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  • I Started Having Panic Attacks as a Business Owner — Here’s How I Reprioritized Mental Health While Still Growing

    It’s such a paradox for business owners that more success often means more stress. At least, that was the case for me. When I started working on Shorty’s Pizza Shack in 2010, my wife and I did everything. We welded the tables, we built the fence, we tested pizza recipes endlessly until we landed on the perfect one. When we opened our doors to customers, this mindset of doing as much as possible myself continued: I hired, I fired, I cooked, I cleaned. I worked open to close most days and would go weeks without taking a single day off. To say it was exhausting is an understatement, but it was manageable for the first few years as we grew slowly. But everything changed when we started offering a great drink special on Thursday nights. Suddenly, we became the go-to spot for local college students, and those nights were total mayhem. We were making a ton of money, but my mental health started taking a nosedive. I wasn’t eating enough and started drinking more than normal. I was lightheaded all the time—like that feeling right before you pass out—and different muscles would just start twitching randomly. I didn’t know it at the time, but I was having near-constant panic attacks. All I knew was that I felt like I was going to drop dead at any minute, and it was truly terrifying.   There would be busy stretches during which the only thing that would get me through the night was knowing that, if it all became too much, I could just lock the door and quit. At that point, it became clear: Something had to give if I wanted my business to survive and to take better care of myself along the way.Today, eight years later, I am so much happier. And, although I had to make some sacrifices to make it happen, the business is still thriving—in fact, we’re about to open our second location. Here are the changes I had to make to take care of myself while also taking care of my business.I gave up money in the short term to thrive in the long termWhen my to-dos at the restaurant started becoming overwhelming, I should have hired more support immediately. But I kept feeling like the success was just a farce—that the sales wouldn’t last or that we would have to raise prices to pay our staff and then customers would stop coming and everything we had built would crumble.It was a kismet moment that finally convinced me to bring on more serious help. A good friend came into town, mentioned he was looking for a new opportunity, and asked if I’d consider letting him buy in as a co-owner. He’s a much more extroverted person than I am, and he loved the thought of being in the energy of a busy restaurant all day. The idea was we’d run it together for a year so I could train him, and then I’d hand the day-to-day over to him. This was scary for a few reasons. First of all, it meant giving up control, which I’ll talk more about in a minute. It also meant giving up money—50% of the business, to be exact. Plus, we decided that instead of sending me a paycheck, we’d put my income back into the business so we could grow it without taking on debt.  But between closing down entirely—which I was on the verge of doing at that point—and bringing on a partner and making less, the latter felt like the better option. Plus, I knew that this move would give us more capacity to expand in the future. I may be bringing home less in the short term, but there was potential to grow more sustainably and meaningfully in the long term. This is proving to be true as we work on opening our second location, something that never would have been possible when I was running things on my own.I let go of responsibilities I wasn’t suited forOf course, bringing on help does no good if you can’t let go of control as a business owner, and that’s something I had to learn how to do. Many of my problems came from micromanagement and not coming to terms with the idea that every tiny thing didn’t have to be done exactly how I would do it.The mindset shift that helped me delegate was realizing that continuing to do the tasks I don’t enjoy or that bring me stress is not only harmful for me, but for the business as well. If I’m a miserable human being around customers all day as an introvert, then that’s going to affect everything, from the atmosphere at the restaurant, to my employees’ satisfaction, to the quality of the food.So, I worked on fully handing over the day-to-day operations to my partner. First, my life almost immediately got better. Knowing that I could theoretically step away for weeks and the business would continue running was so valuable for my mental health and work-life balance, especially as I started caring for my grandparents and my wife and I decided to have a kid. Plus, getting to fill my days with tasks I actually liked—such as working to improve the food or thinking of creative ideas for business growth—dramatically increased my enjoyment of the work. And the business was better for it, too. Since my partner took over, our revenue is up 80 percent, and we’ve maintained a 4.6 Google rating.I remembered that life is so much bigger than my businessAnother thing that really helped my mental health was remembering the other aspects of my life that are truly important and intentionally creating time for them.For instance, I’m often in charge of caring for my daughter. While that can create some additional stress at times, it also really motivates me to create real boundaries with work. No matter what is happening in the business, at 5 pm I have to pick her up from daycare and she gives me a huge hug and a lot of things just wash away, if only for a brief period of time. I’m not perfect, and I do still think about work after hours, but she helps me keep it in check.I’ve also been working on creating more time for exercise and creative projects outside of my business. I used to be a hobbyist potter and haven’t had much time for that lately, but I find even doing toddler crafts with my kid relaxes me. And working out as little as 1-2 hours a week has been one of the best things for my mental health, whether it’s taking my daughter for a bike ride or getting to the gym.I recognize that carving out time for “unnecessary” activities like this during times of stress can seem ridiculous or downright impossible, and I find I either have to put these things on my schedule as a non-negotiable or get creative about how I squeeze them in (such as combining creative time with parenting time). Being intentional about fitting them in has been so beneficial, both for my own wellbeing and for my business. Not only do I come back to work happier, but I find that solutions to the biggest problems tend to pop into my head when I’m distracted by something else.I learned to better manage my stress (because it doesn’t go away)Dealing with my panic attacks didn’t just mean making changes to the business—it also meant making changes within myself. This is especially important because, as a business owner, the stress never fully goes away. There will always be busier periods and unexpected challenges, and learning how to take care of myself through those has been vital. Talking to a professional who helped me identify that what I was experiencing was panic attacks was the most helpful step. Naming what was happening helped me feel more in control of it, and she also gave me tools to cope, like doing a few rounds of box breathing or giving myself a few minutes alone during a busy shift. Realizing I really could spare five minutes for myself and the world wasn’t going to end was a big step. My panic attacks still happen, though much less frequently than they used to. And when they do, I know how to take care of myself. Giving up control and making less money as a business owner was a scary leap, and a lot of my peers questioned what I was doing. But being on the other side—happy, with more time for myself and my family, and with my business thriving—is so incredible that I know it was the right move for me.

