Bridget Willard | SaaS Marketing Agency

Author: Bridget Willard

  • Listen to the Quiet

    It’s easy to be busy — busy with people, noise, work, problems. And it’s good to work hard, hustle, and be productive. But we need downtime. We need to listen to the quiet.

    And so, I took a walk at the beach. I was content taking photographs, listening to the waves, feeling the sun on my face, and tasting the salt air.

    “When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence.” ― Ansel Adams

    Writers Need Rest

    Tonight, I knew I was coming up against my own deadline of publishing Saturday morning at 9:15 a.m. And, for my day job, I write.

    Tweets, Facebook posts, point of view documents, persuasive content, informative content, technical pieces, editing, proofreading. There’s so much writing. And that doesn’t even count the conversations I have that are heavily edited. 😉

    And we forget that as creators, we also need to consume. So, I watch Gary Vaynerchuk’s shows and WordPress shows and even comedies on the Internet. I watch documentaries on Netflix, and movies, and even cartoons. I laughed, I cried, it moved me.

    But if we never have moments with true quiet, how can we think? And when I say think I mean to deeply consider, meditate, and ponder.

    Consumption requires reflection. And we’ve already agreed that creation requires consumption. So, it’s logical to presume that creation requires reflection. So, when do we just stop talking and listen?

    Get out of the house.

    Okay, so I live in an apartment, but you get it. Sometimes, I hang with my friends and we go for a walk at the harbor. But that’s not the same, is it? I mean, it can do you a world of good — believe me.

    But I feel like we don’t value being alone — outside — in nature.

    And our times spent at the beach, or riding our bike, or enjoying some other outdoor activity is often seen as frivolous and unproductive.

    So, what if I told you our brains crave nature?

    Science said so.

    What should be obvious to us — taking a walk to give your mind a break — is being heavily studied and written about lately. Of course, getting away from your computer helps you solve problems. We are so worried about our brains being 100% active that we forget what happens when we enjoy our surroundings.

    “A few years ago, for example, in an experiment similar to Bratman’s, Stephen Kaplan and his colleagues found that a 50-minute walk in an arboretum improved executive attention skills, such as short-term memory, while walking along a city street did not.” National Geographic Magazine

    Case in point. I thought I had nothing to say tonight. But just one hour walking at the beach and watching the sunset — without earbuds — allowed my brain to focus on “nothing.” Instead of forcing myself to come up with an idea and work on one of my neglected drafts, It came to me.

    I saw a man, sitting on the beach, alone. He was outstretched. His legs were open to the sea. His arms were open wide. He was still. And it occurred to me — we don’t listen to the quiet enough. How are we supposed to think of brilliant ideas when we never stop the noise?

    “Neural activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, a brain region active during rumination – repetitive thought focused on negative emotions – decreased among participants who walked in nature versus those who walked in an urban environment.” Rob Jordan

    Art said so.

    It’s hard not to think of Ansel Adams, Robert Frost, and Henry David Thoreau when we think of art and nature.

    One inspires the other.

    The words, the photographs, the paintings. They reflect nature and nature’s affect on us. And we practice seeing beauty in the ordinary — joy in the routine.

    And so, our minds rest, relax, and consume. It consumes that which many believe is the truest — nature.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/BJUFQDahaOO/

    Take a Walk. Then Create.

    Spend some time alone — not listening to a podcast or music or talking to your friend. Listen to the wind, the birds, the ocean. No matter where you live, you have beauty around you.

    Consume that.

    Consume nature.

    You’ll never regret it.

     

  • Social Media Matters Because Successful Business Relationships are Built Upon Small Talk

    Updated 1/8/23

    The use case for social media to develop business relationships gets a bad rap. Social platforms have the reputation of being where people tweet that they’re going to the bathroom, take selfies in their car, photograph their chicken salad sandwich, and test out the newest dance craze. These posts are viewed as irrelevant at best – foolishness at worst.

    It’s drivel. It’s meaningless. It’s small talk. So why should your business invest in social?

    I mean, who cares what someone ate for breakfast?

    The truth is, we all care.

