The thing is this – most of the reports tell you what to expect, which leaves you feeling overwhelmed about how to tackle marketing in 2020.

We all know that social media plays a big role in consumer behaviour. And, as long as technology continues to advance, social media will be an integral part of marketing.

So, if you’re a micro or small business owner looking to build your brand – without burning a hole in your pocket, then this blog is for you.
Learn the social media marketing strategies that you can implement today.

Let’s begin.

1. Social Media Marketing Strategy 2020: Conduct More Live Stream Videos

Social media live streaming has made a huge leap in recent years. It went from novelty to necessity. The definition of live streaming is the broadcasting of real-time, live video to an audience over the internet.

The reason for its leap is due to its effectiveness to create engagement.
If you haven’t guessed by now, engagement is the name of the game in social media.

Source: Neil Patel

Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Youtube rolled out this feature in late 2015, 2016, 2017 respectively.
Recently, LinkedIn has joined in.   

Can you guess which two factors that drive the need for people to watch live stream videos?

Is it to help them to be:

– Informed?
– Up-to-date with the latest news?

Or it is to help them to feel:

– Connected?
– Involved?

Believe it or not – 60% of people watch live streaming to stay up-to-date followed by 54% of people wanting to feel involved.

So, what type of information do you need to feed your audience while making them feel involved in the process?
Below are some suggestions:

– Talk about a limited time special deal.
– Share something newsworthy that is specific to your industry.
– Announce a change in the way you conduct business.
– Run a competition and announce the winner.
– Conduct a Q&A.
– Conduct a mini-workshop.

Before going live, create a post on your Facebook and announce that you will be going live in 30 mins.

If you plan to do a Q&A, use the information you have gathered from your audience and turn it into a series of posts for your other social media platforms.
This technique is called re-purposing. You can re-purpose different pieces of content from just one live stream video.
Think blog posts, audio, infographic, etc.

Re-purposing content is nothing new, but it is your life vest to a sea of hungry people.

2. Social Media Marketing Strategy 2020: Experiment With Paid Social Ads for Lead Generation

There have been claims that organic listing in social media is dead. The answer: not at all!
However, to generate leads, there is one thing that it requires – the support of paid social ads.

Social ads simply mean to use a social media platform to run your advertisement. The concept is the same with Google Adwords except that it is done through social media instead of a search engine.

Lead generation simply means the action or process of identifying and cultivating potential customers for your products or services.
This is perfect for getting people to subscribe to your mailing list as a result of taking up on your offer.

So, why advertise through social media?

Social media ad spend reached $84 billion worldwide this year – finally overtaking print advertising spend

– Zenith Media

Given that statement, let’s use Facebook as our choice of platform.

If you’re worried about the cost of advertising, then you’ll be glad to know that Facebook has a new advanced tool which makes the cost-to-benefit ratio attractive to those with smaller budgets.

Put simply, Facebook’s ad platform has made it accessible to businesses with small budgets by providing targeting/localisation capabilities to reach your intended audience.

If you have ‘boosted a post’ before and found it an expensive endeavour with little to no return, then this recent change may provide some reprieve – to a degree.

Spending money on ads doesn’t guarantee success.
To help you create an ad and monitor its performance, here are two suggestions:

Read this article – 9 Tips To Write The Best Facebook Ads

Use ‘Facebook Insights’ to monitor your ad’s performance.
However, if you’re after something different, you can find both free and paid tools online.
Just type into Google or any search engine of your choice “free benchmarking tools for Facebook ads.”
Alternatively, you can read this article – The Best Free and Paid Facebook Analytics Tool

– To learn how to use the new Facebook tool, watch this video:

3. Social Media Marketing Strategy 2020: Focus On Quality Over Quantity

Years ago, people went overboard to spread themselves across every social media platform they could register on.
And, because consistency is an important factor, people often create a single post and hit ‘share’ on every platform.

The thing you have to keep in mind is that you will have the same subscribers following you on multiple platforms.
Hence, the reason why you must create unique content.   

2020 is all about building strong connections by choosing quality over quantity.

