materials they might need. Use colored envelopes garnished with stickers or Wasi tape.
  • Starbucks Giftcard
  • Favorite book
  • Coupons
  • Notebooks or pens with your branding on it
  • Hand written thank you card
  • Helpful tips or guides 

If there is a wait period before you start working together make sure to contact them 1-2 times in between to keep them excited and engaged with the process.

During the process

Depending on the duration of the process make sure that you are keeping your clients informed of what to expect or what is coming next. Send reminders, instructions and continually excitement about working with them. Stick to all deadlines and if possible, exceed them, under promise and over commit. Make every one of your clients feel like they are a VIP! If you have different price points in your business, treat your low-paying clients as if they were your VIP high-paying clients.

After the project has finished

When you are finished with the project consider sending another gift or thank card. There is no such thing as showing too much appreciation. Think of ways you can extend the client experience after you have finished working with your clients. You want to remain memorable so they will want to work with you again or recommend you to others.

 

Here are a few ideas:

  • Send a Christmas Card or gift
  • Follow them on social media and support them
  • Send Birthday Cards
  • Checkin with them once or twice a year
  • Offer a VIP product or service
  • Offer a return client discount

 

Consider ways you can you keep in touch with them and make them feel like your relationship didn’t just end as soon as the final invoice was paid. 

 

Creating an unforgettable client experience isn’t all about gifting. Yes it’s nice to spoil your clients with a little gift from time to time but if you aren’t at the stage where you can afford to do this, then there are other ways to ensure an unforgettable client experience.  You want to make sure your clients feel seen, heard and understood.  When you connect with your clients and make them feel appreciated that creates the ultimate client experience. I promise you this will be one of your most valuable marketing tools in your tool belt!

Redefine Business Podcast

I'm Brittni Schroeder!

I’m a Diet Coke drinkin, chocolate eatin, Netflix watchin, all-around good time! I want to show you how to grow and scale your business. Let’s be business BFFs! 

Women's Business Coach

Facebook Ads and Funnels with Melissa Litchfield

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Facebook Ads and Funnels with Melissa Litchfield

Facebook Ads and Funnels with Melissa Litchfield
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If you’re an entrepreneur who is looking to market yourself online via paid advertising, you’ll want to tune in to today’s episode with Meet Melissa Litchfield.

She owns Litchfield Media Co, a digital advertising company that helps small businesses and entrepreneurs skyrocket their impact and revenue with paid traffic.

About Melissa Litchfield

At Litchfield Media Co, Melissa is passionate about helping online entrepreneurs, course creators, and driven business coaches. 

 

Her specialty is live launches and evergreen funnels including strategy, implementation, and reporting.

 

She started her business in 2019 after she quit her nine-to-five marketing agency job. She started out as a solopreneur and quickly hired her first full-time employee in 2020 and has been expanding her team ever since. 

Paid advertising mistakes entrepreneurs make

Leaky funnels are the primary culprit of low-converting ads. You’ll want to double-check your copy, delivery, re-tweak, test, and re-test. So often entrepreneurs want overnight success, but they don’t understand that it is a process and it takes time.

 

Another mistake is not tracking your conversions, leads, and click-through rate. Ads take daily optimization and tracking of specific metrics. Paid advertising is a full-time job. 

 

When you boil everything down to conversions and knowing what metrics to look at, it makes paid advertising easier. 

How to connect with Melissa Litchfield

Grab your free ad checklist here. 

Tune in to her private podcast here.

Get her Clubhouse For CEOs Mini-Course here.  

 

Connect with her on social media: 

Linkedin

Instagram

Facebook

Clubhouse

Female Marketers Club 

Youtube

Twitter

Pinterest

Redefine Business Podcast

I'm Brittni Schroeder!

I’m a Diet Coke drinkin, chocolate eatin, Netflix watchin, all-around good time! I want to show you how to grow and scale your business. Let’s be business BFFs! 

Women's Business Coach

Finding Your Ideal Clients

FINDING IDEAL CLIENTS

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Finding Ideal Clients

FINDING IDEAL CLIENTS
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The first step in marketing is understanding and truly knowing your ideal client. Once you have nailed that down then it’s time to work on your marketing verbiage. We will get to that, but first, let’s really nail down your ideal client.

