AmazinglyVirtual

Alana Roberts

Do You Have a ‘To Do’ List?

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Create your to do list!

How long is it?

Is it a blend of business, home, family, and friend tasks?

As you write one item down, do 3 more you ‘forgot about’ pop into your mind?

Now your brain is spinning on items forgotten and on how you dropped the ball by not getting ‘this item’ done yet!  Or it’s spinning on how long this list is and when will you run out of things to add to this list?  Or you are thinking making this list is taking up time and I should just be doing some of these NOW!

Having items to do is a good thing!

Let’s put a stop to the self-abuse of not getting enough done right now.

Let’s put a stop to the overwhelming feeling of you will never get caught up and are buried.

If you are a business owner – if you have nothing to do, you are in fact out of business!   Read that again!   We, as business owners, should always have a list of things to do, to grow, to expand, to learn, to implement, to improve.  So having items to do is a good thing!

The day I calendared some of my ‘to do’ list my life changed!

Truth!  This was a huge wake up call for me!  Why?  Two reasons!

#1 – I had to prioritize what I wanted to do and get done first.  I had to think about what the most important item on this list is and what needs my attention NOW!  I had to come to grips with I won’t get it all done so I had to pick and choose.

#2 – I had to come to the reality of – there are only so many hours in a day and literally think realistically about what I could get done in an hour or two hours or 30 minutes.   I had to start thinking realistically about how long certain tasks would take and be honest in that time estimate.  How often have you approached something thinking oh this will take me an hour and four hours later you are still working to finish it off?  #guilty

Let it go!  Collaborate and outsource.

Collaboration is powerful.

Let it go!  You are not the only person juggling all the tasks of running a business.  You are not the poster child for being able to do it all single handedly.  Frankly, you are not meant to do it alone – in time you will limit your business growth with this logic and that is a whole other blog post. 

A fellow business owner is posting on social media!   Tag team with them and take every second day to post for one another.

A fellow business owner is going to a networking event!   Give them some of your cards and vice versa and represent one another and capture the data to share so outreach can still happen.

A fellow business owner is doing a newsletter!  Have them spotlight you so you show up and next month you return the favor.

Outsourcing is powerful.

Hire.  I know, I know you are thinking that is so expensive.  Is it?  Have you researched prices and options?  Have you had a conversation based on your needs and expectations?  Have you approached it maybe from a trade perspective? 

More importantly – have you calculated the time you will save and can invest better in sales and working your business? Have you calculated how much your hour is worth?  If your hour is worth $65.00 to outsource at $40.00 is a great option!  DO the math!  What is your time worth, what reach can occur if you do outsource, what can you better use your time for? 

Write the To DO list and smile!  You are in business and there are ways to handle and manage it all! 

Written by Cheryl Clark – Clark Strategies | A Strategic Partner of Amazingly Virtual

It’s Next Year!

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It's Next Year!

Maybe it’s the time of the year but I keep hearing others share (and truthfully, I have said a few of these as well) …

Next year I will…

Next year I am going to….

Next year I’ll start….

Oh, that is a great idea for next year….

Why Wait?

Why is it we as business owners and entrepreneurs always seem to wait to implement something?  Now, yes before I offend some – there are a few of us that hear a great idea, see something, and grab it and get on it right away – but if I had to ask you how often you jump and act versus how often you delay and ‘wait for the right time’ – which side are you?

Is it that we miraculously think we are going to one day be caught up and bored?  (Little secret here and one that helps me when I feel overwhelmed is – if I ever get caught up and have nothing to do, I am most likely out of business.)

Is it we think said action is going to just organically be implemented and work for us?

What are you Resisting?

Is it the fact we are resistant to change or something new?  (I am not resistant to change I am resistant to what I perceive as the work involved in creating the change.  I always think implementing and getting involved in something new to me is harder than it is.)

What is the Value to Your Work?

