Let's Build You A Smarter Business
“Fortune Favours The Prepared Mind.” – Louis Pasteur
Products That I Use And Recommend
It goes without saying. I couldn’t run MerlinFX without leveraging online tools to efficiently complete a task or make it part of a process. Whether that’s on my website, email newsletters, social media right down to onboarding a new client to running most areas of the business. I want to share with you the very tools that we love to use. Some of the services we recommend have a referral program we are most likely are a member of. Read more about material connection here.
– Daniel Doherty [Online Wizard & Automation Alchemist]; 27th Dec 2021 –
WORKFLOWS
Automation | Productivity | Efficiencies We can now leverage today’s technology to both streamline individual workflows and increase operational efficiency company-wide.
LEADS & NURTURING
CRM/Newsletters | Lead Magnets | Funnels Getting leads from the traffic you generate is likely to remain the holy grail of tasks you will always be doing for years to come.
BLOGGING & WRITING
Content Ideas | Tools | Insights Writing a blog post may seem simple, but crafting a purposeful post that serves up delicious content to your audience isn’t.
SEO
Tools | Courses | Resources Search Engine Optimisation. How visible will your website be to search engines?
MARKETING
being updated ...
SOCIAL MEDIA
Tools | Courses | Resources Coming to grips with technologies designed to share information, ideas and interests. Navigating these waters and using the right platform for your business.
IMAGERY
Images | Artwork | Video
WEBSITE
Content Management | CDN | Checklists How is your website integrating with new technologies and evolving over time? Get more results from your website than you thought possible.
SECURITY
Policies | VPN | Browser | Scams
ACCOUNTING
Automation | Integrations | Reporting
REMOTE WORKING
Applications | Insights Optimise Your Remote/Work From Home Experience
ONLINE EVENTS
Working Online | Tools
LEARNING
Summaries | Tools
LOCAL STRATEGIES
Buy Local | LoveLocal Strategies to improve your local business community. being updated ....
WORKFLOWS
APPLICATIONS: PC/MAC
APPLICATIONS: PHONE
ARTICLES
VIDEO
WEBINAR
LEADS & NURTURING
APPLICATIONS: CLOUD
ARTICLES
BLOGGING & WRITING
APPLICATIONS: CLOUD
SEO
COURSE
WEBINARS
ARTICLES
MARKETING
APPLICATIONS: CLOUD
CHROME EXTENSIONS
PODCAST
ARTICLES
VIDEO
SOCIAL MEDIA
APPLICATIONS: CLOUD
ARTICLES
IMAGERY
ARTICLES
VIDEO
WEBSITE
CHROME EXTENSIONS
WEBINAR REPLAYS
SECURITY
APPLICATIONS: CHROME EXTENSIONS
ARTICLES
ACCOUNTING
APPLICATIONS: PHONE
REMOTE WORKING
ARTICLES
ONLINE EVENTS
APPLICATIONS: CLOUD
LEARNING ON STEROIDS
APPLICATIONS: CLOUD
LOCAL BUSINESS STRATEGIES
Over the last few years, all businesses have been doing it tough. In some areas more than others: Bush Fires, Floods, Railwork and COVID restrictions.
Having my home and place of business based within small business communities here are some suggestions on how you can help your local business community thrive.
SHARE YOUR FAVOURITE PLACES
Share your favourite locations and encourage your friends and family to visit by including why you love each business/place.
Steps
- Step 1: Copy the sample provided to create a post.
- Step 2: Add your favourite locations by tagging each business/place.
- Step 3: Explain why you love these places under each tag.
- Step 4: Post
Our tips on social posting
- When posting, do it once.
- When checking in, don’t overshare. People tend to get tired of too many posts no matter the cause. Spread your posts throughout the day.
Sample Epic Facebook Post
This example is for the Blue Mountains, however, please change it to suit your area.
Copy this post. Change accordingly.
The Blue Mountains needs your help.
