Best in Business Magazine November 2021 by bestinbusiness

THE MAGAZINE ENTREPRENEURS HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! THRIVE

BEST IN BUSINESS

AGILE MARKETING Sustaining your business in challenging times

NOVEMBER 2021 | ISSUE 01

WELCOMING THE FLYWHEEL PUTTING THE CUSTOMER AT THE HEART OF YOUR MARKETING

Customer Collaboration Remarkable Experiences

EXCLUSIVE!

MISSISSIPPI HEROES:

Redefining Services

CELEBRATING EVERYDAY CAREGIVERS

NOVEMBER 2021 | $7.99

SHEILA FARR | 03 | BRINGING EXCELLENCE BACK WWW.GULFCOASTTRAINING.ORG

BEST IN BUSINESS

CONTENTS NOTES + PICKS + FEATURES + A LITTLE GOOD NEWS

03 EDITOR'S NOTE Editor Sheila Farr talks about starting something new and bringing excellence back to businesses.

06 FEATURES This month is all about marketing: becoming agile, using videos in marketing, and learning about the flywheel!

18 A LITTLE GOOD NEWS

THE NEWEST TRENDS IN MARKETING

Sharing good news and exciting events from around Mississippi and beyond!

EXCLUSIVE!

MISSISSIPPI HEROES:

CELEBRATING SUPERHEROES AMONG US

22 FEATURED AUTHOR: JACKIE MCKEEVER

Get a jump-start on the New Year: How to Plan, Implement, and Evaluate Your Success

MISSISSIPPI HEROES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KATHERINE SUTTON Learn about the heart behind Mississippi Heroes as we chat with its Executive Director

We share our favorites for helping businesses get a leg up in marketing!

BEST IN BOOKS Our Best in Business Bookworms share their picks for the current best books in marketing!

1015 HOWARD AVENUE, SUITE C BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI 39530 TRAINTHEGULFCOAST@GMAIL.COM WWW.GULFCOASTTRAINING.ORG

NOVEMBER 2021| ISSUE 01

24 BOOK PICKS

BEST IN BUSINESS

A NOTE FROM OUR EDITOR

Welcome to Best in Business! This month is the start of a new ADVENTURE for Best in Business and our parent company, Gulf Coast Training & Education Services, LLC, - and we couldn't be more excited!

Sheila Farr, Best in Business Editor and Publisher

For a while now, we've been sitting back and watching from the sidelines. We've seen businesses start up, struggle, and fall by the wayside over and over again. We've been waiting for some of the business giants to start sharing some of their secrets to success, but since we haven't seen that happen yet, we decided to go in search of it ourselves, sharing what we've learned over our 25+ years in the workplace and bringing the best of the best to the "little guys;" those small businesses and entrepreneurs who dream of more, but don't quite know how to get there.

SIMPLY SAYING YOU'RE THE BEST, DOESN'T MAKE IT SO...BEING THE BEST MAKES BUSNESSES THE BEST, AND IT'S OUR GOAL TO HELP BRING BACK EXCELLENCE IN BUSINESS! Best in Business Magazine is on a mission to help equip start-up businesses, small businesses, and entrepreneurs be the best they can be. We want to not only help you succeed, but we want to see you THRIVE and GROW in ways you may never have imagined! Each month, we are committed to bringing you information about the most current trends in business along with practical ways to make adjustments and improvements in your own business. We are here for you and we want to be sure we're doing all we can do to serve the needs of our local - and global - small business community!

Let's work together to be the BEST in business!

03 NOVEMBER 2021/ISSUE 1

We hope that as you read our articles, you will be inspired to do better in your own business. We invite you to partner with us by sharing your input and insight. placing ads to grow your business, joining us as a contributing author, helping us watch for "good news" in your neighborhoods and communities, and by helping us make a positive impact on the lives of those whom we serve; the small businesses and entrepreneurs. We are on a mission to help businesses serve better, plan better, operate better, and grow in ways in which they've never dreamed they could. We are here for YOU, so please feel free to "talk back" and let us know how we may best serve you!

BEST IN BUSINESS

Rob's Cabinets & More

Making Dreams Come True Along the Mississippi Gulf Coast since 2009

Rob Cavaco, Owner 10447 Lemoyne Boulevard D'Iberville, Mississippi 39540 (228) 326-4830

Whether you think you can or think you can't you're right!

