Small Business: First 5 Steps to Start Your Own YouTube Channel

Social media platforms play an important role in promoting a product or service online. Every social network has something unique to offer. Google's video sharing site, YouTube also does a great job by giving you an excellent opportunity for sharing your video stories with the world.

Let's first have a look at these vital YouTube statistics.

More than 800 million unique visitors each month Available in 43 countries and 60 languages. Over 10% of all views come from mobile devices. More than 3 billion hours of video are viewed every month. Around 100 million people socially interact each week.

If you want to market your services or products via videos online, YouTube is just the perfect option to go for. All you need to do is start your own YouTube channel and begin interacting with your audience!

Given below are the first steps to get started -

Sign In or Sign Up step 1

Top 10 Internet Marketing Tips for Beginners

1. Make a YouTube channel

A YouTube channel is not only very easy to make but also easy to manage. According to most internet marketers, video is the future of traffic as it continues to grow at a rapid pace year after year. So if you are not into blogging yet, you may begin your internet marketing journey by opening a YouTube channel. Additionally, you can repurpose things to your blog from your YouTube channel when your blog is up and running.

2. Build social media presence

Facebook alone has over one billion active monthly users and other social media such as Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest have hundreds of millions of users as well. Social media allow you to connect with your target audience on a whole new level.

3. Create your personal blog/website 

Snapchat: The Next Social Media Sales Generator

There is a myth that Snapchat is for individuals only - not business. Well, it's not true.

And today we'll show you exactly how you can build a following and a brand on Snapchat that brings you new visitors, customers and sales for your business. So let's start at the beginning...

What is Snapchat?

Simply put, Snapchat is a social media platform launched in 2011 for sharing photos and videos that automatically self-destruct within seconds of the receiver opening it. It's easy to use, and young people as well as celebrities love it. It's also regarded as one of the best apps to send and receive pictures. And of course you can also chat and message people with Snapchat as well.

Facebook tried to buy Snapchat and couldn't, so they launched their own app called Slingshot.

What, you never heard of Slingshot? Neither has most anyone else. Sorry Facebook, but Snapchat rules.

So why do people love Snapchat? Besides being fun and immediate, it's also private. You can share photos with anyone without worrying they'll be stored and uploaded to the internet for public viewing. Since all photos and videos self-destruct within a few seconds, it doesn't give the receiver a chance to do anything but view them.

How do you get started on Snapchat?

Marketing and Sales Webinar Training for Small Business Owners

You might have noticed that a lot more people are using online marketing to generate new sales for their business. 

There are a few really good reasons for this: 

- You can manage your marketing from anywhere 

- Online marketing is much more affordable than traditional marketing

- You get free targeted traffic
- The cost is almost nothing to set up on various social platforms
- You can harness them to deliver new sales leads
- They work for any niche / profession / business
- Customers get access to your business 24/7
- The web gives you access to a much larger audience 

The Power of the Email Marketing Pivot

If you have an email address, you're probably very familiar with e newsletters. And, as we all know, familiarity can breed contempt, which is why so many of your email marketing missives are routed directly to the spam folder. Audiences are tired of seeing the same old thing presented in the same old way. Which is why we suggest pivoting away from the traditional "two column" format to a more accessible and easily digestible "links only" newsletter.

Most email marketing efforts involve a very traditional newsletter in the two-column format that allows you to tell a few brand stories, offer a content marketing resource, and maybe include one of your popular blog posts, space permitting. But, imagine if you radically overhauled your format, moving away from the standard design to what can best be described as a "links only" format.

5 Tips For Successful Email Marketing For Small Businesses

As the owner of a small business, it is extremely important to keep in touch with your clients. Email marketing is a great way to maintain a good relation with your customers and to build your business. Consider the following tips for successful email marketing:

1. KEEP A VERY DETAILED AND SEGMENTED LIST: 

Maintaining a proper list of all the email addresses is extremely important for your business. Email addresses can be key to the success of your business, losing them is the last thing you will want. If you are just starting out and new to email marketing, then it is advisable to maintain an Excel sheet. Also make some categories in the lists. Different kinds of customers may require different kind of emails. If you have some customers who have signed up for a free trail on any of your products, then they will need different messaging from the ones who have already purchased something from you.

