Category: Marketing Automation

All about Marketing Automation that you ever wanted to know

  • 11 Companies on Pinterest That Are Crushing It

    If you think Pinterest is just a place to find recipes and fine-tune wedding planning details, think again. With over 431 million users coming to Pinterest every month to look for inspiration, Pinterest is an effective platform for building your audience and getting your product in front of potential customers who are ready to buy.

    According to a HubSpot Blogs survey of 310 marketing professionals, 39% of marketers said Pinterest generated a high return on investment.
    With an effective Pinterest strategy in place, you can generate organic web traffic, create targeted ad campaigns to reach your ideal buyers, and sell directly from the platform. Gather inspiration from these brands who are yielding big results through Pinterest.

    Table of Contents:

    IKEA
    IT Cosmetics
    Jonas Paul Eyewear
    Michaels
    Primally Pure
    Mayvenn
    Samsung
    La Mer
    Lavendaire
    Golde
    The Good Trade

    11 Best Brands on Pinterest

    1. IKEA
    What we like: IKEA’s innovative integration of its lead-generating quiz and Pinterest recommendations.

    IKEA is a globally-recognized brand with countless product options and configurations. Shopping for new furniture and houseware can be an overwhelming experience, and IKEA is reducing customer overwhelm through creative Pinterest marketing.
    Potential customers can take IKEA’s Renocations quiz to unlock which IKEA items would best suit their home. At the end of the quiz, users are given a Pinterest board of IKEA products they make like, and can then pin the options to their personal boards for inspiration, or shop directly through Pinterest when they’re ready to buy.

    This approach works because many customers turn to Pinterest for decorating ideas and to save potential product finds in one place. The integration of product recommendations and pre-populated Pinterest boards is creative and solves a real need for customers who are looking to streamline the furniture buying process.

    2. IT Cosmetics
    What we like: Savvy keyword targeting.

    According to Pinterest, 91% of beauty searches on the platform are unbranded. That means when users are typing beauty-related keywords in search, they aren’t searching for specific brands. Upon learning this statistic, IT Cosmetics implemented a keyword-first Pinterest strategy to reach users who were searching for CC cream on the platform.
    This strategy gave the brand the opportunity to be found by users who were interested in learning more about CC cream and other cosmetic products but didn’t yet have loyalty to any specific brand.

    Looking through the IT Cosmetics Pinterest account, several pins are optimized to be found in CC cream-related. The brand’s Pinterest content shows its products in action through tutorial-based videos so users can see how the products work in real-time. This approach has helped IT Cosmetics expand its organic reach on Pinterest, and acquire new customers.

    3. Jonas Paul Eyewear
    What we like: Clear ideal customer identification.

    Eyewear brand Jonas Paul makes affordable, on-trend frames for kids and teens. Knowing the ideal potential customers for the brand are parents looking for eyewear for their children, Jonas Paul creates organic and paid Pinterest content specifically for parents.
    Implementing this strategy has helped the brand increase web traffic from Pinterest, resulting in higher order value than web visitors from other channels.

    4. Michaels
    What we like: Seasonal posts and use of Idea Pins.

    Pinterest is a great place to find inspiration for your next creative project, so it makes sense that craft store Michaels would perform well on the platform.
    The Michaels Pinterest account has a variety of beautiful search-driven posts that are aligned with what users are searching for each season. Content pinned to the Michaels Pinterest account often features videos of seasonal craft projects directly linking to items that can be purchased from Michaels.

    The brand also runs keyword-focused holiday campaigns, targeting users who search for terms related to projects that can be executed with products from the store. In addition to driving online conversions, Michaels’ Pinterest efforts have also increased in-store traffic by 8%.

    5. Primally Pure
    What we like: Educational content to nurture new customers.

    Primally Pure is a natural beauty brand that makes non-toxic deodorant and body care products. The brand’s Pinterest account has been one of its key drivers of growth.
    On Pinterest, the Primally Pure account is focused on holistic lifestyle education and captures users who want to learn more about skincare and the potential side-effects of conventional product options. With many pins leading back to the company blog where there are in-depth articles on various topics the brand’s ideal customer would be interested in, this inbound marketing approach is an effective way to build trust and educate an audience.

    6. Mayvenn
    What we like: Video demonstrations of Mayvenn’s various products.

    Mayvenn sells affordable hair extensions and related products to hairstylists and salon owners. With this ideal customer in mind, Mayvenn’s Pinterest content has a variety of tutorial-based posts to show stylists how they can use Mayvenn’s products on their clients. In addition to tutorials, Mayvenn shares pins related to hairstyle inspiration that are easily searchable.
    The brand also features photos of their products fully styled so users can see exactly how the potential hairstyle they want to create will look.

    7. Samsung
    What we like: Aspirational product content.

    Samsung is a global brand that makes a range of products, but on Pinterest, the brand’s home appliance account truly shines.
    Appliances and home inspiration are popular search topics on Pinterest, and Samsung has created an impressive brand account creating beautiful imagery with its products front and center. The brand stays at the forefront of Pinterest’s latest features using video and Idea Pins to showcase how its products work to users who are looking for pins to help them create their dream homes.
    The Samsung Home Pinterest account also has boards related to key home-related search topics such as “How to Clean” and “Kitchen Ideas.” The content on these boards consists of organic and user-generated pins that subtly feature Samsung’s products.

