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The Pandemic and Fitness Businesses: How Social Media Can Help

The Pandemic and Fitness Businesses: How Social Media Can Help

When the day came that fitness studios had to shut down due to COVID-19, they were left with only a couple of choices: Keep going and figure out how to go digital, or shut down, lay off employees, and hope they’re able to recover if and when they reopen. At this point, maybe your fitness business is finding itself somewhere in between. And that’s totally OK.

With the surge in fitness businesses taking their classes and workout routines online and onto social media, you might be asking yourself if there’s still room for you. The short answer is yes — absolutely. What’s more, it’s not too late to jump aboard this quick-moving trend if you haven’t already.

Working out at home has become one of the few things we have control of today. Even with a stressful situation happening in the world around us, we can still break a sweat and do our part to stay home, stay healthy and stay on top of our workout routines.

As a fitness professional, you have an opportunity to pivot your business and serve people in a time when they’re craving your digital presence more than ever. Those who maybe didn’t pay much attention to your social media before may now be actively seeking it out — to find workouts, tips and connection with the fitness community they know and love.

You can’t be there in person, motivating them to sink lower in their squats or pick up those heavier weights. But you can certainly grab their interest and keep them coming back to your social media pages. When all is said and done, you can even have a whole new line of business when you’re able to welcome students back into your physical location.

Key Takeaways:

  • You can stay connected with your fitness community not only through online classes, but also short workouts featuring your instructors.
  • Be as creative with your business right now as you are with your workout routines. Don’t limit yourself just to the same old things you’re used to doing.
  • Social media gives you so many tools to create connection, and your audience is looking for it. Take advantage of this time when you have their attention and they’re craving any interaction they can get with their favorite fitness studio.

But First, Some Housekeeping

Even though your physical location is closed right now, you should still keep up with your social media marketing. Doing so will keep you connected with your audience and ensure you’re able to minimize the damage from being closed. First, though, you’ll need to do the following: 

  1. Let your customers know that while you are closed, you are still open online. Communicate regularly about what virtual classes you’re offering and at what times. Pair your social media communications with emails so there are multiple touchpoints with customers.
  2. Update your physical location’s hours anywhere your business is listed online. Rallio’s Business Listings feature will let you quickly update your hours across the web — a real time-saver, especially considering Google My Business has limited functionality currently due to COVID-19-related staff shortages at Google. 

Now Let’s Get Moving

  • Going online is the most obvious way to keep your classes going. Get yourself on YouTube, Zoom, Instagram and Facebook Live with classes people can take in real time or access later. Include workouts families can do together, too! Some studios are offering free content in exchange for members keeping their subscriptions active. Others have created all-new subscription services. You can decide what makes the most sense for your business.
  • Think of how you can be of service to essential workers. Post a series of free, short videos that healthcare workers, grocery employees, law enforcement and other essential employees can do if they’re able to take a quick break.
  • Take advantage of trending hashtags like #MondayMotivation and #swolemate to get your community involved. Ask members to tag their favorite workout buddy with the #swolemate hashtag and your business tagged in the post.
  • Get hyper-local. Your students are missing their favorite instructors. Show a more personal side of them with posts featuring their home workout spots and setups. They can also post short videos and tips, such as alternatives to weights if people don’t have them — from filled-up water bottles to soup cans and wine bottles! By the way, make sure you design workouts that can be done at home by people who might have limited equipment — not a bunch of exercises involving heavy gym equipment. (This might seem obvious, but we’ve seen some fitness pros posting “home workouts” that show them doing routines on machines at the gym. Hmm.)
  • Have fun with it! Peloton posted an image asking followers, “Choose Your Instructor House.” The post got great engagement from its loyal community as they decided which house full of instructors they’d hang at. How can you creatively present your instructors and staff to generate engagement with your community?

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-xfvE_Ac_e/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Get Creative

  • Rent out equipment. It’s just sitting there at the gym, right? Help your members by renting it out (some places are sold out of workout equipment), and you’ll help keep some cash flow at the same time. 
  • Or, sell equipment and pair it with an online subscription. Boxing club Boxhaus is offering workout bags delivered to doorsteps and paired with a new subscription app to access classes members can do at home — looks like a brand-new line of business to us.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-pyGvkJReu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

 

  • Create additional revenue streams like online workshops and trainings. We’re seeing yoga studios shift their teacher trainings online. Offer nutrition coaching with the help of certified nutrition experts. Like we discussed in our article about online education, you have something to teach — so now is the time to take it online and get paid for it.
  • Cook something healthy in front of your audience. Yes, they want to see that.
  • Offer freebies to newcomers like a free first class, free first week or free trial of your subscriptions. Create downloads like workout plans and healthy recipes you can offer free with signup.
  • Don’t forget about reviews — both asking for them and posting them on your social media! As we wrote in this article about online reviews, it’s critical that you have current reviews posted, not reviews from several months ago. You can also use our Revv app to send out surveys and gather positive feedback right after members complete a workout.
  • Partner with other businesses. If you’re offering yoga content, collaborate with a HIIT studio, for example. Tag each other in content to help support local businesses and extend your reach.

Host Events

  • Create live Instagram and Facebook events for a “Sip and Shop” or happy hour. If you sell any kind of products, you can showcase them here and offer curbside pickup or free local delivery. Have a couple of instructors model clothing for sale, describe the benefits of any supplements you sell, or demonstrate how a product is used. Never before have you had this kind of captive audience hearing about your products — normally they’re running out the door after class, right? Right now, they’re eager to interact with you.
  • Post a virtual challenge and boost it! For example, fitness chain The 12 is hosting a 21-Day Virtual Challenge with a $25 buy-in, with 100% of proceeds benefiting local efforts to purchase supplies related to COVID-19. Participants are encouraged to post their own workout videos and tag The 12 on Instagram and Facebook — great for generating local engagement. 
  • Go live at specific hours of the day. Post short five-minute workouts to help your audience break up their time at home. Include kid-friendly workouts to get little ones moving along with their parents!
  • Post a “treasure hunt” kids can do at home. It might just keep kids busy long enough for parents to squeeze in a workout! You could also post downloadable puzzles, coloring pages and art projects (glitter-free, of course!). Ask your followers to upload pictures in the comments!

 

https://www.facebook.com/placentiafitbodybootcamp/posts/934893400262359

 

Friends, you’ve been training for this moment since the day you could lace up your sneakers. This is a marathon, not a sprint, and we’re all in this together, eager to cross the finish line and get to the other side of COVID-19 even stronger than before.

Remember, the fitness community is one of the strongest, most inspiring groups of people around, and you’re a huge part of it. Hey, if this guy can build a home gym out of wood, you can do anything you set your mind to.

 

https://www.facebook.com/NowThisNews/posts/3318915464865221

 

Do you have a fitness business? What are some other strategies that are working for you right now? Leave a comment below for a chance to be featured on our Instagram page. 

Tap Into the Power of Social Media

As you’re taking care of social distancing, Rallio is here to take care of your social media engagement — with no initial fees. We have many different solutions for all types of businesses to help them navigate the COVID-19 crisis with greater ease.

