When you are launching a new business or refreshing the look of one you already have, it’s easy to fall into one of two camps when you start a website design. One is you get overwhelmed by the thought of what to do and how to do it so you procrastinate and it never gets done. The other extreme is you don’t put a lot of thought into it and…
Pinterest is continuing to gather speed in the business social media race and smart marketers are using this visual platform to its fullest extent. If you are a small business owner and have already set up a Pinterest business page, good for you! If you haven’t yet, it is not too late to start profiting from the popular act of pinning images onto virtual boards! Pinterest has definitely earned the…
Regardless of the social media platforms you use as a small business, it’s important to know that visuals are where it’s at these days! But to get the most out of your tweet, post or pin, you need to make sure that your visual or visuals pack a punch and give you the most from the time you invest reinforcing your branding on social media. Check out this visual explanation…
Today’s blog post is meant to inspire those of you starting out in your businesses or perhaps stalled in your businesses and thinking the big brands or larger companies are the only ones getting all the followers on social media. We found out through Social Media Examiner.com about a work-at-home mom who has capitalized on social media and the number of her followers is quite amazing. Read on to find out…
Okay, I know we covered the topic of reasons to blog for your business earlier in the year but we believe so much in the power of this communication tool that we thought it would be worth another blog post to give you even more reasons to consider doing one to get more followers of your brand this year! If you haven’t started a business blog yet, now is the…
The social media revolution for business is here to stay so you need to know all there is to know about social media marketing. This is especially evident when there is a major conference held for just digital social media marketing specialists talking about using social media for marketing. I’m talking about the Social Media Marketing World 2013 Conference that was held recently in San Diego, CA with more than 1000…
For today’s social media news, we wanted to blog about SEO for your small business marketing. I have some good news and some not-so-good news to share. Most of you are probably aware of the latter. When it comes to the search engine optimization or SEO, the big brands usually dominate that valuable piece of real estate known as the FIRST PAGE of the search engine results. However, according to a recent…
If you are a small business owner and think branding in social media stops at your company name and logo, you are coming up short. We believe it is equally important to build your personal branding along with your business because in the end, companies come and go but there is only one of you! So this blog post is dedicated to inspiring you to think about your unique qualities…
So many social media posts, so little time! Now that many of you have accepted social media as part of your business marketing mix to get more followers who hopefully will turn into buyers of your product or service, where does one find the time to add these new tasks to an already full plate? Well, we thought we’d share with our readers some tips on how you can be more efficient in…
Whether it’s a company blog post, article on your website or other content marketing piece, publicizing it on social media, particularly Facebook, is important for maximum leverage and visibility. But to make sure your Facebook fans are getting to see your company’s Facebook content, read on. As we discussed in an earlier business blog post, each Facebook user has a news feed that is based on their network and their pattern of activity….
An article I read recently gave great examples of how big brands successfully use the most popular social media like Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest to reinforce their branding to current and potential customers. Here are three popular companies and how they brand themselves across different platforms: Let’s start with Target. They seem to have cornered the red color market and it works beautifully for them. Their Facebook cover image shows a…
By now, most of you know that setting up a Facebook page for business should be included as part of your marketing mix. But are you maximizing it to its full potential? In order for that to happen, one thing you need to do, if at all possible, is to run Facebook Contests. Not only does it help drive more traffic to your Facebook page but helps you to get more LIKES….
