Bridget Willard | SaaS Marketing Agency

Author: Bridget Willard

  • Is Your Business Taking Advantage of Google My Business? Here Are 11 Steps Toward Optimization.

    Is Your Business Taking Advantage of Google My Business? It should be.

    If you haven’t claimed your Google My Business listing, you’re seriously missing out on discoverability and visibility opportunities. Google My Business helps your business get found on Google Maps and in “near me” searches. So, have you claimed your business listing yet?

    Why Should Your Business Info Be Up-To-Date?

    First of all, it’s completely frustrating to a customer to be confused by your hours of operation. This applies to any brick-and-mortar store or retail outlet. Heck, I was even searching for the pool hours for San Pedro Springs Park and couldn’t find them — on their own website. 

    “Right now in our neighbourhood, one of the things that are confusing for people even locally, is that you don’t know if a store is allowed to be open or is it not allowed to be open right now. It’s a little vague if the store is selling items that you need daily, it’s allowed to be open. So I think that would be an important message right on the website to always have up to date.” Warren Laine-Naida

    Google My Business, when it shows up in search, takes up quite a lot of real estate on the entire right-hand side of the SERPs (Search Engine Results Page). The more you fill out, the longer that vertical listing will be. Along with that and visibility in Google Maps, that is a local SEO win in my book. 

    “Local SEO is the practice of optimizing your website for a specific local area. If you have a local business, like a shop, restaurant, or agency, you want your web pages to rank for certain search queries performed by a local audience.” Yoast

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    If you’re surprised about the Tweets showing up in a carousel, read my post about why I think Twitter should be part of your SEO strategy. 

    How Google My Business Brings Customers To You

    Anyone searching on Google either in a browser or in Google Maps with “near me” in the query should care about their Google My Business listing. Going to Rosario’s, by the way, was how I chose my apartment. I was eating there last year and looked up “apartments near me.” Shop local. Live local. Done. 

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    I can’t tell you how often I use the “nearby” search when booking hotels for travel. Recently, I had to travel to Greenville, TX for a funeral. I looked up the address of the funeral home and clicked “nearby” and chose “Marriott.” Otherwise, if I just Googled Marriotts or went to their website, I may have inadvertently chosen one on the west side of Dallas instead of the east side.

    The great thing is that GMB (Google My Business) gives you insight into how people are discovering your business. My listing, for example, shows that 78.6% are discovering my business from a local search! You have to love this. 

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    Without further blather or proselytizing from me, here are my 11 steps to optimizing your Google My Business listing. 

    Step 1 — Claim Your Business

    Google doesn’t know as much about your business as you think they do. So be sure to claim your business on Google My Business.

    business.google.com

    Google will send you a postcard to verify this information. Look for that in the mail and respond to it ASAP (immediately). Your business listing won’t be available until you verify your address.

    Step 2 — Fill Out Your Profile Completely

    Include hours of operation, email, phone, website, logo, cover, and description. Include whether you’re minority-owned and other demographic info. Your hours are super important. If you’re going to be closed on special days, update those as well. If you can claim a profile shortname still, then do it. 

    Changes take some time to appear so search in incognito mode or have a friend search to ensure your listing is 100% correct. 

    By the way, if you work from home you can and should hide your address in search.

    Step 3 — Add Products to Your Google My Business Listing 

    Do you have products you’d like to feature? Even digital downloads or art pieces can be listed on your profile. If you’re an author, list your books. If you’re a restaurant, list your most popular dishes or to-go party packs. You don’t have to have multiples of products either — an original painting is a good example. It’s okay to sell out (scarcity, yo!).

    Don’t forget to use the product categories to your advantage. You can even create your own categories (I made a Launch With Words category).

    Step 4 — Add Photos to Your Google My Business Listing 

    If the interior and exterior of your building will have visitors, then take photos with your mobile device and upload them. Google My Business has a mobile app to make this very easy. You’ll want customers to become familiar with your place. You wouldn’t want to be catfished on a dating site so don’t overly filter or misrepresent your business on Google My Business either. 