  • Rallio Dashboard — Our social media management tool was built specifically for franchises and multi-unit businesses. It lets you control your brand’s social and review pages from one simple spot, as well as syndicate content to different types of franchisees and set permissions. 
  • Rallio Local — Technology is great, but humans are better. Rallio Local combines the power of the Rallio technology with the creativity of real people. Receive weekly custom, local content, custom responses to your online reviews, social ad campaigns and community management. We pair you with a Social Strategist to deliver hyper-local content that gets seen by your audience through fully managed ad campaigns.
  • Rallio Activate — Leverage the power of your employees to reach customers like never before. Incentivize them with rewards programs that you create, and collect assets into your brands image library. Have them submit their own photos and videos to earn points, and publish your brand-approved content on their personal profiles. 

To get started, fill out our online form or reach out to sales@rallio.com. Let’s keep you growing even as we navigate the current challenges.

This is the final article in a four-part series exploring ways to respond to changing times, digitize your business and blow up your social media presence. Check out the other three articles about food, pet and online education businesses for additional inspiration.

Categories
Social

The Pandemic and Food Businesses: How Social Media Can Help

The Pandemic and Food Businesses: How Social Media Can Help

Food, glorious food. It’s one of the few things that isn’t cancelled right now, and for that, we’re incredibly grateful. If we have to be at home all the time, at least we can take comfort in a hot plate of mac ‘n’ cheese or chocolate chip cookies, right? 

Seriously, though, we’re all grateful for the people working tirelessly to make sure everyone has food to eat — not only the grocery store employees putting in extra hours and risking their own health, but also the restaurants and quick-service eateries remaining open for takeout and delivery.

If you operate a food business, this is truly your time to shine on social media. As you’re making, serving and delivering delicious meals, you can also be delivering messages of positivity and hope as you grow your business even in these challenging times. This article, the third in a four-part series exploring how businesses can pivot right now, will help you highlight the great work you’re doing as a restaurateur during the COVID-19 crisis.

Key Takeaways:

  1. If your business is still open, you need to communicate with your customers about what to expect when ordering from you — from your hours of operation to the safety precautions you’re taking.
  2. Customers aren’t just craving your food; they’re craving mouth-watering posts that tell them about your deals, free delivery and family specials. Feature your employees and customers for a hyper-local feel.
  3. Now is the time to be creative rather than letting COVID-19 limit your thinking. You can partner with local businesses digitally on social media, or host live happy hours and food pairings to create greater connection with your audience.

But First, Some Housekeeping

By now, you’ve had to make some tough decisions about closing your doors to dine-in patrons. You’re either closed altogether — in which case you should still keep up with your social media marketing if you hope to reopen — or you’re staying open for pickup and delivery. 

It’s critical that you let your customers know what’s happening so they know what to expect. For starters, make sure you’ve communicated your hours of operation. You can do this in a couple of different ways: 

  1. Post about it on your social media pages to tell customers when you’re open and make it clear you’re offering only pickup or delivery. Many businesses are offering free delivery right now, either directly from their restaurant or through third-party delivery apps.
  2. You should also update your hours anywhere your business is listed online. Rallio has a Business Listings feature that will let you quickly update your hours across the web — a real time-saver, especially considering Google My Business has limited functionality currently due to COVID-19-related staff shortages at Google. 

And Now for the Fun Stuff

Aside from posting about your hours, you can have a lot of fun with your social media. Here are just a few ideas of what you can post.

  • Obviously, at a restaurant, it’s all about the food. Snap photos of your mouth-watering creations! Include the chef in your posts — maybe shoot a video of him describing what ingredients he used. You can also include your employees: Take photos of them with their favorite dishes! Or share any photos your customers have posted with their favorite meals.
  • Take advantage of trending hashtags like #TakeoutTuesday and #TheGreatAmericanTakeout. Invite your customers to support local business by ordering takeout from you instead of crowding into grocery stores. Ask them to upload photos of their dishes with the hashtag — you could even turn it into a contest by selecting a random winner of a gift card to your location.

https://twitter.com/junebugcleary/status/1247658070353862658

  • What kind of safety precautions are you taking in light of COVID-19? Tell your customers about your cleaning and food preparation protocols. Let them know all your options for pickup and delivery.
  • With customers’ permission and proper social distancing, you can snap photos of customers as they pick up their food. Tell them “thank you” for supporting your business!
  • Don’t forget about reviews — both asking for them and posting them on your social media! As we wrote in this article about online reviews, it’s critical that you have current reviews posted, not reviews from several months ago. Customers want to know what to expect from your business today, and your reviews give them the confidence they need to place an order. With GMB not posting new reviews currently, you may have to take other measures, like directing customers to other review platforms. You can also use our Revv app to send out surveys and gather positive feedback right after a sale.
  • Now is the perfect time to lean into family-friendly options that bring households together. All-in-one meal kits and take-and-bake meals with instructions give families something to do together as they’re sheltering at home. Snap photos of your meal kits and caption them with what’s included, prices and why families will love eating these dishes together. For instance, Rubio’s posted a fun video of their Family Taco Kit featuring Ralph Rubio’s tips on washing hands and assembling meals — as well as what he’s binge-watching right now!

https://www.facebook.com/rubios/posts/10156906825916976

 

  • Are you giving back to healthcare workers, police, families in need, any other people in your community? Maybe you supply lunch once or twice a week and post all your photos of these special deliveries.
  • How about a live happy hour on Facebook or Zoom where you walk your patrons through a meal and how to pair it with a good wine or beer? Make menu recommendations for all the different people who might be in a household, from little kids who eat nothing but chicken nuggets to adults wanting a gourmet experience at home. Create opportunities for live interaction in a time when people are eager for human connection more than ever before.
  • Could you partner with other businesses for giveaways and promotions? In another post, Rubio’s gave fans a chance to win a yearlong Disney+ subscription in exchange for follows, likes and tagging friends. It doesn’t have to be a big business like Disney, either. You could partner with local businesses, tag each other in content, and help support each other and extend your reach even further.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-p1ggUHeBe/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Read more: Social Media Marketing, the Quarantine Edition: How to Pivot When Times Get Tough

Tap Into the Power of Social Media

As you’re taking care of social distancing, Rallio is here to take care of your social media engagement — with no initial fees. We have many different solutions for all types of businesses to help them navigate the COVID-19 crisis with greater ease.

  • Rallio Dashboard — Our social media management tool was built specifically for franchises and multi-unit businesses. It lets you control your brand’s social and review pages from one simple spot, as well as syndicate content to different types of franchisees and set permissions. 
  • Rallio Local — Technology is great, but humans are better. Rallio Local combines the power of the Rallio technology with the creativity of real people. Receive weekly custom, local content, custom responses to your online reviews, social ad campaigns and community management. We pair you with a Social Strategist to deliver hyper-local content that gets seen by your audience through fully managed ad campaigns.
  • Rallio Activate — Leverage the power of your employees to reach customers like never before. Incentivize them with rewards programs that you create, and collect assets into your brands image library. Have them submit their own photos and videos to earn points, and publish your brand-approved content on their personal profiles. 

To get started, fill out our online form or reach out to sales@rallio.com. Let’s keep you growing even as we navigate the current challenges.

This article is the third in a four-part series exploring ways to respond to changing times, digitize your business and blow up your social media presence. Watch for our future vertical-specific articles to learn how to adapt for the current economy.

Categories
Social

The Pandemic and Online Education: How Social Media Can Help

The Pandemic and Online Education: How Social Media Can Help

Earlier this week, we covered the different ways pet-related businesses can pivot during the COVID-19 crisis and how social media marketing can help them make an impact in their communities. This article, the second in a four-part series, is dedicated to online education — a hot-button topic for educators, parents and children learning at home right now. Let’s dive right in!