  • Culture, care and typography

    I’ve been fascinated by the way we set type since I did my first packaging forty years ago. It’s a combination of tech, art, systems, culture and most of all, deciding to put in the effort to get it right.

    [This is a long post, it would have been a podcast, but it doesn’t really lend itself to audio.]

    When airplanes first started flying passengers, there was a need for labels. Labels for passengers and pilots. WEAR SEATBELT WHEN SEATED. Why is it in all caps? My guess is that at the dawn of aviation, the machine that made the little metal signs only had the capacity to easily handle 26 letters, and they choose all caps. Certainly, over time the labeling tech got better, but we stuck with all caps because that’s what airplane signs are supposed to be like, even though they’re more difficult to read that way.

    Typography is a signal not just a way to put letters on a page.

    Before mechanical type was set by pressmen in the basements of newspapers, type was handwritten by monks. As a result, we see the beautiful kerning of letters, nestling the ‘a’ under the ‘W’. That takes effort and as a result, it simply looks right. It’s not right because your brain demands kerning, it’s right because the signal is something we associate with confidence and care.

    Once we see the magic of kerning, it becomes impossible to avoid how careless people who don’t use it appear to be…

    There have been many golden ages of typography, but the 60s and 70s saw a combination of high-stakes mass production (in ads and media) combined with innovations in typesetting that meant that instead of using handmade metal type, marketers could simply spec whatever they imagined. It also meant that instead of one person working on a document, a committee would spend days or weeks agonizing over how an ad looked, or whether the new layout of Time magazine would send the right message to millions of people each week.

    Pundits were sure that the launch of the Mac would destroy all of this progress. Now that anyone could set type, anyone would. So resumes ended up looking like ransom notes, Comic Sans became a joke that was taken seriously by some, and folks like David Carson set type on fire.