    Wait. What?

    Business is Built with Relationships

    We all know that we do business with people we “know, like, and trust.” I can hear you saying it out loud while you’re reading it. It’s a cliché because it’s true. In business, this is why we put a huge emphasis on likability.  

    It’s not a fair world. It’s not about the best product. We don’t hire the best candidate. We don’t promote the best person. We promote, hire, and purchase from people we like. It’s changing with the diversity and inclusion landscape – but that’s another blog post.

    So how can you become likable in business? Engage in effective small talk. 

    Small Talk Builds Business Relationships

    Small talk builds business relationships. If you agree, you’re done reading. If you’re in doubt, let’s take a step back. What is small talk? 

    You may think about discussing the weather trends as small talk. Meaning, the talk is unimportant. Does it matter if you discuss whether Aaron Rodgers will retire next season? No. The Packers won’t take your advice and neither will Aaron Rodgers or his agent. What small talk does, however, is determine whether or not the person next to you at the pub, conference or dinner is willing to continue to talk to you. 

    If small talk is bad, what are we supposed to talk about anyway? Are we supposed to solve the energy crisis with a stranger at the Chamber of Commerce breakfast? Do you sit down next to a person at a conference and pour out your latest heartbreak? No. You don’t. Why? Because “big talk” is often inappropriate in public, business settings.

    Small talk’s role in our lives is far from small. People who think we waste time talking about our cat, lunch, etc. fail to appreciate that small talk is the structure upon which business relationships are built. Small talk naysayers are often self-conscious about their small talk skills.

    “One of the hardest things about small talk is finding something to talk about besides the weather. But, pro networkers have figured out that most people like to talk about themselves. Take that and run with it.” Vernon Gunnarson

    Small Talk is an Emotional Bridge

    In personal relationships, small talk is a bridge to an emotional discussion. It’s dipping your toe in the conversation water to make sure its temperature isn’t too hot or too cold. It helps you evaluate the emotional status of your potential conversationalist.

    So what does this have to do with business? All relationships contain a personal element – even in business. If you’re an employee, you need to have an emotional bridge – psychological safety – so that you can have harder discussions – like policy change, promotion opportunities, and even grievances. 

    Dismissing small talk as banal and pedestrian puts you at a major disadvantage in business settings. All team building requires psychological safety. That doesn’t happen without small talk. With regards to business mentorships, cutting off small talk may cut you off from larger conversations and, ultimately,  deeper connections. Keep this in mind the next time someone asks you an annoying question like, “What are you doing?” It may be they’re just testing the waters.

    Do you remember the last time you approached someone with a request? How did you start?

    “Many times, much as in the outside world, family members preface a highly anxious issue with small talk. If you can listen without dismissal to what seems like small talk by a spouse, child, teen or parent, you may facilitate an opportunity for crucial disclosure.” Suzanne Phillips, Psy.D., ABPP

    But Small Talk is Annoying and Difficult

    It was for me, too, before I started. You do it on social media the same way as in real life. Starting conversations with questions helps – especially if they are open-ended questions. This only backfires if you’re talking to someone shyer than you. The truth is that most people like to talk about themselves. It’s just a fact.

    Practice. Read “How to Win Friends & Influence People.” Learn how to actively listen.

    The next wedding you attend, ask a stranger how they know the bride. At your next meetup, ask the person a question about the subject matter. This is a great way to get better at small talk. It will not happen without practice.

    “Small talk can lead to a host of outcomes, from a merely pleasant exchange to the signing of multimillion-dollar business deal.” Brett Nelson, Forbes 

    Believe me, I used to panic while entering rooms full of people I don’t know. With practice, I found that a smile and greeting goes a long way and even people waiting for an elevator can have a perfectly good conversation. Why not leverage that opportunity?

    Small Talk 2.0 – Build Business Relationships Online 

    Enter social media. Specifically, Twitter. I think this is where most people meet others, though I could be wrong. For me, it’s where I’m open to conversations (small talk) with strangers. I could babble on incessantly about how much my life has changed because of the people I met. Let’s settle for one use case.

