How To Strategically Use Hashtags on Pinterest

Have you started using Hashtags on Pinterest?

It's awesome feature that Pinterest has released and it helps Pinterest users find content. The goal of hashtags on Pinterest is so you’ll have a better chance of having your pins show up in a search feed which gives you a broader audience. 

When using hashtags on Pinterest remember that unlike Instagram hashtags, Pinterest hashtags are used to help users SEARCH TERMS to find content. If you're a wedding photographer then using #weddingphotography would work well for you but using #photography might not be specific enough. Also, Pinterest hashtags are topic specific. You wouldn’t use slang phrases to search on Pinterest. 

How Do You Choose Which Hashtags to Use on Pinterest?

1. Find 1-2 broad hashtags

2. Find 1-2 niched hashtags

3. And if you are looking for work from local businesess, don't forget LOCAL hashtags.

The mix of broad hashtags (related to the topic or general category) and niched hashtags (focused to specific content) will help tell Pinterest and pinners looking for content what your content is about and that it should be distributed into the feed after someone searches for it. Also, although you can use up to 20 hashtags on Pinterest, I suggest using only 3-5 because hashtags can eat up your allowed number of characters in your description. 

How do Pinterest Hashtags Work?

Hashtags are used to search for the freshest pins. This means the most freshest (recent) content uploaded to Pinterest will be shown in the search feed first and move down as more content is added so you want to be very strategic with your hashtags, and your description by using keyword rich sentences and phrases. Your description and your hashtags should complement each other.

You can search for a hashtag two ways: by clicking on a hashtag in a pin description or typing it in the search bar. 

At the moment, you can only use hashtags in your pin descriptions. Hashtags are really helpful in evergreen content (#homedecor) and time specific content (#backtoschool). You can also “brand” your pins with a hashtag. For example, whenever I pin, I use the hashtag #skyrocketvirtualsolutions.  

Where Should You Put Your Pinterest Hashtag? 

Place your hashtags are the end of your pin description. You want pinners to read your description “first” before getting to your hashtags because, again, the goal is to get the pinner to click through and read YOUR content, not see a hashtag and click. If you put it at the beginning of the description, there’s a chance the pinner will click on the hashtag, get lost searching and never come back to your pin. 

I hope these tips helped!

Xoxo

Raquell

Why You Can't Afford To Ignore Pinterest

Pinterest went public in April 2019.

What does that mean?

When a company “goes public,”  that means it releases private shares and puts them up for sale to members of the public.

Pinterest will earn over $700 million in annual ad revenue this year and is valued at $12.3 billion.

With over 250 million users and that much money on the table available to ANYONE who has a business Pinterest account….

You Can’t Afford To Ignore Pinterest!!!

What is Pinterest?

A search engine third only to Google and YouTube.

What makes Pinterest different?

It’s a “visual” search engine. People use Pinterest to dream, plan, buy, and discover!

Think about the last time you Google’d something. I can almost bet you one of the top five search results led you right to Pinterest!

You might actually already use Pinterest in your personal life. I know I do. When I’m looking for a recipe...I go to Pinterest. Two days ago I was looking for a white summer dress for an all white party I’m going to in a few weeks. Where did I go? Pinterest! When I was looking for a his and her bracelet set a month or so ago? You guessed it...Pinterest!

Still unsure if Pinterest is right for your business?

Try this. Open up a new tab on your computer - don’t close this blog post because I want you to keep reading.

What is your business? Do you sell a product? Do you provide a service?

Go to Pinterest and search for what that product or service is and see how many results pop up. I can almost guarantee you that someone just like you with the same type of business or selling the same type of product is there!

You may be thinking, well, somebody else is already doing it so why should I?

That doesn’t make any since.

How many Honda dealerships do you know of in your city selling the same type of car. I bet you can name at least three. Does that mean two of those Honda dealerships should just pack up and leave town? Not advertise on TV?

Of course not.

Let me remind you....there are over 250 million people using Pinterest every-single-day.

There is plenty of room for you AND the competition.