Key Takeaways:

  1. You don’t need to be a video or branding expert to teach your audience something on social media. Prop your phone up on a chair, work out a math problem on a whiteboard and viola! You just added so much value to a parent’s day.
  2. Now more than ever, people are craving rich content, and you absolutely have something to offer. The only way you can use social media wrong as an educator is by not using it at all.
  3. You can partner with local schools and businesses digitally on social media. Tag them in your content, start a Facebook Group with them, organize Zoom webinars and co-host them as an event on Facebook. The COVID-19 crisis might feel like it’s hindered your reach, but actually it’s only allowing you to think more creatively.

For Tutoring Businesses and Educators

Let’s face it: Parents have a lot on their plates right now. They’re trying to be both parent and teacher, not to mention chef, house cleaner, coach and all the many other hats they must wear. 

Children have a lot on their plates, too. For many of them, this is the first time they’ve had to learn in an exclusively online environment. And although they’re no strangers to the internet, they’re not necessarily going to have a seamless transition to online learning. 

Moreover, they’re isolated from their friends. Graduating seniors are having an especially rough end of the year, missing out on social activities, spring sports, grad nights and graduation ceremonies. There are no do-overs when it comes to these precious moments.

However, here’s where tutoring businesses, retailers of educational materials, music and art teachers, and other educators have an incredible opportunity to not only ease the burden on parents, but also offer extra support to students as they shift to online education. While you can’t replace the moments they’re missing out on at school, you can give them the one-on-one support they need to feel successful with their academics. 

Even if you don’t have an online learning platform in place for your business, you can use other tools like Zoom, Google Classroom and your own social media pages to connect with students. In addition to providing virtual tutoring sessions, you can go live on Facebook and Instagram with fun videos, downloadable organizers and tips to entertain your audience. Why not solve a math problem or recite a children’s book in a creative video?

Connect with your local schools, too, to offer support services for educators and further your reach. Offer to create tutoring lessons tailored to teachers’ lessons plans that they can then share with their students. Use your social media pages to share all the great work you’re doing with hyper-local posts featuring your tutors and the people they serve.

https://www.facebook.com/TutorDoctor/posts/10157089037597374

For Any Business With Something to Teach

As people pick up new hobbies and strive to further their education at home, all different types of businesses can provide online lessons related to their business. Some people are simply looking to pass the time in ways that involve more than sitting on the couch and binging the latest reality show (not that there’s anything wrong with that). Others are jobless and looking to expand their skill sets as they look for new work. 

You can step in and be of service during the COVID-19 crisis. As Forbes writes: “While many Americans will be forced to reevaluate their career options in the months and years to come, some will undoubtedly use this time of uncertainty and isolation to acquire practical skills that will increase their chances of finding employment once companies are hiring again.”

These online classes, many of them free, may be focused on a specific career outcome, like a technology skill, or they may be simply a dose of positivity in a time of crisis. Even higher education institutions are hopping on board. For instance, Yale is currently offering its most popular class, “The Science of Well-Being,” for free — something we all want to learn more about, right?

As a business owner, you’re an expert in something that your customers will want to learn more about. Think about some of the FAQ you tend to get over and over again. How can you answer those questions in an online learning environment while creating more engagement and connection with your customers? 

You can use the same tools that tutors and educators use to teach your audience something new. Add in webinars and YouTube videos and share those on your social media channels as links or downloads, branded with your company name. When they have a question about your area of expertise, guess who they’re going to turn to? That’s right, you. 

So don’t think of it as giving something away for free; think of it as building brand trust and awareness — not to mention just being a good human being in these challenging times.

Working from home

For Cybersecurity Firms

With online platforms, there’s always a risk of hackers and unsafe situations, for children and parents alike. Cybersafety firms have an opportunity to teach consumers how to protect their personal information online, avoid cyberbullying and online predators, prevent hackers from accessing their online meetings, and protect themselves as well as seniors and children from the many scams that are arising out of COVID-19.

For cybersafety experts, social media provides an ideal platform to share safety tips and best practices. People of all ages can benefit from your posts and quick videos addressing some of the most common concerns and scams that have arisen from the COVID-19 crisis.

You can also partner with a variety of different businesses and institutions to further your reach, including schools, corporations and those serving elderly populations. For many people, technology is the only means to connecting with loved ones and accessing the information they need for work, school and social activities. You can step in and be of service to keep everyone safe online.

Tap Into the Power of Social Media

As you’re taking care of social distancing, Rallio is here to take care of your social media engagement — with no initial fees. We have many different solutions for all types of businesses to help them navigate the COVID-19 crisis with greater ease.

  • Rallio Dashboard — Our social media management tool was built specifically for franchises and multi-unit businesses. It lets you control your brand’s social and review pages from one simple spot, as well as syndicate content to different types of franchisees and set permissions. 
  • Rallio Local — Technology is great, but humans are better. Rallio Local combines the power of the Rallio technology with the creativity of real people. Receive weekly custom, local content, custom responses to your online reviews, social ad campaigns and community management. We pair you with a Social Strategist to deliver hyper-local content that gets seen by your audience through fully managed ad campaigns.
  • Rallio Activate — Leverage the power of your employees to reach customers like never before. Incentivize them with rewards programs that you create, and collect assets into your brands image library. Have them submit their own photos and videos to earn points, and publish your brand-approved content on their personal profiles.

 

To get started, fill out our online form or reach out to sales@rallio.com. Let’s keep you growing even as we navigate the current challenges.

This article was the second in a four-part series exploring ways to respond to changing times, digitize your business and blow up your social media presence. Watch for our future vertical-specific articles to learn how to adapt for the current economy.

Categories
Social

The Pandemic and Pet Businesses: How Social Media Can Help

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You’ve probably heard it said by now that the real winners in the COVID-19 crisis are the dogs. As you’re sheltering at home and spending more time with them than perhaps ever before, they’re blissfully unaware of the pandemic wreaking havoc around the globe. 

That goes for cats, too — though they won’t admit it. Really, any kind of animal companion you have at home is probably extremely happy you’re at their side 24/7. 

For retailers and pet clinics or shelters providing products and services to our fur babies, there’s an incredible opportunity to connect with pet owners on social media throughout this time of need. Just as we humans need to get to the grocery store for food or to the doctor for certain medical needs, we have to be able to supply the basic necessities and healthcare — and all the treats and toys — for our precious pets.

Many retailers and providers are remaining open during the COVID-19 crisis, ensuring that all our pets’ needs are met. However, at the same time, they are operating under restrictions to ensure social distancing and to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. If you have a pet-related business, this first article in a four-part series will specifically help you to pivot your business model, connect with a captive digital audience and even grow your business despite COVID-19.

For Retailers

If you have a retail location selling pet products and services, you can easily pivot to offer curbside pickup, online ordering with in-store pickup and even free local delivery if you have the resources to do so. Give your customers plenty of options to get the products they need without having to leave their cars or their homes.

You could also develop an autoship program to put customers on repeat orders — creating recurring revenue without you having to do any extra work to earn their business. With so many options available for pet products, find ways to differentiate yourself so you become the retailer of choice.

