As you ponder setting resolutions and perhaps forgetting them all together, think of where your weaknesses lie and how you can turn those weaknesses into strengths. For most entrepreneurs and small business owners, problems often relate to time. With these small changes, you can actually add time to your day and become more productive.

Get a Planner

While you’re at it, get your favorite pen to write in it, too. A planner – a physical one, not the one on your phone – will actually help you be more productive. You will be able to cross off the tasks you have completed. And, you can see your entire day in an easy-to-read space. College students are encouraged to use planners as the habit ties nicely into their post-college professional lives. Find a planner that fits your lifestyle and is easy to carry. We love the Passion Planner. It helps you celebrate wins and get super organized.

Don’t be too hard on yourself, #PashFam. Remember that sometimes we are our own worst critics. Celebrate the little wins by writing them in the “Good Things That Happened” section. pic.twitter.com/96UGe00dt2

— Passion Planner (@passion_planner) January 19, 2019

Use Schedule Chunking

This involves taking similar, mundane tasks and doing them at the same time. For example, chunk together things like answering emails and reading texts. Instead of letting those occupy your entire day or your most productive time of day, turn off notifications and spend a dedicated time dealing with them. Doing this lets you focus on other tasks with fewer interruptions. It’s easy to get started, check out the steps, here.

Wake-Up Early

It’s no secret that productive people wake up early. When you wake up earlier, you get more time in your day. Many productive people use their early wake-up to exercise, read, address their agendas, or just enjoy quiet time alone. If waking up early is intimidating, try setting the alarm 10 or 15 minutes earlier than you usually do.

Invest in Automation

This doesn’t mean that you need to buy robots and redo your entire business. What it does mean is that you can automate your social media posts and your emails. Use a CRM so you do not have to push enter yourself on every single email that comes from your business.

Delegate Appropriate Tasks

If you have employees, then you should delegate. Responsibility should be proportionate to the level of the employee. The easiest way to decide what to delegate is to make a list of what you absolutely must do yourself, then give the rest of the tasks to your employees or to freelancers. You should expect to do some training and to be patient if things do not go the way you expect immediately. But, after that short investment of your time, you will have more time to give to the things that really matter.

The post 5 Tips to be More Productive in 2019 appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Who is Animoto?

           Animoto is a web-based company aimed to empower small businesses and individuals who are looking to branch out and work towards using video to better their business. Animoto uses a collection of tools and experience to make it simple for people with a small budget and no experience in this type of marketing or with little time to do it for themselves.        

By providing easy to use templates, called storyboards, that users can drag and drop their content into, Animoto makes video marketing easy for the average business owner. Someone who is less familiar with the most up to date technology can even use these templates to create a professional and appealing video for their business.

Animoto has been in business for about a decade. With over 100 employees who work to video production services, the diverse background and experience that Animoto offers are truly unparalleled. The experience and diversity is what has allowed Animoto to be successful in providing these tools for small businesses.

How can video really help your business?

           Video truly amplifies what already works for you in your current setting. There is nothing really new to adding video to your repertoire of marketing strategy other than enhancing what you already do. With the business world shifting to be more supportive of small business as well as the increasing audience, video could be a more powerful advertising and marketing tool than ever.

        Video can be used for a number of things to promote and advertise your business. Whether an informational clip, a testimonial, product demos, or even recaps of an event a business hosted, Animoto can help to create a video that packages this information in a clean and a video deposition to use for marketing.

To the Nay-Sayers       

Some people are still not on board with branching out into something new. People actually see video as being a newer form of communication and marketing, but this is not true. Video has been around for quite some time, the platform on which the video is used is just newer and more innovative. Video is perhaps the most quickly growing form of communication, but it has been around nonetheless.

Video vs. Social Media

        With nearly every social media platform having an option for live video, you may question why video marketing would be the better route to take over these live options. This is largely in part due to the ability to cross over platforms and to generalize your audience. Each social platform has an unofficial yet unique atmosphere, so each and every live video would have to be adapted to fit the platform.

Rather than the stress of a live feed (we’ve all been there – some of us are still there, not wanting to be in front of the camera), video marketing streamlines your information, can still use a clip or two that you put together, but can also simplify your approach so that it isn’t choppy or overwhelming for the viewer. One of the worst things someone can do when making a video is providing too much information that the main ideas get bogged down in the overabundance of detail.

Social media can also be trickier to navigate. Depending on the platform as well as the direct audience, a live video could be ignored or overlooked. A well-placed video with the right frequency of occurrence could prove more successful than an occasional live video.

Tips for making video work for you

Some ways that small business owners could focus on to make video work for what they need could include the following:

1. Make the first few seconds eye-catching – in a world of scrolling, make sure the initial clip captures the viewer’s attention so that they watch the entire video and are wrapped into the message being provided in your video.
2. Use what already works for you, and use the video tool to enhance and optimize this area of your business. For example, if you host a blog about your business, you can create a small teasing video that draws the viewer in to read the blog and then ultimately learn about the business.
3. If you already have popular images or phrases, use them! Go ahead and turn your most viewed things into these videos so that you may continue to grab that attention that these images and phrases have already done.

The post Harnessing Video’s Power with Animoto appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

1. Customer Experience Matters

According to Salesforce’s “State of the Connected Consumer” report, “Eighty percent of customers say that the experience a company provides is as important as its products or services.”

The report also reveals that 57% of consumers have stopped buying from one company because they had a better experience at another retailer.

As an eCommerce small business, it’s incredibly important to treat each customer as a person rather than a number. It should come as no surprise that people value experiences. Use this principle to gain a leg-up on the competition. For many, holiday shopping brings back feelings of nostalgia. While you can’t recreate The Miracle on 34th Street, you can make your shopping experience unique and enjoyable.

