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My Team Connects

Engaging Customers and Building Community with Copywriting and Content Marketing

How To Fake Being A Graphic Designer With Canva’s Magic Resize Tool

August 28, 2015 by jennifer mcgahan Leave a Comment

How To Fake Being A Graphic Designer With Canva’s Magic Resize Tool

You have a great eye!

You know great design when you see it, but maybe you’re like me, and you’ve never had the knack for creating really awesome  graphic designs. Now all that has changed.

Canva is making pros out of even the most challenged graphics creators with their easy-peasy design software. Now first let me say I don’t get any money or other kickbacks from Canva. I’m just a happy user. I’ve been using Canva for about a year now, as well as Pic Monkey (another super useful graphic design site for making beautiful pictures and adding effects to your photos), but I jumped into the paid version of Canva — Canva for Work — recently because of this one amazing feature: Canva’s Magic Resize Tool.

Canva Magic Resize tool

 

I make a lot of my own graphics, learning as much as I can from other designers on YouTube and through tutorials created by graphics design software websites (including Adobe). Lately, since ALL the social sites are all about images, I was beginning to think I was in over my head. I thought I’d have to hire someone to create a graphic per day for each of my social sites!

You probably already know this, but you can’t just use one size. Different sites all require different sized images: Twitter’s shared photo is 1024 x 512 at the time of this writing; the sky’s the limit for vertical length on Pinterest, and my other shared image sizes for Facebook and Instagram are square (various pixels suggested). If you try to make the same subject fit all those parameters, suddenly your entire morning’s shot. Totally unacceptable!

So what is the Magic Resize Tool and how do you use it in Canva? Let me explain.

Essential Oils Fun FactFirst you make one graphic design for social media. I start with a square design and create my graphic within those parameters, using my preferred fonts and any graphic elements I’ve chosen to brand my shareable graphics. One of the perks of Canva for Work is that you can load up your logos, and other style elements you use regularly right within Canva’s stored images section. As you can see, I use the Essential Oils Fun Fact dot I created for many of my regular designs.

When you’re done creating your original concept, simply save it and then click the “Magic Resize” button under the drop down under “File” in the upper left corner of your screen. A drop down of 41 applications for your original graphic appears. All you have to do is tick off where your applying your graphic design. Simply check the boxes in front of your social media sites where you’ll be sharing, or another application, like a Facebook ad or a Kindle ebook cover.

Suddenly, a bunch of new windows will open in your browser, one for each application you checked. As you move across each tab, you simply make your edits on each design.

The fun part about Magic Resize is that the magical Canva software intuitively rearranges some of your graphic design elements to give you a head start on your edits. A few times, these changes are perfectly fine, and I just save them the way they are. Most times, though, you’ll want to go in and tweak your design a bit, widening a border, enlarging a font to fit the artboard size, etc.  You’ll know what to do, and you’ll  find that it’s very easy to do. It literally takes seconds to tweak your designs… no more recreating them from scratch every single time.

Here’s an example:

https://myteamconnects.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/How-to-use-canvas-Magic-Resize-Tool.mp4

I’m a huge fan! At first Canva takes a little time to figure out, but I assure you, it’s worth the time learning it and the money you invest in a year of Canva for Work. The current price is $12.95 per month, or $119.40 per year (August 2015). However right now you can get Canva for Work for free for 6o days, just to try it out. Click here to visit Canva and learn more. 

By the way, If you happen to be a Young Living Member and you would like to use my images of single and blended essential oil bottles with a transparent background — so you don’t have to deal with that white box in the background every time you want to make anew graphic — please contact me and I’ll be happy to send you my files. After all, Sharing is caring!

If I’ve got your attention and your curious about how essential oils can make your work-from-home or freelancer lifestyle even better, let me know and I’ll send you a link to my free ebook, There’s No Wrong Way To Use An Essential Oil.