If you have in-store services you’re having to put on hold right now, such as grooming and dog training, you can also offer exclusive discounts for customers to “buy now and use later.” Let your customers know they can buy gift cards or services at a discount, for instance, and save them to use once you reopen. These extra purchases can help you maintain your operations as you manage the reduction in revenue in certain areas of business.

However you’re addressing the changes, be sure to spread the word on social media. Throw in a few cute puppy pics while you’re at it — that’s key for social engagement!

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=2749303651849108&id=831710390275120&substory_index=0

Read more: Why You Need to Keep Up Your Marketing Despite the Coronavirus

For Animal Shelters

The upside of COVID-19 is that some animal shelters are completely clearing out their animal populations. As people shelter in place, they understandably want a fur buddy to help pass the time while they catch up on their Netflix binging. 

Other shelters may be experiencing a greater need for foster parents and adoptions. With fewer people venturing outside the home and some shelters closing to the public as well as canceling public events, there are also those shelters that have fewer pets being adopted out. It’s a concerning situation, as shelters want to adopt out as many animals as possible in the event they experience staffing shortages due to COVID-19 (and of course they want to help their animal populations find their forever homes!).

Some shelters are replacing in-person adoptions with more creative solutions to address the COVID-19 crisis. Virtual adoptions are becoming more commonplace — with online interviews of potential pet parents and digital adoption applications. In some cases, animal shelters may be booking private appointments for a meet-and-greet outside the building’s front doors to allow for social distancing.

In place of live fundraisers and adoptions, animal shelters could go live on Facebook and Instagram. Ask for online donations and set up a system to match animals with their humans. Reach out to your usual adoption partners, like your local pet store, to collaborate online and drive more business.

https://www.facebook.com/humanesociety/posts/10157295291192842

For Veterinary Providers

If your vet clinic is staying open to provide essential pet services, you can adjust your operations to ensure the safety of your staff, customers and patients. Many providers have implemented limited-contact policies where they have pet parents call from their vehicles once they arrive in the parking lot. Staff members then retrieve pets to provide veterinary care and return them afterward, helping to limit the contact between the clinic and outside parties.

You may also be able to offer telehealth services to your patients to deliver remote care for basic health needs. As noted in this article from Today’s Veterinary Practice (TVP), veterinary telehealth is an evolving area of healthcare with the laws varying from state to state. 

However, COVID-19 has given rise to discussions about how telehealth may be used in veterinary practices. Another TVP article notes, “Over the past few weeks, several states have amended their laws to allow the use of telehealth in an effort to provide patients and doctors with a way to interact without physical contact. The FDA temporarily suspended enforcement of some federal veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR) requirements.”

Make sure you understand the rules in your state and how they apply to your practice. And, if and when you’re able to offer telehealth services, let your customers know through your social channels how to access those services. If you’re not in a position to do so at this time, tell your customers what you can do instead and how you’re taking the proper precautions to keep everyone safe.

https://www.facebook.com/MyAirvet/posts/587036491901298

Tap Into the Power of Social Media

As you’re taking care of social distancing, Rallio is here to take care of your social media engagement — with no initial fees. We have many different solutions for all types of businesses to help them navigate the COVID-19 crisis with greater ease.

  • Rallio Dashboard — Our social media management tool was built specifically for franchises and multi-unit businesses. It lets you control your brand’s social and review pages from one simple spot, as well as syndicate content to different types of franchisees and set permissions.
  • Rallio Local — Technology is great, but humans are better. Rallio Local combines the power of the Rallio technology with the creativity of real people. Receive weekly custom, local content, custom responses to your online reviews, social ad campaigns and community management. We pair you with a Social Strategist to deliver hyper-local content that gets seen by your audience through fully managed ad campaigns.
  • Rallio Activate — Leverage the power of your employees to reach customers like never before. Incentivize them with rewards programs that you create, and collect assets into your brands image library. Have them submit their own photos and videos to earn points, and publish your brand-approved content on their personal profiles. 

To get started, fill out our online form or reach out to sales@www.rallio.com. Remember, we’re all in this together — and Rallio is here to help you keep growing even as we navigate the current challenges.

This article was the first in a four-part series exploring ways to respond to changing times, digitize your business and blow up your social media presence. Watch for our future vertical-specific articles to learn how to adapt for the current economy.

Categories
Social

Business Hit Hard By Coronavirus? Take Action to Take Back Your Power

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If the coronavirus were going to win an award for anything, it’d have to be “Most Likely to Impact the Entire Planet in Every Possible Way.” That little attention-grabbing pathogen is eating up our social media feeds, emails, texts and every other facet of daily living in ways we couldn’t have imagined.

We completely get it. We’re impacted, too, here at Rallio. Our team is working remotely, and one of our own team members contracted — and thankfully recovered — from COVID-19. But we’re not sitting back and letting it ruin our day. 

If you feel the same way, then buckle up and prepare to take action. Below, we offer some real scenarios you may be experiencing, followed by key action steps you can take now to immediately begin stealing your thunder back from COVID-19.

If your physical location is impacted

The cons: You’re not making any income if your location is closed, or you may be restricted to only certain services. You may have had to let employees go or at least put them on leave. 

The pros: You have an opportunity to pivot your business model. Out of crises comes innovation, as we’ve seen with many businesses offering virtual classes and tours, ecommerce sales, live events or contactless delivery and pickup. 

The takeaway: Closing your doors is the opposite of what you thought you’d be doing right now. You had growth plans before COVID-19, right? Well, now you have new growth plans. Although times may be tough at the moment, it’s temporary, and you may just give life to brand-new lines of service that didn’t exist before. When all of this is over, you’ll be in a position for massive growth.

Action steps: 

  1. Embrace digital. If you haven’t already figured out a way to reach your audience through digital means, there’s no better time to do so! Social media, in particular, gives you a sounding board with a captive audience that’s currently much more active online than perhaps ever before. As they’re scrolling throughout the day, make sure you’re in their feeds with fresh, hyper-local content that you’re paying to boost.
  2. Communicate with your customers. Use your social media pages, review platforms, emails and texts to stay in touch. Let your customers know if you’re closed or offering any alternative/mobile services. Talk to your employees, too, and find out if they need anything. Respond to all your reviews, comments and engagements to let your followers know you’re still engaged with the community.

If you’re working remotely

The cons: You may feel isolated. Talking to other humans happens much more infrequently, and you’re craving social interaction. You’re out of your routine — everything from reading a book at your favorite coffee shop to taking your favorite spin class has become off-limits. 

The pros: Loungewear is the new office norm. Your office mate is your dog, and her frequent naps make for a quiet office space. Your commute consists of getting from your bed to your coffee pot. Also, you’re finally sitting down to dinner with your family for the first time in what seems like forever.

The takeaway: It can be challenging to be at home all day, but when you consider that you’re protecting yourself and others from COVID-19, it helps to put things in perspective.

Action steps: 

  1. Set up your work environment for success. Create a home office area that lets you sit comfortably, with all the essentials at hand — like a water bottle, laptop, maybe a few decorative pieces, a plant, anything that creates a productive, inviting space for you.
  2. Get up and get moving. It’s tempting to sit on the couch all day (it’s so comfy!), but it’ll do your body and mind good to take a brisk 10-minute walk, do some pushups or squats, or have a dance party in your living room with your kids. 
Stay healthy
Get up and get moving throughout the day if you’re stuck at home. It’ll do your mind and body good.