2. Outstanding Customer Service

One thing customers fear losing when shopping online is the warmth and personalization of a brick and mortar store shopping experience. To increase holiday sales, offer unrivaled customer service by:

• Follow up purchases with a personalized thank you note or email
• Put the important information at their fingertips. If they can’t find things like shipping information, return policy, sizing guides…etc., right away they will get frustrated and walk away from the sale
• Because holiday shopping happens in a pretty small timeframe, offer a direct phone number so customers can call with time-sensitive and urgent issues
• Offer a live-chat feature on your site so customers can get answers to questions immediately
• Leverage social media support. Although customer complaints will be out there for the world to see, you have an opportunity to prove to new and existing customers that you take customer service seriously and resolve issues in a timely manner. You can really make your business stand out with quality support conversations on social media

3. Seasonal Social Media

The holidays are a great time for seasonal social media content marketing campaigns. It’s important to stay connected with your audience if you hope to increase holiday sales. Be sure to optimize your content for your audience. Tailor your social media campaigns for the holidays to keep your brand relevant. Small changes like a holiday-themed profile picture, holiday messages, or pictures of your products in holiday gift wrap go a long way.

4. Go Local

Even though you may not operate out of a brick and mortar store, you can still capitalize on some of the advantages of local businesses during the holidays. Analyze which areas are your largest markets and run a promotion for that location. Just because you are based out of Maine doesn’t mean you can’t sell swimwear during the holiday months, you just have to target the right demographic such as consumers in Florida or California. 

5. Look at Your Conversion Rate

Use a free tool like Google Analytics to see where you can optimize conversion rates on your website. Track things like your bounce rate. Google Analytics gives insight into how much traffic your site has and how many visitors “bounced” because your site didn’t have what they were looking for. You’ll also be able to see how visitors are getting to your site whether it be a Google search, social media site, or an advertisement. Do you have a high rate of cart abandonment? Go through the checkout process yourself and see if there are any areas for improvement in your check out process.

6. Optimize for Mobile

People spend more time on mobile devices than any other platform. If your online store isn’t optimized for mobile, fix it immediately!

In 2017, 56% of traffic came through mobile devices, but mobile devices only generated 33% of the revenue.

This means that people are using mobile devices to shop, but not purchase, probably due to a messy mobile checkout process. Make it easy for customers to go from seeing your ad on Instagram to buying your product right from their mobile device to increase holiday sales.

The post 6 Quick Tips to Boost E-Commerce Holiday Sales appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Here are some client gift ideas to steer clear of this holiday season and some helpful alternatives:

Gifts to Avoid at All Costs

Promotional Items

Promotional items of any kind are a big “no-no.” They come off as insincere, cheap, and just plain tacky. These are marketing tools that you should be giving away for free throughout the year. Your client will not be impressed with a grab bag of pens, notepads, and t-shirts with your company logo emblazoned across them. A bottle of wine in and of itself is not a bad gift, but, as soon as you slap a label with your logo, or even worse a picture of your face, on the bottle, it quickly turns into one of the worst holiday client gifts. 

What you can do instead: Gift your clients with an exclusive sneak peek of one of your products or services that haven’t hit the open market yet.

Unique Idea Gifts

If you’ve got been trying to find an exclusive gift for your love partner then it might be the simplest choice to buy a star online. this is often surely getting to be a singular and excellent gift for your love partner and it’s getting to make your love partner think that how important he or she is to you. A good range of companies are available on the web which give you facility to do a star registration online, so if you are doing not have time to travel to the market to shop for a present then it might be the right choice to buy this type of gift.

Generic Gift Cards

You want your clients to feel like you really know them. Sending a generic gift card will make you look out of touch and thoughtless.

What you can do instead: Find out what their favorite local restaurant or coffee shop is and send them a gift card or certificate there instead. You’ll be supporting another small business and they will appreciate that you remembered it was their favorite place, or at least that you took the time to find out.

A Meal Out…With You

No offense, but your clients probably don’t want the gift of listening to your next sales pitch this holiday season, even if it’s over dinner.

What you can do instead: Arrange a client appreciation night. Clients will enjoy the opportunity to meet and network with one another. Do most of your clients have families? Organize a kids’ holiday party to show your clients that you care about their whole family.

Canned Greeting Cards

Don’t send clients pre-printed and impersonal holiday greeting cards. They’re going straight in the trash.

What you can do instead: If you’re on a tight budget, but still want to let your clients know you are thinking of them this holiday season, send them a holiday greeting card. They key here is to make it personal. A photo card with a handwritten note can go a long way.

“Bill Bachrach, founder of Bachrach & Associates, a financial advisor coaching firm, also says that personalizing is key. ‘I love the family photo cards and the cheesy form letters about what’s going on in our lives this year,’ he says.

The Bottom Line–Don’t Miss the Point

“Recipients who reported receiving a memorable gift are 33 percent more likely to state that they feel more connected to the brand and 20 percent more likely to alter their behavior as a result, according to our research.” – Laura Jennings, CEO of Knack for Entreprenur.com

Client gifts can be memorable and personalized without breaking the bank. Remember that client gifts are in fact about the client, not about you or your business. Keep in mind that while your price point for client gifts should be consistent, all clients don’t have to receive the exact same gift. Give a gift relative to what they’ve contributed to your business and personalize gifts to each client’s interests. It will take a little more time and effort, and you may have to stalk their social media accounts, but the extra work will be worth it.