How to find Your ideal Client

In order to understand who your ideal client is, you want to learn all there is to know about them. Try creating an ideal client avatar. This made up avatar will represent your ideal client.  Give your avatar a name, hair and eye color, and age. Do they go to school?  What car do they drive?  Where do they eat?  Where do they shop? You want to know anything and everything about them.

People

Who are your clients spending time with?  Who are their influencers and friends?  What podcasts do they listen to?  Whose blogs do they read? Do they follow fashion bloggers or fitness accounts?  Learning who they surround themselves with will give you an insight into their wants and needs.

Products

What kinds of products and services do they buy?  Are they into makeup or workout clothes?  Do they drive a minivan or a BMW? Are they purchasing camera gear or software programs? The more you know about your ideal client the more value you will be able to offer.

How to attract Your Ideal client

After you have created your avatar, everything you do and say within your business relates to or benefits them. Your social media posts, the events you attend, the promotions you offer are all intended to benefit or help your avatar. The more you understand about who you are marketing to, the more successful you will be when it comes to selling and promoting your offerings. Once you know who you are marketing to, you will understand the process of finding your ideal client.

 

Ready to scale Your business?

A business can certainly succeed without a niche or specialization, but having a particular niche will increase your chances of success, make your business more scalable, make you an expert in that industry and most importantly improve your bottom line.

Want to learn more? I’ve created a resource to guide you further in uncovering your ideal client.

 

Grab your free guide to finding your Ideal Client HERE.

Redefine Business Podcast

I'm Brittni Schroeder!

I’m a Diet Coke drinkin, chocolate eatin, Netflix watchin, all-around good time! I want to show you how to grow and scale your business. Let’s be business BFFs! 

Women's Business Coach

Collaborating In Your Business

Collaborating In Your Business

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Collaborating In Your Business

Collaborating In Your Business
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I love a good collaboration. I’ve worked with so many amazing people in my life. It’s not only helped me grow as a person, but it’s also helped my business grow by leaps and bounds. Collaborating In Your Business is necessary for success!

 

Recently, I was with a bunch of teenage girls — we were volunteering with the Refugee Service of Texas to help set up some apartments. The positive attitude and enthusiasm of these incredible teenagers were contagious. One of my favorite quotes of the day that I kept hearing over and over was, “Teamwork makes the dream work!” Don’t you love that? It’s so true!

 

Collaboration is such a powerful tool for all small business owners, regardless of the industry you’re in. It’s the connections you form with others, and the different ways you collaborate with those people, that’ll help you grow your business to new levels. If you’re not convinced collaboration is really worth the time and effort, I’ve put together five reasons you should care about collaboration in your small business.

Collaboration Will Inspire You

It’s easy to get into a routine during the day-to-day hustle of your business. Often, you forget there may be a different or better way to do something. We know only what we know, but when we collaborate with others, we can learn about new tools or new methods that can save us time and money. It’s so beneficial to spend time with like-minded entrepreneurs to learn. Every time I work with another entrepreneur, I learn something new and feel inspired to try new techniques.

Collaboration Helps You Grow Your Network

The most successful entrepreneurs are always seeking out new people and building a list of people who inspire them and would be great collaborations. Being successful in business includes consistently making connections and cultivating relationships. If you’re networking with the same group of people over and over again, you’re missing out on some really great opportunities.

 

Every contact you make might not result in collaboration, but you’ll expand your network and grow as a person. I recently held a retreat, and it was with such an amazing group of people. There were coaches there, photographers, real estate agents, and more. One of the attendees made the comment at the beginning of the retreat that it was such an interesting mix of people. At the end of the retreat, she pulled me aside and told me she got so much out of the retreat because it was such a diverse group. So remember that a good collaboration doesn’t always look the way you expect it to look.

Collaboration Is Educational

One of the biggest benefits of collaboration is the opportunity for learning. In fact, every interaction you have with someone outside your immediate circle can teach you something valuable. Some of the most successful collaborations involve combining two very different skill sets, perspectives, and strengths to the table. When this happens, you’re guaranteed learning opportunities.

Collaboration Can Help You Save Money

Many collaborative relationships involve combining ideas and strategies; hands-on work; and, sometimes, expenses. If you collaborate with another business and part of the terms involves sharing development and marketing expenses, you can double your budget while reducing costs.

 

You’ll be getting a bigger bang for your buck than you would be if you were using only your own resources. With that said, make sure you set good boundaries and all the parties involved are equally invested in the success of the collaboration.

 

There’s nothing worse than a collaboration in which you do all the work, take all the risks, and don’t get the same in return.