If you’re dealing with stress

The cons: It makes you feel “stuck” when all you can think about are the negatives. Looking at news reports makes you anxious, yet you want to know what’s going on in the world. This is the bad kind of stress that can lead to a weakened immune system and other problems. 

The pros: Feelings of stress can lead you to find creative solutions to problems. When your stress inspires action, this is the good kind of stress that results in innovations that propel your business forward.

The takeaway: Being in “fight or flight” mode around the clock is going to negatively impact your health. However, you can make the choice to take action.

Action steps: 

  1. Focus on the things you can control. While you can’t control what the coronavirus does, you can control your reaction to events happening around you. Find ways to de-stress through exercise, FaceTime chats with friends and virtual hangouts. Brainstorm with your colleagues about opportunities to innovate!
  2. Limit your exposure to the news. If you must check news reports, give yourself a time limit — say, 10 to 20 minutes a day, and not too close to bedtime. Focus on the positive reports coming out of the crisis, like the corporations stepping up to help and local heroes in healthcare and essential businesses.

If you’re running out of money

The cons: This one is pretty obvious. 

The pros: We’ll get back to you. Seriously, though, there are some economic relief packages in the works that may help your business. As of the time of this writing, the federal government was working on a COVID-19 relief bill to assist individuals and businesses in various ways. 

The situation evolves daily, though, and each situation is different — so it’s pointless to list out the possible monetary relief you may personally experience. Also, individual corporations, municipalities and governments are handling things in their own unique ways. Some of them are offering direct relief or a moratorium on payments.

The takeaway: You need money. There may be some available to you. 

Action steps: 

  1. Check with your lenders, property manager, utility providers and local governing bodies to inquire whether they are providing any relief or delay of payments.
  2. In addition to pending federal legislation to offer economic relief, be sure to investigate other possible sources of relief, including:
  • The Small Business Administration’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program and other potential access to capital as well as other resources
  • Yelp’s $25 million relief package for customers such as restaurants and bars in heavily impacted areas
  • Banks offering relief to customers impacted by COVID-19, per this list maintained by Forbes.com
  • This excellent roundup from GoFundMe of financial resources for small businesses
  • Customer support; ask your customers if they’ll consider supporting you by purchasing gift cards for future use, keeping their memberships active, renting out equipment, posting about you on their social media pages, and purchasing any mobile or contactless products and services
Save money
Every penny counts right now. Check out the available options for government relief, SBA loans and local resources that may be available to you.

At a time like this, we understand how anxious you feel — about everything. We’re incredibly grateful we’ve been able to help so many of our clients continue marketing themselves throughout this pandemic and even thrive in spite of it.

If you take just one action step after reading this article, let it be this: Make your social media a priority. If you’d rather get an expert eye on your content, just fill out our quick online form and we’ll get back to you with some cost-effective options. 

Have you come across any great tips or resources through this crisis that would help your fellow business owners? Comment below! If you’d like your story to be considered for a feature on this blog, email karen@www.rallio.com.

Categories
Reputation Social

Social Media Marketing, the Quarantine Edition: How to Pivot When Times Get Tough

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If you’ve tried to reply to or leave a Google My Business review recently, you may have noticed you’re not able to do so. Google announced on Friday that due to COVID-19, a number of its GMB features have been suspended or limited, including new reviews, replying to reviews and Q&As.

We understand these limitations are impacting our clients and many other businesses, yet at the same time, we want to remind you that you can — and very much should — continue responding to reviews and asking your customers for reviews on Facebook, Yelp and other review platforms. 

In fact, now more than ever, it’s critical that you pay attention to what customers are saying, asking about and commenting on via social media and online review platforms.

There’s been a huge surge in the use of social media and online usage ever since COVID-19 caused the need for social distancing, quarantining and lockdowns for people and communities around the world. eMarketer predicts a boost in digital media consumption across social platforms as people turn to social media to connect with loved ones or access coronavirus news.

With many local businesses having to limit their hours, shift their product or service offerings, or even shut down operations altogether, their customers are now at home, scrolling their feeds throughout the day. That means you not only have an opportunity to get in front of them with local content and remind them you’re still actively engaged with your community, but also generate and respond to your reviews online.

In this article, we’ll cover: 

  • Which features are currently limited or suspended
  • What these restrictions mean for local businesses
  • What you can do about it 
Google My Business listing
Google My Business features may be temporarily unavailable. Unless you provide a critical health-related service, expect delays if you require Google’s assistance.

Which Features Are on Hiatus?

New reviews, review replies and Q&As may be unavailable during this time. If a customer leaves a review, it may not appear on your GMB profile, and/or you may not be able to respond to an existing review if you haven’t already. 

Additionally, if you need to make edits to your business information, note that Google is prioritizing those edits that are critical to health-related businesses. Google has stated that it will also prioritize reviewing any edits for open and closed states, special hours, temporary closures, business descriptions and business attributes for other verified businesses.

At Rallio, we are supporting our clients using our Business Listing Service by helping them update their information online with the help of our Social Strategists. Any of our users who have reduced hours or closures are able to communicate that information quickly and easily across the web using this service.

What Do These Restrictions Mean for Local Business?

As a local business owner, these changes mean you may not be able to interact with your customers via GMB. Any reviews that haven’t already been handled likely will not be able to be responded to at this time. 

Potentially, you may have a negative review that isn’t able to be addressed, and Google might not be able to provide any support currently. 

https://www.facebook.com/petsuppliesplus/posts/10156698230467117

What Can You Do About It?

Google is important for your business, no doubt. But it’s certainly not the only platform that matters. Here are just a few ways to mitigate the impacts of a limited GMB presence:

  • Ask your customers for reviews on Facebook, Yelp and other review platforms. For our REVV clients, this means you should simply point your customers to non-GMB platforms when you request a review. If you’re not currently using REVV — our reputation accelerator that enables quick, mobile-based reviews from your clients — simply leave a comment on this post below, fill out our online contact form or email support@www.rallio.com, and we’ll get you some info right away.
  • Edit your business listing. You may be able to add a “temporarily closed” or “takeout/delivery available” descriptor to your business name in GMB, which appears to have loosened its restrictions on such changes. However, be aware that Google is prioritizing its reviews of business information edits according to the type of business — for instance, those that are critical for health-related businesses. Therefore, there’s no guarantee your edits will have a speedy review from Google.
  • Publish your reviews as posts. Any reviews you have in hand can be turned into posts and boosted (provided there’s not too much text in the graphic; Facebook is picky about that). Canva.com has some awesome tools to create eye-catching graphics. Put the body of your review in a caption and attach a nice graphic, and voila! Your review is now published.
  • Ask your customers to share their reviews. You’d be amazed at how willing people are to help out their favorite small businesses right now. They can support you by giving you a shoutout via their own social media pages and Stories.
  • Generate your own buzz. Go live on Instagram and Facebook to tell your customers about any changes, limited hours or just to spread some positivity, humor and love! People need to stay connected right now, and social media is the perfect venue to facilitate connection.
  • Pivot. Are you facing unprecedented changes in your business? So now is the time to do unprecedented, miraculous things. We’ve seen our client Pet Supplies Plus begin offering curbside pickup. Alcohol distilleries are starting to make hand sanitizer. Fitness studios are offering live and recorded classes. Restaurants, quick-serve eateries and bars everywhere are offering free delivery, contactless delivery or pickup and other options to make quarantine life bearable.
  • Keep calm and post on. Now is not the time to stop marketing yourself. Fight this coronavirus with compassion, communication and spot-on messaging as you take care of the community in which you love to do business.

