5 Things I’ve Learned in Business Over the Past 5 Years

Sharing a little bit more about me and my business today…here are 5 things I’ve learned over the past 5 years running a business.

1. It takes Time–yikes…it takes time to build a business from scratch. I knew this, but damn, it can really take a really long time! I didn’t think I would have instant success, but I wasn’t sure what to expect. It also took me a few years to figure out work/life balance. Thank God I did–my life feels more complete since I’ve tackled that demon of owning a small business.

2. Not everyone wants you to succeed--it’s true. And that painful truth hurts, especially when they are close to you. But it’s usually a sign of weakness from them, not from you. The best advice I can give, is succeed anyway.

3. There’s enough business for everyone–I feel this in my soul. I know that I am not a good fit for everyone. I know that there are other talented consultants out there. And I am 100% OK with that reality. I stay in my own lane and focus on providing to my clients and it serves me well. I cheer on others, I encourage others and I’ve recommended others. There’s enough for everyone–it’s time we all got along!!

4. I hate accounting. I said what I said. I’m not good at it. I despise it. I know it’s important but I’d rather not deal with it.

5. The rewards are plentiful! Man, working for myself has amazing rewards, but the best one by far is seeing a client succeed. I love knowing that I can make a small impact on their business when I work with them. Endless smiles…

Thanks for catching up with me this week! I have more planned for next week–see you then!

Grab this freebie:

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My 5 BIG WINS in 5 Years of Business

Cindy Rowe Marketing Celebrates 5 Big Wins

Hi. It’s me, Cindy.

During this celebratory month, I thought it would be fun to reflect back over the past 5 years and share a few things about me and my business. This week–I will start by sharing my 5 biggest WINS! (these aren’t in any special order–just shooting from the hip!)

1. Starting! Yep–If I didn’t start, I wouldn’t be here 5 years later. It’s crazy, but it true. Starting is the biggest step. Belief that I could run a business and make it successful–I didn’t cave into FEAR!

2. Networking! I remember meeting John Broda at a Networking event. He introduced me to others and a great business friendship formed. I always saw John as a connector–he is good at getting the right people in front of each other. John was also my first non-friend client–he took a leap and trusted me! I will never forget that.

3. Office Space! Moving out of the house and coffee shops into my own space was so liberating! My dreams/vision for my business was never to have an agency or large office–but a quiet place to work and be organized–I WANTED THAT!!! I love having a place to go, surrounded by other entrepreneurs and business people, Irontek is the perfect place for me!

4. Referrals! Yes–the heartbeat of my business! When I have people recommend me to their friends, it is truly the greatest compliment. It also raises the bar for me–I don’t want to let the client down or the friend that referred me. These recommendations are such a blessing and I never take them for granted.

5. Conferences! I set a goal in 2019 to host educational events. That goal was met and then some! I hosted my own Social Media Conference with a goal of 20-30 people–I blew it out of the park with over 50 in attendance. After that conference, I went on and hosted 4 more! This was a pivotal experience for my business. I loved every second of it. Look for more educational opportunities coming soon!

Looking back over the past 5 years is fun! Stay tuned for more!!

Cheers!

Hooray for 5 Years!!

TODAY IS A MAJOR MILESTONE FOR ME!!!

Today I celebrate 5 years in business!

Has it been easy? HELL NO.

Has it been worth it? HELL YES!

I wasn’t ready to start when I did–but I took the leap anyways. I wasn’t sure where I’d end up or how long I’d succeed, but I knew it was worth trying. I wasn’t aware of the hurdles I’d have to jump and situations I’d endure, but I started anyways.

I had many people not believe in my dreams or my vision, yet I kept moving forward. I had people tell me where they thought my business should go, but that was their vision, not mine. I had people laugh at me and couldn’t believe I walked away from an almost 6-figure career for this. I had people whisper behind my back and tell untrue stories about my experience or my abilities. I had people cheer me on and encourage me. I had referrals from people that only knew of me through social media. I had repeat business. I had many mistakes and failures. And I have had lots of successes and wins.

I’ve been nervous about where my next client is coming from and wondering how I can manage all of my workload.

I’ve met amazing business owners. I’ve had incredible clients. I’ve built great business friendships.

My passion has been helping others. In the corporate world, I felt like that part of my life was missing. So when I built my company, my number one focus was going to be helping small businesses. I built my business with honesty and integrity. And holy shit–I made it to the 5 year mark!