Collaboration Solves Problems

There’s a reason crowdsourcing is so popular: There’s power in numbers. One person is good, but two or three or more people can take good to great!

 

Think about the last difficult problem you faced in your business. When we get stumped, most of us immediately go to a partner, a mentor, or another trusted resource who acts as a sounding board and helps us work through the problem. The harder the problem is to solve, the more we can benefit from getting the input of someone outside the situation. When you add new viewpoints and experiences to the mix, you’ll be surprised how much you can accomplish.

 

There are so many benefits to working together on a collaboration. You have great support, but you also learn so much when it’s done correctly.

 

There are so many options and opportunities to help others and help your own business grow through collaborations. The good news is that small business collaboration doesn’t necessarily require a significant time or financial investment if you think creatively.

Tips for Collaborations That Grow Your Business

Collaboration is essential for all types of businesses. There are so many ways to collaborate, and it’s essential that brands try it as much as possible.

 

I think when people are thinking about business collaboration, it’s often easy to get overwhelmed or confused as to whom to collaborate with and what to collaborate on.

 

Let’s take a deep dive into collaborations. I want to share some ideas that will help skyrocket business growth along the way!

Collaborate With Other Brands

Collaborating with other brands is a great way to get your content seen by a new audience. Remember that the brand shouldn’t be your competition; instead, they should have the same ideal client. Here are some ideas for doing brand collaborations.

Cross-Promote Brands on Social Media

Cross marketing is one of the best things you can do for your business. It’s a great opportunity to quickly and easily reach another audience. It’s also an advantage for your brand to share third-party content. It builds brand loyalty and keeps followers on your social media pages for longer.

 

Here are a few good examples of cross-promotion:

 

  • If you’re a coach and work with helping online coaches create funnels, you can team up and collaborate with a Facebook ad agency.
  • If you’re a wedding photographer, plan a styled shoot once a quarter. Collaborate with wedding gown boutiques, florists, make-up artists, and wedding planners. Create an opportunity that allows you to grow as a photographer and create relationships that help your business grow through referrals.

If you help organize people’s houses, you can collaborate with real estate agents

Collaborate With Influencers

Collaborating with influencers isn’t just for big brands. Although some businesses might be reluctant to work with influencers, many businesses have gotten great results. Here are a few advantages of working with influencers.

 

  • Their readers/viewership trusts them and often looks up to them.
  • Their readers/viewership often wants the exact product the influencer uses.
  • They’re professionals at creating content and they do the work themselves, meaning that all the marketing needs to do is discuss ideas.
  • They often act as the middleman in building real relationships between brands and audiences.
  • They’re a lot cheaper than other traditional forms of advertising.
  • They can grow a brand’s social following by tagging them in their posts.

When using influencer marketing and influencer collaboration ideas, it’s essential to choose the right kind of influencer. It’s best to look at engagement over numbers — 1,000 engaged viewers is better than 100,000 non-engaged viewers — and the viewership has to be one that matches your brand.

 

Influencers must be paid or at least compensated. Sometimes if they’re smaller, they’ll accept a free product, but brands should generally plan on paying out if they’re after quality content.

Write Guest Posts

Guest posting on blogs has all the benefits of posting on social media. Your brand gets a shout-out to their audience, and you could get new customers because of it.

 

In addition, it’s great for SEO and most websites allowing guest posts will let you earn a link back to your website, helping you to be found in Google searches.

 

And, of course, you can do it the other way around: Get free content for your blog or website by allowing guest posters.

Start a Podcast

Starting a podcast is a great small business collaboration idea to connect with other people in your niche and with those who have similar interests. While not every brand has a podcast and it’s not something that’ll immediately drive sales, podcasting is a fantastic way to network and build connections, as well as present yourself as a brand that really cares about the work that it does.

 

Having a popular podcast will also skyrocket brand loyalty, as people will be constantly tuning in to hear what you have to say about different matters.

Create an Interview Series

Starting an interview series on your blog, Instagram, Facebook group, or YouTube account is a great idea for creating relationships with other businesses in your niche.

 

You’ll get great content for your chosen platform, and people will be happy for the exposure. To gain more benefits, you could ask anyone you interview if they’re willing to interview you in return.

Go to Networking Events

By visiting networking events, you’ll get the chance to meet people in person. If you want to reach people to collaborate with, here’s your perfect opportunity. You’ll also get the chance to bounce ideas off of people and be inspired.

