Update October 21, 2020: I first wrote this post in March 2020 when people in the United States locked down due to COVID-19 concerns and fears. It’s now fall 2020 and COVID restrictions are still an issue for many, but the reality is that this type of situation can happen to any of our businesses, for a variety of reasons and at any time. As a result, I’ve updated the post to give you tips for what to do during times that are uneasy. It could be a natural weather event, a virus, political unrest, or something else. 

Action Cures Fear

When fearful and uneasy times strike – we can take action to abate the fear.

I’ve been through a few uneasy times in my career:

• A massive flood hit my region in 1994
• The same region was buried in the blizzard of 1996
• September 11, 2001
• Financial and housing crisis of 2007-2008
• Most recently – the COVID-19 pandemic

During each uneasy time I’ve picked up tips from mentors and watched others navigate the uncertainty in positive ways.

In this post I share those ideas with you. You’ll find actions that you can take during any difficult time to sustain your business and meet the needs of your customers and followers.

While these tips are geared to our clients (health, wellness, and disability businesses), any small business will find helpful ideas here that you can work with!

1. Keep Messaging

Keep putting out content.

Remember that “content” can be a lot of things. It can be any of the following. Text and image content can be delivered both electronically and via print (think of direct mail and package inserts).

• text (blog posts, email, printed newsletters, FAQs, specials and discounts, quotes, testimonials, flyers and handouts)
• images (photos, graphics, illustrations)
• audio (podcasts, social media)
• video (YouTube, Vimeo videos, social media, even a short film)

It is good to acknowledge the situation in a way that suits your personality and brand. I’ve seen some brands proceed as if nothing is occurring and that always feels disingenuous to me. I don’t think we need to constantly message about whatever is happening – the media takes care of that for us. Instead, we can recognize the issue and then proceed with helpful content that benefits our followers, customers, and business.

2. Project Calm

Publish content that is fun, inspirational, happy, entertaining – positive in some way. In the midst of challenges it can feel like everything is dark and scary – but there are silver linings to be found. If you know of one and can talk about it authentically in your content, then you will be providing a benefit to your customers.

Be sensitive to the current issues, while offering something that will bring smiles to people’s faces. We can be like the character Albus Dumbledore from the Harry Potter books – when he said that all we needed to do was remember to turn on the light during dark times.

“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”

J.K.Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

3. Address Questions

Are there questions your customers may have as a result of the situation?

Questions that you can help with?

Examples could include:

• Do you sell a food product? Perhaps address hygiene practices in the preparation, storage, handling and shipping of your product.
• If you sell non-food products, you may also want to address hygiene practices related to packaging and shipping of your products.
• Perhaps there will be delays related to shipping or production.
• Your customers may need to know if you are open for business (yoga studios, wellness centers, doctors offices, restaurants and other local businesses).
• Are you doing anything special as a result of this situation? Let them know. 
• For those in health and wellness businesses – what information and ideas can you share from your knowledge that will help people during this time?

If there are questions to address for your customers and audience – think through the answers, develop the messaging to share those answers, and then send out your messages. 

4. Repeat Content

Are you really busy? Struggling to keep up with everything? And feeling that there simply is no time to create new content?

That’s when you turn to the content marketing strategy of REPEAT.

Look to content that you already created. Anything that is evergreen content can be repeated. Evergreen content is just like the trees – it’s green (or valid) all the time.

It is a good thing to repeat content. Customers like to be reminded. It helps them structure your information and remember what is important about your product or service.

In a time of struggle repeated content can be best of all. It jogs their memories and reminds them of things they want to do that are important to them. Such as purchasing a quality food product that helps their health, or remembering to do self-care with a yoga class or chiropractic treatment.

5. Keep Using C.O.P.E.

Remember to practice the content marketing strategy called “C.O.P.E.”

With this strategy you create your content and then you publish the same content on all the platforms you use. From website, to email, to social media.

C.O.P.E. is a core strategy used in content marketing. It stands for: Create Once, Publish Everywhere. Read more about it here.

6. How Can We Help All Small Business?

Most of the small businesses we know and work with experienced significant anxiety during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Concerns ranged from how the situation would impact their businesses and their livelihoods to the health and wellness of themselves, their families, and their staff. 