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: canva, canva for work, creating graphics, creating membes, deesigning graphics for your social media sites, graphic design, graphic designer, Magic Resize Tool, resizing images for social media, sharing images, social media graphics, What size graphic for different social media sites

How To Make A Blog Worth Sharing

June 3, 2015 by jennifer mcgahan Leave a Comment

How To Make A Blog Worth Sharing

a blog worth sharing

You, dear one, have something worth sharing.

You might even be one of those lucky people who have lots of things worth sharing!

Lately I’ve been paying attention to all the people who share of themselves purely out of passion, generosity, or a call to service. Because they are lit from the inside, they keep doing what they do with consistency and love. Over time their work touches others who are able to feel the intensity of their passion.

Everyone wants to make a difference. It’s a basic human need – to feel needed. You want to know that what you do matters and has value. Even if your work isn’t widely recognized by others, you want to believe it has an unspoken effect.

What I know to be true… even the smallest gesture or action can make a profound difference, even if you can’t immediately see it. Is it disheartening to think that someone — even someone who is important to you — may never see the good you do? You’ll have to make the call on that, but I know this is true: Every good thing lasts.

I’ve been blogging since 2005, and I’m not one of those bloggers who claims to have perfected it yet. Blogging has its hooks in me, though, because when you’re one of those weirdos who thinks writing is fun, keeping a blog is an obvious choice. I’ve learned a few things in the last decade, mainly because I made all the mistakes successful bloggers, writers and freelancers) tell you you’ll make, and then you still go ahead and make them anyway.

I hope you’ll take this as encouragement to keep blogging. Even though you, too, will have to learn all these things the hard way, I’m rooting for you because I know inside you is some jaw-dropping awesomeness worth sharing.

The soul of your blog is found in its layers.

the soul of your blog

Have you heard of art journaling? I used to play with paint and collage in my journals. These days I am mostly writing, but there was a time when my heart wanted to incorporate color and images in my personal books. [By the way, I learned this technique from Teesha Moore, a brilliant, and very sharing artist from Portland.] I would always start with a wash of color on a page. Then I’d add more colors, lines, cutouts from magazines and books, and then more pen, ink and crayon on top of that. Finally, I’d write in the empty spaces.

These collages were so much fun to make, but they only came together after many layers… and over time. I would often find that colors painted on top of colors affected the hue or shade of the final color. I didn’t worry too much about what the final color would be; I just let the process unfold and sometimes I was even surprised by what my pages looked like in the end. A dark base covered with lighter paint always had a moody undercurrent of depth; and bright pages could always be softened with lighter, softer paints. The layers were what made them jump to life. As more and more images, colors and words were added, they became complete.

The process can take days, even months to complete. Sometimes I’m not even sure they are complete.

Yes, there were times when I added too much. You can’t take a stroke away; you can only paint over it. I was frustrated when I “ruined” a page with too much stuff or too many layers of color; but on rare occasions, the mistake was the very thing that made the final version so cool.

The same thing will happen with your blog as you continue to add to it.

When you stop focusing on the outcome, and just operate out of genuine joy — following where your heart wants to go — that’s when things start happening.

Have you ever spent time with someone who is inspiring and magnetic? I have, and they are my favorite people! Magnetism is what makes people want to subscribe to your YouTube channel or blog, or follow you on Twitter or LinkedIn. The person who is enthusiastic about their work or topic is attractive, both on and offline. We’re drawn to them partly because we want to see what they’ll do next. They reveal their big picture over time, many times unaware themselves of what they are creating.

How do you “be that person” and make stuff that’s “worth sharing?”

  1. Stack-of-suitcases-427x360Keep adding to your body of work.

If you’re always worrying about what comes next, you’re not alone. Lots of bloggers and online marketers stress about their content calendar and keeping their social media channels filled up with funny, informative and emotional updates. But there’s another way to make it easy on yourself. Start providing content about stuff that comes naturally, and stop worrying if you have a unique niche or corner of the market.

Remember the layers. Only you can create the work that is your life (and blog). No one can do it the same as you, even if they try. The creation itself is what’s important. Don’t stop. Don’t give up on your work. Just keep filling in those pages (or videos, or pictures, etc.) Just keep producing whatever it is makes you happy and full.

