Brandmerry Blog Archives
Not sure what to post on social media? 5 tools to help!
Does coming up with content for social media seem overwhelming? Maybe you feel like you get a good start at the beginning of the month, only to fall off the wagon come the 15th. There are five tools I use every single day in my business to make sure I constantly have a stream of high-quality content ideas. No matter what your industry there tools will work for you.
Not sure what to post on social media? 5 tools to help!
September 5, 2019
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SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH A QUICK VIDEO!
Does coming up with content for social media seem overwhelming?
Maybe you feel like you get a good start at the beginning of the month, only to fall off the wagon come the 15th.
There are five tools I use every single day in my business to make sure I constantly have a stream of high-quality content ideas. No matter what your industry there tools will work for you.
Running out of ideas won’t be a problem after this post #youcanthankmelater.
The reason these tools work so well, whether you have an audience or not, is because they are based off of what people are searching for online! Seriously, even if you don’t have an audience you can get started right now creating content to build your online community and expand brand awareness.
As always, if you want to watch the video or see some examples of how I use these tools you can watch the full video below.
1. Answerthepublic.com
Using this free tool you can type in a topic, let’s say you type in photography and it will share with you what people are literally Googling. This is so powerful because it gives you hard data as to what people are searching for online + allows you to further explore that topic via Google.
You can find specific questions people are Googling (i.e. your ideal client), the category they fall under (ex: Why, What, Where, How…). From there you can explore what others are sharing around that topic and fill the gap with your own content and start to brainstorm specific topic ideas that answer those burning questions!
Answerthepublic.com is a free tool.
2. Keywords Everywhere
This is a Google Chrome extension and something I use every single week for my blog and youtube content. The reality is, it’s important that the content you are creating is actually being searched for online and this tool not only can give you great topic ideas, but also tell you if what you’re thinking of creating content around is actually being searched for.
Once you have the extension downloaded you can simply type anything into Google. From there you can see how many people are searching for this keyword every month, the top posts and on the bottom right of your screen you can see “like” content or similar content that people are also looking for.
This tool in and of itself can give you tons of content ideas as they pertain to your specific niche.
Keywords Everywhere is a free tool.
3. Simple Internet Search
This option can be one of the most effective ways to come up with content ideas and it involves stalking...ok, not real stalking, but you are going to browse the internet for ideas.
You can use platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Youtube to browse the comment section to see what people are asking. For instance, let’s say I know a bunch of my target audience are in a specific Facebook group, you can go into that group and use the search bar to find questions and posts about your specific topic.
I use to do this every single week when I was starting my business. I would simply search “branding” and see what questions people were asking about this specific niche.
Another hack I love is finding influencers who are in the same niche as you. Take a look at their videos and content and see what people are asking in the comments section.
Seriously, there is an influencer I follow who asks her community about once a month what topics they want her to cover on her podcast - this is a top rated podcast so she had a lot of fans. These fans are also my target audience, so I find that post and catalogue the questions people are asking as it applies to my niche and create content around that.
All I have to do is go look through that post and bam I know what people want.
4. Start Sharing Your Story
I couldn’t do an entire piece of content and not talk about sharing your story.
If you’re ever at a loss for what to create it’s important to know that sometimes just sharing your own story can not only be a valuable piece of content, but also can get great engagement.
I’ve found time and time again that when I share a piece of content that is centered around sharing a relatable story with my audience, then I see the most engagement of all my posts.
When doing this, it's important to be super strategic and make sure the story you are sharing is relatable to your audience. If your audience can’t relate to it, they won’t be as inclined to engage. A couple questions I recommend asking before posting a story are:
☑️ Will they find value in it?
☑️ How does it support them on their journey?
☑️ Does it build trust?
Be sure to watch my video on Brand Story if you want more tips on sharing your story online.
5. Ask Your Community
Everything I’ve shared up until this point can be done without a community, but I wanted to include this at the end because I know so many of you already have a community started.
Even if that community is only 10 people who follow your brand that is enough to ask and start serving them at the highest level. Seriously, some of my most popular content has come from my audience and it can be super simple to get ideas.
I suggest using tools like polls in Facebook groups or on Instagram Stories, asking open-ended questions on social media or having my community complete a short questionnaire (again with open-ended questions).
Every 90 days in my business, I survey my audience to ask them what kind of content they need to reach their desires to make sure I always have a bank of content ideas.