    While working for a commercial general contractor, I met a Commercial Real Estate broker on Twitter. The good thing is that he also worked in the same geographical area as Riggins Construction. After interacting and reading Allen’s content, I knew he and my boss would hit it off. I had a crazy idea. Let’s all do lunch. At first, I was nervous. After all, this was my very first sales call.

    But when Allen walked into the restaurant, all anxiety disappeared. It was all smiles and handshakes. The awkward small talk wasn’t awkward – it didn’t exist. Why? We did it online. We sat as friends because we were friends.

    “Small talk is not wasted talk. It’s a social lubricant as essential as wine and laughter that allows strangers to make crucial first connections across demographic lines. And it’s far from meaningless.” Ruth Graham

    Now, the next time you see someone you have a basis for continuing the friendship. You no longer need to talk about sports or weather — though you can. You can level up.

    You can ask a question you’ve been dying to ask. You can tell them how you liked the blog post they wrote last week. You can brainstorm, collaborate, and actually become friends.

    Small Talk Builds Trust in Business Relationships

    The value of small talk is this: it builds trust over time. When it comes to business relationships, trust is the intangible element that makes our community stronger. I’m not going to tell you where I live, my first kiss, or my darkest secret right off the bat. Would you?

    The point is this. Humans are social. We create business relationships by communicating. This includes body language, tone, inflection, micro-gestures, laughter, tears, expressions, and, yes, small talk.

    If you want people to like you, be likable. There is no way around that.

    Or, just enjoy your next business dinner for one in the corner. Alone.

  • Is your headline as disappointing as a toy in a box of cereal?

    Big promises on the box. Small on delivery. “Toy inside!” False promises in cereal boxes and in headlines only disappoint your audience. That’s no way to build yourself up as a blogger or a small business.

    Do you find that you have a lot of clicks but low time on site? Or maybe your headlines aren’t getting any clicks at all. Maybe you’re not writing for your audience.

    Clickbait Headlines are Cheap Tricks

    Clickbait. We’ve all seen it. Most of us have clicked.

    The mad-lib formula headline gets the most publicity but is it the most disappointing?

    “[Personal Noun] [past tense verb] into a [location] and you’ll never believe what happened next.”

    Now, we joke about them because they’re often formatted like a joke. But how many times are you disappointed in that type of a headline? (more…)

  • Why Should Your Business Publish on Your Blog?

    A blog is part of your website. We say you should “blog” as a verb but really, you write and publish on your blog. You don’t technically “blog.” Regardless, you should be creating content and publishing it on your own website as regularly as possible.

    Should Your Business Have a Blog?

    Your business should have a website. You publish on your blog to elevate your brand. We write to have a voice, educate our audience, and position ourselves as thought leaders. We publish articles on our blog to have a voice, educate our audience, and position ourselves as thought leaders. It’s true that you can publish on Medium, LinkedIn, or Facebook. I do that sometimes as an experiment to test audiences.

    The important thing to understand is that those free platforms don’t belong to you. You are at the mercy of their own funding. Anytime Medium decides to quit, everything is gone. Remember how everyone loved Katch.me for Periscope? It’s gone. Blab.im is gone.

    This is why it is important to publish on your own website.

    Here are the slides on Slideshare.

    This presentation covers the following points.

    What is blogging?

    Blogging is writing that is published on a website.

    Reasons to blog:

    • Personal
    • Professional

    Personal Blogging:

    • Writing is cathartic.
    • Writing develops critical thinking.
    • Personal blogging is professional practice.

    Writing is Cathartic:

    Sometimes you just need to express yourself. Writing helps process emotions.

    Critical Thinking:

    Even if no one reads your blog, you’ve organized your thoughts and deeply considered the material.

    Practice:

    Writing is an art.
    Writing takes practice as well.
    Writing is a skill.

    * Haiku by Iris Messina

    Professional Blogging:

    • Position yourself as a thought leader.
    • Educate audience on products and services.
    • Exposure.

    Thought Leadership:

    People believe the written word. Publishing your opinions and advice positions yourself as an expert.

