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You can’t ignore YouTube if you’re looking to promote any type of business these days. There are 1.9 billion monthly users and over 30 million daily users. With numbers like that, you’ll want to know about the 20 types of YouTube videos you can use to promote your business.

Types of YouTube Videos

Testimonials

These have a great impact but you need to be careful. Stay away from just having a talking head in the video. It’s best if you can show a customer using your product while they talk about it.

Store Tours

These are made better when you can get the owner to provide helpful tips along the way about the goods and services. The added personal touch builds engagement.

Reviews

Everyone likes customer reviews. They are a lot like the client testimonial versions but you need to make them more realistic. Get opinions on the street to make them even more authentic.

Demonstrations

You need to understand the problem you’re solving for the prospect here. Using a “day in the life”  series of demos gets them to relate.

Unboxing Videos

These are one of the latest ways to engage your audience. People love to watch someone else unwrap something new and these are a great vehicle for influencer marketing.

How To’s

It’s important to be specific with these ones so you’ll attract the right target market to your video. For example, “How To Use This Screwdriver” won’t be as effective as “ “How To Use This Screwdriver On Drywall.”

Shopping Sprees

Not only are these one of the most popular kinds of YouTube videos, but they work well with small business products if you can find an influencer who will highlight your goods.

An Introduction to Your Business

This works especially well if you’re a sole proprietor in a service industry like accounting. These also work best when they’re not overly scripted.

Explainer Videos

Animation is a great way to capture your target market’s attention . These are a popular way for your small business to explain what they do because they’re fun.

Offers

If you use the right keywords in the description , you’ll get people flocking to these types of videos. Limited time promotions are one of the best versions to use.  Remember to put the url in your description.

Behind The Scenes Videos

These really foster engagement. People love when they get to peek behind the curtain and see what goes on when folks are relaxed in a work setting.  These are great for personalizing your business and giving it a face.

Live Webcasts

If you’re really confident in the way things are running at your business, you can go live with a behind the scenes video. Promoting these for certain times and dates when you know your target market is online requires a little research that pays off.

A Series of Video Tips

These do well because they position you as an expert and put a face to what you’ve got to sell.  Remember a constant stream of content works best.

Interviews

These are a little different than testimonials. They can be in a newsy style with the interviewer off camera for an added touch. Asking folks on the street in front of your store what they think about your goods and services works. Don’t forget to include a call to action in your description.

Webinars

These are generally high value and they don’t cost a lot. Creating a slide show to add to the mix is a good idea. You can go live with one of these on YouTube so you’ll need energetic presenters.

Narrated Powerpoints

These are simple and visual—two of the cornerstones of making a great sale. Just put one of these presentations together, talk over the visual and upload it.

Educational Videos

These are popular for small business owners that want to stress their expertise. If you can fill a room of interested people, these are even more popular and credible when you present from the front.

Comparison Videos

You might be tempted to get long winded here but don’t. The small business videos that get the best responses are three minutes or under.

Staff Videos

YouTube Analytics is a great tool that will tell you how these are going over with your target market. Having your staff talk about why they like working in your shop makes for a feel good video that attracts clients.

Corporate Videos

Production value matters here. When you’re on this level, you should be looking at hiring professionals. Don’t rush into these. A carefully designed plan works best.

Image: Depositphotos.com

This article, “20 Types of YouTube Videos You Can Use to Promote Your Business” was first published on Small Business Trends

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Small business startups go through a typical life cycle of three stages.  I’ve observed this startup lifecycle time and again. In fact, I have gone through it myself.

If we recognize the three stages, it’s the first step to getting through them successfully.

Before I go further, let me say I’m not talking about the standard development stages of a high growth startup. Venture capitalists and entrepreneurship professors often talk about this.  But they are thinking about the Facebooks, Googles and Ubers of the world.

I’m referring to small business startups — the ones you and I and millions of the rest of us start. Our small businesses have a life cycle, too.

