Author: Roxanne Rockvam

E195 – Build Your Credibility Online – You’ll Be Happy You Did

Posted on by Roxanne Rockvam

Why do you need to be a subject matter expert?  Because it will build your credibility online!  When you take the time to provide information and share your knowledge you will make a great impression.

Even if you think there are others with more knowledge… OK, there is always someone with more knowledge, don’t get hung up on it.  You have something valuable to share in your corner of the web.  Personally, I love this Tim Ferriss Quote: “Do not overestimate the competition and underestimate yourself. You are better than you think.”  It just nails it.

You are awesome!

And that brings us to Monday — Monday is when we focus on Subject Matter Expert and why it’s important to your small business persona.

Your status as a Subject matter Expert is comprised of four areas; experience, time, study, and research. Showcasing your knowledge in these four areas will elevate your status from regular person to “go to” person.

It is important to become the person people seek out because there is so much clutter on the web you need to break through it. I often say that you don’t have to be a Subject Matter Expert in the field that relates to your business.  The reason is because, if you have a passion in an area, and someone is researching whether to do business with you, they will research you.  When they find information you want to control the message.

Controlling the message is being a Subject Matter Expert.  For example, I enjoy doing this blog, I work at my family’s marina, but I’m also a thought leader in baton twirling.  Yes… baton twirling.  I competed for 17 years, I’m currently a judge, and I’ve made an app for twirlers.  If you want to do business with me, although it’s not in social marketing, you will find my status and involvement in baton twirling.  This helps to lend creditability to you knowing “I’m real”.  That’s why I say, although it’s better to develop your subject matter status in the field of your business, it is equally powerful to simply have a Subject Matter Expertise!

This is why it’s important to carve out your corner of the web.  You need to focus on yourself… that’s what Monday is for… take a moment to enhance your status.  Start with Linked-In and bulk up your profile.  Maybe you choose Monday to create one addition to your blog/podcast/vlog that is just your subject matter expert area…

Let’s do this!

 

SME + Content/Consistency + Goals/Motivation + Customers = Infinity Marketing Machine

PS: Make sure to “like” this post… and follow me!  (and please do me a favor… if you want more great ideas like the one in this post, just fill out this form and I’ll send them to you…  start here)

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Action Steps
1- What area are you going to focus your Subject Matter Expertise around?  Pick it, now.
2- Go to Linked-In and start enhancing your profile.  Add awards, educational adventures… things… brag about yourself!
3- Install my free app! (SmallBusinessClubApp.com)

Podcast:
Listen to Episode #195 of the Two Minute Commute audio blog Podcast

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Week in Review – Episodes #188 – #194

Posted on by Roxanne Rockvam

In case you missed an Episode… here’s a link to Episodes 188 – 194 of The Two Minute Commute on BigFishIdeas.com.

You can also access it on my Free App: SmallBusinessClubApp.com

Thanks for being here!!!

Would you do me a favor and join my “week in review” newsletter, that way, I’ll also be able to keep you posted on my progress of upcoming books, speaking events, etc…

Episode #194 – Inspiration for Posts Comes from the Strangest Places!

Posted on by Roxanne Rockvam

Where do you find your inspiration for your social media posts?  I look everywhere… and that could be discouraging if you are looking for a short cut.  But, you can find inspiration everywhere.  One really cool thing for me is Instagram and Facebook feeds.  I find great inspiration in these two ever changing spaces.  Twitter is also awesome!

Take a minute and check your Facebook newsfeed for ideas.  Is there something you can piggyback on? Is there something that inspires you?

I just used this tip!!!

I was inspired by this food photo.  So inspired… I wrote this post!

A friend of mine posted this photo because he thought it was neat.  Well, what message does it inspire for you?  How about healthy eating for nutritionists, produce variety for grocery stores, a bike shop sale, new ways to use tomatoes, getting your kids to eat veggies… that’s 5 very different ideas from one photo.

REAL WORLD IDEA: Start viewing your social media feeds in a whole new way and inspiration will follow.

 

SME + Content/Consistency + Goals/Motivation + Customers = Infinity Marketing Machine

PS: Make sure to “like” this post… and follow me!  (and please do me a favor… if you want more great ideas like the one in this post, just fill out this form and I’ll send them to you…  start here)

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Action Steps
1- Look at your social media feeds for inspiration and find one thing you can reuse as a post for today — maybe it is something you re-post or maybe it’s something like the veggie bike that you re-purpose.
2- Install my free app! (SmallBusinessClubApp.com)

 

Episode #193 – What is the Infinity Marketing Machine?

Posted on by Roxanne Rockvam

What is the Internet Marketing Machine?  It’s your ability to connect with your customers on your terms.  You build a bond by creating information customers want to receive and in turn they offer their information so you can continue to market to them.  It’s a “win win” relationship that turns a customer from “one and done “ to an “infinity customer”.

I’m watching how social media is evolving and the more I learn the more I need to share.  The most concerning thing is that when you build your audience on a social media platform like YouTube, Facebook or even Twitter… you don’t own that audience.

Sure, you might not be concerned, but here’s how this affects you.  When the company that owns the site changes their rules, you get affected.  This happened a few years back when Facebook changed their rules and quit showing every post.  One day your posts went to everyone on your list, the next day your posts were only appearing on only a handful of your follower’s feeds.  This is a big problem.  If you were relying on this traffic, it was all of a sudden gone!

You need better control of your traffic.  That is the best reason to create an Internet Marketing Machine.  When the machine is cranking you are in control.  You are developing relationships with your customers.  You provide information they want to receive and you continue to add more people to your list.  This constant attention really helps build the bond.  Then at appropriate moments you offer items for sale.

