Category: Social media

Virtual sales team –  what’s most effective for business development?

An increasing number of businesses are choosing to use a virtual sales team. From digital marketing to cold calling, there are a variety of way for business owners to drive growth and connect with new customers.

In this blog, we talk to Vicky McKenna, regional director of Get Ahead Oxfordshire, who shares her insights into our most popular business development services and which one might work for you.

Why are so many businesses choosing to use a virtual sales team?

Vicky: One of the most interesting statistics to come out of a recent Get Ahead survey is the 11% increase in clients choosing our business development services. This indicates two interesting business trends:

Firstly, more businesses are aware of the need to put their energy into business growth – they’re actively pursuing it instead of just accepting the status quo and crossing their fingers. This is good news – it raises the bar for business leadership, as well as meaning that more businesses are likely to succeed in the long term. I’ve always been horrified that 50% of businesses fail in the first three years – active business development could reduce that figure considerably.

Secondly, the increase in outsourcing business development shows that business owners are looking at what the competition is doing. We’ve already seen this race in social media, which has gone from being a nice-to-have to a business essential. In the same way, strategic business development is becoming the norm. More business owners are realising that what they have is worth shouting about, as long as they shout louder than the competition!

What are the most popular business development services?

Vicky: Our survey of clients – who have businesses of all shapes and sizes and are located all over the country – shows that 38% come to us for digital marketing to drive their business growth. This includes email marketing, SEO, pay per click and more. We don’t know exactly why this is, but we are aware there are many aspects of digital marketing that make sense to outsource. For example, I couldn’t jump straight on Mailchimp and send out a marketing email – my role is talking to clients on an individual level and matching them to virtual experts. If I need to send out a marketing email, I outsource it to one of our team who’ll put it together in less than an hour.

The second most popular is social media, which 28% of our clients ask for. While most of us know how to write a post and share it on Facebook or LinkedIn, we also know what a drain on time social media can be, and how hard it is to post consistently. For this reason, our clients find it’s more efficient to outsource social media for business development.

In third place is customer relationship management and sales campaigns. As with digital marketing, these are areas where it’s useful to have an expert take the lead, which would account for their popularity among Get Ahead clients.

What’s the best business development approach?

Vicky: We’ve seen that digital marketing is the most popular, followed by social media and CRM. However, the best business development approach is the one that works for your business and delivers the best return on your investment.

Different businesses grow in different ways. Some gain more customers, while others evolve, improve or find their niche. Each of these approaches needs strategy behind it to be effective – the strategy will also highlight what business development approach will be the best for your organisation.

If you’re ready to develop your business but you don’t know where to start, Get Ahead can help. I’m part of a team of regional directors – each of one of us helps clients identify the right solution for their unique business and we can help you too. Explore our site to find out more and get in touch whenever you’re ready!

Business travellers are a great source of ongoing bookings for hotels and bed-and-breakfasts. In this blog, we look at how to attract business travellers and why it makes good business sense.

Why should I try to attract business travellers to my hotel?

Business travellers present a fantastic opportunity to hotel owners. Unlike holidaymakers, who often only stay during high season, business travellers need accommodation all year round. If you can become the accommodation of choice when a organisation’s team are working in your local area, you can achieve sustainable levels of occupancy even during low season.

Another advantage of attracting business travellers is that managing one relationship can translate into lots of bookings. Contrast this with holiday bookings, where you have to from scratch with every guest who arrives.

How can I attract business travellers?

To attract business travellers to your hotel, it’s important to market your offering to them in the right way. The marketing you do to attract individuals and families on holiday will not necessarily appeal to your potential business guests. Instead, devote some of your marketing efforts to connecting with businesses.