    “When a potential customer can see the outside and inside of your business, the products you create, and the team behind it all, they are better able to trust your business and will feel more confident in choosing you.” Thrive Hive

    If you are a freelancer, solopreneur, or consultant, add photos of yourself! People want to know those they work with. Remember, as humans, we connect with our faces. Smiles and eye contact matter. You can even add videos to your Google My Business listing!

    Step 5 — Take Advantage of the Free Website

    So if you don’t have a website, that’s okay. Google My Business allows you to create a free website. It’s true! This is a super easy tip and with one click it’s done. (They use the info in your listing so ensure that info is correct first.) I used mine then switched the listing back to bridgetwillard.com and the GMB Website is still live (and shows in search).

    Step 6 — Ask for Business Reviews 

    Reviews are gold. Asking for reviews is hard. But you only get reviews if you ask. So, yeah. Be sure to ask your clients. I’ve asked in private emails, in a Mailchimp campaign, on LinkedIn, Facebook. It’s hard. The more personal the better. Yes, it takes time. If your customer has emailed you that they are crazy happy, then that is the time to ask. You know the saying, “strike while the iron is hot.”

    “A Google review request should be tailored to both the customer, and to your brand. In the first instance, include the customer’s name and specific details about their order, like the product they purchased or service they received. These small personal touches make them feel like they’re a valued individual, not just a faceless addition to your review portfolio.” Reviews.io

    But also, don’t binge ask. You don’t want a bunch of reviews on the same day. On the flip side, be sure to review business yourself. This is a good way to pay it forward. 

    Step 7 — Add Appointment Links to Google My Business

    Listen, whether you’re using Calendly or something else, you’ll want to put your appointment link(s) in Google My Business. Otherwise, you’re stuck in the purgatory of the back and forth date suggestions. In the meantime, one or both of you could have accepted another appointment. It feels trite to say it but “it be like that sometimes” completely applies here. 

    Hey, I used to be a secretary. Even as efficient as I am on the phone and in email, it’s an annoying roadblock to the actual appointment. You want to make your sales process as frictionless as possible.

    “For appointment-based businesses, this is a great marketing opportunity that makes the process of booking an appointment seamless for customers and clients. If used properly, someone could do a search and then book an appointment right away — after making just one click.” AppToTo

    Step 8 — Complete “From the Business” Section

    You’ll want to also pay attention to “From the Business” and note accommodations and accessibility as well as crowd info. Especially those who fall under ADA will use this as a determining factor when deciding to choose your business. With COVID impacting our lives, “health & safety” is also important.

    If you’re veteran-owned, black-owned, Latinx-owned, or woman-owned, choose those. Some businesses have internal or external incentives (values or tax relief) to engage with specific businesses. 

    Step 9 — Regularly Add Posts

    Most people don’t think of Google My Business as a social network. It is! People add reviews, they want to learn about you. So, regularly publish any new offers, COVID-related updates, or photos to your Google My Business profile. GMB loves photos. 

    Personally, I am using the Pro Version of Revive.Social to post to GMB from my WordPress website on a regular basis. This is another reason why your business should be publishing blog posts regularly. But that’s literally another soapbox of mine (and product).

    Step 10 — Use Your Ad Budget

    Do you ever wonder how your competitors show up in a “near me” search? You can connect your GMB profile to your Google Ads profile. If you’re not comfortable with Google Ads then partner with someone who specializes in Google Ads like Warren Laine-Naida (if he has room) or Google “Google Ad Specialist Near Me.” There are plenty of regular people who know what they’re doing. Not all ad buyers are going to bamboozle you. I promise. 

    Step 11 — Keep Checking Your Profile

    Keeping your GMB profile relevant isn’t a one and done, set it and forget it task. Google My Business is always adding features, so be sure to log in once a week and check those new features. 

