Aug 30 2017

Immigrant Women’s Small Business Expo returns to Toronto, September 17, 2017

In light of current undertones towards immigrants in Canada, the expo promotes peace, hope and success for all business women

Toronto…Now in its fifth year, the one-day, experiential Immigrant Women’s Small Business Expo (IWSM Expo) celebrates the aspirations and achievements of immigrant women, taking place in Toronto on Sunday, September 17th, at Daniels Spectrum. Under the theme “The Changing Face of the Immigrant Community,” IWSBE offers women an opportunity to get informed, empowered and enlightened, while providing access to business building services, networking opportunities and entrepreneur workshops.

Expos are a crucial factor in helping new businesses acquire the leads, networks, information and polish they need to succeed in the business world.

This is according to Dwania Peele, founder of Canadian Small Business Women (CSBW) and the IWSB expo who notes that women owned small and mid-sized businesses generate around $117 billion to the Canadian economy annually.

“We’ve always championed the fact that women matter, and we’ve sought to celebrate all the roles they fill in their family, career and community,” said Peele. “Immigrants, specifically, struggle in Canada’s labour market despite their many skills, and we are more than excited to be in Toronto with this rallying cry of support for immigrant women entrepreneurs across Ontario.”

Another advantage of a business-focused event is that it presents practically unlimited opportunities for information-sharing, says Peele. “We have found there is significant demand for practical advice and insights that help would-be immigrant entrepreneurs and small businesses to run their businesses effectively. Expos bring together stakeholders from across a niche spectrum and present an ideal platform for workshops, demonstrations and seminars that help participants grow their businesses.”

ISWB expo offers a rich experience with informative seminars and panel discussions presented by notable speakers including the Honorable Gagan Sikand, MP for Mississauga-Streetsville, and entrepreneur Julie Suen, President and CEO of Chinese Canadian Voice. Throughout the day attendees can view educational exhibits and corporate displays from Canada Business Ontario and the Government of Canada. The seminars and workshops will be far ranging and engaging, featuring topics that impact women’s daily lives addressing such issues as health & wellness, marketing and social media tips, career advancement, business/entrepreneurship, the welfare of our children and much more. While IWSB expo targets immigrant women, there are elements for all women business owners.

In addition, ISWB expo offers ample opportunity for shopping and sampling from local artists and artisans showcasing their handmade wares at the Craftadian pavilion, formerly the Made by Hand Show.

IWSB expo offers a one-stop business platform to gather information, exchange ideas and network for anyone considering starting their own business, and for those already in business and looking to expand.

Admission runs for $5 / person including access to seminars, panel discussions and the handmade market.

What: Immigrant Women’s Small Business Expo

Where: Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON M5A 2B7

When: Sunday, September 17, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Cost: Admission: $5 (Under 16 years of age free)

Website: http://toronto.immigrantsmallbizexpo.ca

Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/immigrant-womens-small-business-expo-toronto-2017-tickets-31623796627

Jun 07 2017

Tell your story and grow your business but don’t make it personal!

Operating your own small business is a daily challenge. Writing about it, for some people, is even more so. My advice to small business owners who are looking to start their own blog is to star in their own blog. That statement however, comes with a couple of caveats: Don’t do it to often and don’t get too personal when you do.

If you own and operate a small business you know what goes into it. Often it’s a herculean effort involving long days (and nights!) and plenty of weekends too. You are passionate about what you do otherwise you wouldn’t do it. So why not share some of that passion with the world? The easiest place to start a blog (and we’ve talked about this before) is with you. Spend your first few blogs addressing the “who, what, where, why and how” of what you do. It’s ok to share your personal story. Perhaps you were motivated to start your business from a deeply personal place or as the result of an experience you had. For example, I recently wrote and published a children’s book about allergies that was a direct result of the experiences we have had with my own daughter. You can bet that in my blogs I will be sharing some of those experiences to create a relatable story for my intended target audience.

You don’t have to share the specifics but you can talk about why you do what you do and why you are passionate about it. Adding a personal touch or two to your blogs humanizes your product or service and helps people to understand your motivation. Even incorporating a “stock” kind of sentence or phrase that opens or closes each blog, one that is written from the heart (but which also relates to your business) is a great way to create continuity between blogs and to connect with customers on a more meaningful level.

The trick to this whole process is finding a balance. Like Momma used to say “all things in moderation.” Sharing your story and “starring” in your blog is about including some relevant facts about yourself, or sharing insightful & humorous stories about your experiences, while still making sure that everything you do links back to the product or service you offer. The blogs are about you but not ALL about you. Share your story while making sure to leave out the really gory and personal bits. Unless you’re a divorce mediation specialist for example, we don’t need to hear your bitter divorce story. So find a way to get personal, without getting too personal! Finding an audience that can relate to you on a personal level can help grow your business!