Is it we wait to see the value rather than working it for the value?  (You can read that one again.  I always think of those who have said to me over the years “Social media is not working for me.”  My response is always “You are correct – it won’t work for you – you must work it.”  When we implement something – it’s up to us to work it and make it work to the best of our ability.)

Is it that we wait to see someone else’s results and base our decisions on their efforts or lack of?  (Why do we do this?  I get the amazing side of peer-to-peer learning but basing my business goals and results on the efforts and opinion of another – I don’t know if that is maybe going a bit too far.  Are they in it for the same reason as me?  Same client base?  Same efforts?  Same why?  Same drive, determination?  Did they implement and really work it? So many questions here.)

Is it a combination of all or some of the above?

Start Now!

As we go into the New Year with goals and aspirations – start now!

As you go into a new season – why wait?  Start now.

As we learn, see, discover – start now.

The ripple effect is amazing!  You’ll know you did something for your business!   You’ll know you DID SOMETHING!   You’ll have results and statistics faster to make informed decisions on in the future.

Start now. 

Written by Cheryl Clark - Clark Strategies | A Strategic Partner of Amazingly Virtual

 

Acknowledging Your Growth

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Acknowledging Your Growth

 

If someone shared with you, they saw a 25% increase in their business – would you cheer?

If someone shared with you, they saw an 18% increase in their social media numbers – would you cheer?

If someone shared, they added 33% more emails to their database this past year – would you be excited for them?

My guess is – you would!

I have two points to make here!

You, too, most likely saw an increase in one of the above numbers throughout the year!

Point one:

The problem is you and I – look at our numbers and shrug and say I had ONLY 12 more followers on my Facebook page!  ONLY 12!   We don’t do the math that if our page merely had 100 followers prior to adding 12 – that is a 12% increase!   We’d cheer for someone else showcasing a 12% increase!  Yet, we dismiss it when it is ours.

The problem is you and I – do not necessarily see our revenue as being up – we merely see our expenses and feel like we are still struggling.  We see we don’t have any extra funds in the bank account so how can we celebrate revenue being up?  Revenue and expenses are two different things and should be viewed as such – so celebrate that revenue.

The problem is you and I – respond to a new email coming into our inbox and our email program automatically adds that email address to our database – we don’t acknowledge it as new – we are more focused on the responding.  Another scenario with this one is – we respond, and we do not add it to our database because well why would we?

Point two:

We don’t celebrate our wins and growth because we do not track it.

We do not sit down at the beginning of a month and write out our social media numbers across all our platforms.

We do not look at our contact base and note how many emails we have.

If we even have an accounting program, we may not be using it consistently and I’ll bet any cash opportunities you do not record.

The problem is we do not know we are winning so we just keep cheering for others and feeling the grind!

There are so many other examples I could have chosen for this blog – Phone calls seeking information, handshakes and connection points, coffee or zoom dates, engagement on posts.

My challenge to you and I is this:

Monthly calendar a moment to write down some numbers!  Jot down the date.  It doesn’t have to encompass all, nor be complicated, nor be pretty!

Start somewhere!  Facebook Followers, friends, LinkedIn connections, Instagram followers, Email addresses saved, number of contacts in your phone.  Jot down monthly invoices and include the cash!

Let’s do this every month for the next 12 and most importantly do the math!  Analyze the data!  Celebrate the 3% increase, 12% increase, 24% increase.

Celebrate!   Give yourself something to celebrate!

There is growth – we just don’t acknowledge it!

Written by Cheryl Clark - Clark Strategies | A Strategic Partner of Amazingly Virtual

 

Why Do You Give? Why do You Donate?

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Why do you give?  Why do you donate?

 

Why Do You Give? Why Do You Donate?

Around this time of the year, I have found that most people have one of two mindsets.

Mindset #1 – focuses on the lack!  Some will feel the holiday crunch, worry about other peoples’ expectations, feel stress over gift giving and the costs, and feel like they will buckle under the whole ‘holiday’ weight.

