Tag Archives: Online Business Manager

6 Tools To Boost Your Business’s Efficiency

Entrepreneurs from all walks of life are all asking the same question, “How can we, the business (or as individuals), be more efficient at what we do?” With modern technology there is a wide variety of tools that has made previously tedious and daunting tasks a breeze! So many tools, in fact, that it’s easy to get overwhelmed figuring out which ones best suit your business. Unfortunately, not all tools are made equal so it’s important to evaluate the features of each. I have outlined a few of my personal favorites that have worked incredibly well for me and my business and I hope they do the same for you. The tools mentioned below range from free to costing a fair sum of money. As previously stated, not all tools are made equal and in the past, I have found myself getting “stuck” in that place of free, but sometimes it isn’t always the best.

1.Asana

I have tried many task/project manager tools and Asana is hands down THE BEST. They have a free basic plan that works well for small teams, but depending on the features you are after and the tasks you encounter daily, one of the upgraded plan options may work better for your team.

Asana is fast, intuitive, and easy to manipulate. Asana’s arrangement features, and user interface make it easy to navigate, prioritize, and organize. My favorite part is that it takes the form of a check list and you can mark tasks completed as you go. You can also schedule reoccurring tasks on any given interval whether that be every x amount of days, weekly, monthly, bi-monthly, etc.

Asana also makes it easy to communicate with your team on projects since there are notes and comment sections for each project.

2.WorkflowMax

How does having 626 hours of your time back sound? AMAZING? That’s what I thought. On average, that’s how much time WorkflowMax saves its clients — along with $22,000 per year. This tool is perfect for businesses and freelancers whose services are very much dependent on time. Without much effort at all, businesses can track time spent on various tasks and remain accountable for their work.

WorkflowMax allows users to create professional, instant quotes for potential clients, then invoice them later with equally professional-looking forms. Users can even build timelines for special projects and view productivity analytics within the program. You can even integrate add-ons such as Xero to completely customize it to your needs.

3.Slack

Ever come up with an idea, but everyone’s’ calendars are already packed for the day? Plus, haven’t we established how much we all hate meetings? Slack is an amazing tool to help you stay in touch with your team, it’s a simple app without a lot of pizazz, but packs a punch in the productivity timeline.

Another one of my favorite tools—Slack is the most popular and best tools for communicating with your team by giving your team members a workspace with organized and accessible conversations. Slack also includes a searchable archive of teams conversations so everyone has access to the answers they need.

3.Active Campaign

My new favorite tool is ActiveCampaign. It is a hidden gem in the marketing automation world! They’re one of the most affordable providers for small businesses and their software is exceptionally well-designed. What’s surprising is the fact very few people have heard of them! Unlike other marketing automation tools, I have used, I have yet to have an idea that ActiveCampaign won’t allow me to build. It may not be free, but the pricing is incredibly generous for the quality product you receive. Active Campaign for email marketing with its robust marketing automation and multi-dimensional segmentation, makes it super simple for building funnels—love, love, love it!

4.Leadpages

Running a special? Offering a new product or service? Whatever it may be, you can easily create targeted lead pages and track their results without redesigning your website. With over 160 plus free mobile-responsive templates, you can easily create multiple versions of pages to optimize your landing page success rate. Another great thing about Leadpages is that you can easily integrate it with over 40 tools and platforms!

 

5.Google Docs

If Google Docs isn’t already part of your everyday workflow then it definitely needs to be! It’s free, easy, allows for easy collaborations and file sharing and it has it’s own version of Word, Excel and Powerpoint all with cloud storage.

6.Groove

Groove is a great option to quickly and easily set up all the customer service options you’d want in one place. It focuses on helping small business grow and makes it easy for teams to work out of internally. If more extensive programs like Zendesk are too much for your business, this is a great option to keep your customer service simple and effective.

If you haven’t tried these already, I hope you give some of these a go and see what they can do for your business! Feel free to let me know what your favorite tools are!

The 5 Barriers of Delegation and How to Overcome Them

As a leader and entrepreneur, you will find one of the biggest challenges to be delegating tasks. In 2013, Stanford University conducted a survey which exposed the fact that 37% of chief executives struggle and are working to improve on delegation skills. Outlined are five disadvantages that might be keeping you from reaching your delegation goals. To overcome these barriers, we must first identify them.

