Author: megglasgow

As an artist and European trained framer, I founded Finer Frames in 1999 on the principles of offering conservation framing with one-of-a-kind style. With over 20 years experience, earning many national awards I bring a sensible approach to frame design.

Creating a Facebook Ad Strategy that Works

So, you think Facebook is just a fad? Across the globe, there were over 2.1 Billion active Facebook users in June 2017 (Facebook MAUs) which is a 17 percent increase over last year.  Five new profiles are created every second, yet only 7% of business pages advertise regularly. So in case you had any lingering doubt about the importance of Facebook, those stats should prove that Facebook is too big to ignore.

If you’re considering using Facebook to advertise your business and wondering how to make sure your content gets noticed, this article is for you. By understanding the four fundamentals of Facebook advertising, you can avoid common and costly mistakes.

Before you spend another dime on Facebook advertising, you should have a clear plan of action. If you don’t, you could be left fumbling with no clear idea of where to go. To get consistent results, identify where you can maximize the benefits from your Facebook ads. These four easy tips will help define your Facebook advertising strategy.

1

Know Your Objective

What is your goal for Facebook advertising? For example, do you want video views, email subscribers or page likes.  Is your goal to generate new leads for your business? When you’re focused on a goal, you can choose the right type of campaign to achieve the best results. Facebook has three objective categories; Awareness, Consideration and Conversion. The objective you select depends on your purpose. If your goal is to send people to your website, choose the Traffic objective. If your goal is to increase sales, offer a discount to persuade them to purchase. Instead of giving away the discount code on FB, direct people from Facebook to a special landing page on your website where they must opt in before receiving the discount code. Since you want them to take a specific action, Conversion would be the correct campaign category.

2

Warm-Up Your Prospects

You should think of your social media strategy as dating your customer. You wouldn’t walk into a party, introduce yourself and announce to the group, “Hey, buy my stuff.” But that’s what I see happening on Facebook every day. You’ve got to warm up your prospects Beyonce-style and put a ring on it. Give away them something they value like free ideas and advice to entertain educate or inspire your prospects before asking for the close.  You can use Live videos, photos, coupons or blog posts to show why your company is the best solution for what they’re looking for. And don’t be boring or you’ll have to spend a lot more on advertising.

3

Target Your Audience

You can build a custom audience of people who have engaged with your video content. When someone likes, comments or shares your video, Facebook turns that into a target-able audience. Use the information from Facebook Insights page to run an ad campaign directly to that group promoting your products and services. Your Insights page will give you clues to the age, gender, location and interest of your audience. Compare these statistics with each post to evaluate which topics get the best engagement. Since Facebook rewards you when your ad best matches the audience with lower ad costs, this valuable intel will guide you to make the right changes to maximize your content for getting the most engagement.

4

Engage with the Best Possible Content

With Facebook’s ever-changing algorithms, it’s getting hard to grow your audience organically. Without engagement, your posts will have less and less visibility in the news feed. To ensure your content is seen by your target audience it has to educate, entertain or inspire people. When they react, the reach of your post is expanded. This is why you continue to see older posts in your news feed. It’s not based on the time of the post, it’s based on engagement. So to generate the best audience interaction try Live video or a photo slideshow set to music. If you need help deciding on the right content, try asking yourself this question; why do people care about my product? Then select an image that answers that query.  For example, customers care about preserving wedding souvenirs, so I might feature a video of how we create a shadowbox frame for wedding invitation and photos. Another tip, the more it tugs on the heartstrings the better. Videos that make your audience laugh or cry grabs their attention and keeps them watching through the end.

 

Before creating Facebook ad campaigns, take time to define your purpose and craft content that makes customers care about your product and services.

FrameFest Orlando | September 16-18, 2017

FrameFest is almost here and I’m so excited to see you in sunny Orlando!

I’ve been working hard creating brand new classes for framers wanting to inspire their customers and grow their profits. Here is a sneak peek at what I’ve got planned for this popular PPFA event.

Register for Recharge Your Business or Selling Inspired Designs at PPFA.com

A great big THANK YOU to Wizard International for your support to bring valuable educational opportunities to framers in the Southeast.

Turn your Business from Ignored to ADORED!

Can we all just agree, things aren’t what they used to be? Let’s just get that out of the way.  Consumer buying habits have changed. No one listens to traditional media channels. Hundreds of your client emails go unopened. Getting social becomes a whole new way for customers to ignore you. For any business owner who has sat looking over last month’s sales and wondered “What’s happened to my customers?” this is for you!

