I understand that we all have our own way of doing things and it doesn’t make one way better than the other but we just fall in love with certain products, processes, programs, or software.  It’s like those comfy trackies or favourite pair of slippers. The bottom line is we all just want to make our jobs EASIER.  The easier the process – the quicker we can get through the task and get to put that OH SO satisfying tick against it.

SPLASHER/UNSPLASH

Unsplash on your desktop or SPLASHER on your phone. I love this program – it is a mobile app and it has THOUSANDS of FREE STOCK images that you can use.  This is great for Instagram as it is all on your phone.  Let’s face it there are times when we just need a simple image to portray what we are trying to say and sometimes those stock images make it so much easier without them looking too fake. You can search by colours style genre and always be mindful when selecting any stock image – is this consistent with OUR own branding and imagery.  Is this how our Members see us and is this how we want them to see us? Download it in your app store or go to the Desktop https://unsplash.com/

CANVA

OMG I LOOOVE this program so so much and it keeps getting better and better AND the clincher for all of us…..It was created by an Australian and millions of people around the world use it.  Aussie Aussie Aussie!! And if that didn’t clinch it for you – you can go the FREE  version and use lots of free templates and stock images PLUS now they have introduced Videos and Gifs – using stock. Nothing is free in this life I hear you say – I know I’m with you but I have used the FREE version for YEARS and it’s amazing.  This is what you get.

• 8,000+ free templates
• 100+ design types (social media posts, presentations, letters, and more)
• Hundreds of thousands of free photos and graphics

If you want to use ALL of the bells and whistles it will cost as little as $14 per month.  And it is so worth it.  With that you get this:

• Everything Free has, plus:
• Create your brand’s visual identity with logos, colours and fonts in 1 Brand Kit
• One-click design resize
• 60,000+ free templates
• 60+ million premium stock images, photos, videos and graphics
• Upload your own fonts and logos
• Custom templates

Don’t get me wrong – our Graphic Designers are amazing, Adityo I’m talking to you (he’s my all things Graphic and Design guy), these guys are extremely skilled and do such great work for us keeping our branding inline and making us just look great and getting the job done when we already have a dozen balls in the air.  This program is to get us through some of those smaller tasks that we need to throw a quick something together – and this folks is the gal for the job.  Consider it MY gif(t) to you!!  Check it out https://www.canva.com/

SOCIAL MEDIA

It doesn’t matter if you love it or hate it – there is no doubt that this is where we all get our information. Well most of us.  If it’s on Facebook it must be true! Well not always.  Please don’t hate Social Media – this needs to be loved.  And the more you love it the more it gives back to you.  I’m more a do as I say and not as I do in this space – like a builder you never quite getting around to finishing your own house.  I find I am pouring all my creatives into client’s platforms and leaving none for myself.  Since lockdown I have been showing my accounts some love and yes it works.  The more you give the more you get back in this space.  Can’t live without in this space for a venue?

• Facebook – A Must!
• Instagram – especially for your Restaurants, Bars, Cocktails, Room with a view
• Google My Business – Definite Must!

Don’t overextend yourself.  Do ONE very well – there is nothing to say you have to be on every platform.  If you are looking for a bit of training in this area?  Go to FACEBOOK BLUEPRINT Here you will find over 80 online courses for Facebook and Instagram and they are FREE.

EMAIL PLATFORM

There is nothing better than integration – of course we know there is always going to be some hole somewhere when we try to integrate everything.  I love this set and forget email program TALKBOX  Okay you may need to do some work but it will take alot off your hands – especially if you integrate it with your Membership and Gaming System.  Mailchimp has NOTHING on this system for the Club Industry.  You can drive your membership whilst you sleep.  Here are the systems it plays nicely with.

• Gaming/Loyalty – eBET, IGT, Aristocrat, Max Gaming etc
• POS – SwiftPOS, BePOZ, SENPOS, IdealPOS, Jensen, StarrTec
• Existing venue WiFi systems – Purple, Fydelia, PoweredLocal, Cisco Meraki,
• Table reservation platforms – NowBookIt, TheFork, Quandoo and more
• Online ordering – Mr Yum, OrderUp and many more

I spoke about my LOVE of this emailing program in an earlier blog The Best Way to Connect with Your Membership

Contact Michael Olroyd from Talkbox – let him know I’m the RAVING REFERER and he has some great introductory deals for newbies Mobile: 0435 937 527 or email him michael.oldroyd@impactdata.com.au

COFFEE

Yes most important of all…. COFFEE a Morning Coffee is a much-needed kick start to get you through the day paired with a comfy pair of fluffy slippers in the winter months when working from home.

So there it is SOME of My Top Marketing Can’t Live Withouts!  I hope they have helped and you have learnt something new!  Please if you would like to check out my HOW TO VIDEOS? go to MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL

If you would like to work with me?  Send me an email shayne@illegallyblonde.com.au or Call Me 0416 243 387 – we can always do a FaceTime chat as well. Also let me know some of YOUR Top Marketing Can’t Live Withouts.