    Also, reply to reviews or messages as soon as possible. This is another reason why you should download and use the Google My Business App on your mobile device. Having the app one thumb touch away is a reminder to log in. Yeah, you would play your turn in Candy Crush, but do it after you check on GMB, okay?

    You’ll thank me later. 

    BONUS! Warren Laine-Naida and I Briefly Chat About Google My Business in this Video!

    As Warren’s video description says:

    Technical problems plagued not only Facebook this week, but also my laptop. After twenty minutes it simply refused to get its act together. So this week we did a pod/videocast for you.

    Google My Business is free. Enough said, right? You don’t know about Google My Business? You should! Especially if you like free advertising!

    Go to Google and search for your local baker, tailor, shoemaker, or yoga studio. You will probably see a nice item on the right-hand side with their name, photo, and much, much more! That’s Google My Business. And it’s free!

    https://www.google.com/business

    Free, simple, and personalised information about your business, even if you are a freelancer. 

    You can advertise products and services. 

    You can see your customer reviews. 

    You can post blog posts. 

    You even get a free website that is filled automatically with all the information that Google My Business has.

  • Is Your eCommerce Shop Ready for Cyber Monday?

    Getting your online shop ready for Cyber Monday shouldn’t be as overwhelming as it feels. This is especially true if you start in the summer. My days of being in church leadership taught me one valuable lesson: the holidays descend upon you like an avalanche. Don’t wait to plan these events. 

    What is Black Friday?

    Black Friday is the day that American Consumers live for all year. Even recently, my friend asked me, “Why would you buy a blender today? Wait until November.” Well, because I need a blender today. That’s why. Sure, we can fill up our wishlists and then hit the mall at midnight on Thanksgiving Day and fight over the last Cabbage Patch Doll. Hey, I’m not a Black Friday shopper. I’m too cynical. 

    I know that retail prices are inflated so that the sale can seem large. Besides, I prefer to sleep. And as far as Christmas presents go, if I buy any gifts, it won’t be on Black Friday. The crowds are too much for me. To each their own.

    What is Cyber Monday?

    After Web 2.0 gave us the ability to purchase online — thanks to eBay and Amazon — Cyber Monday began to rise as an alternative to the crowds and fistfights that became Black Friday. Seriously, if you didn’t grow up in the 80’s you don’t know the half of it. And that’s part of what drives the Cyber Monday sales — to keep people out of the crowds. The pandemic helped with that as well. 

    “Since it was inception in 2005, Cyber Monday has grown exponentially. What began as a small sale with a handful of retailers turned into over $2 Billion in sales in 2014. This year is projected to be even bigger.” Duct Tape Marketing 

    Cyber Monday is specifically for online stores, software, and tech. So, why do my WordPress friends have Black Friday sales for their WordPress Plugins? I’m not sure, to tell you the truth. I wish they would use Cyber Monday for the sale — if they really need that promotion. 

    I’m Not a Fan of WordPress Plugins Going on Sale 

    I realize that my views are slightly controversial. But stay with me here. See, if you push your WordPress plugin for sale on Black Friday or Cyber Monday then you will be pushing most of your customers with annual renewals at the same time. 

    If the majority of your customers renew their licenses at the end of November, then the majority of your customers buy at a discount. Can your plugin shop thrive by selling your product at a discounted price? If it cannot, then you must markup or inflate the plugin license cost so that your company can survive on the discount. And this feeds into itself. Since the majority of your customers renew in November, what will your December renewals be? January? February? You can see how that can easily become problematic. 

    I’d rather have a healthy cash flow all year-’round than wait until after Thanksgiving to become profitable. Secondly, you’re training your customers to wait for the sale — as my friend suggested with the blender. Leave Cyber Monday for the gadgets and video games. 

    If you want more of my fantastic marketing advice, you can purchase my book, “How to Market Your Plugin” from Amazon. This book will not be going on sale. 

    Will Launch With Words Premium Content Packs Be Going on Sale?