The post The Perfect Holiday Guide for Small Business Client Gifts appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

A Day Planner

In the world of business, organization is directly related to success. But, organization doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Give the gift of organization in the form of a day planner. Even in our digital age, nothing compares to being able to handwrite notes, reminders, and events on paper. The Passion Planner is a gift that keeps on giving all year long. Not only can they use it to keep track of their daily, weekly, and monthly activities, it also has a tool that will help them define short and long-term goals and incorporate them into their day-to-day life.

Moleskin Evernote Smart Notebook

The perfect gift for small business owners who love putting the pen to the paper, but operate their business in the digital world. This notebook uses Evernote’s Page Camera to transform their notes by simply snapping a picture. Each notebook includes a 3-month subscription to Evernote.

Coffee

Small business owners run on dreams and coffee. There are countless ways to give the gift of caffeine this holiday season. Help them support another small business by getting them a gift card to their favorite local coffee shop.

Or, get them a pretty percolator for their office like the Ninja Hot & Cold Brew System that does everything from a simple cup of joe to a nice cuppa tea, to fancy lattes and cappuccinos with its built-in milk frother.

Something for Their Health

Small business owners work so hard! But, if there is one thing they consistently neglect, it’s themselves. A great gift for small business owners is a fitness class, spa package, or a wearable fitness tracker to motivate them to keep moving.

For the small business owner who burns the midnight oil, consider the Philips Somneo Sleep and Wake-Up Light. This light therapy lamp and alarm clock simulate the sunrise to wake them gently and is clinically proven to improve energy, sleep, and general well-being. Sounds like a much less stressful way to start the day than a blaring alarm.

A Business Magazine Subscription

Most small business owners are on a budget, which means they don’t typically splurge on things like magazine subscriptions. A subscription to a great business-focused magazine, such as Entrepreneur Magazine or Fast Company can be a great gift for small business owners.

Business Card Holder

A small, but practical gift. Even if most of their business is conducted online, a business card is still a valuable tool for any small business owner or entrepreneur. Having a professional way to carry and hand out those business cards will make them look like they’ve got it all together and a business card holder is the perfect way to do that.

Meal Box Subscription

Small business owners are constantly on the go and cooking a healthy meal can sometimes take a back seat to important work tasks. A meal box subscription like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron is the perfect way to make sure the overworked small business owner in your life gets a healthy meal that’s easy to prepare a couple of times a week.

Some Extra Advertising

It’s basically cash, but a little more thoughtful. Find out which advertising platform is the best fit for their business and put some money into a Facebook or Google AdWords account. This gift for small business owners in your life will definitely put to good use.

The post Holiday Gift Ideas for Small Business Owners appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

As a small business owner on LinkedIn, you may question how you can stand out among the masses. Here are a few tips to make the most out of LinkedIn’s free resources.  

Your Personal Profile

The most important thing you need to do to stay relevant in an ever-changing social network is to continually keep your profile up to date. This includes any information you provide such as

• A professional picture,
• Contact information,
• Resumes,
• Portfolios,
• Your website,
• Associations, the list goes on…

If you are able to write well, put together an article about your business specialties (more on this below). If writing isn’t your thing, post updates to keep your audience abreast of what you’ve been up to.

Your Company Profile

First things first, get your logo and description up on your LinkedIn Company profile. Make sure all data is accurate, and create a keyword rich description of your business to entice potential customers– but this isn’t the place to be too sales-y. Next:

• Be sure you have a branded hero image,
• Create a calendar of company updates (this is a great place to share articles, your blog posts, industry-relevant pieces, etc),
• Encourage your employees to join your company page on their LinkedIn profiles,
• Encourage employees to engage with your posts & post their own updates about your company.

Connecting with Professionals

All the big names are on LinkedIn, from Bill Gates to Richard Branson. The unique nature of LinkedIn allows you to connect with the big fish of the business world. But, when you’re connecting with others be sure to:

• Do your research before ever sending a connections request. If you’ve never met someone and they just send you a request out of the blue, are you likely to accept? Be sure you have a general idea about the person or business you are hoping to connect with.
• Make your request message personal and set the tone for your brand and company within your first message. This is your first impression, so make it count. Keep your message short and sweet.
• Connect with people you actually know! Sure, it’s fun to have a connection with Barack Obama, but you should also connect with John Smith who you met at your recent Tech conference.

Join & Contribute to Groups

By joining or creating groups on LinkedIn, you are connecting with people that have similar interests or goals. This could be people from your real life, those with similar paths and backgrounds, or even people who are currently in positions which you are interested in one day having for yourself.

After making connections and joining groups, don’t just go into self-promotion mode. You need to provide value and share insight. Any good relationship starts with back and forth and exchanging of information. You don’t want to get kicked out of the group before you even get started.

LinkedIn Groups Directory: LinkedIn now has a Group Directory which allows you to find groups based on similar interests or specific topics so that you can broaden your outreach and expand your knowledge. This is great for the small business owner who needs to expand their pool of resources and connections for future references.

LinkedIn Articles

Do you have vast knowledge on a certain topic? Or maybe you have a tutorial or a great tip for a certain area? By writing a LinkedIn Article, you can share your knowledge with others across the social professional platform. Once an article is published, you can share it with your built-in audience: your connections. The article stays on your profile under the ‘Articles and Activity’ section. You can monitor how many views, likes, and comments your article has.

The better received your article is, the more it will be exposed to others, expanding the number of people it will reach.

LinkedIn Articles can help you drive people to your personal profile as well as your website.

LinkedIn SlideShare

LinkedIn offers the opportunity to share slideshows through their SlideShare platform. SlideShare allows you to upload clips of a presentation to help drive interest to your page. By adding these clips or images, you will automatically boost the recognition of your brand or company by leaps and bounds. To make sure you’re making the best presentation possible, be sure to add

• Images
• Bullet Points
• Backlinks

White Label SEO sure to proofread and use the appropriate keywords to optimize views, shares, and clicks.