    Instead, the Mac and the laser printer pushed the best examples of type quality forward. Once again, culture combined with tech to create a new cycle. Now, small teams of people working on small projects could also agonize about type. Now, as beautiful typefaces increased in availability and diversity, it was possible to set more type, more beautifully. If you worked in an industry or segment where the standard demanded careful expression through type, it was possible and it was expected.

    More good type, a lot more lazy type.

    And then smart phones arrived.

    And the type culture changed in response. If you don’t have a mouse or a keyboard, if your screen is the size of a deck of playing cards, you’re probably not being very careful with typography. Whatever is built in is what you use. People create so much content that there’s no time for meetings, for care, for awareness. Speech to text, type with your thumbs, take a picture, hit send.

    The culture shifts. Now, the appearance of authenticity matters more than ever. And one way to do that is to not put on airs with fonts that remind us of craft, or kerning that reminds us that you took the time to do something more than the automatic minimum.

    And this won’t last, because the cycles continue.

    They say you can tell a lot about someone from their handwriting. For my professional life, my handwriting has always involved a keyboard. I know that even if people don’t consciously know that they’re judging the way our words look or sound, they are.

  • Announcing the CXMStars™ judging panel and scoring process!

    With CXMStars™ 2023 well underway and the nominations ending next week, it’s time for us to announce the scoring process. This is an integral part of the competition, and will better help you understand exactly what goes into deciding the winners.  Also, for the first time in CXMStars™’ history, we are proud to announce a judging…
    The post Announcing the CXMStars™ judging panel and scoring process! appeared first on Customer Experience Magazine.

  • Question: Why is customer experience so often broken, and what can we do to fix it?

    Literally the title itself. If VoC initiatives are meant to enhance CX itself how come: There are low response rates in surveys? Why are metrics not working? Negative feedback are more often seen than positive ones. There are feedback data but no action is taken? VoC programs are often siloed. submitted by /u/CXLumoa [link] [comments]

  • 20 Marketing Metrics To Focus on in 2023 To Measure Success

    Digital marketing is extremely fast-paced, so it’s important to keep up with the best metrics to ensure continued growth in 2023. There are several marketing strategies and metrics to work with, so it’s easy to get lost in a sea of numbers without making much progress. That’s why marketers and business owners need to know…
    The post 20 Marketing Metrics To Focus on in 2023 To Measure Success appeared first on Benchmark Email.

  • The Top Hold Time Offenders of 2022 Revealed (And Airlines Aren’t Doing So Hot)

    There are few things worse than wasting precious time on hold. It’s a terrible experience for both the customer and the business. So why do we continue to put up with it?
    That’s a question we ask every year as we prepare to name-and-shame Twitter’s top hold time offenders of the year. Your customers have opinions on your service, and if they’re unhappy, they will take to social media without hesitation to voice their frustrations. And trust us, it isn’t pretty.
    Don’t believe us? A quick trip to OnHoldWith.com will change your mind fast. There, you can see live tweets of customer complaints as they wait on hold. You can even search by company name to get a full view of what these callers are dealing with, and how they are feeling.
    For 2022, we’ve sifted through the data, and here’s what we found:

    Airlines account for 35% of all tweets complaining about hold time. They also occupy seven of the 10 top hold time offender spots this year.
    Financial services account for 24% of businesses who have received tweet complaints about their hold time, making them the most common industry dealing with long hold times.
    Telecommunication services accounted for 16% of tweets complaining about hold time.
    Other notable industries listed in our report include retail, government, utilities, and more.

    Creating a Customer Service Strategy That Drives Business Growth
    This Year’s Top 10 Worst Hold Time Offenders
    One of the most notable trends this year was the monumental number of Twitter users posting about being on hold with airlines. In fact, airlines dominated our top 10 list, which just goes to show how customer service can make or break the public’s perception of your brand.
    So which businesses experienced the most ‘turbulence’ with their hold time this year? We’ve got the scoop — read on to find out!
    10. Air Canada
    First up, we have Air Canada. They more than doubled their number of Twitter complaints compared to the previous year, snagging them tenth place on our list of hold time offenders. Just ask these folks…
    No amount of Paul Rudd GIFs will make up for the 5 hours this caller has lost.