 

You can attend network events specific for networking, or what I think is more effective is getting involved in your community through volunteer opportunities.

 

Collaboration in action is a win-win. If you haven’t done a collaboration before, just do it. You have to start somewhere. I promise you will learn as you go. If you’ve already done a collaboration, push yourself to do more. You’ll see the benefits for sure.

 

If you’re hesitant about doing your first collaboration, don’t worry — I got you. I’ve included my collaboration guide in the show notes! Grab yourself a copy, and let the collaborations begin!

 

I hope you found all this info helpful!

Redefine Business Podcast

I'm Brittni Schroeder!

I’m a Diet Coke drinkin, chocolate eatin, Netflix watchin, all-around good time! I want to show you how to grow and scale your business. Let’s be business BFFs! 

Women's Business Coach

LinkedIn Tips With Adrienne Weimer

LINKEDIN TIPS WITH ADRIENNE WEIMER

REDEFINE PODCAST

LinkedIn Tips With Adrienne Weimer

LINKEDIN TIPS WITH ADRIENNE WEIMER

Adrienne Weimer has been a certified sales coach and a LinkedIn strategist for over two years, working with mostly woman entrepreneurs. She never thought that her path would lead her here as she has been a certified coach for over five years. Spending four of those years working at LinkedIn as a sales coach. Which was when she realized the need for more information in getting started and helping with unanswered questions that many entrepreneurs struggle with. This experience was just what she needed to become a successful LinkedIn strategist coach. In this episode of “Redefine Podcast with Britni Schroeder “Adrienne shares crucial tips and tricks to create a successful LinkedIn with us.

 

Being a platform with great variety, LinkedIn has content for everyone and opportunity to have great success.

Here are some tips to help grow your LinkedIn:

  • Posting personal content is encouraged! – be yourself, let your full-self shine and clients who relate to you will be drawn to your transparency.
  • The algorithm wants your content to get seen! – the LinkedIn algorithm is unique than other platforms. It is more friendly. It looks at Likes, comments, and Dwell time. She shares exactly how to create your content to maximize dwell time to invite engagement on your posts and help grow your platform.
  • You don’t have to be consistent! – LinkedIn is less competitive and noisy, so even posting once a week means you are in the 90th percentile of creators. Your content stays relevant for longer periods of time than on other platforms.
  • Have a call to action! By having a call to action, it creates more engagement leading to more people following you.

A great new feature on LinkedIn are Newsletters:

  • They are one of the hottest new features on LinkedIn
  • Essentially you are writing an article which is great for people who love to read articles
  • They perform so well because the algorithm wants people to subscribe, and they want people to see your newsletter.
  • You get to build up a lot of authority in community with newsletters.
  • Repurpose articles for new newsletters.

Another tip is to get confident on LinkedIn.

  • How you get confident on LinkedIn is to figure out first how you like to create content. On LinkedIn you get to choose how you want to create content with so many options and they all work!

Follow Adrienne on her social media platforms here:

Instagram:

@coachadrienneweimer 

LinkedIn:

@coachadrienneweimer 

Redefine Business Podcast

I'm Brittni Schroeder!

I’m a Diet Coke drinkin, chocolate eatin, Netflix watchin, all-around good time! I want to show you how to grow and scale your business. Let’s be business BFFs! 

Women's Business Coach

Why You Should Serve Your Community as a Small Business

REDEFINE PODCAST

Why You Should Serve Your Community as a Small Business

Why You Should Serve Your Community as a Small Business

Serving others has always been a part of my life. I love it. Some of my desire to serve others is innate, I think, but it’s also probably a combination of lessons that were taught to me growing up — whether intentional or by example. It might be selfish, but there’s something about serving that just makes you feel good about yourself. We all need a little bit more of that, right? Heres Why You Should Serve Your Community as a Small Business.

 

One of my favorite quotes that I use often is by Tony Robbins. He says something to the effect of, “The reason you’re suffering is you’re focused on yourself.” Don’t get me wrong: There’s a time and a place for focusing on ourselves, but for me, the best remedy for suffering is to serve someone in need. Many times in my life when things seemed hard, I’ve had to surrender and serve. There isn’t a time I can think of when I’ve done this that it hasn’t helped me put things in perspective. I truly believe when we give, it opens us up to receiving. I can honestly say I’ve been blessed so much in my life when I’ve served others.