The post 6 Ways to Make the Most of LinkedIn’s Free Resources for Small Businesses appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

With the newly added updates and capabilities, Groups on LinkedIn can be vital sources for:

• Driving traffic to your website (sharing articles, updates, etc)
• Growing your LinkedIn Company Page following
• Sharing Industry Insight/Expertise
• Getting a pulse of the industry
• Connecting and networking
• Compiling survey results

When interacting in LinkedIn Groups, whether they’re your own or other industry groups, be sure you are being a good “social citizen”. ‘Like’ other’s posts, comment on things you find interesting, and share when you see fit. Below are a few updates to LinkedIn groups which will enhance your user experience.

Group Conversations

Previously, LinkedIn groups we’re often overlooked. You would have to navigate to the group section of your profile to access the conversation. If you had notifications turned on for groups, you would receive a number of emails, or group digests, however, if you’re anything like me, you deleted them and turned off all email notifications.

Now, LinkedIn is making it easier to access your Groups from your homepage. Visibility of groups has improved and conversations will be more easily accessed.  

What does this mean for small business: Instead of taking 5 extra steps to communicate in groups, you can now join the conversation right from your homepage. Small business owners are always running low on time and this makes life just a bit easier.

iOS & Android Apps

LinkedIn has had an app for years. However, their app was missing some key functionality, especially when it came to accessing their groups. If you are a group owner, you can now access and manage your group with a few thumb clicks.

What does this mean for small business: If you need to moderate a comment, jump in on a conversation, or post something on the fly (event insights or photos), the app will be endlessly helpful.

Rich Group Posts

LinkedIn Group posts have always had slightly limited functionality. Make a mistake? You have to delete the post. Want to reply to a comment? No way. Want to post a video? Sorry.

But now, LinkedIn has created richer group posting capabilities. Users are now able to reply to comments directly on posts, edit their posts after they’ve been posted, and even post native videos.

What does this mean for small business:  The more comment and post capabilities offer more in-depth ways to communicate with your audience and peers.

Streamlined Admin Roles

LinkedIn groups used to have a whole host of roles from editor to manager and admin. Now, Groups will just be offering owner and manager roles. The former roles were a bit confusing and often led to many back and forth conversations. Now, the choice is a bit easier.

LinkedIn Groups have always been a great resource for small business, and now they are upping the ante. As a free resource, LinkedIn groups are a no-brainer to include in your marketing strategy. It’s time to take advantages of the new updates LinkedIn groups have to offer and join in on the conversation.

The post Behold the Power of LinkedIn Groups for Small Business appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

As a marketer, and former recruiter, my favorite social media platform is LinkedIn. Mostly because I know it so well. I always recommend LinkedIn for clients who are looking to market and advertise their services and products to professionals. It’s important to note: LinkedIn is not the ideal platform for promoting every business. You need to make sure you’re putting your advertising dollars where they matter. If you have a younger audience who uses Instagram or SnapChat, invest your money there.

The problem with small businesses advertising is the small budgets that go along with them. A client of mine once told me:

“A small advertising budget is like winking in the dark… nobody sees it.”

Now, just because you have a small budget, doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of the advertising options LinkedIn has to offer.

First, What are the Types of LinkedIn Ads

There are four general types of LinkedIn Ads:

1. Sponsored Content – When you open up LinkedIn and are cruising your homepage, you’re going to see a ton of content. A great deal of this content is Sponsored.

Why: Sponsored content works to drive users to your website.

What: In these posts, you can include text, an image or video, a link, and a ‘Follow’ button to increase your connections through the ads.

• Tips: Sponsored content should lead to a landing page where users are encouraged to add their contact information. (Either to trigger an automation campaign, download a whitepaper/freebie, schedule a call, etc)
• Don’t go too niche on your audience. You want to make sure enough people are seeing the post and you don’t want your Cost Per Click (CPC) to be astronomical (the more targeted the higher the CPC).

2. Dynamic Ads – You’ll find these ads on the right-hand side of your Desktop Version of LinkedIn. These types of ads use profile information such as photos, job titles, and company names to personalize ads. These targeted ads allow you to more quickly launch your advertisement campaign.

Why:  Dynamic Ads can either drive users to your website or can serve to increase the following of your LinkedIn Company Page. They can also be used to increase awareness and brand recognition.

What: Ads include a  headline, photo, and company logo.

• Tips: For your first campaigns, try a number of different versions to see what sticks and what resonates with your audience.
• Don’t send people to your LinkedIn company page unless you have it optimized with a keyword rich description, a high-res logo, and a header image. Also, you should make sure you’re posting consistent content for at least a week or 2 before you try and get more followers.

3. Text Ads – As a tool to increase brand awareness, text ads are cheap and to the point. Texts ads typically appear at the top of your LinkedIn homepage, or on the right-hand side of your screen with a small photo.

Why: These ads are pay-per-click and are a great add-on to a LinkedIn Campaign. I use Text Ads to drive home messaging, so if you’re already running an InMail Campaign or a Sponsored Content campaign, you can target the same people so they are seeing your messaging again.

What: Ads include minimal text, and some include an image/logo.

• Tips: Ads that ask questions tend to be the most impactful.
• Don’t run a text ad only campaign– you likely won’t see results. I recommend using these as a complement to another campaign rather than a stand-alone ad campaign.

4. Sponsored InMail – This type of sponsored content is sent directly to a user’s inbox. Depending on the LinkedIn user’s individual settings, InMails may double as an emailed advertisement. However, many savvy LinkedIn users have this feature turned off.

Why: In this inbox advertisement, you are able to create a more detailed message that can be longer than other forms of ads. It’s like an e-mail campaign without having to buy a list or hunt for addresses.