The Rallio team is working remotely but still taking care of all our clients’ needs — one of the benefits of being a technology company. Get in touch with us if you’re not sure how to pivot your social media marketing right now. We have experts who not only are ready to strategize with you, but also truly care about the success of our businesses during these challenging times. 

For more information on Google’s current limitations, click here.

Categories
Reputation Social

Why You Need to Keep Up Your Marketing Despite the Coronavirus

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If the terms “an abundance of caution” and “unprecedented times” sound familiar to you, you’re not alone. Businesses and individuals around the world are facing the kind of territory typically reserved for summertime blockbusters and epic novels. However, here we are, navigating the uncertainty of daily life presented by the coronavirus (COVID-19). 

Here at Rallio, we want you to know we completely understand the fears that many businesses are facing day by day, sometimes hour by hour, as new mandates call for closures, remote working, restricted hours and other measures designed to contain the spread of the coronavirus. And as much as we’d love to make light of it all, crack a joke and create a quirky post or two, we know this is a serious matter — that real lives are on the line here, not only for people who may have contracted the virus, but for the many business owners and operators working tirelessly to address these … well, these unprecedented times.

That being said, we want to offer some positivity in the face of difficulty and give you some real tools you can use to keep marketing yourself right now, and even come out ahead when all is said and done. Although businesses may be inclined to pull back on their marketing, now is actually the time to ramp up your efforts and shift your focus when needed. 

Lean Into Social Media

People are social distancing, self-isolating or quarantined. Now, more than ever, they need to hear from you — with messages of hope, reassurance that either you’re still up and running or you’re following necessary safety protocols (depending on the nature of your business), and perhaps some levity here and there. 

Moreover, with more people likely to be on their phones, using their mobile devices to stay in touch, order online and connect with the world, you have an opportunity to connect with your audience like never before. While now is not necessarily the time to blast people with your usual promotions, you can, and should, adjust your strategy to support current times and be of service. 

Examples of appropriate posts may include:

An announcement, if any, of any reduction in usual services or closure of your business.

Certain types of establishments, such as fitness centers and restaurants, may be under mandated or self-imposed orders to close or discontinue in-store dining or shopping. Let your customers know what’s happening so they can stay informed. 

It’s not our place to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do in terms of closing your doors, but be aware there may be backlash from customers if you choose to remain open (besides, many customers will choose not to come in anyway if they’re quarantining).

Likewise, if you close, you may have customers asking how you’ll compensate them for lost time — for instance, those on subscription memberships. Many people will be understanding about your closure, while others may need more soothing. Be prepared to address their concerns professionally and courteously as well as reassess your strategy day by day with these rapidly evolving times. Our Social Care and Review Response team members can always help you craft the appropriate messaging for these posts.

https://www.facebook.com/petsuppliesplus/photos/a.433694682116/10156685282017117/?type=3&theater

Information on what you’re doing to support your employees during this time. 

Some companies, schools and other groups have completely shut down for at least the remainder of March, possibly longer. They may be choosing to pay their employees during this time, having them work remotely when possible, while others may not be in a position to do so. 

Whatever you decide to do, it’s important that people can see you care about your employees. It speaks volumes about your core values and culture when you take steps to mitigate any repercussions that may result from lost wages. 

Information on how you are being of service.

With a reduction or elimination of in-person events, classes and workshops, retail shopping, theatrical performances and other “live” situations, you can shift your focus to all things virtual. Consider the following examples:

  • Create live-streamed or recorded videos of your fitness classes, how-to videos and inspirational content. If you normally have a “leg day” at the gym, for instance, create a limited-equipment or bodyweight workout people can do from the safety of home. This type of content works great for service-based businesses that don’t have product orders to fulfill.

  • Push the “virtual” side of the business. If you don’t have an ecommerce element to your business, now is the time to create one — or at least some version of virtual ordering. It could be as simple as posting to your Instagram story that you’re accepting phone orders or no-contact delivery. Restaurants are increasingly offering free delivery, drive-thru-only experiences, curbside pickup and other ordering options that allow for social distancing.
  • Don’t forget about parents and kids. There are many kids at home right now, and their parents are trying to either home-school them or help them navigate distance learning. How can you be of service to them, the likes of Zoom offering free video conferencing for K-12 schools, or Scholastic offering free daily online courses for kids stuck at home? Or, on the other side of that, how can you help parents stay sane? If you’re a yoga instructor displaced because your studio is closed, for example, you could offer free daily meditations for parents. Massage therapists can offer self-massage tips via quick videos. Get creative and put yourself in their shoes!
  • Create connection. Consider Chipotle, which began offering virtual hangouts on Zoom with its “Chipotle Together,” where fans can mingle with celebrities via online chats and even access promo codes for free entrees. These types of feel-good efforts not only generate goodwill, but also keep your brand top-of-mind at a time when people are stressed, worried and feeling alone.

Keep Advertising

Just as always, paying to boost your content will get it seen by your followers and their friends. Continue to dedicate dollars toward advertising, boosting your popular posts and making sure customers know you’re still very much in business.

Even if it means cutting back in other areas that aren’t as critical right now, we cannot stress enough that you still need to continue marketing yourself on social media via boosted content and social ads. There are ways to leverage these boosts so that the money spent has minimal impact on your business and will actually support you through these challenging times.

For example, Rallio has various affordable options that will enable your content to be crafted and boosted by a dedicated Social Strategist. This is the kind of support that will help you feel like you’re not alone and will actually help you create an effective social media marketing strategy both now and in the long term. We can truly be an ally for you and work together to make sure you’re still making an impact on social media. Our client testimonials speak for themselves:

“In a world of complaining and negativity, I wanted to take a minute to talk to you about Tyler. He has been my Strategist from the very beginning of our partnership with Rallio, and I am so glad! He is amazing!! As I’ve been more active on social media, Tyler has continued to work with me. We both schedule posts and work together in keeping our Facebook page engaging and busy. Tyler has helped me run contests and create special posts. Sometimes people complain because they expect that their pet will get posted immediately after we submit the pictures, and Tyler has been so helpful in finding the pictures and getting posts created so that our Neighbors are happy. I cannot say enough about how much I appreciate him and the partnership we have. He is wonderful and I feel lucky to have him. Thank you for all that you do!”

— Katie, Store Team Leader

Additionally, Facebook may be able to offer some assistance to cover expenses like rent, employees and operational costs. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook COO, announced on her Facebook page on Tuesday that Facebook is committed to helping small businesses “weather the storm.” A forthcoming Boost With Facebook program will offer $100 million in cash grants and ad credits to help 30,000 eligible small businesses in over 30 countries. 

In Uncertain Times, Look for the Helpers

Tom Hanks, who, along with his wife, recently tested positive for COVID-19, brings a message of hope and sanity via social media — a nod to the Mr. Rogers character he portrayed in “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood”: 

We could all use a little Mr. Rogers right now — and a lot of support, compassion and helping hands. We’re all in this together, and we’ll rise together. Remember to reach out to us at Rallio and we’ll help you continue finding solutions day by day, hour by hour.

Categories
Social Uncategorized

How to Spring-Clean Your Social Media Marketing Strategy

In between scrubbing your baseboards and organizing your junk drawers this spring, remember to dust off your social media marketing strategy, too. Tidying up your accounts will help ensure your online profiles are working overtime to generate leads and build relationships through daily engagement. The alternative — ignoring your social media — could leave you with minimal impact and even tarnish your online reputation.