  1. It Takes Time & Mentoring

We all know that time is money, and we are always looking for ways to save time and be more efficient in what we do. Those voices in your head are telling you that you don’t have the time to adequately explain or teach the skills for the task at hand to your team member. The good news is, delegating task actually saves time. It might take holding their hand and teaching them all the nitty gritty at first, but once they have it down, that is one less task on your plate in which you can focus your efforts on more important business goals.

  1. Loss of Control

Admit it, we can all be a bit of a control freak at times. Many business owners have a long history of making things happen with their own skill and determination. Even though business owners think they can do the task better, your business will not be successful if there’s a leader micromanaging everything. A way to overcome this is by providing planned accountability amongst your team members, which will calm your anxiety. Besides, you may find out that one of your team members discovers a new, more efficient method of completing the task at hand!

  1. Delegating Yourself Out of a Job or Losing Tasks You Enjoy

Another barrier business owners may come across is the fear that you are going to train yourself out of a job. Or maybe there’s a reoccurring task that you enjoy but you offloaded it to a team member. This is a great problem to have! Now that you have less on your plate you can move to a higher position, take on more challenging tasks, or focus on those business development plans you never had the time for. You will also be rewarded by seeing others succeed because of your coaching.

  1. Lack of Confidence/Faith in Your Team

Leaders may be hesitant to delegate tasks because they don’t have confidence or faith in their team members. It’s okay to feel this way, but it’s something you must overcome for successful delegation. Start small, take small risks and set your team up for success. Successes early on will give you the courage to delegate more and more in which you can gradually increase the complexity of tasks assigned. Be sure to thoroughly prep your team because the more prepared they are, the less worried you will be! Additionally, your team may lack the confidence in themselves, or they are worried they won’t do well. By starting small together, you can inspire confidence and trust side by side.

  1. Asking for Help is a Sign of Weakness

Asking for help sucks, and you might feel like it’s a sign of weakness, when really it is a sign of strength and trust. We are only human, and we can’t do everything by ourselves. Often it is fear that fuels this anxiety: Fear of over-stepping. Fear of appearing too needy. Fear of imposing. Fear of revealing our struggle and having people realize we don’t have it all together after all. When we support other people to be more successful, we discover opportunities for collaboration that ultimately enable us to be more successful ourselves. Besides, didn’t you hire a team of talented people? Leverage their capabilities, you will be surprised!

To tackle the fear and uncertainty associated with delegation, you need to lay the groundwork for success. Clarify the work that needs to be delegated. Which tasks can realistically be handled by other team members? Also determine the tasks that must be done by you, and only you. Be sure to communicate with your team the objectives and goals of each task so they know what is expected of them and how it fits in with the larger picture. Be sure to set deadlines and milestones and/or the frequency of checking up on their work. Be open with communication and make sure that your team understands they can turn to you and that it is ok to ask questions and further guidance.

Have some tasks you need to delegate-Let’s talk!

Small Steps, Big Changes -The “Magic” Formula to Success

There is no elevator to success; you have to take the stairs. I love that saying by Zig Ziglar. I get questions all the time about the “shortcuts” and “magic formula” or my “secret sauce” to success.

For example: “What is the quickest way to…” or “What is the one trick that will…”   Here is the thing…there is no shortcut, no secret to success. Sorry, they don’t exist…not for your business, not for your relationships, not for anything that is worthwhile.

If you want to succeed at something stop focusing on why everyone else appears to be succeeding except for you. Don’t assume everyone that is successful knows some “secret” that you don’t.

I know it’s easier to look at others and think those who achieve high levels of success are simply more intelligent, received a hand up, or are simply luckier than the people in the second group. I get it, it makes people feel better to rationalize another person’s success. But let’s be real here, it is hard work that got somebody in a position to be offered an opportunity. And even then, it is not the opportunity that makes a person, it is what you do with those opportunities that make or break you.

Are you ready to be accountable and take one step at a time? I don’t have a “one thing” answer for you but I do have the general formula.

The “Magic” Formula

  1. Decide

Decide what you want. Consider what you want to achieve. Set S.M.A.R.T goals that motivate you and write them down to make them feel tangible. By setting Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound goals you can measure and take pride in the achievement of those goals. You will be able to see the forward progress in what might otherwise feel like a long pointless grind.

  1. Commit

Doing things carelessly is the mother of everything that can go wrong. When you want your project to succeed, you invest yourself in it fully. “The difference between ‘involvement’ and ‘commitment’ is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was ‘involved’ – the pig was ‘committed’.” You can’t afford to only be involved; being involved means you’re not committed enough, and if you’re not committed enough, that thing you’ve been working on, won’t see the light of day. Don’t chicken out.