    8. La Mer
    What we like: Cohesive brand identity and Pinterest-exclusive products.

    Luxury skincare brand La Mer is known for having high-end products that are often deemed celebrity favorites. The brand leverages Pinterest as a key part of its marketing strategy.
    Not only are the visuals on the La Mer account cohesive, but the brand has found creative ways to generate new business through Pinterest. La Mer launched a video ad campaign to showcase the benefits of its products. Users who engaged with the ads were sent product samples to increase engagement and customer reviews.
    In addition to its ad strategy and sampling campaign, La Mer has created product sets that are exclusively available through Pinterest, enticing users who discover the brand through Pinterest to make a purchase that isn’t available anywhere else.

    9. Lavendaire
    What we like: Natural-looking videos showing the company’s products in use.

    Lavendaire is a personal development brand that sells journals and apparel. The Lavendaire Pinterest account organically garners three million monthly views to drive traffic to the brand’s products and other content channels.
    A particular area where Lavendaire shines on Pinterest is through the creation of Idea Pins. The Idea Pins feature is a primary focus area for Pinterest, and the Lavendaire brand frequently shares new Idea Pins showcasing the company’s journaling products.

    With journaling being a high-traffic search term on Pinterest, pins shared by Lavendaire are optimized to show up in journaling-related search results helping Pinterest users find and connect with the brand and community.

    10. Golde
    What we like: Colorful visuals, and recipe-based content.

    Wellness superfood brand Golde has an impressive Pinterest account that features its product line in a variety of ways. The account has video posts that are beautifully shot and feature Golde products used in recipes and tutorials.

    In each of the brand’s educational and recipe videos, the pin is linked directly to the product featured helping the brand drive sales from users who are looking for recipe inspiration and new creative ways to use products such as matcha and cacao.

    11. The Good Trade
    What we like: Organic traffic generation.

    The Good Trade is an online publication that covers topics related to sustainability and slow living. The company’s Pinterest account has almost 10 million organic monthly views, which is an impressive feat.
    Though The Good Trade doesn’t currently run Pinterest ads, the brand creates pins for all of its articles, generating traffic back to its website.

    The brand relies on keywords and hashtags to create pins that can be found through search and has built an engaged audience on Pinterest to convert into readership.
    If your company isn’t on Pinterest yet, now is the perfect time to get started. Whether you have an eCommerce business, brick-and-mortar store, or your content is your product – users on Pinterest are likely searching for what you have to offer.

  • Why You Should Leverage Interactive Videos [Data from 500+ Marketers]

    A 2021 Wyzowl report found that the use of video content from brands has increased roughly 25% over the past six years.

    Lately, the conversation has been focused on short-form video lately, but interactive video is one we should be talking more about.
    Learn what interactive video is, how to create one, and examples from some top brands.

    You can use interactive videos for a number of purposes, including increasing engagement, fostering two-way communication, and boosting conversions.
    In Q1 2022, we surveyed over 500 global video marketers to ask about their video strategy. Roughly a quarter of marketers surveyed (28%) said they currently leverage interactive content in their videos.
    Of those who do leverage it, 8% plan to invest in it more than any other video type.
    There are multiple types of interactive videos:

    Branched stories – This allows viewers to choose their own path when watching a video and decide what they will watch.
    Hotspots – These are clickable areas within a video that allow viewers to discover something new in the video.
    Polls and quizzes – You can engage your audience with questions related to the content in your video.
    360-degree view – This allows viewers to immerse themselves in the video and get an augmented reality experience.

    Interactive video is still relatively new to many marketers with 27% leveraging it for the first time this year. Considering leveraging it? Let’s go over the benefits of this strategy.
    Benefits of Interactive Videos
    The biggest reason to leverage interactive videos is the high return on investment.
    Our video marketing report revealed that interactive video offers the fifth-highest ROI, behind product-related, funny and trendy, and behind-the-scenes videos.
    In addition, 47% of marketers surveyed say interactive content is one of the most effective lead generators.
    When it comes to engagement, interactive video is also one of the best performers. In fact, 47% of marketers surveyed say interactive content is one of the top three video types that get the most engagement.
    This video type can also leave a deeper impression on its viewers. With so many brands fighting for our attention, one way to keep them engaged longer is through interaction.
    Doing so can help your brand awareness and recognition, helping you stand out from the competition. In fact, 7% of marketers say interactive video is most likely to go viral.
    Lastly, you can gain more insight into your audience through interactive content. Say you include a quiz in your video, not only do you get insights from the video itself (views, time watched, etc) but you also learn more about them through quiz results.
    So, you end up getting more data through a single piece of data.
    How to Make an Interactive Video
    1. Brainstorm your concept.
    Before you create your interactive video, you have to build a concept. What will the video be about? What’s the journey you want to take viewers on?
    Your answers to these questions should be driven by your marketing objectives. Otherwise, it will be difficult to create a successful concept.
    Once you have that sorted out, how will you engage the audience? Given the various types of interactive content you can have, you’ll need to determine which one will work best.
    2. Choose your video platform.
    The platform you choose will depend on the type of content you’re creating and what you want to accomplish.
    Popular interactive video platforms include:

    Eko
    Verse
    Adobe

    Once you select the right platform, it’s all about putting the pieces together, creating a draft, reviewing it, and re-editing until you have a great final version.
    3. Analyze results.
    Once your video goes live, the hard work isn’t done. It’s now time to assess its performance.
    During your concept phase, you ideally set some KPIs. If this is your first time creating an interactive video, use your other videos as a benchmark.
    This way, you’ll know what numbers to expect and have a baseline to evaluate your results.

