The Social Sandbox Radio Show

Join the Social Media Revolution!

There’s no better time than right now to endeavor into the world of
Social Media. You can close your eyes and try not to look, but
there’s no escaping the reality that Social Media is here to stay,
and business success in 2012, will require that you engage in
the Internet’s top social forums.

So join me next Tuesday, May 8th, at 8:45 am PST. I'll be
sharing "Small Business Marketing Strategies for a Compelling 
Personal Brand That Makes You Client Attractive"

I'll cover topics like:

• The one mindset issue that prevents a business owner from having a clear, compelling personal brand that converts marketing efforts to revenues
• The three common misperceptions about Facebook that stops the business owner from using this powerful marketing channel correctly
• Some of the Benefits to Having a Clear, Compelling Personal Brand Positioning You as Client Attractive
• And exactly what makes me "an innovative woman"

So join me live next week. Just go to http://www.thesocialsandbox.net/ 
and click on the player arrow to listen to the show.

See you there!

Spring is finally here in L.A. and we are all heading into the 2nd business quarter. I know some of you across the country are still experiencing cold and snow. Hang tight. Warmer weather is coming soon. :)

 

I have two very exciting options I know some of you will jump at. Please read on.

 

If you're like me, I am always looking for innovative ways to upgrade my biz even when I am super busy!  

 

Innovation is happening all around us and we need to know which strategies, tools, and marketing systems to really pay attention to and which ones can either wait or just plain ignore.  

 

I hear over and over from clients and friends, "There are so many new options out there all the time - what do I pay attention to?" 

 

Don't get caught up in one of the biggest time-wasters many of us lifestyle entrepreneurs are guilty of - "B.S.O.S." - Bright Shiny Object Syndrome! As entrepreneurs we are optimists and opportunists. That's a good thing but it can be just as detrimental to our business growth.

 

Why?  

 

We are known for being seduced by every NEW social media channel, tool, techy doo-dad that comes our way because we don't' want to miss an opportunity. It could be that magic bullet or million dollar opportunity?!  

 

Right?  

 

My recommendation: learn what is the best use of your time and energy in today's menu of gazillion options and update your business disciplines and marketing systems. This strategy and knowledge builds your brand and the critical "know, like and trust factor" that converts online engagement to revenues.  

 

This translates to... results happen when we BUILD THE BOND online.

 

As you know my schedule is typically very full but my schedule has shifted and for the next two months I have exactly 2 private client spots open and one group Mastermind day.

 

I am offering these at a special rate (discount) because it's springtime ( I feel good!) and I know some of you are ready to upgrade your branding, marketing, mindset and systems by summertime so you can time off with family and then move into a stellar fall season.  

 

So if you'd like to take advantage here's how. Click here  

 

To your success and fulfillment!

Beauty, Bling and Branding You!

Make no mistake, your compelling personal brand is illuminated from the inside out.

Laura Weintraub, of Classy & Chic Makeup Boutique, and I will be giving professional women a big dose of transformational beauty, mindset, and marketing advice at our premiere event, Beauty Bling & Branding You on April 5th in Manhattan Beach, CA at the Ayres Hotel.

Here’s a peek into the evening’s content…

`
Beauty Tip From Laura Weintraub, Founder and Artistic Director of Classy & Chic Makeup Boutique and her upcoming "Beauty Tips and Tricks from the Inside Out" eBook!

Join us for an evening designed for the professional woman who seeks a quality look and brand for her professional image and how to strategically market it on Social Media networks!

Register now at http://bit.ly/style_event.


Pre-event VIP registration ONLY.  $35 includes private VIP pre-event wine + hors d'oeuvres reception, glam goodie bag, raffle tickets for door prizes, power networking with Marla & Laura, and admission to general event Limited spots. (VIP rate increases to $50 this Monday March 26.)

General registration is now $20 and includes Networking and Branding presentations/workshop (General rate increases to $30 on Monday, March 26.)

http://bit.ly/style_event

Here’s YOUR Free Tips (share with your other entrepreneurial women friends):

From Laura Weintraub, Founder and Artistic Director of Classy & Chic Makeup Boutique and her upcoming "Beauty Tips and Tricks from the Inside Out" eBook!