As Owner and Principal partner of “Writing Right For You” Sheralyn is a Communications Strategist – working together with entrepreneurs to maximize profit through effective use of the written word. Looking for web content that works, blog articles that engage or communications strategies that help you get noticed? Contact Sheralyn today. Sheralyn is also the mother of two children now entering the “terrible and terrific teens” and spends her free time volunteering for several non-profit organizations.

Sheralyn Roman B.A., B.Ed.

Writing Right For You

Communications Strategies that help you GET TO THE POINT!

416-420-9415 Cell/Business

writingrightforyou@gmail.com

Feb 22 2017

Small Business Seminar – Markham

We are excited to announce our Small Business Women Seminar being held in Markham on February 22nd, from 9:00am – 5:00pm.

In support of:

This event will feature small business women from across the GTA showcasing their businesses to public. It will also feature workshops in Marketing, Facebook, Twitter, Web Development, among others. It is a unique opportunity for learning, networking and showcasing.

Vendor, Speaker and Event Sponsorship Information

Click to Download our Sponsorship Package

Guest Information:

All guests will have access to view our 30+ vendors who will be showcasing their businesses. You will also have access to our many workshops being run throughout the day. There will be networking opportunities available as well, so bring your business cards!

Admission tickets: $25

At the door: $30

FREE SHREDDING SERVICES FOR ALL GUESTS!!!*

*Bring one shoe box full or up to 3lbs and it is on us!! (Thanks to UPS Store 443 and Iron Mountain)

CLICK HERE to BUY TICKETS

Who should attend?

All entrepreneurs (men and women)

Startups

Companies seeking global expansion

Why should you attend?

Receive business building tips from our experts

Attend workshops to help propel your business

Network with industry leaders

30+ Vendors, showcasing local businesses.

Featured workshops by local experts!

CLICK HERE to BUY TICKETS

AGENDA

8:30am – 9am: Registration

9am: Vendor Main Hall Open

10:30am – 11am: Workshop I

Sales + Million Dollar Process = Success

presented by Small Business Savvy

12pm – 1pm: Lunch (on your own)

1pm – 2pm: Workshop II

Government Information Workshop

presented by Canada Business Ontario and The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

3pm – 4pm: Workshop III

Entrepreneurship & You

presented by HR Professional Lisa Smith-Maxam of The Staff Room

5pm: Vendor Main Hall Closed

Vendor & Event Sponsorship Information

30+ Vendors to Connect with, including:

Evolution Coach

Arbonne

World Financial Group

Catherine Tobin – The Sleep Coach

Desjardin Financial Security

Small Business Savvy

Canada Business Ontario

APN Holistic Centre and Holistic Health Store

Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

The Randy Drake Team

Teach Me Social

Legal Shield

Purposeful and Empowered Women

Go 2 Girl Administrative Solutions

Lendified

Spring Hill Suites by Marriott Toronto Vaughan

Investor’s Group

UPS Store 443

Embrace Your Destiny

The Staff Room

Young Living Essential Oils

more to follow…

Click to Download our Exhibitor and Sponsor Package

Vendor Rates:
$200 until Dec 31st
$250 after Dec 31st

**Member rates start at $160**

What do you get as a vendor?
*6 foot table
*table cloth
*2 chairs
*business name listed on the event website
*business name listed in our event program

BONUS
*90 minute Vendor Training Session: by Julie Flippin of Small Business Savvy

Includes the following:
* How to create an inviting space
* Why setting an intention for the event is important
* How to gain qualified leads
* Strategies for building your list
* Strategies for following up
* Do’s and Don’ts for Exhibitors
* How to increase your R.O.I.

**Email info@canadiansmallbusinesswomen.ca for vendor information**

What our previous vendors say about our Seminars:
“I have attended CSBW events for the past 3 years so I’ve had the opportunity to see the hard work, dedication and persistence they have shown in bringing excellent seminars and opportunities to the business owners. Each year the event gets bigger and better and I would encourage anyone who is in the ‘growth’ mode of their business to attend and if possible be an exhibitor. At the last event I attended in Mississauga, I closed approximately $25k in business – that, in my books is a GREAT DAY’S WORK!”

APPLY NOW to be a vendor, exhibitor or sponsor by completing the following form:

Jan 01 2017

Assiatou Diallo of TAAB Cleaning

assiatou-diallo

Assiatou Diallo was born in Guinea, a small country in West Africa, into a polygamous family of 11 children. Assi was the last and only girl born with 6 brothers from her father’s side and second born with 4 children (2 girls and 2 Boys) on her mother’s side. She never new her dad, because he passed away when Assiatou was 9 months old.