To determine which two platforms to use and excel in, examine your ideal client, the platform’s demographics and the types of content users post on those platforms. Ideally, you want to stick to at least two platforms – three as the maximum.
Any more than that and it will become harder to build connections.

4. Social Media Marketing Strategy 2020: Create A Reaction In Posts

Since the number of likes on Facebook and Instagram has been hidden from view, there has been a shift on other metrics such as reactions, comments and shares. You see, Facebook’s algorithm uses engagement signals to prioritise posts in newsfeeds.
In other words, you should strive for a reaction from followers.  

But, is there a reaction worth more than another? The answer: no.
A study showed that all reactions are equal when it comes to engagement.

So, why is a reaction worth so much to Facebook? Well, when you think about it, posting a reaction takes longer to do as you have to hold down the like button to select a reaction. This indicates there is a higher level of engagement.

Source: Smart Insights

For your posts to gain exposure on newsfeeds, here’s what you need to do:  

Vary your posts to elicit a reaction.
This means that you will need to incorporate funny memes, heartfelt messages – anything that may get a reaction over a simple like.
Just remember to stay true to your brand. That means sharing things that reflect your voice and your personality. This should be in addition to posting informative content because such content is likely to be shared – even if it is only shared in messenger. Why is that so important to mention? It counts when someone shares your post in a private message.

5. Social Media Marketing Strategy 2020: Set-Up Instant Messaging For Customer Support  

Since 2015, messaging apps have been gradually gaining traction. Nowadays, they are the preferred method for customers to contact businesses.
According to numerous articles, over half of consumers are choosing ‘Message Us’ button over a ‘Call Us’ button when seeking support.  

Instant messaging is not the same as conversational marketing. Conversational marketing uses intelligent chatbots specifically designed to move consumers through the sales process by way of real-time conversation.
This type of marketing can be a pricey venture for micro and small businesses alike. While conversational marketing may not be part of your budget, consider setting up instant messaging for your business.

Instant messaging is effective because of the convenience.
Yes, believe it or not – consumers claim messaging is a simple and easy way for them to get in contact.

The three most popular free messaging apps are:

– Facebook Messenger
– WhatsApp
– WeChat

Facebook Messenger is by far the most popular and has been considered the best tool for businesses to date.

Source: Social Examiner

But, if you’re looking to explore other options, RocketBots has a list of 7 apps that will help you to determine the right one for your business and your consumers.  

In Conclusion

There are 5 cost-effective ways to build your brand using the social media trends of 2020.
Start by conducting live streaming videos to keep your audience involved with up-to-date information.
Experiment with paid social ads for lead generation using Facebook’s new and improved platform.
Focus on quality over quantity of engagement to build strong connections.
Strive for reactions in posts to gain more exposure on newsfeeds and set-up instant message for customer support.

Do you have content goals that you want to achieve? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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Before you attempt to build your backlink profile or submit your article as a guest blogger, it’s important to get the basics right.
And believe it or not – these changes make a big difference, simply because they provide a solid foundation for an optimised website.

Want to know how to improve your search engine ranking?
Below are 5 ways that you can implement today.

1. Improve Search Engine Ranking With ALT Text Optimised Images

We have all heard the saying: “A picture tells a thousand words.”
This is especially true for users and search engines, particularly Google.

You see, Google’s main focus is to please its users. That is why optimising your images using ALT Text is important.
The reason being is that it benefits vision-impaired users as they use a device called a screen reader, which reads the text of an image.

To optimise your image, describe what the image is in 125 characters or less.
And in case you’re wondering, going over the limit does not result in your site being penalised.
It just means that the screen reader will cut it off.

Now, let’s say you have an image of a person, describe the who, what and where of the person.

– Who is the person?
– What are they doing?
– What is the scenery like?

Below is an example:

ALT = “Businessman wearing a striped collared shirt sitting on a chair holding an iPad and pencil”

For an image of a product, describe the colour, size, shape, pattern, etc.

If you get stuck, use Moz’s guide to help you to write the perfect ALT Text.

You can find this feature in the image editor of any website development platform.

