Author: Franz Malten Buemann

Are you finally giving TikTok a shot? If you’re new to the app, there are a few mistakes you’ll want to avoid at all costs.

While some can apply to any social media platform, most are specific to TikTok and its audience.

1. You’re not joining trends.
When I think of TikTok, trending sounds and challenges immediately come to mind. That’s what the platform’s known for, after all.
In fact, many see TikTok as the fun, unfiltered, uninhibited friend to the more uptight, polished Instagram.
With this in mind, succeeding on the platform does mean using special effects, dubbing trending sounds, adding popular music, and taking part in challenges and dances.
Of course, it’s essential that you set brand guardrails to ensure you don’t participate in anything that may hurt your credibility. In addition, not every trend will align with your messaging or brand values – in that case, skip it.
There’s another trend coming right around the corner.
2. You’re not watching TikTok videos.
How can you thrive in an environment you don’t understand? The TikTok space has a very specific energy to it and to step into it, you should take time ingesting first.
Once you get a sense of what’s successful on the platform, you can start playing around with your own content – experimenting with topics and styles to see what your target audience responds to.
However, the work doesn’t stop there. You should always be scrolling on TikTok as long as you’re on the platform. It’s how you:

Get inspiration for future videos.
Discover trends.
Gain insights from competitors.

3. You’re not getting to the point.
There’s nothing worse than watching a video, waiting for the hook, and it never comes.
On TikTok, your video can only be up to three minutes. However, you only have a few seconds to convince viewers to stop scrolling and watch your content.
Here are a few ways to maximize your video:

Start talking immediately – The first few seconds are key, don’t let them go by without any sound or movement happening.
Have an engaging caption – This will give viewers a clear understanding of what your video’s about and what they can gain from watching it.
Use a trending sound – If a sound is going viral, you won’t have to work as hard to maintain your audience’s attention. They already know what to expect and are anticipating what your unique take is.

4. You’re uploading landscape videos.
Similar to Instagram, TikTok is a vertical-first app.
This means that to show up correctly, videos should be 1080 by 1920 pixels. If your video is landscape, its size will be reduced and bordered with thick, black lines that are not aesthetically pleasing.
This not only hurts the quality of your video but also how viewers perceive it.
5. You’re ignoring your comment section.
Social media is all about building a community. That’s no different on TikTok.
Your comment section is currently one of the only ways to engage your audience, as the platform still offers limited community-building features.
As a result, your comment section is where your audience will likely ask questions, share their thoughts on your videos, and tag their friends. Take that opportunity to connect with them, start conversations, and encourage them to take the desired action.
6. You’re using a business account.
If this were any other social platform, not having a business account would be a huge mistake. On TikTok, there are actually some downsides to having a business account – specifically for small businesses.
The main one is that you may not have access to trending music and sounds, which is an important component of increasing your brand reach.
While the business account does offer data insights, the inability to use trending sounds is a major roadblock toward success on the platform.
As a result, small businesses should focus on building and testing on a personal account before transitioning to a business account.
7. Your content is inaccessible.
In 2019, a Verizon study found that most mobile viewers watch videos without sound. Without captions, your videos are missing a key part of the story.
However, the most important reason to have content is to make it accessible to all users, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Placing captions is a simple but effective way to ensure you not only increase viewership but also ensure inclusivity.
8. You’re overselling and undersharing.
This may be a symptom of taking yourself too seriously on a notoriously unserious platform. Or rather of not understanding the platform you’re on.
Regardless of the core reason, posting sale-heavy content is unlikely to draw in your audience on TikTok. This audience is known for wanting relatable content that appeals to them and their daily life.
While the occasional promotion is definitely welcome, making it the core of your content is not the best strategy. Instead, pivot to creating content that highlights the lifestyle of your target user.
Be inspired by their challenges, pain points, and interactions. Then use that to feed your creativity. You’ll find that your content will be more aligned with your audience and will likely perform better.
9. You’re posting sporadically.
If you want to build momentum on any social platform, you have to follow a consistent publishing schedule.
This is key for several reasons:

When viewers land on your profile, they can explore your content and have a clear idea of what your brand is about.
The more you post, the more insights you can gain from your viewers.
A regular publishing schedule can build a strong follower base, as they know what to expect from you and the type of content you’ll share.