    When the @AirCanada call disconnects after being on hold for 5 hours 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫 pic.twitter.com/j9bnC0hegI
    — Natalie Kristy (@Nattyalexandria) December 25, 2022

    When you’re waiting on hold longer than your actual flight… yikes.

    @AirCanada been on hold with delayed baggage now for almost 3 hours. Longer than it took for me to fly here. Can someone please pick up my call? #noservice
    — clifford harvey (@cliffyharv) January 1, 2023
    To be fair, if we had this experience, we’d swear off this airline too.

    Bags still missing after 8 days. Three hours on hold. Where are you #aircanada? #neverflyaircanada
    — Joe Zackary (@ZackarywithaK) January 2, 2023
    9. WestJet
    WestJet hasn’t changed much, moving from spot 8 to spot 9 on our list since last year. Today, customers are still expressing their frustrations with this airline.
    They say creativity can stem from boredom, but this is ridiculous!

    When you’ve been on hold with @WestJet for so long that you’ve made up lyrics to the hold music and now have full choreography to go along with it 😑✌🏻
    — Michela Sheedy (@michelasheedy) December 29, 2022

    Oof. That hashtag has to hurt.

    @WestJet Any chance I can get some service? 4 hours on hold and I never got through to a real person. #Westjetdoesntcare
    — Jago Smith (@JagoZSmith) December 29, 2022

    When your communications don’t align with your service, customers notice.

    WestJet every five minutes while on hold for hours: “Have you considered changing or cancelling your booking online?”
    WestJet’s online app: pic.twitter.com/XmicqFidqW
    — DesktopFolder (@DesktopFolder) December 30, 2022

    8. British Airways
    This airline has flown into our number 8 spot for worst hold time offenders. And according to the following tweets, they certainly earned their place on this list.
    This fitness enthusiast has found a silver lining to being stuck on hold.

    I’ve gotten in 2 great workouts this week while on hold with @British_Airways 🙃
    — thomscribner (@foncedechic) December 23, 2022

    This post is a lesson in listening to your customers. But they shouldn’t have to plead to get in touch with you!

    @British_Airways So disappointed that one has to be on hold for hours to speak to a customer service representative. How about upgrading so that customers can chat to you without having to be on hold listening to the same message over and over? Or how about providing an email? ☹️
    — flowerastra (@mikiearthling) December 28, 2022

    What’s the point of VIP status if you’re not even receiving basic service?

    @British_Airways gosh I hate dealing with your customer service. I am a gold card member and on hold for 50 mins and being given the runaround
    — Sophia Nadur (@sophia_isa) December 2, 2022

    The Secret Sauce for Increasing Customer Happiness
    7. Verizon
    This telecommunications provider is notorious for their long hold times. They are no strangers to our top 10 list of hold time offenders, and we can only hope things improve in the coming year.
    When your customers are telling you to fix CX, you better listen.

    Have been on hold for about 30 mins with a customer care rep. Still no resolution! Have faced too many and too frequent technical glitches with online ordering system and portal. Have sent a DM with more details. Should do something about CX!
    — Amardeep Modi (@amardeep_modi) December 30, 2022

    Bet those emoji tears are real.

    Who has the worst hold music? Currently my pick is Verizon since I’m on hold with them. 🤣 I’ll hear this for days!😂
    — Katherine (@VAGirlsmom) December 1, 2022

    No one wants to spend their precious vacation time waiting on hold!

    How are you spending your break? I’m spending mine on hold with @VerizonSupport – five hours and COUNTING.
    — Amanda K. Morgan (@AmandaKMorgan) December 30, 2022

    6. Qantas
    Stress-free travel seems to be a rare thing when it comes to airlines. Qantas has snagged the sixth spot on our list of hold time offenders, and the complaints are really something to behold.
    The only thing worse than waiting on hold is finally connecting with an agent who just can’t help you.