BEAUTY ON THE INSIDE
Inspire Yourself
Start each day by taking 10 minutes to inspire yourself with a quick read from one of your books by a spiritual teacher or mentor. I love to grab a book and ask myself "what do I need to know today"!  I fan the pages over and over until they start to stick together and then when it feels right, I land on a page and read it.  This is based on the "law of attraction" and 99.9% of the time, it's exactly what I need to know in that moment!

BEAUTY ON THE OUTSIDE
Get That Eyeshadow To Stay All Day
Before applying eyeshadow use a waterproof primer then apply your shadow.  My favorite is Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer from Sephora.  It's not only water resistant, it's creaseproof too!
~  ~  ~  ~  ~  ~ ~ ~

From Marla, Personal Branding and Social Media Expert/Strategist of eCreativebiz.com, and her “5 Truths About Social Media Marketing.”

1. Social Media is first and foremost about building quality relationships in a community format, while delivering your personal brand (storytelling) via your profile not just a fan page. Watch your mindset and intention as you post. Gratitude, appreciation, kindness, giving, and serving are all energetically responsible intentions. Success on this platform is building the KNOW, LIKE, & TRUST factor first to prospective and existing community members, selling/promoting second. Social Media is the NEW PR.

2. I liken Social Media to a game of golf. You are having a good time socializing in a casual, enjoyable environment as you play a mindful game that is enhanced by the quality discussions and interactions with your golf partners. With that, you build the KNOW LIKE TRUST and deals go down on the golf course; as they do on Facebook and Twitter. New clients and customers will show up as a result of your consistent postings (and that’s not hard or time consuming when I teach it!) and peer-to-peer marketing.

We will cover these topics in more detail at the event! Join us for an evening designed for the professional woman who seeks a quality look and brand for her professional image and how to strategically market it on Social Media networks!

Register by March 26th for a VIP status or general admission by clicking on the link: http://bit.ly/style_event

How to Build "Quality" Communities on Your Fan Page

The biggest challenge and most often asked question I receive from my clients is how to build "quality" communities on their fan page.

Here's the secret:

Your fan page must be attached to your personal page/friend network. No stand alone fan pages please. As you build your friend network with your target market (key strategy), make a habit of 1-2x a week going into your fan page and "Suggest to friends." See, your main account at FB is your core strategy for building quality communities for your personal and fan pages.  You are feeding your fan page with these hand-chosen people from your friend community.

Make sure the person fits into your culture and mindset and they are real. I did have a fraud recently in my community who I luckily caught and de-friended, plus reported to FB.

Building quality online communities is much more than tangible tools. It's clarity in who is your ideal client/market with an energetic connection to who they are. Tangible with the intangible. Everything IS energy. Being energetically responsible with how you are thinking, feeling, and speaking sends your message out as your unique chemistry to your market.

By the way, I post tips, tools, and strategies on my NEW fan page daily. Please join me and the growing community at http://www.facebook.com/SocialMediaSavvy

Your True Purpose in Showing Up on Social Media in a Bigger Way

Can we talk? I want you to imagine I am sitting right next you.

I’m sitting at my computer right now reaching out to you via this medium online.  I am here 100%.

So let's get real, ok?

How's your social media marketing REALLY going? Are you building communities that resonate with you? Do you engage frequently with your communities on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube?  Are you posting compelling info to create interaction?

Are you allowing the REAL you to show up through your postings?

Or are you hiding behind the computer hesitant to post something in fear it may come across not appropriate? Are you afraid of being "seen" in the wrong way?

One of my students in a past Facebook teleseries class said, "I feel so relieved. You (Marla) are giving us permission to just be ourselves while on Facebook and make it ok to shine the light on our brilliance while we serve our expertise to our communities."

She and many others are in BIG fear of appearing incorrectly or being too "boastful" about their business, their accomplishments, and their lives. This is the most common fear most entrepreneurs have. This trumps the technology fears many have by far.

And that is one BIG lie you tell yourself. (That’s ego not spirit.)
Here’s the truth: we are here to shine our lights to inspire others. It's not about you. It's about you showing up in the world in your most authentic way that inspires others to do the same. Social Media is a gift that allows you to do just that.

As you make yourself visible on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn, -- you are marketing you as the brand. You have an obligation to expose your talents that can transform someone's life. This is your true purpose for showing up in a bigger way on Social Media.