Welcome to Breaking the Blueprint — a blog series that dives into the unique business challenges and opportunities of underrepresented business owners and entrepreneurs. Learn how they’ve grown or scaled their businesses, explored entrepreneurial ventures within their companies, or created side hustles, and how their stories can inspire and inform your own success.
White-owned businesses receive an average of $18,500 in outside equity at funding, compared to just $500 for Black-owned businesses.
On top of that, it can also be challenging for Black entrepreneurs to find mentorship, resources, and even community with other business owners with their shared experiences.
Thankfully, there are cities where Black entrepreneurs, past, present, and future, thrive and have access to the resources and support they need. Read on to discover five of the top cities for Black entrepreneurs.

Top Cities for Black Entrepreneurs
1. Washington, D.C.
Sometimes called the Chocolate City, Washington D.C. was the first majority Black major city in the United States in 1957.
Its Black population has lessened since then, but LendingTree ranks it the second-best city for Black Entrepreneurs, with 8,649 of its 111,872 businesses being Black-owned with an average revenue of 95,230 (according to IncFile).
Black entrepreneurs in the city have access to various programs, resources, and support, like the Greater Washington DC Black Chamber of Commerce, Black Owned Small Business Expo, and the Washington Area Community Investment Fund.
It’s also home to HBCU Howard University, where HubSpot has made significant investments in helping students with entrepreneurial interests develop their skills, some of whom might be interested in working for a new business venture.
2. Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas, is the birthplace of Beyoncé and Megan Thee Stallion, two famous Black women with successful entrepreneurial ventures.
Almost four thousand of over 111,041 businesses in the city are Black-owned, but the city makes up for it in its offerings. For example:

The Business Readiness Training Program provides support and development opportunities
Black Book Houston brings visibility to Black-owned businesses
The entire state of Texas ranks in the top 10 best states for women in business and has the second highest startup survival rate of 81.90%

The Black Marketing Initiative brings Black entrepreneurs through a training, mentoring, and networking program to help them succeed.
3. Atlanta, Georgia
Dubbed the Black Mecca, Atlanta is home to famous Black entrepreneurs like Rick Ross and Cardi B. In a city of 113,110 businesses, 7,539 (6.75%) are Black-owned, meaning that there is a community of Black entrepreneurs that already live there.
Atlanta also has ample resources and opportunities for Black business owners, like the Atlanta Black Chambers, the University of Georgia Office of Small Business Development’s Multicultural Business Division, and events like WeBuyBlack that champion Black-owned businesses and their products.
Morehouse College and Spelman College, two HBCUs, are also in the city, so recent business and entrepreneurship graduates eager to learn and make an impact are likely open to advancement opportunities.
4. Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina’s biggest city, is home to the Mecklenburg Investment Company, the first Black financed and occupied building in the city. When it first opened it housed numerous Black businesses, and the area around the building became known as Black Wall Street as businesses prospered.
With such a rich history of Black entrepreneurship, Charlotte is worth considering for entrepreneurs looking to establish roots and grow their businesses — 14,000 Black entrepreneurs have already done so.
Organizations like the North Carolina Black Entrepreneurship Council and Black Business Owners of Charlotte offer support, community, advice, and representation from those with similar experiences. The city is also home to BLCKTECHLT, a business that assists startups in bringing their ideas to market, helping with branding, funding, finding resources, and mentoring opportunities.
5. Richmond, Virginia
The Jackson Ward Neighborhood of Richmond, VA, is one of the first Black Wall Street communities. Richmond’s Maggie Lena Walker was the first African-American woman to charter a bank and serve as bank president.
This entrepreneurial community is still prevalent and thriving, and LendingTree has ranked it third in its list of best cities for Black entrepreneurs, with 7% of businesses in the city being Black-owned and a 79.54% startup survival rate for the state of Virginia.
Entrepreneurs in Richmond will also find support and community in the Northern Virginia Black Chamber of Commerce, Virginia Black Business Expo, BLCK Street Conference, and the Jackson Ward Collective, which connects Black entrepreneurs with the resources they need to achieve their goals.
Black Community Support Can Help Black Entrepreneurs Thrive
One of the essential things for Black entrepreneurs is having community support from people with shared experiences. Take stock of what is most important to you as you start your new venture — all of the cities on this list have a lot to offer and might just be the birthplace of your successful business.

Inflation has been a big topic of conversation in recent months, with the cost of just about everything going up. From gas to groceries to household goods.