2. Improve Search Engine Ranking With Faster Loading Speed

Let’s face it – no one likes a slow website.

It’s important to note that having a slow website should not be dismissed as something different from waiting to be served at a drive-through.

Keeping in mind that Google’s main focus is to please its users, therefore, a 5+ second page loading speed will harm your ranking.

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Sounds ridiculous, right?
Consider the following research from Google regarding mobile page speed.

Source: Think With Google

A bounce rate is the percentage of visitors to a website who navigate away from the site after viewing only one page.

Although the term ‘probability’ was used, it still doesn’t provide much comfort.

At this point, you may be thinking: “Wow, people are impatient.” but that’s the reality of what we are dealing with.
Therefore, aim to have a loading speed of fewer than 4 seconds.

Now, many factors can cause a slow website but a common problem is the size of the images used. The solution is to compress your images. TinyPNG is an online tool that does exactly that. All you have to do is upload your images and it will compress them for you.
It’s that easy.

To take the guesswork out of finding the problem areas, test your website using Pingdom.
It’s a free online tool that analyses your site and provides a list of recommendations to improve speed.

3. Improve Search Engine Ranking With Header Tags

One of the copywriting basics to grapple is to break up text (copy) with the use of headlines, bullet points and white spaces.
The benefit is twofold: it’s easier to read thereby reducing your bounce rate.

Use the H1 tag for your main headline, H2 for your second headline, so on and so forth.

Below is an example of header 1 and 2 tags applied to each headline:

Source: SEranking

You can find this feature in the text editor of any website development platform.

4. Improve Search Engine Ranking With A Mobile-Friendly Site

It’s no secret that Australians are conducting online research and making purchases from their smartphones more than ever before.
Since this is a growing trend in other parts of the world, search engines now prioritise mobile-friendly websites in the search results.

A mobile-friendly site simply means that you can view a website from a mobile device without having to zoom or pinch to read the text.

Google has a tool called a Webmaster Tool that allows you to test your website and receive recommendations on problem areas.
All you have to do is enter your URL address and click ‘TEST URL’.

Click here to have yours tested. 

5. Improve Search Engine Ranking To Cater To The Auditory And Visual Learners

You have read from previous points that there is a correlation between the length of time that users spend on your site and your ranking.

A way to get users to stay longer is to add multimedia content.  
Multimedia content refers to video or audio.
The benefit is more than just improving your search engine ranking, it also helps the visual and auditory learners.

Youtube is the best platform to get a step-by-step guide on how to add multimedia content to your website. Simply type in the search bar:
How to add video/audio to [insert type of website i.e. WordPress]

In short, create a solid foundation with the use of the free online tools mentioned in this blog to improve your search engine ranking today.

Do you have content goals that you want to achieve? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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The problem with consistency is that at one point or another, you encounter a blank document and a blinking cursor.
In other words, you run out of ideas.

The key to writing consistent and engaging social media content is to include a mixture of self-promotional, educational and user-generated content. User-generated content means that your users create the content themselves.

Below is a list of 9 social media content ideas to help you boost engagement and grow your following.

1.        Blog Quotables

Select one or two sentences from your blog articles and turn them into quotable posts to share. Do this regularly as part of your social media content strategy to pique interest from readers and encourage them to read your website content.

Canva and Crello are online graphic design tools that give you access to photographs, graphics, fonts and a variety of templates from social media content to invoices. Both tools are free and easy-to-use.

2.        Q&As

Prospects have a lot of questions about your product/service, especially when they are at the stage of research.
To assist them through this process, create a series of posts to answer commonly asked questions.

A simple, yet effective way to increase participation is to get them to ask you a question so you can provide an answer in a follow-up post.

3.        Behind-The-Scene Snapshots

Promoting a service-based business can be hard due to its intangible nature. The reason why behind-the-scene snapshots work well is that it gives prospects a sense of what it is like to work with you.

Always accompany your snapshots with a couple of sentences to provide context.

4.        How-To-Guides For Product-Based Businesses

Educational content is a no-brainer when it comes to providing value to prospects. To make how-to-guides shareable for social media platforms, take some of the information from an existing e-book or email autoresponder and turn it into a series of post.
This technique is called re-purposing.  

