The Black Sheep’s Post

Did you know the Summer is the best time to Spruce Up Your Socials?  We’re heading towards sunnier and brighter weather, so why not take the opportunity to refresh your profile shots? I have availability for 5 profile photo shoots with an inclusive brand audit if you book before Friday 31st May. You might be reading this and thinking your profile shot doesn’t really matter. However, your photo is the first thing people see when considering doing business with you, it gives you credibility and authority when it is too easy to scroll past and look for someone else who looks more qualified.  How you show yourself to the outside world matters, so why not do something about it and show you at your best?  This offer isn’t for you if:  ❌ You don’t feel the need to look professional    ❌ You’re already receiving enough bookings  ❌ You’re not committed to boosting your credibility and authority in your professional field However, if you fall into one of these camps: ✅ You want a professional looking profile ✅ You want to improve your credibility and authority ✅ You are looking for ways to improve your social media content ✅ You're ready to take action and get results Then this is definitely for you. Interested in finding out more? Click on the link below to contact me to arrange a booking. https://bit.ly/3Vd4LsQ

You have a story. And I'm not talking about your resume or professional bio. I'm talking about your personal story. The one that explains why you're here, what motivates you, and what drives you forward. Because people don't buy what you do. They buy why you do it. Your personal story is the key to unlocking others' emotions and inspiring them to take action. It's why powerful personal stories are the backbone of successful marketing campaigns. So, don't just tell people what you do. Tell them why you do it. Don't be afraid to be vulnerable. Share your struggles and your successes. Because your personal story might just be the reason someone decides to work with you, invest in you, or follow you.

I don't have the exact statistics. But I can tell you this: 😱 Every other profile I see either doesn't have an About section AT ALL 🙃 Or it's a generic 3rd person jumble of fancy words. 🤔 Some people I speak with don't even know they are supposed to have an About section at all. Hey, it's only the most lead-generating part of your profile...but no need to bother with it 🤣 When people see your content or search your name, they click on your profile. Don't you want them to see the best representation of your professional brand, services, and offers? I think you do. Let's fix things. Check out my profile for more info on how I help you get that smashing About up. Happy to share recent profiles I wrote as well! Talk soon. Don't let another day go by with eyes wasted on your profile!

5 unique ways to advertise for volunteers: 1. Exclusive access to coffee stand - let us take the stress of getting a coffee off your shoulders 2. Master the art of walkie-talkie slang - here's your chance to be a secret agent 3. Get to wear a hi vis vest - nobody messes with someone in a hi vis 4. Untangling Hero- if you have a knack for untangling knots, stop what you're doing and apply now 5. Elevate your hi-five game - does this need an explanation? If you want to stand out in the sea of volunteer advertisements, next time try adding a touch of humour.

Does it seem strange that some small businesses have all the love and audiences from a scruffy Facebook live walking through the park while other businesses spend hundreds upon thousands on video production? See, neither is better than the other. It depends on your audience, your personal brand and the kind of things you sell. That's why I encourage a chat with me (over a ☕) so I can truly understand what will best suit you, your audience and your business direction. ☕ I'm not doing this for numbers - I don't want to sign you up quickly, I don't want a bunch of clients I don't know. ☕ I'm not even meeting you to verify your identity - I'll see enough of you through your videos when we work together! ☕ I want us to have a real chat about you, your business goals and your feelings about video. I genuinely like to connect with people. I want to know what you love (and hate) about your work. And I want to know your favourite Lego. Then I will understand what kind of video marketing will work best for you. Can we cover all of that in 20 minutes? Let's see: https://lnkd.in/edgRThDq