Assiatou endured many hardships growing up, including being raped at the age of 11 and twice more at the age of 16. It was clear that the fighting spirit inside her would be required to survive. Assi did more than just survive…In 1998, she worked in a gas station to support herself while going to school. When she finished College, she always dreamed of getting out of Guinea and going to Europe, but destiny chose a different path for this young dreamer.

In 2000 she got hired by a German company called Hydroplan, who had a project to build 250 water pumps in rural communities, to access clean water. This opportunity changed her life. For the next 2 years she started travelling out of the city and country through her work. Her first time to take an airplane was in February 2001, at the age of 25. She got so stressed before getting on the plane, but once again her fighting spirit took control and she went to Gambia for work.

She performed so well that Hydroplan decided to pay for her to take a vacation to Paris (visa, pocket money and so on). She went to Paris in August 2001 for 3 weeks. She was so culture shocked, when she arrived, that she decided to go back to Guinea after 2 weeks and decided not to be so adventurous, because her experiences did not match the expectations she had for this dream trip.

After her contract with Hydroplan ended, Assi got married in November 2002. She was excited to start a family with her new husband, but destiny stepped in, once again. After 5 miscarriages and extremely poor health, she decided to go to Germany to study the language and seek medical advice about the difficulties she was experiencing trying to conceive a child.

After living for 1 year in Germany, she went back to Guinea and started all over again. She opened Nayleen Drugstore, where she sold cosmetics and fragrances (Lancome, Chanel, etc). Before moving to Germany, in 2000, she had also registered a cleaning, childcare and security company and was actively networking to develop the business.

In 2003 she went back to Germany, as an au pair, where she lived with a German family for 1 year, taking care of their 2 children, while at the same time acquiring her German Language Certificate. In 2004, she went back to Paris, where she lived for 1 year.

In 2006, Assi was blessed with a pregnancy that would finally lead to her first child; a beautiful baby boy. She arrived in Montreal, Canada, in October 2006,

6 months pregnant and looking to start a new life. She knew this was the place for her, because she fell in love with Canada the moment she stepped off the plane. You can only imagine how difficult it was to be alone and pregnant in a new Country, trying to navigate the bureaucracy of immigration, but she kept fighting and received her Permanent Residency in just 5 months.

Assiatou Diallo was still fighting to make her life better and help others. A single mother, with a 1 year old son, she got involved in volunteering and went back to school at H.E.C. (an affiliate with the University of Montreal) to study Human Resources. Although she went through depression and stress, she never gave up and decided to move to Toronto.

She came to Toronto and lived in a shelter (transitional housing, Beatrice House) for 2 years. When she arrived in Ontario, she could not speak a single word of English. She decided to go to school for ESL classes at College Boreal and, in just 5 months, got her ESL level 6. Next, Assi went to do her upgrading with Woodgreen through the Boundless Possibilities for Women Program.

Assi had aspirations of working in the banking industry in Canada and it seemed that her hope was going to become reality when she was promised a position with BMO. She planned to move out of the shelter, got an apartment and began making plans for her new career, when the job was pulled out from under her due to personnel changes and poor internal communication at the bank. Another obstacle that would test Assi the fighter.

She was undeterred by this latest disappointment and bounced right back by securing a position at the Centre Francophone de Toronto. She worked at the non-profit for 4 years as an HR Assistant, Receptionist, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director and Settlement Worker in the schools. Although the work was fulfilling, Assi decided to go on her own, be her own boss, focus on her business and go back to school part time to study Business Management.

Assiatou Diallo is an entrepreneur, mother and avowed feminist. From a young age she has actively participated in initiatives supporting women’s issues. Her current interest is to promote the emancipation and financial independence of women in general and especially women who are victims of domestic and family violence. She is dedicated to helping others and is very involved in her community. In 2013, she was recognized by the YWCA for her success and delivered a keynote speech at the YWCA Women of Distinctions Awards, in recognition of her positivity and incredible perseverance.

Assiatou is currently the president and CEO of TAAB Cleaning Inc., a commercial and residential cleaning business, which also offers nanny and home babysitting services. She plans to dedicate a part of this community enterprise to support the elderly.

Assiatou Diallo will make it to the top, because she is a fighter, positive, and strongly believes in herself and her own future success.

‘’My vision of entrepreneurship is to inspire others.”

TAAB Cleaning Inc. offers various services for many different needs. Whether you are a company or an individual, we can assure you that we will offer the utmost care and professionalism to bring that sparkle and beauty to your space. All of our equipment is highly specialized, making us the perfect solution for any project or circumstance!

