The emergence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak not only created a public health issue of epic proportions, but also revamped the way we perform critical business tasks on a regular basis.
As a result, in-person meetings are now replaced by Zoom calls, while conferences are substituted by virtual events. Long commutes are now exchanged for work-from-home routines, while gruelling schedules are sacrificed in favour of flexible work hours.
If your business is riding this wave of change, you sould be set to reap the rewards of reduced costs and increased efficiency. But it’s important that you manage your workforce well too. Here are a few best practices for hiring remote employees.
If you want to learn how to brief and hire on Upwork, read this post.
Ensure Availability In Your Time Zone
When hiring remote employees, you have the benefit of broadening your horizons and going beyond your immediate geography. This allows you to tap into an expanded talent pool and add highly skilled people to your team.
But you need to make sure that your employees will be able to be online during business hours in your time zone. Unless you have a need for shift work, this makes communication easier and allows for greater efficiency. You can also get urgent tasks out of the way without waiting a few hours for staff to get to their desks.
Do Detailed Background Checks
Especially when you are hiring employees remotely, they are part of your business’ wider family. You need to ensure that they come from a reputable background and have a good work track record. Doing a background check for job postings can easily give you with the assurance you need. These background checks can ensure the candidate’s identity, criminal history, and credit history. It can also verify key details such as education records. This makes sure that the information you are filing in your employee history folder is factual and correct.
Find a Suitable Schedule
Managing remote employees can still be tricky due to altered working methods. You still need to set policies that help you stay on track. Sticking to proper scheduling is one of these ground rules that ensure productivity is maintained.
Whether you want your employees to follow the same schedule as yourself or need them to cover different shifts, it’s important to establish these requirements from the start. By noting your employee schedule on an electronic dry erase board, you can also ensure to keep them updated on any last minute changes. We use the Teamwork app for timesheet and task management – it’s also good.
USe Proactive Communication
Communication is a big part of any business environment. It’s even more critical when you aren’t seeing your team face to face. By using purpose-built programs for professional communication, you can ensure that you are able to remain in touch with your workforce without any issues.
From Zoom to Slack, you can choose from an array of choices that fit your communication style. But whichever you end up choosing, make sure that it gives instant message delivery. This ensures that you don’t have to face delays in sharing crucial information.
Use Virtual Management Solutions
Apart from communication software, you can also use virtual workforce management programs that allow you to organise and mobilise your remote team in an easier way. These solutions let you handle your team’s responsibilities and delivery timelines through a virtual capacity, which prevents any problematic loopholes and unnecessary delays.
In addition to task management, these solutions can also cover aspects such as accounting, billing, sales, and support. Depending upon the nature of your work, you can choose software that fits your working style perfectly. In many ways, this is a virtual alternative to using a business planner.
Since these practices focus on efficiency while cutting costs, reviewing these tools lets you make the most out of your remote workforce.Take steps that are in line with your management style, so you can seamlessly adapt to the dynamics of remote work.
Marketing personas lack one big thing
/0 Comments/in B2B, Content Marketing, Strategy /by Rebecca CaroeWorking with a client who needs to develop customer personas, I did some research and found a load of good articles on how to write a customer persona [links all at the bottom of this page].
So far so good.
but on closer reading it’s clear they are all copying each other.
Content Marketing needs quality control
As I read the articles – many by reputable brands like Buffer, Hubspot, Sprout Social – it was clear that when searching for illustrations they had all culled the same images off Google. Over and over.
The authority of the article was not in doubt. They write clearly and the instruction was good quality for beginner marketers who have never created a customer persona before.
More and more blogs and experts are recommending writing fewer articles and making them longer as well as more niche.
The medium evolves [as I shared this week about Instagram videos] and staying alert to new trends is important for B2B Marketers.
But surely brands could actually show some content images which they had created?
The articles looked “bitty” as a result as the templated personas were all laid out differently and were of varying image quality, never mind what the persona description actually was. I thought they were light in quality.
templated personas copied and reproduced
How to Create B2B Customer Personas
No related posts.