In Pennsylvania, where I live, the schools closed in mid-March 2020 and remained closed for the rest of the school year. One impact of that decision was that many workers who are paid hourly, such as bus drivers and aides and custodial staff, lost their income. While the government made relief available, it did not match their previous income. That shortfall ended up impacting their ability to purchase services and products! And that situation affected many small businesses – because their customers could not buy from them. And that was just one group of individuals – think of the many people who were hit hard by the restrictions.

What can we do about it? How can we get creative?

Here are a few ideas we came up with that you could use in this or similar situations:

•  Take payment in trade: barter your services/product for services and product that you can use
•  Establish delayed billing and/or payment plans allowing customers to settle up with you at a later date
•  Look for where there is need AND the money to pay for services and products to meet that need. 

7. Look for Opportunity

In spite of the chaos there is always some type of opportunity. Be watching for it.

I once worked at a hotel in a city that experienced a flood. Two weeks worth of conferences and overnight reservations cancelled within 24 hours. It was an enormous loss of revenue. But guess what happened? FEMA employees descended on the city and what did they need? Hotels to stay in, restaurants to eat at, and places to meet. Presto! Business!  

Look for these types of opportunities for your own business! Here are two ideas we came up during COVID-19 that could apply in many future scenarios:

• People need credible health and wellness information. What can you share that will help them boost their physical and mental health during this time? As people working in health and wellness we have an arsenal of knowledge that is deeper than the average person. How can we share that wealth? Pen a quick eBook and offer it at an affordable price. Start a Facebook Group where you can deliver information, answer questions, and moderate discussions. While not paid, this type of activity will lead to paying business.
• Consider offering product discounts and sales. Reduce the price of your products temporarily to account for the situation. These types of gestures produce goodwill with your customers!

Would you like support as you sort out what to do? 

We’re here for you and very happy to support you if and when you face a situation like the COVID-19 crisis.

A call with a peer in the space can be very helpful for sort out messaging and actions. This is not our first rodeo with this type of thing – we have been through September 11, severe weather, local disasters, and high security situations. We have lots of ideas based on our past experiences for how to weather this current event!

As a small business it’s common to be a little isolated and have all sorts of questions and ideas spinning around in your head. If that sounds familiar, please contact us and schedule a time to talk! We’ll help work through options and establish action steps! 

Current and past clients please reach out to schedule phone or video calls.

New clients? Looking for help? We’d be happy to support you as well. Working through a situation like this one can be a great way to forge a new business relationship! As new clients we’ll request a credit card number to hold on file. Start by scheduling an Intro Call.

Stay strong and positive!

Cheers :)!

Sarah

The post When Times Are Uneasy: Ideas for What You Can Do appeared first on Sarah Galbraith Laucks.

That’s great if you have a degree in Marketing. But if you don’t have a background or training in marketing, then the term doesn’t always make sense. And it can throw you off before you even start learning about the method.

And I want to make sure you don’t get stuck here at the beginning of your learning about this method.

Because content marketing is a very effective method, and it’s a method that small businesses are able to learn and use to steadily grow their businesses.

So let’s clear up any confusion that could exist about the name of the method.

A Working Definition of Content Marketing

Below is the working definition of Content Marketing. It’s the definition I teach to all my clients and it’s what we use to verify that all the content marketing we create is ready to do its work.

The beauty of this definition is that

1) it explains what Content Marketing “is” … and

2) it serves as a guide to help you produce every single piece of your content marketing.

Read the definition. Write it by hand in a notebook or on a post-it note (writing by hand increases retention). Tuck a copy in your calendar or agenda book.

Keep it handy and refer to it often!

The Definition of Content Marketing:

1. Any text, image, audio or video,
2. Created by you and your team,
3. Using your unique, original voice and style,
4. That offers something of authentic value,
5. To your current or future customer.

I’m going to expand on each of the five points in the definition below. As you learn content marketing refer back to this definition again and again. It’s the foundation of all you will do!

What Do We Mean When We Say “Content”

Before we can talk about “Content Marketing” we need to talk about the term “Content”. What do we mean when we say “Content”?

“Content” is another term used in the marketing industry.

FYI the term “content” is also used in the events industry to refer to education, demonstrations, meet-and-greets, and other activities that take place at a show or festival. Just something to be aware of :).

In the world of Content Marketing, the term “Content” refers to all of the material that is created and used to connect customers with the creator of the content (the business or organization).

Content can be any of the following:

• Text (Written Words)
• Images (Photos, Drawings, Graphics, Art)
• Audio (Spoken Words, Podcasts, Music)
• Video (Film, IGTV, Videos on YouTube, Facebook Live)

Key Takeaway:

Did you notice all the different types of content on that list?