Our services:

Office cleaning
Condominium cleaning
Industrial Plant
Day porter custodial services
Warehouse cleaning
Construction clean-up
Carpet steaming cleaning
Strip and wax
Green cleaning

TAAB Cleaning Inc. is confident in its ability to offer the best service anywhere. With that claim we can offer a Service Guarantee to our customers!

“If your request has not been handled adequately, during the next service day you will be entitled to receive the next service for free”

TAAB Cleaning Inc. is the only cleaning company to offer what the competition will not and cannot! Your satisfaction is our motivation!

Contact Assiatou

PHONE: 647 458-7789

E-MAIL: INFO@TAABCLEANING.CA

Nov 20 2016

5 Step Holiday Business Challenge

Are you ready to boost your Holiday Sales?

Join us on our challenge as we guide you through a simple 5 step process to boosting your sales this holiday season. These simple steps we will enable you to leverage your network and grow your income during the holiday season.

Over the 5 days, we will guide you through a process that will grow your brand, connect you with your customers, increase your profits and grow your customer base.

Now, before you join us, there are a few things you will need to prepare:

1. Get organized and get clear and what would you like to promote.

2. If you are promoting a product or product line ensure that you have enough of the product in stock. Ensure that you have enough packaging components and staff to assist during the season.

3. Accountability: find a accountability buddy for this process.

You must register to join: HERE

See you at the start line on Nov 20th.

For Email Newsletters you can trust.

Sep 21 2016

Are you spending your time effectively on Facebook?

Are you spending time looking at the right parts of your Facebook business page? It’s so easy to get distracted by “shiny things” on Facebook, but as a business owner it’s important to stay focused on your goal to connect with your followers. Having a strategy for your social media marketing should also include regular maintenance on your Facebook page to ensure that what you are posting and sharing is actually connecting with the right followers.

Update the “About” tab on your Facebook Business Page regularly. Take a few minutes at least once a month to revisit and revise the fields with important information about your business. In particular, ensure that the Short Description, Long Description and all contact details are up-to-date and accurate.
Review the Insights for your Facebook Business Page often to analyze what posts are reaching your audience and are engaging your followers. The Insights can help you identify the best time to post and can provide you with more demographic information about the people who engage with your Page.
Monitor the interaction on your posts and be sure to reply to all comments quickly! The average social media user expects a reply within 1 hour to a comment that they make on social media. Be considerate of the time someone took to make a comment, and respond in kind, even if just to say Thank You!
Share your involvement in local or online events and be sure to create event listing for events that your business is hosting. Invite your friends and contacts to join your event page for updates and event information. If you are participating in someone else’s event, you can add that event to your page’s event listing without creating a new event. This helps to connect your business page with others, thus increasing your visibility!
Know when to spend money on boosted posts and promotions on Facebook and allocate an appropriate budget for this purpose. Keep in mind that you should first set up target audiences in Facebook Ad Manager before spending any money on promotions. The more time you spend to target the right demographic, the more return you will see on your ad spend.

To learn more about how to maximise the effectiveness of your Facebook marketing efforts, schedule a complimentary consultation with Teach Me Social. Teach Me Social owner Kelly Farrell has been helping empower Canadian Small Business owners through social media for over four years. Teach Me Social offers effective social media services which include training sessions and consulting as well as full-service social media account management.

Sep 07 2016

Listen to Hear not to Respond

Sheralyn

When I speak to groups of small business owners and entrepreneurs on the topic of communication, my message is consistent. Of the three elements needed for effective communication to take place; listening, writing and speaking, the most important of these is listening. Why? Because it is in the listening that we ensure there is understanding.

Listening isn’t just about opening our ears either. It’s about being open and receptive, in principle, to new ideas, suggestions and considerations. Listening is ACTIVE. We must lean in, participate, nod our heads to encourage continued conversation and we need to ask questions to ensure clarity. Most of all however, we need to listen to HEAR not to RESPOND. What do we mean by this?

Listening to hear is about patience. It concerns the principle that we must be actively engaged in the conversation from the perspective of gaining understanding, not listening for the sole purpose of formulating our own arguments in response to what is being said. Listening to hear is about waiting for the “whole.” Waiting for the speaker to complete his / her thoughts, pausing to think about those words and then responding. Too often we are each of us poised and ready to pounce in response to something we heard at the beginning of a sentence, to the exclusion of all that came after it. That’s not listening, that’s debating. It’s a “point – counterpoint” approach to speaking that suggests a “Who will win this conversation” point of view.