  1. Consistent

Be determined and most important, consistent. Fully dedicate yourself to your goal. Consistency is about building small empowering habits and rituals that you partake in every single day that keep you focused on your highest priorities and goals. It essentially comes down to your ability to hold yourself accountable for the daily choices you make, with no excuses and no complaints. You and you alone are accountable for what you do and what you fail to do. All responsibility lies solely in your hands. Do the work not for an hour, a day, a week or a month…but every day, every step, until you reach your goal.

Taking everything, we have discussed into account, it’s clear that the key to success is deciding, committing, and consistency-in-action.

When you commit yourself to performing an activity or task at the same time every day without fail, you are at that moment building an empowering habit that will over time blossom and help you get the desired outcomes you are after.

There is no elevator to success. You must take the stairs, to gain the strength and momentum to take that giant leap. Need more help finding that perfect magic formula to help you in your business? Contact me today…

Mindset Impacts Everything

Mindset impacts everything. Our thoughts, energy and most of all, the actions we take.

More than 30 years ago, Carol Dweck and her colleagues became interested in people’s attitudes about failure. After studying the behavior of thousands of students, Dr. Dweck coined the terms “fixed mindset” and “growth mindset” to describe the underlying beliefs people have about learning and intelligence. What is a growth mindset vs a fixed mindset? Glad you asked!

  • Growth Mindset: Intelligence can be developed
  • Fixed Mindset: Intelligence is static; “fixed trait.”

 

Growth Mindset

  1. Embrace challenges
  2. Persist in the face of setbacks
  3. See effort as the path to mastery
  4. Learn from criticism
  5. Find lessons and inspiration in the success of others

Individuals who believe their talents can be developed (through hard work, good strategies, and input from others.) As a result, they achieve more success because they worry less about looking smart and they put more energy into learning.

Fixed Mindset

  1. Avoid challenges
  2. Give up easily
  3. See effort as fruitless
  4. Ignore useful negative feedback
  5. Feel threatened by the success of others

Those with a fixed mindset spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. Excessive concern with looking smart keeps you from making bold, visionary moves. If you’re afraid of making mistakes, you’ll never learn on the job and your whole approach becomes defensive.

-H3-

Whether you’re aware of it or not, you keep a running account of what’s happening, what it means, and what you should so. Our minds are constantly monitoring and interpreting. That’s just how we stay on track. Mindset frames the running account of what is taking place. It guides the whole interpretation process.

The fixed mindset creates an internal dialogue that is focused on judging. And people react with feelings of anxiety, depression, or anger. Or superiority. “This means I’m a loser.” “This means I’m a better person than they are.” “This means I’m a bad wife.” “This means my partner is selfish.”

An internal monologue of a growth mindset person is not about judging themselves or others. They listen for learning and constructive action: “What can I learn from this?” “How can I improve?” “How can I help my partner do this better?”

Change Your Mindset

Changing from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset is not like surgery; you can’t remove a fixed mindset and replace it with a growth mindset. You must work on nurturing a positive, growth mindset. These are tips from Dr. Dweck, herself:

  1. Learn to hear your fixed mindset, “voice.”

As you face criticism, you might feel yourself getting angry at the person giving you feedback. The other person might be giving constructive feedback, but you hear “I’m really disappointed in you. I thought you were capable but now I see you’re not.”

  1. Recognize that you have a choice.

How you interpret challenges, setbacks, and criticism is your choice. You can choose to interpret them as signs to ramp up your strategies, stretch yourself and expand your abilities.

  1. Take the growth mindset action.

As you approach a challenge, choose to say: “I think I can learn to with time and effort.” “If I don’t try, I automatically fail.” “If I don’t take responsibility, I can’t fix it. Let me listen and learn what I can.”

Practice hearing both voices, and practice acting on a growth mindset. Nurturing a positive, growth mindset creates profound changes in your personal life and determines your ceiling of success. Your Mind is a garden, your thoughts are the seeds. You can grow flowers, or you can grow weeds.

Need help nurturing that mindset contact me today!

How to Overcome the Debilitating Feeling of Business Burnout

Burnout is a sickening feeling.