5.        Tips For Service-Based Businesses

Finding topics to write about can be difficult at times.
The best way to tackle this is to think in the shoe of your prospect: What information can they take away from your page that would make their lives easier or happier?
For example, you offer a course on public speaking, so, therefore, your tips can be on breathing techniques, preparedness, etc. 

The information you provide is not only helpful but it also gives them an insight as to what they can expect through your paid services.
Sometimes, you have to give away free valuable information in exchange for building trust.

Sometimes, you have to give away valuable information in exchange for building trust.

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6.        Client Success Stories

Now and then, users want to know what your product/service has done for your past clients.
Client success stories provide credibility and should be part of your social media content strategy.
If possible, include a profile picture of your client along with his/her statement to give a face to the name.

7.        Video Contest

Run a competition wherein people can send in their video testimonials of your product/service. You’ll find that video testimonials hold more value than the prize you’re giving away.

8.        Industry Updates

Every industry is influenced by the ever-changing technological landscape. Put simply, technology affects a buyer’s attitude, experience and interaction; think Uber Eats. 

Empower users with up-to-date information to create a sense of reassurance as the ‘go-to’ brand for industry updates.
A way for you to source this information is to subscribe to Think With Google.

9.        Polls

Engagement is the name of the game in the world of social media content, which is why polls work a treat.

Use polls to gain insights from users by asking them what they would like to see or test them with what they have learned from your page since subscribing.

In short, include a mixture of self-promotional, educational and user-generated content to boost engagement and increase your following.

Do you have content goals that you want to achieve? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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A press release is a written communication that reports specific information about an event, circumstance or activity of a business.

Before you begin writing a press release, there are things to consider about the process, news media outlets, topics and best practice guidelines.

The Process Of Writing A Press Release

1. Fine a topic worth sharing.
2. Write your press release.
3. Submit to the Editor-In-Chief of your chosen news media outlet.
4. A journalist reviews it.
5. A journalist contacts you for an interview to run a news story.

In essence, your press release is a pitch to the journalist to run your story.

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While the process is straightforward, there is one thing worth noting; there is no guarantee that a media outlet will publish your press release. Why? Generally speaking, large news media outlets such as Courier-Mail receive hundreds of them each day. The chances of your press release being reviewed are very slim.  

So, how do you increase your chances? Keep reading.

Writing A Press Release: News Media Outlets

The topic of your press release depends on your industry and your audience. Ask yourself: Would my topic benefit industry-specific readers or community-focused readers?

Business First Magazine would not consider the publication of your car performance parts to be news. However, the editors of Just Cars and other automotive magazines whose readers use this product may have an interest in publishing your story.  

The bottom line is to choose a local media outlet relevant to your topic. If unsuccessful, consider a nationwide outlet.

Topics For Writing A Press Release

Your press release must not contain descriptive stories about your business unless the story tells the audience something new or provides information useful to the readers.

That being said, below is a list of possible topics.

• Opening of a new business.

• Change of business name, slogan or logo.

• Product improvement.

• A new product or service.

• New partnership.

• Expert opinion on any subject.

• Company milestone.

• Awards and honours won by your organisation or its employees.

• Major contracts awarded to your business.

• Charitable acts or fundraising announcement.

Best Practice For Writing A Press Release

Spacing, spelling and grammar

Since you are dealing with news space, use double-spacing between text and always triple-check for misspellings and grammatical errors.

Content

Focus on what is different, unique and how it benefits readers. People love interesting and dynamic content over bland, boring promotional writing. Just like copywriting, avoid the use of superlatives as it turns people off from your message. Remember, your press release is a pitch to a journalist.

Presentation

It doesn’t matter if you use fancy printed PR letterheads or graphically designed layouts for presentation. What matters is that it contains interesting news so it is best to write with clarity and accuracy.

In short, choose a local media outlet relevant to your topic to increase your chances of your press release being reviewed and your story being published.

If you don’t have the confidence or time to write one for your business, ask a copywriter to help you.