As a result, many companies are notifying customers of price increases. If that sounds like your company, keep reading to learn how to address price changes and key things to avoid.
How to Address Price Changes
1. Be truthful.
A 2022 survey by Gartner revealed that nearly 40% of consumers want detailed and honest explanations for price hikes.
Specifically, they want clarity – no jargon, blame, or redirection.
In recent years, consumers have asked for more transparency from brands. Back in 2017, a report by Nosto (formerly Stackla) revealed that authenticity is one of the main factors impacting consumers’ purchasing decisions.
This authenticity builds trust, which is key to maintaining customer loyalty. In fact, a 2022 Edelman report shows that trust ranks above product quality, convenience, and reputation. Brand trust is even more important than consumers’ interest in the product.
With this in mind, being truthful about the reasons for the price changes is key in preserve that delicate customer relationship.
2. Share proactive steps to manage pricing.
In the same Gartner study, respondents revealed that they want brands to share the practical steps they’re taking to minimize the pressure on customers and avoid future price hikes.
This can look like reexamining packaging strategies, adjusting to smaller profit margins, and offering more sales and discounts.
According to the study, nearly 40% believe companies should be absorbing some or all of the inflation-induced costs instead of passing them to customers through price increases.
The more active the company seems in remedying this situation, the more loyal customers will be.
3. Personalize your message.
Receiving notification of a price increase is difficult news to get. Brands should soften that delivery by personalizing their message.
This means no mass email. Instead, send an email to each customer that addresses them by name. For both small and large businesses, this is easy to accomplish using personalization tokens available on email marketing platforms.
Another way to personalize this message is by making the sender a representative from the company, instead of a generic email address like “info@yourcompany.com.”
Seeing a message signed by the CEO or someone from the executive team will add a personal touch that shows care to the customers.
4. Notify as early as possible.
The earlier you can notify your customers of a price increase, the better.
Think about it from this perspective: If you were renting a home, how would you feel knowing that in a couple of days, your rent was going up? That would probably be jarring and make you question renewing your lease.
A general rule of thumb is to notify them at least one month in advance. This way, they can take advantage of current prices or make the proper adjustments.
However, how early you notify your customers will vary greatly on the type of product or service you offer.
What to Avoid During Price Increase Notifications
1. Sending generic emails.
While it’s always important to personalize all communications with your customers, it’s crucial when delivering not-so-great news like this.
If you’re a very small business, perhaps notifying your customers by phone is a manageable approach. For larger companies, a personalized email is a way to go.
No one wants to feel like a number. So, take the time to add those special touches that will make your customers feel valued.
2. Not offering follow-up options.
When announcing a price change, you may have a few customers who have questions and concerns.
It’s important to prepare for this and have a plan in place to address them. Your customer service team should know how these changes will impact the customers, when the changes go into effect, and any other relevant details.
In addition, give your customers a way to reach out to your brand. Perhaps it’s a dedicated phone line, email address, or chat.
3. Not notifying your employees.
Once the price change has been confirmed, it’s important that you first notify your employees.
This is especially important for customer-facing roles, as they should have the most updated information on your products and/or services. You wouldn’t want any miscommunication surrounding price, which could greatly impact your relationship with a customer.
Prioritize notifying your customer-facing employees and working your way internally before notifying your customers. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page and knows how to proceed during customer interactions.
Price Change Notification Structure
Here’s a breakdown of the structure to use when announcing a price increase:

Announce the price increase.
Provide the context and reason for the increase.
Emphasize the continued value you plan on providing.
Thank the customer for their support.
Offer next steps for follow-up questions and concerns. 

Want to see this in a template?
Dear [Customer Name],
We are reaching out to let you know that starting [effective date], the cost of

will increase [new price or percentage].
We have been working hard to avoid any pricing changes. However, due to inflation, [reason #2], and [reason #3], we’ve had to increase our prices to keep up with the quality of service we strive to provide.
We thank you for your continued support and look forward to keeping your business.
Please reach out to us via [contact information] if you have any questions or concerns regarding this update.
Thank you,
[name]
As many brands grapple with inflation, this playbook will you With notifying your customers in a way that shows care and transparency.

Marketing automation tools can help you automate your marketing efforts in a way that saves you time, increases efficiency and effectiveness, and improves customer interactions. It allows marketers to create automated emails that are triggered by specific actions or events. Marketing automation tools don’t just help you automate your existing email campaigns but can also be used for a variety of other marketing channels like lead generation, social media marketing, call tracking, website tracking, and more. submitted by /u/ruchi_mehta [link] [comments]

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Learn why it’s important to start segmenting your list – and the many ways you can segment to increase your sales based on user behavior and interactions.

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