~ Henry Ford ~

BEST IN BUSINESS

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MARKETING

DEMYSTIFYING AGILE MARKETING : HOW CAN AGILE MARKETING HELP YOUR BUSINESS?

BY SHEILA FARR Everyone wants to be agile these days, including

What is Agile Marketing?

marketers. In a world where visitors decide to

The following Diagram from Moz

abandon your ad or website in 2-3 seconds, where

Whiteboard Friday by Jim Ewel, founder of

people are bombarded with infinite amount of

AgileMarketing.net is an excellent summary

emails and information, or where technology is

of the basic premises and benefits of agile

changing at an incredible speed, to capture the

marketing.

attention of target audiences, companies must become more nimble and flexible. Marketing organizations are learning from the engineering and software disciplines before them and adapting agile paradigms to marketing, i.e., Agile Marketing. The concept of an agile approach has most recently been associated with computer software and the term “agile product delivery.” What exactly does it mean to utilize agile marketing in your business? Agile is a set of practices and operating principles that enable them to make better decisions faster and deliver continuous value to their business and customers. The main values of agility are: Being closer to the customers and having a better pulse on what they need and want, speed – Ability to transform ideas into marketing

Marketing organizations must invest in building

campaigns in days as opposed to weeks or

agile marketing competencies to keep up with the

months,

rapidly evolving needs and priorities of the

more productive communication between teams

business and customers. Failure to remain agile

or departments and improved transparency

will lead to the demise and ultimately the

about progress,

downfall of your marketing efforts and the success

a sprint mentality to deliver value to customers in

of your business in the long-run. Moving towards

smaller increments and more regularly, and

an agile approach to marketing allows you to stay

ability to adapt and respond quickly to market

relevant and timely in an ever-changing

changes or changing customer needs based on

marketplace. Agile marketing teams quickly start

real-time analytics

realizing these benefits:

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BEST IN BUSINESS

MARKETING

Rapid optimizations of the conversion funnel More effective landing pages and improved SEO More focused and optimized media spent Improved personalization, customer experience, lifecycle improvement across all customer touchpoints Dramatic improvements in speed to market

How to Start your Agile Marketing Journey Traditional marketing strategies used to take

Put a team in place. Select your team members

months or a year from the start to the finish of a

based on their differing strengths and abilities that

campaign. For agile marketing, the mindset shift

will work together seamlessly. A team of no more

must change from a marathon to a sprint approach.

than 8-12 will work best. Depending on the goals of

Gather a small cross-functional team, motivated

the campaign certain key players include a project

team to start the process. For larger companies, it

manager, product owner (or campaign owner),

may be best to start gradually with one team as

scrum master, analytics leader, tagging developer,

opposed to switching everyone at once. Smaller

media lead, copywriter, art director or design leader,

companies can do a short agile training program to

and SEO lead. There are others that may need to be

get everyone on the same page in order to shift to a

involved such as legal or IT, this depends on the

new way of thinking. The team starts by defining

exact nature of the company and the goals of the

and aligning expectations of key stakeholders on

team and the campaign.

outcomes and the target audience for the campaign. A task board (or “scrum” board) is the operating center of the marketing team. Use color coding or sticky notes to keep track and streamline each person’s activity on the team. Make categories for each team member: backlog, current jobs, with another person, and done. Each person should have several tasks in their current jobs category, but not so many that it becomes overwhelming. Having the board displayed for everyone on the team to see can help workflow and visualizing how much work is left on the project. A scrum leader keeps the board and project in check.

Agile Marketing Implementation As stated above, agile marketing requires a sprint approach. A sprint is a time-box of 2-4 week period during which a “done”, useable, potentially releasable/publishable increment of value is created. Plan projects that only last between 1-2 weeks, certainly no longer than a month to deliver an increment of value, the shorter, the better. These shorter targets help you stay flexible with your strategy and allow you to adjust more quickly. A more condensed plan also creates focus for the team. Dividing tasks into shorter bursts rather than a lengthy assignment keeps morale up when jobs can be marked “done” much faster. This also allows for adjustments mid-campaign if tasks are broken down into smaller sections.