  1. Adapt and refine your offering

Before you can offer your hotel as the ideal accommodation for business travellers, consider whether it has what a business traveller needs. If it doesn’t, change it! For example, consider offering a streamlined check-in and check-out, so business guests don’t lose valuable time doing paperwork. Be prepared to offer an early breakfast or late dinner to fit in around unusual arrival times. Perhaps you could turn a quiet corner into a dedicated office or meeting space for your business guests. If your internet speeds are slow, invest in an upgrade so business guests can access whatever they need to work during their stay.

  • Create packages

Creating a special package for business travellers makes it easier for procurement managers to see the value you’re offering. Choose the right price point for a room, breakfast and Wi-Fi, maybe with a transport option to connect guests to the station or airport.

  • Target businesses on social media

Once you’re business-traveller ready, it’s time to spread the word! Share dedicated social media posts, not just offering accommodation but highlighting the reasons why your hotel is a great choice for business travellers. You might also consider posting on LinkedIn, the business-to-business social media platform, to connect with the sort of people who might be looking for accommodation for their business travellers.

  • Network

A great way to meet other businesses face to face is to go to networking events. Networking events help you build up your business family, and meet the kind of business owners who might need what you offer.

You could also offer your hotel as a networking venue, giving event attendees the opportunity to see what you have to offer. 

  • Advertise

A carefully placed advert in a business publication could help you attract commercial travellers. And if any businesses have their head office or training centre near your hotel, reach out directly to let them know you’re ready to welcome their employees whenever they’re in the area!

Outsourced support helps hotels attract business travellers

Get Ahead has a strong team of marketing experts who would love to help you increase your occupancy all year round. If you need support with any of the suggestions we’ve made in this blog, we are here to help. We’ll use our marketing expertise to connect you with commercial travellers and gain all the benefits of repeat business.

Explore our site or social media channels to find out more about what Get Ahead has to offer.

Hotel digital marketing covers everything from your website to social media – any kind of marketing you do online, essentially! One of the most important areas of digital marketing for hotels and holiday rentals is review management.

In this blog, our digital marketing expert Mel explains why reviews matter and explains ideas for getting guests to leave reviews. She’ll also share tips for how to manage reviews once you’ve received them.

Why do hotel and holiday rental reviews matter?

 

Mel: Arguably, reviews matter more in the hospitality industry than anywhere else. This is because people usually go on holiday to somewhere new – that’s part of what makes it a holiday! What this means is that your guests have to rely heavily on reviews to help them make the decision about whether or not to stay at your hotel.

If the potential guest finds it’s a toss up between two hotels, they’re going to choose the one with the most positive reviews.

Remember, every interaction is an opportunity to show your personality. Reviews will give potential guests an idea of what to expect…and so will the way you reply.

How can I encourage guests to leave reviews?

Mel: Ask them! Most people love to be asked – they feel great having their opinion valued. Asking also shows that you’re confident in your services – let your confidence shine out!

A good time to ask is when guests check out. The sooner they leave the review, the more honest and specific it is likely to be. You could have a QR code on the front desk for guests scan – that way, they can leave their review while waiting for their taxi.

How do I manage reviews of my hotel or holiday rental?

Mel: Naturally, we all want a lovely collection of five star reviews! However, we also need to be realistic. Not all reviews are going to be positive – some might be mixed and others downright bad.

Working in digital marketing, I’ve noticed that every single review is an opportunity to show how good you are at what you do. Even a bad review gives you the chance to reply and show how good your customer service and problem-solving skills really are.

  1. How to deal with positive reviews

These are the easier ones to deal with! Even though they usually require less attention, it’s still a good idea to take time to reply and thank the reviewer for their praise. This shows your upbeat side, and also demonstrates that you love interacting with people – two characteristics to make a future guest feel welcome.

  • How to deal with negative reviews

Mixed or negative reviews always take more time to deal with. Summon your inner strength and try not to take them personally. Instead, try to see them as opportunities to show how well you deal with problems.