I’m telling you we make this so much harder than it needs to be. Of course, there will be times where you know exactly what to share and times when you feel a little fuzzy, but now you have 5 tools you can use to quickly get out of that content rut.
Content is such a core part of the branding process, it’s ultimately how you create a thriving community that leads to a revenue-generating business. In my new masterclass I’m sharing The Build a Better Brand Method, where you’ll learn my 3-part branding process to stand out on social media, create high-value content and build a community that leads to a revenue-generating business.
Watch the class at brandmerry.com/brandmasterclass
Please share your biggest takeaways from this blog post and how you’re going to implement this information in your own business!
P.S Don’t forget to join me for my free masterclass at brandmerry.com/brandmasterclass
How to Find Time to Build Your Business as a Mom
When you are trying to build a business as a mom it never feels like you have enough time, but the truth is we all have the same 24 hours in a day it’s just about how you use them. Learn my top 4 tricks on the blog.
How to Find Time to Build Your Business as a Mom
May 23, 2019
Prefer to watch, instead of read? I’ve got you boo. scroll down to watch a quick 6 minute video!
Where are my mompreneurs at?
It is so true that being an entrepreneur is hard freaking work, but you add kids to the mix and that’s a whole new level.
And it’s something so many entrepreneurs don’t understand. That’s why I love supporting women in building, launching and scaling their brands because I get it!
I built my business from zero to 6-figures a the same time I was raising my son - in fact my business is as old as my son because nothing says “It’s time to start a business” like just giving birth.
So when I tell you I get that it’s hard to find the time to bring your dream business to life I want you to know that I understand it is hard, but it’s not impossible.
Today on the blog I’m sharing my top tips for making it happen.
1. GO ALL IN
I know what a touchy subject to start, but the truth is if you’re half in and half out of creating this business it’s not going to work.
You’ll always find a reason WHY you can’t work on your business, it’s too easy to get distracted, do you’ve got to make the commitment right here, right now.
The cool thing is I’m not asking you to choose, because you don’t have to. You can be both an amazing mother and entrepreneur, it’s not an “or” situation, it’s an “and” situation.
There are women out there doing this every single day, there is no reason why you can’t too.
2. BATCH YOUR TIME
I talk about batch scheduling in my blog all about content creation here, but if you plan to build a business with a kid and you’re not doing this it’s going to be so hard.
It’s time to pull in the forces girl, your partner, your friends, family, babysitter, call your best friend from high school who also has kids and swap services if you have to, but get yourself at least 3 hours a week uninterrupted.
Trust me you’ll get more done in those 3 hours than you will in 10 with a little one at your feet and productivity is key if you want to grow your business.
3. CREATE TIME
Yes it’s possible! You have a choice on where you spend your time. So where’s your time going right now?
Are you binging on some Netflix?
Do you drive a bunch, but not using that time efficiently?
Are you a social scroller?
I see you - no judgement.
But, the reality is you’ve got 24 hours in a day, how are you using it?
There’s a super easy way to figure this out and something I have all my clients do and it’s a time evaluation. Take 3 days to track your time and see exactly where it’s going. Then prioritize (business and family) and leave the rest behind, at least for now anyways.
Oh and speaking of wasting time in the car. I use to commute 2 hours to work and I’d listen to podcasts for inspiration on the way to work and voice record my social media posts and emails for the week on the way home.
IF you want it you’ll do it.
4. TRELLO
I feel like I talk about Trello as least once a week, because I love it so much. Recently I did wrote a blog on productivity and focus where I shared how I use Trello in my life and business.
You can’t organize all the things you need to do blindly and why should you there are free tools at your freaking fingertips. One of them is Trello!
I use Trello to organize my weekly schedule and give myself the flexibility to move things around as needed. It’s great for measuring my productivity, allowing me to see what needs to be done every morning and gives me the flexibility to reschedule if needed. My main goal - get it done by the end of the week!
Look, if I didn’t believe you could do it I wouldn’t write this blog or make this video, so please remember that you are worthy of having a successful business and a thriving family.
If you want to learn more about my journey + the complete Roadmap I followed to build a business that sustains my family, gives me the freedom to be with my son AND create a business I freaking love? You can watch this Netflix-style masterclass here.
Please share your biggest takeaways from this blog post and how you’re going to implement this information in your own business!
P.S. Are we connected on Instagram? No? Well lady what’s happening here we’ve got to fix that. Come hang out with me on my favorite social media platform. Follow for inspiration and send me a DM to know we’re connected.