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BEST IN BUSINESS

MARKETING

Implement a daily check-in with all team members, to

Less is More

keep communication open between everyone. These

The agile marketing approach is about simplifying

are often called “daily stand-ups.” Stay open to

processes, time, and effort with a maximum effect.

discussion and problem solving if an issue arises.

Focus on the small and important bits of

Concise check-ins mean that you can avoid those long,

information instead of a big picture that can easily

drawn-out meetings that often times don’t end up

overwhelm and convolute your message. Trying

accomplishing much. One of the very important parts

smaller iterations versus a huge project is part of the

of agile marketing is the communication between

agile system. This allows for more experimentation

team members and with customers (or their surrogates

with less risk, and constant evaluation of results to

within the company), too. Customers want to feel as

improve your campaigns and strategy.

though they are important and their opinions matter.

Use analytics and information to your advantage.

Don’t forget about the human aspect of your business

Take in customer data and make adjustments as

and the personal touches that customers will

needed in the midst of a project or campaign as

remember.

opposed to waiting until afterward. This flexibility will allow you to troubleshoot and bring more

A Day in the Life of an Agile Marketing

customer satisfaction, which then will produce more sales and brand loyalty.

Team The team starts with a daily stand-up of the self-

Reflection

directed team where each member reports on: 1)

Once the sprint or project is complete, an important

their progress from the day before, 2) goals for the

aspect of agile marketing is the reflection stage

day ahead 3) as well as any hindrances where they

(traditional agile call it retrospectives). Because the

need help.

project length is much more condensed, this means

The scrum master manages the set of opportunities,

you will be analyzing your data very frequently.

removes obstacles, secures resources, and

Deciding what has worked, which areas need

orchestrates sprints.

improvement, and what the next steps are will

Daily issues are identified, mitigation actions are

propel your team to create the next project with

taken, feedback is provided to stakeholders on

fresh insights. The value of reflection is that team

upcoming needs to facilitate quickest turn-around.

members will grow and learn from each project,

At the of the day, a debrief is created on the daily

becoming an excellent asset to the business with

progress in preparation for the next day sprint. The

their precision.

scrum master uses the insights to facilitate the

Marketing is a field that is constantly changing,

stand-up meeting.

especially with the rise of new technologies, social

The above cycle happens each day for the duration

media, and more ways to reach customers than ever

of the spring (typically 2 weeks).

before. With all of this access, the customer becomes

At the end of the sprint cycle, the team reviews

an even more essential part of the process. If you

sprint tangible outcomes (valued increments),

aren’t reaching your customer base, then they will

conducts the sprint retrospective to discuss what

go elsewhere, it’s that simple.

went well and what can be improved, and plans next sprint work backlog.

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BEST IN BUSINESS

From Old-School to Agile It may take some convincing to get everyone on board with this newer approach to marketing. Currently, only 11% of marketers are using the agile approach! However, the benefits of agile marketing are clear, especially with the vast amount of digital marketing services and industries in circulation today. In order to stay relevant, on message, and reach a wider audience, agile marketing is the method to utilize. Once your company is on board, it won’t take long to notice that clearer communication, simplified processes, and shorter project lengths, and happier teams have massive benefits for everyone. Agile marketing is a competitive advantage. How agile are you? As much as it is desirable, implementing an agile paradigm to marketing requires cultural change and can be overwhelming to take on. Start small, build a coalition of motivated team members, make and celebrate small successes, experiment and learn from mistake, and scale with success. We help brands of all sizes take on this journey, so reach out to us at www.gulfcoasttraining.org if we can help.

MARKETING

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BEST IN BUSINESS

5 Creative Ways to Use Video in Your Marketing Strategy by Sheila Farr

They say content is king, right? While that still reigns true today, the truth is that not all content is created equal. The real king? When it comes to online content and marketing strategies, video takes the crown. Utilizing different video marketing strategies is a phenomenal way to stand out in your industry and build real, authentic connections. Even if it’s a one-sided video, these marketing tactics can build trust in a unique way. They allow you to go beyond sharing about your business and give you the opportunity to build a community with your followers. We are big believers that people do business with people. This is especially true in the creative industry, where we often work closely with and build relationships with our clients. Potential clients aren’t just looking for a shiny, professional, disconnected business – they’re looking for human connections – and video is one of the best ways to build relationships, establish trust, and grow your business. Today, we’re sharing 5 creative ways to start using video in your business’ marketing strategy. We use all of these video strategies in our own marketing, and they’ve been game-changers in growing our business in unique, authentic ways.