Mindset #2 - focuses on the abundance!  Some will look around and truly feel fortunate, ‘blessed’, and see they have ‘more’ than most.  These folks will go out of their way to spend a bit more than others, not just monetarily but maybe in time and their presence as well.

I believe a lot of folks will teeter between these two mindsets on and off through out the holiday season.

However, regardless of where your mind is at – this is the season that just seems to bring out the ‘giving back’ moments in MANY of us!   Even those without materialistically and financially – will be cognitive of how they can in fact give!  Give of their time, resources, create awareness and so much more.  For this reason, I just love this time of the year!   No matter your mindset or circumstances – others come to the front of our minds around the holidays in some form or another and when they do we think – how can I make a difference?

Have you ever thought about the benefits of giving?  I truly believe most approach giving as a feel-good moment and it’s just something we do because it is the ‘right thing to do’.  I don’t know where that became part of our ‘programming’ but I am grateful for it.

What does giving truly do for us?  Have you ever thought about it?  Have you ever thought about – how does it benefit you?  I know, I know – this is not the point of ‘giving’ but I wanted to see, learn, explore it from this side.

To Google I went and first article to pop up shared this:  It will enrich your life, familiarize you with your community, and connect you to people and ideas that will positively impact your perspective for the rest of your life. Helping your community is an opportunity for you to grow as a person, to better understand how you fit into the world around you.  *EF Education First Blog Site

WOW!

  • Enrich my life.
  • Familiarize me with my community.
  • Connect me to people.
  • Impact my perspective.
  • Provides me with an opportunity to grow.
  • Helps me understand how I fit into our world.

I didn’t expect to read all the benefits to me and for me when I give to others.

Let me get this right – when I give to someone in need or an organization that helps those in need and less fortunate, I stand to gain all shared above in the bullet points?   Sign me up!

Give for others now has another side to it – give for self!  Regardless of your motivation in giving – there is no way to lose here – it’s a win win.  Others benefit even if your motivation is self driven and if your motivation is driven by seeing and helping others you still gain and win too.

This holiday season – give!

Give of your time.

Give of your attention.

Give with donations.

Give with a warm handshake, smile, hug.

What is one of your favorite ways to give?

 

Written by Cheryl Clark - Clark Strategies | A Strategic Partner of Amazingly Virtual

 

Increasing Traffic with Google Ads

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Unlocking Success: The Power of Google Ads in Online Advertising

In the landscape of digital marketing, the desire to stand out and reach the right audience is a challenge for businesses. Advertising on Google provides the solution to this challenge. This powerhouse platform has transformed how brands connect with potential customers, offering unparalleled advantages that propel businesses to new heights.

Targeted Reach

One of the benefits of Google Ads is its ability to target audiences precisely. Through a variety of targeting options like keywords, demographics, location, and interests, businesses can reach users who are actively searching for products or services they offer.

Cost-Effective Solutions

Google Ads operates on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, ensuring that businesses only pay when users engage with their ads. This cost-effective approach allows for better budget control, making it accessible even for small businesses with limited marketing resources.

Measurable Performance

Detailed performance metrics provide insights into ad performance, user behaviour, and conversion rates. With this data-driven approach, marketers can make informed decisions, tweak campaigns in real time, and continuously refine strategies to maximize results.

Google Ads has emerged as a game-changer in the realm of online advertising. Its precision targeting, cost-effectiveness, measurable performance, and expansive reach make it an indispensable tool for businesses aiming to thrive in the digital sphere. Embracing the power of Google Ads opens a world of opportunities, empowering businesses to reach their audience effectively and drive tangible results.

Are you ready to harness the potential of Google Ads for your business’s success and unlock growth opportunities for your business? 

Schedule a consultation call for January promotions by contacting Amazingly Virtual.

 

Are Labels Beneficial or Detrimental? 

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Are Labels Beneficial or Detrimental? 

Think about it for a minute!  We live in a time where we LOOK for the label, we need the label and I think we do it because we hope it brings with it an element of understanding.