Listening to respond is also about remaining IN the moment. Connected to the speaker and not connected to any of our many devices. Few of us can actually multi-task effectively and most of us are much better off to focus on one task at a time. Active listening means put your phone down. It’s time to be connected, to each other rather than our devices. Finally, from a customer service point of view it’s about listening to what your customer is actually asking for, rather than telling them what you think they need.

Active listening and listening to hear, not to respond, help bridge the gap between you and your intended audience. It is the key to effective communication. Let’s all put our devices down for just a few minutes and practice #beinthemoment. Make it your personal mission, starting today, to actively listen – whether to your kids, co-workers, spouse or customer. Drop the constant need to hashtag your conversations or to answer back in defensive mode. Instead #GiveActiveListeningATry. (Oh the irony…..we just couldn’t resist!)

Sheralyn Roman B.A., B.Ed.

Writing Right For You

Communications Strategies that help you GET TO THE POINT!

416-420-9415 Cell/Business

writingrightforyou@gmail.com

Aug 21 2016

When to follow technology trends in social media

There is a big difference between jumping on the bandwagon just because “everyone else is doing it” and adding a new tech trend as part of your overall digital marketing strategy. The rate of change in the world of technology, especially for business, is extremely fast-paced and keeping up with the new apps, website trends and social media features can be a very daunting task. Despite the challenges that come with keeping up, it can be very beneficial to be an early adopter of new technologies and digital shifts.

First come, first serve

The first users on many new platforms, websites or apps are usually privy to special offers and features. On social media, the early arrivals are almost always the first to develop a large following of other early arrivals, who also tend to be more engaged and loyal than new followers later on.

Work out the kinks

Getting on board with a new feature or platform also give you ample time to work out the kinks, a time when making mistakes are part of the game and adds authenticity to your brand. Part of social media is the allure of being able to see behind the curtain of a logo and glimpse the authentic personality driving the message. Working out the kinks and figuring out a new platform with other early adopters also sets you up as a leader and expert when the rest of the crowd follows you.

Staying Current

If your brand stands for ingenuity, creativity or innovation in any way, then getting on board and being part of the initial phase could play a huge role in setting your brand up as a leader in forward thinking. When your brand shares their enthusiasm by joining in on trending topics on social media, it shows your followers that you are current, relevant and engaged.

Beware of shiny things

All that being said, the biggest danger with new technologies is the “shiny things syndrome”! It’s happened to the best of us – like children, we are easily attracted to new things and can get sucked into spending hours playing with new features and testing out new toys.

To avoid getting sucked into new technologies that are not going to see an overall benefit for your small business, you can ask yourself these questions:

Will using this tool attract new customers to my business?
Is my target demographic already using this tool?
Will my business benefit from being part of a trending conversation online?
How much time can I afford to spend daily using a new technology tool?

If you weigh the pros and cons of each new tool, it becomes easier to identify trends that will have a positive impact on your business and ones that may not be worth your time investment. In most cases, it is always a good idea to get advice from an expert or other small business owners. Attending networking events and joining online communities (like Canadian Small Business Women) are great ways to know what other entrepreneurs are doing online and where they are focusing their energy.

Teach Me Social owner Kelly Farrell has been helping empower Canadian Small Business owners through social media for over four years. Teach Me Social now offers services ranging from training sessions for small business owners and their teams to full-service social media account management. Visit teachmesocial.ca to learn more about our service offerings or to book a no obligation consultation, including an audit of your existing social media channels.

Aug 01 2016

Angela Boschee: Canadian Small Business Woman of the Month of July 2016

Runwayz began in 2005 as a home based business and has to grown to our current location in downtown Medicine Hat, Alberta. We are pleased to offer unique and hard to find gift ideas including general gift ware, baby and kids clothing and toys, ladies footwear and accessories, and home accents. We are thrilled to be soon celebrating our website’s one year anniversary! Our website isrunwayzboutique.com and we ship anywhere in the world.

Province

Company Mission

We enjoy providing a great variety of hard to find and one of a kind gift ideas for everyone on your list!

Product/Service Description

Unique Gift Ideas
Ladies Footwear, Accessories, and More
Baby and Kids Clothing & Toys
Home Accents

Journey to Mompreneurship

Every since I was a little girl I dreamed of owning my own store someday. That dream combined with a love of shopping brought me to where I am today. I am thrilled to own my own boutique, balancing being a stay at home Mom with my store. I also love to host local small business showcases, continuing to offer small businesses such as myself a place to present what they have to offer to our community! I also enjoy supporting various fellow Mompreneurs by offering their products through our store,

Our Q & A with Angela

*What inspires you?

I draw inspiration from many things including my friends and family, God, and fellow entrepreneurs that I admire.

*As a small business owner, what achievements make you most proud?