  1. bloom where you're plantedBloom where you’re planted.

Shareable content is natural content that stems from your real life… Yikes! It took me a long time to figure that out. I don’t know why I fought it for so long. Probably because what was dear to my heart was stuff I didn’t think anyone would be interested in, or stuff I didn’t want to share.

So I kept all that to myself and wrote ONLY about copywriting and Internet marketing because I was good at it. Never mix, never worry. Insecurity about being a good mom and wife, fear about wasting time, stress about getting everything done to a tee was wearing me thin, but who wants to write or read about that? (See Point 5.) Put my real life online? Mercy.

Even as I was advising all my clients to incorporate their real life into their blog, I wasn’t doing it myself. I was, however, creating copy and content for other people who didn’t want to do it themselves, either. (Can you see how sick that is?) This work suited me fine for years, but ultimately the separation between my life and my blog made me feel empty.

You know the tale about the two wolves who live inside you and battle it out? One is all good, benevolent, peaceful and giving, The other is fierce and demanding, controlling and nasty. Only one will survive. The wolf you feed is the wolf that wins.

I was really good at selling other people’s stuff, so I fed that wolf kittens every day. I put all my effort into gaining authority as a copywriter — and it worked! It really was my “Real Life.” I had lots of satisfied clients, and I managed to keep busily distracted from a happy and genuine life of my own. Ironic, huh? Deadlines made me feel like I was doing real work, even as my heart told me “No.” While I grew like Kudzu, my blog never got around to that blooming fun part. OK, so this part is the cautionary tale… thank goodness it’s never too late. You gotta have fun with it.

  1. Thanks for being patient.Imperfection is OK.

The big lesson in all this was to stop trying so hard to provide the best, most thorough information in every single post. I always thought if I didn’t have a fully fleshed out 1500 – 2000-word blog post with strategic links, bullet points and a smart perspective on digital marketing, then I shouldn’t bother.

I stopped wanting to write my own blog posts. I actually thought about getting someone to write them for me. I’m not talking about having a guest blogger or two, but a true stand-in for me, a ghostwriter. I felt like a fraud. The writer hires a ghostwriter… Crazy.

I didn’t do it, but I took a break from my blog for a while as I tried to find my voice again. I also forgave myself for missing my own deadlines.

During this time I took my hands off the wheel and spent time studying (my usual escape) and “planning,” another sick practice when taken too far. I was also busy picking up large chunks of my personal and family life lying all over the ground. Thankfully, I became aware of my folly. It was like cleaning up after a hurricane.

All the while, I couldn’t write the things I was “supposed to write about,” because A. I was stymied by fear of imperfection and B. I had no interest in it.

Thankfully, I’m over that. Maybe you can tell.

Yes, I still try to schedule my posts in advance and I keep track of them on a content calendar (I’ve been using a plugin lately called CoSchedule, that makes it super easy to plan and share blog posts), but now I am trying to make sure I’m blogging about things that I really want to write about. Because it matters a lot, I’m coming to find out…

Plus, I missed writing.

It’s easy to get caught in the Content Trap — especially if you’re winging it and you don’t have a plan. As soon as you finish one blog post, you’re thinking about what to do next. You’re focused on keeping your audience’s attention and providing “entertaining and relevant” content. Do they need it, want it, or like it? Is it shareable? And who are these people anyway? Pretty soon you forget to connect with the people you’re supposed to be writing for… and why.

This anxiety can kill the spontaneity and fun of your blog, though. If you don’t rest, ask questions, listen to your readers, and participate in your own life with joy, then you’re trying too hard. Once you learn to enjoy the process (whether that means writing daily, taking pictures of your art, or being a fully present mom, sister, dad, wife, etc. to the people who matter most) everything starts to flow.

  1. Even Wonder Woman can't do everything

    Don’t try to do everything.