    No. I will not be hosting a sale on Cyber Monday for Launch With Words, my ebook, or my content planner. Why? Firstly, they’re already priced low to be accessible. To me, retail is all about pricing strategies that have to do with ridiculously high markups. My products are already value-priced. 

    Stop Competing For Black Friday

    Does it really matter which day you do it? Well, sure it matters which day you have the sale. Firstly, if your eCommerce shop is small, to compete with Amazon on Black Friday or Macy’s or Sam’s Club is just insane. Not to mention the fact that after Black Friday is Shop Small Saturday. I’m a firm believer in staying in your own lane for one and not competing with brands that have larger advertising budgets than you do. 

    “Over the years, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have vied for dominance. In 2020, Cyber Monday was the top day consumers planned to shop, with 30% saying they planned to shop Cyber Monday sales, compared to 24% saying the planned to shop on Black Friday. (Source: BlackFriday.com Shopping and Spending Survey 2020).” BlackFriday.com

    How About a WooCommerce Tip?

    I joined Bob Dunn on Do The Woo, among other industry experts including Katie Keith and James Rowland — to name a couple — with some of my best tips.

    Listen to the whole podcast.

    Hi, this is Bridget Willard with bridgetwillard.com. My tips for Black Friday is to leave Black Friday to the brick-and-mortar store. Cyber Monday is our day to celebrate and I would also give you this tip, take an inventory of the top 10 products that will be on sale. If everything is on sale, then nothing is on sale. Make a list of those products and ensure that you have updated photos, reviews, and website copy on all of those products. If you don’t have 10 products, then pick one that’s really going to go on sale. Which one is your loss leader? Think about that. And also a bonus tip is make sure you have one image for your product page that is 1200 by 628 pixels. This is because of open graph, social sharing. You don’t want to look like Amazon with this big old wide field and your book right in the middle. So those are my tips for Black Friday.

    Get Ready for Cyber Monday With a Free To-Do List

    I have a for every working day from October 21 until CyberMonday. Get organized. Get your eCommerce store ready and let Black Friday be what it is — the day for brick-and-mortar stores to become profitable. 

    It’s free, so , and copy the Google Sheet to your own Google Drive. Then get to work on October 21. 

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  • Answering Questions about Social Media for the Social Champ AMA

    I had so much fun earlier this month joining Social Champ’s Ask Me Anything (AMA) about Social Media. I thought it might be fun to offer a recap and a video for these questions for others to benefit outside of the Facebook Group. 

    We cover topics including how to gain organic reach, hashtag research, influence marketing, content planning, and more. Without further ado, here’s the recap video followed by the text. 

    Social Media Questions Answered

    Social Champ AMA Recap

    “In today’s AMA session, we are joined by Bridget Willard. She is a social media marketing expert and has experience in running high ROI campaigns for her clients. Today, she will answer your questions about everything social media.” Fahad Ahmed

    Q Yumna Hafeez: Hello Bridget Willard. What are the best practices to gain organic reach for social media posts?

    A Yumna Hafeez In order to get, you have to give. Make sure your brand is replying to other people’s posts as well as replying to comments on your own. That makes a big difference to people.

    Reciprocity.

    I talk more about it in my book, “.”

    Q Maggie Andrews: Hi Bridget Willard, How should one go about planning content strategy for social media? What things should one consider including in it?

    A Maggie Andrews Great question, Maggie. Content should support your business goals. Start with a marketing brief.

    Specifically content should be helpful. If customers are repeatedly asking you a specific question, answer it in a blog post or video (or both).

    Q Andrew Thompson: Hey Bridget Willard, thanks for being here today. What can a person do on social media to increase following?

    A Andrew Thompson One of the best ways to increase your following on Twitter is to follow people back. Use your Twitter lists. Don’t worry about people “clogging up your feed.” Be generous. Be helpful.

    Q Fahad Ahmed: Bridget Willard, you are a speaker and a marketing consultant; between these two, which one do you enjoy the most and why?

    A Fahad Ahmed I really love consulting. It makes me so happy to help business owners get the most out of their social media efforts by giving them confidence and a strategy that actually works.

