Lauren McCullough

Female Voiceover Talent

828-398-4299

LaurenMcCulloughVO@gmail.com

Marketing

5 things every voiceover website needs

Business, Marketing, Voiceover Industry

The website is a staple of most online professionals, and voiceover pros in particular. Your website is your business card and central info depot for the digital age, and the best place to give people a good first impression. Your potential clients may not recall your face, but your name and website are your opportunity to cement your voice and persona in their mind. 

Readability

The single biggest thing you need to make sure to center in your website building is readability. Fonts and fun colors are awesome, but many people find certain color combinations or font choices difficult to read. Sometimes these choices are even headache inducing, especially for older folks. People who have vision correction can also find funky colors and fonts a challenge also. Be sure that you source people on different computers, using different browsers, on mobile and whatever other types you can think of to make sure that everything displays correctly and is easy to follow. 

Professional Design

Speaking of mobile-mobile browsing, it’s a trend that only continues to grow. Make sure that your site not only has a mobile version, but also displays correctly on all devices. It’s better to avoid sites with inexpensive designers, since they may not have enough experience to follow all the way through on your project, or to be able to handle everything in a timely manner. 

A great way to find a good designer for your site is to look for sites that you admire, and ask for their designer’s name. Fellow talent are a great way to get recommendations. One good reason to ask fellow talent for ideas is because whomever they’ve gotten a site from will have direct experience putting together the types of things a talent needs–like making sure that demos display correctly, or creating a video sample page. Avoiding the inexperienced designer can save you time, money and headaches.

Value the Time of the Viewer

More important than the fancy branding and ‘standing out from the crowd’ is making sure that your reader can find the essentials on you as a talent quickly and easily. Unless you have a particular need to do so, avoid impersonal elements like contact forms for your site. The easier you are to reach, the more naturally the connection will follow. Here are 5 essentials that you want to make sure your website viewer can get to and get through as quickly as possible. 

1. Demos

Most talent have several different demos relating to the various genres of voiceover that they pursue. There are lots of options for players that can integrate with your site to allow the viewing of several of these demos at once. Ranking should be based on what your most hired genre is, or the one that you want to pursue the most. You should also make sure that the highest ranked ones are the professionally produced cuts. Sometimes if you know what you’re doing, you can get away with making a demo for elearning or audiobooks, since those genres are dryer and don’t need music. But you want to make sure your best foot is forward. 

2. Video Samples

The single best way to show your voice in action. 

Demos are very important, but aren’t always as evocative as a project video. Examples of your skills in action will show off your range, and more importantly, give it the context to inspire someone who might want to hire you for a similar voicing or parallel venture. Just make sure you get permission from your client before you display these! Many talents have lost both gigs and reputation due to rushing ahead and not checking with their client first. We don’t always have the whole picture on legal wrangles, NDA’s, product launches and other wrinkles. It’s better to take the extra time and make sure and take care of your relationship with your client. But a well timed ask can be beneficial for both you and your client, giving your voice a showcase, and them another link back to them and their products. 

3. Contact Information

You’d think this would be a given, but there are sites out there where it’s nearly impossible to find out how to contact a particular talent. Don’t hide your contact info at the bottom of the page in faint text, get that info out there loud and proud! If you’re not comfortable with your home or cell number being visible online, there are many services like Google Voice that allow you to create an easy free forwarding number. And it’s no challenge these days to create a forwarding email if you want to give yourself a step removed from any spam you might get. Contact info for your agents can be useful here too if you typically book work through them. Avoid contact forms unless you have a particular need for them, since they seem really impersonal, and you are making your potential client jump through another hoop to reach you.

4. Studio Specs

So what have you got in your little padded room? 

Make sure to give your prospective clients a good run down of all your equipment and available connections. Letting your client know that you have professional level equipment shows them that not only have you put the time and money into becoming professional, they’re also going to have to worry less about fixing you in post. Do you have Source Connect? IPDTL? ISDN bridge? If you don’t have one of those personally, do you have access to an outside studio where you could take advantage of it if needed? Your clients then know what their options are, and that makes things faster and easier for everyone. 

