Whether you’ve just started considering the possibility of doing your own thing or recently left your 9-5 job to launch your own business, Luisa Zhou has walked a few miles in your shoes and is here to offer some solid strategies to save you time and energy. She shares tips on how to focus on the right things when you’re starting out, why some people fail before they even get started, her social media strategy and so much more!      In this podcast episode, we share:  What Luisa’s work/life balance looked like when she decided to become an entrepreneur  Luisa’s trial and error approach to building her business   Luisa’s “3 X 15” rule for using her time as efficiently as possible  How Luisa knew it was time to take the leap into entrepreneurship    Luisa’s favorite social media platforms to use for her business Tips for choosing a social media platform based on your industry  Why it’s important to remember it’s about the audience, not you Details about Luisa’s “Escape Velocity Plan”    Memorable Quotes:  “Because I focused on the things that actually mattered in the beginning of my business, it allowed me to be way more efficient with my time.”  “There is so much power in showing up and being able to provide VALUE.”  “The truth is, if you have no audience and you’re posting nonstop to some place that no is visiting, it doesn’t matter how good your content is.”  “That’s when I realized —Oh now I’ve learned about my audience. Now I actually know how to speak to them.”   “You’re going where your audience is but you’re also leveraging the way that they prefer to consume content and starting with the end in mind, which is so powerful.”    About Luisa Zhou: Luisa Zhou is the creator of the Employee to Entrepreneur system, which teaches people how to leave their 9-5 and start their own six-figure plus business working for themselves. She’s helped thousands of students launch businesses that generate anywhere from 30K to 100K in a matter of months. Her advice has also been featured in numerous publications including Forbes, Inc, Entrepreneur, Business Insider, and more.   Connect with Luisa: http://luisazhou.com/ https://instagram.com/luisa.zhou http://facebook.com/luisazhoulive https://www.linkedin.com/in/luisazhou   Freebie: http://luisazhou.com/gift   Links Mentioned: https://onlinedrea.com/linkedin   This Episode Is Made Possible By: Social Report: The world’s most complete social media management platform and my social media management tool of choice. Savvy Social School: Everything you need to increase visibility, growth, and engagement on social media

2020 is almost here and the new year is a great time to really think about what’s working along with what new strategies you can try for your social media presence. Join me as I review my own journey through 2019 as well as social media marketing trends for 2020. Learn the difference between social media strategies and tactics, my predictions for overall marketing shifts in 2020 and 3 tactics important for those shifts, my Word of the Year and I how I plan to show up for my clients in 2020!      In this podcast episode, I share:  Understanding the difference between posting tactics and your marketing strategy on social media Why I believe social media will shift away from its current broadcasting style  3 tactics to increase intimacy in your 2020 social media strategy   Tactic 1: Create a plan for your Facebook and/or Instagram Stories   Tactic 2: Consider a strategy for how to use Live Video  Tactic 3: Integrate Direct Messaging for more 1:1 interactions and referrals    Why you need to know what “Dark Social” means  Why I chose “Loyalty” as my Word of the Year for 2020  My plans to deepen my relationships with current and new clients  Why I’m committing to offline activities in 2020    Memorable Quotes: “I predict the overall shift in social media marketing in 2020 is going to be a desire for intimacy on social media. People want connection. People want community.” “I’m becoming a referral resource for my clients...I want to be the connection for them to those other people who can really help them with their business.”    Links Mentioned: Episode 24:  https://onlinedrea.com/podcast/how-to-take-a-break-from-social-media-with-brit-kolo/ Episode 25: https://onlinedrea.com/podcast/how-to-combat-overwhelm-and-negativity-on-social-media/ https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2012/10/dark-social-we-have-the-whole-history-of-the-web-wrong/263523/ https://www.convinceandconvert.com/social-media-strategy/what-is-dark-social/ https://www.socialreport.com/insights/article/360000663006-9-Digital-Marketing-Trends-That-Will-Own-2020 This Episode Is Made Possible By: Social Report: The world’s most complete social media management platform and my social media management tool of choice. Savvy Social School: Everything you need to increase visibility, growth, and engagement on social media  