What: These ads can include text and some personalization to help with brand recognition in both physical banner ad design and electronic ads.

• Tips: Short, sweet, and to the point. People get a lot of InMails, you will need to really grab their attention and quick.
• Include an image and make it as personal as you can.

Now, How Do I get the biggest bang for my buck?

Cheap, fast and impactful: If you’re looking to hit the ground running, start with dynamic ads. They’re easy to get started and they are automatically personalized. We all love seeing our names, and with dynamic ads, LinkedIn does the heavy lifting for you. You can start with a budget as low as $100 per month to either:

• Drive traffic to jobs pages,
• Increase brand awareness,
• Grow your LinkedIn Company Page following.

Affordable and Impactful: With a budget around $250 you can get started with a Sponsored Content campaign. Create 4-5 different pieces of sponsored content, all with pictures and links. Leave the hashtags out. With this campaign, you can drive traffic to your landing pages and can couple the content with a small investment Text Ads.

Biggest Investment, Biggest Bang!: If you want to write long-form content and you really want a well-rounded approach, I would recommend:

• InMails
• Sponsored Content
• Dynamic/Text Ads

I wouldn’t recommend starting with less than $300, though. You’ll want to put the biggest sum of money in InMails and then trickle the rest down as you see fit. Text Ads should get the least investment as they are the least expensive.

As a professional platform, LinkedIn offers a variety of resources for small business owners, both free and paid. It’s important to promote your business while also providing industry insight, share content from other industry experts, and provide value. By using these tools and features along with strategically incorporating ads, small businesses can promote their products, services, and benefits without feeling like the pushy social media friend we all love to hate.

Whether your budget is minimal or non-existent, LinkedIn has options for you. If your message is strong and you know your target audience inside and out, they will come clicking.

The post How to Make LinkedIn Ads Work on Any Budget appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

First, Who is Animoto?

From Jason’s point of view, Animoto is a web-based company “all about empowering folks with the power of video”.

Their goal is to help small businesses and individuals who are looking to leverage video to better their businesses. Animoto uses a collection of tools and expertise to make it simple for people with a small budget and no experience to do it for themselves.        

By providing easy to use templates (or storyboards), users can easily drag and drop their content and Animoto turns them into beautiful videos. Making video marketing easy. Someone who is less familiar with the most up to date technology can even use these templates to create a professional and appealing video for their business.

Animoto has been in business for about a decade. With over 100 employees who work to produce quality video services, the diverse background, and experience that Animoto offers are truly unparalleled. The experience and diversity are what has allowed Animoto to be successful in providing these tools for small businesses.

How can video really help your business?

Jason points out that many people see this trend and say “I know I should be doing this but how do I catch this video wave? Oh, and by the way, I have no experience or time.”

Video truly amplifies what already works for you in your current setting. There is nothing really new to adding video to your repertoire of marketing strategy other than enhancing what you already do. With the business world shifting to be more supportive of small business as well as the increasing audience, video could be a more powerful advertising and marketing tool than ever.

Video can be used for a number of things to promote and advertise your business. Whether an informational clip, a testimonial, product demos, or even recaps of an event a business hosted, Animoto can help to create a video that packages this information in a clean and produced video to use for marketing.

To the Nay-Sayers       

Some people are still not on board with branching out into something new. People actually see video as being a newer form of communication and marketing, but this isn’t true. Video has been around for quite some time, the platform on which the video is used is just newer and more innovative. Video is perhaps the most quickly growing form of communication.

With companies like Animoto, the individual is now able to more easily capture the video trend to promote their business.

“We take the guesswork out of what makes for a successful video,” Jason adds.

With the experience and background available, video is a multifaceted advertising method that is now even easier to use.

Video vs. Social Media

With nearly every social media platform having an option for live video, you may question why video marketing would be the better route to take over these live options. This is largely in part due to the ability to cross over platforms and to generalize your audience. Each social platform has an unofficial yet unique atmosphere, so each and every live video would have to be adapted to fit the platform.

Rather than the stress of a live feed (we’ve all been there – some of us are still there, not wanting to be in front of the camera), video marketing streamlines your information, can still use a clip or two that you put together, but can also simplify your approach so that it isn’t choppy or overwhelming for the viewer. One of the worst things someone can do when making a video is providing too much information that the main ideas get bogged down in the overabundance of detail.

Social media can also be trickier to navigate. “They all kinda have certain characteristics and certain structure that make them successful,” Jason describes.  Depending on the platform as well as the direct audience, a live video could be ignored or overlooked. A well-placed video with the right frequency of occurrence could prove more successful than an occasional live video.

Tips for making video work for you

Some ways that small business owners could focus on to make video work for what they need could include the following:

1. 1. Make the first few seconds eye-catching – in a world of scrolling, make sure the initial clip captures the viewer’s attention so that they watch the entire video and are wrapped into the message being provided in your video.
   2. Use what already works for you, and use the video tool to enhance and optimize this area of your business. For example, if you host a blog about your business, you can create a small teasing video that draws the viewer in to read the blog and then ultimately learn about the business.
   3. If you already have popular images or phrases, use them! Go ahead and turn your most viewed things into these videos so that you may continue to grab that attention that these images and phrases have already done.
   4. Don’t be afraid to branch out. If you are short on time, experience, and budget, you can still use Animoto to create a video to assist in your marketing strategy.

The post The Power of Video with Jason Hsiao of Animoto appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

Evolving Advertisement – Because who even reads the newspaper anymore?