People often think that content marketing means “they will have to blog.” Far from it! Content is a vast, creative space! It includes images, audio, and video of all kinds. Plus lots of ways to use text other than “blogs.” There are many, many types of content. Text content is only one of four primary types of content!

We Are Creative By Nature

The second part of the definition talks about content that is “created by” you or your team.

If you are thinking “I am NOT creative” then stick with me please.

Everyone is creative.

Being creative is not our real problem. The problem is we get out of practice with being creative. And we also don’t really know what “creative” looks like, which is a perception issue. So those are the items that need addressed, not a problem with whether or not you are creative.

When I work with clients this question of “am I creative” is one of the things we work on. In my course I include two books that we work from. I definitely recommend that you get these two books. They are very simple and easy to use. You can complete them quickly, and you can refer back to them frequently. In time, by getting these ideas into your mind you will find you have tons of creativity inside of you and it’s very excited to “get out” into the real world.

The books are both children’s books. I know that seems counterintuitive. But they work. Working from children’s books is actually one of the best ways to get started learning something. (I need to write an article about this topic, and I will, but for the time being give these two books a try.

By the way the links to purchase the books will take you to a website called BookShop. BookShop is an exciting new way to buy books that supports small business. When you buy from BookShop you are supporting local bookstores. Since I’m a small business and my clients and students are small businesses – I think it’s important that we shop small whenever we can. Additionally these links are not affiliate links. I make my living through working directly with clients and we do not use affiliate links here on the SarahGalbraithLaucks.com website.

Books to Jump Start Your Creative Awareness:

• The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds. “With a simple, witty story and free-spirited illustrations, Peter H. Reynolds entices even the stubbornly uncreative among us to make a mark — and follow where it takes us.” Buy at BookShop.org.
• The Dot: Make Your Mark Kit. Also by Peter H. Reynolds. Everything you need to practice being creative in an easy, non-scary way that has nothing to do with your business – and in that way actually helps you learn to exercise your creativity in your content. Buy at BookShop.org.

A Unique Voice and Style

Do you know what makes a brand stand out? Being different. Breaking the rules. Choosing a new path.

That “being different” thing is what comes from learning to understand your unique voice and celebrating your personal style.

Because there is only one you. And only one of your company. You have a unique voice and style. And as the founder or marketer for your company, you convey that unique voice and style to your business. That unique voice means you stand out in the crowd.

It takes a little time to get comfortable with your voice. It definitely improves with time :). The more content you create, the better it gets.

Celebrate all that makes you different. Because it’s the path to helping your business stand out. It’s what will attract customers, followers, clients.

There will come a time when someone will tell you to change what you’re doing. They’ll refer to “the rules” or say something like “well … no one else does it that way.” What that will actually mean is that you’re doing a good job of being unique in your voice and style. And it will be a great message to you to stay true to your path and keep doing what you’re doing.

Offer Something of Authentic Value

This part of the content marketing definition is REALLY important.

The content you create must offer something of “authentic value” to the recipient.

Offering authentic value is what makes content marketing really tick. Makes it really work at drawing in your audience and helping your business to grow.

Authentic value does not mean you need to write big long blog articles. FAR from it!

Here are a few examples of authentic value content:

• Customer testimonials – helps another customer decide if they should buy a product
• FAQ – answers to the common questions customers keep asking
• Your contact details – yup, contact details are content, because people need to know how to reach you
• About your company – also content, tell the story of who you are, what you do, and why you do it
• Favorite quotes – pick the ones that really connect to your mission as a business
• Photos – of your products, of your service, of people enjoying what you do
• How to’s – people appreciate help knowing how to do things (like using your product or service at home)
• Music – got a catchy tune – stream it onto a post on your website
• Podcasts
• PDFs
• Recipes – especially original recipes created by you
• Updates
• Events you plan to attend
• Links to news articles about you and your business
• And the list goes on

Start to see what I mean? Content is all around you!

Last Point – Content Is For Your Current or Future Customer

This point seems obvious. But it is good to come back to it and remind ourselves.

Keep your customer ever present in your mind as you create your content. Your content is created with them in mind. What do they need to know? What information will help them? What questions are they asking that need answered? What do you know that they don’t know – and wouldn’t think to ask (answering that question is a great way to create value content)?