 

I had a client reach out to me right before Christmas. She’d just launched a membership. She’d worked endlessly on automations, marketing, funnels — all the things. She was midway through her launch, and she wasn’t getting the results she wanted. She felt so frustrated. So defeated. She’d done all the things I’d told her to do. I knew it was just a matter of time before her business really took off. Sometimes, patience is the hardest lesson to learn, right? I acknowledged her frustrations. I told her she was doing all the right things, but then I offered her one more piece of advice. I told her to take her gifts and talents and serve someone in need.

 

She later told me that was just what she needed to hear during that time. It wasn’t a month later she followed up and told me how her business had just taken off. My point of this story is, sometimes we feel overwhelmed, frustrated, or discouraged, and we have to just put that aside and serve. I’m not saying that guarantees instant success, but I’m saying it does offer clarity, confidence, and peace. Here’s what else volunteering does.

Improves Wellness

The Mayo Clinic did a research study that showed how volunteering or serving offered so many health benefits— the main benefit being improved mental and physical wellness.

 

The study showed that when people were actively volunteering, they were moving and thinking at the same time. They found that volunteers reported better physical health than did nonvolunteers. The research also showed lower rates of depression and anxiety.

 

Volunteering reduces stress and increases positive, relaxed feelings by releasing dopamine. By spending time in service to others, volunteers reported feeling a sense of meaning and appreciation, both given and received, which can have a stress-reducing effect. Reduced stress further decreases the risk of many physical and mental health problems, such as heart disease, stroke, depression, anxiety, and general illness.

Provides a Sense of Purpose and Teaches Valuable Skills

Volunteering gives a sense of purpose, especially when volunteering in the areas you find meaningful. Volunteers experience greater increases in life satisfaction, self-esteem, and confidence.

Nurtures New and Existing Relationships

Volunteering increases social interaction and helps build a support system based on common interests. One of the best ways to make new friends and strengthen existing relationships is to participate in a shared activity. Dedicating time as a volunteer helps you expand your network and meet amazing people.

 

I was on the board of a nonprofit called Haitian Roots. The mission of this nonprofit was to educate kids in Haiti. I’m not sure if you’ve ever been to Haiti or know anything about it, but it’s very impoverished. I’d been to Mexico several times, and I’d visited Brazil with my husband. That’s what I’d envisioned Haiti to be, but it was much worse. I had the opportunity to go to Haiti several times. It was hot, humid, and dirty. We volunteered in the schools and orphanages. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and I created the most amazing lifelong relationships through those experiences. There’s just something about serving together that brings people together in such an amazing way!

 

You don’t have to go to an impoverished third-world country to have these experiences. There is a plethora of opportunities in every community. When you serve with people who have a variety of backgrounds but share a desire to care for the welfare of people in their communities, it builds unity.

 

My husband has worked for huge corporations his entire adult life. He had one particular boss who made a huge impact on him in his career. There were lots of techniques this boss employed to motivate and encourage his team; however, one of the most memorable experiences was that his boss brought his team together two to three times a year for trainings, meetings, and such. Each time they met together, their boss coordinated a service opportunity that his team did together. I remember one time, they spent an entire day volunteering at a food bank. My husband felt such a connection to his team and admiration for his boss.

 

I’ve shared all the positive personal takeaways from serving, but now I want to tell you how it can help your business, too.

 

There’s no greater pride than helping your own community succeed. By joining together with your local customers, businesses, nonprofits, and organizations, you’re promoting many different benefits, such as economic growth, charity awareness, and the sense of community — just to name a few.

 

Supporting your community will always be a win-win situation.

 

Here are a few ways helping your community can help grow your business:

Builds Awareness

Helping your community helps people get to know you! Whatever you end up doing, there’s probably going to be some level of exposure. If you serve food at an event, volunteer to clean up a park, or donate a product or service to a nonprofit fundraising auction, there are usually incentives that are given. These incentives could include your name being printed on flyers or posted on online event pages. That’s an opportunity to give back to your community, but it’s also an opportunity for free exposure.

 

Also, there might be a chance that some of these community engagements will be covered by local press or even television. You could get an interview or some sort of mention. What a great reward for getting involved.

 

PRO TIP: Spread the word, and let your customers know. Use email lists or social media to share the event information and encourage customers to attend. This will help the organization throwing the event, as well as your business, to see more action.

Interact With Your Customers

How often do you get to interact and get to know your customers outside of your business? Probably not too often. But when getting involved in your community, you have that opportunity to get to know your customers on a different level and in a different way.

