Friday Favourites: Low Cost Advertising for Small Business

Friday Favourites are back and this week the focus is on building your business.

Whether you are a nutritionist with a home-practice or a chiropractor with your own clinic,
you need to do some form of advertising to attract clients.

Many advertising strategies don't come cheap, but does costly always equal more effective? Sometimes, but many small business just don't have a large advertising budget.

So, here are a few ideas on how to advertise on a shoestring:

A flyer that I used last year to advertise my bootcamp

5 Reasons Why You Should Start a Blog

I know what you are thinking. 

"Who really cares what I have to say about ___________ (food, fashion, fitness, etc.), I am not an expert?"

"Why would anyone read my ______________(sports, recipes, mommy etc.) blog when there are so many others out there just like it."

"What if no one ever visits or comments?"

I hear you loud and clear. Blogging can be intimidating and downright scary.

In fact, there are many good reasons not to blog (unable to commit, not interested in blogging, don't want to invest the time and the list goes on).

You will notice that the reasons above are not on the list.  People do care what others have to say and they will read your blog.  There are 1000's of bloggers out there and you could be one of them.

You just need a little patience, some great ideas and few hours a week.

How to Make Your Business/Blog Stand Out

There are hundreds of healthy living blogs out there.  If you are running a business, I would also bet that there are at least that many like-services acting as your competition.

So, how do you make your blog/business stand out from the rest?

While there is no surefire way to guarantee that you will get thousands of followers, there are a few things you can do to make your brand/business/blog the best it can be.

Source

9 Rules for Connecting with Brands

I had every intention of blogging from the She's Connected Conference yesterday, when my laptop decided it did not want to be connected to the Internet anymore. (Love the irony.)

Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches, so here I am with a Saturday post!
(Friday favourites will be back next week, I promise.)

At the conference, I made some fabulous new friends, learned from some amazing brands and bloggers, and got some pretty cool swag.

Katia, Morgan, Danna, Me, Megan

The main focus of the conference was to learn how bloggers and brands can work together to form mutually beneficial relationships.  This could include sponsorships, product reviews and revenue for your blog.

The last session of the day involved a discussion of some the main themes of the conference.  It really hit home for me and I thought it might for you too so I wanted to share.


9 Rules for Connecting with Brands

1. Be authentic, be relevant, be you.
2. Align your personal brand with professional brands that fit in with your values.
3. Understand how brands value your service.
4. Leverage your connections and your community.
5. Be proactive.
6. Have patience, work hard and be persistent.
7. Learn as much as you can about the brands you would like to work with.
8. Brands must be a part of the conversation.
9. Follow the golden rule.

Do you work with any brands?  How did you form the relationship?

Stay Healthy,
Tracy

P.S.  Don't forget to vote and tell me your favourite way to stay connected!

Staying Connected

Today is a big day!

This is my first time attending and I am looking forward to meeting 200+ social media savvy women for two days of learning, sharing and networking.

How Important Are Comments On Your Blog?

 This post was inspired by some fellow bloggers who recently posted on the topic of commenting and readership in general. 

Lindsay @ Cotter Crunch talked about how bloggers feel the need to constantly post, read and comment and how you can feel guilty if you can't keep up.

Sam @ Health, Happiness and Skinny Jeans noted how easy it is is to get wrapped up in the numbers (how many people comment, read your blog and so on.)

Tina @ Fath, Fitnesss and Fun mentioned that building real relationships is the goal of her blog, not to continually increase her reader numbers and comments.

How to Promote Your Blog

A few nights ago, we had a great discussion on Fitblog Chats about blogging.

I have posted about how blogging can help you build your brand as a fitness pro (or any other pro, for that matter) and how you can to build a better blog.  Today, I wanted to talk about some of the specific things you can do to spread the word about your blog and connect with the community.

My 3 Favourite Social Media Blogs

Many other bloggers out there feature some of their favourite things every Friday.

I have been doing it the past few Fridays without even realizing it so I am just going to keep on spreading the love. :)

Today, I am going to share some fabulous social media blogs that will help you build your brand (blog, food, fitness or otherwise).

My 3 Favourite Food Blogs

I don't think we give enough props to each other in the blogging community.

From coming up with fantastic topics and engaging with readers to taking millions of pictures and finding the perfect ones to post, blogging takes a lot of time, talent and energy.

I have already shared with you three of my favourite healthy living blogs and today I would like to highlight three blogs whose primary focus is on food.

Building Your Fitness Business: Getting Out There

In How To Build Your Fitness Business, Part 1, I talked about some of the things you can do to help build your fitness brand.

Getting out in the community and networking are most definitely on the top of that list.  That is exactly what I did this past weekend.