Probably not you, because newspaper sales have been down 11% respectively to the previous year, which might not seem like a lot until you translate that number to 31 million weekday newspapers. How many of us still watch T.V. normally? Wait, do you mean Netflix or Hulu?  Not even close, because most people have begun to steer clear of standard cable packages altogether, relying instead on streaming services. If you do subscribe to cable, you likely DVR your favorite shows, so you fast forward through most commercials anyway, eliminating a former key source of advertisement. Traditional sources of marketing and advertising, like print and television, have had to take a backseat. Out of necessity, marketers have had to become creative to ensure their products or services are being appropriately seen through effective advertising.

Hello, “sponsored ads,” is that you? We have all seen how often pop-up ads get in our way or how strange it was that a product we viewed before is now being advertised on the side panels of our favorite sites and apps. We have become well trained in averting our eyes from these ads. We are living in a society of disengagement. If something doesn’t grasp our attention and keep it, we will continue to scroll, and scroll, and scroll.

Video Ads Slide-In

Gif or video? You tell me, but either way, video ads have become more and more common. They typically appear when we’re waiting to watch a video or when we click on a popular website. The ads pop-up and we have to watch them in order to get to our requested content. Typically, they’re brief and it’s not even worth going to another tab. But for both music and video ads, you have to pay the premium services or else you hear and see ads for just about anything. Game of Thrones or Bejeweled? Pass on both. Consider yourself lucky if they’re only audio, because many are accompanied with video in an attempt to further engage the listener and to push their product or service that much harder.

Videos in Politics

Shout out to all the politicians in HD — a deviation from typical door to door campaigning, candidates are getting down to a relatable level by using a documentary style commercials for both TV and video streaming channels. This method has become a hot commodity in campaigning to make candidates more friendly, relatable and viral. As both primaries and a new presidential election approach, seeing your fave (and least fave) candidates on video is sure to continue to grow and light up the campaign trials for years to come.

Viral Videos in Marketing

In marketing, video has significant potential to greatly change the way that businesses, well, do business. Viral videos can increase sales and product interest by leaps and bounds. If companies have a video on their landing pages, they are more likely to land a lead and a potential customer.

A Wise Investment

Video isn’t always the cheapest advertisement option, but it is fairly reasonable and can be easily done.  Video offers a high return on the investment and allows for a deeper connection with the consumer. Depending on the subject matter, a video can pull at the heartstrings of a future customer far better than text or images alone. There is a level of intimacy a truly engaging video can use to build trust.

Some say that simply adding animations into online ads can increase your productivity and success significantly. Simple advertisements are the most basic (read: cost-efficient) and easy to work with when getting started. Social media platforms also have the offered option of live video broadcasting, which can easily be a second step in adding videos into your business model. Live videos can be intimidating at first, but once you’ve established a familiarity with the camera and an engaged audience, you’ll rock the red dot.

Video Funneling

Once you’ve mastered live videos (ala Facebook & Instagram), you can venture into the realm of video funneling–hello YouTube eternity! Consider this the ultimate goal of every ad and video you’ll create. This requires more work and likely outsourcing services, but it is purely the divine intervention that will take sales from 500 to 500,000.

All in all, it is wise to think about adding video content to your online business campaigns. No matter what end of the business spectrum you may land on, odds are video and animation ads could greatly impact your success. It’s easy to be afraid of change and new technologies, but it’s important to remember that we’re in a technological world and we need to embrace technology as the new business platform.

The post Why Video Matters In Marketing appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

The biggest factor that separates a successful startup from an unsuccessful one is actually taking the necessary steps to get started. Thinking about starting a business gets you nowhere; you must take action to become successful. Great ideas do not a business make. The way to use podcasts as a tool to success is by taking action from the information provided. Here are our 5 top tips for using podcasts to help your business grow.

1. Network – Podcasts are really a live action, audio blog. The people who put these business podcasts on have been where you are. They, too, started their business from the bottom and worked through the ringer to get where they are now. Odds are they have some solid advice for others that are just getting started. Podcasters started talking about their experiences to help other people. Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone who’s podcast stands out to you. If you have questions, comment and ask them! They will more than likely answer you and offer wise advice. If they weren’t willing to dole out advice when questioned, they wouldn’t have put it out there to begin with. Don’t fret!
2. Choose Wisely – Don’t get overwhelmed with trying to listen to every podcast on business that you can find. Instead, focus on those most in line with the type of business you plan to start and those that are most in tune with your mindset and goals. Listen to these podcasts and truly listen to what they’re saying. Devote even just an hour a day to listening to the podcasts that most match your business plan. These will give you the better ideas for what you need to focus on. Take notes, apply the ideas to your plans. These are the steps you need to take to make your business better through the advice given in your favorite podcasts from other business owners just like you.
3. Invest – They say it takes money to make money. Simply put, this is the truth. The way you can do this from podcasts is to listening to what products or programs worked well for them. If there is a particular software that will help your business run more smoothly or efficiently, go ahead and purchase it. They say that wise investments will pay for themselves in the long run. This is also a true statement. Do the research and see if multiple podcasters are using these programs. If you don’t need a particular software, maybe your favorite podcasts mention using a specific organizer or planner. No matter how simple or little of an investment, these could still be very important in following through with the plans you need to get your business going. Invest wisely, but listen to what those who have tested the tried and true tell you.
   • *ProTip: Look for episodes where podcasters ask entrepreneurs about the best $100 they’ve invested in their business or an episode which catalogs the best tools.
4. Practice what is Preached – If you are truly working on using podcasts as a way of learning how to start and grow your business, it is imperative you actually try out the different things that are talked about in the podcasts. Do they offer up some coaching advice? Maybe you find a podcast which has a step by step program of tackling a certain aspect of business. Try it out! It never hurts to try something new. If you don’t branch out, you could be missing out on exactly what your business needs. Don’t sell yourself short just because something is different from your usual approach.
5. Learn – At the root of it all, learn from the podcasts you are listening to. Don’t just use podcasts as background noise that you may absorb a small detail or two from. Engross yourself in what you are listening to. Note important things you may want to dive deeper into. Question things you don’t understand – whether directly to the podcast or by jotting it down to address later. Address the notes you take; revisit old ideas and questions and dig up some research on them. Don’t just listen, learn from the lessons being told.  