The post My TOP Marketing Can’t Live Withouts! appeared first on Illegally Blonde.

Taking temperatures as members enter the venue, online ordering through an app, no plastic menus, yes to plastic cutlery (But what about the environment weren’t we all going to do something about our Carbon footprint after the fires?) and so on. It’s really confusing!

And our Membership?    What are you doing to stay connected?

Many clubs have dropped the ball – they don’t see a necessity to talk to their membership at the moment.  They may have sent an initial letter and now the Marketing budget has been cut and they are SAVING their money.  If I can say one thing to you it is DON’T!  Now is the time to SHINE!

Your members are looking to you to and wandering what you are all up to.  By talking to them and engaging with them NOW you will be sure to retain your loyalty and gather new loyal customers.  Life has slowed and there is less noise out there – THE PERFECT TIME to cut through and plant yourself directly in front of your members and NEW potential members.

Get on Social Media and connect – talk about what is happening around your venue – talk about what your staff are up to.  And just talk about any changes that you are making around the venue during the downtime.  They will lap it up.

EMAILING PROGRAMS

This is not a paid ad JUST a love affair with this product!  If you’re currently using Mail Chimp, MyGuestList, Alveo, Constant Contact, Campaign Monitor or Vision6 you should check out TalkBox as they have genuinely built a ‘better Mousetrap” when it comes to the safe automated collection of your club member data from multiple sources and has automated the process of getting your members to visit you more often.

TalkBox is an Aussie built application used by large and small clubs, venues, and RSL’s across Australia to safely store member’s contact details and can send member emails and SMS messages.

It’s simple to use editor and venue branded templates make it quick and easy to send out a great looking email and SMS messages such as newsletters, AGM notifications, special offers, what’s on info, and new member welcome journeys.

What I LOVE about Talkbox is? TalkBox can integrate with a venue’s data sources so you no longer have to manually upload data just to send out an email or SMS message – the platform automatically does it for you. I personally use Talkbox with IGT in a venue and the data is updated each night and I can segment my members DIRECTLY in Talkbox. I don’t have to do a thing.

I used Talkbox to setup a Raffle Draw – also to collect data on Members, SMS and as mentioned the IGT integration is invaluable which enables the automation of emails to the membership.

TalkBox plays nicely with the following:

• Gaming/Loyalty – eBET, IGT, Aristocrat, Max Gaming etc
• POS – SwiftPOS, BePOZ, SENPOS, IdealPOS, Jensen, StarrTec
• Existing venue WiFi systems – Purple, Fydelia, PoweredLocal, Cisco Meraki,
• Table reservation platforms – NowBookIt, TheFork, Quandoo etc
• Online ordering – Mr Yum, OrderUp etc

Check out their Guide to survival during this time. CLICK HERE

If you are NOT using Talkbox currently Check it out! –  They currently have some signup deals for NEW customers at the moment – MENTION – Illegally Blonde’s Blog or Newsletter and Give Michael Olroyd a call Mobile: 0435 937 527 or email him michael.oldroyd@impactdata.com.au

It is PERFECT for the busy Marketing Team also PERFECT for those venues that do not have the luxury of a Marketing Department.  We all need those automated processes to keep the wheels turning and keep us ahead of the game. Take the time to check out how you can make your job easier as well as improving your Membership engagement.

Take a Look at some of my HOW TO videos CLICK HERE 

OR send me an email to find out how I can help you with your Marketing CLICK HERE

The post The BEST way to connect with your Membership appeared first on Illegally Blonde.

I carefully constructed a 92 Day Content Calendar specifically for the Club Industry.  It was a GLORIOUS 92 days of Content ideas to post on social media.  I had my graphic designer put it together as I didn’t want it to look cheap. I carefully chose my pearls of wisdom to include the images and spent hours (for dramatic effect) putting the content together.  The Content Calendar was for March to May 2020! Yeah, I know…hilarious.  Right?  I had been trying to find time to do this for the past 9 months or so. It’s all about…….TIMING!

Needless to say, there are still those pearls of wisdom and of course still some ideas to post to get you through the next couple of Month or even use them in the coming months.

Please accept my gift to you – THE BEST LAID MARKETING PLAN that wasn’t to be!

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD CALENDAR

The post Best Laid Marketing Plans appeared first on Illegally Blonde.

This would have to be one of the most UNDERRATED least talked about social media platforms and one of the MOST important. Learn how to log in and claim your business and update your details. Post updates and use the insights.

Learn in minutes how to verify your business and claim other businesses such as the restaurants in your venue.

All these How-to videos were created during COVID-19 for the Club Industry in Australia. Have any questions? Send me an email: shayne@illegallyblonde.com.au

The post How To Tips for Google My Business appeared first on Illegally Blonde.

We talk about standing out from the crowd and utilising YOUR STORY – this is where you can have a lot of fun and get creative.  In our Instagram Tips & Tricks we talk about Hashtags and Geolocations and utilising those on your posts and the benefits of those.