VIDEO MARKETING

1. Build Connection with Instagram Story Videos Ready for a wild fact? There are over 500 MILLION users on Instagram every single day. So we’re going to take a crazy guess here and say your ideal client is probably here as well! But the real question is: are you? There are a ton of different ways to use Instagram Stories for your business. From sharing the behind the scenes of your work or office to highlighting your family life and quirky personality, stories allow you to show up in a real-time, authentic way. Some ideas for utilizing Instagram Story videos with a business focus is to share tips, answer Q&A’s, or even give a behind-the-scenes look at your work. It’s also a great platform for getting more personal. One day we’ll be sharing our pups running around at the park and our newborn making hilarious faces and the next we’ll be selling out our business retreat on our Stories: Pro tip: be sure to use the Highlight feature for any stories that are evergreen, especially as they relate to your business and attracting potential new clients! 2. Use Video to Create Engaging Lead Magnets Ah, list building – the thing we all love to hate. It’s such an important strategy for growing our business and building community, but it can be a little overwhelming to choose between all of the options out there. Should you write an ebook? Create a checklist? Host a webinar? Lead a challenge?

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BEST IN BUSINESS

While these are all great options, the truth is

VIDEO MARKETING

3. Integrate Video in Your Nurture Sequence

many creatives are feeling a little “opt in fatigue.” We’re so used to seeing free ebook or

Looking for ways to elevate your client

downloadables, so how can we stand out and

experience? Video is a phenomenal way to

provide great value?

build the “like, know, and trust” factors in your nurture sequences.

You guessed it – video! A nurture sequence is the process that happens We love using videos in our lead magnets and list-

once someone fills out your contact form, joins

building strategies. Not only does it allow us to

a course, or opts into your list. Think of it this

provide a ton of great value and content to our

way: what happens after someone submits a

leads, but it gives us the opportunity to do it with

HoneyBook form and starts a workflow? That’s

our own twist. Instead of just sending another

a nurture sequence!

pretty ebook, we can stand out and attract more of our ideal clients by just showing our weird,

There are different ways that you can build out

quirky selves.

your sequence, depending on the “trigger,” but at the end of the day the goal is to serve that

And before you get all worried thinking you need

person well and nurture a relationship with

a fancy ring light and a perfectly curated office,

them. What better way to do that than by

don’t let these things deter you from creating

incorporating some video?

authentic, valuable videos. At the end of the day, your content is what matters most.

One creative way that our clients have integrated video into their nurture sequences is

None of those things are bad, but they’re not

by adding a short video to the thank you page

necessary to put video to use! In fact, one of the

that their inquiries are redirected to upon

most successful lead magnets we’ve seen is the

submitting a contact form. The video thanks

free 5 Day Targeting Challenge. Marketers filmed

them for inquiring, sets expectations for when

it in one afternoon in their workout clothes in the

they’ll be in touch about and shares a bit more

woods with their camera hanging from a gorilla

about the process. It also just builds

pod wrapped around a tree branch! And guess

excitement, trust and a more personal

what? They continue receive tons of responses

connection! If you use HoneyBook’s Workflow

from people who opt-in saying they feel like it’s

tool, you could easily incorporate a video into

just a bunch of friends just hanging out (which is

your thank you or confirmation email that is

exactly how they wanted them to feel!)

immediately sent to new inquiries.

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BEST IN BUSINESS

Want to try Workflows in your business?

VIDEO MARKETING

It’s a fun and engaging way to share content and engage your list!

In our own business, we love to use the free app Bonjoro to send personalized welcome videos to

5. Attract Your Ideal Audience with Video Ads

all of the new students in many of our. Bonjoro allows us to record short personal videos that are

We couldn’t talk about using video in your

then sent via email. It’s super simple to use, but it

marketing strategies without talking about

has allowed us to elevate our client and student

paid advertising.

experience in a really special way.