Even though I may host this podcast solo, this show is far from a solo effort. I’ve worked hard to surround myself with an amazing team and I know how incredibly valuable it is to connect and work with others who understand and support your passion and goals. Danielle Desir has successfully created a supportive online community and she shares tips for how to leverage your own online community, the power of organic growth, how to nurture conversations and connection within a community and so much more!   In this podcast episode, we share:  How Danielle’s travel blog started and how it led to her work with podcasters  What led Danielle to create her own campaign for women of color podcasters  How Danielle sparked engagement and nurtured her initial Facebook group community    What it means to be a leader that fosters organic growth in a community  Different suggestions for monetizing and mobilizing your community with value adds Advice for building a community that attracts the people you want   Danielle’s process for connecting and collaborating with community members  Why in person connections are crucial, even for an online community  How being open to implementing new ideas has impacted Danielle’s personal brand    Memorable Quotes:  “We get stuck on this idea that being a leader means that we need to have all of the conversations...but you’re saying...allow the member’s voices to shine through.”   “As community participants we don’t really see behind the scenes of the challenges or the ups and downs of everything.”  “As you create your community, it’s important to share your vulnerable moments—it helps your community relate to you more.”   “We all want the REAL. We don’t want the perfectly polished.”  “You can’t replace in person. Even with the power of social media we need the in person connections.”       About Danielle Desir Danielle Desir is a travel finance strategist, writer and the host of ‘The Thought Card’, an affordable travel finance podcast empowering people to make informed financial decisions – travel more, pay off debt and build wealth. She is also the founder of ‘WOC Podcasters’ (Women of Color) an inclusive community for women of color to connect, learn and share resources. WOC Podcasters has over 1,600 members from 37+ countries and it is the first community of its kind dedicated to the growth and representation of women of color in the podcasting industry.   Connect with Danielle: https://www.instagram.com/thethoughtcard/ https://twitter.com/WOCPodcasters https://www.facebook.com/wocpodcasters/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielledesir/   Links Mentioned: https://wocpodcasters.co/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/wocpodcasters/ wocpodcasters@gmail.com https://onlinedrea.com/podcast/how-to-take-a-break-from-social-media-with-brit-kolo/   This Episode Is Made Possible By: Social Report: The world’s most complete social media management platform and my social media management tool of choice. Savvy Social School: Everything you need to increase visibility, growth, and engagement on social media

For better or worse, social media influencers are a thing and could very well increase your ROI. But how? Nick Cooke joins me to explain just want influencer marketing means for businesses, the value of finding impactful influencers, questions to ask influencer marketing agencies, The Goat Agency’s unique marketing strategy, and how LinkedIn helped expand their brand to what it is today!    In this podcast episode, we share:  How Nick got started with his agency working with influencers The growth Nick experienced after leaving Sportlobster for The Goat Agency Tips for businesses wanting to work with influencers The power of knowing and analyzing numbers in influencer marketing How the paid/social combination with an influencer ad works  Questions to ask an agency before hiring them to boost your brand  What inspired The Goat to try daily vlogging on LinkedIn  What’s next for The Goat Agency and where influencer marketing is headed for 2020   Meet Nick Cooke Nick joined Sportlobster on launch and quickly built a marketing team of 17. Nick, along with two colleagues took their learnings and created Goat. Since founding the agency in 2015 alongside Arron Shepherd and Harry Hugo, the company has grown from 3 to over 120 staff, opened 4 international offices and is working with everyone from start-up companies to global brands. Nick is now heading up our New York office, working closely with top brands and expanding the business into the US market. Goat has been in New York since mid 2018 and is rapidly growing, working with brands including Nivea, Absolut and ClassPass.   Connect with Nick: https://www.instagram.com/thegoatagency/ https://www.facebook.com/thegoatagency/ https://twitter.com/thegoatagency/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-cooke-9357aa59/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_7yjB1S-tS-EqIEB6jTIMA https://goatagency.com/   Special Black Friday Promo Mentioned: https://onlinedrea.com/blackfriday   This Episode Is Made Possible By: Social Report: The world’s most complete social media management platform and my social media management tool of choice. Savvy Social School: Everything you need to increase visibility, growth, and engagement on social media