    Interactive Video Examples
    1. Mile 22
    To promote this new action movie “Mile 22,” the marketing team behind the film created an immerse, interactive video that allowed you to choose your path and get snippets from the movie based on your selection.

    What makes this video interesting is that it doesn’t rely on just the trailer to build excitement. It takes the viewer on the journey of the characters and gives them a peek into how things play out.
    2. Sweet Digs
    Usually, if you want to catch the latest episode of Sweet Digs, you head to YouTube. However, recently, Refinery29 decided to switch things up with an interactive video instead.

    In this interactive video, viewers get a tour of someone’s home, as usual, but this time, they get to make guesses as they watch about costs, designs, and more.
    It’s a great way to bring some freshness into an established series and keep viewers engaged.
    3. Boursin
    Ever wonder what a fridge full of Boursin products looks like? With this interactive video, you can.

    This brand reimagines what a food commercial looks like by offering viewers a 360 virtual experience through a fridge.
    As the gold carpet guides them through the fridge, the viewer sees various Boursin products and can move the mouse to see other items in the fridge.
    Like all new technology, interactive video might have started as a sort of fringe technology that seemed slightly intimidating and inaccessible. Now, that’s changing.
    There are lots of exciting things happening in the world of video marketing but interactive video might just be the most exciting of all.
    Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in May 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

  • 9 Tips on How to Leave a Job on Good Terms

    At some point in your career, you’ll likely quit your job – it’s a normal part of any career. When it does come around, learning how to leave your job on good terms will be key.
    However, even though quitting happens all the time. it’s easy to ruffle some feathers during the resignation process and burn bridges.

    In this article, you’ll learn how to preserve a healthy relationship with your employer, manager, and colleagues.

    Tell your manager first.
    Give two weeks’ notice.
    Organize your files.
    Finish strong.
    Offer to train your replacement.
    Write a goodbye email to your teammates.
    Express gratitude.
    Don’t blast your manager, team, or the company.
    Give feedback on your experience.

    1. Tell your manager first.
    With such big news, it’s important that your manager hear this news directly from you first.
    Hearing this from someone else can cause unnecessary friction between you and your manager and end your relationship on a sour note. In addition, you don’t want the news to spread until you discussed an exit strategy with your team.
    Otherwise, you may get bombarded with questions and concerns regarding the impact of your departure on ongoing projects without a clear path forward.
    Instead, inform your colleagues only once you’ve had the conversation with your manager – even those with whom you’re close.
    Your company may want to share the news formally through a press release or an email. With this in mind, it’s best to wait for the all-clear.

    2. Give at least your two weeks’ notice.
    Most people will tell you that it’s standard practice to give your employer notice two weeks ahead of your exit. However, you can actually do so earlier – in some cases, it’s preferred.
    If you’re an individual contributor managing one or two projects, two weeks may be appropriate. However, if you’re a manager overseeing multiple high-impact projects, announcing earlier will give your team more time to prepare for your departure and find a replacement.
    The earlier you notify your manager, the better impression you will leave, as they will appreciate having a solid window to build a plan for your absence.
    A two weeks’ notice letter is a formality, but sending your resignation information to both human resources and your manager clarifies that you’re leaving the company and solidifies the date of your last day.
    When you write your two weeks’ notice letter, keep it short and sweet. You don’t need to delve into the reasoning of why you’re leaving or what would’ve made you stay at the company. All you need to do is include three main elements in your resignation letter: the fact that you’re resigning, when you’re last day of work will be, and a brief note of appreciation for the opportunity.
    Here’s an example of a resignation letter you can follow:
    [Date]
    Dear [Manager]
    I’m writing to let you know that I’m resigning from my position as [position[ at [company]. My last day will be on [date].
    This was a tough decision to make. [Company] has done great things for my career development. I greatly appreciate the amount of time and effort you invested into my professional growth and all the opportunities you gave me.
    I will continue to support the team during the next two weeks and am happy to discuss an exit strategy to ensure a smooth transition.
    Sincerely,
    [Name]
    [Signature]

    3. Organize your files.
    In the days before your departure, make sure to review the projects and files you manage. Are there important documents you should share with your team? Are your files easily referenced? Can someone easily pick up where you left off?
    If not, this is the time to do it.
    Think of this as the last impression you leave. What do you want people to say once you’ve left? Making things easy for people will make people see you as a valuable, organized team member they were lucky to work with.

    4. Finish strong.
    While it’s tempting to slack off the last few days on the job, maintaining your productivity will show your team and your manager that you are reliable.
    Humans have a recency bias, which means they tend to remember and emphasize the most recent observations about people more than the ones in the distant past.
    If you slack off during your final weeks, especially when your team is working on a big project or if you have several important tasks to finish, you’ll leave your team with the burden.
    You might be thinking, “Who cares? I won’t be working with them anymore.” While you may not ever return to this company, you could work with your colleagues again somewhere else.
    You could also leverage them for future opportunities down the line. With this in mind, you want to keep your foot on the gas until that last day.