Blue Mountains based businesses have suffered greatly from little to no 2019 Christmas trade due to the terrible bush fires that have kept 100,000’s of visitors away. Business past Katoomba suffered more as flooding collapsed the track at Medlow Bath. Then COVID and with businesses still not being able to operate at full capacity, the flow on affect is profound across all the villages and residents. Some businesses remain closed for good.
I’m doing my small part by posting about my favourite places and why I love them.
LOCATION SUB HEADING
[Tag location, shop etc]
[Write why you love about each place]
[Repeat as many times in the same post as you like but a different location each time]
Reward yourself, you deserve it. Calories don’t count in the mountains 
#buyblue #bluemountains #lovelocal #[include village hashtags for each location mentioned]
Have you been to any of these places, comment below?
Are you a resident, business owner or returning visitor and love the Blue Mountains? Get this sample post and make your own version to share with friends and family. Visit buyblue.com.au for details.
Please share, like and visit if you can.
DON'T SPEND THE EXTRA DOLLARS ON YOURSELF, SHOUT A FRIEND INSTEAD!
Some local Councils have suggested spending an extra $20 on yourself. Why not SHOUT a friend instead.
The idea here is to visit one of your favourite locations to dine in. It can be any store, to be honest, but food is easier. Have your friends guess what you ordered and the winner gets breakfast, lunch or dinner – your shout. You choose the prize. It’s your game.
You promote the venue to your friends, you and your friends engage on social media for a bit of fun and potentially the venue gets a future order, potentially future business from your friends and/or at least brand awareness for the venue. Just have fun with it.
Examples below …
Here’s how you can help by creating Facebook post by checking in to a place you love:
- Step 1: Facebook Check In via Venue.
- Step 2: With Friends? Tag them into the post.
- Step 3: Explain the game about offering a free meal your expense if they guess what you or the group is ordering.
- Step 4: Post
- Step 5: Let the fun begin.
PAY IT FORWARD!
Make someone happy!
Some venues offer the opportunity to allow you to Pay It Forward.
Typically run in cafes. You offer an amount usually the cost of a coffee so at the discretion of the cafe staff they allow someone to have a coffee for free.
What tends to happen is it becomes a conversation starter with customers as they will ask about it whilst they wait for their order.
Watch how other people want to add to the tally.
Make it easy for the venue by supplying them a template that looks better than a handwritten version and stands out:
- Get this template >
- Print it
- Pass it over to a venue of your choice that offers Pay It Forward.
- Suggest it is displayed prominently.
- Start the list by paying an amount towards the list.
- Feel good
15 WAYS TO HELP YOUR BUSINESS COMMUNITY THRIVE
- Create & Share epic posts like mine
- Share this Page!
- Check In to Facebook and create a prize for guessing what you have ordered
- Share your post to your local Facebook Groups that might be interested. Check with the Admin of the Group first though if it is OK to post
- Of all the businesses you tagged, reach out and ask them to share the post too and/or encourage them to add an offer in the comments
- Like their Facebook Page and/or follow them on Instagram
- When stopping into a store or cafe and you are on Facebook or Instagram etc and have time: – check-in – tag friends if ok with them – optionally use #tags: #buyblue #location (Eg: #blackheath). Take photos and share
- Be sure to Like, Love etc each comment + Engage and continue the conversation with each comment where possible. The conversation helps push the post to more people’s feeds
- Loved your experience? Leave a review on the Facebook Page of the place you visited? If they aren’t on Facebook, then see if they are in Google MyBusiness, leave a review there
- Had a bad experience? Be kind, be patient, offer feedback directly to management. Bad reviews can kill a good business
- Bring an esky with frozen ice packs. WHY: you might find delicious small goods, cakes and delicious cheeses to take home
- A friend of mine did this: Left home with nothing. Bought what he needed from each village for the weekend. Incredible
- Buying gift cards from local businesses
- Ordering takeaways or delivery from your favourite restaurant during COVID-19 shutdowns
- Shopping over the phone or online at a local business
Has this page been helpful? Please help by sharing it below. Thank you.
