Gotta say, days like today I feel like queen of the world!
I get to do work I love and I get to do it out of an eclectic, old house. When I need a break, I simply step outside and immerse myself in God’s wondrous nature. And, like today, when the thermometer reaches the high 70s and autumn colors are peaking, life just doesn’t get any better.
Not long ago, working in a remote location such as mine wasn’t feasible. My neighborhood is rural (my closest neighbor is actually further away than this photo depicts) and in the old days I would have missed out on all the action.
Nowadays, of course, that’s all changed. We conduct business from anywhere and the continuously advancing internet enables us to stay in touch with everyone. Nothing emphasizes this more than social media.
Last month I participated in Brazen U’s Social Media Strategy Bootcamp. I’ve been promoting my business via social media for several years with a pleasing degree of success. The tips I learned from the bootcamp, however, are sure to increase that in so many ways—how I organize my social media time, how I make the most of my online presence, and how I measure what’s working and what’s not.
Most importantly, the bootcamp course enforced what I’ve heard over and over: “Marketing hasn’t changed, but the tools have, and social media has become the tool.”
Looking for measurable proof?
I recently sat down and did some 3rd quarter calculations for my business. After nine months of decided efforts to ramp up my social media, I’ve seen a 20% increase in client base and a 46% decrease in advertising expenses. That’s a pretty good ROI, wouldn’t you say? Especially for me, since my only investment is time and I love my time marketing with social media.
Here’s the social media I’ve been participating in so far:
- Facebook: Check out my page, leave a comment, and leave a “Like!”
- Twitter: I used to think Twitter was stupid. Now I know better.
- LinkedIn: My favorite social media. Its groups are the best.
- Google+: Still figuring this one out. Hey, you can only do so much!
Just discovered your blog, Diahann, in a rather indirect way – a Google image search using the words Farm/Art DTour. Marvelous. It turns out I’ve been a fan of your design work from afar – Soil Sisters and Fermentation Fest. I develop content for the Wisconsin Farmers Market Association Facebook page and have worked on local food initiatives since 2001. Farm Fresh Atlas of SE Wisconsin, Slow Food Wisconsin SE, and Milwaukee County Winter Farmers Market.
Deborah,
Thanks so much for touching base. Your compliments mean a lot, especially coming from a local food professional such as you. Your Wisconsin Farmers Market Association page is great (and hey, everyone, you should follow it here: https://www.facebook.com/WisconsinFarmersMarketAssociation/). Let’s keep in touch!