Bridget Willard

Author: Bridget Willard

  • Yes, X (Twitter) is Still Relevant in 2025.

    Yes, X (Twitter) is Still Relevant in 2025.

    If you’re thinking of jumping ship to Bluesky or something, I’d hesitate. People be out here randomly deleting accounts that took them forever to build. This is huge SEO no-no.

    Yes, X (Twitter) is very relevant to 2025 B2B marketing.

    Heck, it’s even relevant for B2C marketing.

    How do you know?

    • Google Alerts
    • Leads (SEO)
    • Google Analytics

    Watch The Video

    Google Alerts and X (Twitter)

    To be honest, the easiest way to find out if X (Twitter) is working is to set up a Google Alert for your name, product, service and set it as an “as-it-happens” update.

    You’ll get emails that show you exactly what’s going on and when Google Bots noticed it.

    google alert screenshot

    Search (Leads) On X (Twitter)

    Any platform that has a search bar is a place for you to optimize how you’re displayed. So, yes, X is good for SEO for on site search. It’s also good for SEO as a result shown in Google for your name or topic. This is why we set up Google Alerts and/or pay attention to Google Analytics.

    Dustin had an epiphany that, to be frank, inspired this post/video. He got a lead and did what all smart owners do, he asked where the lead came from. To his surprise, the client searched “WordPress” in the search bar on X (Twitter). That’s some SEO magic right there.

    What Dustin did right (to be found on X) is posting about his area of expertise. You could do this for any industry.

    “Apparently, I am feeding X properly.

    I got a new client over the weekend and I couldn’t figure out where he came from. So, I asked him. This is what he said.

    SEO for X is now a thing I guess.” Dustin Hyle

    SEO on X (Twitter)

    Check out your analytics on Google. I love real-time analytics. It tells me if someone clicked on a link I posted on X (Twitter). That is, of course, if you’re posting links to your website on X (Twitter).

    Just to show you I posted a link to this blog post on X (so meta). You’ll see people on it.

    Now, this only works if you’ve not published it elsewhere. Think scientific method.

    The first result, for example, was a referral from mail.google.com. So someone subscribed to my blog clicked the link.

    image

    The Definitive Guide To Twitter Marketing Paperback

    Hire Bridget Willard to Manage X (Twitter)

    Yes, I also have plans to manage X for clients.

    Custom Marketing Services

    Full Transcript

    (00:01):
    Hi everyone, your friend Bridget Willard here. I wanna talk to you a little bit about the platform X, uh, formerly known as Twitter, which we all loved, uh, for a long time.

    (00:14):
    It’s 2025, January four, and I just want to remind you that this is a valid social network regardless of what you think about who owns it, who’s on it, the noise. I have many tips in a book called The Definitive Guide to Twitter Marketing.” It’s also a blog post on bridgetwillard.com. It’s like five or $7 on, uh, on Amazon. It’s a good way to support if you like this video. Thank you very much. Um, but also, this is what I do. I manage Twitter for clients.

    (00:57):
    It’s really important. It was important in 2004, 2003, 2007. Wait, when did it come out? I’m thinking of my miscarriage. Sorry. Uh, I think it was 2006, seven, whatever. I’ll fi I’ll fix it. It’s been, it’s more than 10 years. Okay? So anyway.

    (01:18):
    It’s funny because I came across this tweet. I’m gonna old school this like a Weekend Update News from Dustin. And he’s saying that like he couldn’t believe that, you know, SEO is a thing for Twitter. It is because there’s a search bar.

    (01:35):
    So, um, I know this sounds kind of like snicky and witty and kind of snippety, but. Anytime there’s a search bar, I want to remind you, anytime there’s a search bar, Reddit, Pinterest, Google Maps, Apple Maps, bing, Yahoo, Facebook. Anytime there’s a search bar, there’s an availability to optimize the search results, which is what SEO is.

    (02:04):
    So he says, apparently I’ve been getting X wrong or apparently, let me, how, how about if I turn around so I can read it? “Apparently I’m feeding X properly. I got a new client over the weekend and I couldn’t figure out where he came from. So I asked him.” Mad props for asking where your referrals come from. That’s a totally different video, but it is underdone. So this is what he said. And then Dustin said, “SEO for X is now a thing, I guess,” to which I replied. It’s always been a thing.

    (02:36):
    So the person who reached out to him on December 29th, 2024 through his website, said, “Thanks, Dustin, for the great work. I found you by looking up WordPress on Twitter, which is where I found your profile.” It cannot be understated that being online and being prolific and being available and like he said, “feeding the X properly.” Right? Feed me, Seymour.

    (03:04):
    So if you’re posting and publishing, you’ve probably seen my video about replying. Replying is the power move it always has been. It’s still the power move in 2025. But also there’s been, uh, conflicting data and opinions on whether or not Google, uh, indexes, tweets or posts on X. It does. And the simplest way for you to deal with this is by, um.