    Q Touseef Ullah: Hey Bridget Willard! Can you please let me know how to come up with different ideas for social media campaigns?

    A Touseef Ullah Campaigns should support the overall strategy.

    And the strategy should start with the business goals.

    “It depends” is an annoying answer but yes it does depend.

    However, spending time reading the posts from your audience helps. What questions are they asking in presales or support? What do you want the audience to feel after using your product?

    Gimmicks work for a few minutes. But involving people and building community works for the lifetime of the customer.

    Q Muneeb Syed: First of all, thanks for taking out time from your busy schedule. I would like to know how can one leverage social media to generate leads for business?

    A Muneeb Syed I actually have a video on how to do biz dev on Twitter.

    But the short answer is to spend time reading other people’s posts and being helpful.

    You want to build a relationship; don’t cold call them.

    Q Syed Hamza: Hi Bridget Willard, How should one utilize analytics to plan social media campaigns?

    A Syed Hamza Analytics should indicate that you’re doing the right thing.

    One thing to remember is those analytics are a picture of the past. It shows your behavior and the customer’s behavior.

    It doesn’t show things you don’t measure.

    Q Mark Cooper: Bridget Willard what’s your opinion on influencer marketing? Should brands focus on incorporating them in their social media strategy?

    A Mark Cooper Everyone is an influencer. Paying stars is a waste of marketing budget, IMHO.

    Instead, build and reward the super fans you already have. Put them on special Twitter lists. Ask them to guest blog post. Invite them on a podcast. Send them swag no one else gets.

    Build a community of people, not a group of people following money.

    If they follow you because they love your product, money won’t lure them to the next highest bidder.

    Q Marium Fahim Khan: Heyy! Great session. Here is my question. What’s the best approach to find relevant hashtags for your niche?

    A Marium Fahim Khan Heya!

    Hashtag research is simply that: research. Spend time on Twitter/IG looking at the hashtags people are using in your niche and test.

    Introduce a hashtag and ensure that that tag is relevant to the text of the caption/tweet.

    Especially on IG, the algorithm shadow bans (from what I’ve heard) keyword stuffing so to speak. So you’ll want to be sure the caption is relevant.

    Don’t just put #SATX when it’s not talking about San Antonio, Texas, for example.

    And be sure you’re following back your followers, replying to their comments (not just liking them) and commenting on other people’s posts. This is huge.

    There is no magic in marketing and hashtags are far from a work saver.

    Do the work. 😃

    Q Mustaasam Saleem Ansari: 🙋 Bridget Willard , happy to see you here answering questions. Wondering, what resources you prefer to distribute the repurposed content (other than LinkedIn & YouTube)?

    A Mustaasam Saleem Ansari I’m a huge fan of Twitter.

    Facebook Pages, LinkedIn, YouTube are great ways to repurpose.

    Don’t forget that you can publish articles on LinkedIn as well as Medium to get different audiences. You can publish a teaser and say “read the rest at [link].”

    I also use Revive Old Post (I’m a pro user) to publish on Google My Business. It’s important to distribute content there as well.

  • Is Your Nonprofit Taking Advantage of GivingTuesday?

    Are you a nonprofit or a foundation? It’s time to start thinking about GivingTuesday. GivingTuesday is a “global movement for generosity,” and it happens the Tuesday after Cyber Monday.

    When is GivingTuesday?

    So it goes  American Thanksgiving, Black Friday, which is for in-person businesses. Then you have Small Business Saturday, the shop small movement, which is sponsored by American Express. Then you have Cyber Monday which is for online businesses and then GivingTuesday.

    The short answer is GivingTuesday is always the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This year Giving Tuesday is November 30. Want a to-do list to get going? . 

    Focus Your Fundraising Campaigns on GivingTuesday

    GivingTuesday is a campaign in and of itself — separate from your general fund campaigns. It’s best if your organization starts working on that special campaign in the summer. Of course, now it’s already mid-September. But you still have time to ork on what one thing do you want to raise money for in November.

