Vanessa Coppes

Think back to a major purchasing decision. Maybe you were looking for a new pair of comfortable work shoes or a new eye doctor. Where did you find the information? Who did you ask?

I know you didn’t cold-call DSW . I bet you reached out to people who you know and asked.

People listen to other people first. They will always trust them more.

Hat day! Ready for a #fabulous #fashion show hosted by @thestyleduo! Have an amazing #ManicMonday 💋 (@JingAiSkin Red Rascal) #BELLANewYork #ThePowerOfRed #BeautyScene #NJ #Fashion #Beauty

People consume branded content, but they first rely on friends, neighbors and online personalities they know, like and trust before making a purchasing decision.

For a brand this is not a problem at all if they are using influencer marketing.

You can extend your brand’s reach, inspire user-generated content and boost your sales by:

1. Identifying the right influencers for your brand, campaign and audience.
2. Engaging with influencers using an established process.
3. Keep influencers loyal and vocal with relationship management tips.

The Shelf, an influencer marketing program, finds that 92 percent of consumers trust recommendations from other people, even people they don’t know personally, over branded content.

The role of social media influence is equally strong, according to a new report from Deloitte:

1. Social media influences one in three U.S. consumers’ purchasing choices.
2. Consumers who use social media when making a buying decision are four times more likely to spend more on purchases than those who do not.
3. Shoppers who use social media to make a buying decision are 29 percent more likely to make a purchase the very same day.

People listen to what brands have to say, but they’re going to turn to their neighbors and ask, “What do you think? How’s the customer service? Are you happy with the product or service?”

Social isn’t some foreign activity; it’s people’s lives on the go. The way a brand builds credibility through social is through authenticity and influence.

It’s the right person coupled with a targeted message, platform and audience that gets the job done, not the messenger or content alone.

Many brands are focusing on influencers who have a smaller, more engaged following and are the most relevant to their customers.

That trend will continue.

Influencers aren’t exactly like the target audience, either. They’re  the protectors of it. That means you’re dealing with a bear and her cubs.

Influencer marketing is impactful. It grows brand awareness and reach. It can even boost the bottom line. But most of it all, it can make your brand a little more “human.”

As you develop relationships with influencers, the brand becomes their friend. And what do people do when they have a really good friend? They tell their friends.

Do you have a question? PLEASE, let’s connect HERE or leave me a comment below! 

Success: the accomplishment of a goal or purpose. It is not defined by how much money you have, the things you’ve accumulated, or the certifications you’ve obtained.

It’s not until you appreciate what you have, that you’ll realize that having more will not make your life better.

We buy things to make us happy and for a while, we do feel happy. Then we get back to our day to day. We go back to what we know: our comfort zone. And then, what happens?

These are the things no one told you about success:

1. You have enough already. Period.
2. Every aspect of your life, affects every aspect of your life. We are holistic beings. When you change one aspect of your life, realize that you are simultaneously changing the whole. You can’t change a part without fundamentally changing everything.
3. You can’t have it all. Every decision you make has an opportunity cost. When you choose one thing, you aren’t choosing several others. Whenever you hear someone say that you can have it all, please know that they are lying. We ultimately need to choose what matters most to us + be ok with that. If we attempt to be everything, we’ll end up being nothing; that internal conflict is quite literally hell.
4. Never forget where you came from. When you achieve any level of success, it’s easy to believe you are the only one responsible for it. It’s easy to forget all the sacrifices other people have made to get you where you are. It’s easy to see yourself above others. If you burn all your bridges, you’ll have no human connection left. In that isolation, you’ll lose your identity, becoming a person you never really set out to be.

   Humility, gratitude, and the recognition of your blessings keeps your success in proper perspective. You couldn’t do what you are doing without the help of countless other people.

5. If you need permission to do something, you probably shouldn’t do it. So many people chase whatever has worked for other people. They never truly decide what they want to do and end up jumping from one thing to the next — trying to strike quick gold. Then they stop digging just a few feet from the gold. The ultimate truth: No one will ever give you permission to live your dreams.
6. You earn as much as you want to. We tend to say we want to be successful. If we really wanted to, we would be.
7. Earning money is moral. Earning money is a completely moral pursuit when it is done with honesty and integrity. If you don’t feel moral about the work you’re doing, then you should probably stop. When you believe in the value you provide so much that you are doing people a disservice by not offering them your services, you’re on track to creating colossal value. Our work should be a reflection of us. It’s always the other person’s choice whether they perceive the value in what we’re offering or not.

In my years as an entrepreneur, I learned quickly to stop seeking praise. I also learned that my work had merit when someone cared enough to give me unsolicited criticism.

I’ve always believed that from a scarcity mindset, when you think that helping other people hurts you because you no longer have the advantage you see the world as a giant cake. Every piece of the cake you have is cake I don’t have. Meaning that in order for you to win, I must lose.

Instead, from a perspective of abundance, there is not only one cake. There is actually an infinite number of cakes and if you want more, you can make more cake.

Carve time out every day to grown, improve, evole [INVEST IN YOURSELF)] — otherwise, your time will get lost in your crowded life.

Elevate your thinking. See yourself at the top. You’ll be disillusioned by the perception of those you once saw as idols. Guess what? They are just people, just like you.

Reference: Benjamin Hardy, Psychology Today

You’re probably on ‘New Year, New Goals’ overload…BUT please bare with me if you want to rock out your marketing this year.

As the smart entrepreneur that you are in every aspect of your life + business, I am breaking down 5 strategies that will support your marketing efforts this year:

1. Do less marketing. Huh?!?!? The bottom line is that you know what isn’t working. Do less of that and also, don’t overextend yourself marketing in places where you don’t have the ability to sustain a long term effort. Focus on mastering 1 marketing platform at a time. Become indispensable in 1 area and in 1 network. And, meet your customers where they are.
2. Target subscribers. The way to do that in a digital arena is by sharing valuable content on a specific date and a specific time. It’s like making an appointment with your audience. Create anticipation and reliability for it.
3. Amplify your distribution. Creating valuable content is one thing, getting eyeballs to it, a completely different ball game. Build momentum by focusing on your subscribers and audience BUT you may also need to pay for promotion/distribution. Yes, this looks like print/online advertising that you pay for. Include it in your budget for the year as it’s imperative to keep your business visible.
4. Make the connection among your visual assets. From a branding/marketing perspective what this means is that after taking a look at all your social media platforms ( Facebook Page, Twitter presence, LinkedIn Groups, YouTube Channel, blog, newsletter, etc.) can you answer this: If your logo fell off your marketing materials, would people know it was coming from you? If yes, AWESOME SAUCE! If no, take stock of your efforts and realign. They should all have the same look/feel as well as an improved user experience.
5. Think mobile. If there is one thing you need to make sure of is that your website is optimized for mobile. Believe it or not, between 75-85% of sales happen on a mobile device. Yes, you read that correctly…75-85%! That’s a boat load of sales or signups that you’re missing out on if your site isn’t optimized for mobile devices. Get. On. It!

So, how will you make this year your most successful year ever? Anything else to add? Leave me a comment below!