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I spent last Saturday morning at this event

How To Build Your Fitness Business, Part 2

You may remember in Part 1, I talked about some business strategies that can really help you get out in the community and build your brand.

In Part 2, I am going to talk about what doesn't work as well based on my own business building experience and the things I have learned from other pros.

My 3 Favourite Healthy Living Blogs

As you know, I read a lot of blogs.

Most of them about health, food and fitness.  Some about blogging, branding and social media.

I mentioned some of them in a few posts, including why people read your blog and my journey in blog photography.

Of the blogs I follow (300+ and counting), there are a few that I read everyday. I thought I would share three health and wellness blogs, tell you what makes them so interesting and why I go back day after day.

Journey in Blog Photography

You may recall, one of my resolutions was to take a course in photography.

Well, I haven't quite done that yet,  but I have been making a conscious effort to improve my skills and be more mindful in my picture taking.

I used to rely heavily on stock photos for my blog, but I realized that using them all the time really lacks that personal touch.

And we all know that even the most professional blogs are personal.

How to Build Your Fitness Business, Part 1

As many of you know, I have created my own opportunity by starting my own fitness business.

Going out on your own is always tough and getting a new business off the ground requires planning and persistence.

Everyday I am learning more and more about what works, what doesn't and what changes I need to make to run a successful business.

For my other fellow entrepreneurs (fitness, health or otherwise), I thought I would share a few strategies that can be effective.

How to Get People to "Like" You (on Facebook)

So, you have a fantastic blog with a pretty solid following, you created a Facebook page and you are patiently waiting for people to "like" you.

They will "like" you because they follow your blog, right?

Well, not necessarily.  Sure, some people will follow you where ever you may go, but others need a little motivation.

Here are some simple ways that will help you to get your fans to click that "like" button.

Finding the Facts in Fitness Magazines

I am a bit of a magazine junkie.

I think it has something to do with my very short attention span. Articles are quick and easy to read and I can pick it up and put it down at will.

I am especially fond of food and fitness magazines (big surprise) and enjoy reading about recipes and that latest in exercise.

But wait...

5 Reasons Why People Love Your Blog

I love blogging.

I started almost 5 years ago, but it was not until recently that I rekindled my love for it and I find myself looking forward to my daily post.

I also read a lot of blogs.  I am sure many of you do too.  I am following about 300 (give or take a few;).

So how did I decide which ones to follow?  What draws someone to your health and fitness blog and makes them come back for more?

I present my top 5 reasons why people love your blog.

Building a Better Blog(ger) for Fitness Professionals

A few weeks ago,  I talked about the benefits of blogging for fitness professionals. It is a great way to increase your online presence and brand.

As you can see, I use Blogger (I know many of you prefer Wordpress, but lets save that talk for another post :) Over the last few months, I have been looking for ways to  improve my blog and I have stumbled across some pretty cool features.

When I tweeted about it, I got this request by the lovely Lisa @ Vegan Culinary Crusade

 Ask and you shall receive.

I am happy to share some of my discoveries in the hopes that they will help you build a better blog(ger).

  
Google Friend Connect. When friends follow you, they are able to get updates about you on their Blogger Dashboard.  This makes it easy for them to come back for more of your fantastic posts.  You can also use Friend Connect to allow users to subscribe to a newsletter, by adding the feature found here.  It is super easy to use and it is a great way to keep your fans updated.

 
Stats.  This is a relatively new feature for Blogger, which you can find  in your Dashboard under "Manage Your Blog."  It keeps track of how many people visit your blog, which pages they are viewing and how they got there.  It is a great tool for you to see which topics are most popular, when people visit and to give you some direction for future posts.

Social Media Gadgets.  Do you use Twitter?  Have a Facebook page?  Add them to your blog! You may only have your reader's attention for a few minutes so make it easy for them to connect with you.  Many of these other sites have gadgets ready for you to use.  All you have to do is copy the HTML code, click "Add Gadget", select "HTML/Javascript", paste and save. You can find the Twitter badges here and the Facebook page badges here.


Which gadgets have you added to your blog?
Any Blogger tips to share?


Stay Healthy,
Tracy

Fitness Professionals and Social Media, Part 2

 I am so glad that everyone enjoyed Part 1.  The topic has really sparked a great conversation (on and offline).  Hey, that is what social media is all about, after all (there is the PR girl again :).

In Part 2, I am going to dig into a few more tools that will help you connect with your clients and build your network.  

 Facebook

When you are trying to build your brand and promote your business, you need to go where the people are.  How many people do you know who use Facebook?  Almost everyone, right?  About 50% of my blog traffic comes from Facebook.  It is a great platform that has the potential to reach a very large audience.  