We are just wrapping up celebrating a milestone … 10 years in business! I am really grateful to have reached the 10 year mark. I am also very proud of all the work that has gone into creating our websiterunwayzboutique.com
Another thing that I truly enjoy is networking with other small businesses and hosting small business trade shows. I truly enjoy helping others and am proud of the success of the shows that we have hosted.

*What advice would you give to other aspiring small business owners?

Be open to continual research and change to stay in the running

*What new things can we look forward to from your business in the upcoming year?

Some exciting new products in the areas of general giftware especially.
Follow us on twitter and like us on face book (as listed below) to stay in the loop! We also have a newsletter sign up on our web page.

Like Angela’s page on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Runwayzboutique

Visit her website
http://runwayzboutique.com

Jul 21 2016

10 Reasons to Tweet Today

When I talk about Twitter to small business owners, I am usually greeted by a look of trepidation before being asked, “Do I really need to be on Twitter?” Twitter has evolved from a simple social network since the first Tweet was sent in March 2006 to the global news source and intricate social sharing environment it is today. Recently, Twitter has even taken leaps into the future of live broadcasting by signing deals with large networks to provide live content via the platform.

With 310 million monthly active users, it is hard to ignore the power of Twitter for small businesses to reach an engaged audience. But, if you need more convincing, here are 10 reasons to start tweeting today!

1.FREE: Twitter is free to use – The only cost is time and effort to send unlimited Tweets. Of course, like all social platforms, there is also the option to ‘promote’ your tweets with PPC advertising which has grown 208% year-on-year in 2016.

2.CURRENT: Your presence on social media platforms such as Twitter shows that your business is keeping up ‘with the times’! Did you know that 1.3billion Twitter accounts have been created and over 500 million tweets are sent daily?

3.INDUSTRY NEWS: Using Twitter can help you keep up with what is going on in your industry. You can keep tabs on your competition and get the latest news by following relevant hashtags. (ie. #CSBWBiz)

4.QUICK: Twitter is a fast way to get a message out, especially about upcoming events or sales. Printing, distributing and even website and email marketing take time and planning. Keep in mind that tweets with pictures get 150% more retweets!

5.NETWORKING: Using Twitter gives you the chance to meet and talk with tons of new people, influencers in your industry, and the opportunity to discover leads you might not otherwise have made.

6.REACH: Twitter can expand your market reach through followers, re-tweets, and #hashtags. People may stumble across your profile and tweets by chance and 55% of Twitter users admit they have taken action based on a tweet from a brand. (ie. clicked on a link)

7.COMPETITION: Your competition is quite likely already on Twitter and tweeting away. 70 percent of small businesses are on Twitter and the average Twitter user will follow at least 5 businesses.

8.FEEDBACK: The conversations, re-tweets, and favorites you receive in Twitter can act as great feedback as to what is popular and what is not in terms of your online brand, not to mention that 77% of users said they felt more positive towards a brand that replied to their tweet!

9.ENGAGEMENT: 80% of Twitter users have mentioned a brand in a tweet, and Twitter allows you to maintain customer relationships both before, during, and after a purchase and act as a constant reminder that you exist.

10.SHORT: With only 140 characters each tweet is short and sweet that allows you to share tidbits and updates without having to write an entire blog post.

Jul 12 2016

The importance of small businesses blogging

When blogging made its first appearance in the late 90’s, it was mainly used by individuals wanting to express their thoughts and feels towards various topics. However, over the years blogging has evolved and is now used as a main tool for many businesses to express ideas, pass along valuable information and is a means of keeping connected with clients. Blogging is one of the biggest, easiest and not to mention free marketing strategies out there. Entrepreneurs, whether established or starting up, need to understand the importance and value of this tool.

What having a blog site can do for you:

Boost your websites search engine optimization (SEO): by posting blogs frequently, Google and other search engines will be able to use the important key words, which are plugged into your post and your appearance on the search engines result page will increase.
Causes traffic to your website: by linking your blog site to your business’s website, you will increase traffic flow, along with creating more awareness around your brand.
Establishing relationships: end your blog post with a question and get conversation going, create a section under your post for readers to leave a comment or additional feedback. Being able to review and respond to their comments will give you some insight as to what your customers are looking for from your business.
Connecting to the brand: most outbound marketing techniques do not allow you to show off your personal side, blogging gives you the opportunity to show your business’s true personality.
Free marketing: whether readers share your post on Facebook, tweet it or email your blog to a friend, this is helping create more buzz around your business.