    (03:35):
    Is this mirrored? Is this not? This is, this isn’t mirrored. Oh my gosh, I think you, I think this is backwards, but Google Alerts are the best. It is backwards for you. I’m so sorry. Maybe I could flip this video.

    (03:50):
    Anyway, Google Alerts, google.com/alerts. You can set them up. I have ’em come to me as, as it happens. Um, this email I got, um, yesterday, maybe the day before from something that was posted on January two. So it, it will come to you. It was actually me, um, saying the social trend in 2025 is replying. So I was posting that. Um, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize this would be backwards, but you get, you get the picture. I didn’t wanna do a whole loom anyway.

    (04:29):
    Twitter X is super relevant. It’s super important, especially B2B, um, especially, um, for if you have professional services. Um, I, I always remind people that even newscasters are tweeting Carly from, um, the local news service in Corpus Christi tweets out the weather.

    (04:55):
    Uh, you gotta remember that posting on X is, is like a text message. So when things go down and you have bad storm issues and you wanna get um, kind of emergency things going out, Twitter x it’s the place to be. X marks the spot, it’s the place to be. It’s so important.

    (05:18):
    And the thing where business owners kind of get wrong is they’ll post something as they’re thinking about it, but they don’t keep up the regular publishing of things from their website to Twitter. Um, and the reason why they don’t do this is because they hop on when it’s convenient for them. Or they’re like, what’s going on in WordPress right now? What’s going on with the Green Bay Packers right now? And that is search, you know, going on there.

    (05:51):
    One of the main things I think is really important for um, X is super relevant in 2025 is actually knowing user’s intent. You can read their posts and find out exactly what they’re thinking about, exactly what they’re talking about, exactly where they’re, um, getting their who, what vendors they’re using. Are they using SEMrush? Are they using HubSpot, Mailchimp? Are they using BetterCloud? Are they using Dubsado? Are they using Xero? Are they using FreshBooks?

    (06:29):
    They’re posting about the things that they, like, they’re posting about the things that they don’t. Like. I was posting about hp, I thought that Hewlett Packer was like not letting me use my printer ’cause I didn’t sign up their ink. No, Bridget, you bought HP 64 cartridges instead of 67 because you had bronchitis and you shouldn’t have been ordering on the internet. Right? But I stopped myself before I posted that on Twitter, right?

    (06:56):
    So the thing is, it’s super relevant. If you want to learn how to use it for business, I have a totally free Twitter course on my website. I encourage you to literally do it in the order, do all the things that I say. I did go to college to be a teacher. I, it’s, it’s that way for a reason because a lot of times with platforms, we start using the app and then we think we know how to use it. So when you think about the strategy behind it and what you’re trying to accomplish, then how you use the program or the app is completely different. So I would encourage you to go get on that free course again.

    (07:43):
    I do have this book that came out in I think 2021, “The Definitive Guide to Twitter Marketing – I Double Dog Dare You To Try It.” 2021. Yeah, it’s on, it’s on as a free version is on my blog. Again, this is Kindle. This is paperback. This is your manual.

    (08:03):
    Or you can hire somebody like me. I’d be very happy to create a content calendar for you. Um, I, my, my contracts are an invoice. You pay me, I write your tweets. I can either post ’em for you or not and it’s prepaid. And if you don’t wanna do it any longer then you know, that’s fine. I have three different packages. Go to bridget willard.com/pricing. I’ll put a link, um, to it at the end of this video. Um, actually what I’ll put a link to at the end of this video, yeah, I’ll put a link to that at the end of this video.

    (08:39):
    But I really want you to know that Twitter is super relevant. And if you don’t trust me, you don’t have to take my word for it. Just go use it. Go use it. Set up Google Alerts and see what happens.

    (08:54):
    Your friend signing off up from Corpus Christi. Bye!

  • Social Media in 2025 — Reply is the Power Move

    Social Media in 2025 — Reply is the Power Move

    Everyone tells you to publish content. It’s true. You needed to be blogging in 2011 and 2024 and you still need to in 2025. Call it blogging, writing, posting, or publishing, but it still needs to be done.

    Publishing is just the basic move in 2025. It’s expected. It’s the norm. Mid. No cap.

    The real power move is to take time each day to comment on posts from other people. (Or hire someone to do that for you.)

    Replying gives you access to another audience. Replying exposes your content to other people. Replying helps other businesses see you. 

    Replying is the power move. 

    And, you can do it in five minutes a day. 

    That’s not too much to give in 2025. 

    Bonus: 3-2-1 Method for LinkedIn

    • 3 connections
    • 2 comments
    • 1 new post

    You can do it in 5 minutes a day.