CELEBRATING 11 YEARS IN BUSINESS Without having sold girl scout cookies door-to-door in the bitter cold upstate New York winters in the early 80's, I would have never become a marketer. True story. I had absolutely no idea what to do with my life, so when I asked my mom for advice, she said, 'What about marketing'? Me: 'What? Why? Marketing? Huh?' Mom: 'Well, you won several awards for selling the most Girl Scout Cookies and did a fantastic job connecting with people. It's a viable career that'll always be in high demand, etc.' Me: 'Um, OK, hhmmm, why not?' 🤷♀️ Off I went and financed my own way at the University of South Carolina to get my BBA in marketing in 1991. What I didn't realize as I hammered away on my electric typewriter to write my papers, was how much marketing would drastically change over the next three decades. Before I knew it, I just didn't want to BE a marketer anymore because of how the abuse of marketing has caused so much harm to nature. Discovering my passion for marketing. 🤩 It wasn't until March 1st, 2013, when I left the corporate world behind to pursue my own path, that I discovered my calling as Nature's Advocate, committed to changing the way we market. Now I finally know why I studied marketing and how those cookies influenced my entire life! I'm here to serve, just like a true Girl Scout! So, to celebrate 11 years in business, I'm offering you a chance to get your marketing working for you. Want to attract more mission-aligned clients? Just DM me or schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation so that I can map out a plan for you to take the next profitable step. Find a fitting time here: https://lnkd.in/dMSgue4 Create on and prosper, Jessica P.S. So sorry that I don't have a photo of me wearing my sash full of badges holding up thin mints. We didn't have digital cameras either, and I'm not even sure if there's such a photo in one of the many boxes of unorganized photos. 🤷♀️ #EthicalMarketing #GirlScoutCookies #MarketingbyNature

𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐛𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝! 🗞️ Let me prove it by describing 3 media categories. 𝘖𝘸𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢: examples are your personal LinkedIn account or blogs you publish. You are fully in control of the content you create and share. 𝘗𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢: if you want to increase reach, you can use advertisements. You can again influence the message because you pay for it (wie betaalt bepaalt). Both categories sound like a 100% win, right? 🔦You can profile yourself in the most favorable way. But, your target audience is aware of that benefit too.. That’s why 𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘢 (free publicity), is such a valuable addition. Other people, media or platforms talk and write about you because you ‘earned’ it. You do not pay for this type of visibility and cannot (fully) influence the message. This gives you more reach, but more importantly authority and credibility. “Advertising is saying you’re good, free publicity is getting someone else to say you’re good.” In my book Top of mind I share hands-on tips to gain free publicity in your industry. Order in the comments! 👇 📷: Suzan Alberts

To fit in or stand out? Matshona Dhliwayo says “The world accommodates you for fitting in, but only rewards you for standing out.” And your reward is straightforward. More attention. More visibility. People will remember you for you. They will appreciate the value you provide. They will talk about you to other people (more visibility). I was scrolling through the ads library a few days ago and I noticed that most ad copies were mundane, cookie-cutter copies with no original stories. Sure they were perfect in every way an ad copy must be perfect. But if I exchanged the ad copies of 2 different brands, they would still make sense. When 10 different competitors say the same thing as you, you will never stand out in the crowd. Here's what you should focus on instead: 🎯 Why you? Talk about why you should be the "Chosen One". Promote your USP. 🎯 The kind of benefits your customers got because they chose you. 🎯 Testimonials Try this and let me know the results. 

I spotted a company ad that continuously emphasized their work was of the…. “highest quality.. fairly priced, guaranteed 100% satisfaction. “ Well, I would hope so!” Would you hire ANY company that didn't provide all of those as a standard part of their service?  Of course not!  This is ALL jargon... drearily commonplace... lacks power to evoke interest through overuse or repetition. “Well, I would hope so!” Most ads today are nothing more than a jargon-fest! The problem is that if your company has an exceptional inside reality... …….and you're using the same jargon as everyone else. Then the outside perception is that you're all the same. And that's when prospects default to the lowest price!  Price now becomes the only determining factor. You must ask yourself honestly WHY anyone would choose you over your competition?

I'm not immune to wish-upon-a-star moments of hoping for something to happen that hadn't yet. And I only wished when I felt like my dreams would be out of reach without some outside intervention. In the professional world, we do that subconsciously and often by waiting for something to happen "in due time" - with hard work and patience - and without changing our strategy to encourage the results we want. So for instance, if I wanted to drive more sales with a stunning and personable social media strategy, and I had no social media/marketing/design experience, I wouldn't pick up a dandelion and hope for a miraculous breakthrough, or wait for it to eventually take off with the slightly off-kilter photos I had stored in my phone last week. I would find someone who's done it many times before to do it again for me. As a winning Marketing Strategist and Designer, I can be your dream-come-true. Dig in for yourself at the link in my bio. 🎉