And while the first and last stages are great, the middle stage is not always pretty.

Defining the Startup Life Cycle

It helps to understand a small business life cycle by reflecting on a law of physics: the first law of motion.

The first law of motion is a principle identified by Sir Issac Newton centuries ago. You’ve probably heard of Newton’s first law, paraphrased as:

“A body at rest tends to remain at rest. A body in motion tends to remain in motion. “

Sound familiar?  This is describing inertia and momentum.

In the simplest terms, when it comes to business:

Momentum = good

Inertia = bad

Inertia is a major obstacle to success in a small business startup.  It’s not helpful in any business. But it impacts startups and small businesses to a greater degree.

Why? It’s because we have fewer resources available to combat it.

After the initial rush of starting the business, we reach a point where we max out our resources. We’ve dug deep. We’ve squeezed out every last ounce of energy and resources.  And suddenly we have no more to give. We have no more money, no more people, no more time to put into our businesses.  Yes, we’ve used it all up.

Simply put, we get stuck. After the initial excitement of getting the business off the ground, we can’t seem to make forward progress. We can’t seem to get big things moving again.

Our businesses become like boulders chained to our ankles.  We push and we pull. That boulder budges a few feet but it doesn’t roll along the way we want.  If you are a hard charger or Type A personality, it gets frustrating.

Oh, we’re busy — we’re slammed.  We may be profitable and able to make payroll.  That’s not the issue.

Rather, everything starts to feel hard.  Growth doesn’t come as easily as we want it to.

We struggle to make forward progress in our business growth, profitability and success.  We feel mired down, like wading through mud.

That’s inertia we’re battling. In fact, inertia is a natural part of the startup life cycle.

As I said at the beginning of this article, most of us as entrepreneurs go through these three stages in starting and operating a small business.

Let’s walk through the three stages, so you know what to expect.  And if you are in one of the stages currently, see if the experience sounds familiar.

Startup Stage 1:  Launch

We start out with grand plans.  We entrepreneurs have big ideas and we’re bursting with energy at first.

After all, we’ve created something from nothing.  We’ve done more than most people will ever do. We took a leap, started a business and got it off the ground.

When I first started my business, I had so much energy I had difficulty channeling it.  I loved my business  so much!  I was ready to take on the world.

And if I was gone from my business, I couldn’t wait to get back.  I probably spent too many hours on it. But it was a labor of love.

Other entrepreneurs I’ve talked with describe a similar experience.  We’re all filled with excitement when we first start a business.  It’s almost like going through a manic episode (but in a positive way).  We’re focused and we’re on fire.

We’re all Davids ready to trounce Goliath!

Startup Stage 2:  Trough of Reality

While the launch phase is exciting, at some point we fall into … the Trough of Reality.

To describe this stage, I have to give a nod to the Gartner Hype Cycle.  The Hype Cycle is famous in business circles for describing the growth of new technologies.  After the initial peak of excitement and high expectations, at some point the new technology hits the “trough of disillusionment.”  That’s the point when:

• Interest in the new technology starts to wane.
• Expectations get scaled back.
• Some producers of the technology fail.

It’s quite similar in a small business.  But in the case of business owners, it’s not so much disillusionment. It’s that we come face to face with reality.

The Trough of Reality is the point where we start to get customers. By this point we probably have employees or outsourced workers and services.

All our energy gets caught up in day-to-day work.  We are buried in minutiae.  We have bills to pay; a payroll to meet.

In short, we’re no longer just dreaming about a business. Now we have to operate it. Yikes!!!

Owners end up with a classic case of working IN the business when they should be working ON it.

My own business went through the Trough of Reality. There were several years where it seemed like we merely existed. Yes, we squeezed out a profit.

But as I look back, those years were a struggle. I did a lot of freelance writing and consulting work on the side to subsidize growing my digital publishing company.  Twelve hour days – heck 14 hour days — were nothing.

We survived, of course. After 15 years we’re still here — and thriving.  But back then I worried a lot. I wasn’t having fun. And it took all my energy.