Thank you for your love and support over the past 5 years–I look forward to the exciting future ahead!!

All month long I will be celebrating–so grab your glass and join me!!

Social Media Content Ideas for July

Where does the time go? We are sitting at the beginning of yet another month. It’s been such a quick summer already. Here’s a quick guide to get you thinking about social media post ideas for the month! No excuses–I’ve made it super easy for you!

July 1 – Create a FLASH Sale…make this a hot offer, limited time only

July 2 – Feel Good Friday – share a picture of something that makes you happy and ask your audience to share what makes them happy

July 3 – Small Business Shoutout – share (tag) a favorite local small business you want your fans to know about

July 4 – 4th of July – share a pic of a local flag display and comment what freedom means to you

July 5 – It’s National Work-aholic Day – encourage everyone to create balance in their life.

July 6 – Tuesday Tip – provide a valuable tip that your audience can use right away.

July 7 – Wednesday Wisdom- share a meaningful quote or thought

July 8 – Share a blog post from an industry leader

July 9 – Friday Introductions – give a few things about yourself and ask your fans to share something about themselves

July 10 – What’s your current VIBE? Share a favorite song

July 11 – Sunday Funday – share a selfie of something fun you did or are doing over the weekend

July 12 – Customer Review – share and tag (with permission)

July 13 – Share a stat about your industry

July 14 – Work it Wednesday – show your work desk, share behind the scenes or give a hint on your current projects

July 15 – Get to Know Your Customer Day – ask them what their favorite item of yours is

July 16 – Ask for advice on what to cook for dinner–share your favorite grilling recipe

July 17 – World Emoji Day – ask fans to share their most used emoji with you in the comments

July 18 – Video–share a quick 3 min or less video on why you are in business

July 19 – Promote a product or service

July 20 – Ask for advice or a referral (could be anything!)

July 21 – #wcw, share a woman that inspires you

July 22 – Invite fans to join your email/newsletter

July 23 – Answer a FAQ

July 24 – Share a weekend gif and ask fans to share their plans for the weekend with a gif

July 25 – Gratitude post – share something you are grateful for in your business

July 26 – Monday Motivation – share a motivational quote

July 27 – Highlight a local vendor

July 28 – Share the story behind your name/logo

July 29 – #tbt Throwback Thursday – dig into your archives and find an old post or something from when you just started

July 30 – International Day of Friendship – highlight a friendship you’ve created by owning your business

July 31 – Month end wrap-up – share a story of a success from the month

Social Media Content Ideas for May

WHOA…where did April go? Holy cow, time is moving so fast!! Here’s is a quick guide you can reference for Content Ideas in May. If you find them helpful, share this with a friend!

May 1st – Kentucky Derby Day – encourage fans to show off their fancy hats or share a recipe for a Mint Julip!

May 4th – Star Wars Day – Have fun with this one! May the 4th be with you! Do a Google Search to find a picture that is relevant to your industry using the Star Wars Theme!

May 5th – Cinco de Mayo – Ask fans to share local spots for the best Mexican Food or share a picture of you/your team celebrating!

May 6th – Nurses Day – This is a perfect time to do a shout-out for the Nurses in your community. Encourage Fans to tag their favorite nurse for a chance to win a prize!

May 9th – Mother’s Day – Share a photo of how you are celebrating or remembering mom on this day! If you purchased the 365 Days of Content Bundle, there’s a premade graphic you can use!

May 15th – Armed Forces Day – Today is a day to pay special tribute to the men and women who serve our country.

May 20th – National Rescue Dog Day – Got a shelter dog in your life? Share a photo and include a link to the shelter that introduced the two of you. Encourage your fans to share a picture of their rescue dog too!

May 21st – Bike to Work Day – Ask fans how far they would have to bike if they rode to work today! Tag a local bike shop and encourage people to get outside and ride!

May 25th – National Wine Day – Share your favorite or highlight a local vineyard by
including a link to their profile.

May 28th – National Road Trip Day – Where would you travel for a road trip? Ask fans, post a picture of your destination or favorite past road trip!

May 31st – Memorial Day – First and foremost, remember the meaning of the day and celebrate those who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Second, be sure to share photos of what you’re doing on this unofficial start of summer! If you purchased the 365 Days of Content Bundle, there’s a premade graphic you can use!