It’s like a fog envelops your brain, making it difficult to focus and work. Your muscles tighten up as you enter “fight or flight” mode. Slowly, or suddenly, you feel completely drained (usually at the moment you most need to be alert and high functioning!)

Many of us start to shut down as we feel burnout, becoming less and less effective. Or we double down, trying to push through only to end up a jumbled mess of exhaustion.

There’s a better way. Burnout can be overcome with some positive steps. In fact, burnout can actually be a great thing!

Why You Need to Embrace Burnout

No one wants to feel burnout. But sometimes we need to feel burnout.

Burnout feels awful. Awful enough to be a catalyst for promoting positive change. It can force you to change poor work habits (like working through lunch). Or cause you to reassess your priorities (like too much office time and not enough family time). Or even make you re-evaluate whether your current job or projects are what you should be doing.

If you feel burnout, there is a reason! Pinpointing the source helps you find the best solution (and maybe even some good old self-reflection and positive change making along the way).

Burnout Cause One: Utter Exhaustion

Your brain is fried. You yawn all the time. You drag your tired body to work, pushing through the fatigue only to drag your tired self back home before collapsing on the couch. You know it isn’t sustainable, but how do you stop the grind?

Option One: Exercise
Right now, the last thing you want is to go workout. But that may be exactly what you need. Get your blood flowing (preferably by exercising outside). It can generate enough energy in your body to get a second wind for work. And, it will facilitate a much better night’s sleep, which can help you feel less exhausted the next day.

Option Two: Aromatherapy
Aromatherapy involves inhaling essential oils (liquids from natural extracts like flowers and fruits). The scent interacts with our body, helping to cause benefits like improving your focus and stimulating your brain. One research study found that lavender and rosemary reduces cortisol levels (the hormone released in fight or flight mode that can be a big mental drain). Smelling certain oils can help give you the jolt of energy you need in a healthier way than turning to excessive caffeine.

Option Three: Taking Time Away From Work
Working too many hours and sitting at your desk too long is just setting you up for exhaustion. Make sure you move throughout the day. Even a few minutes stretching or walking around the office each hour can make a big difference in your energy level. Try to always physically leave work for your lunch break. If you struggle to leave work at work, plan a weekend getaway far from wifi.

Burnout Cause Two: Lack of Motivation

Right now, you just cannot seem to get going. It’s like every fibre in your body is pushing against the task at hand. You feel burnout because you feel no motivation for your work.

Option One: Remind Yourself of the Goal
Shift your focus from the task at hand to the end result of completing the task. If you are saving up for a vacation for example, set your desktop photo to the location. Pull up Instagram photos of fellow travelers enjoying their time. Reminding yourself of what you are working towards helps you get motivated to start working.

Option Two: Reflect on Your Expectations
Sometimes our lack of motivation comes because the sake seems insurmountable. No one wants to start on a mission they are doomed to fail. If your output goals are unrealistic, it can lead to burnout. Set better goals to help avoid losing motivation.

Burnout Cause Three: Feeling Overwhelmed

When it rains, it pours. Right now, there is so much going on that you feel exhausted just thinking about it. Too much is demanding your focus and energy until nothing gets done at all (or gets done poorly).

Option One: Write it Down
Sometimes just writing down everything you need can help you feel less overwhelmed. After you list out your to-dos, assign everything a deadline. Make sure you set reasonable goals. Once you get your action plan in place, it will be easier to not waste energy thinking about everything you need to get done. Instead, you can focus on getting it done.
Option Two: Delegate
If you have too much on your plate, clear some of the plate off! Delegation can help give you back your sanity and make your business run smoother.

Option Three: Try Proactive Strategies
Resist the urge to shut down and give up. Instead, try these 5 strategies for when you feel overwhelmed in business and in life.

Option Four: Examine Why You are Overwhelmed
Try to get at the root cause. Are you not feeling competent? Take some online classes or get guidance from a mentor. Are you feeling like there are not enough hours in the day? Try to jumpstart your productivity or delegate. Identifying what triggers feelings of being overwhelmed can help you prevent them in the future.

Burnout is exhausting. It can even be debilitating! But with some proactive steps, you can come out the other side. You CAN get everything done WITHOUT losing your sanity. If you can use a little extra help with managing your business, Alpine Small Business Solutions is here for you! We offer services and coaching to help you feel confident and in control with your entrepreneurial life. Just give us a call or shoot us an email today.