Take a look at some of my other videos for more Tips & Tricks.

Please shoot me through an email if you would like help with something in particular that I haven’t covered.  Email me at shayne@illegallyblonde.com.au

EPISODE 1

EPISODE 2

EPISODE 3

The post Let’s Talk Instagram Tips & Tricks appeared first on Illegally Blonde.

Let me take you through – How to Setup Auto Responses on Messenger & Updating Our Story on Facebook. Here are some helpful tips for those Managers who have found themselves a jack of all trades.

All my previous videos can be found by clicking YouTube

Do you have any questions? Contact me

The post How to Setup Auto Responses on Messenger appeared first on Illegally Blonde.

My top tips in this episode are:

• Claiming your URL name
• Updating vital information and details and privacy statement
• Ensuring your opening hours are current

Take a look at some of our other episodes:

Episode 1

Episode 3

Do you have any questions? Please contact me – shayne@illegallyblonde.com.au

The post Social Media Marketing Tips Episode 2 appeared first on Illegally Blonde.

Some of us are small and stand in a country town, some of us are large and stand in your local suburb and offer every available service to the young and old and are a one-stop-shop. Some of us need a little TLC and some of us are GRANDEOUS. We offer more than just a beer and a schnitty and some entertainment.

We are the lifeblood of the community and we offer a safe haven. A place for those who are isolated to come and chat with their mates or our just chat with our staff. People come to socialise, be a part of the community, be entertained, step away from their lives and just take a break.

You celebrate with us and commiserate with us. We are here for the births, the weddings, the engagements, the celebrations, and the farewells.

We hold your hand and support you – we offer you a roof over your head when your house has been destroyed, a safe place to be when there are floods and we will offer you a meal and a friendly face to tell you we will get through this, together. We give jobs to the community and there are over 1500 of us, we employ over 62,000 people.

We are YOUR CLUB! We will get through and each one is doing everything they can to be here for you again when things are back to normal!

#Weareallinthistogether #ClubsNSW #YourLocal #SupportYourClub

I would love to hear from you – Send me an email

The post We are YOUR Club appeared first on Illegally Blonde.

My top 3 tips for Social Media Marketing for the Club Industry or any business with a Facebook Page are:

So let’s get started:

• Checking Page Roles – Who has access to your page?  Are you allocated as an Admin?
• How to update Profile pic and Cover photo. Ensure branding is consistent.
• Update Contact button – how will your members contact you? Is this information up to date.

You can also take a look at my YouTube Channel

Do you have questions? Contact me

Take a look at Episode 2

The post How To Tips for Social Media Marketing Ep 1 appeared first on Illegally Blonde.

1. Social media is not for generating sales. Wait, WHAT? This is a common misconception, and probably the most obvious reason businesses quit their social media strategy when they don’t see a noticeable change in their sales. Businesses need to recognise that their social media presence is crucial for building a community around their brand. In a world with abundant options, people like to spend their money somewhere they trust. This trust can be established through word of mouth referrals, online reviews, social media comments from other customers, and an online presence which appeals to certain people. Forming strong brand recognition will attract clients to your establishment, but you have to be patient. It can take months and even years to build up a community around your brand.
2. You’re posting on the wrong platforms: It’s tempting to make an account on every single social medium on the Internet so as to expand your reach. But each platform requires a specific “language,” and learning the rules for each platform, plus doctoring each message for different platforms, will quickly cause fatigue. Instead, you should determine which platform your customers prefer, and prioritise building your brand there. This will keep you from an overwhelming social media schedule, and will help you focus on creating good quality content rather than mediocre mass quantity messages.  For the majority of venues in NSW – Facebook presence is a MUST and Instagram is also definitely an option.  Instagram is fantastic if you have a great view to show off.
3. Pay attention to the right kind of metrics: It’s difficult to determine what effect your social media efforts are having. Recording the frequency of likes, hits, and shares is tempting because it’s easy to analyse, but these “vanity metrics” don’t paint an accurate picture of who came into your club and purchased the happy hour promo you were sharing on Instagram. Try to set quantifiable goals to determine your social media return on investment. This will help you see where you should be allocating resources. Learn how to use the analytics programs built into the platform so you can see which posts are most relevant to your followers. You need to check these against other internal measures, POS, Gaming, Foot traffic, promotions etc
4. Be patient and give it time. It’s ok to take a break from your social media to redefine your objectives, develop a relevant strategy, and look for new inspiration. Customers look for a social media presence as a sign that your venue wants to build a community that it recognises. Everyone wants to belong to a tribe, so start crafting one with purposeful and goal-oriented social media activity that suits your venue and your followers.
5. Most importantly Get a Strategy and start planning.  But first what is your Brand Identity?  What makes you unique – Click here for a Brand Identity Template and some tips on establishing your Brand Identity.

Need help with your strategy? Call Illegally Blonde your Shayne on m: 0416 243 387 or e: shayne@illegallyblonde.com.au

The post Are You Abandoning your Social Media? appeared first on Illegally Blonde.