5 Tips for Using Social Media Over the Holidays

With Thanksgiving under their belts, many businesses have been working toward maximizing their brands for the upcoming weekend and New Year’s holiday. Since 2016 is winding down, it can be tempting to take a step back and prepare for the upcoming months. Although it does make sense to look ahead, don’t forget to be active during one of the busiest times of the year!

Your Better Business Bureau has 5 tips to help market your business over the holidays:

1. Think about emotions. This time of year brings up many feelings, both good and sometimes sad. Try emulating happiness with positive words and phrasing to show how the holidays are a time of compassion and giving. Offer gentle encouragement for starting New Year’s resolutions through GIFs or videos to highlight that your brand is connected and caring. A little humor never hurts either!
2. Remember to schedule posts. Scheduling posts in advance is a great tool to ensure that your social media channels are just as active as you are. Don’t be afraid to share similar content across multiple social media platforms, just make sure to put a fresh twist on each post.
3. Be present. While businesses may slow down during the next couple of weeks, your followers will still be checking their social media feeds. Many people take time off during the holidays and will have even more downtime than normal. This time of year is a great opportunity to post fresh content and interact with your followers.
4. Give profiles a festive makeover. Add a simple bow or holiday theme to your logo or social media profile pictures. You can even upload a spirited cover photo. Small changes will show your customers you’re just as excited about the holiday season as they are.
5. Get involved with your community. Getting involved with local charities is a great and natural way to share content with your followers. You can populate your social media platforms with pictures or “go live”.

Be yourself, stay true to your brand, and embrace the upcoming excitement to show your followers the true meaning of the season: warmth and generosity.

For more information on finding businesses you can trust, follow your BBB on Facebook, Twitter, and at bbb.org.

Source: socialmediaweek.org

This post was written by your BBB Serving Central Ohio's Content & Communications Coordinator, Jordan Abbruzzese.

4 Ways to Increase Shares and 'Likes'

Consumer engagement across social media channels can be challenging and frustrating. How do you get retweets, or reach 50 likes on that really cool Facebook post? Businesses, both large and small, post relevant and interesting content with hopes of connecting with customers but may not see the results they’re looking for. So what can you do?

Ragan.com reports that “understanding the psychology of shareable content is crucial to succeeding in online marketing.” You have to ask yourself what is going to make your consumers click like or share your posts. The answer to more shares and likes might be thinking of each post as an emotional experience for your consumers.

How exactly do you evoke an emotional response from your followers? Here are 4 tips from your BBB:

1. Give your followers something they can relate to. Social media channels are a great way to make your brand known, but you should also create relatable content. Consider a post about an upcoming community or sporting event, a pet photo, or a fun fact about how your business was started.

2. Make a social connection. Do you share certain articles or videos with friends simply because you know they will enjoy them? Think of your social media followers the same way. Learn about your audience's interests, and cater your posts to things that will make them smile or think!

3. Create positive content. There are often sad stories or news clips flooding our social media channels. It’s easy to concentrate on the bad, when your followers really want to hear about the good! Various studies have shown that many social media users like to share content that will bring joy and happiness to others. Associate positivity with your brand.

4. Be the expert. Advice and ways to solve problems are definitely shareable. Do you have tips or facts you can give specifically about your industry? Make it known and help your followers out - and chances are, they will want to learn more!

One of the biggest key things to remember is to be interactive with your readers. Make it apparent that you care about their interests and needs. Forming a connection with your audience will most likely encourage them to show their own friends and family just how valuable you are!


For more information, follow your BBB on Facebook, Twitter, and at bbb.org

This post was written by your BBB Serving Central Ohio's Content & Communications Coordinator, Jordan Abbruzzese.

8 Ways Your Business Can Prepare For Small Business Saturday

This weekend is Small Business Saturday, a day originally started by American Express. It's a time for consumers and businesses to come together and celebrate the local places that make their community unique.

Your BBB wants to encourage any participating businesses to do all they can to make the most of this Small Business Saturday! If you'd like to step-up your game for this weekend, but don't know where to start, try these tips:

1. Plan ahead. An easy way to get the word out about Small Business Saturday is through social media. You can have a daily post encouraging consumers to check out your business and support others. The Small Business Saturday website also has free marketing materials and images you can use to promote yourself.

