More Than A Few Words

No matter how interesting your content is, if you miss the mark with your headline, no one will read it.   In today's conversation, Allison Carter and Lorraine Ball talk about the art of a headline, why writing clickbait isn't bad if you deliver on the promise, and why it is ok to be negative sometimes.  This special episode of MTFW is part of a series of interviews with the speakers from the Digital Toolbox Conference. 

If your products or services aren’t represented on Pinterest, you could be missing out on a growing stream of potential customers. Discover the ins and outs of Pinterest, a tool that allows members to “pin” and share images, videos, and other objects about products and services. Learn about the site’s user base and popular categories as well as how to include your brand to gain maximum exposure. This week, Lorraine chats with Dana Nelson about the dos and don'ts of Pinterest.  This is one of six topics to be included in the Digital Toolbox Conference. 

Part of what makes a podcast interesting is the skill of the interviewer.  Professional podcaster, Jen Edds boils down the process of preparing for an interview into a few easy steps that anyone can follow.  She suggests: Be intentional – Have a purpose for each episode, and your overall podcasts. Have a clear idea of why your program will matter to your audience. A business podcast needs to deliver a specific message to the listeners Prepare questions, but don’t be married to the outline. Respond to what your guest has to say, asking questions to build on their content. This special episode of MTFW is part of a series of interviews with the speakers from the Digital Toolbox Conference. 

Google is always happy to help you spend more money.  They will always show you new ways to do more with your advertising.  That's how they generate $17 Billion a quarter.  While you can spend more money, the question you need to ask is "should I spend more".   Google Ads (formerly AdWords) expert, Michelle McNally explains that sometimes it will be worth it.  In today's conversation learn more about the do's and don'ts of spending money on Google Ads.  This special episode of MTFW is part of a series of interviews with the speakers from the Digital Toolbox Conference. 

The first step to creating really interesting and relevant blog content is to release the idea that the blog is about you and your business. It isn't.  As Jennifer Riley Simone, founder of Fresh Figs Marketing explains, great blog posts are about the questions your customers have. Your next great blog post is right there in the conversation you just had with a prospective client. Make a list of the most frequently asked questions and you are well on your way to blog content that your customers will care about.    This is one of six interviews with the speakers of the Digital Toolbox Conference.  Interested in meeting Jennifer? 

"You will not get everything done" For business owners overwhelmed with a long task list, that is the message business Coach CJ McClanahan wants them to hear. Once you accept the idea that some things are just not going to be finished, you can set priorities, choosing how you will spend your time.

Businesses of all sizes can benefit from video media. If you're thinking about adding video into your marketing strategy, might start by looking at what other people are doing. Look for trends and styles which stand out, and which ones you can do without. That is what we did as we launched our expanded video marketing program  Tune in as Roundpeg's Lorraine Ball and Melanie Gaston chat about using video for your brand. More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.

Google My Business has evolved a lot over the years. If you have it, maybe you're not using it to the fullest. Everything in marketing is about engagement. With all of these Google My Business tools handy, you're well-equipped to build quality relationships with your clients and web-searchers alike. Listen in while Lorraine Ball and Erin Bemis chat about ways to own and optimize your Google My Business listing and page. Erin is a national speaker and trainer for Google's "Get your Business Online" and a national manager for Constant Contact. More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.

What is the difference between marketing and PR? They're basically the same thing, right? Well, kinda. But not really.  As Roundpeg's Page Jones to explains PR is focused much more on the top of the funnel, while marketing activities are more closely aligned with sales.    More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.

Whether you're working with a complete stranger or your best friend, there are a few things you should expect when embarking on a design project. Don't let the administrative stuff take effort and energy away from your redesign - go into the project with a plan.  Your designer should give you a contract, a complete set of files, branding guide, and an invoice.  Join Lorraine Ball and Roundpeg's lead designer Cherilyn Juris while they discuss why each of these pieces is so important.  More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.

Has your inbox been flooded with  “Improvements to Our Privacy Policy” emails? It isn't an accident. Most global websites are scrambling to come into compliance with the European Union's GDPR (Global Data Privacy Regulation). As Peter Wolfgram explains, even if you only do business in the US, these rules can have a significant impact on your business. For more information, be sure to check out his blog post on GDPR and small business.    

Storytelling has always been a part of marketing. But how do you tell a story in 140 characters, or with just one image?  Jason Falls thinks social media marketers need to pull back from an individual tweet and look at the big picture and define the larger brand story. Using a series of images, videos, and posts you can build a complete story of a brand over time. Listen as Jason shares examples of how companies can build storytelling into their marketing plan.   More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg. 

Twitter is a social network, which means that you should be interacting with other people and brands. One of the best ways to have a conversation and meet new like-minded Twitter users is by joining Twitter chats. These chats use a #Hashtag to engage with their fanbase and keep the discourse going.  Join Roundpeg's Lorraine Ball and Your Social Media Works' Carol Stephens and pick up a few helpful tips on how to better use Twitter to develop conversation. 

Is your site showing signs of age? Like deciding when to get a new car, it may be unclear if you should throw more money at your website or go for a completely new model.  Join Roundpeg's Peter Wolfgram and Lorraine Ball as they share some thoughts about what makes a website stay relevant, and how to do it on the cheap. More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.

Keeping your things secure in the digital world can be scary. A good password can help a lot. If your passwords look like a cat walked across a keyboard, you may not be as secure as you think.  Join Roundpeg's Lorraine and Simon as they explore a few ways to bolster your web account security. More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.

Jen Edds is the Brassy Broad in charge.  She is a musician, a podcaster and the founder of Brassy Broadcasting, a podcasting coaching company.  She helps ordinary business owners find their voice on this growing platform.  Drop in on her conversation with Lorraine,  as they talk about how she got started. Spoiler alert! It begins with a group of nuns. The conversation is also filled with practical tips on how any business owner can use podcasting to put a more personal face on their business.  MTFW is a production of Roundpeg, a digital agency helping business owners use the range of digital tools to grow their business

When does 1 + 1 = More than 2?  When you are adding the power of multiple marketing channels together..  Each piece of your marketing delivers results. But when you integrate your activities so social media drives traffic to your website which converts visitors to email subscribers, who then receive very targeted email messages the results are significanltly better. David Fischer of Solutions for Growth share his ideas on how to bring the pieces together. More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.

With new details emerging almost every day about the Facebook data breach founder Mark Zuckerberg is apologizing, a lot. This isn’t the first time Facebook has had legal issues because they played fast and loose with our data. And this isn’t the first time Zuckerberg has apologized. So will his promises to do better will be enough. And if not, what will that mean for business owners who rely on the platform to build communities and reach new markets.

More than a few Words goes global as Lorraine chats with Javed S. Khan., the owner of Empression, a Marketing Services Company based in Toronto, Canada about video messaging. Just like their American counterparts, Canadian business owners are struggling with the ever changing demands of delivering exceptional customer service experiences in the digital age. You can find Javed on his website javidskhan.com, or on LinkedIn. More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.  

Do you own your contacts?  If you are building a community exclusively on social media, the answer to that question is actually no.  You are simply renting them.  You have access to them only if you play by the rules established by the platform.  So if Facebook changes the rules, you need to change your approach. In today’s conversation with Karen Leonard, we chatted about what can happen if you don’t own your contact list, and how you can move those contacts to your email list where you do control the conversation. More Than a Few Words is a production of Roundpeg.