5. Client List and Testimonials

To round off the context you’re giving your website reader and prospective clients, testimonials and a client list are a great method. As much as it might seem tempting, don’t embellish here. In the modern age, it’s very easy to figure out if you really are the voice for this or that product, particularly for a larger brand or campaign. Not only will you look fake if you do this, you’ll also damage your reputation, and make people less likely to hire you. People don’t forget this kind of thing, in the voiceover community. And if there’s one thing clients want to avoid these days it’s liability. If you’re lying on your website, what other false information might you share and to whom? The best way to get a good client list and testimonials is to do the best job you can with every job you do. Be kind, prompt, gracious, and you will stand out all on your own. Many of your client contacts will be happy to give you testimonials, especially if you have a good relationship you’ve already built by your actions. 

How to Ask for a Testimonial

If you feel intimidated by asking for a testimonial, here is an effective way that I’ve used in the past:

Give before you ask for something in return. Write one for your client first!

Dear Client,

I wanted to take it upon myself to write you a testimonial that you can use where ever you like: 

<<INSERT SHORT 3-5 LINE TESTIMONIAL OF YOUR CLIENT HERE>>

Then ask:

If you don’t mind, I’d love to feature you on my website/on my LinkedIn Profile/on Google reviews and get your feedback on my work in a testimonial. Would you mind writing a short 2-3 sentence review for me?

Feeling a little stuck on what to write? Here are some questions you can answer!

  • What made you pick me over someone else?
  • How did I positively add to the project?
  • What’s one thing did I do that made the end client super-happy?
  • Or what does it feel like working with me?

There are many things to consider when you’re putting together your voiceover website, but it, like many things in life, can be a case of keeping it simple. Worry first and foremost about keeping these essentials front and center and you will be ahead of the game. Combine that with a solid work ethic and quality work, and you’ll be at the head of the class in no time. 

Does Your Brand Voice Reflect Your Brand Values?

Marketing

What does your brand voice say about your values? When I talk about voice, as a voice over talent, I mean the actual audible voice in your videos and radio spots. It also includes digital spots, such as when people log in to your online service or when they call your office and get an on-hold message. Every voice they hear in association with your brand should speak to your values and how you want to interact with the world. Don’t miss this important opportunity to brand your company with a voice that is totally you. 

How Do You Know What Your Brand Values Are?

Okay, so if you’re now asking yourself, how do I know what my brand values even are, don’t fret. It’s probably not as out of reach as you think it is. If you’ve done the work to brand your organization already, with a logo, website or other brand assets, you’re probably already on the road to knowing your brand values, even if you haven’t sat down and spelling them out yet. Many brand designers and marketing companies will actually lay out what they sought to convey with the choices they made to create your brand. In those descriptions, you are likely to find your values. Take a moment to write those down. If you don’t have a list as such, here are a few other ways to find your brand values. 

The Words You Already Use

  • Do you have a slogan or tagline? Maybe a mission statement or vision statement? Even if they aren’t formally codified somewhere, there are probably words and phrases that you return to again and again, when you talk about what your organization does. Check the last few sales or connection emails you sent. What are the value words that pop out?

The Colors You Love

  • If you’ve created a brand scheme already, then this part is easy. What do the colors on your website and in your logo say about your brand? What do the main colors convey about who you are? How do they come together to make a statement about how you see your work and the world around you?

The Themes You’re Drawn To

  • Another way to think about what your brand values are is to consider what other brands your brand can relate to and who you want to emulate. What big names or recognizable brands are doing the kind of work you want to be doing? They may not be in the same industry, necessarily, but may have the same kind of outlook or perspective that you do. Maybe they speak the same language, serve the same people, or just position themselves the way you want to. What are their brand values? They may be yours as well. 

Connecting Your Brand Values For Your Brand Voice

Once you have established a list of three to five values that really sum up your brand, you’ll need to connect those to the voice you use to convey your message in audible communications. Using a voice that speaks to those values has a few different aspects. 

Target Audience

  • First, the voice you employ should be one that your target audience can relate to. The voice doesn’t necessarily need to sound LIKE them, although that can often help, but it should certainly be a voice that they feel like they can trust and are familiar with. It should sound like their friend, their advocate, or their confidante.

    Examples: Millennial moms are a perfect example of this. Millennial moms tend to hold the purse strings in their households, and they tend to buy based on the recommendations of their peers and friends. If that’s your target audience, try employing another millennial mom voice, who can share their values of care for the next generation. 

Authority

  • Second, when it comes to your brand values, your brand voice needs to sound like they have a handle on those values. They should instantly sound like they share those values and are familiar with how to live those values out in everyday life. They should sound like an authority on those values, and not like someone just trying to live them.