    Education:

    Content marketing is a fancy term for education. Describing your product is education and can lead to conversion.

    Exposure:

    The more you publish, the more people can find you through search, other blogs, and social media.

    A Word About Audience:

    When it comes to audience you have two options:

    • Write and your audience will find you.
    • Find your audience and write for them.

    Just Write:

    It takes time to find your voice.
    As you publish and share, people will find you organically.

    Personas:

    If you’ve been in business for some time, you likely know your audience. Write to meet their needs.

    My friends at Blue Steele Solutions have a Persona Worksheet to help you out.

    Audience Size:

    It doesn’t matter how many hits your posts get.
    It matters who reads your posts.

    Summary:

    • The more you write, the better you’ll get, so publish regularly.
    • Add value, answer questions, educate.
    • Find your voice and your audience will find you.

    to help get your blog and social coordinated.

  • What Makes an X Profile Good For Business?

    Updated January 12, 2025

    What makes an X profile good? It depends upon your purpose. For this article your purpose is business — networking and gaining clients.

    Some people think what makes a profile good is just the number of followers. To be honest, if I see a super lopsided account (following 40 and 40,000 followers), I think they’re not being social. They’re unlikely to reply, more likely to have automated DMs, and less likely to be a contact or peer that’s useful for my network.

    Instead, I would encourage you to look deeper than just the number of followers on X. Focus your time and efforts on how to set up your account and engage well.

    You already know how to set up your X account (If you don’t, go here.) But now you want to know if your account looks professional. In other words, does your X (Twitter) profile look good to prospects?

    Not only will this article review how you set up your own account, but these points will help you decide who to follow, hire, or do business with that person or brand. For in-depth detail on Twitter Strategy, you’ll want to read the book or blog post, “The Definitive Guide to Twitter Marketing.“

    “The way you describe yourself on Twitter has everything to do with how people perceive you online. So how the heck do you do it right?”

    Buffer

    Your X (Twitter) Bio Should Be Clear

    Your bio should make sense. What is it that you do? Does your 96-year-old grandmother understand it?

    Your account should have a header, a clear photo, a website, and a bio. Your bio should be clear to people outside of your niche and be optimized for keywords. Yes, people perform searches on X. Don’t waste too much of your 140-280 characters on hashtags unless you really want it.

    “Just as you would when optimizing a Web page for search engines, when you write your Twitter bio think about your desired spheres and include words and phrases about them. A touch of personality is helpful, too.” Convince & Convert

    Your photo, header, and bio should be complete before you start following people. As a bonus, I also look to see if you’ve created lists.

    More about your bio here:

    Here are Examples Of Good X (Twitter) Profiles

    screenshot of Carol's Twitter account
    Carol’s Twitter Account is bomb. Period.

    Here’s Carol Stephen’s X (Twitter) profile. She’s got a very healthy setup and has been a user since 2009. She’s also the co-founder of #DigiBlogChat with Larry Mount. That Twitter Chat has been running for over 10 years.

    Highlights.

    1. She has a header photo that is relevant. It’s the baseball diamond for the SF Giants. She’s in the Bay Area. So important for local SEO.
    2. Her photo is recognizable even on mobile. At least half of Twitter users are on mobile and there your Twitter avatar is about 1 cm squared. That’s pretty small.
    3. Her bio makes sense. It tells you something about her hobbies and her business. (She is a gym mouse and a conscious soul.) But also, she blogs for startups (what she does). Bonus points for her Amazon Author Page and Twitter Chat info.
    4. Location is filled in and makes sense. It’s not vague or a GPS number. Seriously, stop it.
    5. Link is her website.
    6. She follows over 18,000 people and has 22,025 followers. This is good. I aim for a 1:1 ratio because X (Twitter) is one of the only social networks that enforces following/follower ratios.
    7. She has lists.
    8. Bonus points for a pinned tweet from the last Twitter chat.
    9. As of January 12, 2025, she also has a link to her Bluesky account.

    Here is an example from a business account, my friends at Blue Steele Solutions.