    Bonus: If you want to sound like Bridget (yes, I’m talking about myself in the third person) and you’ve got an OpenAI API, try out my Chrome Extension, “Sidekick for SaaS.”

    Full Transcript

    (00:00):

    Hey everybody, it’s your friend Bridget here. I’m just wanting to talk to you a little bit about replying. Replying to other people’s posts is the power move because all when all we’re doing is publishing, publishing, publishing, publishing, we’re like an RSS feed. An RSS feed is a really, really simple syndication, or real simple syndication, I think. Anyway, it’s publishing, it’s broadcasting. It’s like a radio where you’re just talking, talking, talking, and everybody’s there to just listen.

    (00:39):

    I just recently watched the movie called Saturday Night, about the 90 minutes before the first episode of Saturday Night Live, and there was like a feature of Milton Berle in there talking about when he was on radio, he had the attention of 97% of Americans. Well, he was in a unique period of time where radio — wireless, the wireless — was the only option besides being in person somewhere.

    (01:11):

    Now we have the radio — still works. We have, uh, streaming, uh, we have television, television over the air, cable television, various social media platforms, YouTube, um. There’s just so many, it’s almost too difficult to count. And so trying to be the dominant force on any social media platform or any media platform, because it’s all media, is the, is the medium in which you are performing or publishing or broadcasting. So, social media is, is the behavior of being social on that platform.

    (02:00):

    With Milton Berle being on radio, there was no feedback. There were only advertiser advertisers and purchases, and whether or not there are ratings from Nielsen Company, which still exists. And so we’re constantly trying to monitor and monetize and analyze the metrics by which people are engaging with us, right? If I get a Christmas card from you, therefore I’m still relevant, therefore, my brand is still relevant. You know, if I if I get a present from you or a text on my birthday, then I’m still top of mind. So whether it’s personal connections or small business connections, you only have control of, of so much of everybody’s time because it’s all over the place.

    (02:58):

    If you, if you’re still watching this three minutes into this video, how many text messages did you have to swipe away? How many, uh, phone calls from robots did you have to get rid of? How many children were tugging at your shirt? Um, this is the reality. So while you have someone’s — speaking of children, how many cats are meowing in the hallway? — But when you’re replying on somebody else’s post, you’re able to engage in a different way, in a different space and an audience that may have an overlap with yours. So I’m always talking about this is the power move is the reply.

    (03:43):

    Go look for other tweets, posts, whatever they call ’em on Bluesky. I’m just gonna call ’em posts. Look for somebody else’s post and write a comment on it. Or write a comment on that. Or find a comment that you like and like that comment and/or reply to it.

    (04:05):

    Go on Reddit for the category that you’re talking about and upvote somebody’s comment. Reddit is amazing. It’s been such a good driver of traffic and making actual connections for my handyman friend up in Door County, Wisconsin. I replied to somebody else’s post looking for a handyman in Door County. I said, my friend Michael does this. Here’s his website. Boom. That became a job, which became another job, which became another job.

    (04:39):

    Do you remember me talking about, uh, making a video explanation of epoxy injection for Riggins Construction with a point-and-shoot camera a hundred million years ago, three years after that terrible video? Well, it’s not terrible. It’s just like not the best quality. It was me just doing it, right? It explains, it’s still on the internet. You know, look for epoxy injection, Riggins Construction if you want to see how it works. But that video — three years old — that video filmed on a point-and-shoot camera edited by me, you know, roughly very, very raw, brought in one job. That one job was from a customer who owned 12 more buildings. That one small job became $97,000.

    (05:32):

    We, we forget that the content that we’re putting out matters. So go back into the context of a reply. I know this week I just saw it. I wish I could find it. Somebody was posting on X that they, they, they got a DM from someone after they re um, tweeted some — I’m just gonna say tweeted — after they posted and they got a new customer because they were replying.

    (06:01):

    Also, when you reply to a post, it helps that post get more visibility. And so you’re helping your fellow small business person while also giving yourself more visibility in that audience. Sometimes those replies get likes, like on Reddit, they’ll be upvoted. On Instagram, they’ll be liked with a heart. Um, sometimes they can be taken outta context. Sometimes that context, you know, it’s just, it’s important. But still, like that reply I on on LinkedIn.

    (06:40):

    Replying is such a power move because you’re giving yourself, you know, access to a totally different audience. And so when somebody posts on LinkedIn that they just got a new speaking gig or they just got a new promotion, how hard is it for you to say congratulations? In fact, it’s not even that hard on LinkedIn. There’s always these prompts that say, congrats somebody with, you know, you can either press that button or you can add to it. Um, when, when people are, um, posting about this topic or that topic, you adding kind of your take on it is such a huge thing because of that, I’ve been invited, um, to comment, um, or to add my thoughts to running articles on LinkedIn. And the thing is, I don’t even spend that much time on LinkedIn. It’s that we’re always holding our phone in our hand waiting for something to happen. But in addition to publishing your regular content, and I, I for one am getting back to being what I was doing and just going forward, right? Um.