Real Estate and Instagram
/0 Comments/in B2C, Social Media /by Rebecca CaroeDo real estate agents get good marketing returns (listings and sales) from Instagram?
Great question – and one worth answering before you decide to go all in on social media marketing.
You first have to find out
I’m dubious about Instagram as a way to sell real estate or get listing instructions.
Second stage research
Find out if other real estate agents are just growing a following or are actually getting listings from their social media.
Below are articles about how to get followers…. but before you invest a lot of time and effort into this work, figure out whether people who will hire you to sell their homes are using Instagram as a way to find a real estate agent. Do this by asking the people who DON’T list with you, do this by asking your friends and neighbours, do this by asking other agents in your business and competitors. Form a rounded view from all their information. Remember some will lie to you or exaggerate. Who you pick in your sample will affect the answers – if you only speak to cynics you’ll get answers slanted towards the negative.
And it could be that your type of clients are very different from other agents’ clients – this could be geography or age or ethnicity driven. So assess your answers carefully.
Get social media followers
Here’s how to get followers on Instagram for yourself by copying successful practitioners
Above all, beware of buying followers. Just don’t do it.
But you should consider buying social sharing software e.g. Buffer or Hootsuite because they can save you a lot of time especially with scheduling posts (which isn’t allowed on the native Instagram site).
Learn how to do Instagram right
For these links. Read them. Then subscribe to their newsletter, follow them on social (Neil Patel has a great youtube channel too).
And you should research AdFenix – they specialise in guiding your marketing practice for real estate professionals.
Expensive but probably worthwhile. They are a whole-marketing service not just social media.
Now it’s down to persistence and regular hard work. Give yourself 3 months before you decide to quit.
No related posts.
2021 Marketing Trends
/0 Comments/in B2B, Data, Marketing, Strategy /by Rebecca CaroeYes I hate that headline too… but I can’t work out the best way of listing three helpful things which I’m working on without it becoming a silly list headline. Live with it.
The year data became grown up
If you aren’t working with competent amounts of data insights and analytics yet, this is your year to get going and to go deep-dive.
For the beginners – the new Google Analytics GA 4 is a level above earlier versions. Get it installed (new header code on your website) and find a competent expert to guide you though its features. Well worth while.
After that, update dashboards, check the CRM integrations and get a whole lot smarter in your tracking.
Single customer view got easier
Nobody has got this wholly right, easy or fully connected (if you have you are probably a micro-organisation or a startup). Enter the Customer Data Platform. This is the software you need to bridge above (think umbrella) over all your data silos so that you can move towards customer nirvana.
I’m not being totally rose-tinted-glasses on this – there are serious players who can help build the plumbing which will help you understand and integrate customer data. Go learn about CDP.
Behavioural economics for marketers
If you haven’t heard about “nudges” you need to get on board fast. The new-ish science of behavioural economics is all about how we can get people to do things. A nudge is a way of changing behaviour – like leaving your gym kit by the bed at night as a way to encourage you to do a workout in the morning. Marketers love this.
And the smart folks at Ogilvy UK hosted a whole day event – Nudgestock – to talk about and showcase a lot of real case studies of effective marketing action based on behavioural economics. They called it
Watch it on YouTube. I particularly liked Abigail Dalton’s talk about Nudging to end world poverty.
That’s enough for now. Each of these is worthy of a deep dive research and learning day. Plan it for yourself.
I write and coach B2B marketing – each of these could be used by your business – get in touch.
No related posts.
Best ways to help your customers remember you
/0 Comments/in Marketing /by Rebecca CaroeAs a business, you want to make sure you are in your customer’s thoughts when they need to contact you. You want it to be easy for them to remember you, and know about how to get in touch quickly. Check out these memorable customer marketing tips that can help you do just that.