    Four hours trying to use $9000 worth of @Qantas credit. Can’t do it. Is there a flight? Yes! Are there seats? Yes! Do we have $9k credit? Yes! Can @Qantas employee book the ticket? Not without help that he hasn’t been able to find for FOUR HOURS.
    — K Dunning (@wellreadhostess) December 28, 2022

    That’s a pretty bold move, Qantas. Let’s see how it plays out…

    Very cool @Qantas to be on hold for 45 minutes and then thrown straight to the post-call survey 🙃
    — Claire Taylor (@claire_coulton) October 8, 2022

    The only thing worse than waiting on hold is finally connecting to a representative, and being placed on hold again.

    @Qantas my rep went on hold without telling me he was now it’s been 20 minutes and he still isn’t back…..
    — Tyler Butt (@Tyler_Butt1) November 18, 2022

    5. IRS
    Stressed about calling the IRS? You aren’t alone — these callers stuck in queue are venting their frustration to the Twitterverse.
    That’s a fair assessment. What say you, IRS?

    i just feel like if the IRS really wanted my money, they wouldn’t have me on hold for an hour
    — ApricotSnaps (@apricot_snaps) December 23, 2022

    No one should ever be betrayed by a call-back like that.

    was on hold with the irs for two hours and decided to choose the call back option and they never called me back 😭 I knew I should’ve just stayed otp!
    — HER 🐐💙 (@REALLYHER07) December 15, 2022

    Now that’s just a waste of a good charge… hope you have spares!

    I’ve spent so long on hold with the IRS today that my AirPods have died
    — Luba Lesiva (@loobah_l) December 27, 2022

    4. Virgin Media
    Telecommunications giant Virgin Media has slid into 4th place on our list. The following Twitter complaints just go to show how essential good customer support is.
    Looks like Virgin Media just lost a customer.

    @virginmedia you have the worst telesales team in the history of the world. After being on hold for over an hour I got precisely nowhere. Thanks
    — Dan Gadsby (@im_gadsby) December 30, 2022

    “Is customer service a luxury of the past??”

    @virginmedia @VirginMediaIE Spent 2 hours on hold. Is customer service a luxury of the past?? Been attempting to get a broadband engineer to the house for weeks without success. Would be great to hear from you.
    — Jack Sheehan (@JackShe88247870) December 3, 2022

    If customers can’t reach you in their time of need, they will go elsewhere.

    I suppose @virginmedia doesn’t want my business. Looking to renew phone and broadband and on hold for 30 minutes to get through to sales. I’ll go elsewhere.
    — Abbas Shah (@abbaslovesuk) November 8, 2022

    The Contact Centre Playbook for Improving Customer Satisfaction
    3. American Airlines
    American Airlines has secured the bronze spot for Twitter hold time complaints, and with the state of their air travel, it’s little wonder why.
    This customer is desperate to speak to a human being. Why does it have to be so difficult?

    @AmericanAir I’ve been waiting on hold for a representative for 56 minutes now! How long does it take to speak to a human???
    — Kris Caraway✨ (@MissKris76) December 28, 2022

    On the other hand, this person connects with a human and promptly gets disconnected.

    On hold with @AmericanAir for 2 hours and the first person hangs up on me 😀 is being absolutely useless a job requirement or just a preference?
    — Ԁ$∀ (@anaswagprincess) December 24, 2022

    What a trooper – waiting on hold for two hours and counting!

    I’m not usually one to complain but I’ve been on hold with @AmericanAir for over TWO HOURS. And this is after I got to talk to someone. I was transferred and I’m still on hold. Ever thought of hiring more staff? pic.twitter.com/zVdILChTXq
    — Dixie Longate (@Dixielongate) October 25, 2022

    2. Southwest Airlines
    The silver medal for worst hold time offenders goes to Southwest Airlines. And if there’s any doubt, their customers’ tweets say it all:
    Call-backs should be free of hold time. Isn’t that the whole point??

    What the hell southwest!! Scheduled a call back and I’m on hold for 30 min after you called me back!!! 😡
    — Sharon (@Sharon172228) January 4, 2023

    This scathing shoutout is just the tip of the iceberg for Southwest Airlines.