2. WRITE A CONCISE AND ENGAGING CONTENT: 

7 Effective Strategies on Marketing Your Business Locally

When I was studying for my business degree and before my company was formed, I was in need of an outlet to be around other like-minded women. Years previous I was a member of the local Valley Women's Network so revisited their luncheons. Even though funds were very tight at the time, it was important for me to have some human interaction - even if only once a month. Little did I know, going to these meetings ended up being the catalyst for our birth.

During this time I connected with women entrepreneurs who were either eager to start a new business or take their business to the next level. Being the former webmaster for the Vancouver Sun and Province, it was a natural thing for them to ask me questions about branding and websites. I was more than happy to share my knowledge. Eventually conversations evolved into them hiring me so they could get the help they wanted with their marketing presence. The next thing I knew I was in business as a web developer!

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The 6 Step Marketing Campaign

Solopreneurs and Entrepreneurs are urged to periodically launch marketing campaigns designed to promote the products and services sold and the brand. The purpose of marketing is to drive sales and generate revenues and profits, the life -blood of every business. In support of that suggestion, presented here is a review of the core components of a successful marketing campaign.

Step 1: Identify your target audience

Understand who you want your campaign to reach and influence. List the industry categories (e.g., for-profit, not-for-profit, social services, IT, hospitals, banking, etc.) and the job titles of your most frequent clients and most promising prospective clients. Members of the target market groups must have the motive and money to use your products or services.

Step 2: Know the competition

Email Marketing: 7 Tips For Great Email Subject Lines

Writing relevant email headlines are crucial for getting people to read what you have to say. Get these wrong and your open rates will be very poor indeed. People need to open your emails to read and gain value from what's inside. So, here are seven tips to help you to come up with powerful and effective email headlines...

Tip #1: Keep the line length short. I've played around with subject line length and have concluded that the longer they are the less effective they become when it comes to email open rates.

Here's what I've found: the ideal subject line length is between two and five words. Five words are at the top end of subject line length. If at all possible, use four words rather than five as that tends to be more effective.

In fact, a subject line length of just two words is often the most effective in boosting email open rates.

Tip #2:

8 Golden Success Secrets for Small Businesses

Running a small business is as challenging as trekking to Mt. Everest without having oxygen cylinder, prior practice, and a valid map guide. The challenges are only because there are no authentic rules that can lead a small business towards success while other major obstacles comprise: low budget, limited manpower, and lack of efficient resources. But as a small business owner, you must delve into the pass-codes that help you decode the secret patterns of operating a successful startup or small business. It not only helps you to sustain your current growth but also excel your business planning's to achieve higher objectives. There are a few suggestions based on real-world experiences, which can assist you to hit the bull's eye.

1- Utilise the power of social media:

Nowadays, the entire world revolves around social media and if you are able to use its full potential, it can immediately help you increase your sales and brand reputation with very minimum resource and effort. Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, help you connect with a large scale of users, where you can directly interact with them, thereby allowing you to convert them into your potential clients. It forms a two-way channel that not only allows you to put your message across but also, listen to what your targeted audience want, which eventually goes a long way in improving and growing your business.

2- Research and analyse your competition:

How To Future-Proof Your Small Business

According to Richard Branson CEO and Founder of Virgin "A business's long history is meaningless if it doesn't provide the best-designed, most reliable products or services at competitive prices and back up those offerings with the finest customer service". In these fast-moving times, longevity is more the exception than the rule. According to a 2012 study by Richard N. Foster of Yale University, the average lifespan of a company listed in the Standard & Poor's 500 index has decreased to just 18 years, from 61 years in 1958.

Are you becoming complacent?

Almost no products are so good that they cannot be constantly improved on. In the UK they have a great saying:  “like painting the Forth Bridge in Britain" which is an unending task. This is because the painters of this massive bridge in Edinburgh were never done - once they had finished painting it, they then were needed to immediately start again. The task came to an end in 2011, because workers had switched to a new kind of paint. This is a great example how your businesses product development should be a similarly endless quest for improvement.

According to Bluecorona Small Business Statistics for 2016/2017

• 66% of small business owners say that finding new customers is a top concern.
• 40% of small business owners say that retaining customers is a priority.
• 43% of SMBs says that improving customer experience and retention is their top strategy to improve revenue growth.
• 30% say that keeping up with technology advances is a major concern of small business owners.

What is Future Proofing?

11 Things You Should Do to Build an Awesome Local Presence

Local is all the rage these days as more and more businesses realise the importance of nearby audiences for more opportunities. Here are some steps you can take to make sure that your website is taking advantage of the best options for local prospects.