Some businesses wallow in the Trough of Reality for years.  They manage to pay the bills, but growth is slow.

But even if you don’t want growth — let’s say you are a self-employed freelancer content to stay at a steady pace of work — your quality of life suffers. You may personally feel beaten down by business pressures.

Call it burnout, call it exhaustion, call it lack of motivation. You long to spend more time with family, or on hobbies or outside interests. Yet you just can’t work up much extra energy for your business or your life.

As owners, our businesses start to feel like that boulder chained to our ankle. And the boulder is barely moving.  It’s hard to get that boulder rolling along steadily again.

Startup Stage 3:  Momentum!

The good news is, there comes a stage where things turn around. It is when you feel like everything “clicks.”  Your business starts firing on all cylinders. Amazing things happen.

Business picks up. Sales roll in faster and more consistently. Revenue seems to take less effort to generate.

• If you have a team, they are able to operate on their own. They start coming up with new ideas you never would have thought of.  Your people make more of the decisions. They achieve things without you being involved in every detail.
• If you are a solo owner or freelancer, you develop systems that enable you to manage it all better. That word of mouth you developed through the first two stages of your business?  It now starts to generate sales steadily. You learn how to say no and focus your time to get the highest psychological and financial rewards.

At this stage of the small business life cycle, the owner can start taking longer vacations and holidays.

Your days feel more rewarding — less of a drag. You have more energy, or so it seems.

Your creativity peeks through once again. You experience renewed interest in a hobby or activity you used to love.

In short, you’ve broken through inertia. The boulder (i.e., the business you’ve built) now starts moving along of its own momentum.

How did you you do it?  By sticking with it. By continuing to come to work everyday.

You did it by making daily decisions. Perhaps you hired the right person here or there to help.  You discovered new tools to drive efficiency. You put systems and processes in place in your business.

Your offerings are now proven. And you’ve built up a customer base.

Most of all, you’ve learned valuable lessons. You know what to do and what not to do — the lessons of experience. That makes things easier and more rewarding.

The combined force of all these things helps break through inertia.

The momentum is back.

And it’s a wonderful feeling!

The Startup Lifecycle Makes You Stronger!

If you are currently in the Trough of Reality, you are not alone.  Others are at that stage with you.

That’s important to recognize.  It’s easier to get through a challenging time if you know it’s not unique to you.

Millions of your peers got through that phase of the startup lifecycle. They survived and thrived.  You too can get through it.  And when you do, you and your small business will emerge all the stronger for it.

Like the old saying by philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, “That which does not kill us, makes us stronger.”

This article, “Startup Life Cycle in One Chart” was first published on Small Business Trends

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Giant Food Stores announced Monday it will be introducing “Marty,” a robotic assistant, into 172 of its stores across four states: Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

The announcement comes as part of a plan by Giant’s Dutch parent company, Ahold Delhaize USA, to introduce approximately 500 robots into its stores, which include Giant, Martin’s and Stop & Shop, The Washington Post reported.

Nicholas Bertram, president of Giant Food Stores, boasted an excited response from customers at its pilot locations. “Bringing robotics and AI from a research lab to the sales floor has been a very exciting journey, and we were thrilled by the customer response in our pilot stores,” said Bertram.

“We recognize an opportunity to have a robot that could give us an assistance in the building to our associates. The robot can’t do the work of the associates but he can report out information and data to us that is a value, not only to us as a business, but to our customers,” Patrick Maturo, manager of store optimization for Ahold USA, told PennLive.

Powered by a rechargeable lithium battery, Marty moves around the store autonomously using image capturing technology to relay useful data back to store associates and customers. “Marty does not replace our associates – instead, he allows members of our team to spend more time engaging with and assisting customers,” Ashley Flower, a spokeswoman for Giant, told PennLive.