Podcasts are a great resource to use throughout the lifecycle of your business. Don’t just listen to them, use them to your advantage and continue to use them once you’re up and running. Growing your business is an important key to long-term success, so continue to listen to these business podcasts as they will talk about the lulls, the dips, then valleys, and all the great things to come if you just push through.

Love podcasts? Don’t miss our favorites, here!

The post Don’t Just Listen, Do! How to Turn Idle Listening into Action (5 Tips) appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

1.   StartUp – True to its name, Startup is a podcast centered on getting started in the small business world. Covering a wide array of topics related to small business ventures, this podcast really steps out of the box and addresses so many things in the process. Even if not every episode is something you can relate to, odds are that someone out there, probably many someones, are in the exact situation that is being described and could learn so much from this eclectic group. That’s what the podcast is all about – helping people from all walks of life address the various issues that could come up during the course of getting a business up and running.  

Episode to try – Running a Family and a Business

2.   Entrepreneurs on Fire – John Lee Dumas, self-dubbed ‘JLD’, aims to get young people fired up to get their businesses started and to make them happy in their success. JLD works to inspire others to make their life follow their dreams. In the interviews for his podcast, JLD and his guests cover the main objective of going all in with your ideas. The common denominator among successful startups, to JLD, is going 100% into the new idea with every intention of being successful. JLD will explain how to work hard for what you get but to work smarter in the process as well.

Episode to try – Be Your Own CFO: Take Control of Your Personal Finances

3.   Office Hours with Spencer Rascoff – As a podcast that works like a roundtable discussion amongst several successful business leaders, Office Hours, seeks to address some of the toughest questions new businessmen and women will face early on when starting their business. Spencer sits down with some of the biggest leaders in the business industry to discuss what it takes to get to the levels of success they have. Through their own experiences, these CEOS and business owners provide crucial insight into the workings of a business and of being a great leader.  

Episode to try – Adena Friedman, President and CEO of Nasdaq

4.   This is Your Life – With the disclaimer that this podcast no longer has new episodes, we still love this one! They also have started up a new podcast which spins off of this called Lead to Win which dives into how to succeed in your new business along with some other great life advice! This is Your Life focuses on daily trials and tribulations associated with balancing getting a business off the ground along with your family and home life. Little did we realize that the day in and day out of your home life can greatly impact your financial standing with your business. Michael Hyatt and his podcast work to help you navigate this path and come out on top.

Episode to try – Banish the Guilt About Making Money

5.   Mixergy – This podcast was created by a group of individuals from all sorts of backgrounds to collectively help new entrepreneurs in and through any situation.  These people come from all walks of life, have various experiences in business, and collectively are able to provide insider knowledge about how to overcome various struggles and hardships along the way. These individuals are able to explore the depths of what is going on with a business to help you address what you need to work on for your own business. This group strives to get you to think like a successful business owner and to take charge of your dream by taking action first.

Episode to try – How to start a business during the most stressful period of your life (Writer’s Note: Because we ALL decide to do this, am I right?!)  

Can’t get enough of podcasts? Don’t miss this…

The post Top 5 Financial Podcasts for Small Biz Owners appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

As a small business owner or someone who is looking to soon become one, you often feel alone in this new world. You may feel like you are throwing yourself into the lion’s den with no guidance. Guess again, friends, because there are plenty of people who have made it through the exact place you’re currently in! Not only are you not alone in this, but many podcasters have great insight into this world and what it takes to navigate through. In honor of National Podcast Day, here are five podcasts we love for those who are getting started in the business world.

1.   So Money – Farnoosh Torabi started this podcast as a way to help empower young adults and to help them figure out how to balance life with getting into the business world. Her primary goal was to help them understand their money woes. As her life and experiences morphed and grew in different directions, Farnoosh allowed her podcast and advice to grow with it. She went on to discuss career changes and growth, family balance, and newfound money woes, maturing her conversation to a growing audience that was following her advice through these same struggles as well. Guests on her podcast do not shy away from fearful topics. No issue is left alone as they discuss the good, the bad, and the bitter ugly that exists in entrepreneurship.

Episode to try – 750: Ashley Feinstein Gerstley – teaching young women about their worth, wealth, and money.

2.   The Side Hustle Show – This podcast focuses on how to earn money on the side. This really just means for anyone looking to supplement their income or as a means to slowly get out of the corporate world. Nick Loper really focuses this podcast on how to get your financial situation where you want it and out of the depths of debt. Nick basically goes to show that anyone is capable of having a productive side hustle, no matter the reasoning behind the leap of faith. Whether the side gig is for fun, fixing finances, or rebellion against the corporate world, Nick walks you through what it takes to make the balance needed for a successful side hustle.

Episode to try – Episode 267: The Hustler’s Mindset – The 10 traits of successful side hustle entrepreneurs  

3.   GirlBoss Radio – The GirlBoss herself, ‎Sophia Amoruso, started this podcast to feature successful women who have found their success in various ways in the business world. The podcast sets out to empower young women with the knowledge, resources, and tools needed to plan and succeed in their futures. They want to move the idea of female dependence into the past. The women behind the podcast have real conversations about the issues that are brought up along the way. They promote inclusiveness, vulnerability, and curiosity among other qualities that produce a well rounded and welcoming podcast for all to learn from.

