The Simplest Way To Get Free Brand Exposure

Want to know a secret? A secret that costs ZERO dollars and is one of the most effective ways to grow your brand exposure? DIRECT MESSAGING.

I’m sure you’re sitting there thinking, “No way can that be true. It’s too simple.”. Is it? You bet. So why don’t people do it? Because it takes up something more valuable than money ——- TIME. Here’s the truth: sending out hundred of message a day isn’t exactly exciting. That’s why people don’t stick with it.

So why is direct messaging so effective? Think about when you get messages. You read them. By sending out messages to people who are your target audience, you are getting in front of people who are most likely to be interested — and buy— your product/service.

There is one thing you need to keep in mind in order to make this successful— consistency. Schedule it into your days just as you would other tasks and meetings. If you stick with it, you will be amazed of the return you get from it.

The Importance Of Your Identity

One of the biggest mistakes new entrepreneurs make is thinking they need to follow in the footsteps of those successful "stars" in their industry. It is easy to fall into that trap. You see those who are in your industry and think, "Okay, I just need to do exactly what they are doing."

Here's the thing. It is inevitable you are going to check them out and see what they are doing. In fact, if you are not, YOU SHOULD. The key is not to become obsessed. Do not copy. Do not second guess what you are doing. Don't go switching up your strategy just because a "successful" competitor does it another way. 

People have done what you are doing. The thing is, it has never been done by you. You will be your own spin on it. Your voice and identity can not be replicated. Use that to your advantage. Your audience can tell if you are being authentic or not. Authenticity is such a powerful selling tool. It builds trust, thus making it easier to make sales. 

The Secret To Starting A Business

My website isn't done. I don't have 10K followers on Instagram. My logo isn't right. 

News Flash: There is no perfect time to start a business. You can come up with endless excuses as to why you shouldn't launch your business but you know what? Just start. No one is ever 100% ready. Be brave enough to take the risk. 

What does matter?

That you believe it will work. Confidence is critical for launching a business. If you don't believe it will work because it isn't 100% ready (spoiler: alert: it never will be), what makes you think your audience will believe it will work?

Talk with any entrepreneur. Most of them wish they would have started sooner. The timing in life will never be right. It is easy to look at successful entrepreneurs in your industry and say "Look at how perfect their work is." Perfectionism is a myth. Want to know how that entrepreneur you idealize got there? By starting. By getting messy. By making mistakes. 

If you are struggling with this, start listening to podcasts or reading books about business leaders. Most of their stories start off very differently from where they are today. Let their stories inspire you to take imperfect action. 

Banned Hashtags

By now you already know the importance of hashtags on Instagram. They help reach a larger audience, especially to your target client. Instagram allows you to post 30 hashtags at once, but not all hashtags are allowed. Instagram has specific hashtags that cannot be used. Here's what to know:

• Some hashtags are banned forever

• Some hashtags are banned temporarily

• If you use banned hashtags, your account can be blocked

Always check to see if a hashtags is banned before you use it. To do so, search under tags for your hashtag. If it doesn't appear, it is banned. As you can see below, #beautyblogger does not appear. 

If you already have a list of hashtags you use regularly, check to make sure all are allowed. At times using a blocked hashtag can disable even the allowed hashtags.

Here is a list of current (2018) banned hashtags: 

What Not To Do On Social Media

Social media. In theory, it should be fun and simple. That does not mean that there isn't strategic planning that goes into the content you see. Whether you are a new entrepreneur or a veteran business owner, here are five things you should never do on social media. 

1. Only promoting your product/services. Don't be selfish. Be a resource of information, not just a seller. 

2. Posting all your content at once. While it can be tempting to post all your new content at once, don't do it. You will annoy your audience and will likely end up with a few less followers.  There are several scheduling tools that allow you to schedule your posts to go live at optimal times. Hootsuite, Buffer, and Tailwind are just a few great examples.

3. Going hashtag crazy. Hashtags are great, but they come at a price. Use too many and you look spammy. Use to few and you lose out on a higher audience. The key is to use a mix of hashtags related to your industry, related directly to your post, and to what your ideal client is checking. 

4. Never engaging with your audience. Social media is meant to be social. When your post receives comments, comment back. Like and comment on others' posts as well. 

5. Going off brand. The easiest way to avoid this is to have your brand statement and brand styling board in your sight when creating your posts.