Dwania is the Founder and Executive Director of Canadian Small Business Women Contact Canadian Small Business Women:

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Website

Jun 21 2016

Dealing with Negative Comments on Social Media

It’s happened to all of us. We work hard to publish an article or a social media post only to have someone come along and respond with a negative or defamatory comment. It’s disheartening, frustrating, upsetting and even angering and it takes every ounce of patience to not want to write back an equally negative and snarky reply. I’ve been there, and I’ve felt the same way. But I can honestly tell you that the best way to respond to negativity on social media is with positivity.

Sir Isaac Newton described his 3rd Law of Motion by explaining that “Every action has an equal and opposite reaction.” In elementary Mathematics, we are taught that a negative and positive number of the same absolute value cancel each other out in an equation (ie. -4 + 4 = 0) What does this have to do with social media? Well, the same notion of countering forces can be applied to all positive and negative forces, energy and comments.

As a rule of thumb in customer service, it is always best to respond to customer complaints in a calm, professional manner. As business owners, we need to recognize that the customer just wants to feel validated for their complaint. This can be handled in a number of ways, but it is always best to acknowledge their negative experience and try to offer a solution. There may not always be a mutually agreeable solution, but remember that an angry customer has more potential to do damage to your business’ reputation than a happy one.

Here are some important Do’s and Don’t’s when considering how to respond to customer complaints, reviews or feedback on Social Media….

What not to do –

Don’t ignore it. It might be tempting to try to delete the comment, or hope it quickly fades down in people’s newsfeeds, but there is never any guarantee. It is always better to respond and address the problem than ignore it and hope it goes away.
Don’t respond back with negativity. In the world of debates, two negatives never equal a positive! Responding with anger or offence is just going to add fuel to the fire. It’s upsetting for everyone involved and surrounds your business with negative energy.
Don’t get into a battle. There is nothing to be gained from trying to have the final say. Anyone following the discussion on your social network will be able to “see” the entire battle unfolding and each of your followers has an easy click to unfollow you and refuse to see any future posts from your business.

What to do instead –

DO take time to formulate an appropriate response before typing any reply to the comment. If possible, ask a colleague or trusted friend to read your reply first before you publish it online. Taking time not only allows you to respond with a clear head, but it also has likely given your disgruntled customer a chance to cool off too.
DO respond with professionalism and offer to address the complainant’s concerns offline, perhaps via email address or over the phone. Offer a solution to the problem right up front so that the next step is in their hands to either take you up on the offer, or to walk away.
DO end the discussion quickly, after a single, well composed reply. There is nothing to be gained by carrying on the discussion if you first response did everything to address the complaint, offer a solution and provide a non-social media form of communication to use to continue the conversation.

Teach Me Social owner Kelly Farrell has been helping empower Canadian Small Business owners through social media for over for years. Teach Me Social now offers services ranging from training sessions for small business owners and their teams, to full-service social media account management. Visit teachmesocial.ca to learn more about our service offerings or to contact us today for a no obligation consultation, including an audit of your existing social media channels.

Jun 13 2016

30 blog topics for small businesses

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For many small business owners posting blogs frequently is important because it gives them a chance to stay connected with their audience. Unfortunately, over time, their blog sites become inactive due to soul fact of not having any new topics to blog about.

Here are 30 potential blog topics for small businesses looking for fresh and new ideas:

1) Our business: a background story of how it all started.

2) Ask your readers what they would like you to write about.

3) Do a round up of last year’s most popular blog posts.

4) Recap or update on a pervious blog post.

5) Most frequently asked questions by customers.

6) How did your company get its name?

7) A day in the life of your company.

8) How do you hire staff?

9) Confess a weakness.

10) What is a lesson you learned in the last year?

11) The latest trends emerging in your industry.

12) A profile piece on a staff member or a long time customer.

13) The biggest challenge your company has had in the last year.

14) Discuss upcoming/recent events within your business.

15) Do a product review.

16) Run a content.

17) Share upcoming promotions.

18) New products or services being launched.

19) Tricks and tips for customers to make better use out of your products/services.

20) Best suggestion given to you by a customer.

21) What you love about being a business owner.

22) The biggest challenge about owning a business.

23) Do a video tour of your company’s building/office space.

24) Hopes and plans for your businesses future.

25) What do you hope to accomplish through your blogs?

26) Review a book or magazine article relevant to your industry.

27) Post a tutorial or how-to video or written piece.

28) Expose scams within your industry.

29) How to turn an unhappy customer into a happy customer.

30) What do you love about your industry?

Dwania is the Founder and Executive Director of Canadian Small Business Women Contact Canadian Small Business Women:

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Website

Apr 11 2016

6 things to consider before hiring an agency

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When you are running a small business, it can feel overwhelming to try to “wear all the hats” to get things done. You have to be the new business development and sales manager, the accountant, product development, HR (even if you’re a solopreneur, you still have to take care of yourself!), marketing director, operations director, etc. You get the picture. It can be overwhelming to stay on top of everything while ensuring your business is growing at a rate you are happy with.