The most important things to do are reply politely and appropriately as soon as you can, and try and get the conversation away from the review site so you don’t end up having an awkward discussion in public. If you can, use the phone or email to discuss the problem instead. Try and remain professional and don’t get into an argument.

If you learn anything valuable from the negative review, let the reviewer know that you appreciate their feedback and will be making changes. Take the opportunity to show the original reviewer and any future guests that you listen, you care and you solve problems effectively. You might well be able to turn a negative situation into a positive one!

Unfortunately, it’s very difficult to have negative reviews taken down. Most review sites, including the biggest ones like Google and Facebook, will only take down a review that is unreasonable. Resist the urge to turn off the “leave a review” option if you get a bad review. Instead, continue asking people to leave reviews and let the good ones dilute the effect of a few bad ones.

Outsource your hotel digital marketing and review management

Another review management solution is to outsource it. Let a digital marketing expert like Mel deal with the reviews from her own home while you concentrate on delivering a fantastic experience to the guests who are with you right now.

A huge advantage of having a remote worker manage the reviews is that they look at them as an outsider. It’s easy to take reviews personally, and fixate on one bad one even if you’ve also had twenty good ones! But a remote marketing expert can help you regain your sense of proportion, as well replying to the straightforward reviews and prompting you to address the more complex ones.

Why not explore our social channels to find out more about what Get Ahead has to offer? And to find out more about outsourcing your hotel digital marketing, talk to your local regional director today.

PS – we’ve put together our top resources for hotel owners in one ebook – download it here!

Many business owners experience barriers to delegation – potentially disastrous as your business cannot grow without it. Sometimes there is a deep-seated reason why you can’t ask for help; for others, it just hasn’t occurred to them! 

In this blog, we look at common reasons business owners struggle with delegating, and consider the ways you could overcome them.

Common barriers to delegation

1. Imposter syndrome

When we experience imposter syndrome, we believe that we’re an imposter in our sector. We feel like we shouldn’t be in the role of a business owner, or we don’t feel like we’re qualified to work in that industry. Imposter syndrome – unlike actual fraud – is when we have all the qualifications and experience to do our jobs, but we still feel like we shouldn’t be there.

Imposter syndrome is a barrier to delegation because if we don’t feel entitled to do our jobs, how on earth can we take the lead when we ask someone else to do it? And how can we give feedback with confidence? 

Sometimes, all we need to overcome imposter syndrome is a quick reality check. Look back at your qualifications, if you have them. And if you’re a graduate of the University of Life, spend time remembering how you learned all the skills that got you where you are today. 

If your imposter syndrome is more serious than that, it could be helpful to talk to a life- or business-coach. We have quite a few in our business family – talk to your local regional director if you would like an introduction. 

2. “It’s quicker to do it myself than show someone else.”

We’ve all said this at some point! But the truth is, showing someone else is a long-term investment in your business. Certainly, the first time you do it, briefing your staff member or outsourced support will take time. However, once that initial briefing is out of the way, your business now has two people who know how to do it, instead of just one. This means one less thing on your to-do list; it also gives the business flexibility as either one of you can take responsibility for it in future. 

Accepting that you will “lose” an hour while you brief someone else on how to do it is easier when you also see the long-term advantages you’ll gain in return. 

3. Micromanagement 

Micromanagement is often a symptom of a lack of trust. If you don’t trust your staff or external support team, ask yourself why not. If their work is rubbish, stop micromanaging and hire someone else! And if the problem is with you, take action. Remind yourself that your team doesn’t want to do a bad job – they’re on career paths too.  

Overcome barriers to delegation when you outsource to Get Ahead

If you’re struggling to ask for help, Get Ahead could be a good way to start. You’ll have a single point of contact in the form of your local regional director – they’ll be able to introduce you to the right expert who knows your industry and also has the right personality. 