These days, everyone’s supposed to have a video series, a podcast, infographics, an ebook or two, inspirational memes, an online paid course, and pictures of you and your team doing fun things in all parts of the world.

Can we all just please stop trying to maintain an impossible standard? I beg of you; just do what you can do. If you don’t have a team of creatives to help you with all this, then just do what you can. Make time to do what you can, and pursue it relentlessly; but don’t fall prey to the lie that you have to do everything. Yes, some people may miss out on your wonderful-ness, but your work will have that stickiness and cohesiveness that has a profound effect on the lucky few. Then, magically, it will get shared.

Weird how that works.

I was talking to my dad the other day. He’s retired, but now starting a new business and relocating to another state this year at the age of 75 (!) and I asked him how to know what you’re supposed to DO in life. How do you know you’re running the right race – the one God put you here to finish?

He told me a story about a woman he knew from high school. They were casual friends. She didn’t particularly stand out at class reunions, nor did she have a “big” career, etc. She was always “sweet,” and nice to chat with, though. This woman recently passed away, and after attending her amazing funeral, my dad was sorry he did not know her better. Like many of her former classmates, he had been unaware of the fine and glorious life she had lived, and how many people she had touched. He missed most of it, as did others, but he caught a few pinpoints of her light, as did thousands of other people.

His point was “It all counts, even the small stuff.” And that’s why I’m going on faith as I say this: You may not have a platform of millions yet. You may only have a few fans and followers now. But your job is to touch whom you can with what you have, and to give as generously, sincerely, and lovingly as you are able.

As far as sharable content goes, not every piece of content has to be red meat. You can serve up side dishes, too. It all counts.

  1. What's your higher calling? Angel's on the phone!Shine your best lights.

Shining your best lights means you’re writing stuff that makes you happy. You don’t have to be overjoyed with every blog post, but you have to show an ongoing enthusiasm for your content. People like reading articles that lift them up. Positivity doesn’t have to be the top layer in every piece, but your blog should motivate you enough to keep you going and attract new readers.

What moves you? What is it that breathes in you and through you, that makes you, YOU?

Maybe you don’t know yet. You may be scrambling to find the perfect content that satisfies 100% of your market all the time. I used to try to create content that hit it out of the park, too, but all I ever did was struggle.

Yes, I always had clients, but oh, there was something wonderful missing. I spun myself so far into the ground, that I buried everything that made me happy. I stopped making art, and listening to music.

I had blinders on – just me, my computer, and the next deadline. I threw everything into jobs that didn’t feed my soul, and many that sucked. I don’t want you to waste too much time doing that.

Please, waste some time learning, of course, but don’t stay there too long. Many enthusiastic people use the endless acquisition of knowledge to forestall the difficult work that matters. Feed the little sparks that inspire you with fuel and attention. Don’t just take stuff in. Give something – anything — back until you discover your purpose, even if you can’t see the end of the road. Those little daily sparks of joy and hints-of-purpose become your life, and I pray that you live one that has meaning.

“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.” 2 Timothy 1:6

That’s the way you contribute to that city on a hill, with thousands of points of light making you a landmark for all who travel by.

You never know who’s life you could be saving, just by living yours authentically.

  1. share others' stuffShare others’ stuff.

Think about your friends in real life. Do you want to be with someone who is always angling to hit it big, or do you enjoy the company of someone who’s enjoying the journey and sharing freely the good stuff they encounter? I want to spend time with the one who shares little gems on a regular basis, and doesn’t hide the oddball side of her, too. That’s why I keep coming back.

Sure, I want to know when my friends hit it straight and long sometimes, for then I’ll watch in awe and wonder. But when she slices it into the rough, I also want to enjoy the time shushing through the long grass, helping her find her ball again.

There is time enough for all of it. The curious gifts God gives you are shareable as long as you can see and share other’s gifts, too. Take the time to see them and lift them up.

I have a 100-yr-old friend who told me out of the blue the other day, “You know, Jen, I’m into quantum physics now.” That just tickled me pink. She doesn’t blog, but if she did, I’m sure she’d have lots of readers. Her curiosity and willingness to share make her someone you just want to follow.