2. Spread the word offline. Help create excitement with posters and small signs outside of your business. You can even print off small postcards with more information about what your business does and your hours of operation.

3. Host a "Shop Small" Celebration. There are plenty of things you can do to rally your neighborhood around Small Business Saturday. You can host a casual breakfast when you open with donuts, bagels, and coffee for guests, or even collaborate with your neighboring businesses to think of a cool event or raffle for your consumers.

4. Don't forget the hashtag! Make sure to utilize the hashtags #ShopSmall and #SmallBiz so that your tweets show up on the main Small Business Saturday Twitter feed. You can also encourage consumers to use the hashtag #shopsmall on Instagram to show their support for your business.

5. Consider expanding your day. If you normally are open from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, consider opening from 8:00 am - 8:00 pm. The longer hours will give more consumers an opportunity to visit your store. Use your social media to inform your followers about your special, extended hours!

6. Give back to the community. Small Business Saturday is a great opportunity to give back to the community that supports you. For example, you could donate a portion of your sales to a local charity and display it for your customers to see or collect canned goods from your shoppers to donate to a food pantry.

7. Create a memorable experience. Think of what makes your business special, and amplify that. If your business sells food, then you could have a small tasting. Give your consumers a reason to remember you and visit again in the future.

8. Don't forget to say Thank-You! A follow up email to your customer or a small "Thank-You" note dropped in their bag will go a long way. Your customers will remember that you made them feel appreciated.

For more information, follow your BBB on Facebook, Twitter, and at bbb.org

Source: Vertical Response

This post was written by your BBB Serving Central Ohio's Content & Communications Coordinator, Jordan Abbruzzese.

Are You Making These 5 Marketing Mistakes?

Your success, especially as a small business, is directly linked with your marketing strategy. The idea of marketing your business can seem overwhelming and expensive, but there are many basic, cheap and free things you can do to get yourself out there! If you do invest time and money into marketing, it can help you in the long-run.

When working on your marketing plan, be sure you aren’t making any of these major mistakes:

1. Choosing not to do any marketing. You may be doing great work, but how will anyone know if you don’t show and tell? Marketing is more than just advertising. It helps you better connect with your key audience and find trends in your industry. Your marketing can be simple, like utilizing free social media channels. Many social media platforms even let you advertise for a cheap price.
2. Not setting goals. How can you properly measure your success without any set goals? Before creating blog posts or running ads, think about what you want your objectives to be. Do you want to drive more traffic to your website, or expand your reach on social media? In other words, don’t do things just to do them. Have a plan.
3. Not looking at your competitors. What are other businesses in your industry doing differently? Check out how they are reaching their customers and engaging with them. Not only will you get ideas on how to improve, but you can understand what does and does not work in your industry.
4. Not marketing to the right people. It’s essential to have a comprehensive understanding of your audience. Trying to market to anyone and everyone may end up with more failures than successes. Consumers today expect you to know their individual wants and needs. Research how to appeal to different generations so that you can tailor your messaging to your different customers.
5. Not tracking and measuring your results. In order to learn from your mistakes (and successes), you have to track what you’re doing. Many social media platforms have easy ways to view your post engagement. It’s also important to look at your website analytics to see which pages are attracting attention. HubSpot and Hootsuite are two great resources for businesses looking to improve their marketing!

Finally, remember that you do not have to be a marketing expert. There are many free resources and tools to help you better market your business. Whether you are in charge of marketing yourself or use an outside agency, learning more about marketing trends can only help your business grow!

For more information, follow your BBB on Facebook, Twitter, and at bbb.org.

This post was written by your BBB Serving Central Ohio's Content & Communications Coordinator, Jordan Abbruzzese.

Have You Heard These 5 Cyber Security Myths?

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and Better Business Bureau is educating small businesses on the threats of cyber security and how they can best protect themselves.

BBB’s new State of Cybersecurity landing page reveals findings from recent research surveying 1,500 businesses through North America on their levels and understanding of cyber security.

