Lotus Business Resources

...your Virtual Business Support Specialists

Blog

IMPORTANT FACTS SMALL BUSINESSES SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BRANDING

by Leave a Comment

Branding for small businesses
Small Business Branding Image
Small Business Branding

IMPORTANT FACTS SMALL BUSINESSES SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BRANDING

Posted by IVAA Webteam on  September 10, 2018 

Are you a small business owner that believes Branding is only for multi-million-dollar businesses? Do you believe BRANDING is important to your small business but, you run out of time at the end of your day?

This article will outline some basic Branding concepts that can make your business memorable, and it will also explain how a Virtual Assistant can help you achieve your Branding goals.

WHAT IS BRANDING?

  • Branding is the art of aligning what you want people to think about your company with what people actually do think about your company – Jay Baer
  • Brand is the image people have of your company or product. It’s who people think you are – Ann Handley
  • A brand is a singular idea or concept that you own inside the mind of a prospect – Al Ries

WHERE DO I START WHEN BRANDING MY SMALL BUSINESS?

Before creating logos, fonts, and slogans, you must first:

1.    Identify your target audience

2.    Identify your target audience’s burning pains

3.    Identify how you can solve your target audience’s burning pains

4.    Create the smallest audience you can that has a specific need. It sounds counterintuitive, but shrinking your audience often lets you target them better.

A Virtual Assistant or Virtual Business Specialist can help you accomplish the three steps above by:

1.    Setting up your marketing funnels (to build your email list).

2.    Use the email list for client surveys, to find out where their ‘pain points’ lie.

1.    NOTE: Your Virtual Assistant can assure that your emails contain an “opt-in”; to make sure that your list includes the people that have requested to be on your list!

3.    Create and post good, solid content that describes HOW you will solve your audience’s ‘pain points’.

You can learn more about how to ask good customer research questions in this blog post from Active Campaign.

 

YOUR NEXT STEPS IN BRANDING: Positioning, Tone and Personality and Logos

Now that you have a strong understanding of your target audience – CONGRATULATIONS — you are ahead of most of your competitors!

You have now arrived at the point that most people call BRANDING: your positioning, personality, and logo.

Three important aspects of your BRANDING are:

  1. The POSITIONING of your business—your “why”
  2. Your TONE and PERSONALITY
  3. Your LOGO, COLORS, and SLOGAN

Simon Sinek, author of Start With Why, argues that “People don’t buy what you do. They buy why you do it.”

POSITIONING

As you work on your positioning, ask yourself what values you’d like to have associated with your brand. Ask yourself:

  • What do you stand for?
  • What are you trying to accomplish in your business?
  • What makes you different from other people in your industry?
  • What are your core values?

When you have a sense of your core values, it’s easier to incorporate them into your actual business.

TONE and PERSONALITY

Positioning helps you get a strong sense of your core message. Your tone and personality are how you communicate that message to clients.

The tone you choose depends on your industry and the service you offer. It’s often easier for a small business to use a lighter tone.

LOGO, COLORS, AND SLOGANS

Finally, we are at the “fun and creative” part of BRANDING. The steps that you have taken to this point, will help you create a brand that actually speaks to your target audience. Think back on those steps as you work on your logo, colors, and slogan (aka tagline).

  • How do your logo, company name, and tagline reflect what your customers need?
  • How do they differentiate you from your competitors?
  • How does your brand highlight your personality?

Here is a link to an article from Active Campaign, that shows some examples of amazing small business branding Logos, colors, and slogans.

CONCLUSION:

Branding your small business shows the world how you are different from your competitors. Branding is the true essence of your small business and THE VALUE your business provides for your clients!

If you have not yet branded your small business and would like to collaborate with a professional Virtual Assistant, Lotus Business Resources LLC can help. We offer a complimentary (no-obligation) 30-minute discovery call.  Contact us at:  732-707-5307 or via email to: karen@LotusBusinessResources.com or via website: https://www.LotusBusinessResources.com/contact 

Click for more Resources!