1. Optimise your website content

To attract a local audience, you need to look trustworthy and professional. Start by making sure that your website content is fully optimised. Include concise and relevant information, such as your locations, contact numbers and email, as well as an interactive map showing where you can be found. Showcase customer stories, FAQs and a blog to have a more personal approach.

2. Go mobile

According to Google and Nielsen, 75% of mobile searches for local stores and services lead to a store visit, a purchase, more research, or a call. This undeniable opportunity cannot be missed by local SME's. Make sure to incorporate mobile response into your game.

3. Get found in listings and directories

Why Is Building An Email List So Important?

An email list is the bread and butter of an online business. It's a collected list of email addresses of customers and prospects that have filled out a form to receive your messages. These email addresses are collected into a database that allows you to easily send out messages both immediately and automated to all the people on your list, or specific ones that you choose.

So why is building an email list so important?

1. You Get Permission

When you get someone to join your email list, you are basically getting permission to communicate and continue marketing to them via email. By subscribing, they are telling you that they want to hear from you and what you have to offer.

2. You Own Your Email List

Let Customers Do Your Marketing For You

You know about testimonials - those little blurbs from customers that tell prospects how great a product or service is.

But did you also know that over 70% of customers look at product reviews before buying? And 90% of participants in a Zendesk survey say they were influenced in their buying decisions by positive reviews.

According to research firm McKinsey, customers that come in through the advocacy of other customers actually stay longer and pay you more over time.

And it gets even better, because according to Influitive, customers who advocate for you will actually stay longer and pay you more.

Talk about a win-win-win, with YOU coming out as the biggest winner of all.

Small Business Advice: Build A Winning Business Model

Whether your company is a start-up or several decades old, the business model is the hub around which all activities revolve. The business model is the blueprint that shows company leaders how to create value and build a money-making enterprise. It is the engine that drives revenue and generates profits.

Fail to devise a winning business model and you will not build a business that succeeds over the long-term. Creation of a profitable business model is a multi-disciplinary exercise that encompasses marketing, sales, strategy, operations and finance.

Identify the primary customers (Marketing)

10 Best Small Biz Tips Sites To Follow

Do you need help on how to run your small business? Are you looking to bring in more clients or customers? Or do you need advice on how to start a business because that has been a desire of yours for years? If you answered yes to any of these questions then this small biz tips article is for you.

I have put together a list in no special order for you of the best 10 business sites to follow in 2016. As I am writing this article it is almost the end of 2016 so I would say that these 10 biz sites also apply to 2017 too.

1. Succeed As Your Own Boss - by Melinda Emerson. This small business site is all about starting a business and becoming your own boss. Melinda talks about how to start a business, how to grow a business, leveraging social media. Marketing your business, finance and accounting and small biz chat. This site is geared towards anyone just starting a business to anyone who is already in business and needs help.

Small Business Sales: Using Content Marketing to Sell Online

Blog content (as a matter of fact, all content) has a very specific purpose. That purpose is to educate and inform your readers/target audience) about your products/services and to put them in a position of knowing a little more after they read your content than before they read it.

Using content marketing to help you sell online 

First of all, when it comes to your content, you need to consistently deliver top-quality, valuable content to your readers. It is your content that enables you to build a relationship with the other person, which means that eventually, that person will trust you enough to want to buy what you are selling. This is where content marketing comes into it.

Content marketing is an amazing tool to help you sell your product(s) online. If you do it correctly, your content marketing materials will reach the other person in such a way that he or she will only consider you and your business to be the one from whom to buy.

The truth is that your ability to sell anything online stems from the content that you share with other people. If not for your content, you would not have any way of letting your online connections know about what you are selling and why it stands above the products and/or services of your competitors. 

Of course, as far as selling is concerned, it is much more difficult to sell a service than to sell a product.

7 Creative Ways To Inject New Life Into Your Marketing Plan

All companies will find themselves at odds with their marketing strategy. This isn't to say that they are not getting the results they want from the plan. It just seems as though the plan in, and of itself, grows a bit stale and worn. What's more, all successful companies find that in order to stay on the cutting edge and attract new customers, they need to tweak their marketing approach to appeal to new audiences.

It’s a risk that has tremendous rewards, and even more key is the idea that you don't have to go too crazy with new approaches. With these seven slight, creative tweaks, you can breathe new life into your marketing:

1. Use Social Media a Little Differently