In this Episode:
Would you like to grow your followers on Instagram? Would you benefit from learning new strategies and tips from a social media expert? Today on the show is Sue B. Zimmerman also known as The Instagram Expert. Sue shares her best tips as well as her entrepreneurial journey. A serial entrepreneur, Sue is a wealth of knowledge on not only growing your following but about what it takes to be successful in business.
Key Takeaways:
Sue was inspired by her father who was really entrepreneurial. She would go into his work with him at 5am from the time she was a young girl. As a result of what he taught her, she learned how important it is know the names of the people that you serve.
Have conversations with people on IG. Treat them as someone you care about and nurture the relationship.
Sue launched her first business at the age of 13. She started painting barrettes and they were metal barrettes – painted strawberries and other things and sold it at recess. She was an entrepreneur at heart. It built her confidence.
In college she hand-painted t-shirts and boxers. No one was wearing them as outerwear. She knew that if she could create a reason to purchase it could be big. She partnered with another artist – the two of them got licenses with Disney and then sold on college campuses — that’s when the business turned into a million dollar business.
Sue had an eating disorder that went away when she found her passion and purpose with her work.
Understand the value of really listening to what your customers want and need.
Sometimes people don’t know when to let go of their business. She is good at seeing market trends. You have to know when to pivot or let something go.
Sue was on QVC with another mother entrepreneur for scrapbooking but they couldn’t get a patent. She realized she needed to sell out and went back to what she knew which was selling products. She put together an entire retail store selling SBDoo clothing. It was around this time she realized she needed to niche down and decided to teach others Instagram strategy.
You need to be 100% committed to what you believe is going to help someone. For example, as a marketer or business owner it is your job to help people understand what you can do to help them. People shouldn’t have to figure it out. You have to make your message and offering clear.
Surround yourself with the best team.
Success is slowly and steadily growing your business and growing your email list. That’s why Sue uses the phrase – “Slow and steady wins the race.”
There are over a billion users on Instagram.
Your brand is everything you do – your core values, the way that you write, the way you talk, dress, the emojis you use, the way you sign off on an email – everything you do needs to be done with great intention.
Resources:
Sue IG Business Account: TheInstagramExpert
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Sue’s best tips for IG:
- Create content for all of the “neighborhoods” on IG – your feed, IG stories, and IG live.
- Have a professional avatar photo that stands out from the pack.
- Choose a good username that is memorable and not confusing.
- Craft a solid bio that says who you are, what you do, and why you do it.
- Have a visual theme that is grounded so that people can recognize it is you.
- Provide consistent value that is about them not you. Be intentional with every post.
- Test and see what people like and don’t like.
- Test which hashtags work.
- Know which pictures build conversation.
- Once you have a community you have a secret to success. The amplification happens from connecting.
3 best pieces of advice for business success:
- Have confidence. Not everyone is going to like you. Serve those that do like you.
- Step into your greatness – it has to feel good for you. Be different and think outside the box and be a rule breaker as creatively as possible.
- Don’t feel like you need permission from anyone. Ask yourself, ” Am I stepping into what I love and am I serving who I want to be serving to live full on?”
Books:
This episode was sponsored by Design a Life You Love, A Woman’s Guide to Living a Happier and More Fulfilled Life. My book includes 52 inspirations, one for every week of the year, each with practical tips to guide you to self-love and success on your own terms. It’s a short book that you can read in about an hour, but includes life lessons that will last a lifetime.
Apply to Michele’s Private Practice Under “Coaching”
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