If there is a market for the service you provide or the product you sell and people are on Pinterest searching for it - then there is room for you at the Pinterest table.

All you need to do is convert your personal Pinterest account into a business account or create a business account. For free. Oh...did I forget to mention that? It’s FREE!!!!

Do these steps to create your Pinterest business account:

1. Create a Pinterest business account.

2. Optimize your profile with your brand and message.

3. Create 10 boards relevant to your “service” or the “products” you sell. One board should be for YOUR brand and YOUR brand only.

4. Pin 10 pins to each board. The board that is YOUR brand should only be about YOUR services or YOUR products.

See that. Easy peasy. There is more you should do but these four steps will get you started in the right direction.

But I need you to remember this.

Pinterest is a slow build. Pinterest is NOT Facebook, or Instagram or Twitter. Even though people can follow you, gaining followers is NOT your main goal. Your goal is to provide valuable information to the people who search on Pinterest. Information so valuable that their next step will be to CLICK over to your website and either BUY your product or PURCHASE your service.

It will take time.

Your only job is to be ACTIVE on Pinterest pinning 5-10 pin images daily (mostly YOUR content) so Pinterest users will click onto YOUR website. An easy tool for you to use to stay active on Pinterest is Tailwind. It allows you to schedule your pins in advance so you don’t have to nurture it everyday. You can use this Tailwind link and get a 30-day free trial and see if it’s right for you. If you feel like you still don’t have the time, then someone like me, a Pinterest Manager, can do it for you. If you’re still unsure about managing a business Pinterest account and want to chat about it, click here and set up a free 20 minute consult and we can discuss it more.

There is one thing I definitely know for sure about Pinterest: it will drive organic traffic to your website.

If people organically find your website, they are interested in your topic and, if your content delivers, they will stick around and come back for more.

The advantage Pinterest has over Twitter, Facebook and Instagram is that your posts and pins have a shelf life of up to 6 months, whereas, the others will only appear in someone’s feed a few hours.

6 Months!!!

People will be able to find your posts/pins FOREVER!!!

So, go open a Pinterest business account. Follow the steps I listed above and if you want to chat, more, click here and let’s talk about it.

Xoxo

Raquell

How To Use Canva For Your Online Business

Running a business, especially as a small business owner or an entrepreneur, can be stressful! If you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur, you probably do ALL THE JOBS!!! You are responsible for your own tech support, social media management, content creation, business strategy, selling your service or product, and business finances. Not to mention finding clients!!!

And that’s not all, is it?

You are more than likely running your small business on limited funds, so, it’s really important to find resources that will help you manage your business without a lot of out-of-pocket expense - at least in the beginning. If you’re running the show by yourself, this means you're going to have to embrace a few online technologies to help you stand out. One of those of online technologies is Canva! And guess what...IT’S FREE!!!

Yes. FREE.

There is a paid version of Canva that gives you a whole lot more bells and whistles when it comes to design, but if you’re looking for the simple to help with graphic design then Canva should be your go to to create beautiful graphics.

What can you create with Canva?

Social Media Graphics

Facebook. Instagram. Twitter. You name it - you can create simple - in your brand colors - social media graphics for all of your social media. The templates that are already there are more than enough to get you started. All you have to do is change the backgrounds to your brand colors, use their free stock images or upload your own, and you’re good to go.

Pinterest Graphics

You’re not on Pinterest? WHY NOT??? If you’re a small business owner, entrepreneur, coach, virtual assistant, have an online business - and you’re blogging or plan to blog or sell a product - YOU NEED PINTEREST IN YOUR LIFE. It will drive TONS of traffic to your website.

Trust me.

If you don’t believe me - let’s talk about it and I’ll tell you why.

Portfolio

If you’re a looking for clients and a way to WOW them with everything you know or a service you can provide - a portfolio is a nice - and beautiful - way to show them. Canva has several templates you can choose from. And again - you can alter them to match your brand colors.

Email Opt-Ins

Nowadays EVERYONE needs to grow an email list. You need to be in someone’s email box at least once a week showcasing what you KNOW - what you SALE - or what SERVICE you can provide!!! You can create an opt-in quickly with a pre-made design in Canva.