As you go forth and start creating content keep your customers in mind. When you’re not sure what to say in your content, look to them. They will guide the way :).

To Recap

Now we know what Content Marketing “is”.

We have a definition that also works as a guide.

We have taken a closer look at each of the 5 components of the definition.

We’re ready for the next step!

The next step in understanding the basics of Content Marketing is to take a look at how exactly does content marketing “work”.

I’m working on an article about that topic for you right now. If you’d like to receive an email notification when it’s live, send me a quick message using the Contact Form.

Until then,

Cheers :)!

Sarah

The post What “Is” Content Marketing? appeared first on Sarah Galbraith Laucks.

Everything IS Possible

Do you have an idea for a product, a service, a small business, a non-profit?

I say run with it.

If you’ve found your way to this particular article on this particular website; I’d say it’s a little bit of the universe telling you that yes, you are on to something and go ahead and start taking the steps to make it a reality.

If someone tells you it’s impossible, please remember these words:

These words might seem cliche. They are after all just a line of text from a Disney film designed quite carefully to be a financial success. A film that is not necessarily a great work of classic filmmaking – although it remains to be seen how this film withstands the test of time. I know someone who worked on the film and regard her work to be among the best, so I give the film the benefit of the doubt.

But still – while the words could seem cliche – I happen to find them to be spot-on correct with regard to success in small business.

Success IS possible. Absolutely possible.

How do I know that to be true? Because it happens every day. Absolutely every business you shop at and every non-profit you interact with began as an idea in someone’s mind.

The difference between your idea and what you see in those businesses and non-profits is mostly time and hard work.

Considering that success is definitely possible, what will it take to turn your idea into a reality?

It will take hard work.

It will take time.

It will take development of your skills, your experiences, your expertise, your team, your abilities and your capacity. Which looks overwhelming all squished into a sentence like that, but in reality ALL of these things will come steadily as you work on your idea.

It won’t happen overnight. But as long as you don’t give up it will happen.

That’s one of the big things I’ve learned during thirty years of watching people follow their dreams.

That overnight success is hardly ever overnight. In fact, it probably never happens overnight.

“Overnight success” is the culmination of many years of work and holding onto an idea.⁠

Remember this:

Your ideas can only come from YOU. YOUR ideas will change the world for someone.

So run with those ideas, no matter how impossible they may seem.

Run with those ideas even though people tell you that your idea is not possible.

Keep thinking this phrase:

Everything is possible, EVEN the impossible.⁠

Cheers :)!

Sarah

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David C. Baker is an author, speaker, and advisor who speaks to and supports entrepreneurial experts – people like you and me.

Read on to understand what you can gain from reading his book.

Why This Book is For You

The Business of Expertise is a book for “entrepreneurial experts.” Entrepreneurs who also happen to be experts.

That’s you.

How do I know?

You’re here on my website. Which means #1 – you have entrepreneurial spirit. You’re one of those courageous people who takes the risk to try something new: a new business, blog, product, art, music, etc.

And #2 – you’re an expert at whatever it is you do. Even if you’d say to me “No Sarah, not really, I’m not an expert” – I know that you are. Because you would not be here on my website, reading this article and others, if you were not.

So. You are an entrepreneurial expert and this book is specifically for you.

As this photo from the book points out … entrepreneurial experts are a rare bunch. Which is why we sometimes feel alone, and why we need advice that is specially tailored to our unique position.

What You’ll Gain From This Book

The subtitle of the book is “How Entrepreneurial Experts Convert Insight to Impact and Wealth”. He helps you better understand what it is about your entrepreneurial spirit combined with your expertise that can lead you to success. He helps you define that success too.

Get a Copy of Your Very Own

I am a big fan of borrowing books from the library. But there are a few books that need to be on my shelf. Because I need to have my very own copy. To read and re-read. To mark pages and underline text.

This is one of those books.

Go buy yourself your very own copy. Read it slowly and thoroughly. Really take in what he has to tell you and how you can implement it in your work.

I worked through this book a few pages every few days. I read and re-read the pages. I discussed my reading over morning coffee with my hubby. And I read the book again and again. Until I really understood what he was telling me. And until I could thoroughly apply it.

This is a book that will equip, educate, and empower you. There are A LOT of “how to be successful in business” books out there. And this is the only one I currently recommend to my course students and followers.

Where to Buy the Book?

Your favorite book store is probably the best place. Support a small book store if at all possible. They will order the book in for you if it’s not on their shelves.