    Examples: When it comes to authority, it’s about experience. You want your voice to sound like they know what they mean. So if your brand is all about hope, and building a positive tomorrow, the voice has to reflect a certain level of upbeatness. It doesn’t need to sound chipper, but it does need to sound like it knows, and breathes, optimism. A monotone or morose voice isn’t going to cut it. 

Consistency

  • When you start getting serious about your brand voice, and whether it reflects the tone you require for your brand, don’t overlook the importance of consistency. When you record a new video for your customers or launch a new ad series, you want to know that that voice is still going to convey the message, even in its tone, that you need for your brand. This can mean hiring a professional voice talent. Voice over actors can bring that level of consistency that you can rely on so that everytime you record something new, it’s spot on.

    Examples: If one day your brand voice sounds smooth and strong, and the next day it sounds gruff and tired, you may not always be conveying the message you intended everytime. For voice talent professionals, this means taking care of their voice and ensuring seamless transitions from one spot to the next. 

What Does Your Sonic Brand Say About You?

Beyond the voice, have you considered the overall sonic brand associated with your organization? We’ve talked about sonic branding before, but it’s good to stop here and ponder whether it is reflecting the tone and message that you want to be portraying. Now that you have your values figured out, and the kind of voice needed for those values, you can think about all the other sounds that are associated with your brand. Are they upbeat and hopeful? Are they serious and determined? 

Why Values Matter

At the end of the day, why does this exercise even matter for your brand? Values matter because in many ways, they are the driving force of your brand. They keep you on track when things grow complicated or seem muddled. They help you stay at the helm of your organization and steer with confidence in the direction you are trying to go. 

But they also matter to your customers or clients, the people you are trying to serve. Consumers, and especially millennials, want to know that the organizations they are working with align with their own personal values. In an age of so many choices, one of the best ways to connect with your customer base is to ensure that you share the same values. And one of the best ways to do this is to employ words and sounds that convey those values organically. So often, it’s about showing, rather than telling. Living it out, rather than just talking about it. And paying attention to the details, such as your brand voice, is another way to live out those values in everything you do.

If you’re interested in learning more about Sonic Branding, and how a brand voice can help your brand values stand out, I would recommend checking out Jodi Krangle‘s podcast, AUDIO BRANDING: The Hidden Gem of Marketing and blog. She’s a fellow voice talent who is incredible at her job, but also loves talking about this topic in particular. So feel free to take a deep dive into this easily overlooked aspect of business.

Moms Trust Moms

Marketing

Does Your Brand Need A Millennial Mom Voice?

Does your company need to use a millennial mom for marketing and advertising campaigns? That may depend on what you’re selling, of course, but for a vast variety of products and services, the answer is “yes”. 

The prevalence and effectiveness of video marketing continues to grow. Have you engaged in video marketing or are you just starting to experiment with this opportunity? If you don’t want to be the talking head, speaking on your video, you’ll need a voice to represent your brand. When you choose that voice, or set of voices, you can use these consistently across your commercials and online video ads. Should that voice behind your brand be a millennial mom?

For many brands, a millennial mom voice is a smart choice. A millennial mom can engage with and sell to another millennial mom, by speaking the same language in similar vernacular. 

Let’s look at the numbers:

The spending power of moms in America is $2.4 trillion.

85% of household purchases are made or decided by mom.

46% of millennial parents say that they turn to other parents for recommendations.

42% of millennial moms don’t think ads are geared toward them

What’s the point? 

What do the numbers boil down to? Millennial moms have major spending power. You may already know that you want to reach that demographic with your message or brand. But in thinking about how you can sell to them, it’s important to know that those moms are most likely to trust other moms’ recommendations. How can you go about creating recommendations from a millennial mom? You can work with your customers, but to really get the word out, you can build video ads around giving and sharing advice. When your ads speak your customers’ language, in their tone and voice, while answering their questions and concerns, then you are more likely to build that rapport with your ideal target market that you’re working toward. 

What does that mean for your next marketing campaign?

Working with a millennial mom voice artist means that your next marketing campaign, and your brand overall, can maintain a consistent voice of a friend, throughout your videos. You’ll be giving your brand a persona, for customers to relate to and trust. Think about the brands you know who have used a spokesperson or character to sell their products or to share their message. People have come to relate to that persona or have come to trust him or her. Maybe they look up to him or her, or maybe they can empathize with the character. Engaging with a millennial mom voice for your digital ads can do the same thing. Viewers, and listeners, will start to associate your brand or message with a relatable voice, a friend they know and trust.