Approximately 50 percent of current work activities are technically automatable by adapting currently demonstrated technologies, according to a January 2017 report by the McKinsey Global Institute. The report assessed the different jobs that could be created through 2030, and compared that to the jobs that could be lost from automation.

The impact of automation varies based on a nation’s income level, wage rates, demographics and industry structure. Generally, those occupations requiring only a secondary education, or less, will see a net decline from automation, while those occupations requiring college degrees and higher will grow, according to the MGI report. Furthermore, the report indicated that workers of the future will spend more time on activities that machines are less capable of, like managing workers and communicating with others.

The MGI report also noted that basic economics of labor supply and demand indicate wages may stagnate or fall for occupations in which labor demand declines. As a result, the necessary skills and capabilities required within the job market are changing, requiring more social and emotional skills and more advanced cognitive capabilities.

Republished by permission. Original here.

Image: Badger Technologies

This article, “Giant Introduces Robot Greeter at Supermarkets, How Can Your Business Use Automation?” was first published on Small Business Trends

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Creating a website from scratch can be intimidating for people who’ve never done it. The fear of tech should not stop you because there are so many tools and how-to tutorials out there on how to build a site.

The first big decision you need to make is what platform to use for your website. Platforms with drag and drop features like SquareSpace, Wix and Weebly can be good for beginners and people who want to put up a simple and clean landing page.

Drag and drop features means that within the platform you can drag widgets and design elements to create your site instead of working with code. The learning curve is lower on these sites, but there are still some disadvantages of going with this approach.

Pros and Cons of Using a Drag and Drop Web Builder

The Pros of a Drag and Drop Site Builder

• Easier and cleaner designing. The main pro of working with a drag and drop is that you can design without knowledge in HTML or CSS. There’s no need to code anything because you can go into the platform and place headings, text, photos and email subscription bars. Many of the website builder platforms with drag and drop features also have pre-made templates that already look attractive.
• Speed. The ease of the design means you can get up and running fast.
• Tech support. Sometimes website builders will have customer service that you can contact for help. If tech support is something you need, read through the service features and the agreement to choose the best platform.

The Cons of a Drag and Drop Site Builder

• Can’t personalize the site as much. The lack of customization is where you may run into problems with your site with a drag and drop platform. There are limits to what you can and can’t do which can be a pain.
• Looks generic. The lack of personalization can make your site look like many other sites because you’ll be using templates that many other people are using. To combat this, take some time to do what you can to personalize. Play around with fonts, colors, photos and copy to set your site apart from others. You may have to pay a little extra to remove the name and branding of the website builder platform.
• The cost. You pay for the ease of using website builders with drag and drop features. The fee may be monthly compared to, say, a WordPress self-hosted site where the website builder is free and you just pay for web hosting. Comparison shop with multiple website builders to see which one will fit your budget while giving you the most capabilities. Web Builder Expert has a rundown of the top website builders with reviews here.

What Should You Use?

Choosing a website builder has a lot to do with the needs of your site. If you’re looking for a simple website to explain what your business does, a website builder with drag and drop features may be the perfect DIY solution. For more robust websites, a custom website may be necessary.

I use SquareSpace for a professional website that’s mostly centered around my bio. My business blog is on a self-hosted WordPress site which has plugins and other capabilities that are necessary to run a website with more involved needs. I had a designer design the WordPress site, but there are many WordPress templates you can use as a starting point to make a customized site on your own.

Online tutorials can teach you the basics you need to customize a site on almost any platform. Whether you choose to go the drag and drop route or customized route, creating a website is necessary to build your brand and bring awareness to your business online.

Republished by permission. Original here

Image: Due.com

This article, “Plan on Using a Drag and Drop Site Builder for your Business? Here are the Pros and Cons” was first published on Small Business Trends

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Ready to level up in your business this year? You have a fresh start so aside from setting goals and determining your focus you need to take action. You can do this by developing new skills that will help your business succeed.

If you’re a digital entrepreneur, you know that the online business work is always changing. It’s crucial that you focus on continuing your education and gaining new skills to help your business evolve.