You can order a copy from the book’s website: https://www.expertise.is/. In addition to purchasing the book, you can also download a PDF Sample free.

Naturally you can get a copy at Amazon or Barnes & Noble or Books a Million.

Where ever you get your copy, I strongly encourage you to get a hard copy. You’ll get much more from the book if you do. Your vision system is designed to read text that is printed on a page, the kind you hold in your hand, with light coming down onto the page. In fact you will read 30% faster this way, and you’ll retain more information. You’re busy so go with the hard copy approach since it’s the most efficient :).

More About David C. Baker

Learn more about the author, David C. Baker, at his website … davidcbaker.com.

He’s a neat person with an interesting life story which culminated in him doing the work he does now. The website is packed with helpful information

While You’re At It

Be sure to read every part of the book. There are some fun tidbits you’ll discover by doing so. What I mean is read the parts of the book that you often skip over. Like:

• the dedication
• the introduction
• the foreward (definitely the foreward!)
• the acknowledgements, the credits, the about the author
• even the copyright page

There’s little bits of info you’ll discover along the way that I want you to be thinking about as you create your own content (even though written content may not be your thing).

Plus … some of it is funny. Some of it will tug at your heartstrings. Some of it breaks the rules. All of which make it stand out in the crowd. It’s a good model to take encouragement from for your own content.

Bonus points to those of you who find the duplicate page. I want you to contact me if you do … and tell me which page it was :).

One for the Road

This is the dedication page. See – I’m already getting you going on reading the book ?.

Because, as the author says, this book is “for everyone who wants to know.”

The post “The Business of Expertise” – A Book To Support Your Mindset appeared first on Sarah Galbraith Laucks.

Finding your “voice” is an important part of content marketing. This book can help!

Say Something! is a children’s book, written and illustrated by Peter Reynolds. It was published in 2019 by Orchard Books – an imprint of Scholastic Inc. “An imprint” is essentially a division of a publishing company. The larger publishing companies, like Scholastic, use these divisions to market certain types of books to specific demographics. Basically it means this book was published by Scholastic.

Scholastic is worth mentioning in this context … because if you have children in your life it’s very possible they have seen this book. And also possible that you’ve seen this title too. Either in it’s original hard copy format or in the paperback version made available to the school market.

Whether you remember seeing this book at a school … or are discovering it here for the first time:

It may just look like a cute book to you. Perhaps you gave it a passing glance. And while it is used often in schools as an SEL title (social and emotional learning) – it’s likely you dismissed this book as something for kids and not anything of real value to adults.

Read on to find out why it’s good to read this book and refer to it often.

Why A Book Like This One (aka a Children’s Book) Can Help You

It’s true that Say Something! is a children’s book. Most of us are usually reading books for grownups. Books that consist only of text.

If we have kids in our lives, we probably read children’s books to them. Various picture books appropriate to their interests and reading level.

Chances are we may enjoy these “kid lit” books. But you might not realize how helpful children’s books can be to us – as adults – when we want to learn things.

Years ago my mother, who has been teaching for 40+ years, told me something very valuable.

Take that to heart because she’s right, and for many reasons. Some of the ones that apply to us when we create content marketing are:

1. Pictures. All those pictures help solidify the information into our brains.
2. Pictures are a big bonus for highly visual learners. And a lot of people are visual learners. If you love film and magazines and photos … that’s you!
3. Children’s books distill a concept into extremely succinct and easy-to-read words. Which makes these books very easy to read and understand. An excellent way to learn the basics on a topic. The truth is that big fancy words are great and they have their place. But when we’re learning something it’s better to have simple, easy-to-understand language. Because the goal is learning, not increasing your college-level vocabulary.
4. Children’s books are short. Which means you can read them again and again. Rereading is important. It helps us retain and master information.

Why This Book in Particular?

Say Something! goes a long way to empowering every one to celebrate the unique voice they bring to the world.

That unique voice is what helps you define your niche in the business world.

In my course The Art of Content Marketing we spend a complete module on finding your unique voice. Finding your voice helps you stand out from all the others when marketing your business. It represents and communicates everything that is unique about your product or service.

It can be tricky for people to find and embrace their unique voice. Partly because we are surrounded by so much comparison.

As a result I work with women during my full course to help them uncover the type of content marketing that they are comfortable with creating.

