Amethyst Answers

web creation and social media training for small businesses

Wonderful People

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I have the great fortune to know some fantastic and wonderful people. They are great at what they do, and I think you should know them too. Maybe you have a certain project that needs tackling, but it’s on your “I’d rather have my toenails pulled out” list. If that’s true, then it’s in your best interest to outsource it. That’s where I come in for lots of people who aren’t in love with computers and technology the way I am. But this isn’t about me. Back to these wonderful people I know. I’d like to introduce them to you. Maybe you could use their help, or know someone else who could. I’m sure they’d love to meet you, and you’ll love what they can do for you.  So starting in the near future, I’ll be showcasing people and companies that I gladly refer to anyone.

In the meantime, if there is a particular service or product you are looking for, whether it’s related to the internet or not, feel free to email me, or just type in that fancy little comment box. If I know someone who can help you out, well you just helped them out by bumping them to the top of my list to be featured! And if I don’t know someone, I’ll see who I can dig up for you…I like a good problem to solve!

 

Valuable Feedback

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Many of the new female entrepreneurs I meet have a hard time perceiving their own value. When asked what their customers love about them, they aren’t sure. Some of these fantastic ladies aren’t even sure if their customers have had a good experience at all. They hope so, but couldn’t tell  you for certain.

So, if you aren’t sure that your customers have had a good experience with you, how can be sure you are doing the right things? If you aren’t sure what your customers are experiencing, how can you make improvements to be even better?

I have two words for you: Ask and Listen.

You can ask some of your returning clients to provide you with testimonials. After all, there must be some reason they keep coming back to you. Always make sure that it’s a pressure-free request though. You could even make a contest out of it, asking people to post to your facebook page why they would recommend you to a friend, for a chance to win <insert great prize here>. Then you get lots of great feedback, and some great pr on your page.

You could also ask your connections on LinkedIn for a recommendation. These are quite commonplace, so no need to feel awkward for asking. Just make sure you are confident that the person you are asking is likely to have good things to say about you, and for good measure, be prepared to write a testimonial about your experience with them as well.

If you want to ask a large group of people for some input, and you want them to feel comfortable about being frank, consider trying a poll or survey site, like Survey Monkey. You can set up the questions as multiple choice, yes/no, short answer and more, and unless you ask for specific contact information, all answers are anonymous.

Whatever way you choose to ask, it’s important to make sure you listen to the feedback. And don’t forget, you can listen without even asking! On twitter, you can use the search tool to see what people are saying about your services, and your competition’s. Make sure you monitor your facebook page while you’re at it, and again, it never hurts to know what your competition is up to.

How do you get feedback about your business? Please use the comment section to share!

Jumping off the Social Media bridge

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“Because everyone else is doing it” is usually not a good reason to do anything. Remember what your mom always said: “If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you?”

But when it comes to social media for your business, “because everyone else is doing it” actually makes a bit of sense. Granted, it’s still not for everyone, but it’s worth considering. It becomes a standard, and if you don’t meet the minimum requirements for the standard, you could be missing out on business. Some people like to check out websites before even deciding on a short-list when looking for a service provider. If you don’t have a website for them to find, you may as well not exist.

Another reason for joining the social media party is the conversation you can participate in. Not only can you “eavesdrop” on conversations people are having about you, but you provide a better environment for them to have these conversations. If someone receives a bad haircut, they usually tell their friends, who may or may not tell their friends, and so on and so forth. But with social media, they just might talk about it on twitter too, and they just might mention where they got it. Same idea as telling friends in person, except with a much greater impact. They aren’t likely to tell all of their friends in person, but with twitter, every person who follows them could potentially learn of their ‘do disaster. But, if you are on twitter as well, not only can you monitor for what people are saying about you, you have the opportunity to remedy the situation by responding!

If you’re thinking of taking the plunge, it’s a good idea to know what you’re getting yourself into. Check out A Social Media Strategy for Startups in 11 Steps on thenextweb.com for some pointers.

Website launch

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It’s up! I got my butt in gear and figured out the home page. It certainly isn’t the final version, but it works for now. So please, do me a favour and check out my new website at www.amethystanswers.weebly.com and if you are feeling generous, like it and share it on facebook, tweet it on twitter and just pass it on any way you can to everyone you know!

Ugh!

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I’m stuck.

I have this great idea, and I know there are people who could use my services. I have all the platforms to get my message out, but I can’t launch my webpage. Why? Content! I have the layout and framework all done. I even have the majority of the pages done. But the most important page, the home page, that’s where I’m stuck. I don’t know how to best explain and pitch my business idea to potential customers! Maybe I’m putting too much pressure on myself to make it perfect. But also, this part just isn’t my forte.

We all have strengths and weaknesses. Things we are great at, and other things we’d rather just ignore because they are “too hard”. For me, it’s the pitch. For my potential clients, it’s building the framework. We all have talents that we can use to help each other. There is strength in numbers, and when we have support, we can build something extra great! I recognize that I am struggling with my home page content, so I’m going to do something about it. Well, I’m going to do a few somethings about it.

First, I’m going to try to brainstorm some thoughts to get a clearer picture of what I want to say.

Second, I’m asking some friends to help me. Friends who are much better at this particular kind of writing than I am, and who know what I am trying to saying without me actually saying it.

Third, I’m going to throw it out there to you, the reader. If you have any thoughts and would like to contribute to helping make my website great, please feel free to add a comment to this post!

Welcome

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Hi!

Welcome to Amethyst Answers, the blog! I guess the first question to answer is “Who am I?”

So, here’s a bit about me. I started Amethyst Circle Reiki and Wellness in 2010 as a mobile Reiki practice. I have expanded my services to include Reiki classes, Angel card readings, and have added products like homemade healing balms and lip balms.

Now I am launching another stream under the Amethyst heading….Amethyst Answers. I’ve met a lot of people who are just starting a new business like myself, and lots of them aren’t too sure how to set up a facebook page, or a blog, or newsletter. These are intelligent people who don’t need to pay a big marketer lots of money to take care of everything for them. They just need a helping hand to get started. That’s where I come in!

If you need help understanding and setting up accounts with facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, blogs, websites or newsletters, I’m your gal.

I’ll help with anything I can, so if it’s not on the list, all you have to do is ask. And if I can’t help, I’ll refer you to someone who can!