Someone shares “I am home sick” – our first thought and or question is “Oh, what do you have?”  We want the label.

Another person shares “I had a terrible experience.”  That adjective of terrible is not enough for most of us – we want the details and more words so we can give it a ‘label’. 

We see a pet has passed – our first thought may be ‘sorry’ but our next one is ‘how’? 

Am I wrong?

Recently I posted to social media I was down and out with a ‘bug’ for a few days.  Apart from the rallying calls for me to get well and better the next most frequented dialogue was what do I have?  What are my symptoms?  Did I get tested?  In the big scheme of things, I do see this as my friends merely want to ‘understand’ how I was feeling, and they need it put in a format their brains can give definition too and absorb for understanding. 

It made me think though …

From a business perspective here is where I think this need for labels and definitions are harmful to us.  By the word harmful – I mean specifically harmful to our own brains and what we are subliminally telling ourselves.  There is also the thought process of what others are hearing us say and taking our words, applying their own definition of the said label and as a result holding us to their perception of it all.

The first label I believe we need to stay away from is: “SMALL” business.  Why in the world do we call ourselves “SMALL Business owners” Why do we put the word small in front of this?  The subliminal message is clear, isn’t it?  We are tiny, insignificant, have not made it yet.  Why don’t we just stand up and say I’m a business owner?  Doesn’t that feel so much more empowering? 

Side Hustle is the next one on my list!  Is this our way of saying I don’t give it as much attention as I should because after all it’s a side hustle?  Do we label a money generating opportunity as a side hustle to let ourselves off the hook if it doesn’t generate any income?  Can you not just picture it now – a shoulder shrug and someone saying – well no big deal, after all it was only a ‘side hustle’. 

Then there is the use of words like struggling in front of the word entrepreneur.  You’ve heard it a time or two I bet – and maybe even thought it.  Why don’t we use the word learning – I’m a learning entrepreneur or the word growing – I am a growing entrepreneur.  In my mind struggling and growing have the same meaning when placed before entrepreneur.

“Be careful how you are talking to yourself because you are listening.”  Lisa M. Hayes

“Our words have power.  They impact others, but they also impact us.”  Michael Hyatt

In our world of labels and definitions – let’s be careful of what we are saying to ourselves and others.  Words matter.

Written by Cheryl Clark – Clark Strategies | A Strategic Partner of Amazingly Virtual

 

Managing Your YouTube Channel with TubeBuddy

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Managing Your YouTube Channel with TubeBuddy

Creating, managing, and promoting a YouTube channel is no small feat. There are thumbnails to create, SEO keywords to consider, and an endless need for fresh, compelling content. This is why I want to call out a game-changing tool that will help streamline this whole process: TubeBuddy.

Why TubeBuddy?

  • SEO Optimization: Stop guessing which tags and keywords will rank your video higher. TubeBuddy provides accurate, real-time data to get your videos seen by a wider audience.
  • Time-Saving Templates: TubeBuddy offers card and end screen templates that you can use to encourage viewer engagement without reinventing the wheel for every video.
  • Analytics at a Glance: Gain a deeper understanding of your audience’s preferences and trends with TubeBuddy's powerful analytics tools.
  • Monetization Features: From setting up sponsorships to selling your own merchandise, TubeBuddy offers various monetization options to help you earn more from your content.

Install TubeBuddy Today

Insights

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Insights

Insights!

Webster defines this word as: The power or act of seeing into a situation.

Power of seeing!

Did you know every social media platform provides you with insights!

You have the power of seeing!

"Social media insights are undeniable tools to identify trends, understand customers, track performance, and improve content. Your organization can benefit from social media insights to optimize your social strategy and reach your goals." ~ *icuc.social

Insights help you reach your business goals is a pretty powerful statement!

Insights also help you know your audience!

Insights help you tailor your content!

Social media is not a guessing game.

If you are not sure how to best utilize your social media's insights reach out.

Use the tools!

Here is to your business growth!