If this sounds all too familiar, let me pose this question to you; how do you gain the attention of an over-scheduled and over-stimulated new consumer? It’s a complicated problem, but I believe I have a solution to restore some optimism in your outlook. To borrow a quote from the famed Steve Martin, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”

I love this quote so much. I have it pinned to the bulletin board in my office. It reminds me of what it takes to be successful in this business, or any business; Persistent Excellence. From what customers see on-line to my store front, merchandising displays, selection, design and most importantly customer service, maintaining consistent quality is the key. Excellence is what builds a reputation and keeps customers coming back.

Maintaining a high level of excellence takes a well-crafted plan and the discipline to stick to it.  So, if you’re ready to take the next step and to turn your customers into business boosting referral machines, I’ve got seven critical ways to get more customers to notice you.

  1. Be Awesome – Step one if you want to grow your business through referrals is to do precisely what you’ve promised the customer you’d do. Be open when you say you are. Don’t leave early. Finish projects on time. Be professional. Dress the part. Basically, deliver what the customer expects, plus a little extra. It’s the only way to be successful.
  2. Become an Expert – Inspire customer confidence by becoming a source of valued advice in all kinds of ways. Fill your website with helpful information that customers are searching for like how to hang artwork. Write articles, teach classes and host business meetings at your shop. By explaining the value of custom framing to customers, you build credibility for your company brand and increase the chances you’ll be remembered.
  3. Your Silent Salespeople – Help customers visualize what great custom framing can do with inspired frame displays. Please, I beg you. Don’t merchandising your store walls with tired, outdated moulding. You walls are your resume. Treat them like it! Put those silent salespeople to work by showing off your framing talents. Inspire customers with ideas to get them talking.
  4. Wow your Customers –The best way to get referrals is to be so good they want to brag about you. Look for ways to improve the customer experience at the counter. Show them creative ways design their project with one-of-a-kind style. Let customers see your care in wrapping their art in tissue paper. Offer a guarantee or free delivery and installation. Showing your expertise, professionalism and personal service is the best way to earn customers referrals… and the best part, it doesn’t cost you a thing. 
  5. Design like a Star – Ordinary doesn’t inspire. Get customers excited with creative touches that encourage repeat business. Stack the frames. Show them the fillet. Be enthusiastic during the design process. It gets them energized about the buying experience and sets you apart from your competition. Need new ideas to incorporate into your frame design? Get inspired on Pinterest. Check out my pins at https://www.pinterest.com/finerframes/
  6. Referral Candy – A simple way to encourage retail referrals is with a referral program. There are many options, so it’s up to you on how to set it up. A simple way is to add a “Get Rewarded” offer on your newsletter or website. Sweeten up your offer. Encourage customers to Share Your Coupon with friends via email or Facebook. The friend gets a $25 coupon and the customer gets $25 off their next order. It’s simple and effective.
  7. Ask when they’re Smiling – The best time to ask a customer for a referral is when they’re smiling with delight at their new frame. Even if it a simple phrase, “Don’t keep us a secret. We love referrals” don’t miss the chance to let them know how to help your business grow. More formal referral and incentive programs keep customers coming back. But how about trying this to get started? Hand customers a printed thank you card asking them to “share the love”. Be sure to include ways for them to leave reviews on your social media platforms.

 

Being adored takes diligent work and a commitment to excellence in every aspect of your business; from your products to customer care and creativity. Not being ignored is the trick. Following these tips is an important start. Adding a concentrated on-line marketing strategy that includes a branded website and social media platforms will keep you at the center of attention.

My Big WHY

Have you seen the famous Ted talk by Simon Sinek? It’s my all time favorite. His simple and powerful lecture was given in 2009 to a group of Seattle educators and remains a top Ted pick for leaders and entrepreneurs. I’ve chalked up at least of a couple of the nearly 38k views. (I’ve included the link below) This one got me thinking. He poses the big question of “Why” we do what we do. That question gets right down to the core of everything. It’s essential for every solo small business owner just the same as it is for big boys like Apple and Walmart. I’ve been working on finding an answer to this head-scratcher. What is my why?

 

My Big WHY

After listening to Simon’s speech, I purchased Simon’s book Start with Why, settled in on my patio with the book in one hand and my journal in the other.

The questions he posed were so simple, but so hard to answer. The following are my own top 10 honest answers.

Why do I want to teach, train and share with the framing community?

  1. To make my parents proud by living the example they set by giving more than you get.
  2. To make a positive impact in the world
  3. To help other small business owners
  4. Strengthen business practices of framers and retailers
  5. Prepare for future market changes
  6. Help retailers avoid the expensive mistakes I made
  7. Make their businesses more profitable
  8. Help make personal careers more rewarding
  9. Find satisfaction in their job
  10. Find happiness at home

I believe small business owners are the strength of this country and are the essential links in the chain that makes communities strong.

I have a vision of a retail world where framers find strength in community, have the knowledge and skills to compete in the marketplace and build a thriving business filled with personal satisfaction.