  1. Use the force, Luke.Use The Force.

It’s so easy to get hung up worrying and strategizing about how to get your post or video to go viral; or to find the right audience who has the ears to hear your message; or how to come up with new and different content that gets people excited.

Sometimes you’re searching so hard to hit that mark that you forget about your inner warrior. Know this:

  • You have everything you need; it’s already inside.
  • You are already perfectly endowed with the right gifts.
  • You must take the shot, especially when that voice tells you you’re not ready (and it will).
  • No successful person has ever been 100% ready.

I hope you close your eyes once in awhile and trust your gut.  Just get in there and play.

The content I like to read, and the stuff I look forward to consuming, is content from people who live rich, imperfect, weird lives, and have a drive to share their best inner and outer stuff with their followers. Over time, I may not agree all the time, but I learn to trust their perspective and rely on their voice like an old friend.

Their joy in the act of creating itself entices new followers because their loyal fans have already identified their content as valuable… and that’s why they share.

Stack of Suitcases Flickr CC: Christian Haugen

Galloping Kudzu Flickr CC: by Natalie Maynor

“I’m sorry I suck at…” Flickr CC: by See-ming Lee

Wonder Woman Card Flickr CC: by Mark Anderson

Higher Calling (Angel on Phone) Flickr CC: by Matthew G. 

Teacup Photo flickr CC: by Lena

Use the Force, Luke Flickr CC: by Sam Howzit

 

Filed Under: Blogging, Social Media Tagged With: art journaling, blog, blogging, content worth sharing, encouragement through your blog, imperfection in blogging, sharing, sharing content, soul of a blog, teesha moore, the force in blogging, viral content

Face To Face Networking Skills To Use In Social Media

May 5, 2014 by jennifer mcgahan 1 Comment

Face To Face Networking Skills To Use In Social Media

BNI with Ivan Misner

The room was friendly, and buzzing with cheerful faces and enthusiastic conversation. I was immediately intrigued by the atmosphere and decided to sign in and check it out.

After a couple of visits, I  joined BNI.

On the recommendation of my friend in New York, I found a local Business Network International chapter (Capital Connectors in Bee Cave, TX) that had an opening in the “Writing Services” category. I made an appointment to visit one Thursday morning, got dressed (a somewhat unusual practice, unless you count workout gear), brought my computer and some work (just in case I peeked in and changed my mind about attending), and showed up at Mimi’s at the designated time. Not sure what to expect, I headed in.

Being a social networker online is similar and different from face-to-face networking in a few ways, and I’m discovering some gaps I could be closing better as I network online. I’m in training. BNI suggests attending short classes that promise two highly interdependent outcomes — how to get the most out of the group, and how to be a valuable part of other’s networks. The BNI philosophy is summed up in the slogan “Givers gain.”

As a producer of content and copy for small businesses, writing for numerous blogs, social sites, and ads, I’m not surprised to see the similarities between success in live networking environments and those online. When you hear the phrase “social networking,” you really don’t have to look much further than a physical BNI meeting to get the basics for success.

How to implement the BNI “Givers Gain” philosophy in social media networking

1. Share others’ articles, books, or information. It’s so easy to do, and the benefits are many.

  • Shows you’re a fan.
  • Complements the originator of the content.
  • May make the other notice you as an influencer within their network.
  • Boosts the other’s status when you share, both in web traffic and “clout.”
  • Benefits your own network with content that serves them.
  • Shows your network you’re not just in it for yourself.

2. Help drive traffic to other’s events and products.

  • Become one of their affiliates or refer them just because you like them.
  • Make sure you believe in the business or you’ll get a reputation for being unreliable and sleazy. (The “know, like, and trust” factor is often lacking in affiliate marketing)
  • Give a shout-out about an upcoming webinar or book launch even if you haven’t attended or read it yet. Based on past experience with the company, you’re trust in them shows goodwill.