When people come to me for help they almost always say “I know I should be blogging.” And they are pretty surprised when I say “Well, probably not.” It sounds like heresy in the content marketing space … but if your personal style is to take photos then we’re going to look at ways for you to follow that natural tendency and create images for your content marketing. Finding the type of marketing you like to create is a key part of the process of finding your voice … and I want you to keep it in mind as you consider this marketing method.

Once we find the ideal type of content for you … then we can work on finding your voice and letting it shine.

If you are working on your own to learn and looking to use more content marketing for your business, I highly recommend you get a copy of this book. Keep it at your work desk. Schedule a time every month to read through the book.

If you’re considering my course, The Art of Content Marketing, schedule an Intro Call so we can talk more about you, your business and your goals.

Before you go, enjoy a few snapshots from the inside of the book. They’re just the tip of the iceberg. Go grab a copy for your book shelf!

The post “Say Something!” – A Book To Help You Find Your Unique Voice appeared first on Sarah Galbraith Laucks.

In this article I share with you the website best practice to follow when creating links on your website.

Read on to learn how your links should function when you link to another part of your own website, and when you link to content on another website. Be aware that you should apply different settings for these two different types of links.

The Links Best Practice

In a nutshell, the best practice is:

1. When linking from your website to another website (called “external links”) – open the link in a new tab or browser window.
2. When linking to another part of your own website (called “internal links”) – open the link in the same tab or browser window.

Understanding the Terms

• External websites are websites other than your own.
• Links to external websites are links on your website that take a visitor to an external website.
• “Opening in a new browser window” means when the link is clicked, the Internet browser opens a new window (or tab) to show the website you are linking to.

Why This Practice is Important

Your visitor found your website. And now they are browsing through it. The last thing you want is to lose them. If they follow an external link, and the external website opens in the same window then they will lose the view of your website. Your website goes away from their field of view. Depending on how they found you, depending on how they surf the Internet, they might not get back to your website! Or they may get distracted! And forget they were looking at you in the first place.

Something else I really want you to be aware of and consider – some websites are set to keep people from going back to the previous website. It’s a strategy to keep you on their website – after all they are happy that you found them. I’m not a big fan of this strategy. I think it’s a bit greedy. But it does happen and it’s a reality to be aware of. What does it mean for your business? If your links to external websites open in the same window, the visitor will not be able to click the “back” button to get back to your website!

How to Apply This Best Practice on Your Website

First, review your website and make a list of ALL links to external websites. Include: webpage URL, linking text, URL of the link.

Next, test every link. Mark the ones that open in the same browser window.

Finally, update all these links so they open in new browser windows (or tabs). If you don’t know how to make this change, find someone to teach you. This switch is not complex and it’s helpful to know how to make some website updates yourself.

Bonus!

You may find that some of your external links are “broken”!

Broken links are bad for visitor experience and for your website’s SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

Make this exercise a regular part of your website content maintenance to avoid these issues.

About Best Practices and Pro Tips

Periodically I share best practices and pro tips. These tips are from the basics and best practices I teach in my content marketing training.

Remember to stay focused, keep learning and take action – aka complete small steps and tasks to move your business further.

Cheers ?,

Sarah

The post Website Best Practices for Links appeared first on Sarah Galbraith Laucks.

More than you would think.

This photo is a screenshot of the opening credits from the movie Wind.

Wind is a film that was released in 1992. It starred Matthew Modine and Jennifer Grey. Executive produced by Francis Ford Coppola and directed by Carroll Ballard (whose films are always amazing). 

The movie is gorgeously shot. Amazing cinematrography. A feast for the eyes. Paired with an uplifting soundtrack, the movie tells a great story of the underdog who comes from behind. 

How Sailors Win a Sailboat Race

In the film there’s a scene that is vitally important for small businesses. 

It really speaks to me about WHY CONTENT MARKETING WORKS. 

And why it will work for ANYONE. To market their business and be successful, aka “win the race.”

In the film, Matthew Modine’s character explains the sport of sailing and describes how a sailing team wins a sailboat race?. 

He talks about how, in a sailing race, the lead boat controls the race by keeping the other boats in its wind shadow. Boats try to get ahead by tacking (aka turning) to catch fresh wind in their sails and pass the lead boat. But the lead boat tacks on top of them, keeping the  other boats in its wind shadow.

So how is it possible for a boat to get ahead in a sailing race?

By out-tacking the lead boat.