Imposter Syndrome and How to Overcome it as a Small Business Owner

As a small business owner, you encounter your share of battles to overcome. But sometimes, the biggest battle is your own internal monologue.

I can’t actually do this. I feel like an imposter pretending to be cut out for this life. People think I’m qualified, but if they only knew…

These defeating thoughts are common in people with imposter syndrome, which tends to be found among highly successful and high achieving people.

AKA: you!

Imposter syndrome acts like a crippling sickness that keeps us from being bold in our personal and professional lives, robbing us of growth, success, and even happiness.

It’s a terrible thing to experience. But, it is something that can be conquered!

What Really Is Imposter Syndrome?

Imposter syndrome is a term often thrown around and splashed in click baiting headlines, leaving people confused as to what it actually is (and whether they’re affected by it).

Imposter syndrome was created in the 1970s by psychologists Pauline Clance and Suzanne Imes, who described it as a feeling of “phoniness in people who believe that they are not intelligent, capable or creative despite evidence of high achievement.”

Did you catch the irony? It’s those who are capable and qualified (evidenced by their previous high achievement) who doubt themselves to a debilitating degree.

Basically, imposter syndrome is a terrible, gut-sinking feeling experienced by motivated and successful people that keeps them from taking action out of a false perception of their own inferiority.

It’s important to note that imposter syndrome is not humility. Humility is an accurate view of your self-worth. Imposter syndrome is a skewed view of your “lack” of ability and success.

It’s also not the same as having a realistic perspective. Being a realist means your lack of action comes from the potential risks outweighing the potential benefits. Imposter syndrome, however, keeps you from acting because you falsely believe you’re not capable.

Imposter syndrome is the little troll on our shoulder feeding us lies about our potential. It keeps us from being the best small business owners we can be. We hesitate to take our company in a new direction…because we’re the ones who must lead it there. At networking events, we keep to ourselves because we don’t think we can offer anything of value to potential connections. Our own lack of confidence can rub off on our employees, making it harder for them to be bold and daring.

When we buy into lies about our capability, our business suffers. And more importantly, our mental and emotional well-being suffers. Imposter syndrome has no place in your life!

How We Perceive Success

One of the root problems of imposter syndrome comes from an inability to internalize previous success accurately. Remember, imposter syndrome happens in people with high success. Our brains have to justify the poor views of ourselves against the list of objective successes, and it does so with two approaches.

Our brain says we just got lucky. Our success isn’t due to our own efforts, we were just in the right place at the right time. Often, our brain tells us we shouldn’t take a chance because the luck we’ve been coasting on may run out.

Or, our brain says our success isn’t really that big of a deal. Our accomplishments are overblown in the eyes of others. So, we shouldn’t get cocky about trying, because really, you’re an imposter for believing you’re capable of high achievement.

If one (or both) of these mindsets resonates with how you perceive your success, then you’ve identified the first way you can overcome imposter syndrome. It’s hard, but you need to consciously work on reframing how you view success.

It’s okay to celebrate and take pride in your success. In fact, it’s important for your confidence’s sake to view your success accurately. (That means recognizing the role your ability and hard work played!)

Try this exercise. Physically write out past successes. Then write out how your talents, skills, and time got you those successes. It’ll help you fight the “it was just luck” or “it really wasn’t that impressive” defeatist thoughts. When you experience imposter syndrome thoughts, review the list. It’ll be a little pep talk from you to you.

Other Strategies for Overcoming Imposter Syndrome

There are a few ways you can work to get imposter syndrome out of your life. Try the ones that appeal to you (or try them all and see what helps). It won’t happen overnight, but you can work to a life free of imposter syndrome.

  1. Remember that you’re not alone. Be reassured that many people experience imposter syndrome. Even famous people like Tina Fey, Kate Winslet, and Maya Angelou all struggle with it! Other people have felt exactly as you do right now, and other people have conquered your battle, too.
  2. Don’t think more success is the answer. Some people think they just need to rack up a list of more achievements to feel more confident. But, the problem with imposter syndrome isn’t a lack of success (since it happens with people who are very successful). It’s not being able to internalize accurately those successes. Imposter syndrome won’t go away with more success.
  3. Hear from others’ experiences. When we buy into the “I’m the only one feeling this way” trap, we’re left feeling powerless. Books like Sheryl Sandberg’s “Lean In”, which talks about common fears of women in the workplace, can help us feel empowered knowing we aren’t alone. You can also read celebrity quotes on imposter syndrome to see how others feel.
  4. Express your expertise. Find ways to position yourself so you’re sharing what you know with others. It can help you realize you know more than you give yourself credit for. You can serve as a mentor for someone involved (or interested in) your industry. Be an active participant for industry-focused Facebook or Google+ groups, answering questions and offering advice. You’ll see that you know more, and are capable of more, than you thought.
  5. Lean on loved ones. It’s scary to admit you’re struggling, especially to people who exalt you for your abilities. But your friends and family can be an invaluable resource, working as your cheerleaders talking down negative self-talk. You can also reach out to people experiencing similar struggles, supporting each other and going through the process of overcoming imposter syndrome together.