The purpose of the Infinity Marketing Machine is to create a list of your customers that you can build a relationship with via providing information. It is not going to work if it becomes a “buy, buy, buy” messaging system.  Think about the best email lists you are on, they provide information, build a bond with you, and sell you items, but they don’t pressure you.  You need to treat your customers the same way.  Spend more emphasis on providing valuable information, the benefit of sales will follow!

It starts with being consistent in your posting of content that your customers want!  Here’s a Social Marketing Planner I created and have for sale on Etsy.  Check it out!

SME + Content/Consistency + Goals/Motivation + Customers = Infinity Marketing Machine

PS: Make sure to “like” this post… and follow me!  (and please do me a favor… if you want more great ideas like the one in this post, just fill out this form and I’ll send them to you…  start here)

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Action Steps
1- Start collecting the names of your customers so you can start to build your Infinity Marketing Machine
2- Determine when you will post information for your customers.  Be Consistent!
3- Install my free app! (SmallBusinessClubApp.com)

Podcast:
Listen to Episode #193 of the Two Minute Commute audio blog Podcast

Episode #191

Posted on by Roxanne Rockvam

You can learn to create customers that create customers.  It starts by recognizing your ideal customer.

The way to determine your ideal customer is to think of your ultimate customer, right now!  Who is this person… now this is a very important exercise to complete.  It is particularly important on the days when you are bummed out because you have a difficult customer and working together is a chore.

Avoid the chore.

Focus now, on who the ideal customer is for your working style.  Imagine if that one customer you absolutely love to work with suddenly multiplied into 6 people, how awesome would your day be?   This is what I’m referring to, take the time to put down onto paper what makes the idea person ideal…

Do they pay on time, love your style, give you creative freedom, tell their friends… once you can figure out why you enjoy their business you can go after who they are.

Remember one of the coolest things on Facebook is that you can advertise and get very specific on your targeting.  If you choose to create an ad meant to bring customers to your business and these customers are men age 27 to 25 that live 10 miles from your business that have bought a new house in the last 6 months, you can find them.  Personally, that’s a little overwhelming to me, but you really can do this.   This “who” profile is important, but the “why” is even more important.

You need to get into the head of your ideal customer.  Really figure out why they need your product or service.   You don’t sell financial planning.  You sell the “why” they need financial planning, for example the photo of their entire family on the beach in the Caribbean or a the dream of graduating from college.  These are the reasons they’re using your services.

Developing your imagery around the “why” and using the targeted demographic information of your ideal customer will magically make them appear.  Really, it will!

Give it a shot.  You need to enjoy working with the people that select your services, otherwise it’s silly to take all of the risks of a business owner, if you can’t stand the people showing up at your door!

SME + Content/Consistency + Goals/Motivation + Customers = Infinity Marketing Machine

PS: Make sure to “like” this post… and follow me!  (and please do me a favor… if you want more great ideas like the one in this post, just fill out this form and I’ll send them to you…  start here)

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Action Steps
1- Create an ideal customer using a current customer as a guide, determine their demographics.
2- Get into their head and figure out “why” they need your product and create your words and imagery to sell your product to them!
3- Install my free app! (SmallBusinessClubApp.com)

Podcast:
Listen to Episode #191 of the Two Minute Commute audio blog Podcast

 

Episode #190 – Change Can Just Happen Instantly OR You Can Create A Habit. Both Work.

Posted on by Roxanne Rockvam

Motivation Wednesday!

You’re here. You’re reading. That shows me your priorities involve making a difference in your business. To me that means you’re done with “doing things” on your social media adventure and you’d like to have a plan and make it successful.

This is awesome!

The best way to have a change take hold is to make the decision.  Sometimes we’re lucky and that change just takes place.

For example, and it’s a nasty one, but I quit chewing gum.  I loved gum. Especially that Easter gum… looks like eggs… comes in a carton.  Someone please know what I’m talking about otherwise I sound pretty goofy.  But it’s three flavors… a grape, pink, and the yellow with red spots.  That was my favorite, outside of raspberry bubblelicous.  Anyway, what I’m saying is I really liked gum.  Until the day my molar, well, split apart in the gum.  OK, I warned you.  It was nasty.  I’m sparing you a lot of details.  But I have not had gum since that day.  It was instant.  I don’t even have a desire to have another piece.  The change was immediate.

Outside of having an immediate change moment, you’ve got to create your own change.  It’s starts by making the decision.  When you decide to head down the path of change, you can make it happen.  I believe in the “fake it till you make it” plan.  You just start and make the change a pattern.

This is exactly what you need to do to achieve consistency.

You need to pick a realistic schedule to post your content.  Then you need to stick with it.  I’m still in the pattern developing habit for my own content.  It’s not easy. I’m glad you’re here reading… because, I needed to change my pattern about a week ago, and I’m still getting back into the swing of it.  But, once you make the commitment to be consistent with your content, the “what” of the content will fall into place!

Make the change and start the habit.

 

SME + Content/Consistency + Goals/Motivation + Customers = Infinity Marketing Machine

PS: Make sure to “like” this post… and follow me!  (and please do me a favor… if you want more great ideas like the one in this post, just fill out this form and I’ll send them to you…  start here)

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Action Steps
1- Decide to be consistent.
2- Create your realistic plan that you can absolutely stick to for how many times a week you will post to your blog.
3- Start and keep going!
4- Install my free app! (SmallBusinessClubApp.com)

Podcast:
Listen to Episode #190 of the Two Minute Commute audio blog Podcast