If the second place boat tacks over and over again – turning back and forth, port to starboard, eventually it can get close enough to the lead boat to catch fresh air in its sail and push past the lead boat. Winning the race.

How Winning a Sailboat Race Connects to Content Marketing

Content Marketing is about creating and sharing CONTENT. 

The more quality content you create, the better. 

Creating content takes time, as I’m sure you’ve discovered, so  it is important to find the tools and tips that bring efficiency, like using:

• the concept of C.O.P.E. – Create Once. Publish Everywhere.
• REPEAT – repeat your content (sometimes multiple times each year)
• Use scheduling software – like Later.com

By creating more and more content, quality content, you can OUT CONTENT – “out market” – your competition.

Level the playing field.

And get ahead.

Like winning the sailboat race.

What Makes Content Marketing a Great Tool

Which leads me to the beauty of content marketing.

Anyone can do it. Anyone.

All you need to do is:

1. Start creating content
2. Keep creating content (build your content creating muscle)
3. Refine your craft (get better and better at the skills needed to create quality content)
4. Practice, practice, practice (practice makes progress)
5. Repeat steps 2, 3, and 4

It takes time and practice. 

It won’t be perfect at the start. In fact, it will never be perfect – because perfect is just not an attainable goal. It’s not possible and that is actually a good thing.

What you will have is real content. Trust me … genuine, real and raw content is more effective than super-polished posts from a marketing agency.

Keep going and your content will build and build. 

First you’ll have a little bit of content. Then a little bit more. Then you’ll find yourself developing a foundation for your brand and creating more structure.

Back to the Film

Wind was released in 1992 and it’s still relevant today. I recommend you watch it, for entertainment value as well as the messages that resonate with being a woman who runs a small business.

Great director, great actors, gorgeous cinematography.

The scene I referenced in my comments above can be found at the one hour mark in the film. 

Cheers ⛵️!

Sarah

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We tend to run into a specific group of challenges with their photos, including:

• Low resolution (which limits how the photos can be used in print materials)
• Cropped too close (no room for the designer to add text or use the image in wide and square formats)
• Too vertical (portrait)

It would be great if everyone could hire a professional photographer, but for many small businesses the cost (both the photographer fees and the project time resources) is just too high.

The good news is that most smart phones today have wonderful cameras and can take fabulous images. 

To help my clients capture the photos they need for their marketing, I developed a quick set of tips. They follow this list to capture great photos with their smart phones.

I love this list because I know that the technical requirements involved with using a digital SLR camera are complex. I’ve had one of those little wonders since 2005 and I am STILL learning how to use it correctly.

Now you can use the list I share with my consulting clients!

If you’ve been having challenges capturing photos that you love then this list is for you. It will get you started taking better photos for your marketing efforts.

The trick is in learning how to frame your photo and being sure to shoot images in high resolution.

A quickword about authentic, real images:

Stock images may be perfect (in the technical sense) … but your own photos, while they may not be professionally shot, are far more authentic! Authenticity sells. Because people don’t want to look at the same images all the time. What they love is seeing the “unique” behind your product or service.

Here’s a quick example. We often use an image of a welcome sign or mat on websites. It works well on pages that are welcoming people to a product or service. Go search on a  popular stock image website for “welcome mat” and you’ll discover lots of options. You could pick one that suits your “look” and be done with it. A better, more authentic option is to take a photo of the real welcome sign you have at your company. Visitors who shop with you will make the connection! And the image overall will feel more real and authentic because … well … because it is real and authentic.

One last comment before I share the list: 

It’s not about capturing a technically perfect image. 

It’s about “getting the shot” – telling the story you want to tell.

I once shot a photo of a wheelchair athlete as he attempted his first-ever public backflip. I am a complete amateur photographer. There was a pro with me – also shooting photos. We both caught an image. The company sent the Wall Street Journal his photo and mine. Which photo did they print? Mine! Why? Because I managed to capture the athlete upside-down in mid-air. The pro didn’t quite get that particular shot and in the end – my shot was the one that told the story. 

7 Tips for Taking Great Smart Phone Photos for Your Marketing

1. Take your photos in landscape format. Wide, not tall. 

2. Pay attention to the background behind your subject. 

• Aim for a background that has a consistent, repeating pattern. 
• If your subject is lightly colored, go for a dark background. If your subject is dark, go for a light background. These techniques will create contrast and make your subject shine. 
• If you are shooting photos of products check out Replica Surfaces for affordable, stain-resistant, lightweight, US-made background surfaces. The company is the brain-child of a woman and the website is a treasure-trove of quality tips perfect for small, women-owned businesses.