It’s no secret that we’re big fans of Facebook and Instagram ads. When run the right way, ads

There are many ways that this can work,

are incredibly powerful ways to drive growth in

depending on what the funnel and nurture

your business. We’re not talking about more

experience looks like in your business, which

likes or views; we’re talking about real revenue-

makes this a huge opportunity to stand out with

driving growth.

video!

And while it can feel like there are a million ads on your feed at all times, the content is, once

4. Share Video Content with Your Email List

again, not all created equal. Videos are a great

Another unique way to use video in your

way to highlight your personality and brand in

marketing strategy is to share it where it’s not

your advertising efforts. Whether it’s inviting

usually expected: in your emails.

people to join a webinar, showing off your work

Most likely, if you have an email list, you’re

in a promo video or providing some tips in an

sending plain text emails.

educational training, videos are an incredibly

This is a smart move, as stats show that plain text

engaging medium when it comes to social

emails convert better than fancy formatted ones –

networks. This is exactly what makes them

but don’t let that stop you from adding some

great tools for standing out with your ads!

video content in the mix.

We love testing out videos in our own ads

Instead of only communicating via text, think of

across the different feeds and even on

ways that you can teach or share content in a

Instagram stories. Again, don’t hold yourself

video, and then send those links to your email list

back by thinking that you need to create the

too.

most professional videos out there. If your

One way we’ve integrated video in our email

brand is clean and professional, by all means,

marketing is to send a link to our vlog that

make sure you stay on brand! And while it’s

reviews our monthly deep-dive topic. As an

important to think about little things like

example, last June our email content was focused

having good lighting and no background noise,

on income planning, so we shared a vlog about

you don’t need a fancy studio to create high-

how we plan out our own income and walked

quality, high-converting video ads.

viewers through the template that we created and use to map out our income goals.

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BEST IN BUSINESS

In fact, some of our best performing ads were filmed at the beach, on a hiking trail, walking through an apple orchard, and next to a brick wall behind a coffee shop! Using Video Marketing to Stand Out Hopefully, by now you not only understand the importance of using video in your marketing strategies but you have some inspiration on how you can incorporate it into your own business. Remember, there are so many different ways to bring your videos to life, and there are so many opportunities to use video in your marketing plan. These are just a few of our favorites! We love hearing how other creatives are utilizing video to build relationships, nurture their lists, establish trust and authority, and serve their audiences well. If you’re using video in your own marketing efforts, be sure to drop a note to us and share your own ideas and inspiration!

TALK BACK! Let us hear from you! Email us at trainthegulfcoast@gmail.com to share creative ways you have used video marketing. We want to hear from you! Be sure to include your name, name of your business, and the city/state in which you are located and we'll share your comments in our December issue!

VIDEO MARKETING

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BEST IN BUSINESS

FLYWHEEL MARKETING

Multiply Your Business Growth with a Marketing Flywheel by Sheila Farr

Imagine the outrage that would happen if Jeff Bezos announced he was discontinuing Amazon Prime. It would cause an instant tidal wave of panic and upset across America because the service has changed not only the way we shop, but our expectations of purchasing experiences. Knowing how convenient, fast, and reliable Amazon is makes it all the more irritating when a company loses or damages one of your packages. Because of their service, seven to 10 business days for shipping is now an antiquated practice. When it comes to Amazon Prime, everything else seems to fail in comparison . . . which is exactly how Bezos designed his marketing flywheel to work. Bezos dubs Amazon’s marketing flywheel as the “virtuous cycle.” By placing top focus on providing buyers with remarkable customer experiences, the company organically gains traction as shoppers promote all the perks of purchasing from Amazon. When doing this, they attract more buyers from their personal network to use the service. As customers increase, so do third-party sellers. More sellers benefit buyers because the product selection expands, while prices drop due to increased competition. Using Amazon as an example, it’s easy to see how flywheels create synergy between a company’s marketing efforts and its ability to grow. For example, from 2013 to 2020, the number of Prime users increased by 117 million people. During these years, the business also went from making $274 million to $21.33 billion.