It’s terrible to feel imposter syndrome, but it can and will get better! Remember, you ARE capable, smart, talented, and you absolutely can do this.

3 Ways a Tripwire and a Marketing Funnel Work Together for Optimal Conversion

A marketing funnel is great. A tripwire is great. Using them together, however, will supercharge your conversion rates.

Ready? Let’s get started.

What a Marketing Funnel Is

A marketing funnel is the process where people go from just discovering your brand to buying your goods and services. The stages are

  1. Gaining awareness of your brand
  2. Gaining interest in your brand
  3. Gaining desire for what your brand offers
  4. Taking action (buying a product/service)

Marketers use tools to nurture leads along each stage of the funnel. Visitors to your site can give their email in exchange for a free downloadable guide (gaining awareness). A follow-up email gives them a curated list of relevant blog articles on the site (gaining interest). A follow-up email to that gives them a case study showing the benefits of your products/services (gaining desire). A follow-up email to that gives them a coupon to buy your products/services (taking action).

Marketing efforts should be done to coax people along this funnel. After all, if you aren’t driving sales eventually what is the purpose of your marketing?

What a Tripwire Is

A tripwire is a strategic way to get people to enter into your funnel. You present a potential customer with an appealing low-risk and low-cost offer. Think of those e-books sold for $1 or a marketing course sold for $10. The deal is too good to pass up!

Tripwires play off of human psychology. We have an inherent need to view our behavior as consistent. If we agree to a small request, we are much more likely to agree to a larger similar request (think about when you find yourself agreeing to help a friend move after agreeing to give him a ride the other day).

When customers make a small purchase with us, they become significantly more likely to make a larger purchase with us. In fact, many companies actually offer tripwires where they lose money initially. They know they will gain it back soon with larger purchases.

Using a Tripwire and Marketing Funnel Together

These two marketing tactics work hand-in-hand in a circular relationship.

  1. A marketing funnel directs to the tripwire. Before a customer can act on the trip wire, they need to know it exists. Insert the marketing funnel! You can use the marketing funnel to direct people to the end action: acting on the trip wire. Social media, blog posts, emails can all give that push towards buying the trip wire. Not everyone will make it from gaining awareness to making that purchase. But strategic marketing can help get more people to that purchasing point.
  2. A tripwire directs people to the marketing funnel. It’s like there are two marketing funnels. A small one designed to get the tripwire bought. Then a larger one designed to get those big purchases where your income comes from. A tripwire can be the first stage of the marketing funnel: awareness. Maybe the customer knew nothing of your brand. But they say your discount Udemy course (the tripwire). After purchasing the course, they became aware of your brand. Then they received targeted emails providing valuable content (generating that interest). Then they received more targeted emails describing your products/services (generating that desire) before being prompted to act (generating that action). This customer went through your marketing funnel because of your tripwire.
  3. A tripwire increases the chances of purchases. Remember the main benefit of a tripwire? It increases the chances of people making larger purchases with your organization. A tripwire does more than guide people to your marketing funnel. It increases the chances they make it to the final stage of the funnel!

Creating tripwires and marketing funnels are an important part of your sales strategy. But they can be a bit tricky for novices to create. That’s where Alpine Small Business Solutions is here for you! We provide sales funnel services using the tripwire and marketing funnel to effectively increase your conversion rates. Give us a call or shoot us an email to chat about your options today!

Why a Social Media Marketing Funnel is crucial for your Business

Your social media strategy is probably incomplete. Too many marketers create a plan designed to create a thriving social media presence with lots of followers and likes…and stop there.

Wait, isn’t that the point of social media marketing?

Not completely. It’s all well and good to have an active company social media presence. But a social media presence that is all buzz and no buying is a bust. The missing component for many marketers is a social media marketing funnel.