Episode to try – Success isn’t a Straight Line According to Away Cofounder Jen Ribio

4.   The Fairer Cents – The girls behind this podcast get straight to the point and don’t hold back. Here, money issues that are unique to women in the business world are discussed openly and freely. These ladies aren’t afraid to ‘stick it to the man’ and really dive deep into issues that have plagued women in the workplace for decades. They speak with the underdogs of this world who fight this money battles each and every day to try to get a better grasp on how to fight back and open the eyes of the old boys’ clubs we all know about. By doing this, they address how to get a step ahead and how to overcome the obstacles to end up on top. These women kick butt and take names, but all while addressing concerns than female business owners will experience at some point.  

Episode to try – Episode #13: Taking Action to Create Change

5.   Afford Anything – Two great friends, Paula and Jay, join forces on this podcast to bring two very different perspectives to the discussion of entrepreneurship and money. They lead very different lives but have similar goals and ideas about life in general. The topics of conversation cover how people from all walks of life may experience very similar trials and hardships along the way to success. Guest speakers add to this diversity and inclusivity, showing listeners that success is truly what you make of what you’re dealt.  

Episode to try – Episode #151: Ask Paula – “I feel like I don’t deserve my success. What should I do?”

The post 5 Podcasts We Love and Why appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.

People turn to podcasts for entertainment, to catch up on the latest in pop culture, to learn about new things, or even to help better themselves in various avenues of life. It should be no surprise an increasing number of women are turning to podcasts to learn how to become more successful women. When it comes to running businesses and becoming true entrepreneurs, podcasts have a wealth of information. Here are 5 of our favorite female entrepreneurial podcasts for anyone looking for some business inspiration.

Women Taking the Lead

In the Women Taking the Lead weekly podcast, successful women sit down to chat with Jodi and discuss what it takes to be a successful leading lady. Jodi leads women in their journey to become successful businesswomen through the unique coaching system she designed herself. The podcast targets female listeners and encourages them to both recognize their own faults and limitations and leverage their strengths to ultimately become great leaders.

The podcast and entire coaching system focus on Type A personalities and making the most of them. Jodi talks about leveraging the good, the bad, and the ugly to become an effective leader.

Episode to Try: 100% Jodi: Burpees, Business & Boys

Why we love it: Jodi discusses being flexible in your goals and how adapting to change can actually be good for your goals. After all, life happens!

The Intrepid Entrepreneur

Kristen Carpenter-Ogden’s podcast, the Intrepid Entrepreneur, is another great podcast to listen to for any ladies who are looking to lead. This podcast aims to coach and help entrepreneurs who are just getting started but have the drive and determination to push their business to great heights.

One significant goal of the podcast is to keep people level headed through the overwhelming process of starting a business. Rather than getting caught up in the tasks associated with getting a business launched, Kristen helps to guide people in the growth of their business through the passion they have for what they do.

Why we love it: Sometimes the pressure of meeting a certain goal can be overwhelming. Kristen talks about how learning to take a step back to regroup can make all the difference.

Being Boss

Being Boss is a podcast with two best friends, Kathleen and Emily, who have dubbed themselves the “Business Besties”. Each of these businesswomen knows what it takes to start up and keep a new business going. They started their podcast to talk through what it takes to become your own boss. Balancing life and work and the start of something new can be unnerving, so this was the focus of their early podcast episodes.

These women share the peaks and pitfalls of what it’s like to get started and what its like to remain successful while living life as a business owner. Kathleen and Emily maintain their own separate businesses but show that leaning on one another can be the secret to success.

Episode to Try: 188: Going from Boss to CEO

Why we love it: Kathleen and Emily break down the different types of CEOs and how their weaknesses can be addressed.

She Did It Her Way

In She Did It Her Way, Amanda Boleyn talks about how she left the corporate world, working a hectic 9-5 job, to focus on her own entrepreneurial journey. Her podcast focuses on ditching the 9-5 and functions as a tool for other aspiring businesswomen to learn how to become Leading Ladies.

By listening to her podcast, you are getting the push you know you need to jump from that constricting 9-5 world we all love to hate. Amanda recognizes the need to see a career as something more. She encourages her listeners to take steps towards freedom while working in the corporate world. Amanda strives to help women feel empowered enough to take the risk of diving fully into the business owning world and grabbing life by the horns.

Episode to Try: Episode 243:‘How to Bounce Back with Only $400 in Your Business Account with Christina Stembel’

Why we love it: Christina explains how she achieved exponential growth and became a true comeback kid!

Strategy Hour

The Strategy Hour podcast is hosted by Abagail and Emylee who founded the Think Creative Collective. These fierce females work to help you organize your chaotic mind and become your best self. Abagail and Emylee know making the choice to start a business is the most mind-boggling and overwhelming decision someone can make, yet it can also be the best decision, ever! Sometimes you just need some support and some tips in regards to time management, tools to use, marketing opportunities, etc.

Their pod helps listeners to fine tune all the details to truly strive toward actionable goals. With creative inspiration fueled by the knowledge that you are completely capable of success, each episode will provide useful nuggets whether you’re at square one or you’re an expert.

Episode to Try: 252 – Real Talk: Anxiety, Overwhelm, & Not Knowing What You Want

Why we love it: Here we get the validation that we are not alone. Repeat: YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Every business person goes through this anxious stage, and The Strategy Hour provides strategies to regroup and grow.

Podcasts can be a phenomenal way to start getting ready to launch your business. In a “man’s world”, women need to band together to help empower one another and realize their true potential.

Want more podcasts? Check out some others we love, here.

The post The Best Female-Forward Podcasts for Entrepreneurs appeared first on SmallBizTechnology.