Pick a Simple Online Address
Seek out an online address that is easy for everyone to remember. Usually addresses that end in a dot com are a better choice because it is what springs to mind instantly. But your local country may have a fine alternative like .kiwi for New Zealand or .eu for Europe. If you can have the name of your business in the address, that will make it easier to recall, too. Avoid using a lot of dashes or other alternatives to anything other than your company’s name, since this not only makes it harder to remember but could even lead the customer to the wrong site altogether. [Like the 2 Degrees Mobile Phone business and the 2 Degrees vineyard!]
Make Calling Easy
Besides a website where people can easily reach you, you’ll want a phone number that doesn’t require much forethought when people need to call you. Your prospects will be able to remember your phone number without needing to go online and look you up. You can find toll-free services that allow you to use your name in number format. These services make it possible to get the help you need when setting up your business number.
Alternatively allow calling direct from your website by ensuring your Google Business listing is up to date and that the phone number in your website header has the correct code so people can “click to call”.
A Catchy Jingle
Another good way to keep your company present in the minds of your customers is with a catchy jingle. This might be something folks hear on the radio, but it could be used in any type of social media promotion, such as a video you make and promote on social media. If you can incorporate a way to call you or visit your website, people will become curious, and more likely to check out what your business is and what you have to offer. Using jingles and phrases is a good way to increase sales and help potential customers remember you.
Memorable description
After your business name, you can also add a “strap line” or a description to explain what you do. This could be about your product “The athletic greens drink” or it could be geographic “Your Hamilton Plumber”. Familiarity and frequent repetition are key to this tactic working.
No matter what type of company you have, it’s helpful to use different methods to stay in the mind of your potential customers and get them to come to you. Use a website address that is easy to recall, and pick a phone number that doesn’t require looking up for someone to call. A catchy jingle is the icing on the cake that can make it easier for people to remember you when they need someone who offers your services.
No related posts.
Best Practices when Hiring Remote Staff
/0 Comments/in Marketing /by Rebecca CaroeThe emergence of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak not only created a public health issue of epic proportions, but also revamped the way we perform critical business tasks on a regular basis.
As a result, in-person meetings are now replaced by Zoom calls, while conferences are substituted by virtual events. Long commutes are now exchanged for work-from-home routines, while gruelling schedules are sacrificed in favour of flexible work hours.
If your business is riding this wave of change, you sould be set to reap the rewards of reduced costs and increased efficiency. But it’s important that you manage your workforce well too. Here are a few best practices for hiring remote employees.
If you want to learn how to brief and hire on Upwork, read this post.
Ensure Availability In Your Time Zone
When hiring remote employees, you have the benefit of broadening your horizons and going beyond your immediate geography. This allows you to tap into an expanded talent pool and add highly skilled people to your team.
But you need to make sure that your employees will be able to be online during business hours in your time zone. Unless you have a need for shift work, this makes communication easier and allows for greater efficiency. You can also get urgent tasks out of the way without waiting a few hours for staff to get to their desks.
Do Detailed Background Checks
Especially when you are hiring employees remotely, they are part of your business’ wider family. You need to ensure that they come from a reputable background and have a good work track record. Doing a background check for job postings can easily give you with the assurance you need. These background checks can ensure the candidate’s identity, criminal history, and credit history. It can also verify key details such as education records. This makes sure that the information you are filing in your employee history folder is factual and correct.
Find a Suitable Schedule
Managing remote employees can still be tricky due to altered working methods. You still need to set policies that help you stay on track. Sticking to proper scheduling is one of these ground rules that ensure productivity is maintained.
Whether you want your employees to follow the same schedule as yourself or need them to cover different shifts, it’s important to establish these requirements from the start. By noting your employee schedule on an electronic dry erase board, you can also ensure to keep them updated on any last minute changes. We use the Teamwork app for timesheet and task management – it’s also good.
USe Proactive Communication
Communication is a big part of any business environment. It’s even more critical when you aren’t seeing your team face to face. By using purpose-built programs for professional communication, you can ensure that you are able to remain in touch with your workforce without any issues.
From Zoom to Slack, you can choose from an array of choices that fit your communication style. But whichever you end up choosing, make sure that it gives instant message delivery. This ensures that you don’t have to face delays in sharing crucial information.