- READ THE LATEST POSTS -
MEET MICHELLE
Hey there, I'm Michelle Knight and I an online branding and marketing consultant for female entrepreneurs.
I believe in the power of storytelling and using that superpower to brand and market yourself online...oh and to set yourself free.
I'm obsessed with living a life of freedom, so much so, that my family and I now travel full-time while running my business from the road.
This blog serves as a home base for all things branding, marketing, content creation and more.
3 Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your Business
Starting a business or find yourself spinning your wheels? You might be making one of these three mistakes. I’m sharing the worst three mistakes I made in the first eight months of having my business and how to avoid them if just starting out.
3 Mistakes to Avoid When Starting Your Business
May 16, 2019
Prefer to watch, instead of read? I’ve got you boo. Scroll down to watch a quick 5 minute video!
I made a lot of mistakes, I mean I think it’s part of the game, but my goal - to help you avoid some of the worst.
In fact, today on the blog I’m sharing 3 mistakes that I’ve made so you can hopefully avoid them (or at the very least stop doing them now) in your own business.
I’ve been in business 3 years so one mistake a year right? WRONG! And if we’re being honest most of them happened the first 8 months of business.
So without further ado, let’s dive in.
1. BUILDING MY FIRST WEBSITE
It’s like the entrepreneur plague! You want to be official so you spend so much time building a website no one is going to find. Seriously, no one will know it exists and no one will just stumble on it in the beginning.
Unless you are trained in SEO and implementing on your new website the odds of people finding you via search is super slim.
Entrepreneurs spend all their time and money in the beginning building a business when they should be spending it on social media to build a community - which is FREE btw!
If I were starting over I’d spend 8 months building a following on social media (just one), talk to people, discover my voice and then build my website!
2. NOT NICHING DOWN
Major facepalm on this one. No joke I use to call myself a Freedom Coach - what does that even mean? I was trying to be too much in the beginning and struggled to effectively attract and communicate with anyone.
When I finally got specific in focusing on branding and even more specifically around storytelling everything became more clear.
If I were starting over I’d take time to REALLY think of what gap and market I wanted to fill in the online space. And I’d keep going deeper and deeper until I could clearly communicate what I do! This right here can be the difference between your first client and the struggle bus.
Want help with this? Grab my free niche guide here.
3. BRANDING DONE WRONG
In the beginning, I was so lost. I did it ass backward and dove right into researching other brands in my industry and deciding on the aesthetics. Do you know what happened?
I spent 8 months building and then scrapped it all! It in no way reflected my message or story and therefore freaking sucked.
If I were starting over I’d define my niche, learn more about my audience (social media), tap into my story, define my messaging AND THEN choose my visuals.
I did this btw - months later and as a result, I’ve not had to redo my brand in 3 years, just elevate it as I grow as a person! Now I teach other entrepreneurs how to do the same.
Want to learn more about my journey and sign up for my Netflix-style masterclass where I’m sharing a complete Roadmap of the steps I took? You can watch this video on your time here.
Please share your biggest takeaways from this blog post and how you’re going to implement this information in your own business!
P.S. Are we connected on Instagram? No? Well lady what’s happening here we’ve got to fix that. Come hang out with me on my favorite social media platform. Follow for inspiration and send me a DM to know we’re connected.
- READ THE LATEST POSTS -
MEET MICHELLE
Hey there, I'm Michelle Knight and I an online branding and marketing consultant for female entrepreneurs.
I believe in the power of storytelling and using that superpower to brand and market yourself online...oh and to set yourself free.
I'm obsessed with living a life of freedom, so much so, that my family and I now travel full-time while running my business from the road.
This blog serves as a home base for all things branding, marketing, content creation and more.
Why perfectionism is bad for business (entrepreneur edition)
Entrepreneurs struggle with perfectionism and as a result they are more likely to stay stuck, spinning their wheels and not achieving the results they desire. In this blog, I’m sharing how to reframe your thinking around perfectionism and a simple question to ask yourself to bring awareness to perfectionism in business.
Why perfectionism is bad for business (entrepreneur edition)
April 25, 2019
PREFER TO WATCH, INSTEAD OF READ? I’VE GOT YOU BOO. SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH A QUICK 6 MINUTE VIDEO!
It's a trap. I'm talking about perfectionism, more specifically, perfectionism in business.
I know it's really easy when you dive into this whole entrepreneur thing that you want every single thing to be perfect.