    (08:00):

    You, you have to do the boring work. ’cause sometimes the boring work is spending an extra five minutes on each platform looking for something to comment on. I have a 3, 2, 1 method. Um, there’s a, a little video I did for, um, uh, on Loom that I could definitely, um, post in the comments or the description of this. But, um, you know, look for three things to comment on or look for. I forgot the exact order, but I’ll, I’ll have to go look it up. ’cause I, you know, I forgot my own advice. But basically I, it was like one new post, two replies, and three connections that you can either follow or, um, connect with, you know, so you can mix that up. Like you can find three things to comment on, one thing to post one friend to like, but either way make it a routine that’s part of your daily function so that you don’t get lost.

    (09:04):

    I mean, how many people have you forgotten? You know, that Dunbar number of 150 people that we can only keep track of? How many people would be like, oh yeah, who’s that one guy that not, he doesn’t just build websites, he makes a recipe app. Or who’s that one lady that teaches Pinterest? Gosh, I forgot. Because you’re not interacting with them and you’re not interacting with them ’cause you are not replying. They’re not replying. And we’re all beholden to some algorithm that constantly changes, changes.

    (09:38):

    Anyway, why don’t you just be, take the behaviors you would have in a mixer at a party, at a Christmas party and chamber event and just do that same thing. Go up to somebody, be part of the conversation. It’s really not difficult, but it’s not sexy, it’s not fancying, it’s not something that I’m gonna send you a guide on. It’s just something you have to do. You know, if, if you wanna make videos every day, then sit down at your desk, clean it off and make your videos. If you wanna send an email out to your people, get a MailChimp account and do it. But I would suggest that you stop making excuses. Don’t get stuck in the weeds of how is this gonna happen. Use the tools you already have and that’s why reply is such a power move. You don’t have to create the content, you just reply to it.

    (10:38):

    Anyway, my name is Bridget Willard. If you haven’t seen me before, or if you’re seeing me now, I write content for websites, articles, long form, short form. I rewrite your web pages, I do social media content strategy one-on-ones, and I’m here for you in the Corpus Christi, Texas area. Um, or online. Put the Zoom consultation and hey, reply to this video. Tell me what you’re working on. What do you need help with, what could I help you with? We’ll see if, bye.

  • Do You Still Need to Blog in 2024, 2025, etc? Yes, Yes You Do.

    Do You Still Need to Blog in 2024, 2025, etc? Yes, Yes You Do.

    Instead of asking if you still need to blog in 2025, ask yourself if you still need customers in 2026 or if you still need sales.

    Here’s the short answer: yes.

    Yes, you still need a blog in 2026.

    Yes, even though people are using AI to write (the school calls it plagiarism), you still need to write and publish on your blog in 2025.

    Why?

    Let me count the ways.

    Oh and before this becomes way too hard to read, let’s agree that “blog” can be a verb meaning publish your writing. Blog is also the noun referring to the archive of articles you publish on your website.

    And I may just say “write” instead of blog. I would presume you’re also publishing these articles on your website (aka blog). Sound good? Let’s go.

    1. You write to establish yourself as an authority.
    2. You write so people can validate you as a business/service.
    3. You write to stay top of mind.
    4. You write to educate your customer base.
    5. You write to provide helpful tips for your existing customer base.
    6. You write because your competition isn’t writing.
    7. You write so you can be found on a search.
    8. You write to rank on Google.

    As another caveat, let me ask you a few more questions.

    1. Do you print materials like brochures to give out?
    2. Do you hand out business cards?
    3. Do you have radio commercials or TV spots?
    4. Do you have billboard or print ads?

    If the answer to any of these is “yes,” then your website better deliver. (We’ll come back to “validate your business” in that section.

    You write to establish yourself as an authority.

    Regardless of the nature of your business, you need to establish yourself as the authority. This means ensuring your author profile says your name and has a bio. Yes, the byline matters when Google/AI are deciding what to show.

    Are you a dry cleaner? Your website should help a consumer trust your business with their $500 suit. Are you a website designer? Your website should help a client choose you for their $2,500 website build. 

    You’ve read it so many times you can probably guess that I’m about to say that people do business with people they…? Know. Like. Trust.

    In a digital world where consumers are researching solutions to their problems way before you invented your plant trap (I so want one, thanks Instagram), you have to be trusted. Who do we trust? Subject matter experts.

    No seriously, look at the Instagram account for Plant Traps by RailScapes. It’s pretty great and they have a blog. Or Sam & Louie’s Pizza in Corpus Christi. It’s real. Authentic. Pam Chavez cared enough to go to school and learn the trade. Her story is why my BFF and I eat there. Now, is she blogging? No. But she is creating content which is a start. (Always back up your video content with blog posts on your own site. You don’t want your IG account to get hacked and then you lose everything. But that really is another blog post.)