I know, just when you figured out how to do business branding on social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter and possibly even Pinterest. along comes another one to consider. We are talking about Instagram and if you have pre-teens or teens at home, there is a good chance you heard about it from them. Ever since Facebook acquired Instagram, its popularity has soared and since it is a free way to…
For as much as Twitter can help businesses, it’s interesting how a good amount of business owners think this social medium is only good for big brands or if you are a celebrity or in the public eye. While it certainly does work well for them, it can also help those who are marketing their small or medium sized business. Twitter has played a key role in the rise of the social…
We are happy to announce the recent launch of another eye-catching website—this time for our fabulous client Mommy & Company. The owner wanted a unique and creative WordPress eCommerce website that had fun branding elements and that’s what we gave her! We worked hand and hand with the client to ensure that each element of her new website reflected everything she wanted. We are thrilled to have given her a shopping website…
Now more than ever, having a strong branding for your business is essential to standing out over your competitors. But as a small business owner, we know it is tough to compete against those with big advertising dollars who can easily promote their branding image. So what do you do? We found some helpful tips from an informative blog targeted to small business owners. It’s called smallbusinessbonfire.com and here is…
If you are ready to launch a new business or revamp the branding of an existing one—designing a visually appealing and fully functional website is a key part of the success equation. So if you have asked yourself, “how do I start a website and design a look that will help me move my business forward”, this blog post is for you! We will give you clear tips on how to create an…
Whether you are looking for Facebook page developers like us who can create and set up an eye-catching Facebook page for your business or you plan to do it yourself, this blog post is for you! Here are some informative tips we found on a blog by hubspot.com: Think of how you want to classify your business. Facebook provides six different classifications to choose from: Local business or place, artist…
As we mentioned in earlier blog posts, we are big fans of including a business blog when you open a website and hope as a business owner, you have considered adding a blog to your business marketing mix. However, you need to make sure you optimize your posts to get the maximum SEO results from your efforts. For some of you, those three little words –search engine optimization—can make…
Most of us know the story behind the start and rise of Facebook thanks to the success of the movie, The Social Network and all the publicity that Facebook generates. But did you know that since its roll out to the public in March 2011 (and developed in 2009), Pinterest has been named by many organizations, including SAP and Netbase, as the fastest growing social site ever? Smart businesses are…
As a follow up to our latest post on why it’s a great idea to start a blog in 2013, I wanted to share more social media news with you. This post’s topic is to help guide you to better business blogging. Check out our 10 tips below: Use great photos and visuals– we are a visual society so using good photos to reinforce your message in a blog post is important. You…
It’s 2013 and time to take a fresh look at your social media marketing strategy and make sure it will include everything you need to achieve the best results for the coming year. If you are a business owner who hasn’t set up a business blog yet, then this is the year to do so! It is not as intimidating as it might seem at first and don’t worry–you don’t have to…
Hip, Hip, Hooray! It’s our latest branding identity board that we did for our client, Life Over Ice! When Nikki, the founder of Adult Beverage Company, came to us with this fantastic concept of creating a blog where she can share her off-the wall stories and great business tips we jumped at the opportunity to work with her. Not only is Nikki super fun, but her ideas were right up…
When putting together an overall customer communications/marketing strategy for your biz, a few things come to mind. Let’s see….start a new website—check, develop marketing materials—check, create a Facebook business page and set up a Twitter account—check, check. But have you considered adding content marketing to the mix? Not aware of the concept of content marketing? It is basically a way of communicating to your existing and potential clients any information…
I’m so happy to share with you the newest logo, branding and eCommerce Website launch of yet another fabulous client of ours- I Thee Bling. Our client owns an online boutique that offers beautiful, high quality bridal accessories, “Couture for every Girl”, all on one website, which saves brides time and money. Who wants to waste time searching website after website for items from several different vendors? Really, it’s genius! You can…
It’s that time of year again! After Black Friday is over and everyone has shopped Small Biz Saturday it is Cyber Monday! People sit at their desks and peruse website after website looking for great deals to snatch up. Well, have I got a great deal for you! The Savvy Socialista Cyber Monday Giveaway! That’s right! I’m giving away over $1300 in goodies from some of my very favorite online…
I’m thrilled to share a new website we recently launched for one of our Web Development clients–Layna Lark, an online retailer of high quality fabulous jewelry. The Savvy Socialista developed a brand identity style and color palette for her website (see our graphic below) that matches the overall look she wanted to achieve for her beautiful jewelry line and still keep a high functioning Magento eCommerce Website. If you are…
With the addition of photo sharing programs like Pinterest and Instagram to the social media revolution, business owners can no longer afford to ignore the benefits of jumping on this bandwagon. Today we are going to talk about how to use Pinterest for business and to attract more customers. According to a recent survey conducted by PriceGrabber.com, 21 percent of the people who were surveyed and had accounts on Pinterest claimed…
Thanks to a program called EdgeRank, Facebook is deciding for you what comes through on your newsfeed on a regular basis to save you from being bombarded with too many posts from all your different “likes”. Unfortunately, as a business owner, this means the algorithm program determines which Facebook fans get to see your business posts based on those who “like” or comment on them. If your fans don’t take…