Use Virtual Management Solutions
Apart from communication software, you can also use virtual workforce management programs that allow you to organise and mobilise your remote team in an easier way. These solutions let you handle your team’s responsibilities and delivery timelines through a virtual capacity, which prevents any problematic loopholes and unnecessary delays.
In addition to task management, these solutions can also cover aspects such as accounting, billing, sales, and support. Depending upon the nature of your work, you can choose software that fits your working style perfectly. In many ways, this is a virtual alternative to using a business planner.
Since these practices focus on efficiency while cutting costs, reviewing these tools lets you make the most out of your remote workforce.Take steps that are in line with your management style, so you can seamlessly adapt to the dynamics of remote work.
No related posts.
Image credits and SEO
/0 Comments/in SEO /by Rebecca CaroeAs content creators we all understand the power of strong images to support our written content.
I believe that creators should be paid, credited and be a part of the content team. But I got scammed recently – here’s the detail so you don’t get caught by the same trick.
I was concerned when I got the message – and so I went to check my source code for the article. The images below show what I found on their website and on mine for the article they referenced.
You can do a reverse image lookup search – this way you can find out where the image has also been used. [I did this recently for a beautiful rowing picture of a crew with a whale below them – but needless to say people are still sharing it saying it’s not photoshopped!]
Image Scam Message
My name is Casey and I represent Writix company.
Due to our records, you had used one of our pictures in your article https://creativeagencysecrets.
Here is a link to our article with this picture https://writix.co.uk/blog/
I understand that probably you have found it on a web, but it would be great if you give a credit to https://writix.co.uk
Thank you in advance.
Regards,
Casey
OhNoYoudon’t
Casey
No related posts.
Confident Briefing on Upwork
/1 Comment/in Copywriting /by Rebecca CaroeI teach a lot of my clients how to use freelance platform marketplaces as a way to find good marketing support contractors.
Upwork is a popular platform. But getting the best out of it depends on one very important skill – briefing.
How to brief a marketing job
A well-briefed job produces the desired output on time and on budget. But many marketers will tell you that this is not what they’ve personally experienced – whether with an agency, with freelancers or sub-contractors. Let’s set about understanding the skill and the process of making a robust brief and project managing a job to a successful outcome.
The brief parameters
Start by writing down what you want the job to achieve, a goal if you like.
You get the idea.
Next go to the platform of your choice, I’ll use Upwork for now, and find out what the template briefing pages ask you to provide.
Write on a document each of the questions they ask. Use these to understand how the platform will use your information to brief the applicants. If they ask you to set an hourly rate or budget this means it will exclude experts who don’t fit your parameters. Which skills are you listing as necessary? If you ask for questions to be answers, what do you want to learn from those questions – are you using them to screen in or screen out applicants?
You need to set guidance for what success looks like for your project.
The key to a successful Upwork hire
Get the expert to step slowly though the early stages of your selection.
What do I mean by that? Instead of diving into the job and assuming that the work track record examples are sufficient proof of expertise, create a carefully thought-through path whereby you gauge their skill, their communications, their responsiveness and align that with your personal project and its needs.
Here’s an example. I have a website UX redesign project – what are the stages or milestones? How can I find out who has deep expertise compared to shallow experience? The key is to ask good questions.
These are actual questions set for an SEO brief
I recommended changing these to
They are very simple questions – and the key is that you should know the answers already… In this way you can see if the responder is trying to bamboozle you or gives actual detail of their work process. You want the latter.
The answers will allow you to quickly find out
Creative briefing stage 2
After you have shortlisted, then you need to message the applicants. This is when you actually speak individually to your contractors. Beware of agencies applying where the salesperson replies and you don’t know who will be doing your work. Insist on speaking to them direct.
I usually ask these questions
And again assess their response, use of English and speed to reply.
Then I call the top 3 and have a 5 minute chat to run through their answers (stages and hours estimate).
After this, I make my hire decision…..
Can I help you learn how to brief?