What the Funnel Is

The “sales funnel” is a buzzword in marketing, one that is thrown about so much it often loses its meaning. So let’s take a second to define it.

A sales funnel is the process where someone goes through the following steps:

  • Becoming aware of your brand
  • Becoming interested in your brand
  • Having desire for what your brand offers
  • Taking an action in accordance with your brand (such as buying your product/service)

The goal of course is to move as many people through the funnel as possible. In the perfect world, everyone who becomes aware of your brand eventually takes action.

But of course, that perfect world doesn’t exist. That’s why it’s a funnel – it’s largest at the top where people become aware of your brand. Fewer people eventually become interested. Fewer have desire. And fewer end up making that purchase.

Crucial action taken by you can help move along more people through your funnel.

Why You Need a Specific Social Media Sales Funnel

Social media is a unique beast. The tactics used here are not ones you would use in email marketing or when setting up a booth at an expo. This unique beast calls for a unique, tailored sales funnel.

When you create a social media sales funnel, you supercharge your social media marketing. No longer is it simply about growth. After all, growth can be overrated if that growth never leads to anything. It’s great to have 1,000 followers on your Facebook page, but what is that worth if none of them ever spend a dollar on your company?

When you use a social media sales funnel, you shift the focus. You keep that end point (making that moolah) in mind. This helps inform the work you do, making it more effective and strategic. It takes some effort. But it’s worth it.

How to Create a Social Media Sales Funnel

Building an effective social media sales funnel requires strategy at every stage of the customer journey. The first step is to generate that awareness by being where your target audience is. Take some time to identify which channels your target audience is and how to run yours effectively. All too often, marketers spread themselves too thin. It’s far better to be on two channels (but doing them right) than on five channels half-heartedly.

Once you know which channels to be on, you can work on generating that awareness. Facebook ads, for example, can help potential customers discover your page. When applicable, tag other organizations in your posts to help your posts show up on their followers’ pages. Cross promote your social channels through strategies like including the social links in your email signatures or newsletters.

The next stage is getting people interested in your brand. Create engaging posts that capture their attention (video can be a great tool for this). Showcase how you meet their needs. Push out relevant non-salesy content. Persuade them that your content is worth their precious time. Don’t make sales here yet, simply display your value.

The third stage is generating that desire for your brand’s services/products. Create posts that show exactly how you meet a given need. Promote an upcoming training event. Use your channels to push out the message that your company solves their problem.

The fourth stage is prompting that final action (usually a sale!). Make this as simple for customers as possible. Some platforms, like Pinterest, allow you to make posts that direct customers directly to the shopping cart for a given product.

Not all the sales in your social media funnel will happen directly through social media, whether it be a sale in the platform itself or clicking a link in the post itself. But social media can be a great tool getting customers to the other three stages of the funnel.

Take some time to establish tangible action steps you can take to nudge customers to each new stage of the funnel. This will help your marketing efforts be tailored and targeted, rather than focusing simply on building a presence and hoping it leads to sales down the road.

A social media marketing sales funnel is a crucial aspect of your social media marketing. If you want some assistance creating and improving yours, Alpine Small Business Solutions is here for you! We offer sales funnel services to help grow your business. Check them out today!

Start Off the New Year Strong

Ready for the new year? It’s a time of new beginnings, evaluation, and dreaming big. Channel the enthusiasm of resolutions and the fresh start to make this year a great one for your business. Use our checklist to start off the new year strong.

Client Relations

  • Review current client list. Double check the information to ensure it’s up to date. Make sure points of contacts, email addresses, etc. did not change in the new year.
  • Review your prospective client list. Decide which potential relationships to prioritize cultivating in the new year, and outline steps to take to turn the prospects into fans of your organization.

Employee Management

  • managementEvaluate staffing needs. Identify any areas lacking support staff. Maybe it’s time for a social media manager or another administrative assistant. Consider a virtual assistant as an efficient and cost-effective way to meet your staffing needs, without draining the bank.

