Tag Archive for: business online strategies

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5 Ways to Stay Focused this Summer

5 ways to stay focused this summer rosewood deanna simone

Summertime is officially in full effect – complete with rising temperatures, family activities, exciting trips, pleasant weather, and BBQs with friends. I am sure that almost every business owner can agree – it’s incredibly challenging to maintain the same level of focus on your work during the warmer months.

Let’s be real here – how are you supposed to maintain productivity with so much other stuff going on? That’s where this article can help! By implementing a few simple changes to your routine, you will be shocked at how productive your summers will become! Check out our top 5 summer-specific tips to stay on task below.

  1. Take Breaks Often

Even if you only have 5 minutes to spare, always try to find ways to take a quick break to rejuvenate your mind and body. A few of my favourite tactics include:

  • Going for a walk around the block with my dog
  • Stepping outside and soaking in the sunlight for a few minutes
  • Powering through a quick yoga/pilates session to re-energize the muscles
  • Having a yummy and brain-boosting drink to cool off (my go-to favourites are fresh lemonade and fruit smoothies)
  • Taking a quick, 15-minute nap (if your physical location allows it)

Even just a few moments away from your desk can help put you back into the correct mindset to get things done.

  1. Keep Your Eyes on the Prize

If you have a special event or vacation coming up, remind yourself that keeping your work-life in order will make your time off even sweeter. If you set your priorities straight now and get your work under control before you go away, you will be able to enjoy it even more wholeheartedly. It is always less stressful to leave for a vacation when there isn’t any unfinished work or loose ends to worry about.

Our very own founder and CEO of Rosewood, Deanna Simone, reflects on her recent vacation to Europe – “I took my first vacation in almost 4 years since starting the business. I ensured that I had a team to cover the day-to-day operations and guarantee no fires started. It allowed me to rest and come back rejuvenated and with a renewed passion for my business!”

  1. Don’t Forget to Treat Yourself!

Plan to allow yourself to indulge in something you really love after you’ve completed tiresome tasks. For example, if you need to get through a long day (or week!) of client meetings and tedious paperwork, you may promise to treat yourself afterwards. This could be a trip to the movies, a bubble bath, a night out with friends, a massage, a new outfit, anything goes! Knowing you’ve earned your special treat will make your hard work that much more meaningful.

  1. Limit Time on Social Media

Try your absolute hardest to refrain from scanning the news feeds of your personal accounts until after you have finished your work for the day. When you’re trying to focus on work, seeing your friends vacation pictures won’t help you concentrate on what you need to accomplish.

A big portion of my own job as a social media coordinator, is to tend to the social media accounts of my clients. However, I am consistently working on fighting the urge to take a quick peek on what is happening on the news feeds of my personal accounts until my time is clear to do that.

  1. Find a Change of Scenery

Of course, it is understandable that getting away isn’t always an option. In those situations, consider moving your work somewhere outdoors for a change of scenery. For example, if I’m craving a breath of fresh air, I’ll take my laptop to a nice park, an outdoor cafe, or sometimes even the front porch or backyard will do. Just a simple and temporary change in your physical environment can do wonders for your mood and motivation.

Voila! By taking these 5 tips into consideration, you will quickly realize that summer doesn’t have to sabotage your business goals. You can enjoy what the season has to offer while staying focused on your career—all it takes is a little creativity and self-discipline.

Questions or Comments? Get in Touch!

Until Next Time,

Ananta

Content Coordinator

Rosewood Inc.

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Instagram Video Marketing for Beginners: Rosewood’s Top 4 Tips for Success

Happy Monday friends! Today’s topic is all about the ins and outs of video marketing on Instagram and how it can take your brand’s online presence to new heights! As you may or may not know – Rosewood loves Instagram, and we also just launched our new videography services for clients (check out our recent blog – LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION – WHY YOU NEED VIDEO MARKETING to learn more).

Let’s face it – Instagram has completely taken the social media world by storm and has forever changed the way businesses and clients interact with each other. Instagram is unique in that it thrives on an entirely distinctive visual approach to content dissemination. And in 2019, it is undoubtedly one of the most important platforms to include in your social marketing strategy.

And don’t worry if you’re an Instagram newbie, the application is known for being incredibly user-friendly, and with Rosewood to guide you through the learning process, you’ll be sharing top-quality videos faster than you think! Keep reading for our top 4 Instagram video marketing tips to help your business thrive.

#1. Understanding Instagram Culture

Instagram is the social media platform where brands show their audience who they are; it’s about shaping perceptions about a brand’s personality. And you only have 60 seconds to explain your product or message and grab the attention of your audience. Writing super long captions can backfire because the inherent appeal of the platform is its focus on visual aesthetics.

For example – Starbucks, a top brand on Instagram, clearly understands insta-culture. In curating their brand story, they’re definitely playing the role of your fun, artsy BFF. Virtually every video and photo are clearly branded in some way – whether it’s a shot of a paper cup elaborately embellished by a fan, or just a distinctive green straw poking through a mountain of whipped cream.

The main idea behind Instagram is sharing videos and images to build your own credibility on the platform. You can ask popular brands and/or influencers to give you shout-outs. Additionally, you can get your clients to create fun testimonial videos as a part of a give-away or contest.

#2. Create Compelling Videos That are Worth Watching

Instagram gives you the unique chance to tell great stories through captivating visual content. So, don’t be afraid to get super creative by showcasing your brand or services in a new light. You don’t need to completely rebrand yourself, but instead, try to show your brand’s versatility. And the best part is that since Instagram videos are bite-sized, people are much more likely to watch them.

