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Marketing Tips for Small Businesses

Share the goods.

A journal rests on a desk. The journal reads, "Write ideas."

We were asked the other day what marketing tips we would give to small businesses if we had to narrow it down to only three. We really like to talk and write and overwhelm with words…so it was a challenge. Download our ebook here, which has way more tips in it and so many useful tools. 

Have Good Content

Blogs are always great content for social media. They’re also the key for improving your search engine optimization (SEO), which is the way you rank in Google. Visuals make a big impact here, because social media can often get overwhelming. Having a strong social sharing image is the easiest way to cut through all the noise and make your account stand out. Gated content (i.e. creating eBooks that can be teased on social media) is another way of standing out from the crowd. This not only gives your brand credibility, but it also increases traffic that is more likely to generate quality leads. 

Use Social Media

Try to play off current trends or popular topics. If you aren’t linking to your website in posts, then what the heck are you sharing (put down the meme)? Still, don’t sound overly promotional. No one wants a feed that is entirely advertisements. Your links should be useful and relevant to your audience (did we mention blogging? Go blog!). If you aren’t getting the engagement you want, play around with your posting times. Some audiences are more active at different times of the day. You never know what will get the most engagement until you test it out.

Leverage Your Team

Your team is just as important on social as it is off of social. Make sure they’re engaging with your content and sharing it with their followers. People who care about them will care about their work, too! We have seen a lot of return on engagement through cross-promotion. Encouraging your team to share your content makes a huge difference. Don’t forget to pay attention to your analytics, as well. By focusing on the data, you begin to pick up on the things that work and find more consistent engagement. 

So there you go. There are three top suggestions to help out small businesses right now. Oh, and while you’re at it, make sure to check out our free reopening social media assets. Then send us a chat. We’d love to offer you even more great ideas.

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FUN FACT FRIDAY: It’s only fitting for us to own a building where a trailblazing female operated her businesses in 1906. The Phillips family represented one of the longest-running retail tenures in Grand Rapids history; L.E. Phillips Jewelry in the 1365 Plainfield Ave. building from 1906 until 1973. 
Dr. Eva Phillips, a certified and licensed optometrist ran her practice out of the jewelry store’s secondary parlor and was an equal partner in the jewelry store. 

Together, they offered a unique one-stop shot which expanded to include appliances, record players, and more. The couple operated the shop through two World Wars and the Great Depression, acting as the neighborhood matriarch and patriarch. 

@crestongr @crestoncorridor @crestongrandrapids @citygrandrapids @grandrapidspubliclibrary
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If not, a) you’re missing out and b) you need to follow immediately. Hosted by @bodespeaks, episodes drop every other week, and feature some pretty bada$$ guests if we do say so ourselves.

This week, Kim sits down with @kelsey_orchard , VP of Marketing and Communications at @fifthwheelfreight to chat building a personal brand, Gen Z entering the workforce, misconceptions about logistics, spotting fake LinkedIn profiles – oh and why your GPA doesn’t matter anymore.

Grab a watermelon margarita, sit back and enjoy for lots of laughs and real talk.

Listen now at the link in bio.
National Perimenopause Month starts today. We have a LOT to say, and we’re not going to be quiet about it, especially this month, so buckle up.

We were not prepared for perimenopause, much like our periods, sex, or anything else to do with our bodies. God forbid we talk about it openly.

We were taught to be ashamed, keep quiet, and to accept that it is just part of being a woman. We reject that narrative. In fact, like @bodespeaks, we want to bring it up in every conversation. 

When we normalize perimenopause and the conversation around it, we stop isolating, and we’re all more prepared.
Join us for Uncomfortable Conversations: The Pause on September 24th — a powerful conversation hosted alongside the @smallbusinessassocofmichigan 
Women’s Business Council, featuring some kicka$$ experts who will give you the real talk on perimenopause (more to come on them later).

Register at the link in bio.
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Introducing the Women's Owners Network - a new program built for what comes first, joining our proven Fellowship model to support Michigan women at every stage of business ownership.

Whether you've got a team of 10 or it's just you and your laptop, you deserve a room full of women who get it.

Six months of leadership, finance, operations, capital access, paired with real support for the isolation, emotional volatility, and decision fatigue that come with owning your own business.

You'll have your own board of directors in your corner, including @bodespeaks plus a group of mentors, instructors, and coaches who've been exactly where you are.

Applications due October 1. Apply now at the link in bio.
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