So I have to know, do you struggle with perfectionism and more specifically, did you feel that heightened when you became an entrepreneur when you started diving into the world of entrepreneurism?
I know I did, and you and I are not alone. There are so many women who struggle with this. Today, I want to talk to you about what perfectionism means for your business and how you can start to escape it.
Real talk. I have struggled with perfectionism my entire life, and I'm not talking about that one time in college when that one paper had to be perfect.
I'm talking about perfectionism on an emotional, mental, and physical level really impacting me for years and years. And so when I tell you I get you, I am not freaking lying.
That feeling of almost being paralyzed to do anything in your business, redoing and redoing an email and a website, trying to get it absolutely perfect to the point that you feel exhausted and slightly overwhelmed and comparing yourself to other people in the online space because let's just admit it right now, comparisonitis plagues perfectionists so much.
I get it - all right. Maybe you're not that far gone, and to that, I say bless you, but perhaps you are, and you need to hear exactly what I'm telling you today.
Throughout my entrepreneur journey, I had to come face to face with my struggle around perfectionism. And today I have some harsh truths for you; perfectionism is keeping you stuck. I know, I get it.
When I first heard it, I was like, who do you think you are? But it's true and after three years of really making this a focus, to dive into how perfectionism was keeping me stuck, how it was keeping me in a safe space, I have come to learn that it is an excuse that so many entrepreneurs use, and it's probably an excuse that you're using today.
It's a belief that you have held onto for so long that it's ultimately keeping you stuck.
It is keeping you in a safe bubble where you are not taking risks and big, bold chances. And I have to tell you; it is those risks and big, bold chances that make you a better entrepreneur and more importantly, a better version of yourself.
And so with everything, I genuinely believe that you have a choice and you might be thinking to yourself, I know that and I believe that, and maybe you know that on a surface level, but have you actually thought about that today?
Have you thought about the fact that you can live with something forever and ever and you can wake up one day and have a choice to no longer let that be your truth?
You have a choice right now.
You can choose to stay safe in this perfectionist bubble, redoing things over and over again, not putting your voice out into the world, or you can choose to take action, and you can choose to get super uncomfortable, and I have to tell you, that's where growth comes from. It comes from doing uncomfortable things.
Also, side note, if the fear of failure is like going off in your head right now, watch my video from last week because we talked about the fear of failure and what it truly means.
But I have a question for you. Does everyone who struggles with perfectionism stay hidden? The answer is no. Obviously, because there are big important people in this world who are out there sharing their message that struggle with this same thing that you and I struggle with and I know that was a huge part for me.
When I realized that these people out there every single day are doing it even though they might be a little fearful that they might fail or that it won't be perfect. They're still doing it. I'm standing in front of you today to tell you that you have a choice.
You deserve to show up, and you deserve to be seen just as you are in this moment, even if it doesn't feel perfect, it's your job to decide not to let this label keep you from achieving greatness.
My first live stream was horrible. My first webinar blew up in my face, my first launch. It did not go as planned, and the only way that I grew was by putting it out there and continuing to take action over and over again.
So how can you ever perfect something if you're not willing to put it out into the world? If you are afraid of what people are going to say, I have to tell you there will always be people who love you and there will always be people who want to bring you down.
You have to focus on the people who love you, and you have to put your stuff out there and to be your true authentic self anyway.
So how are you going to show up and take action and take risks even though it is scary, even though you want it to be perfect and it's not there yet because I am telling you your business, your life of freedom, it all comes back to you and the choices that you will make today.
If for you, that action means finally getting started, your thriving online business. If that means for you saying yes to the dream that you've had forever playing over and over in your head, but you're afraid to do it because guess what? It's not perfect yet.
I want to invite you to my upcoming masterclass where you'll hear from someone who has been where you are struggling with perfectionism, and we're going to talk about exactly what you need to create a thriving online business that doesn't waste time, energy, or resources, and get you to profitability faster. You can go to brandmerry.com/masterclass.
Please share your biggest takeaways from this blog post and how you’re going to implement this information in your own business!
P.S. Are we connected on Instagram? No? Well lady what’s happening here we’ve got to fix that. Come hang out with me on my favorite social media platform. Follow for inspiration and send me a DM to know we’re connected.
New Entrepreneur Shopping List
New Entrepreneur Shopping List
April 12, 2019
Starting a business can be super overwhelming. You can go from “Wohoooo, this is happening!” to “Holy Sh*t! Where do I even start!”