Small or large - you are here to serve.

And this is where your personal brand comes in. I guide you how to be savvy & sophisticated in your presence - your virtual voice online - your image. It is then you give others permission to do the same which leads to thousands serving one another in a BIG way. I call this the Law of Increase; being a good steward of Social Media.

This concern must be dealt with before you even consider learning all the fabulous tools and applications on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and more. The tools won’t be effective for you until you allow yourself to be transparent and engage frequently on these platforms.
 
Isn't it time you stop hiding and step up to serve others by being the real brilliant you?

How can you do that?  Start by understanding the art of storytelling in your branding. Today in our “social reward economy” we are digital storytellers. Your life is a story that inspires and connects with others.  All your posts over time add up to form you, the brand.

Three reasons why storytelling is so important:

• People can relate to brands through their stories. Stories are humanizing. People connect with stories.

• People remember details and messages more effectively through stories.  Storytelling helps people create images in the mind and these images "stick" better than just talk. (So don't shy away from the colorful, quirky details that give your story character.)

• Storytelling conveys the unique evolution of you – the brand; people want to connect with you.

Personal branding in business today is not a luxury; it's a necessity if you are to deliver powerful marketing and generate serious revenues. Again, we live in a “social reward” economy. The more savvy you become in your social media marketing – the more income you will make. Your personality and everyday thoughts, feelings, and events create your brand in order to build the know, like and trust factor while using social media.

Key tip: your personal page on Facebook is paramount in your marketing.  Please do not leave this out of the equation because you may think you are not supposed to mix business with personal; quite the contrary. The fan page is 100% business; but it’s your personal brand that captures the emotional resonance of your relationships online. It’s you reaching out to others not a business.

When we move our offline life to an online presence (virtual world) we aspire to be as authentic and transparent as possible in order to build relationships that eventually convert to clients and customers.

I am encouraging you to raise your standards in how you market so that you are in alignment with the way our NEW economy is requiring us to be and do.  We aspire to talk “with” our communities not talk “at” them as we post and inspire interaction. That’s true engagement.

My clients consistently ask what’s the most simple way to begin to raise my standards and how do I inspire engagement?  I start with “content is queen” and even more so - compelling content is best!

Here’s a few “At-a-Glance” topics that will inspire engagement on Facebook & Twitter. Begin using this today:

TIP: (Be sure to post photos, videos, & links for more consistent placement in Newsfeed on Facebook; and use first person, conversational format)

• Current topics in the news (positive!)

• Fashion, movies, TV shows, celebrities, philanthropy, culture, books, music, art, comedy, social media successes

• Every day relationships: romance, family, children, friends, weddings,

• Personal triumphs where others were served well, too.

• Personal philanthropy/humanitarian activities – be sure to post photos and videos of you and other volunteers doing the activity for the non-profit. Post narration of the event in your posting.

• Inspiration

• Pets

• Travel, vacations.

Your personal branding success formula to monetize your Social Media is: Brand + Identify + Post + Engage + Build = Success.  I dare you to Step into the Spotlight with confidence, savvy & ease!



*******

Article excerpt from Marla’s high content eBook of small business secrets to help you thrive in our social reward economy, “Step into the Spotlight with Confidence, Savvy, and Influence; Innovate Your Marketing with a Compelling Personal Brand." 
More details about the ebook: http://bit.ly/PBInnovate

May the Joy Rise Within You. Thanks Oprah!

Where have I been? I had no idea of the depth of Oprah's impact on people's lives. My inner world has changed noticeably in the last two weeks since making my living room into a life class with Oprah from 11 pm - 1 am Mon-Fri.

Given that Oprah's daytime show for 25 years was on at 4 pm daily, I rarely had the luxury to watch the show. Either my work as a publicist had me watching her a few times for clients or I would grab snippets here and there on YouTube or late night repeats, but never a consistent diet of Oprah.  I admit, I am an Oprah believer and student now.

This blog entry is far from my branding topic and more about what makes my heart sing in a bigger way. 

How my life could have been different had I embraced her long before this, I don't know. 

But, I do know I am seriously grateful for becoming an Oprah Life Class student 5 nights a week. Her Life Class is now part of my personal development/spiritual practice. 