    5. Offer to train your replacement.
    Helping your replacement learn the ropes of your position will accelerate their learning curve and help greatly with the transition. Why do it? Well, it’s an opportunity to display your gratitude to your former employer for the opportunity and ensure they’re not left lost.
    It’s an extra step you don’t always need to take (and oftentimes won’t have the opportunity to). However, your generosity will leave a mark on your colleagues and pay off in the future.
    If you can’t directly train your replacement, you can write a training guide that covers key processes and contacts.

    6. Write a goodbye email to your colleagues.
    Out of all your colleagues, you’ll usually grow closest with your teammates. They deserve to know about your future plans directly from you. Seeing your Slack get deactivated is a sour way to find out.
    There are a few ways you can do this:

    Send a heartfelt goodbye message.
    Set 1-on-1 coffee chats to share the news.
    Have a group in-person or virtual lunch to announce the news.

    Whichever method you select, use that time to discuss positive moments you shared with your teammates and express your gratitude for working alongside them.
    You can also give them your personal contact information to stay in touch.

    7. Express gratitude.
    The people who impacted your career the most deserve a personal thank you.
    Even if you didn’t have a close relationship with your manager, their job was to oversee your growth. As such, they likely invested time and effort to help you grow in your career.
    As such, take the time to give thanks and express your gratitude. This is especially important if you’d like to use them as a reference for future opportunities.

    8. Don’t blast your manager, team, or the company.
    When you’re leaving a job, it’s tempting to go on a Twitter rant about all the things you hated about your workplace. Before you do that, take a breath.
    In fact, wait a few weeks after leaving your company to share anything on social media. Emotions are usually high when you’re leaving your job and you want to avoid saying something you’ll regret later.
    That’s why it’s better to wait a few weeks, once the anxiety and stress have hopefully subsided, and you have a clear mind.
    While it’s fine to critique your former company, avoid making unsubstantiated claims, name-calling, or anything that you wouldn’t want a future employer to see.

    9. Give feedback on your experience.
    If you really want to share constructive criticism with your former manager and employer, an exit interview is the best place to do it.
    You’re able to share your thoughts with an HR representative and dive into your experience in this workplace. Many people shy away from the exit interview but don’t be afraid to be candid.
    You can be honest about your experience – the good, the bad, and the ugly – while still maintaining your professionalism. Plus, your employer will appreciate you disclosing your concerns in a closed setting instead of on social media.
    Regardless of the situation you were in when you left your job, quitting is always nerve-racking. You’ve built relationships with your boss and colleagues and you may be stressed about their reactions. What if your manager gets mad or frustrated at you? Will you seem ungrateful for leaving the opportunity they gave you?
    Despite all these scary thoughts, you must remember that you’re almost certainly not the first person who has left the company, and you definitely won’t be the last.
    Quitting your job is a delicate process. Taking these steps now to leave on good terms is an investment in your future because you never know who you’ll need down the line.
    Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in July 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

  • Assign an Expiration Date to Permission Set or Permission Set Group Assignment

    Last Updated on May 2, 2022 by Rakesh Gupta Big Idea or Enduring Question: How to auto-remove the permission set or permission set group assignment from the users after a specific date of assignment?  Objectives: After reading this blog, you’ll be able to: Understand the differences between permission set and
    The post Assign an Expiration Date to Permission Set or Permission Set Group Assignment appeared first on Automation Champion.

  • 16 Leadership Resources for Any Stage of Your Career [+ 9 Extra Tools]

    When you think of leadership resources, terms like ROI, budget, and management might come to mind. But the data is in.
    There’s a new way to think about leadership. It’s time to focus on the relationships that are essential to business success.

    According to a 2021 Gallup report, only 20% of employees feel engaged at work. Low employee engagement is a quality of life issue, and it’s also expensive. Low engagement costs companies $8.1 trillion per year.
    Whether you’re starting your first job or managing a tough team, these resources for leadership development can help. These are the tools that can help you thrive both personally and professionally.
    While there are many qualities that make someone a great leader, this list focuses on three areas that anyone can use:
    Leadership Resources for Empathy
    Leadership Resources for Communication
    Leadership Resources for Support and Development
    Let’s get started.

    Leadership Resources for Empathy
    Empathy makes it onto every top ten list for leadership qualities. Empathy can improve:

    Innovation
    Engagement
    Retention
    Inclusivity

    But a 2021 EY study says that 54% of employees left their jobs because of a lack of empathy from their boss.
    These resources can help you be a more empathetic and authentic leader. And they can help you whether you’re working to support your teammates or leading your own team.
    1. The Radical Candor Framework
    Book, Podcast, and Workshops
    Price: $18 for the book, cost varies for other services

    Commitment: Varies depending on the services you choose
    What it offers:
    After an important presentation, Kim Scott’s boss, Sheryl Sandberg– yes, the one who wrote Lean In– had some feedback. Harsh feedback. The kind of feedback that stings. But because Scott knew that Sandberg was coming from a compassionate place when giving her feedback, Scott accepted it, moved on, and became better.
    Scott took this pivotal interaction and used it to develop a framework for giving better feedback at work. It’s a framework for feedback that embraces both brutal honesty and profound empathy.
    Why we like this leadership resource:
    The Radical Candor Framework offers worthy advice on how to add empathy to your interactions at work. It’s a useful tool for leaders at any point in their careers.
    2. No Straight Path
    Podcast
    Price: Free