If you’re retailer making sweatshop wages, I can help.

I’ve seen retailers struggle. I’ve struggled. I’ve worked 12 hours a day, 7 days a week. I’ve napped on the shop floor when I was sick with the flu and couldn’t close the shop. I’ve started over three times, moved my shop twice. I’ve had a crappy boss and employees that drove me nuts. I’ve had one husband that never supported me and the second that encourages me in every way. I’ve survived economic disasters, recessions, business-killing road construction and a variety of personal crisis, and I’m still here.

I get why you do this.

I have the same fire that has to burn. It’s the entrepreneurial spirit fueling the fire. It’s the love of the craft. It’s believing you can build it better than the next guy. It’s knowing you will do anything to make the next project happen. The problem is… that limiting belief is what’s killing your business. Focus on the craft instead of the customer and you’ll be left behind.

The market has changed. Not is changing… it HAS changed. You’re on a sinking ship and if you don’t stop bailing and look for a lifeboat, you’ll be gone.

The marketplace is a rough place to operate. By natural selection only the strong survive, and by strong, I don’t mean big; I mean smart; the kind of street smarts and savvy entrepreneurship that drive the economy. Businesses cannot survive doing what they did five or ten years ago. The market has changed. Customer needs have changed. We must evolve or die.

My Manifesto

I have a vision of a picture framing industry revolution that embraces entrepreneurial spirit, leads in design, and utilizes the tools of technology to improve the customer experience.

I am on a mission to transform the framing industry. I am committed to helping framing retailers to find the tools they need to be the successful. I embrace my ability to be a creative problem solver. I want to be so good they can’t ignore me. I want to ignite enthusiasm in framers. I want to learn and share what I can to help others. I do not try. I only do. I am not perfect. I embrace challenges. Difficult times build character. The greatest lessons in life come from failure. Move forward. Don’t look back. I make no excuses. Fear won’t stop me. I thrive under pressure. Pressure creates diamonds and I love to shine!

Now it’s time to get to work. There is more to come, so stay tuned… MG

P.S. As promised, here’s the link to Simon’s Ted Talk

 

 

Join me at West Coast Art & Frame Expo

The West Coast Art & Frame Expo is just a month away. I’m always excited to join with framers all over the world to share ideas and inspiration! This year I will be presenting 5 seminars + 4 free quick courses on topics ranging from sales and marketing to design.

 

PPFA Convention

A7137 Simple Strategies for Local Marketing

9:00am – 11:00am Sunday January 22

Learn how to grow a successful art & framing business in your local market through a low cost marketing strategy. Designed especially for galleries and frame shops, these practical ideas in this seminar will teach you how to complete a brand analysis, identify your prime target customer, exactly how to reach them and identify the best online and offline strategies for consumer communication.  After this seminar, you’ll know how to create an integrated execution plan for attracting more custom framing consumers.

WCAF AGENDA

S5015 Design, Merchandise & Sell

1:00pm – 3:00pm Monday January 23

Is your business in need of a makeover? This seminar is for new start-ups or existing shops looking for practical ideas for strengthening your business image. Whether you want to attract specific customers or simply be more competitive you’ll learn tips for transforming your brand, communicating with customers, merchandising and much more. This popular class is sponsored by Tru-Vue

P3029 Hope is Not a Strategy

3:30pm – 5:00pm Monday January 23

This seminar outlines a comprehensive, step-by-step approach to crafting a concise, logical, and effective marketing plan that produce results. Whether you manage a small business seeking to formalize the planning process, or an established frame shop looking to grow your business you can gain a competitive advantage by translating the marketing planning process outlined in this seminar into a streamlined strategic document that informs your decisions and helps avoid costly missteps.

S5035 Selling Inspired Designs

10:00am – 12:00pm Tuesday January 24

Join Meg as she provides helpful knowledge and expert insight that can enhance the design, sales, and merchandising for your business. She’ll review sales tips for pricing and selling innovative mat and frame designs, plus showcase upscale examples for all kinds of framing projects. This class will cover strategies on selling designs to inspire custom framing and increase your bottom line. Develop skills for improving the customer experience and effectively selling your creativity. Don’t miss this opportunity to ask questions, learn something new, and discover how Meg uses her expertise along with Wizard™ products for profit-generating success! Sponsored by Wizard International

S5010 Picture Perfect Designs

1:00pm – 3:00pm Tuesday January 24

Get inspired with Meg’s award-winning frame designs and learn tips for using these creative framing ideas to “wow” customers and boost your sales. Retail is a highly competitive business, especially for framers. Learn ideas for increasing sales by improving your customer experience at the design counter. From hand painted details, stunning shadowboxes, and artistic mat details, you’ll get ideas and advice to grow your custom framing sites.
 Register for WCAF Seminars here