How to Organically Get on Your Clients’ News Feeds

With Facebook’s ever-changing algorithm, it’s essential to adjust your strategy to land the most views and interaction on the social network. The organic reach of most Facebook posts doesn’t get to nearly as many people as it used to, so you might have to work a little harder. Here are some tips to land your business’ page on potential clients’ news feeds without having to shell out the money to pay for the exposure.

Publish Evergreen Content
If you post timeless content, then your audience will be able to “like” and comment on it for a longer period of time. As more people keep liking and commenting, the increased engagement probes the Facebook algorithm to ensure that your post gets distributed further, and that it appears in other peoples’ feeds for longer. If you plan on repeating blogs, come up with a new image, title, and description so people don’t get tired of seeing the same post over and over.

Engage
This is an obvious one, but don’t underestimate the benefits of engaging with your audience, including sharing the posts of others. As you read other blogs, like and share them with a one or two-line comment. Liking and commenting are obvious ways to engage, but also be sure to use and encourage emojis – they rank higher on Facebook than a like.

Tag People
Tag people in your posts, but don’t just tag any random profile. Tag people that you know will have an opinion or get pumped about the post. If you know that someone will be excited, passionate, or even angry about the subject, having them comment will create a conversation. If you can create conversation, the algorithm will automatically make it show up in more news feeds. If you don’t want to tag specific people, you can also ask a question that will immediately increase engagement while prompting others to respond.

Share Video and Image Content
Users prefer to engage with video and images, rather than text or link posts because they’re usually seen as boring and are generally more time-consuming than video and images. It’s easy to like and share a picture or video without having to click through to another webpage or read a lengthy article before deciding if it’s worth sharing. And if you can create your own video content, even better. Make sure there’s a clear call to action at the end of the post, such as “like this post if you agree” or “tag a friend who would like this”.

Make Use of Facebook Groups­
Facebook groups can be surprisingly supportive. Type your niche or business plus “group” in the search bar and browse through the results until you find some that might be interested in your posts. By posting links and a short blurb on these groups, you can increase your traffic and exposure.

Although the organic reach on Facebook has gone down significantly, you can still land on news feeds without having to pay a penny or harassing your audience for views. You just have to know what Facebook is pushing at the moment and strategize accordingly. To work with the recently updated algorithm, you can add an image if you’re going to use a link, actively engage with your audience, encourage conversation, and don’t be afraid to start making your own video content.

 

Helen Jacob | Staff Writer

Succession Planning in Small Organizations

When we talk about “succession planning”, the first thing that comes to mind is the “seamless process of replacing a top executive when he or she decides to leave the organization”.  However, as business trends change, so does the system.  The procedure is now more inclusive with wider scope.  Aside from exit strategies, it takes into account the (short-term and long-term) stability and sustainability of a company’s human resources plus the individual development of its employees.

Businesses, irrespective of size, legal structure, nature or industry, are always faced with uncertainties – employees or executives leave.  They may reach retirement age, become incapacitated, receive a better position within or outside the company.  Regardless of the reason, the institution must always be ready to fill that void with the right person to ensure continuity of leadership and operations.

There is no prescribed formula in succession planning but here are a few points to consider:

  • Develop and maintain an updated demographic profile of the workforce. This identifies each member’s roles, determines key position(s) that are critical in the short- and long-term operations and recognize personnel with the potential and eligibility to replace or assume other posts.  The data also helps in conducting an analysis of the current office’s collective expertise and what it needs in the future.
  •  Staff development as part of succession planning, requires organizations to provide further training to ensure employees acquire the needed know-how. Equally important is getting the “soft” skills associated with the demands of the job (decision-making, leadership, critical thinking, interpersonal and communication).  Develop programs and coach/mentor them while helping them acclimate to the situation.  This phase likewise involves increasing the scope of their responsibilities and, most importantly, getting the individual participate in the action plan.
  •  Conduct a regular review to re-assess if targets are achieved. If there are changes in goals and/or job requirements, be proactive and make adjustments.  Creating a plan is not enough, it must be updated periodically to reflect the shifting demands of the enterprise and the market.
  •  Select individuals based on competencies and not personalities. Hiring internally is almost always more preferable than contracting out.  However, the pros and cons must be carefully considered.  Regardless of what management decides, it must be communicated to all stakeholders to avoid resentment and confusion.

The success of an enterprise highly depends on its qualifications, knowledge and experience, which are tied to its people.  The moment a staff member walks out, they take with them this valuable asset.  Instead of scrambling and making hasty or uninformed decisions, it is always best to prepare for any eventuality.  Make sure to find the individual who will and can support and complement the company’s vision, values and objectives.

Succession planning is not a one-time event, it is a continuous process – it evolves with your trade and your experiences. It is never too early to start one.  Do it now!

 

Z. Ricafrente | DBPC Blog

What Great Employees Do Differently

There is a lot of competition in the workforce, not just in finding a job but also for attaining a higher position or raise. Being a good worker is not enough, most employees in a company are good. Great employees possess some special characteristics that differentiate them from the rest. They do things differently and take advantage of opportunities that are presented to them. The following are some of the traits a great employee should have:

  • Takes action: waiting for instructions and only doing what is require is what an average worker does. A great employee will go further, even if it is risky. They go the extra mile to make a difference and they are the ones who take on the tough tasks others are not willing to do.
  • Passion: they love their job and are enthusiastic about it. They go to work not just for a pay check or a promotion, but for the satisfaction of what they do.
  • Ambition: career success is one of their main goals. Employee’s ambition is what helps a company succeed. They create new ideas and are always looking for new ways to make procedures more effective and efficient.
  • Autonomy: the ability to work without supervision is key for effectiveness. A manager needs to work with people that will not require too much hand-holding or supervision. Employees who understand instructions quickly and are able to help others do so are an asset for any company.
  • Energy: people with good energy and a positive attitude, are not just more productive, they also help make the work environment more enjoyable. Having someone on the team that is always positive and enthusiastic, helps others do their job better and contributes to a better workday.
  • Reliability: this is one of the most important aspects, having someone you can trust and depend on is key for success. It’s imperative for a great employee to be dependable. Supervisors will be able to trust that any job given to this particular employee will be done on time and accurately. This is a person anyone can trust, and a true asset to the business.
  • Knowledge: they know their job and the company well. They know how to excel on any and understand how to best meet company goals. Understanding the company’s mission is important for them and knowing their supervisor or manager’s leadership and work style is key to their success.

Being a great employee takes time and dedication. Feeling appreciated and recognized also helps motivate workers to keep doing a great job. If you are a company owner or manager make sure to focus on these characteristics in your employees, because even if they like their job, feeling undervalued will shadow all their efforts and negatively affect their performance.

 

Viviana

DBPC Blog