Often, they’ll encourage you to start small, perhaps with some outsourced diary management. If that goes well, you have the option to increase the amount of support you receive. You’ll never be locked into a long contract, and there’s always the option to add or subtract services as your needs change. We hope it will all go well, but if anything doesn’t make the grade, you can discuss it with your regional director. This means you don’t have to give feedback directly to your virtual expert if you don’t feel comfortable.

If you’re ready for Get Ahead to support you, get in touch today – we’d love to hear from you! And if you’d like more information on how to outsource successfully, download our ebook here.

If you sell products on Amazon, you’re probably aware that it’s a great opportunity but one that’s hard to stay on top of. Continual changes and paid advertising are just some of the challenges AMZ retailers face on a regular basis, all of which can eat into your time and profits. 

Fortunately, help is at hand. At Get Ahead, we understand the opportunities offered by Amazon, but also the challenges. We’re committed to supporting businesses of all sizes, helping them secure an efficient, affordable solution for their needs. That includes helping you sell products on Amazon! 

In this blog, our virtual expert Leo shares some of his insights as we look at ways to support you with your Amazon shop. 

Why do retailers ask for support with Amazon selling?

Leo: Most retailers want to sell through Amazon because it’s the largest online marketplace. It’s a no brainer! Unfortunately, the size of Amazon also creates problems. Sellers have to compete to have their products seen by shoppers, which involves including the right keywords in the right places and other strategies. Without proper attention, pay per click (PPC) advertising might not give value for money. In addition, account management can be really complex, especially as Amazon continually changes its rules and expectations. 

For many of the sellers I meet, these problems translate into neglected Amazon accounts and listings. Some retailers know they should be on Amazon but haven’t even been able to get started. Usually, retailers know they need to take action but ultimately it’s too daunting. And because of the time involved, taking action with their Amazon account doesn’t seem worthwhile. Instead, retailers are getting on with selling through easier channels.

I completely understand why retailers do this. But I also know that, by neglecting their Amazon accounts, they’re missing out on considerable sales. 

Sell products on Amazon with support from Get Ahead

Leo: I’ve been helping retailers get the most out of their Amazon accounts for a number of years. And now, a collaborative team made up of myself, Get Ahead regional directors and our retailer clients, Get Ahead has put together a package to simplify the Amazon process in an affordable way. We’ve also come up with optional extras so you can get exactly the right support for your needs. 

Our basic package has the following features:
  • Daily account monitoring      
  • Bid adjustments   
  • Brand registry support  
  • Budget adjustments      
  • Unlimited campaign launches   
  • Unlimited keyword research   
  • Unlimited ASIN research 
  • Stock management – weekly     
  • Account health compliance and support 
  • Keyword tracking  
  • Competitor analysis     
  • Reports analysis and implementation   
  • Email communication (up to 24 hours response time)    
  • 1x Monthly Loom video update – For Ads and Account Management
  • Listing optimisation    
  • Graphic design – product images, A+ content 
Retail clients also have the option to add on:
  • Monthly in-house visit
  • 1x weekly Loom video update  
  • 1x bi-weekly Loom video update  
  • 1x weekly video/telephone call
  • 1x bi-weekly video/telephone call
  • 1x monthly video/telephone call
  • Brand storefront 
  • Close communication (WhatsApp, Skype, Slack, etc)
  • Other support as required

Like all Get Ahead services, you can turn support on and off as you need to. However, I would recommend committing to the basic package for at least three months to give it the chance to take effect. 

Get in touch to find out more

If you know you need support to sell products on Amazon, you’re not alone. Fortunately, we can help. Explore our site to find out more about how we work, or contact your local regional director today for an informal chat.  

Outsource social media and you’ll have complete peace of mind that your followers will stay engaged even when you’re on holiday. But outsourcing is just part of the solution. There is still a lot you can do yourself to keep your social accounts ticking over while you’re taking a break.

In this blog, our social media expert Leah outlines practical steps you can take to ensure your posts are consistent while you’re away. 