From the results of the first part of an ongoing research series, BBB was able to find five common myths about cyber security:

1. Smaller businesses are not at risk for cyber-attacks. In reality, one in four small businesses are affected by cyber-attacks each year. In fact, 60% of all cyber-attacks happen to small businesses, costing an average of $7,115 annually.
2. Smaller business owners can’t protect themselves against cyber-attacks. Our research shows more than six out of 10 small businesses have a plan in place to help protect them in the event of a cyber-attack. While completely eliminating threats is not possible, small businesses can do multiple things to protect themselves like: having a security strategy in place, acquiring insurance and having IT in charge of data security.
3. A lack of resources is the number one reason businesses don’t invest in cyber security efforts. Our findings reveals that a lack of expertise and understanding is the top reason businesses don’t invest in cyber security efforts. Additional education, direction and awareness efforts focused on small businesses are needed.
4. If a small business is hit by a cyber-attack, their financial institution will cover their losses. It’s true that four out of ten business owners believe their bank would cover a substantial loss if credentials were stolen. However, the burden of proof lies with businesses, not banks, when it comes to cyber incidents. For businesses whose business banking accounts were hacked, the average loss was $32,021.
5. If a substantial block of data was stolen from a small business, the business should call an attorney first. The first thing a small business will do is notify those affected (e.g., customers, employees, vendors) by the data breach. It is particularly important for small businesses to contact customers; research shows that eight out of ten consumers are likely to walk away from a purchase if a business fails to keep their data safe. Businesses should have a plan in place before a breach occurs, including contacting their bank, attorney and BBB.

BBB has partnered with the National Cyber Security Alliance to help bring businesses educational tips and resources. Check out our website!

To learn about protecting you and your family’s personal information, visit Lock Down Your Login. BBB has partnered with The White House and other cyber security organizations to encourage better cyber security for consumers.

For more information, follow your BBB on Facebook, Twitter, and at bbb.org.

This post was written by your BBB Serving Central Ohio's Content & Communications Coordinator, Jordan Abbruzzese.

10 Simple Ways Your Business Can Increase Cyber Security

All too often, we turn on the news or open local papers to see stories about an online breach or compromise. Stolen identities, hackers and computer viruses are common--and scary. With all of the bad we hear, it’s easy to have a negative image of cyber security.

Thankfully, cyber security is a good thing that can help protect you, your business and your family! October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and BBB is working hard to bring both businesses and consumers tips on how to secure online information.

Here are 10 simple ways businesses can create better cyber security:

1. Keep your office machines clean. Whether it’s mobile devices, tablets or laptops, make sure all security software is current and up-to-date. Having the latest software on all devices can be one of the best defenses against online threats.
2. Have a backup system. If possible, protect precious information in multiple ways. For example, backup your files on a hard drive and keep it locked up each night.
3. Protect personal information. Shred all statements and applications you get in the mail that you don’t want to keep.
4. Change passwords for all online accounts regularly. When changing your password, make it long and strong with a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. By keeping various passwords on your accounts you, lessen the risk of multiple accounts being compromised.
5. Connect with care. Be wary of using free and public Wi-Fi, especially with your business information. Free Wi-Fi may be convenient, but also makes it easier for malicious hackers to access your files.
6. Check your bank statements and credit report. Read your bank statements monthly and check your balance weekly to make sure no unauthorized transactions have been made.
7. Stay informed! Keep up with new ways to stay safe online and share them with your employees. Cyber security is a full company effort.
8. Steer clear of suspicious texts, emails and links. Unsolicited emails and pop-up ads can be full of computer viruses designed to steal usernames and passwords from your computer. Don’t give in to curiosity; close or delete the message.
9. Encourage your employees to come forward if they have made a mistake--human errors do happen. Create a culture where employees feel like they can be open about cyber security. The earlier a breach is detected, the sooner you can work to fix it.
10. Report it. If your identity has been stolen or you have lost money, contact your bank, local law enforcement, Better Business Bureau and the FBI.

BBB has partnered with the National Cyber Security Alliance to help bring businesses educational tips and resources. Check out our website!

To learn about protecting you and your family’s personal information, visit Lock Down Your Login. BBB has partnered with The White House and other cyber security organizations to encourage better cyber security for consumers.

For more information, follow your BBB on Facebook, Twitter, and at bbb.org!

This post was written by your BBB Serving Central Ohio's Content & Communications Coordinator, Jordan Abbruzzese.