A few Facebook tips:

• Create a Page.  Most of you have a personal profile page, but I would suggest creating a page for your business. It is easy to do, people can 'like' your page and it allows you to focus your links, updates and questions solely on your brand.  You can also link this page to your website or blog.
• Ask Questions.  Remember that social media is all about discussion.  Ask your followers health and fitness-related questions to get the conversation started.  The results could make a great blog post, where you can feature some of the answers.
• Be Active.  Get people "liking" your page.  Invite your friends, family and fellow bloggers. Always respond to all comments and questions. Don't forget to visit other pages and get involved, remember it is not all about you.
• Be Patient.  This tip applies to everything :) Creating a brand and building your readership doesn't happen overnight.  It takes time to get your name out there, so keep at it and don't give up.  
• Proceed with Caution.  See Part 1

 LinkedIn

In my humble opinion, LinkedIn is one of the most under utilized tools in the social media world.  For those of you not familiar, it is essentially an online resume.  You can highlight your qualifications, describe your work experiences and get recommendations from colleagues and clients.  It is a great way to network with like-minded professionals.

Things to think about:

• Give Details.  Your profile represents your professional experiences, so make sure you give adequate details about your skills, certifications and work experiences.  That being said, be strategic and concise.  No one has time time to read a novel about your life.
• Personalize Connection Requests.  Do not use the generic form to invite people to join your network.  This is especially important if you are inviting people you do not already have a personal relationship with.
• Join Groups.  A fantastic way to engage in conversation (there is that word, again) with other fitness pros, stay up to date on what is happening in the industry and to network.  Be selective about the groups you join.  It may be better to participate in a few groups with an active voice, rather than many groups with no time to get involved.
• Proceed with Caution.  See Part 1

Do you use Facebook and LinkedIn?  What other social media platforms do you use and why?

Stay Healthy, 

Tracy

Fitness Professionals and Social Media, Part 1

Thank you so much to everyone for all of their well wishes.  This cold is just hanging on for dear life.  I am hoping a few days of rest will do the trick.  Read: no exercising.  I have been sick way too many times in the last few months and I truly need to take my own advice.

Speaking of advice, I have noticed that there have been quite a few lurkers (I love that word) over at a blog post I wrote back in the summer about social media and fitness.  

As many of your are in the fitness industry, I thought I would offer some tips on how to use social media to help build your business and your brand (there is the PR girl in me coming out :).

 Blogging

Many of you are already doing this and doing it well.  Blogging is a great way to connect to your clients and reach out to new ones.  If you are new to blogging, there are many great platform out there that are quick and easy to use. Two of the most popular are Blogger and WordPress.  

Here are some things to keep in mind for your blog:

• Content.  Find your niche.  Who is your target audience and what would they like to know about?  Does your blog focus on your day to day life or will you offer tips about exercise and fitness? What ever your choose to write about, do it with passion, not out of necessity.  People will be able to tell if you are not being genuine.
• Blog regularly.  You can decide what is regular for you (every other day, 3 times a week, only on weekdays etc.), but consistency is the key to get people coming back for more.  The most popular blogs (in my opinion) are the ones who have daily posts, but I understand that it is not an option for everyone.
• Read other blogs.  Choose blogs that are similar to yours, show interest and join in the conversation.  What do you like about their blog?  What can you learn from them?  This can truly help you with your own blogging efforts.
• Proceed with caution.  Whether your blog is professional or personal, be aware that all of the information your put online is permanent.  A great quote from my friend Sara is "you can write about whatever you want, just be prepared to own it."

 Twitter

Twitter is a fantastic way to meet new friends and make connections.  In 140 character or less, you can give tips, post links to your blog, or just share your thoughts for the day.  There are also some great discussions happening in Twitter about various fitness topics (just follow the hashtags # on TweetChat).  These include #fitblog, #runchat, #blogchat and many more.

Here are some tweeting tips:

• Follow like-minded people.  Just like in blogging, it is important to see how other fitness pros are engaging their followers.  Ask yourself: What are they tweeting about?  Who are they talking to?  Why do they have so many followers?
• It's not all about you.  Constantly pushing your product or service is not going to make you any friends in the Twitterverse.  In fact, many people might see this as spam and delete you all together.  Of course you want to share information about you, but you also need to find balance.
• It's about them. If someone tweets a great tips, tell them.  If they ask a question you are interested in, answer it.  This is how you make connections and build relationships.
• Proceed with caution.  See above.

To be continued...

Do you blog or use Twitter?  What tips could you offer to fitness professionals?

Stay Healthy, 

Tracy