 

In many instances, your local community members are your customers. And if they aren’t already, they’ll remember you when they see how you’re helping their community succeed.

 

PRO TIP: Local events can be a great way to grow your email marketing list. Plus, your community involvement will encourage them to join your customer base. This could be anything from discounts and tips to special offers.

Establish Partnerships

Becoming involved in the community can open many doors. When people come together for a specific cause, the opportunities to network become abundant.

 

This is an ideal time to make new quality relationships with fellow community members and business owners. You all have the same sense of pride for serving the same community. Getting together with other local businesses during community events or volunteer opportunities can build some pretty amazing relationships.

 

One of my clients is a real estate agent. Once we started working together, we quickly became friends. She wanted to get involved in the community, and I needed help running my nonprofit. I have a nonprofit called The Compassion Foundation, and we teach youth to serve in their schools and community. She was passionate about the same things, and we decided to join forces. It’s been so amazing to work together and help serve in our community. I love this quote from Hellen Keller: “Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.”

 

As noble as it is to support your community, local charities, and nonprofits, there are also many ways doing so can benefit your own business. Building awareness, having the opportunity to interact with customers, and building new business partnerships are just the tip of the iceberg. Honestly, anytime you’re putting more good in the world, it brings more goodness! From donating time, goods, services, or money, you’ll get back what you give in one way or another, so get out there and get involved!

 

More and more, local companies and small businesses are recognizing the importance of serving the community and promoting community engagement. Serving the community as a small business doesn’t necessarily mean donating money or sponsorships. There are many ways a business can give back to the community with their time and talents.

 

Here are some business community service ideas to inspire you for this year:

Clothing Drive

If you own a retail store or childcare center, a clothing drive is a great community service project idea for your business. Get your community and staff involved in a drive that helps individuals and families who are less fortunate. Find a local partner to help you discover the needs in your community, as well as pick up and distribute your donations.

Volunteer

Taking the day off for volunteer work is a great way to get your small business engaged in the community while giving your employees the chance to get involved! Some ways to serve your community through volunteer work might be to clean up a local park or help a nonprofit organization in your region for a day.

Sponsor an Event

Sponsor a local event funding a cause or organization that you want to support. This is a great opportunity to show your support for the community publicly, while also gaining some exposure for your business. There are many sports teams, theater productions, and community events that rely on sponsorships and donations from local businesses!

Support a Local Charity

Donate a portion of your time or talents to a local charity that supports your business’s values. Show your customers and community how much you care about local residents by supporting a charity in your region.

Create a Scholarship

College is a huge expense for many families. Help a student in your community fund some of their college tuition or supplies with a scholarship from your business. To tie the scholarship to your business, design it specifically for students pursuing a career in your business’s industry.

Highlight a Local Charity

One of my favorite things that we do in my nonprofit is we try to spotlight other nonprofits. In January, we featured the PTSD Foundation of Texas. We had some of the vets come speak, and we also did a Facebook Live and talked about it some more. In the spring, our group is going to volunteer for one of the branch’s grand openings.

Participate in Local Events

Serving the community as a small business includes an element of social responsibility and business community engagement. Participate in events or festivals that are important to your community, and use the opportunity to network with local people and businesses!

 

There are so many ways to volunteer and give back as a small business. I’m a huge believer in serving others. When we give of ourselves, it opens the universe to us receiving.

 

I promise that if you build service into your business’s core values, you’ll see a return.

 

I want to leave you with one last challenge. My challenge to you is to leave things better than you found them.

How often do you get to interact and get to know your customers outside of your business? Probably not too often. But when getting involved in your community, you have that opportunity to get to know your customers on a different level and in a different way.

 

In many instances, your local community members are your customers. And if they aren’t already, they’ll remember you when they see how you’re helping their community succeed.

 

PRO TIP: Local events can be a great way to grow your email marketing list. Plus, your community involvement will encourage them to join your customer base. This could be anything from discounts and tips to special offers.

Redefine Business Podcast

I'm Brittni Schroeder!

I’m a Diet Coke drinkin, chocolate eatin, Netflix watchin, all-around good time! I want to show you how to grow and scale your business. Let’s be business BFFs! 

Women's Business Coach

Donate a portion of your time or talents to a local charity that supports your business’s values. Show your customers and community how much you care about local residents by supporting a charity in your region.