When you don’t pay attention to your social media pages, they tend to accumulate digital “dust” in the same way your windows accumulate dirt. You may notice from time to time that the glass looks a little dirty, but you figure you’ll get to it tomorrow — and then tomorrow turns into next month … turns into next year. 

Eventually, you have to either close the blinds and hope no one notices, or tackle the project and get those windows sparkling again.

Make it a priority to give your accounts a thorough vetting, not only in the spring, but on a regular basis. The following checklist will help you prioritize your “spring cleaning” duties across the platforms, polish up your social media marketing strategy and delegate anything you want to get off your plate. 

Update Your Profile and Cover Photos

If your brand’s logo, marketing colors or other visual elements have changed, you want your imagery to reflect your most up-to-date branding. That picture of you with your dog might have worked when you were first getting started, but as a business, it’s important that you distinguish your business pages from your personal pages.

Make sure the image is high-resolution, and keep it consistent across all your social media pages. It’s much easier for people to identify you across networks if the picture is clear and looks the same from one platform to the next.

Complete Your Profile 

Fill in and update all the fields on your profiles so you have complete, accurate information for all to see. Store hours, address, phone number and other important details help customers find you across the web. When it’s incomplete or inaccurate, you might not show up in search results, or it could result in confusion as to your most accurate information.

Tip: Rallio’s Business Listings feature lets you easily change your business information to update all your directory listings on the web at once. This service is a major asset for companies that need to update information or add holiday hours and quickly communicate the changes to Google, Google Maps, Yelp and other online directories. 

Post Local Content Regularly

Location-specific images and videos tell a brand story in ways that stock images and “corporate” posts cannot. Feature the people, products and services you provide in authentic ways, and people will be more drawn to your business. 

Better yet, incentivize employees and microinfluencers to post on your behalf. According to Social Media Today, 90 percent of consumers say user-generated content influences their buying decisions more than email campaigns and search engine results. Basically, if someone else promotes your brand, it’s seen as trustworthy. When you promote yourself, you may be ignored. 

Note that videos, in particular, should be an integral part of your social media marketing strategy. Social Media Today also reports that videos generate 1,200 percent more shares than text and images combined.

Lastly, make sure you respond to your online engagements and reviews. Comment back when people react to your posts. Reply to your reviews, both negative and positive, to provide the best customer service on your social media — a channel that has become a major source of customer service inquiries.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B6tNLVeACAw/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Complete Your Bio

You only have nanoseconds, at best, to grab people’s attention on social media. A unique bio is one way you can pique their interest and get them to click over to your page. Plus, when you optimize your bio for search by including your industry-specific keywords, you can attract more online traffic. Keep the following points in mind:

  • Complete all sections of the bio so users can get as much information as possible about you. You can also use your bio to cross-market yourself in many cases. For example, on Instagram, you can include a link to your website or any URL of your choosing. 
  • Adjust your bio for each platform. Each one is slightly different not only in the audience type, but also in the information to be included in the bio.
  • Be creative and let your personality shine. Don’t be just another boring bio that no one wants to read. For inspiration, refer to Wendy’s Twitter bio: “We like our tweets the same way we like to make our hamburgers: better than anyone expects from a fast food joint.” (By the way, Wendy’s tweets provide an excellent example of how to dominate a platform!)

Evaluate Your Social Media Spend

If you’re not spending money on social media, now is the time to reconsider. Organic reach for business social media pages has fallen tremendously in recent years. Social Media Today says a post’s average organic reach is only about 6.4 percent of the page’s total likes. To get more people to see your posts, then, you need not only engaging content, but also an ad budget for your social media spend.

It’s not something you can set up and forget about, either. It’s important to continually evaluate how your social media ads are performing and make any necessary adjustments along the way. In time, you’ll be able to better define your audience and what they like to see in your social media content.

You’ll find that with regular maintenance, your social media pages will deliver the leads and results you’re after. Think you could use a little help tweaking your social media strategy? Reach out to us at www.rallio.com for expert guidance.

 

 

 

Categories
Social

What Makes for a Happy Franchisee? Marketing Support Is a Top Factor

With all the different “top franchise” lists available, it’s easier than ever for franchise candidates to research their options for a franchise investment. Franchise Business Review’s Top Franchise Opportunities is one such list, with the distinct advantage being its focus on franchisee satisfaction and performance.

For the most recent ranking, FBR surveyed over 27,500 franchisees from 307 leading franchise brands to identify the best franchises of 2020, based solely on franchisee satisfaction. 

Among the various benchmark questions, a series of questions related to Systems & Operations helped to determine which franchises are operationally sound. Those with proven systems and established operating procedures allow a franchise system to run smoothly, maintain a competitive advantage and achieve greater success over time, says FBR — while contributing to greater overall franchisee satisfaction.

This ranking is of interest to us here at Rallio, where we help franchises like Pet Supplies Plus — which made FBR’s list — manage their social media and online reputation at both the corporate and franchisee level. When we talk to the franchisees we serve via local content, reputation management services and social media advertising, we can say with certainty that great corporate support goes a long way toward boosting franchisee satisfaction.

With that in mind, we spoke with Michelle Rowan, President and COO of FBR, to learn more about the marketing- and technology-related factors that contribute to franchisee happiness. As FBR’s first employee who joined the company 15 years ago, Rowan has worked closely with franchisors over the years to help them interpret the data gathered through FBR’s evaluations and use it to improve their operations.

What kind of marketing support seems to be important to franchisees?

According to Rowan, it comes down to franchisees wanting marketing programs that effectively drive consumers into their locations. Simple, easy-to-execute programs and consumer-friendly websites that drive local business, provide KPIs and offer a return on their franchise investment get a thumbs-up from franchisees, says Rowan.

“Franchisees are also looking to see that the franchisor takes their input,” adds Rowan. Having a task force or a committee that evaluates the effectiveness of their marketing helps to ensure franchisees’ voices are heard and programs are kept up-to-date.

How do the systems and operations considered in the most recent ranking compare to the 2019 rankings?

When we last spoke with FBR, CEO Eric Stites noted that certain areas tend to score lower in terms of franchisee satisfaction. “In all the years we’ve been doing this” — surveying franchise organizations and publishing their findings — “marketing, technology and innovation always score the lowest,” Stites explained. 

And although that’s still true, says Rowan, in looking at the 10-year trend from 2010 to 2020, there’s been a notable increase (6 percent) in franchisee satisfaction in two areas: 

  • Local market competitiveness (i.e., how a brand compares with similar businesses in their local market area)
  • Marketing and promotional programs

Going forward, factors that will continue to be important to franchisees include mobile, social and reputation management support. “People are driven by how they search and find information before they even engage with your brand,” Rowan explains.

To be successful at marketing their businesses, franchisees should add community involvement to their to-do lists, advises Rowan. Getting to know their local communities will help to build brand loyalty and increase retention. 

In this way, franchisees aren’t relying solely on the franchisor to market their businesses. In fact, entering into the franchisor-franchisee partnership should be undertaken with the understanding that franchisee participation is critical to their success. “It all starts with the expectation being set by the franchisor as they pitch candidates,” says Rowan. “They may say how easy it is, but it helps if they set it up as, ‘We don’t do everything for you,’ and help them understand what that partnership looks like.”