Value your break

You need a holiday. Smartphones and connectivity mean that it’s very easy to find yourself working while you’re away. But working on holiday means you don’t get the complete break we all need. So before you go away, put whatever you need to in place so you can switch off. Just because you can update your business Instagram from the beach, it doesn’t mean you should. 

Assess the potential risks

Depending on your business, you might choose to do a full risk assessment of your social media before you go on holiday. For example, if you receive most of your customer communication via your Facebook page, an unanswered complaint could create serious problems for your business. If this is the case, you should consider outsourcing your social media to someone like me. I can keep up with responses while you’re away so you have complete peace of mind. 

Even if neglecting your social media won’t have serious consequences, it’s still important to consider what could go wrong. This is because knowing how serious (or trivial) the outcomes could be will help you decide whether you should “just check your LinkedIn” while you’re on holiday or if you can switch off for a week without any negative impact.

Share your “out of office”

If your business will completely close while you’re away, putting up an “out of office” post will let your online community know. As a small business, your clients and customers will probably appreciate your honesty – it’s always valuable to connect with people on a personal level. 

Delegate to ChatGPT

If you don’t have time to write fresh social media content before you go on holiday, you could get ChatGPT to do it for you. The customer service AI can write on-brand posts, sharing your key messages.

Only choose this option if you’re already familiar with ChatGPT – if you’re new to it, you could lose valuable time working out how to get it to write what you want. 

It’s also important to check what it has written before you let it post for you. AI is a good servant but a bad master – don’t assume that everything ChatGPT writes is correct.

Find out more about Chat GPT here.

Schedule your content

Scheduling content has been a game changer for social media. It allows business owners to schedule a big batch of posts all at once, which roll out one by one across your social media channels. This works well if you have a busy week but it’s also a huge advantage when it’s time to go on holiday. Simply schedule your posts for the duration of your holiday so your posting remains consistent even when you’re not there to do it in real time. 

Scheduling content is not entirely risk-free – the last thing you want to do is schedule something controversial when you won’t be there to deal with your community’s response. Instead, stay safe with tried and tested, on-brand content. Maybe repost a successful blog, or share links to specific products or services.  

Outsource social media while you’re on holiday

The safest option is to outsource your social media for the duration of your holiday. This will mean that a real person (maybe me!) will post for you regularly throughout your break, providing seamless communication with your community. I can adjust scheduled content if something unexpected happens and respond to comments while keeping your brand message consistent. 

Outsource social media

Outsourcing social media is one of our most popular forms of business support. We offer the same flexible service for large and small businesses, ranging from one-off holiday cover to a full circle service. Find out more about our social media support here.  

PS – if you’re going on holiday tomorrow, we’ve put together our top out-of-office hacks here!

According to a recent survey of social media trends, video is where it’s at. Research shows that two-thirds of social media users feel that short-form videos are the most engaging form of social media content. Video production for social media means you’ll be creating engaging content to boost your following and strengthen your brand. If that’s something your business could benefit from, read on for some fresh ideas.

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When you outsource social media content to Get Ahead, your new social media manager will often use a scheduling platform. Scheduling platforms like Hootsuite and Buffer help us keep up a consistent presence on social media channels and definitely make life easier. However, there are some pitfalls to avoid too – our social media managers know them all and they thought they’d be useful to share!

In this blog, we look at the benefits of scheduling social media content, and note the pitfalls to avoid.

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Social media strategy is essential if you want to take your business channels to the next level. If you have a small business you’re planning to scale up, social media is a great tool to help you reach new customers. And it’s well worth investing in social media strategy to increase your chances of getting the results your business deserves.

In this blog, we look at why a strategic approach is important, and what you should consider when you’re planning future social media posts.

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Social media is a fantastic marketing tool, but it’s not without its downsides. Many business owners struggle to find a balance between maintaining their presence online and managing their time. Could the decision to outsource social media be the right one for you?

Let’s take a closer look.

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