    Commitment: 30-50 minutes per week
    What it offers:
    This new HubSpot podcast hosted by Ashley Menzies Babatunde examines the human stories behind the glossy façade of business leadership.
    Instead of drawing a clear line from start to success, Menzies unpacks the ups and downs of life. This podcast talks about how setbacks and unexpected gifts can form a path toward leadership and achievement.
    Why we like this free leadership resource:
    Tactical business podcasts can often skip the challenges or put a positive spin on hard moments. This show offers a fresh alternative. It emphasizes the quality of empathy not just for others, but also for yourself.
    3. LinkedIn Learning
    Online courses
    Price: $19.99 a month for an annual subscription

    Commitment: Course times vary from 20 minutes to 5+ hours
    What it offers:
    If there’s a professional skill you want to advance, chances are, LinkedIn Learning has a course for it. It offers classes in everything from Excel, to audio production, to coding.
    Why we like these resources for leadership development:
    Their programming doesn’t just teach traditional ideas about leadership. Top-rated courses in 2021 included:

    Unconscious Bias
    Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging
    Critical Thinking

    4. TED Radio Hour
    Podcast
    Price: Free

    Commitment: About an hour, once a week
    What it offers:
    Around here, we love a good TED talk. But trying to pick just one out of volumes of valuable presentations is as tricky as trying to pick one thing to watch on Netflix. That’s what makes the TED Radio Hour podcast so valuable.
    Why we like this free leadership resource:
    It takes some of the most intriguing TED talk topics — like making amends, balancing work, play, and rest, or even gratitude– and builds episodes based on them.
    5. Blinkist
    Mobile App
    Price: $8.34 a month for an annual subscription

    Commitment: 15 minutes a day
    What it offers:
    Blinkist offers bite-sized overviews of the latest non-fiction books that you can read or listen to on your phone. This helps you keep up with the latest research on the topics that are important to the people on your team.
    Why we like this leadership resource:
    This is a great learning tool for time-strapped professionals. Empathy begins with understanding, and this app makes it easy to recognize challenges and passions that may not be top of mind in your world.
    6. Side Hustle Pro
    Podcast
    Price: Free

    Commitment: Each episode is under an hour.
    What it offers:
    Side Hustle Pro highlights black female entrepreneurs who made their side job a profitable business. Host Nicaila Matthews Okome talks about finance, online business, and marketing. She also covers business trends in fashion, health, and wellness.
    Why we like these free leadership resources:
    This podcast has more than extensive interviews with business experts, there’s a Bootcamp series too. This is great for new listeners who aren’t sure where to start. The Bootcamp boosts newbies with an ebook, uplifting emails, and an engaged Facebook community. Many of her podcast guests share the challenges that led them to create their products and services.
    More resources:
    If you’re working on empathy skills on your own, you may enjoy these resources for active listening. Another great choice comes from CompassPoint. They offer online and in-person training for nonprofits and BIPOC leaders.

    Leadership Resources for Communication
    Communication is another leadership skill that anyone can develop.
    But being a great communicator is much more than being funny or well-spoken. Most people think they’re good communicators, but the data disagrees. A 2022 Grammarly and Harris Poll says that businesses lose up to $1.2 trillion a year from ineffective communication.
    And only 19% of U.S. employees think that leadership communicates effectively in their organization.
    Get ready to improve your communication skills.
    7. Toastmasters
    Online learning and club membership
    Price: Club membership costs $7.50 per month, and includes Pathways learning in the membership fee.

    Commitment: Varies, may include attending meetings for one to two hours every one to two weeks.
    What it offers:
    Public speaking isn’t exactly a requirement for being a strong leader, but as you progress in your career, it might become part of your job (think: presenting at large team meetings or to a board), and it’s a skill that can help set you apart from the pack.
    You can join a Toastmasters club and take part in their online learning program. Their resources can step up your skills with advice on topics like:

    Presentation skills
    Goal setting
    Dealing with nervousness and building confidence

    Why we like these resources for leadership development:
    Toastmasters has been a leader in public speaking since the organization started in the early 1920s. With over 300,000 members and 15,000+ clubs, they offer a large community. They also have a broad range of tools to develop your communication and leadership skills.
    8. Rapport Leadership Training
    Online and in-person workshops
    Price: Courses run from $199-2,595 per course

    Commitment: Varies depending on the training you choose
    What it offers:
    Their focus is intensive 2.5-day courses. Rapport also offers self-guided online learning to work on leadership skills.
    Options include:

    Cultivating Culture
    Emotional Intelligence
    Feedback and Coaching

    Why we like this leadership resource:
    Rapport has 30+ years of experience in principles-focused training. Their intensive courses focus on applying new skills to real-life situations. Rapport online classes also include a range of different media to support unique learning styles.
    9. Bunch
    Mobile app
    Price: Free

    Commitment: Two minutes a day.
    What it offers:
    This coaching app is a simple way to add leadership learning to your busy schedule. It offers quick daily leadership tips. They also have leadership style quizzes and targeted suggestions for deeper learning.
    Why we like this leadership resource:
    This app personalizes the experience of learning. Instead of giving general tips, they work to align their content with your main interests. Bunch also offers a podcast, a blog, and an active Slack community for extra support when you want it.
    10. Simon Sinek’s InspireU
    Online courses
    Price: Course fees range from $40-250, and there is also a free podcast.