You want to be recognized. You want to be known. You want to have success. The foundation of all of those things is branding. And when social media and branding collide, magic happens. Today on the Savvy Social Podcast, we have special guest Amber Hurdle on to talk all about branding with what she calls the Velvet Machete.  In this episode, Amber and I dive into the importance of branding by talking about: How to have a clear brand The importance of making yourself different We dive into Amber’s recent book launch on social media How people data drives her business  About Amber Hurdle Amber Hurdle helps professionals connect the combined value of personal brands, employer brands and business brands to achieve bottom line results. She personally understands what it takes to accelerate success as a former teen mom who evolved into a powerhouse business woman, having worked with international celebrities and Fortune 100 companies alike. She was recently recognized among the “Top 40 Under 40” by the Nashville Business Journal, as well as by the The Nashville Area Chamber's Nashville Emerging Leader Awards (NELA)as the winner in the Business Services category. Amber Hurdle Consulting’s clients include large brands such as FedEx Ground, Marriott Hotels, and Stella & Dot, as well as small businesses who want to play big. As a professional speaker, talent optimization certified consultant, author, app developer and Podcast host, Amber is also committed to her community and profession. Whether her content-rich experiences energize leadership to boldly live their organization’s culture and next-level their employee engagement or empowers entrepreneurs to think strategically, Amber’s straight shooting“velvet machete”and warm personality never fail to motivate professionals to up their game in business and in life. Connect with Amber: https://amberhurdle.com/ https://www.facebook.com/AmberHurdleFan https://twitter.com/amberhurdle https://www.linkedin.com/in/amberhurdle/ Links: Black Friday: https://onlinedrea.com/blackfriday

Does social media marketing make you smile or make you stress? If you’re stressing, you’re definitely not alone and thankfully, there’s hope! Annie Franceschi shares how she makes social media work for her, the value of telling your story, why word of mouth referrals are gold, and why it’s important to include some fun in your strategy!      In this podcast episode, we share:  How Disney helped Annie learn how to navigate Corporate America Annie’s experience of leaving the film industry to starting her own business   What Annie wished she knew at the beginning of her social media journey  What Annie’s marketing looks like now and what strategy works best for her  How Annie integrates social media in her work and uses it to amplify her marketing   Annie’s book ‘Permission to Try’ and her creative book launch approach  The power of “the easy YES” and saying thank you   Annie’s “Tactic Tornado” theory and how to focus on your “Reasons to Believe”      Memorable Quotes: “We all know what positioning is, we just don’t realize it. And simply put, it’s always about how you tell the story.”  “I realized the work I was doing was fun and sexy and cool, but it wasn’t changing lives.” “That’s what ‘Permission to Try’ is all about...giving yourself permission to take that leap of faith when you don’t know if the net’s going to be there to catch you.”  “I felt extremely lost until I realized I didn’t have to be all things to all people and I shouldn’t be on every platform.”  “The number 1 way I get business probably won’t surprise you and it’s the best way, is word of mouth and client referral.”     Meet Annie Franceschi  Annie Franceschi is a small business branding expert, bestselling author, and motivational business speaker based in Durham, North Carolina. She’s spent the past 10+ years of her career in storytelling: first as a Disney storyteller in brand management, and now, running her own small business branding agency, Greatest Story Creative®. In branding 90+ businesses, advising hundreds of entrepreneurs, and speaking to thousands, she’s come to believe that your life is your greatest story.    Connect with Annie: http://instagram.com/annie.franceschi http://facebook.com/greateststorycreative http://linkedin.com/in/anniefranceschi http://anniefranceschi.com/   Links Mentioned: https://collaboration-catalyst.mn.co/   This Episode Is Made Possible By: Social Report: The world’s most complete social media management platform and my social media management tool of choice. Savvy Social School: Everything you need to increase visibility, growth, and engagement on social media