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FLYWHEEL MARKETING

As Amazon demonstrates, the flywheel model is one of the most effective and fastest ways to scale a business. It’s a strategy companies like Apple, Starbucks, and Southwest have all used to create life-long customers. However, this growth model isn’t reserved for large-scale corporations. Business owners, despite their industry or size, can implement a marketing flywheel to build strong relationships with customers, while also growing the business in a fast, cost-efficient way.

What is a Marketing Flywheel? A marketing flywheel is a cyclical growth model that’s purpose is to delight customers so much they turn into loyal, raving fans. These brand advocates are repeat buyers who drive growth not only through their purchases, but also by sharing their experiences and bringing in a network of referrals. In Good to Great, Jim Collins describes how the flywheel is a tool that helps businesses make the transition from mediocrity to greatness. He compares this cyclical sales model to pushing a flywheel, a heavy wheel that powers steam engines like those used in old trains. While it takes a while to fire up, each turn of the flywheel generates more power and momentum, making every turn easier. By the time the train reaches its full speed, it’s effortlessly unstoppable. All marketing flywheels should operate with the intention of: · Establishing a set of actions that increase the business’s customer experience · Minimizing the cost of customer acquisition the longer the flywheel is in place · Multiplying the amount of loyal, raving fans the brand has · Creating a scalable system that can handle large volumes of customers at any given time

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BEST IN BUSINESS

FLYWHEEL MARKETING

Marketing Flywheels vs. Sales Funnels Traditionally, marketing funnels—a growth model that prioritizes lead acquisition and nurturing those prospects into customers—have been business owners’ go-to for gaining more customers. Marketing funnels operate with a 1+1=2 mindset: Consistent marketing inputs yield reliable outputs. However, an immature marketing funnel can be inefficient, costly, and ineffective when compared to a developed marketing flywheel. This is because funnels are a “churn and burn” game, prioritizing massive inputs in the hopes of earning customers. Ultimately, the difference between a funnel and flywheel is one drains leads into buyers, while the other uses the customer experience as a source of power. By shifting the core focus to attracting, engaging, and delighting people, flywheels open up the opportunity for a constant stream of customer acquisition. This is what leads companies toward creating the conditions for perpetual growth. It’s important business owners shouldn’t fret if marketing funnels are a staple in their companies. Most successful marketing flywheels begin as funnels. Great marketers should ensure that their efforts will have a successful ROI, which inevitably means using a funnel model to determine the effect of new initiatives. However, after a marketing channel is deemed successful, the business should begin integrating that marketing path into the core of the company. Or in other words, successful funnels should turn into successful flywheels.

Additional Benefits of Choosing a Marketing Funnel Over a Flywheel By putting customers at the center of everything the business does, companies with flywheels build scalable systems around buyers that create the conditions for growth. This is similar to building a high-speed train that has the power to make an infinite amount of trips each day

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FLYWHEEL MARKETING

up a mountain versus traveling there on foot. While it takes more upfront effort to develop the railway, over time, this customer-first approach makes unlimited growth a reality. When considering long-term effects, it reduces the time, speed, and effort needed to acquire buyers, while also increasing the capacity of how many customers can hop on board. · At the bottom of the funnel (BOFU), there’s nowhere for customers to go after they decide to buy. With flywheels, momentum continues after someone makes a purchase. · Marketing flywheels focus more heavily on educating their customers so buyers can teach their family, friends, and personal network about the business’s offerings. In contrast, this is not a primary objective of funnels. · Customer loyalty increases in flywheels because marketing assets tell people what they need to do to solve the problem plaguing them, how the business’s solutions work, and why the company wants to help them achieve their goals. This establishes and grows a meaningful connection between customers and companies. · Typically, funnels don’t concentrate heavily on the referral process since marketers’ main goal is making a short-term sale. Yet, in a flywheel, referrals are the driving force of long-term momentum. · Nothing beats word-of-mouth marketing. As Nielsen reports, “92 percent of consumers around the world say they trust earned media, such as word-of-mouth or recommendations from friends and family, above all other forms of advertising.” · The linear structure of funnels doesn’t reflect the modern customer journey. However, flywheels delight people, no matter what stage they’re at in their buying decision-making process. We invite you to join us next month to learn more about how to attract, engage, and delight customers using flywheel marketing!

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BEST IN BUSINESS

a little good news... SHARING GOOD NEWS AND EXCITING EVENTS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE!