Owner of Lotus Business Resources, Karen Kannegiesser
Karen Kannegiesser, Owner of Lotus Business Resources, your virtual business specialist

Karen Kannegiesser is an online business resource assistant, specializing in Social Media Management and Content Creation/Writing for Small Businesses and Non-Profits. Karen has over three decades of C-suite level executive administrative and supply chain expertise. She has many years as a strategic MRO buyer for a large specialty chemical manufacturer, as well as an extensive background in database management, project management, contract administration and business continuity/disaster recovery preparedness.  www.LotusBusinessResources.com

[Read more…] about IMPORTANT FACTS SMALL BUSINESSES SHOULD KNOW ABOUT BRANDING

Ann Handley’s Writing GPS-A How-To Infographic on Writing Content

by Leave a Comment

Ann Handley’s Writing GPS – a How-To Infographic on Writing Content

The one thing I would add to this excellent infographic by Ann Hadley, would be to always keep an eye on YOUR SEO (i.e., tags, headings,  keywords, meta descriptions, etc.).

If you have an article that you are stressing over, give us a call!

Let us be YOUR go-to Virtual Business Resource for all of your Social Media Management and Content Writing “pain points”!

Lotus Business Resources – 732-707-5307 or via email: Karen@LotusBusinessResources.com 

Have a SUCCESSFUL Content Creation Day!

Ann Handley
HOW TO INFOGRAPHIC ON WRITING CONTENT BY ANN HANDLEY

by visually. From Visually.

 

FIVE KEY ONLINE MARKETING STRATEGIES A VA CAN DO FOR YOUR BUSINESS

by Leave a Comment

Posted by IVAA Webteam on

 August 6, 2018 

picture of a finger pressing the FB logo on cell phone

5 Key Online Marketing Strategies a VA Can Do For Your Business

Congratulations!  You have a fantastic product or service! Now, how are you going to turn that fantastic product or service into a profitable business?

Enter, Marketing Strategies! Marketing isn’t just an important part of a successful business – it IS the business.  Everything else you do in your business depends on how effective your marketing strategies are in driving clients to your business!

But like most business owners, you have run out of time. There are many tasks a Virtual Assistant can do to help you. Often this is the best way a business can do more and turn that product or service into one with more sales and bring in that profit you desire. Hiring a Virtual Assistant.

Many VAs offer social media and online marketing as a specialty. If you need help with your marketing, bring in a Virtual Assistant and then they can help you with some of the marketing strategies that will help drive more clients and more sales.

  1. Use social media.

Be yourself! Don’t just post “salesy” content, post thoughts and anything you feel that your target audience/ideal client will find relevant. Do research to find out which platforms your ideal client uses; you can then determine the best times and dates to share your knowledge.

A J.D. Powers study found that sixty-seven percent of consumers use social media for customer service inquiries, so make sure you become a part of that community! Don’t forget to engage with your audience by starting conversations and responding to their comments (both good AND bad). You wouldn’t ignore someone who reaches out to you in person, so don’t ignore them online. Building relationships is one of the most important parts of your social media marketing success, so always acknowledge every person who reaches out to you.

  1. Blog, Blog, Blog

Entrepreneur.com found that marketers who blog are 13 times more likely to experience a positive ROI.  Demand Metrics determined that businesses who blog, generate 67 percent more leads than those who don’t!

However, don’t just blog for the sake of blogging. Use platforms like Medium.com to research suitable content to post. Also, visit sites like Quora and Reddit and be seen as an authority, by answering questions in your area of expertise.

  1. Build a great lead magnet.

The right lead magnet, when presented to your ideal client, can bring unbelievable results. To qualify as a great lead magnet, it needs to:

  • Address known “pain points” in your ideal client’s business
  • Present a solution that will take their ‘pain points’ away

What type of lead magnet should you build? You can create an ebook, a cheat sheet, a checklist or a how-to video. Be creative! Think about the lead magnets you’ve seen that drew you in. What was it about them that peeked your curiosity to want to learn more about the offering?