    You write so people can validate you as a business/service.

    Remember earlier when I asked if you hand out printed materials and or business cards? So people know your website because they met you at a mixer, say. They don’t need window blinds right now but they keep your card. You’re a nice enough fellow so when they decide they want shutters — who do they look up first? You. 

    Your website has to back you up. In fact, your website is the best salesperson you’ll ever have. That is, if you maximize it. And you maximize it with your blog posts. Why? Websites don’t work 9-5. They don’t take vacations. Websites don’t call out sick (when you’re on a good host.) People can read and process the information on your website at their own pace. They can watch the videos. 

    You write to stay top of mind.

    As you think about all of the connections you’ve made over the years, how many people can you think of that you know are roofers? Go ahead. I’ll wait. How about a lawyer? I don’t mean Greg Hermann or Thomas J Henry. I mean a business lawyer. Oh yeah, there was that one guy who talked about LLCs back in 2021. But do you remember his name? Nope. Nada. Why? Because the interaction is gone.

    Now, people tend to not subscribe to blogs anymore (the best practice is email marketing campaigns with Mailchimp, for example). 

    People always ask me what they should post on social media. Blog posts. You should post links to your blog on your Facebook Page, on LinkedIn, and on X. You can even make a video out of your blog post with a service called Lumen5. I do it all of the time. 

    You write to educate your customer base.

    Educating your customer base is one of the most important reasons to have a blog. You want to clear up industry misconceptions, manage expectations, and have the customer closer to a yes by the time they call you. 

    Educating your customers means you’re using the same vocabulary which makes communication clear. How many times can you think of when you thought you bought something but was delivered something else? Too many.

    “I didn’t know I needed that!”

    In roofing, for example, you never know if the plywood sheets need to be replaced until — guess what? — the roof is removed. So that conversation is had during the bidding process. Any reputable company will give you the per sheet price in that bid, if it needs to change.

    This can also happen with a website build. “I just want a button.” Well, what does the button do? And are those services connected? And did you pay for the software? Getting on the same page is so much easier if you have articles and helpful FAQs on your website.

    You write to provide helpful tips for your existing customer base.

    If people are already customers, maybe they need help using your product. This is where Plant Traps does well on their blog. They’re doing presales work and giving ideas for current customers. If you’re providing an accounting service, publish articles so that your clients are ready for tax time. My CPA DiMercuiro Advisors does a great job with this (though I wouldn’t call it a “Learning Center”).

    Green Cremation does this very well with aquamation here in Texas. They write articles about obesity and the cremation process, the process of water cremation, as well as a complete guide to natural burial. Things you might not know about until you need to know. And none of us want to talk about death – again, another blog post. 

    You write because your competition isn’t writing.

    Everyone wants to compete with their competition. Wait. That sounded weird. Every business owner thinks other businesses are competitors. And, they very may well be. But the truth of it is that consumers make choices based on variations we can’t always account for. Maybe your business is chosen because customer A only wants to support women in business. 

    With that said, having an active blog on your website is a great way to stand out from the competition. To me, an active blog tells me that you’re in business. You’re not going anywhere. I won’t have to change service providers, find a new dentist, etc.

    (But you haven’t published in forever, Bridget. I know. I was in a car accident in December and had 8 herniated discs. That was a lot of pain and quite a bit of treatment. I’m finally feeling like myself. Thus, today’s blog post. And two more drafts in my head.)

    You write so you can be found on a search.

    Where was the last time you searched for a product or service? Was it Google? Bing? Siri? Alexa? Yelp? Reddit? Pinterest? Facebook? Maps?

    The truth is, our search intent has a lot to do with where we’re searching. For example, if we’re going out to eat and the restaurant is closed, we may open up Google Maps (my BFF is definitely opening up Yelp) to find a place nearby that is open now. If I’m watching a movie and just want to see where else I saw Chris Evans, I may just ask Siri.

    Of course, you want to be found. But you may also be found on a search in X, a hashtag on Instagram, a job title on LinkedIn, or even on Facebook. 

    Search doesn’t always equal Google.

    You write to rank on Google. (This is the worst reason to blog.)

    A lot of people believe that ranking on Google is the primary reason to blog. It’s not. Google’s search has been idiosyncratic for about a decade. Your search history frames the results that Google will show you. SEOs call this SERPs: Search Engine Results Page. Unless you’re in a private browser, your results will be different from Jack in Miami. 

    Everyone forgets about Local SEO. Meaning, most of us search for things around us: dry cleaners, roofers, dentists, restaurants, movie theaters, bars, etc. And most of the time, we’re making a purchasing decision with that intent. 

    Everything that you do in all of the reasons above has a cumulative effect on whether or not your website shows up on a search result for a user. 