I had no idea to the depth of her influence in people's lives until this past few weeks. I was brought to tears last night more than once in watching just how much joy she gives to others. I was in awe as I watched Oprah last night demonstrate her true meaning of JOY RISING when she took an entire audience (several 100) to the magical country of Australia last year and how they paid it forward to many in their lives once back home due to her gracious gift. 


These several hundred people had major life changing experiences as a result of their Australian experience with Oprah. During the Life Class show she recorded interviews of several people today who attended that trip and how the experience changed their lives. Remarkable. Talk about paying it forward! Many stepped into non-profit work, gave back to their communities, and forged new relationships that never would have occurred had they not been graced by Oprah's generosity. Now that's a movement like I have never seen before.

Her life lesson last night  - "May the joy rise within you and pay it forward to others." Her vision is to see a joyful world where we give to one another. She lives her life on purpose and that is incredibly inspiring.  

Another "Joy Rising" example she shared from a past show concerned two men in her an "after the show" segment. They were huge Mariah Carey fans and stood up asking to see her. Oprah granted that wish and brought them to her concert.  That day while at the concert, they were asked to be in Mariah's video. So not only did they get their wish but it was even better than they could dream of! Oprah observing their "joy rising" is what she lives for. 

Then the next part of their story is incredible.

These two men changed their lives dramatically as a result of being on her show back then. When they watched themselves once the original show aired, one realized he was heavier than he realized and lost 60 lbs months by disciplining himself to run marathons. The other man noticed a strange lump on his neck while watching himself on TV. He went to the doctor and found an advanced cancer in his neck! He's cancer free today. Had these men not asked for what they wanted and Oprah had not honored their wish, their lives would have had a very different look and feel today. Pay it forward.

The life changing stories just go on and on with this woman. I have since jumped into her online Life Class on her site and even entered her contest to be a chosen audience member (Hey, that's where it all happens!)  for the airing of one of her Life Class shows. She moved her production company out to L.A. (yeah!) and films the show out here. I am putting it out to the Universe to be chosen! 

All of this has led to some very inspirational ideas that will soon be revealed. Let's just say it follows the same theme of "Joy Rising." My inspired idea was born out of giving that which you want. I have always wanted a loving family that was very involved in my life, a true sense of belonging and worldwide travel. So, the theme brewing centers on families, a sense of belonging, travel, joy, and giving back to families who otherwise would not have the ability to vacation together or travel.  More to come. Stay tuned! 

For now, I ask you to inspire JOY for others in some way, some how. Then find the JOY in your own heart and soul and nourish it.

Blessings,

Marla

Do You Have a Consistent Branding Strategy?

A consistent branding strategy is important in tying all your communications together and avoiding confusion by your target audience.

There are 5 important keys to consider in your branding:

1. Crystal clear idea of how you want your image presented (sold) and the effect it has on your market (audience).

2. Innovative and unique: What speaks to your personality that is authentic, interesting and innovative?

3. Consistency in delivery and continuity in look and feel of the brand.

4. Core values: does your brand speak to your core values?

5. Pick your dream team wisely: choose the best experts who are most qualified to understand, support and deliver your brand and vision.

Join my entrepreneurial community for my 30 day Facebook Prosperity Program where I delve further into each of these 5 keys to set you up for an expansive 2011:

"Take My Facebook Communities from Blasé to Buzzing for Higher Revenues!"

30-day Prosperity Facebook Program
4-part teleseries

4 Tuesdays 5:00- 6:15 Pacific
Nov 9,16,23,30

Register here

Register by November 5th to take advantage of the early bird rate (increases $100). It's worth the investment in yourself!

Changes you can expect from this 30-day "get started" innovative group program:

• Understanding how the correct mindset, etiquette, and strategies on Facebook will change the way you EXPERIENCE social media and how it can expand your relationships, business, income and life.

• Demystify the power behind Facebook and make it your daily partner in moving your business forward using my effective strategies and tools.

• Your belief will shift in how the "energetic component" to your target market process works. It actually helps attract IDEAL clients, customers, or patients!

• You'll feel more confident in using the technology on Facebook that streamlines your time and makes it more productive. Much less guessing and frustration.

• And so much more!

Let's move you forward and join the thousands who are using Facebook time for revenue producing time! Register here.