April Content Ideas

Looking for content ideas to post? Well, here’s a list you can use to create kickass (and fun) content for the month of April!

April 1st – April Fools Day – have fun with your fans…come up with a fun April Fools Joke

April 3rd – Homemade Day – Do you create something homemade (food/craft/body products)? Today is the day to celebrate your skill

April 4th – Easter – Share how you are making Easter special this year

April 5th – Read a Road Map Day – You could have fun to see who actually owns a paper roadmap, maybe even do a fun giveaway for people that respond

April 7th – Beer Day – Promote a local brewery

April 7th – Walking Day – Promote a local walking path or park you like taking walks around

April 10th – Sibling Day – This is a big one on social media. Share photos of you and your sibling, pics of your kiddos, or even your fur babies

April 11th – Pet Day – Share an adorable photo of your best buddy and invite your followers to share theirs.

April 15th – Banana Day – Share your favorite way to eat a banana or a favorite banana recipe

April 22nd – Earth Day – From planting trees to recycling, show how you’re helping the planet

April 25th – Telephone Day – Have fun with this and ask fans to recall their childhood phone number

April 28th – Superhero Day – Celebrate a local superhero or ask followers to nominate a local superhero and giveaway a prize

Remember: Your social media posts should be a little bit about your business expertise, and a lot about your personality! Feel free to share these April ideas with your friends. Everyone likes free stuff!

February Content Ideas

As we finish the first month of 2021, I’m here to remind you to PLAN AHEAD!

It’s so important that you have a strategy when it comes to posting on social media. You can shoot from the hip and claim that social media marketing doesn’t work OR you can put a plan in place, stick to a creating a content calendar and schedule your posts in advance.

You don’t need to block a ton of time out of your schedule to do this either! AND…if you are struggling to get organized and plan, I have a great resource for you! I created the Social Media Planner–I promise you if will help you get you where you want to go with your social media marketing. You can grab the planner HERE.

Part of your content strategy should include an element of FUN! That’s why I share these National Holidays. You can utilize a few of these a month that will resonate with your audience. These posts should increase engagement!

February is Black History Month–if this resonates with your audience, be sure to have several posts throughout the month that includes fun facts, stats, etc.

February 2 – Ground Hog Day — have fun with this an encourage fans to guess to see if the little guy will see his shadow or not

February 4 – Thank a Mail Carrier Day — you know they work hard–time to show a little appreciation!

February 5 – Wear Red Day — show support and awareness for cardiovascular disease

February 7 – Super Bowl Sunday — be careful when using the term Super Bowl–it’s actually trademarked! But, use this day to ask about favorite football snacks, winner predictions or my fav–the best commercial!

February 9 – National Pizza Day — who doesn’t like talking about PIZZA? Encourage fans to vote for their favorite local pizza joint, or take a poll on favorite toppings or deep dish vs thin crust!!

February 14 – Valentine’s Day — the day of LOVE! Flowers or Chocolate? Perfect Date Night? Possibilities are endless here!

February 15 – President’s Day — Use this day to honor the past presidents

February 17 – National Random Act of Kindness Day — Encourage your audience to perform a RAOK and talk about one that you will be doing!

February 18 – National Drink Wine Day — Well, this is a dream come true! A day designated to drink wine! You could ask White or Red or even have your audience share their favorite local winery destination!

February 22 – National Margarita Day — Another fun one! Share a pic of you enjoying a margarita at a local restaurant or encourage fans to tag their favorite place to go for a good margarita!

That’s a wrap! This month, pick a few you’d like to use in your content strategy and create them NOW!!

Have a great one Rockstars!

Cindy

December Content Calendar

YIKES!! I can’t believe December is here. It’s crazy to think how fast (and slow at the same time) this year has gone. And we are still dealing with a National Pandemic. But, nevertheless, we must continue to push through and move forward.

I created an easy way for your business to create content with “fun” or “interesting” National Holidays. I picked out a few of my favorites and gave you ways to create content for your social media pages.

I hope it helps! I also ran a series in my private Marketing Rockstar VIP group on content creation ideas. Are you part of the group? If not, hurry on over–I’ve got some amazing things happening and always provide great tips and tricks to help market your small business.