    Commitment: Course times run from under 25 minutes to 90+ minutes.
    What it offers:
    Live and on-demand online courses that cover Sinek’s teachings from his books. They also have resources for self-care and leadership from a range of experts. His popular “Start with Why” course includes both solo and partner exercises.
    Why we like these leadership resources:
    Sinek’s philosophies have influenced leadership thinking since his Ted Talk in 2009. This course focuses on the value of inspiration in leadership. If you are struggling with motivating yourself or your team, this could be a great resource to recharge.
    11. MindTools
    Club with access to exclusive resources
    Price: Limited free access, and $27 per month for membership.

    Commitment: Varies depending on the training you choose
    What it offers:
    Mindtools offers hundreds of resources for communication including:

    Short trainings
    Expert interviews
    Book synopsis

    Why we like these resources for leadership development:
    Mindtools includes both personal and organizational learning modules. This can help you no matter what your leadership challenges are. Their free tools for communication alone contain a wealth of tools for growth.
    Whether you want to dig into value propositions and body language or get the basics of giving feedback, Mindtools is a great resource for leadership development.
    More resources:
    The GLSNext mobile app offers insights from business leaders in videos, blogs, and podcasts.

    Leadership Resources for Support and Development
    Leaders are only as great as their team. It takes time and experience to support today’s workplace.
    Do you want to build skills and business acumen? Are you curious about leadership philosophy? Do you want to grow your own business? Are you hoping to influence people where you work?
    These leadership tools can help you understand and prepare for the challenges that might lay ahead. They can help you whether you’re leading from the top down or the bottom up.
    12. Brené Brown’s Dare to Lead Hub
    Book, Videos, Podcast, Workbook, and Training
    Price: The book costs $20. Training costs vary by the facilitator.

    Commitment: Varies depending on the resource you choose
    What it offers:
    Brown writes powerful books that can help you better understand how to lead. Her site also has hubs that enable a more intensive exploration of the themes in her books.
    This includes the “Dare to Lead” hub, which offers a video, workbook, assessment, and other tools for aspiring leaders.
    Why we like these resources for leadership development:
    Sometimes, it feels like we have to know everything to be a leader. We have to learn how to manage projects, delegate tasks, and analyze outcomes. But then, there are the leadership lessons that don’t always get the biggest headlines, like learning to be accountable and embrace vulnerability.
    Taking risks requires some degree of becoming vulnerable, and strong leaders know when to take calculated risks. But that doesn’t just apply to work leadership — Brown’s resources also explore how vulnerability and courage can help in other areas of life.
    13. HubSpot Academy
    Online courses
    Price: Free

    Commitment: Varies depending on the resource you choose
    What it offers:
    HubSpot Academy is best known for its excellent certification programs in Inbound Marketing, Sales, Social Media Marketing, and Content Marketing. But it doesn’t stop there. This leadership resource also offers 100+ lessons, courses, and learning paths to support leaders in every facet of business operations.
    Why we like these free leadership resources:
    The HubSpot team is constantly creating new content and updating courses to meet the needs of a rapidly changing work world.
    14. Dale Carnegie Training
    Online and in-person courses for groups and individuals
    Price: Course prices range from $150-2500 per course.

    Commitment: Varies by training. Most on-demand courses offer a full year of online access.
    What it offers:
    Carnegie has unique courses for both organizations and individuals. Online courses are available live online, on-demand, and with an online subscription.
    Before 2020, 98% of Carnegie courses were available in person only. They scaled fast to create leadership resources that are available in 32 languages and in 86 countries.
    Why we like this leadership resource:
    We all need feedback from a real human being, and on occasion, it can be the most enlightening to get it from someone outside your company or industry.
    Carnegie started teaching about leadership in 1912. The principles of his best-selling book focus on ideas about wellbeing that are only now taking hold in workplaces.
    Whether you’re looking for broad instruction on leadership or more targeted learning for your specific challenges, Dale Carnegie courses can help.
    They offer over 80 course options. Their website also has white papers, case studies, and webinars if you’re not sure where to start.
    15. How I Built This
    Podcast
    Price: Free

    Commitment: About an hour a week.
    What it offers:
    This podcast has over 400 episodes of business leadership know-how. Each episode features the founders of a business and how they got their start.
    Why we like this free leadership resource:
    Listening to founder stories is an easy way to take in topics like accountability and resilience. It’s also a chance to understand how founders manage complexity in their startups. These anecdotes can help you figure out which skills and tools can help you prepare to meet your goals.
    16. HubSpot Podcast Network
    Podcast
    Price: Free

    Commitment: Varies by podcast, usually about an hour
    What it offers:
    If you’re not ready to pick a favorite, the HubSpot Podcast Network offers 26 podcasts and counting. Each has a unique take on business development, growth, and priorities.
    From stories of epic failure to the recovery that followed it, HubSpot hosts interview guests who share their most intriguing organizational, cultural, conceptual, and team insights.
    Why we like this leadership resource:
    If your schedule is tight, there is nothing like getting the basics done while listening to a strategic podcast. These podcasts cover targeted topics like change management, negotiation, and tech news. This resource can shed light on the big and small challenges you face as a leader every day.
    So, spend some time with professionals from HubSpot and The Hustle. They offer insights you can use on your path to leadership enlightenment.
    More resources:
    Books are also great resources for leadership development. These two long-time bestsellers continue to be relevant and popular if you want to know how to lead effectively.