 

Business Management

  • Create a strategy for the year. Create tangible, measurable goals for your organization. Think about what you want to accomplish in the upcoming year and how success is defined for your business. Then prioritize efforts for the first quarter.
  • Make a thorough budget. It’s tedious, but important to make a budget for the full management-1year. It’ll change as unexpected expenses and outstanding situations arise, but it will help provide the clear direction necessary to ensure money is being spent where it’s most needed.
  • Review your processes. Examine your hiring practices, sales strategy, social media and marketing strategy, customer service practices, everything your organization does. Identify what is working, and what needs adjusting.
  • Examine your technology. Make sure the security features on your devices and accounts are as secure as possible. Update any programs. Add in necessary equipment purchases in the budget for the new year.
  • Clean up and clean out. Start off the new year with an organized workspace. Get rid of unnecessary documents on your computer. They just add clutter! Clean out and organize your desk to ensure everything is in its place for the new year.

Social Media and Marketing

  • Conduct a social media audit. Go through all your social media channels. Evaluate their success and value to your organization, and cut ones that are not working.
  • Review your branding. Sometimes a new year calls for a new look. Go through your website, business card design, and logo to see if anything should be updated.

It’s a new year, but there’s still the same old administrative tasks begging for your attention. If you’re stretching yourself (or your employees) too thin, outsource projects to Alpine Small Business Solutions! We can handle any business-related tasks for you, freeing up more of your time to manage your business in the new year. Give us a call or send us an email today.

How to Find the Perfect Virtual Assistant for Your Business

So, you’ve decided to save your company money and lighten your workload by hiring a virtual assistant- that’s great! Now comes the next step: finding that perfect candidate to join your team, become your right hand guy or gal, and be that person who makes you say “why on earth did I not do this earlier?”

That perfect one is out there. With a little bit of strategic searching, you’ll find him or her faster than Prince Charming found his Cinderella. Your happily ever after awaits!

Step One: Ask Yourself “What Do I Need?”

You can’t find the perfect candidate if you don’t know what the perfect candidate looks like. Start off by figuring out what tasks you need accomplished (hint: you can use our free delegator form to see everything that’s on your plate right now, and find tasks you should pass on to a virtual assistant). Identify clearly what the virtual assistant needs to do.

Next, you’ll want to think about what the virtual assistant needs to know. Do they need social media knowledge (and a Hootsuite certification to back it up)? Do they need to understand the jargon and nuances of your given industry? Do they need experience with certain software, like QuickBooks? These requirements can weed out potential candidates.

Next, figure out how available you need the virtual assistant to be. Do they need to be awake at the same time as you? (This likely rules out overseas virtual assistants.) Are you needing them to prioritize your organization (which may make a virtual assistant juggling multiple clients not a good fit)? How many hours a week do you need them? Do you need guaranteed office hours where you can expect to access them?

Finally, figure out your budget. It won’t help you to find a perfect fit that’s insanely outside of your price range. Evaluate your financial state and get a realistic picture of how much you can afford to spend on a new hire.

Step Two: Gather the Options


Once you’ve got a clear picture of what you need, you can start spreading the word that you’re looking for a new virtual assistant. You’ll need to create a clear job listing that details everything you need (i.e. everything from step one). Include something quirky to make sure the person actually reads your listing and can follow directions (for example, asking candidates to mention their favorite movie in the last paragraph to ensure they aren’t just mass posting an application).

You can post this job listing on a variety of places, including:

Don’t forget about the power of your network. Talk to other business professionals, organizations you’ve partnered with, old mentors, even family friends to see if anyone can recommend a person or agency.

An underutilized tactic for finding candidates is to tweet about it. No, really. Many social media savvy virtual assistants are active on Twitter. Posting about your opening on social media can lead to some proactive digital experts finding you.

Or, you can skip this lengthy process of posting and weeding through candidates and choose the experts at Alpine Small Business Solutions to handle your virtual assistant needs!

Part Three: Picking the Perfect Candidate

So, you know what you want and you’ve got several candidates promising to give it to you. Now you’re ready to pick the perfect option.

It’s important to interview for this position like you would any other team member. Investing the time and energy now can save you in the long run from a bad hire- and repeating the process all over again.

Ask candidates for a resume, references, and work samples to ensure their experience and work is up to your standard. Conduct an in-person or webcam interview to get a feel for them beyond their application. It’ll allow you to get a glimpse into their work setting, their fluency of English, their personality, their energy, and all the other intangibles that play a role into how they will fit into your organization. Even though they won’t be coming into the office, it’s important to be sure that their values line up with yours.

After the interview process, you’ll be able to see which candidate rises to the top as the best fit. Hopefully, you’ll feel enthusiastic and confident about this new team member, but there is always the option to hire on a trial or one test project basis.

Once you find that perfect fit, check out these tips for maximizing your virtual assistant.