Ok…here are the upcoming National Holidays for December:

December 1: Pie Day/Rosa Parks Day/National Day of Giving
- Ask your fans what kind of Pie they like best. Or do a “THIS or THAT” Pie Post
- Engage in a conversation about Rosa Parks, what she stood for and how things have changed
- Promote or encourage your fans to support your favorite charity or have a post where they can comment about their favorite charity/or where they plan on giving today
December 3: National Roof Over Head Day
- You could have fun with this one: describe your childhood home, what’s your favorite room in your house, do you remember your the name of the street you grew up on, etc.
December 4: World Wildlife Conservation Day
- You could post a collection of Wildlife Photos, Ask fans to comment what wildlife animal is their “spirit” animal
December 11: National App Day
- Ask your fans what their favorite App is
December 17: National Re-gift Day
- Start a dialogue with your fans on the worst gift they’ve ever received or what gift they have re-gifted
December 18: Ugly Christmas Sweater Day
- You could host a contest by having fans comment with a pic of them in their ugly sweater
December 21: Winter Solstice
- Post a winter quote, ask fans what they like best about winter, etc.
December 25: Christmas
- Be sure to wish your fans a Merry Christmas. Perhaps posting a family pic by the tree or something personal.
December 29: National Hero Day
- Post a pic of your favorite hero and encourage people to comment with theirs, ask fans who their favorite local hero is
December 31: New Years Eve
- End the year with a bang! Do a reflective post and wish your fans a Happy New Year!

Have fun creating!

Cindy

November Content Calendar Ideas

Do you get stuck and not know what to post on social media? Great news! I’ve put together a FUN list of “National” Holidays happening in the month of November. Use these as a guide to create engagement posts on social media.

You can create branded graphics in Canva for a cohesive look. Plan ahead and create all of them at once and schedule them using the new Facebook Business Suite or Creator Studio!

If you are looking for help with the entire aspect of social media marketing management…I’m your girl. There are many options available depending on what you are looking for. Don’t be shy, reach out to me for a custom quote: cindy@cindyrowemarketing.com

November National Days:

- November 1 National Family Literacy Day
  - encourage family to read together, ask for book recommendations
- November 3 National Sandwich Day | Election Day
  - ask for favorite local sandwich shop recommendations, show that you voted (encourage voting)
- November 4 National Stress Awareness Day
  - share tips on how to relieve stress
- November 11 Veteran’s Day
  - celebrate local vets, share a quote
- November 13 World Kindness Day
  - show how you spread kindness today, encourage others to comment how they celebrated
- November 17 Entrepreneur’s Day
  - celebrate you! Share your story!
- November 26 Thanksgiving
  - give thanks to clients/staff
- November 28 Small Business Saturday
  - share how you shopped local/small

Now you’ve got several ideas on engaging content for November–GET CREATING!!

Take care,

Cindy

Why Social Media is like a Cocktail Party

Social Media is “social” networking. It’s not meant to be a place to sell, but a place to build relationships and connect.

So if you’re only using it to sell, sell, sell…and frustrated you are not getting anything out of it, it’s time to shift your mindset and start showing up like it’s a cocktail party.

How would you really act at a cocktail party? You’d meet new people, introduce yourself, ask questions, build rapport, catch up with friends and have one on one conversations.

You can show up on social media the same way. More posts that create connection, tell a story or engage with your audience…just like you’d interact at a cocktail party.

Here’s 3 ways you can create posts that feel more like socializing:

Start asking questions! People love to talk about themselves, so ask questions that will make your followers feel heard and want to engage with you. It doesn’t have to be about your product or service either…it just needs to resonate with your audience.
Share about you and your community! What is something people know you for that could create a connection with others who might share that same interest? Do you volunteer? Do you love road trips and traveling? What about fitness? Start building the trust by sharing the authentic YOU.Are there current events happening in your community? Share about these things just like you’d discuss them in a conversation over wine and cheese.
Provide value Stop posting just about your brand, products, services, etc…that is lame and boring. Share valuable content that would be helpful to someone needing your services/product in the future. What do you want to be known for? What are you an expert in? Think of tips, ideas and things you can share that will help position yourself as an expert and show up as a trusted resource…instead of a sales pitch.

Now it’s time to get to the party and become the center of attention among your followers. Let me know how it goes! And I wouldn’t be a proper host if I didn’t invite you to my private Facebook Group, where I share insider tips and tricks and all things marketing! Come on over and join our party: Marketing Rockstar VIP Group.