    What one thing do you want to raise money for on GivingTuesday? Write that copy. Make a landing page. Make a specific donation page only for that.

    This is where a plugin like GiveWP.com comes in handy. So that you can measure your campaigns against, um, one another. The funds can all go to the same bank account or to the same general fund, but you really want to see how your campaigns are going.

    Get Email Marketing Ready for GivingTuesday

    You’re going to want to make sure that you have a mailing list specifically for GivingTuesday. So you might want to start inviting people to just subscribe to that mailing list. You even may want to create swag for donors who specifically donate on GivingTuesday.

    GivingTuesday is a Good Opportunity for Co-Marketing 

    You might want to work with a branding partner or co-market with a for-profit business for #GivingTuesday. So start thinking about that in June. Get it all squared away by the 1st of August. Make those landing pages. They don’t have to be live but make sure that you have filled your calendar with all of the things that you need to do and to accomplish before that.

    Yes, We Wrote a Marketing Book for Your Nonprofit

    just to help your nonprofit focus its marketing efforts. More than my GivingTuesday worksheet, there is an entire chapter on GivingTuesday that you’ll want to read which includes optimizing your donation forms. But it also includes information on websites, landing pages, and marketing automation. 

    Table of contents screenshot for The Only Online Marketing Book You Need for Your Nonprofit.
    Screenshot of Look Inside at the Table of Contents for the Book

    What are you waiting for? People want to donate to your organization.

    Watch the My Video 

    The Only Online Marketing Book You Need for Your Nonprofit

    The Only Online Marketing Book You Need for Your Nonprofit is the second book in a series of three intended to help businesses, schools, and organisations get a grasp on the sometimes dizzying world of online marketing. This book will fuel your interest and excitement about what digital offers your nonprofit or foundation, and how you can use the internet to succeed. Your digital presence is an extension of all the things your business does online and offline. It’s an exciting time!

    Successful businesses and nonprofits have marketing campaigns. The only difference is that one campaign is to sell a product to fit a customer’s lifestyle and identity and the other sells a donation or way to give that fits that lifestyle and identity.

    This book also includes a chapter written by the founder of Groundhogg, Adrian Tobey called “Your nonprofit is bleeding money if you’re not leveraging CRM & Marketing Automation.”

    This is the second book in a three-book series for small businesses, nonprofits, and schools.

    Online marketing and communication is a way for you to make new connections and share with the world. It’s a foundational skill that you can apply to grow your organization for years to come, no matter how quickly technology changes and trends rise and fall. If you’re uncomfortable with tech, that’s okay. Communication, online or offline, is not a contest.

    Participate. Try. Fail. Learn. Try again. Succeed!

    Purchase the book on Amazon.com.

  • How To Find Local Businesses and Services After You Move

    If your business is going to move, I have some advice from my move to San Antonio. After all, being a digital business doesn’t exclude shopping locally. Moving is hard and also easy. Well, let’s stick with “hard” for now. There’s a lot of change which is freeing, but change means you need new doctors, yoga instructors, and hair colorists. 

    I moved to San Antonio, Texas from Dana Point, California on September 12, 2020. Yes, I moved during the pandemic. Why? Well, that requires quite a bit of back story, but suffice it to say I needed to leave the ghosts back in California. 

    “Change will do you good.” Sherryl Crow

    I sold or donated everything that wouldn’t fit into my 2020 Civic and started my four-day road trip to Alamo City. It was the best decision I ever made. 

    Follow the Hashtags Before You Move

    One of the first things I did after finding my apartment while on vacation, is to follow local hashtags both on Twitter and Instagram. Of course, once I found a business that was interesting, I followed and listed it in my SATX list on Twitter. My specific neighborhood is Southtown so also following #SouthtownSATX is a good move. Do some digging. It takes work. But hey, I met a new friend on Instagram and we’ve had a few lunches. 