Digital Skills for 2019

Here are 3 business skills digital entrepreneurs can develop or improve this year.

1. Managing Facebook Ads

Facebook Ads aren’t going away any time soon so you might as well learn how to master them. Sure, you can hire a Facebook ads expert or consultant, but it’s best that you know at least the basics yourself.

Investing in the ads themselves can be expensive. Add in the extra expense of paying someone to create the copy, set up the campaign, and manage them for you and you could be left with dwindling profits.

Instead, you can take a course or hire a Facebook ads coach so you can learn the basics first and perhaps even master one of these stages to save yourself some money. Once you understand Facebook ads, you can also develop a solid strategy and test things out more effectively.

2. SEO

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a hot commodity in the online space. If you run a website or blog, it’s important that you understand SEO and keep up with all of Google’s updates.

Again, you can hire someone to do SEO research and execute a strategy, but it often stands to have some SEO skills of your own to start. You can always delegate keyword research but you do need to be involved in some of the SEO strategy to get the best results.

Luckily, you can enroll in SEO workshops or trainings online hosted by trusted experts in the field. I like taking advice from Mike Pearson from Stupid Simple SEO who is a proven SEO expert and has a ton of great nuggets to offer.

3. Sales

If you’re in business for yourself, you have to know how to sell whether that’s hard selling or soft selling. You can’t just expect to be the brains behind a valuable product or service, you also need to know how to sell it.

This is especially true if you’re a solopreneur. Start by getting clear on your target market and what their needs are. Then create a sales funnel for your solutions that will help them.

You can sell online with integrity in a variety of ways via your email list, social media, webinars and courses.

Summary

Don’t slack on your skills this year. You don’t have to go back to school or get a new business certification in most cases. You can learn things quickly and without much effort thanks to the internet.

Focus on constantly learning to master new skill sets so you can run and market your business better.

Republished by permission. Original here

Image: Due.com

This article, “Digital Entrepreneurship Doesn’t Have to be Hard, Brush Up on These 3 Skills” was first published on Small Business Trends

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Roughly 2.4 percent of the Americans in the workforce quit their jobs in the past year, the fastest rate since 2001, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

2018 Turnover Trends

The BLS’s most recent version of the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) found that an average of 3.5 million Americans quit their jobs every month in 2018. The data suggest that more people are leaving jobs to search for or take opportunities elsewhere for better pay or more prestigious positions.

“For any type of employment search, you won’t find a better time than right now,” Thomas Moran, CEO of the staffing agency Addison Group, told CNBC Make It.

Unemployment has remained at historically low levels since September, the sign of a tight labor market that should drive wages and benefits up as employers compete to attract and retain workers.

“For many, [quitting] is a smart move, as there’s a clear advantage to increasing your earning potential by switching jobs,” Glassdoor chief economist Andrew Chamberlain told CNBC.

So far, wage growth has remained below economists’ expectations, though wages have picked up in the past year. Wages hit 3.1 percent annual growth in November, the first time the 3 percent benchmark had been passed since April 2009.

Absent the robust wage growth that economists expect, workers have been leaving stagnant jobs to take positions with better benefits, a proxy for a promotion or wage bump.

“People didn’t get promoted in 2018,” Brian Kropp, vice president at research firm Gartner, told CNBC. “Today, the average employee is at the same level for about four and a half years. Pre-global financial crisis, that was about two and a half years, so the average employee is at the same level roughly 50 percent longer than they were a decade-plus ago.”

More than 7 million jobs are open in the U.S., according to BLS data. The record number has given workers more flexibility in moving jobs, as well as cut down on the risk of being unemployed for a long period of time. While wage growth remains stagnant, the trend of employees quitting in exchange for pay hikes is expected to continue into 2019.

Republished by permission. Original here.

Image: Shutterstock

This article, “Why Your Employees May Be Ready to Move on to a New Job” was first published on Small Business Trends

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