If you’re a pro at social media, then you can just hop onto Instagram or Twitter and post without giving it a second thought. But not everyone is a pro. Beginners need to take the time to plan out what their posts are going to look like. I like to compare it to walking into the gym for the first time. You can’t just jump up to the 100lb weights. First, you have to start with that 5-10lb range. Today we’re going to talk about how to successfully create that 5-10lb social media post.   In this podcast episode, we share:  Choosing only 1 platform to start out How often you should even be posting on social media Utilizing promotional content in order to grow your brand Showcasing your expertise through educational content Letting everyone know that this whole thing is bigger than you Sharing entertaining content to keep it light-hearted Engaging with your audience with quotes, questions, or controversial topics Creating designs for all or some of your content pillars Outlining a fuller content calendar for yourself Using free tools to help you plan your calendar Planning for all of your future needs and growth Memorable Quotes:  “I can’t just run-up to those 100lb weights and start lifting them. I’ve got to start with those 5-10lb weights first.” “A lot of people like sharing their opinion. Everyone’s got one, and we all love sharing it.”   Links Mentioned:  onlinedrea.com/free https://onlinedrea.com/canva https://onlinedrea.com/airtable Airtable Like a Boss https://onlinedrea--missgsd.thrivecart.com/checkout-alab/ later.com   This Episode Is Made Possible By: Social Report: The world’s most complete social media management platform and my social media management tool of choice. Savvy Social School: Everything you need to increase visibility, growth, and engagement on social media  

Even though social media use has spread like wildfire across the world, social media marketing is still a fairly new approach to how we do business and can be difficult to navigate for those new to the scene. It’s easy to fall into the comparison trap or experience impostor syndrome, so I asked Jen Conger to join me and explain the importance of listening to your audience, the value of understanding your mentality around social media, and how to get past your fear about posting and networking!    In this podcast episode, we share:  Jen’s history with corporate marketing in a Fortune 500 company  What kind of content Jen used for her company’s first social media posts  When and why Jen decided to start her own social media business Where people usually get stuck on their social media strategy  Suggestions for improving your mindset around social media  Why it’s important to get clear on your vision and commitment for social media  Advice for conquering fear and leaning into vulnerability on social media  Tips for building a community that helps your business grow  Jen’s suggestion for using voice memos to really tap into the power of DMs    Memorable Quotes:  “It’s such an important step on any social media journey when someone’s creating their strategy, is to listen to the people who this is for.” “We don’t have to be in the rat race.”  “Sit with really what comes up for you when you ask yourself: What does social media mean for my business?”  “Sometimes it’s just a matter of I’m gonna stick the scroll, and I’m going to be very intentional every time I go on social media about who I’m connecting with and how I’m doing that.”    “It’s baby steps...and you can always start with your story and why you do what you do or how you got to where you were…”   “How do I get in front of other audiences and just get visible?”  “What’s separating people who are building incredible brands online...is they focus less on content development and pushing out stuff, and they concentrate more on relationship marketing.”   “If you leave this podcast with one thing you want to start doing, it’s welcoming every single follower you have with a voice memo inside their DM.”    Meet Jen Conger Jen is a former corporate director of marketing turned social media coach, writer, speaker, and all around storytelling junkie. Her passion is for helping service-based female entrepreneurs sell on social media without feeling salesy or spammy. Jen is the host of The Social Jam, a growing Facebook community of women who are using social media to develop authentic, soulful relationships with collaborators and customers anywhere in the world.   Connect with Jen: https://www.instagram.com/jenconger/ https://www.facebook.com/JenCongerMarketing/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesocialjam/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenconger/    This Episode Is Made Possible By: Social Report: The world’s most complete social media management platform and my social media management tool of choice. Savvy Social School: Everything you need to increase visibility, growth, and engagement on social media  