    It doesn’t end after you move, though. Keep up with those hashtags. We may work in the digital world, but we live in a local one. Following and using these hashtags is how the San Antonio Report reached out to me to write a story about my neighborhood.

    Google Maps is Your Best Friend

    Google Maps is your best friend after you move to a new city — heck, even during your relocation search. Make a new list of places you want to check out. Create a bucket list of restaurants to try, too. Read the reviews (and leave some for others). Rhonda Negard did this when she and her husband moved back to San Antonio after military retirement; we never have to wonder where we’re going for lunch. We look at the list. 

    I created another list for SATX Live Music on Google Maps as well as SATX Parks and SATX Museums. Once a month, I intend on visiting a museum here. I’ve been to the Witte and San Antonio Museum of Art, but I still need to hit the McNay. I also visited the Zoo and went Kayaking on the River. I enjoy doing things spontaneously — by myself. It’s hard to be spontaneous with other people. Keep your eyes open. See what other people do. Enjoy your new home. 

    Collaborate With Locals After You Move

    I moved to San Antonio knowing a few people, one of whom is Rhonda Negard. So, we do lunches based on our list but we also go driving to find cool places. That’s how we both found Spechts Country Store. They have live music, an inside bar, and outside area even with games. It’s really neat.

    My friend Scott Croom has also been invaluable with insider tips and advice. Whether you chat in private or send out a tweet or two, locals are happy to share tips. Kimberly, the bartender at Rosario’s is the one who turned me on to my new favorite pub, Francis Bogside and Roy Quismundo turned me on to Halcyon.  

    Join Local Meetups and Facebook Groups

    I joined a few Meetups (odd during COVID) and finally went to a Trivia Night. It was fun. I also went to a couple of virtual WordPress Meetups as well. From the Facebook Groups (and asking questions) is how I found Roy Quismundo who got my business cards printed. I haven’t used the Nextdoor app, but I hear people complain there.

    Don’t forget to go to city events, too!

     

    Visit City Websites and State Parks

    If you’ve moved to another city in the same state, that’s fine. Check out the local, state, and national parks. I’ve been to the San Pedro Springs Pool and Garner State Park as well as Padre Island National Seashore. So many more places to go, too! 

    Fall in love with where you live. Any relationship takes time and attention. You’ll learn to appreciate where you live even more. Do you see a theme of appreciation and gratitude? It’s a big reason why moves are successful. 

    Walk the Neighborhood Before and After You Move

    When I was here on vacation last year, I looked up Mexican food downtown on Google Maps. Since I loved Ricardo’s in San Juan Capistrano, Google Maps recommended Rosario’s. I fell in love with their food, looked at apartments.com, and found my complex. Then I started driving around the neighborhood — not just listening to Google Maps tell me where to go. 

    Sure, my neighborhood is part of the San Antonio Housing Authority and used to be “the projects” known as Victoria Gardens. At the same time, there’s a great mix of homes, duplexes, and apartments. Some gentrification but also some historical homes — like the oldest wooden home in San Antonio. 

    Walking in my neighborhood helped me get a sense of the culture and friendliness of the people (that’s how I learned about the oldest home). Yes, it’s hot and humid in San Antonio; this is South Texas. Also, anything east of the continental divide will be humid. But look for the things you do like about your new home — the architecture, local flora and fauna, animals, sounds, culture.

    Walking in my neighborhood makes me feel like Snow White. I am routinely passed by various butterflies, dragonflies, and birds. Chickens may come up to you and cats just chill out. Don’t compare your new city to the old one and look for flaws. You’ll never be happy that way. 

    Walking in my neighborhood is how I found my dentist, a mechanic for an oil change, a community garden, and new bars and restaurants. I became familiar enough with this area enough to find my counselor — which I walk to. But if you need a medical professional, don’t be afraid to drive, too. Rhonda gave me a great referral to my eye doctor. 

    No matter what you do, be open to possibilities and exploration. Your move is better if you move with optimism. 

    PS

    Small businesses — Are you using local hashtags, Google My Business, and asking for reviews?