Especially if you are introducing something new, potentially controversial, or just a big ask, you want a voice that sounds trustworthy and authentic – like talking with a friend over the phone or engaging with a favorite Instagram influencer. 

What Are Millennial Moms Buying?

The simple answer is a lot. As we talked about before, 85% of household purchases are made by moms. That’s everything from toilet paper to technology, from cosmetics to cleaning supplies.  

It’s important to remember that health and safety are among the top priorities for millennial moms. They are willing to spend more on products made with safer or better ingredients. 

Millennial moms are of the “selfie” generation so keep in mind that when it comes to fashion and beauty it’s about building confidence and feeling strong. 

What Message Should A Millennial Mom Share About Your Brand?

Millennials are a motivated group of consumers. They are cause-driven and they like when their money “does good.” They don’t see companies and corporations as separate from ethics and social good. They are intertwined and they want to know that their purchases go far. In fact, 51% of millennial moms expect companies to give back. 

Millennial moms are empowered and influential. They don’t want to be talked at or talked down to. They want to hear from someone who gets them and respects their outlook on life.

Your message shouldn’t just be “buy this,” but rather should be an invitation to join a movement or to learn about a social cause. It should be about a product or service that solves a problem, especially a particular universal or global one. It should be about a story or vision, and not just a product to buy. 

How To Use A Millennial Mom Voice For Your Brand

Today’s moms are informed and have endless resources for research. They use their mobile devices and phones to research on the go and know how to dig deep to find exactly what they are looking for. Millennial moms walk into a store knowing what their buying needs are – and seek products that meet those needs to a T. Millennial moms are known for planning out their purchases, and using social media to do lots of research before they make their purchases. 

Millennial moms are a powerful purchasing demographic. They make significant purchases on behalf of themselves and their families, but they do so backed with information and research. They tend to go to friends for recommendations or listen to those they trust for advice. If your brand needs a millennial mom to share your message, you can consider hiring voice over talent to be the voice behind your brand – and get the word out to this demographic. 

Video Ads On Social Media

Marketing

Video is dominating the internet. I probably don’t need to tell you that. You already know about the growing prominence of YouTube, the meteoric growth of platforms like TikTok, and the fact that your computer starts playing ads constantly as you browse the internet, just trying to look up a recipe or check out some sports stats. 

It doesn’t matter where you go, video is there. The same is true on social media sites. Even platforms that aren’t historically video platforms, like Facebook, are now full of them. And if you consider YouTube to be a social media platform in it’s own right, then there’s no denying that video is dominating the social media world as well.

How can you get in on that, with video ads that actually stand out and convert? In many ways, it’s about getting back to the basics of ads and selling, and finding ways to connect naturally with your target audience. 

What are Video Ads On Social Media?

You’ve probably seen video ads on social media before, so maybe you’re already thinking of ideas, but before we dive into the creative side of things, let’s talk about the logistics. There are different ways to create video ads for social media. 

Paid Ads on Social

When you think about video ads on social media, there are many ways to go about it, depending on the platform. For instance, Facebook advertises video ad options for video ads within other videos, known as instream, or videos in the newsfeed or in stories. LinkedIn, Instagram, and more have similar options. As you’re considering which kind of video you want to make, think about the goal of your video and who you want to connect with. You may even want to create a few different options and see which ones perform best. Because they are in the business of selling this ad space, every social media platform has detailed information about how to choose each particular ad. Here is LinkedIn’s ad how-tos and information, for example. 

Promoting Your Own Video Post

Another option for video ads on social media is to promote your own posts. The benefit of this option is that you can create a series of videos or try different things until you get some positive feedback. When one of your videos becomes popular, you can then funnel money toward promoting that post so that more people see it. 

Finding The Right Voice For Social Media Ads

Finding the right voice for your social media ads is about knowing your brand personality and your target market. What does your brand personality sound like? Have you thought about that?

If you have a brand guide, it probably contains things like your logo, your brand colors, your font, and other visuals. You may have a style guide or content guide too that has information about how your brand should speak in social media, blogs, brochures and more. But do you have a voice guide? Have you thought about your brand guide in terms of the sounds surrounding your brand? 