4 Easy Ways To Build Your Brand

As a startup or young business, creating a personal brand is essential. Thankfully, there are a few simple ways to begin and gradually build over time. Any successful business should establish a brand, no matter where you are on your timeline. A long-standing business may want to re-brand how their audience sees them. Brands can even go beyond organizations and apply to job-seekers who are interested in sticking out!

So, you want to make your brand known, or change the way your brand is perceived--but where do you start? BBB has four ways to start branding yourself early!

1. Create a personal and up-to-date website. Your consumers are looking online to find out more about you! Your website should have a modern look and be easy to navigate. Have as much information about your business as possible, along with how to contact you. If you have a budget, check out affordable website platforms that allow you to design your page with templates and areas you can customize. If you don’t know where to start, here is a comprehensive review of popular website builders.
2. Boost your social media. Even if you have an awesome website, you may not get many organic views. You can link to your page via your social media accounts to help gain visibility. Think of which social media platforms make sense for your industry, and be active on them! Post relevant content that will engage your consumers and really show off your mission and brand to your audience. Social media is a great and easy way to put some personality into your business!
3. Host an event. Consider having a small event, launch party or open house at your business! Invite consumers and other businesses in your community to check out your space and what you do. You can set a theme, have deals, inexpensive snacks and drinks and even a prize raffle. Be aware of what is going on in your community and play off of another event that could help you gain more traffic. Talking to people face to face and allowing them to see your physical presence and employees is a great way to personally establish your brand.
   
4. Build a brand that will stay with you. It’s important to be true to yourself and not to bend over backwards and try to be something you aren’t. Businesses have to look at current trends and be willing to adapt, but you should be able to back up your image. Find what is great about you or your business and really show it off. Be proud of what you’re building and others will realize how great your product or service is too!

For more information, follow your BBB on Facebook, Twitter, and at bbb.org

This post was written by your BBB Serving Central Ohio's Content & Communications Coordinator, Jordan Abbruzzese.

8 Ways to Boost Your Recruitment Strategy

Small businesses are faced with a challenging labor market. Deciding to hire someone is more than gaining a new employee--it’s welcoming someone else into your tight-knit family. As an entrepreneur, how do you hire top talent when other small businesses are competing for the same types of workers? BBB has 8 ways you can step-up your recruitment strategy to help get the employees you need!

1. Don’t be afraid to reach out. If locals aren’t answering your calls for employment, look to neighboring communities to see if anyone is interested. The right candidate may not mind making a farther commute or moving for the position.
2. Check out who’s looking! Visit job sites and relevant newspapers to see what kind of jobs candidates are searching for in the “jobs wanted” sections. Are you looking for recent grads to fill your positions? Make sure your job postings are on social media networking sites like LinkedIn and Indeed.
   
3. Ask for referrals. Your current, successful employees may know someone who would be a great fit for your business! Investors in your business may also have a connection with a qualified candidate.
4. Look inside. Do you have an internship program? Consider taking on your intern full-time. Interns have the benefit of seeing how many departments operate and experiencing your business’ culture first hand. If they are currently benefiting your business, use their talents for the future!
   
5. Be flexible. Candidates are interested in perks, and benefits don’t always have to be in the form of a dollar sign. New hires are often satisfied with a well-rounded package of salary and benefits. Many millennials are even willing to accept a lower salary if the workplace is fun with a positive social atmosphere. Consider offering telecommuting as a reward, or having regular work social events as an incentive.
6. Try something new. Consider hiring a freelancer or a contractor on an as-needed basis. Freelancers often come with a diverse portfolio and are excited about helping a growing business. They can learn something new while contributing to your brand.
7. See if you click. When interviewing, make sure that the candidate’s personality is a plus. Skills and experience can be taught, but someone being a good fit is a must. Ask yourself if you’d enjoy getting lunch with this person. See if the potential hire shares your enthusiasm and vision.
   
8. Really talk it out. When interviewing your candidate, have a genuine conversation. Ask what they like to do outside of work. Their hobbies and interests could unveil a gem or hidden skill set that could benefit your business. See if they’re connected with other organizations or charities you’d be interested in working with. Employers should want to hire ambitious candidates who know their future goals. These types of workers will hit the ground running.

For more information, follow your BBB on Facebook, Twitter, and at bbb.org

This post was written by your BBB Serving Central Ohio's Content & Communications Coordinator, Jordan Abbruzzese.