Work Better, Not Harder

It's always useful to check in on your blog stats so you can see what people are interested in reading. This year I'm a little surprised with some of the posts that have been read the most on Work Better, Not Harder. Here they are: #1. 7 Out Of 12 Small Business Bloggers Agree On This When I teach marketing courses, the group eventually tires of seeing this list of key reasons for publishing a blog or newsletter come up on the screen in every class. Focus on only 2-3 main goals. #2. Social Media Day Halifax 2018 Marketing Conference For the first time, Halifax celebrated Social Media Day in grand style this year. I'm proud to be one of the organizers of the first Social Media Day Halifax conference which took place on June 22nd. #3. 3 Ways Having a Social Media Strategy Will Save You Time Guest blogger Anita Kirkbride says, "If your paralysis stems from social media, the best way to get moving is to create a social media strategy and plan out what you need to be do...

It's always a good idea to review your stats, so you know what people are interested in reading. You might want to spend more effort promoting your top posts - use your best value to attract new readers (something like this article). #1.  Is Your Canadian Small Business Compliant with CASL Yet? The Canadian Anti Spam Legislation came fully info effect on July 1, 2017. Here are the 4 most obvious ways businesses aren't yet fully compliant. #2.  Favourite Free Image Sources and Graphics Tools for Small Business Marketing Wondering where to find free images for your newsletter or blog? These are the most common sources we use for free images. #3.  LinkedIn is a Resource, Not a Mailing List "Can I add my LinkedIn contacts to my email list?" I get asked this a lot with regard to the Canadian Anti Spam Legislation (CASL). Find out if you can, if you should, and if it's legal. #4.  No Love from your Newsletter? Here's Why A newsletter does not make a...

These are our top picks of the best guest articles from the Work Better, Not Harder newsletter during 2015, not in any particular order. Essential Elements of Storytelling Neil Everton, Podium Media and Communications Coaching The heart of storytelling is the hero-quest: Luke Skywalker and the forces of good battling Darth Vader and the forces of evil (and rescuing the princess). Any compelling story has four essential elements.  Read on... Adding Audio to Your Content Natasha Marchewka Voiceover Services Have you considered adding audio to your blog or enewsletter? Adding audio to marketing adds to the multi-media dimension, offering readers more for engagement.  Read on... The Eggnog Challenge Steve Foran, Gratitude at Work The Eggnog Challenge put an end to a hotly debated subject in our house... which eggnog is the best. I discovered a treacherous danger in comparison... a danger I've before never considered.  Read on... How to Make a ‘Thank You’ Spe...

Continuing our annual tradition, here are our top 10 picks of the best articles from the Work Better, Not Harder newsletter during 2014, not in any particular order. You need to Bite-size your Content by Brandi Good, BLG Business Solutions Your new website just went live - it looks amazing and it's chock-full of great information. You spent hours crafting the perfect blog post. You put together a newsletter with a beautiful layout and great content. You've been sharing these links all over your social media networks. And then... continue reading The Problem with Gratitude by Steve Foran, Performance Quest Can’t believe it took 7 years to figure this out! Although I was unaware of the problem, I’ve known all about the benefits of being grateful - a list which continues to grow. continue reading Have you been Asked yet Today? by Brenda Fay, BrenDaniel Productions Corp. I had a conversation with a potential client the other day and they asked me question after qu...

The best reading from our newsletter contributors during 2013... Does your writing pass the $1-a-word Test? by Neil Everton, Podium Media & Communications Coaching If you are looking for a quick and certain way of giving your words more impact, look no further than your purse or wallet. Take a look at the last thing you wrote. It doesn't matter if it's a letter, email, report, newsletter, web content or promo script... read more Marketing to Your Tribe by Stephanie Holmes-Winton, The Money Finder This just in: some people don’t like what I have to say. They might unsubscribe from my newsletter, or they might make a snide comment on social media... read more Anyone Can Find Business on Twitter by Anita Hovey, Twirp Communications That’s right... ANYONE. The next time someone says “Twitter is just a bunch of nonsense” I want you to share a link to this post... read more 6 Ways to Become Part of Your Customer's Story by Bernadette Jiwa, The Story of Tell...

We took a vote to pick the best article from our newsletters for each month of the past year. Since there are two of us, it's a good thing that we agree a lot. We also decided to disqualify our own articles because the voting got awkward. Here it is: The Best Ideas and Tips for Busy Business Owners 2012 from the archives of Work Better, Not Harder January 9 Reasons to Blog by Janet Slack February Stabilize an Unstable Income by Stephanie Holmes-Winton March Don't Let Technology Stifle Your Message by Halina St. James April Why You Need to Monitor Social Media by Anita Hovey May Are You Trusted? by Lea Brovedani June 4 Tips to Enhance Your Next Presentation by Neil Everton July The Medium is the Message by Cara Lynn Garvock August Vacation Messages - It's Ugly Out There! by Mary Jane Copps September 50 Shades of Grey by Melanie Orr October Optimize Your Financial Relationships by Wendy Brookhouse November Take Your Lunch Br...