Your social media ads should showcase a voice that reflects your brand. Think about your brand’s personality. Is it peppy, lively, and colorful? Then your videos should be too. Is it serious, even-keeled, and steady? Your social media ads should echo that. Is it techy, smart, and witty? That’s the voice you need. Is it light-hearted and jovial? Then you know the voice to find. Is it heavy, concerned, and focused? You know that voice too. 

It’s the voice you hear in your mind, when you think about your brand. That’s the voice talent you should hire to speak in your social media video, especially if you are creating explainer videos or other videos that require narration. 

Another way to think about who you should engage with for your social media video ads is to think about your target market. People are prone to making decisions and purchases when they hear from people who sound like them or sound like their trusted community. As an example, as a millennial mom, I tend to sound like a millennial mom. And millennial moms are more likely to take advice and hear recommendations from another millennial mom. Brands hire me to be that millennial mom voice to captivate and capture that audience.

Who is your target audience? What do they sound like? More importantly, who do they sound like? 

This is something I’ve talked about even with political ads, which of course are often on social media as well. There is a wonderfully diverse pool of voice talent available for any social media voice. Digging into the details with that and hiring the right voice can go a long way in helping you connect with your audience.

Which Social Media Platforms Should You Post Ads On?

Don’t make the mistake of feeling like you need to be everywhere at once. Just be where you need to be, where your target market is. 

Target Market Habits

It really comes down to the question of where does your target market hang out. It’s something you’ll hear all the time in marketing advice, but when the time comes to actually create your social media video campaign, you may be tempted by the numbers or the flashy opportunities. Keep your head down. Stay focused on where your target audience actually hangs out. It will be well worth your time to put your emphasis on Facebook and Pinterest, if that’s where your customers are. On the flipside, if your customers are flocking to the next big thing in social media, such as TikTok or something even newer, then it’s worth exploring those platforms. 

How Do They Use Social Media?

It also depends on how people use each platform, as well. What are they doing when they are scrolling through Facebook? Are they using it for Marketplace or connecting with friends? How about Pinterest? What is your target market looking for when they are searching there? 

LinkedIn is an interesting place to consider as well. Although it is traditionally focused on careers and business, it’s also a place people scroll to connect with like-minded individuals and ideas. They may be getting news from there or connecting with colleagues or classmates. 

Think about why your target audience is using that particular platform to help shape what kind of video you want to post. What are they looking for? Can you be that?

Video ads on social media can be a great way to connect with new followers and send people to your website. Make sure you are using the right voice to connect with your audience and place your ads on the social media platforms that make the most sense for your brand.

How Real Estate Firms Can Use Video

Business, Marketing, Real Estate

Implementing videos into your real estate marketing can connect with buyers, before a showing and during the decision process. Videos can bring a property to life and help potential buyers understand how the space is laid out and how various rooms connect, as well as let them see the details and characteristics that photos may otherwise miss. Videos also give you a chance to talk about the space, providing commentary and introductions, as you can with an in-person tour. 

Furthermore, videos can be used throughout your real estate firm marketing. Aside from showing off your listings, you can also introduce your team, educate clients or potential buyers about current opportunities, and more. 

Why Should You Consider Video Marketing In Real Estate?

In many ways, real estate is a relationship business. Clients often come through word of mouth referrals and as realtors work with clients, they get to know them on a personal level. That’s why video is a natural choice for real estate marketing. It gives you a chance to break the ice a bit and build rapport, even before you work together. Then as you showcase your listings, you’re able to highlight what makes these spaces special. Often, buyers need to envision how they would live in or use a place. Video lets you display that to a broad audience, who are still searching online, and haven’t stepped into the property yet. 

According to a joint study from Google and The National Association of Realtors®, buyers are increasingly searching YouTube to find an agent and to find properties for sale. This makes videos on YouTube a prime place to advertise your real estate firm, your team and realtors, and your listings.

Types of Videos to Use in Real Estate

Where do you start with creating videos for real estate? There are so many different types of videos you can use, but you’ll want to keep your goals in mind. What does your firm need today to grow? Is it about connecting with more buyers? Or building rapport in the area? Or ensuring that buyers have the information they need to make good decisions? These questions will inform which types of videos you create first.

Team Introductions

Introductory videos can serve as a virtual business card. You can share more about yourself and the types of listings you work with, to help potential clients learn if you’re a good fit. Think of it like a preview before a first call or meeting. 