    Are you going to start writing now?

    I hope the answer is a resounding yes. Send me your blog link. I’m happy to make suggestions. But the main thing is that you now understand that blogging isn’t a frivolous activity. Blogging is vital to the long-term success of your business. 

    More Resources

  • Small Business Owners — Are You Looking For Opportunities to Learn?

    If you’re not learning, you can’t grow your business. Heck, you may not even be able to maintain it.

    In my professional career, I’ve come across peers and clients who don’t need to read a book because “they already know it.” They don’t go to sessions at a conference on SaaS Marketing because they “already know it.” They don’t ask people questions at networking meetings because “they already have a marketer in their BNI group.”

    Sadly, these scenarios are not made up.

    Yes, Business Owners Still Need to Learn

    It’s impossible to know everything so you must keep learning. You can learn how to do something better. You can ask yourself why you’re operating a certain way. Is that reason still applicable?

    Learning includes customer insights. These insights come when you ask questions. For example, though this video is from January 28, today is April 1. I’m in a Residence Inn in St. Louis. There is no coffee pot in this room. The coffee maker is here, but not the pot. 

    If I mention it to the front desk, I’m predicting one of two reactions: a) she’s just a Karen (GenX, short hair, likes to complain) or b) how did we miss that? Ain’t no thing since I brought Suiss Mocha instant coffee – just in case. Thankfully, there is a microwave in the building.

    So, here I am as a customer. How can I learn from that?

    Business Owners are Customers Themselves

    Yes, I’m a business owner. Though I don’t have employees (I have a couple of vendors), I can still learn from every experience – especially those when I am a customer.  

    In the case of the coffee pot, I know I just can’t even with telling the front desk. Why? I’m tired. It’s not my job to tell the front desk to check rooms before they’re available. And maybe they do. But the person who does it, skipped room 304. Who knows? I just don’t want the friction today. You know?

    But if I were here for business (not moving 1,550 miles away), I would tell them.

    Where is the insight from Coffee Pot Gate? Not every customer will give you insight. They won’t all tweet. They won’t all complain. (And, are complaints really just to bust your ass? Probably not.)

    What makes you loyal to a brand? That’s another question that business owners can learn as customers themselves. What do you like about going to Starbucks? How does it make you feel when you get your T.J. Maxx $10 Rewards Certificate? 

    Business Owners Can Learn As Employees

    Recently, I’ve taken a part-time job at T.J. Maxx. Firstly, to have extra money to pay debt faster. Secondly, for travel and fun money. Thirdly, to get out of the house (single lady with a cat works alone, hello). Fourthly, because my client work dropped significantly Sept-Dec 2022. That’s another sad story. 

    I can’t even begin to tell you how much I’ve learned being an employee again – especially in retail. I’ve learned that 21-25 year-olds have work ethic and are some of the best managers I’ve ever had. I’ve learned that there are career opportunities in retail. 

    I’ve learned about systems and processes and checklists – stuff that I “already know.” But it makes me think. What should I do every night, every week, and every quarter? How can I reward loyal members with exclusive members-only events three times a year? It’s more than just emailing people. I’ve learned that even when the TJX Rewards Card emails members, they don’t necessarily read or remember information.

    I’ve been reinforced that looking people in the eye is valuable. 

    I’ve been reinforced that asking people questions is never a bad idea.

    I’ve been reinforced that there is always something positive you can say to everyone.

    Does a smile or a laugh really make that much of a difference in someone’s work day?

    Spoiler alert: it does.

    Video Highlights

    00:24 Do you learn by asking questions?

    01:31 Empathy only works if you do the work.

    02:17 Are you teachable?

    03:22 You can learn from what not to do.

    04:10 Don’t pass on information you “already know.”

    Raw Transcript 

    (00:01):

    Hey, YouTube. I love my hair, but it’s driving me banana pants. And I thought I would come to you and do a little video about something I get asked about a lot, or actually something I encounter a lot, and that is being unteachable.

    (00:24):

    So I like to ask people, uh, questions because that’s the best way to learn about them. And sometimes I’m a little flabbergasted at how close-minded people are. Now, I knew this because I was, um, a teacher and sometimes when you’re tutoring people and you’re teaching them about math or whatever, then it’s really easy for them to get unfocused and decide they already. They are so frustrated, they’ve already closed their mind. There’s nothing they can possibly learn. You know, there’s nothing they can possibly learn. And that puts you in a really precarious position because as a business owner or somebody who wants to advance in your career, the most important thing you can do is have an open mind and to think about things in a different way, to experience things, um, new of the way your customers are, um, experiencing them. Try to put yourselves in their shoes.

    (01:31):

    We talk a lot about empathy lately, but that means going through those exercises. What is it like downloading an app without the wifi? What is it like signing up on a form on your website? Does it work for everyone? Are you asking when people, are you asking someone who’s never used your, your website to um, tell you what you do?