3. Mention their charities and other sidelines when they need help getting the word out.  A lot of people in your network have a bigger mission. Many of them want to make a better world in some fashion. Spreading the word about their community work or charity work is often more meaningful than referring business to them, and it’s a highly valued way to give and expand the reach of others’ best work.

4. Refer business directly when you’re happy with someone’s work. When someone delivers a great product or gives over-the-top service, say so! Go to their Yelp page or Facebook page and write a glowing review. Give them 5 stars.  Post a link to their business from your page or blog if you’re really happy with their work. Leave a review on Amazon if they’ve written a book. Testimonials are the golden currency online, as in person.

Networking skills to use in social media5. Thank others when they refer, share, or link to your websites. “Thank you” is such a simple word, yet it goes so far in making people feel like a million bucks. say thank you often and…really feel gratitude when you say it.

When you see networking as a symbiotic relationship with others, all parties win.

  • You, the giver, because you add value to the receiver’s network in the form of new business and likability.
  • The person or business you are referring.
  • Your network, because your show your willingness to offer help through others who can serve them.
  • The person who will ultimately benefit from your referral, the consumer

Pretty basic, isn’t it? The main thing I’m learning is that you can’t do it alone. Being social is about give and take. Asking and sharing; delivering and receiving. In fact “Ask” is one of my Words of 2014. (The other one is “Breathe.”) The social part of social media will take you far and fast, and there’s no better way to learn how to be genuinely social than to get dressed and get out there.

If you’re like me, and you spend many hours behind your computer, writing, blogging, editing, creating digital content, or just goofing off, you can probably add value in ways you never thought possible just by going face-to-face and meeting some real people at least one day each week. I’m finding my new BNI network to add purpose and meaning to the way I socialize and network on digital channels.

Sharing more “real live” networking tips for online marketers on Facebook. Want to join me over there? Let’s do…

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: BNI, Business Network INternational, face-to-face networking, Givers gain, network, networking, networking online, networking tips, networking value, networks, small business, social media networking, social networking

#JJJRH: Small But Mighty Microcontent Anyone Can Create

December 16, 2013 by jennifer mcgahan Leave a Comment

#JJJRH: Small But Mighty Microcontent Anyone Can Create

“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.”

― Mother Teresa

do small things with big heartReading Gary Vaynerchuck’s Jab, Jab, Jab, Right Hook (#JJJRH) tonight, and enjoying the motherlode of case studies about the right and wrong way of using micro content to drive engagement and sales. 

The big takeaway: this stuff doesn’t have to be like giving birth. Creating content can be easy. Put another way: it doesn’t have to be time consuming and expensive. It can even be fun. At least @GaryVee makes it seem so. He painstakingly illustrates all the parameters for exactly how to go about creating and posting content on all the really big sites. It’s like a picture-filled guidebook for micro content 2013…and I’m hoping he comes out with volume two in 2014! 

Micro content creation will work for you.

Most people I get to talk with are running a small business while at the same time, serving their customers. There’s no disconnect. A lot of solopreneur brands are pretty much their own personal brand.

There’s not a clear division between “real life” and work and social media, which means that whenever you pick up your phone or laptop you lose an hour or two.

Too much information? Just enough? Why do these little pieces of content suck people in for so long when they have other things to do anyway? Because they’re scrolling fast, pulling in content and instantly deciding whether to read it, or even look at it for longer than 3 seconds.

All of that information and visual candy drives you forward — bit by tiny bit. It’s movement: blurring fast movement of eyeballs over images, text, headlines, hashtags…zoom. You get hooked, almost as if you are carried along down a swiftly moving stream. 

You know you do it. So why would you expect your customers to pay any more attention to you than to Christina Aguilera’s new cell phone case, or the video of your friend waterskiing? Truth is they don’t. They don’t care unless it grabs them. Or they know you already.

When you’re thinking about marketing in 2014, you have to think small. Think tiny, Think MICRO.