Testimonials

Interviews with happy clients can highlight the strengths of your firm, and you as a realtor, in an authentic, personable way. These are a type of digital referral.  

Educational

Here is where you can help first-time buyers get a handle on the buying process or help real estate investors understand the opportunities currently available to them. You can interview other professionals such as mortgage lenders to position yourself as the go-to for a gamut of information.

Tour Videos For Real Estate

You don’t have to plan a lot for this one. You’ve already written the listing, highlighted the perks, and so on. You know what needs to be said about a property. Now get out the camera and show it off to buyers. 

  • Traditional Tour: This is as simple as turning on the camera and walking around the space, being sure to point out any special features, while not interfering with private spaces in a home.
  • Virtual Tour: While not technically a video, these interactive options allow buyers to “walk through” the space from their mobile device or computer. Zillow has an app that allows you to upload such a tour to a listing there, but for use across multiple platforms, you may want to hire a professional to splice this type of tour for you.
  • Live Walkthroughs: With a rise in social distancing, these have become more popular. Using a live video option, such as Facebook live or YouTube live, you can walk through a space, as viewers watch and ask you questions about specific features.
  • Neighborhood Tour: Location, location, location, right? Don’t forget to show off the neighborhood of a property, especially if it boasts unique opportunities such as walking or biking trails, restaurants and shopping, parks, or other community elements.

Examples of Real Estate Videos

Realtor Team Video Example

This is your chance to share some personal details about your team, hobbies or interests, so buyers start to feel like they know your team. You can also talk about the neighborhoods and communities you serve and why you enjoy this career. In this way, you can connect with your target audience. 

Home Buyer Testimonial Video Example

When you do develop a strong, personal relationship with a client, that’s ideal for a video interview. It doesn’t have to be flashy, although professional editing goes a long way. But as far as the interview, just ask them, “What made this experience different?” and “Why should someone work with us?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZHdj6c54W4&feature=emb_title

Home Tour Video Example

Use this opportunity to point out the truly special parts of the property and who it might best suit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpwcSGCacNs

Where to Post Real Estate Videos

Once you’ve created your realtor videos, make sure to place them in the right places online to gain maximum exposure and to get them in front of the right buyers. 

Start with YouTube. This will give you a home base for the video, so you can directly send the link to buyers or realtors, who may be interested. For educational and introductory videos, you may want to send in an email newsletter or in an email to new clients.

When you post on YouTube, and other places, make sure to use relevant keywords in your title and description, such as the neighborhood name, number of bedrooms or bathrooms, and so on. 

You can also use that link to share your videos on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and more.

Don’t forget to put your property tour videos on the listing pages. Some listing websites, such as Zillow, may have a place for you to upload the video directly. Others may require you to reference the YouTube link. 

Taking Video in Real Estate to the Next Level

Now that you’ve experimented with video, it’s time to take your marketing to the next level. Make video tours part of your sales package, by including them as part of the listing process. Hiring a professional on an ongoing basis can make that process easier. 

When looking for professionals, remember that a voice over talent can bring a consistency and professionalism that your videos require. Writing a script and overlaying their read on the walkthrough video will keep your tours sounding similar, reflecting your welcoming brand, and can ensure that the audio quality is crisp and understandable. You can also find a voice over talent whose voice reflects your own target market, making your videos more relatable. 

Yes, you can try to do it yourself, but when you’re busy trying to connect buyers with the right properties, you may not have time for multiple takes. When you’re a busy, successful real estate agent, anything you can take off your plate and hand off to someone else is always a plus. A voice over talent can do that work for you, providing a clean audio file, that will inspire confidence and excitement in your buyers. 

Want to learn more about working with a voice over talent? Connect with me anytime. 

 

Making New Year Business Goals

Business, Marketing

As you’re thinking about your own new year’s resolutions, are you putting together some new year business goals as wel

l? Your business life deserves the kind of fresh start and intentional thinking that the rest of you does.

It’s time for a new year, a new fresh start. But when it comes to business, how do you know where to start? Let’s take a look at some ideas, based on everything we went through last year and all the trends that are likely to drive us all forward in 2021.

Start With What Wasn’t Working

We can all admit there were a lot of unavoidable bumps in the road last year. Shutdowns and stay at home orders kept people at home, rather than in stores, offices, and more. We faced economic and financial issues, logistics and process issues, shipping slow downs, regulation shifts, and more.