As an entrepreneur or business owner, you’ve probably heard that it’s super important to narrow down your niche. Having a specific niche can help build your audience and your offering, but you may not know that it can also open the doors to hosting your own online summit! I talk with Krista Miller about how she got started in the world of summits, the value of knowing and understanding your niche, how live videos can encourage engagement, and how she uses Facebook Groups to build a summit community!    In this podcast episode, we share:  How Krista transitioned from the corporate world to the online business space Why Krista started hosting summits and launched “Summit in a Box”  How Krista’s attitude toward social media has evolved from fear to fun    Tips for how to promote your summit on social media  Recommendations for tools to help build your summit  Krista’s Facebook Group strategy for building a community for summit attendees  How Krista used Facebook Ads to upsell her summit registration  Advice for how to get the biggest ROI for your summit    Memorable Quotes:  “That’s an important part of social media we sometimes forget: If it doesn’t feel fun to logon to the platform anymore, you don’t have to be locked in...if you don’t like it, you’re not going to do it.”  “Really focus on the behind the scenes, tease out that excitement leading up to the summit, build up to the ask, and don’t just straight promote all the time.” “For promotion, the more you can make use of your speakers, the better results you’re going to get.”   “People really like summits when you have a specific goal for a specific niche.”     About Krista Miller:  Krista teaches online business owners how to skyrocket their revenue, grow their email lists, become leaders, and make mutually beneficial connections through online summits. These aren’t summits that leave speakers and attendees feeling gross and taken advantage of - her method is focused on strong connections, collaboration, and making a difference in the lives of everyone involved.   Connect with Krista: https://www.summitinabox.co/ https://www.facebook.com/groups/summithosthangout/ https://www.instagram.com/summitinabox/ https://www.pinterest.ca/heykristarae/   This Episode Is Made Possible By: Social Report: The world’s most complete social media management platform and my social media management tool of choice. Savvy Social School: Everything you need to increase visibility, growth, and engagement on social media  

When you think about where you are in your business, are you in the short term, medium term, or long term? Whether you’re in the short term “seedling stage”, or have grown roots and successfully reached the long term stage, this episode focuses on how to incorporate social media during all three phases of your business, when you should consider advertising, how much time you should spend on social media, and more!     In this podcast episode, I share:  What the seedling stage or “short term stage” of your business involves  Why you need money during the short term stage of your business   Why it’s VITAL to focus on making solid connections in the short term phase Suggestions for how much time to spend on social media  How to know you’ve transitioned to the “medium term stage” Advice for spending money on paid advertising and outsourcing tasks   Why collaboration is key during the medium term of your business  Why the “long term stage” is the best time to fine tune what really works for you   Recommendations for increasing your ROI during the long term stage  Warnings for collaborating with celebrities before you’re truly ready    Memorable Quotes: “In the short term...you don’t want to spend a lot of time on social media because you need to be figuring out the rest of your marketing strategy.”  “Your value will come from talking to people.”  “You’ve got to spend time in the short term connecting so when you’re in the medium term people can see you’ve got something going on.”  “A giveaway will only work if you have PROVEN that you have a solid plan in place to convert those people who are interested.”  “The long term stage is where you really dig into content. You’re broadcasting—people are already finding you. You just need to give them a reason to stay at this point.”    Links Mentioned: https://www.dcpodfest.com/ https://onlinedrea.com/social-media/how-much-time-to-spend-on-social-media/   This Episode Is Made Possible By: Social Report: The world’s most complete social media management platform and my social media management tool of choice. Savvy Social School: Everything you need to increase visibility, growth, and engagement on social media