    How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
    The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey

    If you want more resources for support and development, these are some other great tools to look into:

    ASAE
    In Good Company
    Coursera
    Black Founders

    Put These Leadership Resources Into Action
    It’s not unusual to seek out a list like this after a difficult conversation or challenge at work. And it’s just as common to add a bookmark to your browser and forget about it until the next issue pops up.
    So, get started now, even if you can only spare a few minutes. One great resource could be all that you need to change the way you lead.
    Editor’s note: This post was originally published in May 2017 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

  • Best Times to Post on YouTube in 2022 [Research]

    In 2022, we surveyed over 500 video marketers and found that YouTube sees the highest usage, more than TikTok and Instagram. It’s also the platform marketers will invest the most in this year.
    With so much emphasis placed on the platform, we wanted to know what times and days publishers saw the best results.

    Keep reading to learn what we discovered.

    Creating a video for YouTube isn’t an easy task. First comes ideation, then scripting followed by filming, and finally editing – and that’s just at a high level. Imagine doing all that work just to upload a video that doesn’t get much traction.
    When you’re first starting out, you’re bound to struggle. However, if you’ve been at it for a while and are still not getting any traction from your videos, your upload time could be the culprit.
    Back in 2021, we surveyed 300+marketers in the United States for our Social Media Trends Report and asked them, “What’s the best time to post on YouTube? ”
    To start, our report revealed that most marketers surveyed say they post on YouTube four to six times a week – as much as they post on Instagram, TikTok, Reddit, and many other social platforms. The only platforms where respondents posted every day were Facebook and Twitter.
    While other social media platforms offer countless formats to engage audiences, from ephemeral content and in-feed posts to polls and live streaming, YouTube is slow to expand its formats.
    As such, it’s surprising that marketers are posting as often on the platform, given that it’s a platform focused on long-form content.
    As for the best times to post on the platform, here’s the breakdown:

    31% of respondents said 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
    23% of respondents said 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
    19% of respondents said 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.

    Note: Respondents were instructed to answer in their current time zone and for context, roughly 40% of respondents were located in the Eastern time zone.
    As for the best days, data shows that it’s the weekend with Saturdays being the most popular answer, followed by Fridays and then Sundays.
    One way to explain this is that the weekend gives consumers more time to explore the platform and dive into their favorite long-form content.
    Other video platforms like TikTok and Instagram focus on short-form content, making it easy for consumers to get what they need during breaks throughout the day. YouTube, however, requires a bigger time commitment.
    When is the worst time to post on YouTube?
    Wondering when you shouldn’t post on the platform? According to our social media trends report, Mondays aren’t so popular among marketers.
    Only 5% of marketers surveyed said Mondays were the best time to post on the video platform. The second least-popular day was Tuesday, followed by Wednesday.
    As for the times, here’s the breakdown:

    6 a.m. to 9 a.m.
    9 p.m. to 12 a.m. (midnight)
    9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

    Fewer than 20% of respondents said an early morning posting (between 6 a.m. and noon) offered the best results.

    Does it matter what time you post on YouTube?
    The answer to this is both yes and no. Yes, it does matter what time you post on YouTube in the short term because it will impact how many views your video gets within the first few hours. Optimizing your views during this time period can help you generate more traffic to your content and help the growth of your channel.
    However, it doesn’t play a huge role in the long term. Say your video was posted at 3 a.m., that has little impact on how many views it can garner over the next couple of months or years. Unlike a platform like Instagram where fresh content is key to success, novelty is not the biggest ranking factor on YouTube – relevance is.
    This means that even if your video may not perform well initially, if it’s the most relevant video to a user’s query, it can quickly gain traction.
    How to Find Your Channel’s Best Time to Post
    Your Analytics dashboard is the best place to go to find the most accurate and reliable data on your channel – including the best time to post.
    If your channel generates enough traffic, you’ll gain access to an advanced report which shows you when your viewers are most active on the platform. 

    To access this page, follow these steps.

    Open YouTube Studio.
    Click on “Analytics.”
    Open the “Audience” tab and view your report. 

    Knowing the best times and days to post on YouTube isn’t meant to be a strict ruling on when you should post. Instead, it should be used as a guide to optimizing your channel for short- and long-term success.

  • Why Workplace Authenticity Matters More than Ever, According to Credly’s VP of Customer Success

    Pre-pandemic, it was relatively easy to keep tight boundaries between our personal and professional lives.
    But in a post-pandemic world, things have shifted. Now, people have their dogs or children in the background during Zoom calls. Others have yoga breaks and book clubs blocked into their work calendars.
    Companies have also put a bigger focus on their employees’ mental and physical health: For instance, HubSpot began offering its employees access to mental health tool Modern Health, as well as an employee discount for the Headspace app.
    All of which is to say: The workplace has changed, and whether people work from home or return to the office, they’re going to want — and expect — the freedom of bringing their full selves to work.
    Here, I sat down with Krystal Lamoureux, VP of Customer Success at Credly, to learn her leadership tips for encouraging employees to bring their full selves to work. Let’s dive in.