But setting all of that aside, it’s time to ask yourself, “What really held me back this year?”

Maybe it’s time to get out a list, your favorite planner, pour a giant cup of tea, and really think about it.

Need some tea recommendations? You’re welcome to check out my Steeping Time YouTube channels and my reviews here. 

Here are some questions to ask yourself:

  • What held you back this year?
  • What did you wish you could have accomplished more of this year?
  • Where do you want to see yourself in another year?
  • What did you find frustrating and out of your control last year? 
  • What you can control this year?

Alright, now that you know which areas you want to build your new year business goals around, let’s take a look at some actionable steps you could be taking to make those more than goals, but realities in 2021. 

Let’s Make Things Simpler In the New Year

There’s been a lot of talk lately about the level of simplicity that this pandemic, and year, has brought to our lives. Of course, so many issues of this year have brought certain stresses and complications we weren’t expecting.

But we also weren’t expecting to reconnect with our loved ones at home the way we’ve been able to. We weren’t expecting the breathing room that comes with a cleared social calendar. We weren’t expecting to suddenly have time for those hobbies we’d been hoping to take up. This year has taught us how to slow down, how to reprioritize, and how to rebuild our lives in a way that we’ve never had the time for before. 

We can take those lessons to work too. 

  • Prioritize In many ways this year, we’ve learned what’s really important to us. Let’s set that kind of focus on our businesses as well. Let’s focus our energies on topics that grow us toward our goals and inspire us on a daily basis, rather than chasing carrots that we think we should catch, and never will.
  • Streamline Finding yourself spinning your wheels in some area of business too much? Now is a good time to look at streamlining your business. How can you readjust and create workflows that work for you? And by doing so, how can you free up your time to get back to that inspiring work we just talked about?
  • Outsource When you’ve determined what you want to be doing with your time this year, and what you want to be working better or more efficiently without your direct support, it’s a great time to assess what you can be outsourcing. Another great lesson of 2020 is that remote teams can work. So whatever business you are in, it may be time to start looking for employees, contractors, vendors, or partners who can support the work you do.

Digital Is Where It’s At This Year

Whether you’ve explored it a bit, are a total newbie, or have leveraged digital technology for years, it’s time to take digital to the next level in the new year. This year, more than ever, forced us all at home, away from in-office meetings, from trade shows, from conferences, and more. Everything from marketing and sales to day-to-day communication has gone digital and it’s time to get up to speed. 

What can you take digital this year?

  • Payroll and HR
  • Employee communications 
  • Sales and Marketing
  • Processes and Workflows
  • CRM and Customer Communication

Since we are on the topic, marketing is a big arena that’s shifting to digital fast. Sales and marketing teams have had fewer opportunities to meet with potential customers, with trade shows and conferences being canceled this year. There’s a lot of talk about when and how they are coming back, but after a year of this, digital sales and marketing have exploded. Many may not feel comfortable gathering in the near future, and even if they do, so many of us have grown accustomed to digital communication. Businesses who lean into digital are going to do best in 2021.

Video marketing will be critical in the coming year. Now is the time to think about how you can get the word out with explainer videos or whiteboard videos. Here’s a great example of how you can use videos to connect with customers digitally. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSqfLMVrv0A&feature=youtu.be

Partnering With Marketing Experts

As you’re putting together your new year’s resolutions for your business, one of the best things you can do is connect with a list of qualified, trusted vendors you can rely on. Just because we can’t always meet with people over coffee or network at a local event, we can still make meaningful connections with business professionals we can trust, for our own services and to refer to others. 

How can you make genuine connections online?

  • Start with your values. What matters most to you?
  • Ask around. Make introductions and ask your friends for referrals. 
  • Share lists and connections with others.

If you’re looking for voice talent or video marketing referrals, I’d love to connect. Drop me a line anytime and ask me about the type of marketing vendor you’re looking to connect with. I probably have someone I can introduce you to. 

We’ve walked through a year of uncertainties and global shifting and are all ready for a fresh start. Of course, none of us can predict what can happen in 2021. Guessing would be futile, as we’ve learned, but that doesn’t mean we can’t be ready. 

Being prepared for whatever comes our way this year means being flexible and agile. It means facing the future with a certain courage and setting your face toward your goals. 

Let’s walk into the new year with a fresh focus on our priorities, and what matters most to us, in business and in life. Let’s be ready to use what we have, where we are, to make this year better than the last for the world around us.