    (01:57):

    You know, is for me, the third time I got, somebody asked me if I specialized in marketing for bars and pubs, I was like, okay, I have to change this language. Right? Because that was my analogy and I love that page cuz it was clever and witty and fun, but it’s too disguised, right?

    (02:17):

    So are you teachable? Are you able to take in information from other people through your experiences and sort of apply them to a) what you, what you are doing correctly? There is a huge value in understanding and validating and, um, and reengaging the knowledge you have. We call that reinforced learning and it is so valuable. Another reason is what you shouldn’t do.

    (02:52):

    Remember that show What Not To Wear? Now, I know they have new versions of it, but Trinity Woodall who, uh, if you’ve seen me, me on Facebook or whatever, I’m obsessed with her. I’ve, I’ve just, I’ve thought she’s awesome forever. But she used to have this show, uh, called What Not To Wear and explained why things aren’t working right. So there’s a lot of people, we get stuck in our ruts and stuck with what our, what we’re wearing without thinking about the utility of what we’re trying to achieve. So it’s being open for that.

    (03:22):

    So sometimes you can learn what not to do, you know? Um, are you in a coffee shop and, uh, somebody takes your order and then you’re waiting for them to make the order before you pay? That is inefficient. I’m not sure why anybody does that. But, um, it happens a lot. It happens a lot in Door County. Um, if you’re listening to this and you’re offended, I’m sorry. <Laugh>. Um, but the, that’s the reality. The reality is why are you doing it this way? And it could be that there is a unique part of the culture that I’m misunderstanding. But to me, coming from California and then San Antonio, it makes zero sense.

    (04:10):

    Um, so I try to look at every client and every experience I’m having as what, what reinforced learning is there? What should I not do? What insights am I getting on processes or ideas on, oh, this is how this person is doing it? I wonder if I could do that? If I wonder if I could learn from this thing that I’m liking. 

    I’m noticing that I like this thing, this experience, this shop. 

    What of that can I bring into, uh, my business, my products, my customer service?

    (04:50):

    So reinforced learning, what not to do, and insights. So that’s, those are my tips for you today on keeping your mind open. Of course, I also recommend that you watch documentaries, um, read non-fiction, and from a variety, a variety of sources that may not be exactly your industry.

    (05:14):

    Because where, where we get stuck in ruts is by putting those blinders on and only looking at things that are from our industry instead of opening up our mind to different experiences.

    (05:27):

    And I will talk to you later. You can find out more about me on BridgetWillard.com. Bye.

  • Business Owners — Look For Patterns in Your Online Reviews — And Change

    It’s easy to brush off or even ignore poor online reviews? But if there are patterns in these reviews, maybe it’s YOU who needs to change.

    Do Online Reviews Matter?

    Yes, online review matter to potential customers. They’ll read bad and good reviews to get a feel for how you respond and whether or not the sizing is correct if you’re a clothing brand, have bugs if you’re a SaaS company, or poor service if you’re a coffee shop.

    Why Should My Small Business Care About Bad Reviews More than Good Reviews?

    Small businesses live and die on word-of-mouth referrals – this includes social media and search. So Suzie tells me that I must go to Chimichurri Palace for their Argentinan Steak, and I look it up. You do the same. 

    When I read that the Chimichurri Palace has repeated issues with their reservations or that the Chimichurri sauce isn’t authentic, well, then I take pause while considering Suzie’s recommendation. Maybe she doesn’t know what’s authentic. 

    As a business owner, looking at patterns in words used in negative reviews helps you spot problems in the way your business operates. It may give you insight into servers’ attitudes. Maybe all of the negative reviews are on Thursday nights when Brad is working. 

    You get the point.

    Watch the video to see more. 

    When’s the last time you read your online reviews looking for patterns?

    When’s the last time you used that insight to change your business for the better?

    Key Highlights

    00:02: Intro

    01:11: Read your worst reviews and track word counts. 

    02:58: What are the commonalities in your reviews? 

    04:11: Does your website help manage expectations or create gaps in expectations?

    04:49: How does a client know what it’s like to work with you?

    05:49: “What if that [negative review] is true? What on Yelp is true? What on Trustpilot is true?”

    06:31: But as business owners, we should do as much as we can as far as it has to do with our side of the street, with how we present ourselves, with the expectations that we have to communicate in a way that has hospitality, joy, honor, integrity, and, and quite frankly, that all boils down to respecting our customer.