How can franchisees gain a competitive advantage in the marketplace?

Anytime there’s an election and subsequent talk of a potential economic downturn, businesses tend to slash marketing budgets first. “That’s the biggest mistake they can make,” warns Rowan. In actuality, businesses that keep allocating money toward marketing will be better positioned to set themselves apart in any type of economy.

“Spending those marketing dollars and creating that community online and in local markets — that’s your competitive advantage,” says Rowan. “You’re getting a lot of exposure, and it puts your business in a position of strength. It says, ‘Hey, we’re still here and here’s the reason to come to our store rather than theirs.’ ”

For some franchisees, being involved with marketing isn’t something they have the time or desire to do. In that case, outsourcing their marketing can be an ideal way to promote their business while devoting time and effort to the things they enjoy. “If [marketing] is not your skill set, look for an outside partner that does these things well so you can focus on what you’re good at,” advises Rowan.

If a franchisor’s marketing plan is well-planned and well-executed — perhaps with the support of an outside partner like Rallio that has marketing expertise — then it can provide exactly the kind of stability and predictable success that franchisees sign up for when they join a franchise organization. 

Some franchisees may think they can do better and go rogue right off the bat, says Rowan, trying to execute a different marketing plan than what the franchisor has provided. That’s a recipe for failure that Rowan recommends avoiding. 

Instead, simply follow the proven plan the franchisor provides and the dollars they have allocated toward marketing. “Don’t assume you know better,” says Rowan. “It should be a proven model if you bought into the right brand.”

Categories
Social Uncategorized

Top Franchise Social Media Marketing Trends for 2020

In case you haven’t noticed, 2019 is rapidly coming to a close — and soon, we’ll be tackling new challenges in 2020. Before we get there, though, it’s important to take some time to reflect on the past year’s successes and identify opportunities for growth in the coming year.

Social media is one of the areas of your business that will always be in flux, requiring continual evaluation to gauge what’s working and what’s not. To help you get set for a new year of growth on your social media pages, keep the following top trends in mind as you create your 2020 marketing plans.

Continue to Focus on Local Content

Local content continues to be critical to reaching your local target market and building an engaged local audience. Today, you’re competing not just with your direct competitors, but also with the barrage of all other types of digital media that users are consuming daily. That means your content needs to give them a reason to stop, read and, hopefully, engage with your content in some way.

Here’s what won’t work: sharing only corporate content. Although corporate content has its place on your page — say, for special promotions and branded pieces — it can’t be the only thing you post. Your local content is meaningful to your local audience and is what will get them to engage with you like the real human you are. 

Personal, real-life photos and videos are what will capture your audience’s attention in 2020. Videos, in particular, are vital to your social media success, especially on mobile devices. The 2017-2022 Cisco Visual Networking Index estimates that by 2022, 79 percent of the world’s mobile data traffic will be from video.

It isn’t just engaging your local audience that matters, either. You have to keep them engaged once you grab their attention. Many users are on “social media overload” and will even voluntarily turn away from social media if they feel:

  • They’re wasting time scrolling through their feeds mindlessly
  • They need a social media or digital “detox”
  • They’re worried about protecting their own data, due to recent privacy concerns on social media platforms
  • They don’t trust the brand/person posting content because they’ve heard about “fake news”

Your local content lends credibility and gives them a reason to stay, with memorable, meaningful glimpses into the people behind the product or service. Like any good relationship, it adds value to their lives rather than causing them to feel like it’s a distraction or something from which they need to “detox” from time to time. 

It’s the difference between them simply clicking like (or even love), versus taking the time to type out a response, share it and insert themselves in a conversation. 

The bottom line: If you’re at a party and there are a few different conversations going on, which one would you rather join in on: the one where one person is talking about himself and everyone else is staring at their phones, or the one where everyone is laughing, telling jokes, sharing stories and having a great time? Remember, a high number of followers doesn’t mean much for a business if those followers aren’t engaging with the brand.

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Pay to Play

Along with having great, hyper-local content, you need a healthy ad budget to get seen in the overcrowded social media space. According to Social Media Today, you should consider increasing your social media ad budget in 2020 in order to remain competitive.

“All social media platforms are improving the machine learning behind their advertising platforms. For these machines to learn, they need data, and as social media advertising campaigns run, they collect and aggregate data in search of users who are most likely to convert,” writes author Nathan Mendenhall (@NCMSocial). 

So you’re not just paying for people to see your content — because goodness knows they’re not going to see it if you rely solely on organic reach — but also for that data. Spend less, and you have less data aggregation. Spend more, and you shorten the time to convince and convert leads and generate positive ROI.

The bottom line: Social media platforms have to make money, just like you. Consider paying a little more for advertising so you can start maximizing brand reach with the people you want to reach, right when you want to reach them.

Encourage Employee Advocacy

Expect employee advocacy to play a big role in the success of your social media pages. When your team members post positively about your brand, it generates social proof in a way that you can’t — in other words, people will be more likely to believe it if you’re not the one tooting your own horn.

At Rallio, our clients have had great success with activating employees who are given limited mobile access to their brand’s social media assets. They’re able to post to their own social media pages on behalf of the brand and help spread the word in an authentic way.

As they help with word-of-mouth marketing, employees are helping to build a community around your brand. From that community you may find a number of “microinfluencers” who are willing to share their honest feedback about your products or services. Consumers are more likely to trust the recommendations of their peers over a brand advertisement — even people they don’t know! 

Forbes Communications Council member Haseeb Tariq writes: “Engagement trumps number of followers. An influencer can have 10 million followers who see your product or business promoted, but without enough engagement, your campaign will fall flat. Micro-influencers, on the other hand, might only have a few thousand followers, but they are often more engaged in the influencer’s posts and may not only buy your product but also promote it to their own networks for free.”

Whether it’s an employee or a microinfluencer, the concept of small, engaged communities will drive the growth of your brand and, likely, your sales. You get greater engagement at a lower advertising cost, plus the priceless benefit of gaining greater trust in your brand that’s more likely to result in conversions.

The bottom line: The days of posting content and hoping people swing by to engage with it are coming to a close in many ways. Although you may have some organic growth with good content, it will be quite slow — so slow, in fact, that it won’t keep pace with the number of people who stop following you over time. To stay competitive, you need an army of people continually advocating for your brand — in the form of both employees and microinfluencers.

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Serve Your Customers on Social

According to Smart Insights, 28% of consumers have turned to social media to communicate directly with a company over the past year. Although email and phone communication are still popular methods of getting in touch, evidently, people also find social media to be a quick, convenient method of voicing questions or complaints and leaving reviews. 

They expect fast responses, too — think minutes, not hours or days (and no, they don’t care if you’re a small business with limited time to check your social media).

The bottom line: It’s critical that you or someone on your team dedicate time daily to respond to reviews, comments and questions on the major platforms. Whether it’s positive or negative feedback, taking the time to reply to your customers lets them know you’re listening and you care.

What are some other trends you expect to be important for franchise organizations in 2020? Comment below and let us know. 

If you think your franchise could use expert guidance to navigate franchise social media marketing in the new year, get in touch with us at Rallio. Give us 10 minutes, and in two days we’ll get back to you with a social media audit of your existing follower count, engagement, online reviews and reputation — stack-ranked by location and by brand average in each category. Click here to submit our quick online form and get started.

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