Do you have content goals that you want to achieve? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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The contents of your email autoresponder are created in advance and pre-set at a specific time with the help of your email marketing software.

The biggest mistake when writing content is the lack of variety. If you are constantly pushing the hard-sell button by only promoting your products/services, readers will tune out and unsubscribe to your mailing list.

The biggest mistake when writing content is the lack of variety

Toni Wells Copywriter

The key to keeping readers engaged is to provide value. In doing so, you build their trust and an emotional connection, which increases your conversion rate.

Below is a list of 5 ways to add value in your email autoresponder. 

1.        Promote Your Products/Services Through Storytelling & Testimonials

Pitching sales with the use of statistics, pie charts and graphs are now a thing of the past. Tell people what you can do for them by incorporating client testimonials or storytelling as a way to promote your products/services. The reason why storytelling is powerful is that it uses real people with real problems.

Do this regularly in your autoresponder to build an emotional connection and inspire them into action.

2.        Provide Educational Content Or Training Material

Tips, advice, how-to-guides, videos or anything that you have produced in the past and/or present to help readers. The ratio of educational content to the above point in your autoresponder should be 2:1.

If your business doesn’t have any educational or training material to promote, then you should invest in a copywriter to assist you. 

3.        Ask Readers For Feedback

Requesting readers to partake in activity helps with engagement. It could be asking their opinion on a hot topic or just simply asking their feedback on the information you have provided thus far. Just make sure that the topics are relevant to what your business is promoting to avoid confusion in your autoresponder.

4.        Provide Helpful Resources To Readers

Give your readers a helpful leg up by providing personal recommendations of podcasts, books, e-books or Youtube videos of other businesses.

This doesn’t mean promoting your competitor, but rather it complements your products/services. For example, you are teaching your students how to write proposals and grants, so, therefore, you can recommend a podcast for building an online business. This complements your services and helps those who are looking to build an online writing business.

Do this throughout your autoresponder and your readers will appreciate you for it.

5.        Ask Subscribers To Add Your Email Address To Their Safe Sender List

All efforts should be made to reduce your emails making its way into people’s spam folder. Provide readers with instructions on how to add your email address to their safe sender list. You may choose to link a series of Youtube videos to assist them in place of written instructions. Repeat this in your autoresponder as a reminder every 6 months or so.

In short, engage readers by building their trust and emotional connection through educational, storytelling and interactive content in your email autoresponder.

Do you have content goals that you want to achieve? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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For the most part, freelance copywriters rely on written communication from their clients. This may come as a surprise, but it is common for a copywriter to receive harsh criticism regardless of experience level. Reviewing a draft should be done in a professional and constructive manner. Scornful comments alone are detrimental to this partnership.

Criticism is not the only stumbling block that freelance copywriters must contend with. Below are tips that will help you maintain a healthy working relationship with your freelance copywriter.

1. Pricing

As with any occupation, a freelance copywriter has to make a living. Prices are dictated by several factors: medium type, writing, research and briefing time, etc. Then add the cost of overheads on top of that. As a client, you are entitled to negotiate, but just keep in mind that it has to be reasonable and realistic. Pay fairly to avoid resentment of an underpaid worker and sub-standard copy.

2. Payment Terms

Unlike organisations, freelance copywriters don’t have the resources to constantly follow up on overdue payments. Payment terms are there for a reason which is why paying on time is not only courteous; it is best practice. In fact, paying in advance may just be an incentive for your copywriter to go over and above.

3. The Review Process

This process should begin as soon as your schedule allows you to do so. Pondering on the draft for too long causes two problems: indecisiveness and loss of enthusiasm.

For a copy that has a high word count (more than 4,000 words), divide the draft into two sections and email one half to your copywriter as you review the remaining half. This approach will keep the ball rolling.   

4. Communication

Maintaining communication is key to a successful partnership. Always communicate with your copywriter on any changes that will affect the deadline or information pertaining to the copy.

To get things moving, always provide a signature on the quotation. A verbal authorisation or an email stating “please proceed” is inadequate. Also, it is good manners to keep your writer up-to-date should your circumstance change.