There are countless options on the internet that you can use for list building, sending emails, collecting leads, housing your course, accepting payments, designing, etc….
Seriously, that list goes on and on and on.
When I started my business not one single person told me what I should be investing in for my business. I was bootstrapping my buns off so I did a lot of research to find the right platforms that worked for me and my clients. Now three years later I’ve come to love a few specific platforms and tools and recommend them to all my clients.
So I thought why keep them to myself - so many of you need this information in your back pocket.
If you’re a new or aspiring entrepreneur read on for my Ultimate New Entrepreneur Shopping List!
1. Kajabi
If I had known about Kajabi from the beginning of my business it would have saved me so many freaking headaches. Now, we are working on moving all my stuff to Kajabi because it can do #allthethings. Kajabi is an amazing platform that allows you to house your website, grow your email list, house your courses and accept payments.
Some of my favorite features in Kajabi are:
Course Creation
Membership Sites
Email Marketing
Lead Generation (including landing pages)
Automation (i.e. sales funnels)
Webinars
Accepting payments
It’s now my #1 suggestion for entrepreneurs because it’s that good. The best part is even if you don’t have a course or membership site now you can grow into it. Now, I know it might seem like a scary investment right out of the gate, but when you add up all the individual platforms trust me you’ll spend just as much and end up switching later. You can test out Kajabi with their 30-day money-back guarantee!
2. Email Marketing
If you’re really bootstrapping or currently loving your website provider, you still need a strong email marketing platform. A community is everything when you are starting out and you NEED to be connecting with them beyond social media.
Creating an email list allows you to stay in contact with your audience, build trust with them through consistency and ultimately sell your offers and products, so this is an area you can’t skimp. I love Convertkit because it gives me the high-level segmenting (like Kajabi) without a major price tag.
If you’re looking for an email platform that can grow with you, I highly recommend. Get a free trial here.
3. Roadmap to Freedom
Shameless plug? I think so. Look, I’ve been doing this business thing for a few years now and if there is one thing I see so many entrepreneurs missing it is a step-by-step plan that supports them from start to finish.
I know if I had this at the beginning of my business I could have grown even faster. And this step-by-step plan does not mean starting on social media - that’s a big fat NO!
It’s following the 5-step roadmap to build a solid foundation, community and so much more. I’m sharing this exact roadmap in my upcoming masterclass, sign up here.
Want to learn more about the Roadmap to Freedom program that has helped so many women creating a thriving online business that allows them to make money on their terms and create a life bigger than their dreams? Head here: brandmerry.com/freedom
4. SmarterQueue
It’s no secret that social media is one of the best free tools for growing your business. It’s important when utilizing these platforms (think Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Facebook Groups and more) that you are consistent.
If you’re currently flying by the seat of your pants and coming up with content every day you’re going to get overwhelmed super quick AND if you’re posting your content once and then letting it drift away into the social media black hole you’re wasting time.
Enter SmarterQueue! SmarterQueue allows you to pre-schedule your content across multiple platforms and evergreen your content, meaning you can recycle your posts every few weeks so your great content is actually seen.
You need a social media scheduler for your business and your sanity and SmarterQueue is my favorite. Test out SmarterQueue for 30 days
5. Trello
And finally we get to my favorite topic...organization! Remember when I talked about flying by the seat of your pants and how that just doesn’t work?! Well, there is an easy and free fix to this and it’s Trello.
Trello allows you to create boards for your business, organize tasks, evergreen recurring tasks, communicate with team and so much more.
I don’t go a freaking day without utilizing my weekly Trello board and have boards for all areas of my life, including our full-time travel schedule. Read more about how I use Trello in my business.
And did I mention it’s free? There is literally no reason for you to NOT sign up. Sign up for Trello
There’s a lot of information, tools, resources, etc in the online space (mine included), but it really comes down to finding something that works well for someone else, testing it for 30 days and making modifications.
Trust me when I tell you I’ve done the testing and these are my top recommendations and shopping list for new and aspiring online biz owners.
Reminder: If you’re just getting started I highly recommend Kajabi so you don’t have to piece it all together and can create a platform that grows WITH YOU!
Please share your biggest takeaways from this blog post and how you’re going to implement this information in your own business!
P.S. Are we connected on Instagram? No? Well lady what’s happening here we’ve got to fix that. Come hang out with me on my favorite social media platform. Follow for inspiration and send me a DM to know we’re connected.