Congratulations to Liz Hoop and the authors of her newest #1 Amazon Best-selling anthology,

There's Hope: Breaking Invisible Chains.

This book is designed to show men and women there’s hope out of addictions and bad choices.

ALL proceeds of the sales go back to the Teen Challenge of Mississippi, Inc. Center to help those who want to find hope but can’t afford to go.

The third, Rise Above Summit with Patricia Jo Grover is coming in January 2022!

Watch for more details in December's issue!

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BEST IN BUSINESS

NONPROFIT NEWS

EXCLUSIVE: NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

MISSISSIPPI HEROES: CELEBRATING EVERYDAY CAREGIVERS LIKE HEROES!

It takes a selfless person to take care of another.Mississippi Heroes has made it their mission to recognize, acknowledge, and celebrate professional and nonprofessional caregivers in Mississippi and beyond who choose to serve those in need on a daily, monthly, and annual basis. Situated along the beautiful Mississippi Gulf Coast, they are nonprofit organization who works hard to provide a guilt-free day of relaxation and fun that will allow caregivers to refresh, refocus, and rejuvenate their minds, bodies, and spirits so they can continue the invaluable service they provide to others. The results they hope to achieve are to have caregivers who receive opportunities to relieve stress, escape the routine, and receive appreciation for their selflessness. They work hard to make sure caregivers receive a little love and support to honor all they do each and every day.

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BEST IN BUSINESS

NONPROFIT NEWS

We sat down recently with Katherine Sutton, the Executive Director of Mississippi Heroes, to learn more about how the organization got started, their impact on the community, and how others can get involved in support of their mission. BB: Tell me a little about your organization and why/how you decided to start it? KS: I started Mississippi Heroes because I have been a caregiver and know the struggles, and also know that caregivers are often time the most modest and overlooked, but give the most unconditional love in this world.I wanted to do something that made me feel good, but more importantly made a difference in someone else’s life. BB: Share a little about you and your role in the organization. KS: I am the Founder and currently the Executive Director and help to implement our programs & development, implement communications and partnerships with other nonprofits and with our caregivers. BB: Who can benefit most from Mississippi Heroes? What type of person/people does the organization support and how? KS: We started Mississippi Heroes to benefit family caregivers and have extended to professional caregivers as there is a fine line sometimes between the two. We hope to keep growing our programs to help more caregivers in every way. BB: Are you currently accepting volunteers to help you? If so, what types of volunteers are you seeking? KS: Yes, we need volunteers to help grow our programs, to help implement programs such as our Hero Reveals (help us celebrate), brainstorm, help with our fundraising events, and even help with organization and implementation. BB: Our November issue is all about marketing and planning, and you have to have some definite marketing skills to lead a nonprofit organization. Tell me a little about yourself and your experience in marketing; things you love about it, any challenges you have faced, and what tips would you share with someone who’s new to the whole idea of marketing their nonprofit organization? KS: First, I believe everything each of us does is marketing. From the moment you wake up and walk out that door, you are representing what you do. Then you expand it so you can reach more people and carry your message. Marketing is challenging because it is everything, and in today’s world that means social media, Tik Tok, Pinterest, Instagram & so much more. Most people do not have the knowledge and more importantly the time to implement marketing, but it is extremely important.

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NONPROFIT NEWS

BB: What offerings, activities, or special events do you have coming up that you’d like to share with our audience? KS: If all goes well, we have our November Mississippi Heroes Celebration coming up which will be an entire days celebration kicking off with a Superhero 5K. It will commence with a car show, vendors & exhibitors, a jambalaya/pastalaya cookoff and music at the end. This year may be small due to the pandemic, but we will be working on making it an annual and amazing event each year to celebrate these amazing caregivers & heroes. BB: What’s the best way to contact Mississippi Heroes? KS: You can contact us by phone at : 228-234-4649 or email: MississippiHeroes@gmail.com. Please join us, we would love to have your help and support!

Mississippi Heroes Executive Director, Katherine Sutton

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, KATHERINE SUTTON (L) CELEBRATES A RECENT RECIPIENT CAREGIVER ALONG WITH MISSISSIPPI HEROES PRESIDENT, ERIC ALVAREZ (R).