    Shoutout to @SouthwestAir for putting me through multiple delays and cancellations, keeping me on hold for hours, and after all that not offering so much as a wi-fi voucher for the plane so I can catch up on work they’re making me miss. Terrible airline.
    — Colin Booth (@ColinGBooth) January 3, 2023

    Even the flight attendants at Southwest Airlines are stuck on hold! Now that’s rough.

    Southwest Airlines Flight Attendants Say They’re Waiting More Than 10 Hours On Hold to Get Through to Schedulinghttps://t.co/8J7ww2rLg8
    — Tom Barnett (@TomBarn82753032) December 29, 2022

    1. Delta Airlines
    Delta Airlines is no stranger to our list of worst hold time offenders. In fact, they have once again secured the top spot for most hold time complaints on Twitter. Do they deserve the crown two years in a row? These customers think so.
    Your customer service game is lacking, Delta!

    @Delta customer service game is lacking. Was on hold for over an hour and then got disconnected. Getting frustrated af
    — Chad Zapfe (@ChadZapfe) January 4, 2023

    SEVEN HOURS?? This customer is going the extra mile to get her baggage returned. Wouldn’t it be nice if Delta would match her effort?

    I’ve been on hold with @Delta for almost seven hours because the first representative I got to simply hung up on me and so am ready to scream if I I have to listen this hold music any longer I just want my clothes
    — Alex Hartmann (@xandradhartmann) December 28, 2022

    And finally, this customer who revived her old Twitter account just to spite Delta Airlines.

    @Delta I’ve been on hold with you so long that I’ve revived a decades old @twitter account to let you know how much you suck!
    — Alexandra ODaly (@AlexandraODaly) January 7, 2023

    We hope that this list of hold time complaints helps businesses understand just how essential good customer support is, especially when it comes to time-sensitive issues. It’s not just about resolving customer problems — it’s all about building trust and showing your customers that your team is committed to giving them a positive experience.
    The Contact Centre Playbook for Improving Customer SatisfactionThe post The Top Hold Time Offenders of 2022 Revealed (And Airlines Aren’t Doing So Hot) first appeared on Fonolo.

  • 3 Tips for Targeting LinkedIn Connections

    submitted by /u/HumdrumPrincess [link] [comments]

  • How can a facilitator ensure a great customer journey mapping workshop?

    In a 2019 survey, the Nielsen Norman Group found that journey mapping was the third-most popular activity for UX professionals. While it is one of the most used methods in CX, it also can be daunting. Running a successful customer journey mapping workshop is the single most important step in completing your customer journey map….
    The post How can a facilitator ensure a great customer journey mapping workshop? appeared first on Customer Experience Magazine.

  • 10 Pieces of Unconventional Salesforce Career Advice

    The Salesforce ecosystem can be a wild ride, especially when it comes to your career and the path you choose. It has the power to surprise you, and take your career in directions you never thought possible. Whilst there is no right or wrong path… Read More