Podcasts You Should Listen To!

eBooks

Are you thinking about self-publishing an e-book one day in the future? Canva’s got your back!!! This I must admit I have NOT done, but I know it CAN be done with Canva.

Branding

I’m sure you’ve read a lot by now about “branding” your business, picking out the right colors, setting the tone for your business. Canva can help you with that as well. Check out this blog post that can help you with choosing colors for your brand.

Logo

I must admit I sucked it up and spent the moolah for my logo because I wanted something very specific and I couldn’t find it on Canva and at the time - I hadn’t experimented enough with Canva to do it myself. Plus, I really don’t see myself as super creative but I’m getting better and better every day with my design skills. If you have a good eye for design and you aren’t ready to hire someone to create your logo for you, then try using Canva until you are.

These are just a few of the design options you can create in Canva. There is so much more. Go explore!!! Like for real...go NOW and explore what you can create with Canva!

Xoxo

6 Ways A Virtual Assistant Can Help A Lawyer

Are you a lawyer wondering how a Virtual Assistant can help you in your growing law practice?

Customer service, administrative tasks, social media management, and office management are just a few of the tasks that need to be dealt with on a daily basis in a busy law practice. But if you’re an attorney just starting out, a lawyer running your own office, or a lawyer in a small practice, you might be handling these day-to-day tasks without the help of a paralegal or an assistant.

By outsourcing these tasks rather than paying someone to sit in your office and earn an 8-hour  wage that includes benefits, sick leave, and vacation leave, you can make your office much more efficient. Some specific tasks a virtual assistants can handle include:

• Answering phones

• Setting up/confirming appointments

• Sending out appointment reminders

• Transcription

• Overseeing your schedule

• Email inbox management

• Bookkeeping/Accounting

• Website setup and maintenance

• Social media management

• Legal research

A virtual assistant can help you with specific tasks that can completed virtually. The tasks a virtual assistant can be specific or broad. A virtual assistant can do only your bookkeeping once a month or assume the role of a virtual part-time employee whose shoulder you don’t have to look over every day.

What can an attorney outsource to a Virtual Assistant?

Bookkeeping

Bookkeeping is one of those things that are necessary but boring and time consuming. Since these tasks are systematic and repetitive, a VA can do them well. Many VAs have bookkeeping experience, so these tasks are not a huge challenge. A VA can invoice your clients, pay your bills, and renew your memberships.

Social Media Marketing

You don’t have time to Tweet, Like, and Follow people or respond to comments on social media. A lot of VAs have experience in social media marketing. In addition, a virtual assistant can promote you to a broader audience and manage your social media accounts.

Email

One of the most-common things virtual assistants do for clients is help them with email management. Once you give them access to your email, they can sort and organize your inbox and prioritize your emails so you spend less time looking at your inbox. A virtual assistant can forward you the most important email, answer the common ones, and manage emails from perspective and current clients, including setting up appointments and answer basic questions about your practice.

Manage Your Calendar and Set Meetings

Virtual Assistants can set appointments with clients and manage your schedule. VAs can set up client meetings by looking at your schedule and adding appointments to your calendar. They can also remind you when you need to be in court. This will save you time from having to email back-and-forth with a client to find a suitable time to meet.

Transcription

Do you take notes by hand? Record them with a small cassette player? Handwritten notes can be scanned and sent to your virtual assistant; recordings can be picked up. Then, your VA can type them up and save them in a client’s folder online.

What about your legal paperwork?

Do you file your legal paperwork online? Most court systems have moved the task of filing motions and briefs online. This is also a task a virtual assistant can do for you!

And there is so much more!

If you are a lawyer that needs help managing your busy law practice, think seriously about getting a Virtual Assistant like me to help you.

Need a list of all of the wonderful things a VA can help you with...download the Lawyer VA Task List today!

I Need This Task List!

Rock Your Discovery Call: All The Right Questions To Ask To Get You From Call To Client

You started your Virtual Assistant business.

You set up your website.