Perhaps you have thought about hiring someone, but you can’t necessarily cover a full monthly salary cost. You could consider an intern, but they may not have the experience necessary to get you to where you need to be. One option you may not have considered is hiring an agency to take care of your marketing efforts.

Maybe you aren’t ready to work with an agency to take your marketing off your to do list, but if you are, here are six things to look for in an agency.

Chemistry: Sometimes you will have the option to “date before getting married” if you have a smaller project you want to work on before signing a longer-term commitment. This isn’t always the case, but either way you want to make sure that you have a good fit with the agency. They should uphold the same business values and ethical standards that you do as they are representing your brand.
Budget transparency: It can be easy to take a “budget” at face value, but make sure you clarify all that is included in the budget. One of the biggest issues to cover is whether you are working on an hourly basis or with a set fee. If you are working hourly, you may be surprised when you get your bill at the end of the month as it might be higher than what was quoted. Negotiating a set fee will ensure you don’t pay for any overages in hours worked.
Nothing is guaranteed: Be wary of any agency that will “guarantee” you specific results such as “We’ll get you TV coverage” or “We’ll guarantee you xx number of media hits” or even “We’ll guarantee you 50,000 followers within the first month.” I have worked with many clients who have been attracted by these guarantees only to find that they are empty. The key is finding an agency who is as invested in your success as they are their own. It should be more like a partnership than two separate entities.
Know what success looks like: Work with your agency to determine how you will know when your campaign has been successful. Every industry has certain metrics they track, and they all mean different things for brands.
Check their track record: A great agency will be able to put you in touch with current and former clients who will sing their praises. At the very least, they should be able to provide you with case studies of clients who have similar goals to your own. Just because an agency has a lot of clients listed on their site doesn’t mean they are the best at what they do.
Know your account team: Don’t be afraid to ask who will be working on your account. It is common in a lot of agencies to sign a contract and then have the interns working on the bulk of the work to create higher profit margins for the agency. If you are concerned about this, just ask. Again, this is your brand, and you deserve to know who will be representing you to your audiences.

Candace Huntly is the Founder and Principal at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn/email/Website

Apr 01 2016

Lizy Triffo: Canadian Small Business Woman of the Month of March 2016

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Canadian radio and television host Lizy Triffo was born in Chile and raised I Brazil. Entrepreneurship and storytelling were skills that Lizy had expressed interest in at a young age. She always pretend to interview people around her while sticking a fake microphone in their faces. These clues, however, were not enough of an indication to Lizy when it came to her early career choices. She studied Dental Hygiene for one year in Brazil and later moved to Regina, Saskatchewan were she earned a job in the telecommunications industry.

Although this career kept her more than financially stable, Lizy felt that she was missing out on her true destiny. What held her back? she would often ask herself. Lizy then realized, “Sometimes people don’t follow their dreams out of fear that they may not be good enough.”

Now, in her early 40’s Lizy has cast all her fears aside and followed her childhood dream. For the past three years The LizyT Radio Show has been a platform for singers, songwriters, coaches, business owner, TV celebrities, child actors and many more. The radio show allows Lizy the platform to report on the latest global and international news and feature music requests by listeners around the globe.

She created a following and a kind of community, each captivating interview starts off with a simple catch phrase created by her husband: “Tell me who you are, what you do, contact info, anything new?” This is all Lizy needs to start a great interview and conversation.

Thus far, interviewing Wedding SOS host Jane Dayus Hinch has been one of Lizy’s fondest moments. When it comes to all her interviews, Lizy says, “I like to give 150% of myself, sometimes it feels like I’ve run a marathon. In the end, it’s not about me, it’s about them.” This philosophy pushes her to do whatever she can to promote her guests. Perhaps it is this dedication and passion that has allowed her to have over 13,000 listeners worldwide and a Top 20 radio show on Blog Talk Radio. Lizy also was the recipient of the 2015 Absolutely Fabulous Women Community Helper Excellence Award for her commitment in helping charities and non-profits.

Our Q & A with Lizy:

*What inspires you?

To see my guests flourish and see them have the opportunity to enlighten or inspire my listeners.

*As a small business owner what achievements make you most proud?

To have been able to take my business from nothing to a great success and not just financially.

*What advice would you give to other aspiring small business owners?

Never stop trying.

*What new things can we look forward to from your business in the upcoming year?

Reaching more audiences around the world, especially with my new television show!

Connect with Lizy

https://www.facebook.com/LizytRadio/