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HOW TO PLAN, IMPLEMENT, AND EVALUATE YOUR SUCCESS BY JACKIE MCKEEVER

So, you have this idea. You are very passionate about this idea and ready to put it out in the world. But wait…how will you do that? Every project, big or small, requires you to go through the planning, implementing, and evaluating process to ensure your success. Step 1: Planning Define your idea. This may seem simple when you first glanced at the sentence. In this step, you are clearly defining or outlining your goal. Start this step by writing the who, what, where, when, and why questions listed below concerning your goal. Then answer the questions. The purpose of writing the questions and then answering them is to develop a strategy for the results you are looking for. Let’s say, for example, you have an idea to build a service business around a book about gardening in Mississippi you created in 2017. Who will your service/product serve? After some market research, you have decided your service/product will be for beginner women gardeners in South Mississippi who want to grow and feast off vegetables grown in pots. These women live in small spaces like apartments or don’t have a large yard so growing in pots fits. Their ages range from 45-65 years old. What will you provide for them? You have decided you would provide them with beginner gardening classes for $50 a month or $60.00 (per class without commitment). The vegetables used in the training will vary with the season. They will be plants that require the least effort like herbs, peppers, and leafy plants.

Where will you deliver the service/product? You have decided you would provide them with beginner gardening classes in person for $60 month or $60.00 (per class without commitment). Customers will be able to pay online or by card in person using your card reader. When will you provide the service/product? These classes occur on the 2nd and 4th (twice a month) Saturday each month. Why would they buy your product? They will purchase the product because they will not only be provided with written care instructions but also because they will be provided with in-person coaching. They also will be able to ask questions concerning the process and be provided with video option resources. Step 2 Implementing Your personal end goal started with wanting to work full-time in your business doing what you love: gardening and coaching. You have a plan for your product. Now it is time to plan your methods of implementation. To complete this step, start by writing everything down. Decide what tools or systems are needed to sell your product/service. This is also the stage you decide how will you funnel people through your program. You will also outline the details like the location of the classes mentioned in step one.

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There will be a lot of learning opportunities in this step. You may want to find a coach, consultant, or mentor to help you with this section. They can help you not only with the planning but being accountable for the things you want to do. There is no wrong answer for this section. You must go with what you feel comfortable with doing and outsource anything too much for you at this time. Schedule time to get everything done. Once you know what you need to do, create a checklist, and mark them off as you get them done. Step 3 Evaluating Despite what you heard, it’s all in the numbers. Numbers are used by a business to evaluate its success, failures, and when it is time to go to the next stage. In this step you will take everything from step 1 and step 2 and make a measurable goal to evaluate your success. Using information from the example in steps 1 and 2, determine the cost of doing business: Landing page: $15.00 Meeting room: $100 Square card reader usage: $4.00 per month Plants and Gardening Tools: $20.00 per month Print outs: $4.00 per month Videos/Course site: $20 per month Social Media ads: $100 per month Total cost of doing business is $263. Let’s round up to $300. This is your break-even point. If your goal is to sell your service for $50 per month. To break even, you will have to sell to a minimum of 6 people. Let’s say you decided you want to start off small, so you set your goal on getting 12 people to buy your service. 12 (people) X $50= $600 revenue To evaluate your success, determine when you will look at your progress. In the first month or so I suggest you

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review it weekly to get rid of the bugs that may come up before going monthly. Next, assign a grade.

In this plan, your goal is to sell 12 units and you need a minimum of 6 to break even. Determine how many you would like to sell per week, per day, etc. Note: the numbers in the chart were rounded up or down to make it easier to use. The formula for evaluating the success rate is the amount sold divided by the desired amount you wish to sell. For example, if you sold 10 units but had the desire to sell 12 units the grade would be a B or 83% success rate. Be consistent in reviewing your results. If the grade is a C or less, reevaluate your process and formulate a resolve. Only change and test one process at a time to prevent corrupt results with scoring low. Once you are getting B or better result, rinse and repeat as you set new goals. You can achieve any results you want by planning, implementing, and evaluating your success. For more help with any of these steps visit my contact page on my website at https://www.jackiemckeever.com/contactus

Jackie Mckeever Life and Business Coach www.jackiemckeever.com

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