How Much Do Social Media Workers Make

What do you do when you have a client that doesn’t pay on time? Or they never reply… or they don’t respect your boundaries? Can you “train” them to be a better client? Or should you fire them? A few weeks ago, I asked readers to select their least-favorite client behaviors. Here’s what they chose:   “Inconsistent workload” being the biggest complaint... Closely followed by “Undervaluing my expertise” and “Bad communication.” Sound familiar ? The good news is… You can definitely train some clients, if you start early and set the right precedents. But it’s kind of like training a dog, in that it’s less about training them and more about training yourself. For example… I’ve been teaching my dog, Fanny, to stop at crosswalks. I tell her to sit then give her a treat. But now she sits wherever she wants – often in the middle of the block – and expects a treat! (Of course, I give her one… which perpetuates this habit, which happens to be adorable.) Clients, like dogs, are cr...

Small businesses often have to do more with less. You may have a smaller budget than competitors or less time to complete your essential tasks. So you need to streamline your marketing processes and content creation to make a larger impact. Learn how to get more done with fewer resources thanks to these insights from members of the online small business community. Find the Best Marketing Automation Tools You don’t need to spend all your working hours on mundane marketing tasks to make an impact. In fact, there are many automation tools that can take these items off your to-do list entirely. Check out this LeadGen post by Vibhu Dhariwal for some top options. Maximize Your Influence Through Strategic Content and Social Media If you spend your time on social media and content marketing, you need to be sure that your efforts are directed toward the most important tasks. That’s where having a strategy comes in. Lisa Sicard discusses this tactic in more detail in this Inspire to Thrive...

Understanding the intricate relationship between customer experience (CX) and brand loyalty is a must in today’s dynamic business landscape. As consumer behavior evolves, so does the concept of brand devotion. In this article, we go into 60 essential customer experience statistics, shedding light on the impact of positive experiences, customer loyalty, and emerging trends. Defining Customer Experience Customer experience (CX) refers to the overall perception and interaction a customer has with a brand throughout their entire journey. It encompasses every touchpoint, from initial awareness to post-purchase support. CX extends beyond individual transactions; it’s about building lasting relationships and fostering trust. The Role of Customer Experience in Today’s Business Landscape In the hyper-competitive business world, CX has become a strategic differentiator. Here’s why it matters: Customer Retention : Exceptional CX leads to higher customer retention rates. Satisfied custo...

Getting fired from my 2nd job over 36 years ago was the best thing that ever happened to me. As I strode out of my boss’s office, young and resolute, I swore I’d never have a boss again… But I also had no idea what I was going to do. So, I started with what I do best: Listening. I knew I was good at organizing, and in New York I was surrounded by creatives who seemed a bit disorganized. Seeing their endless piles of bills and paperwork, a little voice inside said, “I can help with that.” So I listened. And that’s how I got my start as a “professional organizer,” landing my first clients at $15 an hour. But then I noticed that the same clients couldn’t do their bookkeeping - and therefore had no idea whether they were earning enough. Again, I heard a little voice inside that said, “I can help with that.” So, I listened - and offered basic bookkeeping services. Once I got my clients’ books in order, a bigger problem surfaced: they weren’t making nearly enough money! Most of them did li...

Did you take my AI IQ Quiz to find out how much you know about AI? Check out the answers below and see which questions you got right... AI has been playing chess against humans since… ✅ 1950’s 1990’s   What’s the name of the first AI to be declared a “citizen”? ✅ Sophia No way!   Metropolis, the first movie to feature an AI character, came out in: ✅ 1927 1936   Who’s better at detecting breast cancer: A doctor ✅ AI   In 2020, Elon Musk predicted that AI would be smarter than humans in ___ years. ✅ 5 25   _____ made an autonomous AI robot dog that can be a guide dog. The US ✅ China   Siri voice assistant will no longer sound _______ by default. American ✅ Female   The “Three Laws of Robotics” that guide AI came from science fiction. ✅ True False   Which of these people is not real? AI can “read thoughts” and translate them into speech. ✅ True False   Some AIs feel bad when a person uses rude language. True ✅ False How did you do? 10 or more correct answers = ...

Are your clients a perfect "match" for you? The results are in from our “It’s A Match” quiz, and over 60% of respondents prefer clients who are “Artistic Alchemists”:  Artistic Alchemists are clients who value innovation and want you to bring your creativity, your fresh ideas and your energy into projects. They’re also less buttoned-up and more flexible in how work gets done. (It’s what I got, too!) If you missed it, you can play to find your “dream client” type here. But my real question is… Are you working with any of your “dream” clients now? I ask because, in my 36+ years of helping creatives build a business they can depend on, a lot of y’all get “stuck” taking whatever comes along. Just the other day, a coaching client told me: “I’ve always been in reaction mode, taking whatever comes along for more than 20 years. There’s been no intention in where I wanted to take the business. I have taken so much for granted… but it’s time for that to stop.” For years, she h...

For the 500th episode of the Marketing Mentor Podcast, we're kicking off a new series of conversations: One Creative Pro's Take on AI .  Yup! We're talking about AI – artificial intelligence. I am bullish on AI, I am fascinated by all the different things it means already and will mean well into the future. My mantra these days, no matter what kind of work you do, is “adapt and adopt.” I’m super curious about how it will change my world and the world of my clients. In fact, I’m a little obsessed lately by how we can use it to find clients... That’s why I’m offering a free webinar called Potential Clients on Tap with AI on Wednesday, May 29, 12-1 PM ET. Sign up here:  https://bit.ly/ontap111 Speaking of which...today’s podcast episode is a conversation with Deborah Brozina , an Emmy-nominated filmmaker who runs Making Change Productions , a company that helps nonprofits and mission driven firms deliver targeted content that improves engagement by 2.6x! Deb is also ...

If you’re waiting to be “discovered” by clients… Then you’re probably used to the sound of crickets! 🎶 Getting discovered seems fantastic. Just make yourself look as attractive as possible, then sit back and wait! (It worked for Marilyn Monroe, right?) But unless you love the sound of crickets… There is a better way to find clients! Yes, you should update your LinkedIn profile, build a portfolio, and hone your elevator pitch - all with your “ideal” client in mind. But doing all of that and then stopping is like getting all dressed up just to sit on the couch and watch Netflix! So if you want: Steadier income… Projects you love… And quality clients who respect you and your expertise… Then you need to go find the clients you want. It might seem hard or overwhelming at first. After all, where do you even start? But all you need to do is find organizations and people you are interested in and know you can help. And it starts with you . Look for the clients you’re be...

My mother couldn’t have known that the name she chose for me well before the dawn of Google would be one of my best online marketing tools. But it is. All you have to do is type "ilise" into the Google search field and a full 8 of the 10 results on that all-important first page link back to something about me or one of my books. Someone people say that’s good self promotion, but I call it luck. And I have to give credit to Mom — and Uncle Irving (it’s a long story). In last Tuesday’s Wall St. Journal , there was an article about the growing importance of having a unique name so that you can be easily found when someone Googles you. Apparently, parents are choosing their babies’ names based on how well they Google; adults are using middle names and adding initials to stand out and come up first in the search engine rankings. (Read the whole article here .) * This article was originally published here