A strong logo is essential for brand identity. When consumers see your logo do they know who you are? Are they connecting with it? Will they remember it? When it comes to design, things don’t have to be complicated in order to be effective. Although, it can be tempting to over design and try to work in lots of detail, it’s not always the best way. This is especially…
What do you remember about your first camera? Was it a simple point and shoot variety? Did it use actual film – before the digital age took over? My guess is yes – so the fancy, highly technically advanced cameras of today could be slightly overwhelming for the average lay person. Like you and me! Because documenting memories with photography is more common than it’s ever been, there tends…
You know all about Pinterest and what a great resource it is for…well, everything. And let’s not even talk about how addicting it is! Let’s look into it a bit further… Pinterest is essentially a visual bookmarking tool. There are a number of sites and platforms that serve as social bookmarking tools: Delicious is probably the best known one; StumbleUpon, Reddit and Digg are variations on the concept of the merging of…
Picture this…it’s October 30th, Halloween is tomorrow, you have a party to attend, and have absolutely NO idea what you’re going to do for a costume. Or, it’s the morning of October 31st and you JUST NOW were invited to a fabulous Halloween party by that mom at the soccer field you’ve always wanted to befriend. What in the world are you going to do!?!?!? No need to panic,…
It’s no secret that Facebook is constantly changing up the rules on users – whether we’re using Facebook for personal or business purposes. Sometimes it just makes you want to scream, right!? But not every change is necessarily a bad thing… Users – any user, including non-fans – can post on fan page walls and like-comment-share fan page content. So basically, a Facebook user doesn’t have to “like” your…
Let’s face it…there’s nothing fun about sticking to a strict budget. But there are easy money-saving tricks you can use to cut back here and there that won’t feel like a massive drag. Financial whiz Zac Bissonnette, author of the new book, How to be Richer, Smarter, and Better-Looking Than Your Parents, has some easy breezy tips: Rethink Your Cell Plan - Most people don’t have the right plan. You…
So, you have a website and you have a blog – now you want to focus on driving more traffic. It’ll be a team effort, but certainly one that’s doable. Make a company-wide commitment to “content marketing” thru your blog. You will see an increase in organic search traffic which will translate to more and better leads, and sales. Not only will sales volume increase, but there’s potential…
Alright ladies, there are literally zillions of choices when it comes to beauty supplies and cosmetics. The options can truly be overwhelming. And some are downright outrageously expensive. We all want to save a penny or two, right? So, how do you know when you should splurge and when you can save? Read on for specific – and more importantly, useful – tips… The days of people turning…
Yes, blogging for business – not bobbing for apples. Blogging for business has become increasingly more important in today’s social media centric world. Have you been wondering how a blog can help your business? Are you trying to figure out how blog content can improve your sales? What blogging is today Blogging…
The Fall 2012 New York Fashion Week shows were jam-packed with trend after trend. Here are some sure-fire tips on how to wear them without entering the dreaded and dangerous DON’T zone. We all know it’s a tricky line to toe… DO dress up your cozy knits On the runways, cozy sweaters were given a glam update when paired with dazzling skirts and silky printed pants. DON’T be shy! Mix…
It’s 50/50 – let’s meet halfway – find some middle ground… The cliches and figures of speech are endless, but they basically mean the same thing. It’s not all about you! I like this metaphor – just because you show up to a party doesn’t mean anyone necessarily HAS to interact with you. Social media works similarly in that you can build a nice looking Facebook or Twitter profile…
Today is September 11th – a day forever engraved in our memories, in our minds, in our hearts. Many heroes were made that sunny early fall day in 2001 and, sadly, many heroes were tragically lost. I ask, what does the word “hero” mean to you? To some, it means a superstar athlete who plays for their favorite baseball or football team. To others, it means a fictitious character such…
Have you been wondering if the rapidly growing Instagram photo sharing community could somehow benefit your business? How can it be an integral part of your social media strategy? Where does it fit into the big picture (no pun intended)? Long before its acquisition by Facebook and the release of an Android version, Instagram was THE smartphone photo sharing tool of choice for millions. And it’s only growing more…
When I find something so stinking cute I just want to share it with the world…and my Savvy team. This happened, once again, with these darling acrylic monogrammed keychains from Invite Cottage. Aren’t they adorable? They make wonderful monogrammed gifts…think Sweet 16, birthday, “just because”, and of course holiday. You get to select from 12 acrylic colors and which monogram style you’d like for the perfect accessory for the perfect…
That’s right…more gifts for my super Savvy girls! When there are so many cute things out there, I simply can’t resist. This time my girls’ gifts came from a sweet and sassy friend, Much Ado About You. They make and design lovely personalized calendars. I just LOVE their motto – “where fabulous is personal again”! Music to my ears…and their look is so retro-cool. Squee!! Don’t you love them? The…
You all know how much I love to throw parties and adore entertaining! Well, when my good friend – who actually used to be our nanny – Aarika Finch, told me she was pregnant I immediately knew I wanted to throw her an amazing baby shower. Everything came together so perfectly and looked absolutely darling. Funny story…we had actually planned the baby shower for three weeks earlier than we had…
You all know how I love giving fabulous gifts to my fabulous Savvy team. I was so excited to see the looks on their faces when I gave them each their latest gems. We love the custom stamper sets from Three Designing Women and the darling personalized clipboards made by The MacBeth Collection. You can get these adorable clipboards thru our sweet client, Pea Pod Paper & Gifts….