  1. Take advantage of email distribution (a.k.a. build that list!)

Now that you have created an AMAZING lead magnet, the next step in your funnel is Email marketing.  Part of any good sales funnel is going to be an email marketing sequence. These are the automated messages that go out to users once they subscribe to your list. Use your email sequence to build a relationship with your subscribers. Be authentic and transparent. Email marketing is still one of the best ways to reach your audience, and the fact that it costs next to nothing to execute makes it one of the best tools to add to your marketing toolkit.

  1. Keep an eye on your SEO

Okay, you’re visible on social media, you are building a “know, like and trust” factor with your ideal clients, you’re blogging valuable content, you’ve built an incredible lead magnet and you have your email distribution set up.  How do you determine whether these steps are getting you the greatest return on your investment and reaching your ideal clients?

Enter:  Search engine optimization!  SEO can significantly help your brand reach the people who want what you’re offering.

Industry experts recommend updating your SEO once a quarter; after all, Google updates its algorithm more than 500 times a year, according to Moz.com. Find the keywords that are making your business gain or lose traction in the search engine cycle, to make your brand as discoverable and searchable as possible.

Many new business owners may want to jump right in and market their business before focusing on a clear target audience/ideal client. Doing some upfront work to clarify your target market and then committing to it, will make your marketing efforts that much easier in the long run.  Find more customers like your best customer and stop selling to those that aren’t in that group.

If you know that you need to devote more time to your marketing efforts, but your time is limited, collaborate with a professional Virtual Assistant!  IVAA offers a free RFP system for you to post your VA needs and our members can reply to you with a proposal.

If you are looking to hire a virtual assistant to implement your marketing strategies like these five, click here:  We Can Help You

picture of Owner of Lotus Business Resources LLC

Karen Kannegiesser is an online business resource assistant with over three decades of C-suite level executive administrative and supply chain expertise. She has many years as a strategic MRO buyer for a large specialty chemical manufacturer, as well as an extensive background in database management, project management, contract administration and business continuity/disaster recovery preparedness.www.LotusBusinessResources.com

HIRE A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT AND START DELEGATING – PART 3

by Leave a Comment

If you would like further information on how to Hire a Virtual Assistant, contact us at: https://www.LotusBusinessResources.com/contact

Thanks for watching our video.

Have a great day.

Hire a Virtual Assistant and Start Delegating – Part I

by Leave a Comment

There comes a time in every small business owner’s life when they look at their to-do list and realize they simply can’t get it all done. Do not despair! Help is just a call or email away!

We are here when you are ready!

Fill out the short form below and someone will contact you within 24 hours. Thanks for viewing!

 

Hire a Virtual Assistant and Start Delegating – Part 3

by Leave a Comment

hiring a virtual assistant pricing
Hiring a Virtual Assistant – Part 3

 

By Tracking Your Time, ZAPIER

July 12, 2018

What can you expect to pay for a virtual assistant?

As with most professions, rates for VAs are all over the map.  So, what can you expect to pay for a virtual assistant?

Here are a few things to keep in mind while you’re looking at virtual assistants and their rates:

Type of Work:  

  • If you’re looking at entry-level administrative work (email management, basic customer service, etc.), you’ll probably be paying $15-25/hour.
  • If you’re looking for higher-level tasks (project management, content strategy, etc.), you could be looking at $50/hour or more. Upwork has posted their average rates for various tasks, which can help you get a better estimate.

Speed: 

  • Keep in mind when looking at hourly rates that some people work faster than others. Someone who charges $50/hour might complete a project three times faster—and with the same quality—as someone who charges $25/hour, making it more financially beneficial for you. Don’t be fooled by ultra-low hourly rates.

Pro tip: Paying hourly can be dicey. If possible, we suggest paying per completed project. Quick workers will benefit, and you will know exactly what it’s going to cost you before you start.

Experience level: 

  • Take into account the VA’s experience level. It might be tempting to go for the cheapest option you find, but extensive experience can be the difference between quality work and work that you end up having to redo yourself.