    Raw Transcript

    (00:02):

    Hi, Bridget Willard here. I just wanted to have a chat with you real quick about online reviews. First of all, when is the last time that you, as a small business owner, went and left a review for another small business? Uh, whether it’s a supplier, a vendor, um, a colleague, a new restaurant in town, um, possibly even your competitor, like what. That’s some intellectual integrity right there, right? So the thing is that reviews are a big deal, and it’s so hard to get positive reviews because we are really quick to add a review when we’re upset. This place has bedbugs. There was a snail in my escargot. <Laugh> You know what I mean, like something extreme? Or you have the three-star Yelpers who wouldn’t be happy if they won a million dollars because you didn’t give ’em to ’em, give it to them in twenty-dollar bills.

    (01:11):

    <laugh>. So the thing is reading your reviews with a grain of salt, but read the worst ones. Read the worst ones with a notebook and start writing down. Like, you know, it’s, I have notebooks. I have several notebooks right here in my, in my office to go. I got this one says, “some people dream of success while others wake up and work hard at it,” “doing my best,” whatever it takes. I have a book with you, I really like. You know, people in all their notebooks. And like, it doesn’t, this is from CVS, it’s not that big of a deal. But like one, one thing that’s good about it is this, which means it lays flat. It is small enough to be in your purse, briefcase, backpack, and you could just go, okay. So I would write down, for example, with a pen, I would take it down and be like, okay, what’s the first thing in this bad review is, uh, “rude.” Okay? Like, that’s a word that’s being used. And then read through all the other reviews and just start tallying it up like it’s your domino score. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. How many times did somebody say in your online reviews that they had it, that someone was “rude” or “bad service” or, uh, “TV doesn’t work?”

    (02:41):

    Or, um, like it’s common with restaurants, right? Um, or in hospitality industry to, to have these. But there, there will be reviews, um, written online, uh, if you’re big enough, uh, maybe they’re on Glassdoor.

    (02:58):

    Uh, if you’re in travel, it could be on Expedia, Bookings.com, those kind of marketplaces. It could be a book, uh, like the book that Warren and I wrote, “The Only Online Marketing Book You Need for Your Small Business,” which is on Amazon. Um, and maybe, maybe once you get into the two to three stars range, maybe it’s just lackluster. What things are, where are the commonalities in those? So bad review, people have distinct opinions; good review, people have distinct opinions. The people in the middle kind of get passed off. Like, well, they were, they had ridiculous expectations. Here’s where I am asking you to participate in your own business and your own business marketing. Is 10% of that true? 20%? 30%? How much of what that online review said is true? And if so, how much of that is in your control to fix it?

    (04:11):

    For example, we manage expectations with the copy we put on our websites. This is why, for example, I have public-facing pricing that’s transparent. It’s right there on slash pricing. BridgetWillard.com/pricing. You’ll see my pricing, you’ll see what it includes. I don’t believe in this kind of shell game that a lot of marketers do. Well, it depends. Yeah, it depends. And you just add ’em all up. <laugh> You know, of course I could do custom pricing and I have, and I do. But what, what is that expectation?

    (04:49):

    When it comes to being a WordPress developer? What is it gonna look like for them to work with you? Um, what is your process? How do you bill and in what increments? Are you like a lawyer and every time you get an email, that’s a 15 minute charge? You know? And, and then if you see that happening as a web developer, why, why are you not pushing that client onto a care plan? First of all, the, that gives you predictable income and it also helps them get the things done.

    (05:25):

    You know? It’s not. Clients don’t write wire frames and organize their content. This is why we have jobs, y’all. I write content. You put it on the website. They get customers. This is what we do as writers and WordPress developers, right? Marketers. Copywriters, I should say ’cause I’m not a novelist. <Laugh>

    (05:49):

    So the thing is like, what if that is true? What on Yelp is true? What on Trustpilot is true? What in your previous, when you were an employee, what in those performance reviews is true? And is any of that being, uh, is any of that carried over to your new business? To how you deal with clients? Do you think that they should know? Are you upset when they do X, Y, and Z? You know what of that is something that we <laugh> as business owners need to take to our therapist? And how much is it that the client is being difficult?

    (06:31):

    Sometimes difficulty with clients means the underlying situation is there is a lack of communication or in <laugh>, Cool Hand Luke, “what we have here is a failure to communicate.” So communication, some of it’s on them, some of it’s on us. But as business owners, we should do as much as we can as far as it has to do with our side of the street, with how we present ourselves, with the expectations that we have to communicate in a way that has hospitality, joy, honor, integrity, and, and quite frankly, that all boils down to respecting our customer.

    (07:20):

    So if you like this video, share it with your friends. Uh, if you don’t like it, press thumbs up twice. <laugh> I’m back to doing videos. Uh, the, the farm partnership didn’t work out. That’s okay because I tried and I love chickens. I can’t wait to buy a house and have chickens. Uh, for now I just have a cat. Where are you cat? Meow. Meow. There he is, <laugh>. So thanks for tuning in. I would love to answer any of your marketing questions. Drop me a line. Hello@BridgetWillard.com. See you on the next one.