Here at The Savvy Socialista, when we find something truly fantastic and fall in love we want to shout it from the rooftops! Well, this has happened with Invite Cottage…papers & gifts. Their products are simply darling and we adore all of them! Invite Cottage specializes in monogrammed gifts, bags, totes, jewelry, clothing, stationery, and so much more. They’ve been in business since 1991 when they were a traditional…
As a business owner, are your Facebook fans seeing your posts? As someone who “liked” a business page, are their posts appearing in your news feeds? Maybe. Maybe not. Recently, a very shocking piece of info began appearing at the bottom of status updates posted by business page admins – the number of people each post reached coupled with the percentage of their total “likes” it represented. So, basically that…
Meet our newest designing diva, Amanda. She’s a dabbler in many things and brings a variety of experience to The Savvy Socialista team. From an intern at VH1 to meticulously planning her own wedding (including designing her dress!), Amanda’s talents have touched everything from advertising and marketing to signage, environmental graphics, graphic design and branding. But, when she’s not drawing pictures on the monitor, Amanda is usually wielding a needle…
Who doesn’t love FUN, GIRLY, and FREE SOCIAL MEDIA ICONS? So why not combine all three? Check out these darling social media icons for your blog, website, or to use wherever you like. The colors are so perfect for summer – bright, lively, and energetic. And they’re showing…
It’s that time of year…GRADUATION! Whether your special graduate has completed high school or college, we’re here to help you select the perfect graduation gift. We’ve compiled 7 of the most unique and special items your grad is sure to love! 1. Red Roses journal; $19.50 Little Red Tulip carries over 75 different journals to choose from for a graduate of any age. Each one is fully customized including the…
I’m so fortunate to have a wonderful team of gals working on the The Savvy Socialista Team! Not only do we all work so great together, but we have FUN doing it! We all truly do love our jobs and we adore our sweet sweet clients we get to work with, and for, each and every day. Whenever I take the The Savvy Socialista Team out for a team lunch I love…
WE HAVE A WINNER! Congratulations to LUCKY #139 – Sarah Lindsay. She adores Origami Owl and would love to wear a special keepsake locket at her wedding celebration! Well, CONGRATS Sarah, it looks like you’re wish is coming true! I met Isabella Weems and her terrific mama, Crissy, when I was running Believe Boutique in November of 2010. They were wonderful and their product flew off the shelves! You can’t…
WE HAVE A WINNER!! Congratulations to Lucky #11…Ryan Wedge. What a sweetheart of a guy he is! Check out the adorable comment he entered our giveaway with, “I would choose ALL of the prizes for the mother of my 3 children.” We’re sure your lovely wife will be so thrilled with all of her wonderful Savvy gifts this Mother’s Day! Every year, the calendar turns to May and people everywhere…
Meet our newest addition…our Director of Marketing, a Marketing “Marvel”, if you will. Elisa joins Team Savvy bringing an East coast flair, a no-nonsense attitude, and tons of energy. She comes to us with 10 years of marketing experience, and over three decades worth of FUN! Elisa loves all things girly – accessories, fashion, shoes, decor…yet also is a huge sports fan! In fact, prior to starting her career in…