Get in touch. Briefing is a skill and a process. You can learn how to do it well. There are some nuances which are specific to types of job and not appropriate for a public post like this. Happy to help.
Resources
Marketplaces
No related posts.
Moving from word of mouth to digital marketing
/1 Comment/in Digital media, Marketing, Social Media, Strategy /by Rebecca CaroeA reader sent me this question
Word of Mouth marketing
There are many, many businesses whose main marketing activity is recommendation and referral.
This is done with no prompting from the business – it’s passive and costs nothing (expect having a good reputation).
But this is a really limiting marketing method. Any WOM marketing should be proactive and driven by the business – the unprompted referral is the “cherry” on top – an added bonus not a core tactic for a marketer. It’s a vulnerable marketing tool because it’s not within the control of the business.
Digital marketing 101
Starting to move to online marketing is challenging and the questioner is on the right lines with a website and some social media presence. BUT that is not sufficient to ensure success.
Key to digital marketing success requires you first to think carefully about strategy with regard to your audience.
A couple of specific bits of advice while you plan your content strategy.
This may sound complex – but it’s important to have a long term strategy of where you want to go with your freelance business before you get down into the detail of what to publish on Facebook this week.
Understand solopreneur marketing
I recommend you sign up to Unemployable.
Their podcast is called 7 Figure Small. This podcast and advisory course (paid) is built for people like you. Solo entrepreneurs who want to build a profitable business while remaining a small enterprise sold mainly online.
This episode published recently, “The Rise of the Personal Enterprise”.
It defines what a personal enterprise is, outlines the forces converging to make now the right time to get started, and describes what your revenue and audience building mindsets should be to get you started off in a way that can you support you now and scale later.
No related posts.
What’s different in digital marketing 2021?
/0 Comments/in Digital media /by Rebecca CaroeDigital strategy and your website in 2021 is the title of a seminar I’m giving tomorrow (sign up here). And I’ve been revising and updating my slide deck for the event. This is a training session have been doing since 2014 with no change in the title and quite a lot of change in the content.
What has changed in 2021?
I have done a lot of thinking – what really is different this year compared to last year and 2019? And I have come to two conclusions
Why so trite an answer?
Digital strategy remains the same – how we I use digital channels to reach a target audience and the website remains the centre of that strategy for most businesses.
But the business world is transformed, we are open to new ways of working, we are up-skilled massively by the lockdowns and forced business adaptation caused by the lack of international travel and trade; our customers are similarly changed in skill and attitude.
Customers are very, very different from the past.
Here in New Zealand new organisations are springing up to help businesses transition into digital – Manaaki is one – birthed from a need for emergency business advice during Covid-19 and now transformed into an educational service funded by Government. Its Digital Academy got 190 applications for just 30 spots. And it’s shortly to launch another work stream, a Digital Doers Academy. Both are backed by real advisors who teach and also coach users in how to apply the learning.
Similarly, NZTE had a lockdown programme, Digital Beachhead, which has now morphed into an additional coaching service to help firms implement and adjust their internal working processes to deliver the digital recommendations.
Digital speed is your challenge
For my slides, I find that much of the advice remains the same – there’ve been no huge algorithm changes, the toolkit is little changed and maybe voice social media is the only big “new, new” thing. And that’s still nascent and definitely not mainstream, nor commercial, nor particularly useful for most firms.
But what has changed is speed and frequency.
The increasing localisation of search, the rapidity of digital updates, ecommerce product launches and impatience of customers means that we have to do things and re-do them or re-check them much more than in the past. Some are sending ever more EDM content; others update social media with growing frequency and when I check the regularity of search engines spidering my websites, it is also growing.
My frequent advice is to set task reminders on a more frequent but less onerous basis. Having time set aside for little-and-often type maintenance on your digital properties is essential. It has been very effective for my clients – try it yourself.
Overall, keep to the basics, supply information to search engines in a way that humans and machines can understand and do your updates continually. We no longer have to persuade customers that digital works – we just need to be present for them when they are looking for us. Go do it.
[Disclosure – both Manaaki and NZTE are clients.]
No related posts.