    Great business Twitter account by Blue Steele Solutions.
    Great business Twitter account by Blue Steele Solutions.
    1. The header photo is branded and matches their website.
    2. They are using a square version of their logo–the image of which is reinforced on their header photo and, of course, website.
    3. Their bio tells you they are a branding agency. Bonus points for identifying their company-wide love of tacos.
    4. Location is accurate.
    5. Link is her website.
    6. They follow 2,823 and have 2,851 followers. This is great for a newer account like theirs. (Seriously, the first 1,000 followers are the hardest. I’d aim for growth near 1,000 a year if you spend two hours a day.)
    7. They have lists.
    8. Bonus points for a pinned tweet going back to their website.

    Why does following back on X (Twitter) matter?

    Social media is about connection and engagement; it’s no different on X.

    If you’re only following 30 people, because you don’t want your home feed cluttered, then why are you online?

    Did you know you can use lists? Not following people back communicates that followers are not valuable to you. Is that how you want to start off meeting people?

    A Word About Vanity Metrics on X

    This is where we talk about vanity metrics. That is, x amount of followers as social proof. Does it matter?

    This is a “it depends” territory. If you’re a self-professed social media guru with less than 1,000 followers and you’ve been on Twitter since 2007, maybe I don’t believe it. And I get the whole, “a cobbler’s children have no shoes” axiom. I mean, I haven’t blogged here in a month. I get it. The day job tends to take away all of our attention.

    To me, the ratio and engagement say more about whether they’re good at social. So, that’s my segue.

    What Is Good Engagement on X?

    If vanity metrics are only a shadow of social proof, then the actual proof is in the eating  — I mean tweeting.

    I like to see a good mix of tweets, retweets, and replies. I call this granola.

    If you only have oats in your granola, it’s just uncooked oatmeal. A good granola needs nuts, oats, and probably carob chips. A healthy mix. Or take salad if you like that better. Iceberg lettuce does not a salad make. You at least need carrots and tomatoes. And do you have to beg for croutons? Come on. But I digress.

    To audit an account (yours, for example) look at the Tweets and Replies Tab. For Carol, this would be here.

    Note: on mobile, all of the tweets, saved the pinned tweet, are mixed together. This is why I think it’s even more important to have a healthy  mix.

    She’s replying to people, sharing her own content, sharing other’s content, and retweeting (bonus points for old school retweet, too).

    What is an Appropriate Response Time On X?

    If you tweet someone and they respond six months later, I’d say that’s not a healthy account. Now, that’s not obvious from a cursory (visual) audit. Let it be a cautionary tale. Social Media Managers may come and go (are you paying them enough?) but it’s your account, company, brand. You should care the most.

    No one can care more about your account than you. My friend Robert Nissenbaum even goes as far as to say that outsourcing your social isn’t authentic. On this we disagree, but he’s partially right. That person should be you or your brand.

    Being on Brand on Twitter

    Some people think that replies and retweets are off-brand. Firstly, I’d say that it’s rarely true.

    Secondly, I’d say that you should follow parallel industries. For contractors, follow real estate brokers and local businesses. For social media managers, follow website developers. For WordPress plugin authors follow developers and businesses that would use your plugin. You get it.

    Showing more than one dimension is not only a demonstration that you “get social media” but it’s social.

    Have you ever gone out to dinner with someone who wouldn’t shut up about themselves? How often do you repeat that?

    If your brand is human, your conversations on Twitter are inherently “on brand.” Interaction is how we build relationships. Relationship marketing matters for brand building and, therefore, business building.

    Make Your Twitter Stand Out

    • Completely fill out your bio. You have 160 characters. Make them count.
    • Tweet your own content on a regular basis.
    • Pin a tweet leading to your website.
    • Spend time replying to other people’s posts. It’s the power move.
    • Share other people’s content in a new tweet.
    • Respond to tweets. Thank people who share your content.
    • Be a polite, human being. That’s never off-brand.

    Need Help? Get A Twitter Audit

    I do offer a Twitter Audit for a very low price if you’d like more specific advice for your company.

    (Updated 5/10/2021, 1/12/2025)