Client testimonials: 

  • Look at client testimonials on the VA’s website and/or their LinkedIn recommendations, and ask for a few client references to reach out to via email.
  • If someone isn’t able to put you in touch with at least two or three people who they’ve worked for before, it might mean that they know they wouldn’t receive any glowing recommendations.

Many cost-conscious business owners work with international assistants—through marketplaces like Virtual Valley and outsourced, largely because the hourly rates tend to be cheaper.

The decision is up to you, but keep in mind that major time zone differences and any language barriers can slow down the process and cost you more than the cheaper price is saving you, to begin with.

If your business is ready to work with a virtual business assistant, feel free to contact Lotus Business Resources for a complimentary discovery call.

Click the link below to schedule a no-obligation call:

CLICK HERE TO SCHEDULE A 30 MINUTE DISCOVERY CALL

Click below to leave a message (we will contact you within 24 hours):

LEAVE US A MESSAGE

If you’d rather call us direct:  732-707-5307

www.LotusBusinessResources.com – YOUR virtual business support specialist!

Hire a Virtual Assistant and Start Delegating – Part 2

by Leave a Comment

HIRE A VIRTUAL ASSISTANT PART 2
Hire a Virtual Assistant – Running the Numbers

By Tracking Your Time, zapier.com

July 12, 2018

Running the numbers

Your mental health is the most important factor here, but you are running a business, so you need to take a look at the bottom line and weigh that against any impending burnout. When it comes down to it, you need to be sure that hiring a virtual assistant will save you more money than they’ll cost, so you should be running the numbers!

Start by tracking your time. That’s something you should be doing anyway: It’s an easy way to spot inefficiencies and see exactly where your time is going—compared to where you think it’s going. Check out our list of the best time-tracking tools to get started and find the best choice for you. Once you know how much time you’re spending on each task, it’s time to do some math.

When setting up a time-tracking solution, you don’t want to get too granular with your tasks, but just enough to see patterns. For example, you might track things like “social media” or “press and PR,” but you’ll also want a general “administrative” category for things like scheduling appointments or calling suppliers. 

Running the numbers – Scenarios

  • Scenario #1: You spend six to eight hours/week dealing with customer questions via phone and email. At $22/hr, that would cost you $132-176/week to outsource to a virtual assistant. In that same six hours, you could be doing something else (billable client work, increasing marketing efforts on Instagram, whatever makes sense for your business) that would make you $300-400. In this case, the numbers show that getting a VA makes financial sense for you.

 

  • Scenario #2: You spend three hours/week dealing with a higher-level administrative task that requires some background knowledge of both the industry and your business/product (e.g., talking to manufacturers). You’d have to find a VA that has the same level of background knowledge you do (and pay higher rates accordingly—say, $30-35/hour), and you don’t have an immediately profitable task you could be doing with the time you’d save. In this case, hiring a VA isn’t worth it for you—yet. Once you have enough other tasks to delegate, you can hand this off, but for now, it makes the most financial sense to keep trucking along yourself.

 

  • Scenario #3: You’ve analyzed your time logs and found that you’re spending five to seven hours/week on administrative work. You have around two to three hours of profitable work you could be doing in that amount of time, so you would more or less be breaking even by hiring an assistant. This is often the trickiest position to be in, since there’s no immediate monetary gain to be had. If you hate the admin work and just want it off your plate, hiring an assistant is worth it—if just for your peace of mind and to avoid burnout.

NOTE:  It might also be a good idea to hire an assistant now, especially if you have a busy season coming up in the next few months: By the time your busy season hits, you’ll have your VA fully on-boarded. If, however, you enjoy using those administrative tasks to wind down at the end of a work day, then the delegating pressure is off.

If you are done running the numbers and are ready to investigate how to go about Hiring A Virtual Assistant and Start Delegating, contact us for a complimentary discovery call by clicking the link below:

CLICK HERE FOR A COMPLIMENTARY DISCOVERY CALL 

or call us at 732-707-5307

www.LotusBusinessResources.com

#smallbusinessowners #hiringavirtualassistant #socialmediamanagement #entrepreneurs