Tiny, little bites. That’s how your customers consume content. If your content grabs them, they click over and look at your website, or read your bio on LinkedIn, or even read a blog post. 

Micro content is the easiest way to reach the customer of your heart-centered small business

The way people grab information is perfectly suited to the type of content someone who’s busy — but passionate about their business — would create it. Quickly, not a huge investment of time, not too “over-done” or studied.

That’s what’s so cool about the way marketing is going!

Can you make this work? Seems like it could be easy, right? Just snap a photo every now and then and pop it on all the social media sites you’re on, with hashtags, of course…right?

Gary Vaynerchuk's book, Jab Jab Jab Right HoookGaryVee says NO. Each piece of content should be created for the stream you’re tubing in. And that’s the best segue I can offer for why you should read @GaryVee’s #JJJRH…so you don’t go blasting all that micro content to everyone, everywhere.

With a marketing strategy, and knowing what content goes where, you gain confidence and engagement with potential customers. Best of all, you can do this with a small team and not a lot of money.

No big deal if something doesn’t stick. You can turn around and post something new next time. And that “next time” can be right after lunch.

In this fast-moving, mobile, connected age, anyone –literally anyone — can do this. All you really need is heart, and a good understanding of your peeps.

“Small things with great love…” A weird way to describe a book whose title refers to boxing, but a suitable analogy for marketing your small business in 2014.

Filed Under: Social Media, The Book Pile Tagged With: @GaryVee, #JJJRH, content, content creation, digital marketing, Gary Vaynerchuck, Jen McGahan, marketing strategy, micro content, microcontent, mobile content, MyTeamConnects, online marketing mobile marketing, small business, web content

Why People Cherish Imperfection in Social Media

September 9, 2013 by jennifer mcgahan Leave a Comment

Why People Cherish Imperfection in Social Media

imperfection in social mediaLucky you; you’re not perfect.

Good thing people cherish imperfections in social media.

It’s not going to cut it to try to be perfect and untouchable on social media, anyway, so don’t waste too much time trying. That doesn’t mean you can slack off and not deliver your best to your customers. It just means that your customers’ bullcrap detectors are up and they’re actually pretty accurate. They just want a little human interaction.

What folks are looking for from your business is a people connection. A face or name to go with your service or product. Real live service and response.

Let me tell you a little story about a salad dressing company out of Beaumont, TX. I taste tested some dressing the other day at HEB (the local store) and liked it. As I was putting the bottle of Italian in my cart, the gentleman at the table told me to look up the potato recipe on their website. I would love it, he told me.

So as I was preparing dinner last night, I went to the website to pull the recipe and couldn’t find it. I had already bought some new white potatoes in hopes of making a recipe with my new bottle of salad dressing, so I went ahead and guessed. My potatoes turned out great, but I still wondered what I was missing, so I emailed the company and asked where I might find that potato recipe.

Within 12 hours I got an email back from Seth, with an apology, a link to the page on the website with the recipe, and a thank you for my support.

The little mistake/misunderstanding did not turn me away from the salad dressing company; it actually made me feel a closer connection to them. Think of the multiple personal touches I’ve had with Leo’s Originals:

  • The meeting/taste test in the store (local product love)
  • Perusing the website in search of a specific recipe (seeing tons of other recipes I wanted to try)
  • The personal email, connected with a name of someone inside the company
  • My return to the website via a link to a specific page

Now if Seth hadn’t responded to my email inquiry, I still would have enjoyed the salad dressing, but I wouldn’t be writing this blog post, for sure!

Through a policy (I can only assume) of being responsive to online activity (by email and my visit to their website) they have made a deeper connection and ensured my future purchases of their product — not to mention this public hat-tip.

See, there’s no need to be perfect; no requirement to be “big.” Small and personal wins in social media and email marketing.

 

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: customer satisfaction, customer service, email marketing, imperfection in social media, Jen McGahan, keeping it real in social media, Leo's Originals, MyTeamConnects, online marketing, salad dressing, social media, social media mistakes, web content

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