3. Take multiple photos of your subject, holding your camera at different angles. This technique changes the perspective and gives you more options from which to choose. 

• Hold your phone up high and aim the camera down at your subject.
• Getting down low (on your knees or even lay on the ground) and aim the camera up at the subject.
• Take the photo from a standing position, but tilt the camera up and then down – to capture the image from different angles.
• Tilt your camera a little to the left or right, a little forward or backward. Instead of just holding it square.

4. Check the position of your subject. If you are taking a photo of people encourage them to place their arms in different positions and tilt their bodies different directions. Rather than having them stand directly facing the camera with their arms folded in front of them. One great options if to have them put one hand on their hip and tilt their opposite shoulder back. Remind them to look up slightly (which disappears double-chins). And capture at least half their upper body in the photo – from the waist up.

5. Leave lots of space around the focal point of your photo. That means don’t crop in really tight. By leaving the extra space your graphic designer will be able to do more with your image when they use it in your marketing.

6. Take your photos in high resolution. High resolution captures more data in the photo file. Doing so makes it possibly.

7. Lighting. Check your image on the display screen. If it looks too dark, shoot again from a different angle to get more light on your subject. If it looks too bright, move the subject into the shadows. The best light to work with is natural daylight (not the light from indoor lightbulbs). I have clients who set up their Replica Surfaces on their balcony and shoot all their product photos outside to take advantage of the great light. Photographers love the magic hour after sunrise and again before sundown. 

There’s lots more information online that can help you improve your photos. Master my tip list first and then keep learning. And most of all, have fun shooting your photos!

Would you like these types of tips on a monthly basis? One-on-one support to direct your marketing efforts and increase productivity? Sign up to work with me one-on-one!

Cheers ? 

Sarah

The post How to Take Great Marketing Photos with Your SmartPhone appeared first on Sarah Galbraith Laucks.

“It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to start.”⁠

⁠Are you feeling a little stuck with you business? That is totally and completely normal! Even under the most regular of circumstances. Now consider that we are a world of people navigating new, uncharted and often-scary waters, it’s very common to not be sure what to do!⁠

SARAH – ADD CONTENT ABOUT AVOIDING THE NEED FOR PERFECTION. ABOUT HOW WE DON’T SEE THE PROCESS BEHIND THE FINISHED PRODUCT

⁠I know I’ve had wildly vacillating emotions these last few weeks. It makes it very challenging to focus and take action.⁠

This too will pass. Hopefully we will all buckle down and stay away from each other so that the virus spread can stop.⁠

In the meantime, while you are staying at home, this might be a great time to work on your content marketing. Have you been wanting to start a blog? Post more regularly on social media? Set up a drip campaign for your email? Take this time to start creating content and putting it out there. And please take Angelia Trinidad’s advice to heart as you work – “It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to start.”

⁠⁠⁠⁠

#discovertheprocess

#practicemakesprogress

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“The biggest discoveries start with the smallest steps.”⁠- Mo Willems⁠⁠

This quote is a little reminder for you, for me, for all of us. ⁠⁠

Everything big started from nothing. From scratch. From a dream.

Whatever it is today … it started small.⁠⁠

What are your dreams? Don’t let anything chase them away!⁠⁠

Sometimes things get busy and I get off track from achieving my dreams. In the past it would stop me cold. I would think, “I won’t ever be able to realize that dream. Nothing’s ever going to come of it. I can’t figure it out.” But not now. Now, I just pick up where I left off and keep going.⁠⁠

Please do the same. Your dreams matter! That idea of yours is amazing! ⁠⁠

If you’ve gotten off track don’t worry about it. Don’t give it another thought.

All you have to do is pick up where you left off and take the next step! ⁠⁠

This quote is from a book called:⁠

The Story of Diva and Flea
As told and shown by Mo Willems and Tony DiTerlizzi⁠
Published in 2015 by Hyperion Books for Children, an imprint of Disney Book Group⁠⁠

It’s a bit of light reading that will lift your spirits and cheer your heart. The hardback version is gorgeous to hold and read (worth the extra $$ IMHO). It’s the story of a small, yet brand dog – Diva – and an adventurous cat – Flea – who become unlikely friends. Set in Paris.

⁠ Sarah Galbraith Laucks

⁠⁠#quotesascontent

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