    What It Means to Bring Your Whole Self to Work, and Why It Matters
    For starters, I asked Lamoureux what it means to bring her ‘full self’ to work.
    She told me, “I think the pandemic has helped me realize that being a professional does not mean I have to check my personal life at the door. It forced me to shrink everything about me to fit inside the four walls of my home. Suddenly work, school, and play were all occurring in the same place and at the same time. Pre-pandemic, my kids went to school and I commuted to the office. Somewhere in the car post-drop off, I switched from mom to professional.”

    Lamoureux adds, “When the pandemic hit, I no longer had the option to segment my day or attention the way I used to and, as a result, the way I work has changed (for the better). Not only has my wardrobe shifted to more casual options (leggings, yoga pants, and hoodies for the most part), but I’ve also adjusted when and how I work.”

    Research has shown tremendous benefits to authenticity in the workplace, both for individuals and for organizations at-large. For instance, Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership’s 2021 Leadership Development Survey found people who behaved authentically at work felt more confident, more deeply engaged, and happier.
    Additionally, respondents said being authentic enabled them to build stronger coworker relationships, and roughly half even said authenticity made them “more able to do their best work” in the office.
    Authenticity in the workplace can’t happen without psychological safety, but it’s a critical component for happy, healthy employees. Additionally, it’s simply a good business practice to foster authenticity in the workplace, since people who feel they can bring their full selves to work ultimately connect more deeply and fully with their team — leading to lower turnover rates and higher engagement.
    As Lamoureux puts it: Our personalities, experiences, likes and dislikes, and goals and aspirations all join together to form the person who shows up for work every day anyway.
    “Bringing our whole selves to work creates a much richer, more authentic product for everyone involved. Allowing people to bring their whole selves to work creates a more authentic, happier work life.”

    So — what does authenticity look like in practice?
    Lamoureux told me, “I don’t have a dedicated office space in my home, but I usually set up shop at the dining room table where I have a tidy background for video calls. When I’m chatting with my team, I’ll move to my couch to snuggle with my pup. Our CEO often encourages us to turn our cameras off and walk around during calls to avoid Zoom-fatigue. Knowing that I’m not always expected to be on-camera allows me flexibility to tend to laundry while I participate in a meeting.”
    Aspects of Lamoureux’s life outside of work — her dining room, her puppy, and her laundry — will inevitably mingle with Lamoureux’s work, and she’s okay with that.
    As she puts it, “Am I always at my desk? No. Am I still working and being productive? Yes. Do I have a better work-life balance? Absolutely.”
    In terms of leadership, there’s a delicate balance between encouraging authenticity and expecting your employees to deliver results, but with empathy and trust, you can find a way to accomplish both.
    Lamoureux told me, “I expect my team to be responsible, responsive, and complete what needs to be completed. I also expect them to take care of their family obligations and their health. We do a work-life blend at Credly — meaning there will be times we are online shopping for new shoes on Tuesday at 3 p.m. (and getting opinions from coworkers), and other times when we’re answering emails at 9 p.m. on a Thursday. The bottom line is that I want them to set healthy boundaries because it’s necessary for us all to do good work.”
    How can you encourage authenticity in the workplace?
    Creating fun ways for employees to interact with one another that isn’t work-related is an effective starting point for encouraging authenticity.
    At Credly, Lamoureux’s team has coffee breaks and book clubs to connect with one another and learn more about each other as full human beings.

    Coffee Breaks: We have a weekly coffee break with only one rule: no work allowed. Sometimes, we incorporate a theme into our coffee breaks encouraging people to dress up or bring something to share. It allows us to show bits of ourselves in a fun way. We’ve learned so much about one another from these casual conversations.
    Book Club: we generally read 2-3 books per year as a team. Sometimes, they are work-related, but sometimes they aren’t. We’ve had such deep, rich discussions in those book club meetings!

    Additionally, one of the most effective and simple ways to encourage authenticity is to lead by example. The more authentic you can be as a leader, the more you’re giving employees permission to do the same. 
    How do businesses fail when it comes to creating an authentic culture?
    Finally, I asked Lamoureux how she feels most businesses fail when it comes to authenticity.

    She told me, “I think most businesses want the best for their employees but are afraid to reset what a productive, professional environment looks like. Our world of work isn’t what it was two years ago, and as the world opens up again and employees return to offices, I think it could be tempting for business leaders to try to function the same way they did pre-pandemic.”
    “It’s the baseline for ‘normal’ — how things used to be. But with all the turmoil of the pandemic, we’ve also learned new, wonderful ways of working and it’s essential that organizations keep those elements.”
    Ultimately, it’s critical your team learns how to pivot and meet the needs of each employee today. Perhaps those needs have changed as a result of the pandemic; or, maybe the pandemic simply brought them to light. Either way, to increase the satisfaction, engagement, and happiness of your employees, it’s vital you encourage and foster authenticity.

  • Salesforce Summer’22 Release Quick Summary

    Last Updated on May 1, 2022 by Rakesh Gupta Currently, the Summer’22 release is available under the pre-release program. On the 06th and 07th of May, Sandboxes will be upgraded, as a result, your organization will get the look and feel of the Summer’22 release. In this release, you will find lots
    The post Salesforce Summer’22 Release Quick Summary appeared first on Automation Champion.

  • How do I become a GCP marketing expert?

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