You are rocking your social media game!

The moment you’ve been waiting for arrives. You book a client discovery call!!

Now what?

Panic sets in.

You wonder...what the heck do I do now?

I’ve been there!!

Don’t worry. I’ve got your back. I’m going to share with you the exact questions you need to ask during your discovery call so you can BOOK THAT CLIENT!!!

First things first:

#1 Let the client talk first.

Allow them to kick the conversation off. Take notes. They may even answer some of the questions listed below.

#2 Smile

Especially if you’re on a Zoom or Skype call.

#3 Closing statement

Even though you don’t know how your discovery call is going to go, have a closing statement prepared about YOU. Who you are. What you offer. Why you are the best choice. Practice this statement over and over in your head so you know exactly what you’re going to say so that you only have to tweak it once you’ve asked all of your questions.

#4 Follow up

Follow up immediately after the phone call with an email stating how much you enjoyed talking to them. If the client asked you for references or examples, send those with this email. In addition, set a reminder to follow up with them at least one week after the discovery call to keep YOU in their mind if they haven’t yet made a decision.

And Remember!!!

Your voice has to shine through.

Your personality has to be on point.

NOW!!! Are you ready for the discovery call questions I used to book my first client?

WELL...download this free template NOW!

Xoxo

Raquell

I Want The Discovery Call Questions

What Exactly Does A Virtual Assistant Do

Hiring a using a Virtual Assistant to take time consuming tasks off your hands can save you hours of time you could be working on and growing your business. A Virtual Assistant is an executive assistant that does all of your administrative tasks - only virtual. What does that mean for you? No overhead. No health insurance. No taxes. An independent contractor who will assist you for a set price - no more, no less, for as few or as many hours as you need them to.

Is your email inbox overflowing with unanswered responses? Have you neglected to post on your business social media accounts lately? Are you wondering what your competitors are doing?

If you’re saying to yourself that your budget just isn’t set up for that right now...you’re doing yourself a disservice. Did you know you can hire a Virtual Assistant for as little as $259.00 per month?

Well okay you might say. $259 a month isn’t so bad. What can I get for $259 per month?

Are you a blogger?

• Blog Management

• Content Creation

• Responding to Blog Comments

• Blog Traffic Reports

• Backups and Updating Plugins

• Maintaining Editorial or Content Calendar

• Setting Up Affiliate Programs

• Affiliate Program Maintenance

• Scheduling Pins on Pinterest w/Tailwind

• Tailwind Maintenance

Are you an Entrepreneur or Small Business Owner?

• Newsletter Design

• Newsletter Content Creation

• Email Automation

• MailChimp (or some other email software program)

• Email Marketing

• Landing Pages

• Website Design and Management

• Meeting Minutes

• Transcription

• Appointment Setting

• Calendar Management

• Internet Research / Competitor Research

• Customer Service

• Event Planning

• Travel / Hotel Arrangements

• Payments and Invoicing

Are you a Consultant or Teach Online Classes?

• Email Automation

• MailChimp (or some other email software program)

• Email Marketing

• Landing Pages

• Sales Funnels

• Group Management (Facebook, LinkedIn

• Technical Writing

• Social Media Strategy

• Ads (Facebook, Instagram, Google, LinkedIn)

• Online Teaching Platform Set Up

• Content Creation for Courses

• Webinar Assistance

These are just a few of the tasks a virtual assistant can take off your hands so you can focus on your business.

My goal as a Virtual Assistant is to help executives, small business owners, entrepreneurs and bloggers spend more time working on their business rather than in it. Running a business today, big or small, requires wearing many hats and a huge commitment of time, energy, and resources. When there are too many tasks to complete and you lack the time or expertise to do it all, I want to provide assistance in managing your communication, administrative, and marketing needs. I want to help you save time and money by taking tasks off of your plate, therefore allowing you to focus more on where you’re gifted, and where to bring the best value to grow their business.

Want to schedule a free consultation with me to see how Skyrocket Virtual Solutions can assist you in your business?

Click below and set up a consultation now!

Schedule A Consultation