  • 4 Small Businesses on How They’re Changing Their Social Media Strategy in 2023

    Social media is always evolving – as should your strategies for creating content. While you may have tried and tested methods when it comes to your social media posts, testing out something different is a great way to stay on top of trends and potentially grow your following.Here are four examples from small businesses and content creators who’re implementing new social media strategies in 2023.How These small businesses are changing up their social media strategyWhether it be posting a new type of content or to a new channel, tweaking and adjusting your social media game plan can lead to positive results for your online brand. Here are how these four small businesses are doing exactly that.Connecting with customers authentically via YouTubeJanet Hoang grew her small business from an Etsy store to a lifestyle brand, known as Janet Gwen, that now pulls in seven figure sales. She attests much of her early growth to social media as her marble iPhone and Macbook cases went viral on Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram.Even now, years later, social media is just as important to Janet and the entrepreneur is very intentional in how she approaches her social strategy. Instead of just posting on any platform, she looks at which channels are bringing in the most traffic to her website, and prioritizes them accordingly.Recently, the brand has seen a good amount of traction from their YouTube channel, specifically their YouTube Shorts.“We have noticed a lot more traffic on YouTube because of our YouTube shorts. We will just repurpose our content from Instagram Reels onto YouTube Shorts. And then, some videos have like 1,000s of views, and we didn’t realize it.”But beyond sales, Janet is also focusing more on creating vlogs on YouTube as a way to forge a stronger relationship with her customers. She hopes viewers will also have a better understanding of the ins and outs of her small business through these videos.“So I felt that starting a YouTube and starting to vlog will help bring more of that authentic side to the business and show that we are a small business, because most people don’t realize that all of our concrete statues are produced in house,” Janet said.YouTube is accomplishing two goals for Janet this year – bringing in sales and allowing her to build community with her customers.Choosing to prioritize the right social networks for your goalsJack Appleby is a social strategist, writer, and marketer who has developed his own personal brand through his Twitter account specifically. But this year, the writer will be shifting his focus from Twitter to LinkedIn.Jack wrote about this move recently in his newsletter for the Morning Brew, where he discussed how despite getting his start on Twitter, he feels that LinkedIn is a better place for his content.“But my focus won’t be on Twitter anymore,” he said. “I hit LinkedIn hard last year and realized it’s the more effective, healthier, and cleaner way to build a professionally minded personal brand. More importantly, the type of content that wins isn’t all that different.”That doesn’t mean Jack won’t be on Twitter at all, the marketer tweeted that he plans to use Twitter differently moving forward.I’ve been a little looser with Twitter recently. It’s ~against best practices~ to niche out, but I’ve enjoyed talking more about my life, what I’m feeling, what I’m trying to accomplish.I thiiiink I’ll likely do more of that on TikTok, then keep my Twitter to Marketing. TBD.— Jack Appleby ☕️ (@jappleby) January 8, 2023 This year, Jack is leaning into using his TikTok for more personal updates, while revolving his Twitter account around marketing related content like it used to be. Jack’s willingness to play around with the various platforms allows him to figure out which content fits best on each channel.Monetizing content and being more intentional when sharingCanadian entrepreneur Charly Goss runs her styling firm, Charly Goss Style Inc., and has grown her personal Instagram to over 120,000 followers. The small business owner has shared tons of fashion advice on her Instagram Stories and credits that to her account’s success.Followers have flocked to Charly’s Instagram Stories where she gives detailed information about upcoming fashion trends and realistic advice on how to incorporate said trends into anyone’s wardrobe. Like here, when Charly shares which silhouette and color is in for evening wear.In the beginning of this year, however, the entrepreneur told her Instagram followers that while she’ll still be posting on her Instagram Stories, she will now be posting most of her educational content for Instagram Subscribers only.In an Instagram story Charly explained, “I will be creating stories all (or most) days as always. Everyone will be able to see those … Then, when I am creating particularly educational content like cool/not cool, deep dives on items, trends or brands, I will tap the ‘subscriber only’ button on my end.”She explained how this feature is a great way for creators like her to be compensated for the hard work that goes into generating content.Including more of the team on social mediaAt Buffer, we’re also implementing a new social media strategy this year. Recently, we’ve felt our social media – particularly our Instagram – has begun to look a little too polished and curated. We want to connect back to our roots as a small business, and one way we’re hoping to achieve this is to include more of our team’s faces onto our socials.We’ve been trying out a new way to promote our blog posts on Instagram StoriesI’ve recently been filming videos for our Instagram stories where I highlight the key points of an article. This is replacing fancy cover graphics we used to create for our blog posts. With the videos, followers get to see my face which feels more authentic as I’m just using the TikTok green screen feature to record them.We’re hoping to continue featuring more of our team onto our social channels this year to really highlight the people behind Buffer.We hope these examples have inspired you to try something new on your social accounts this year.To track your social media performance and find what content is really resonating with your followers, we recommend using Buffer Analyze. Start for free today!