Create simple how-to videos. Do a fun contest or give-away to thank your audience for their support. Offer behind-the-scenes glimpses. Give followers sneak peeks of upcoming products or services. Be relevant to their interests and stay up-to-date on current events. Show off your personal style.

#3. Take Advantage of Stories and IGTV Features

According to Instagram, around 70% of its users watch video content in the form of stories on a daily basis. And out of this number, there seems to be a marked preference (roughly 50%) towards those videos that make them laugh. Even more important than that is about one in four Gen Z and Millennials actively seek stories of products, services, and brands they are considering buying.

So, as you begin to chart out your upcoming plans for video marketing content on Instagram, keep an eye on these insights and try to make the most use out of them. These statistics represent clear trends on user preferences for the types of content users look for on the app, so they provide an ideal starting point to start developing video content that will help you reach the people you want.

And remember – there is always the new and flourishing IGTV option which is similar to YouTube in that you can post full length videos without time constraints. For example, you could provide a preview for your new how-to video on your feed and stories which will then direct followers to watch the full video on your IGTV channel if they wish – without being overly pushy. Brilliant!

#4. Don’t Dismiss the Importance of Instagram Analytics

Identifying where you stand among your competitors can have serious payoffs for optimizing your social media strategy.

Some beneficial analytics metrics to consider:

  • tracking post performance
  • monitoring Instagram trends
  • monitoring impressions and views
  • tracking comments and hashtag usage
  • measuring audience engagement
  • identifying influencers in your industry

Analytics can tell you what’s working and what needs to change. And over time, you can build a large scope of data to track and measure performance. It is incredibly valuable to know when and how your audience is engaging with your Instagram content, and how you can improve your performance moving forward.

Final Thoughts

There you have it folks! Rosewood’s top 4 tips for video marketing success on Instagram! And remember – our goal is to help you create and share visual content (videos and images) that help your brand build credibility and familiarity within your target market. These 4 strategies will ensure that you are not only interacting with your audience in a meaningful way, but that you are also taking full advantage of Instagram’s lucrative video marketing tools. And remember – as the popularity and importance of Instagram videos continue to grow and develop, the opportunities for businesses to reach their desired audiences will increase as well.

Of course, we are always happy to help! Rosewood offers both videography services and social media training. If you have any questions on how to get started, feel free to contact us directly.

Happy filming!

“Don’t deliver a product, deliver an experience” 

Questions? Get in Touch!

Until Next Time,

Ananta

Content Coordinator

Rosewood Inc.

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LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION – WHY YOU NEED VIDEO MARKETING

video marketing rosewood va deanna simone

In 1979, Buggles sung “Video killed the radio star” – and no truer words have been made into a pop song. Since video’s conception, we’ve never looked back.

Fast forward to 2019 and video content is king. Social media platforms have prioritized the use of video, audiences demand it, and distributing it has never been easier. Video isn’t new, we’ve all got those dusty VCR tapes sitting in our basement, but there has never been a more powerful and effective marketing tool.

Everyone Loves Videos

Studies have shown that in 2019, 87% of people would like to see more video from brands, with an expected 82% of all internet traffic to be video by 2021. Pretty incredible stats, right?

Video has been known to have an online conversion rate of nearly 80%, influencing buying behaviour and website traffic. Not to mention, search engines LOVE video. Nothing entices more numerous and longer page views quite like a video. Not only that, but YouTube is the second largest search engine behind Google. If you put your video on YouTube as well as your website, your visibility and opportunity to show up in search is greatly increased.

This is the age of viral videos. Did you know 92% of mobile video consumers share videos with others? This is your chance to have some fun and really show what your company is all about.

Ok, have I done enough persuading yet?

Rosewood’s NEW Video and Photography Services!

Enter from stage right: Us!

Here at Rosewood we are excited to announce our new video and photography offerings.

Creating videos on your own can be intimidating. But never fear, we are here to make it easy, and you don’t need expensive equipment or large budgets to get started.

We can handle everything from shooting, editing, talent acquisition, scripting, directing and so much more. Packages can be tailored according to your needs, your goals, and what your audience will respond to best. We do this quickly, efficiently, and with a focus on distributing your content to reach its maximum potential.

I know what you might be thinking, are we ready for this next step? Am I ready to face the world in full 1080 HD quality? The answer is, yes.

Our Tips for Success

We always suggest a few handy tips and tricks that ensure you and your business are ready for this next step.

  1. Shoot where you are comfortable – you don’t need to be hanging off the edge of the CN tower to make a statement. If your office is your safe spot, shoot there.
  2. Have a company representative who is genuinely passionate – nothing comes across camera more than passion and relatability. Put those who WANT to be on camera, in front of the camera. You will find they come across more credible to the audience.
  3. Practice makes perfect – it might sound cliché, but literally practice in front of the mirror after brushing your teeth. It’s a great way to notice facial expressions and gestures.
  4. Know your message – we all like to ramble, hey, some of us get so passionate we just get carried away – but it’s not effective. Knowing your message and what you want to deliver is key.
  5. Wear what makes you feel great – high heels may look great, but they don’t feel great! Wear shoes that provide you the most comfort, wear the suit that is a little looser so you can breathe, you will be surprised how distracting clothing can become once it is a focus.

Contact us today to see how we can take your business to the next level with video marketing.

Questions? Get in Touch!

Until Next Time,

Georgina

Account Manager

Rosewood Inc.

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