Indeed, life takes over and commitments get pushed aside, but a quick email or a quick phone call is all that is needed. Some email providers such as Gmail predicts key phrases as you type along. Point is, that there should be no reason not to reply in a timely fashion.

5. Reviewing Drafts

Responses such as “I don’t like it” or “Can you please rewrite the copy” is meaningless to a copywriter.
Be specific when reviewing drafts. Is the tone wrong? Is the copy too passive? Are the benefits not highlighted enough?
Below are two examples of nonspecific and specific feedback. 

Nonspecific:

“The copy is boring.”

Specific:

“Please add more benefits and less technical information about what the product can do for consumers.”

Nonspecific:

“It doesn’t have enough sparkle.”

Specific:

“Please add more personality to the copy. Below is an example of what I’m looking for…”
“Your gym buddy backpack comes with a handy side pocket, big enough for your chicken and broccoli pre-made meals. ”

The key to reviewing drafts is to be clear, objective and to specify the action you want your copywriter to take. The information you provide will determine the turnover rate of your new and improved copy.   

The key to reviewing drafts is to be clear, objective and to specify the action you want your copywriter to take.

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In short, best practice and common courtesy do not only fall on just one person. It goes for both partners. Enacting these principles will ensure a healthy working partnership not just in copywriting, but in all aspects of professional life.  

Do you have content goals that you want to achieve? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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If you think blogs cannot harness the power to influence…think again.

Whether you realise it or not, a lot of the information you read from the internet is from a blog. So the question shouldn’t be “Does my business need a blog?” but rather “Does my business have a blog?” 

If you answered ‘no’ below are 5 benefits to business blogging that will help you make an informed decision.

1. Drives Traffic To Your Website

One thing is for sure is that search engines like Google and Bing love content. Particularly fresh content. And when you have an active blog, you are signalling to search engines that your business has information to provide to prospects. Prospects, on the other hand, get the information that they are seeking. Business blogs are a desirable medium when it comes to pleasing both consumers and search engines.

when you have an active blog, you are signalling to search engines that your business has information to provide to prospects

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2. Gain Exposure 

Blogs are a major source for driving traffic to your website. It goes hand-in-hand with the above point. Having quality blogs encourage prospects to visit your site. In other words, every time you write a blog post, you are creating content that people can share on their social networks. The more you provide, the exposure you gain.   

3. Authoritative Voice

When consumers are searching for a product or service, they are looking for a business that has an authoritative voice.

To explain, I’ll use the following scenario: Let’s say you are searching for an accountant and you come across multiple blogs from Five Star Accounting explaining the benefits of hiring an accountant, tips on saving for a home loan, tax preparation and many others.    

Not only they appear authoritative in their field, but they also provide helpful advice to consumers. So, therefore, you feel comfortable hiring them.

4. Long-Term, Sustainable Results

The response rate of your blog doesn’t always yield instant results. It’s the effort that you put into your blog now that can turn 50, 100 or 500  views into the thousands in the future. In order words, your business blogs can bring in future customers. 

5. Adds Value To Consumers

Business blogs add value to two areas: relationship management with prospects and customers, and public relations.

If we go back in time and think how did customers get involved with businesses before the internet; the answer is one-on-one interactions with sale staff. In today’s age of information, the internet provides ways and means for customers to get involved.

Having a blog is only half the battle. And now that you know the benefits, what are the factors that make a successful blog? Metrics aside below is a list of 5.

1. A Well-Defined Purpose

Like all content, it must have structure. Before you decide what to write about, you need to figure out the purpose behind each publication. Is it to inform? Is it to entertain? You want the content to align with your purpose.

2. Identified Audience

This approach is not used by many and that is to implement a buyer persona. A buyer persona is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal audience. It is based on data and/or some educational speculation on demographics, behaviour patterns, motivations and goals. When writing your content, it helps to picture your audience. You can find several free online tools to help you create your buyer persona. 

3. Interaction Between The Writer And The Readers  

Interaction comes from enabling a feature to allow readers to write their comments on your blog posts. A good indication of your blog’s effectiveness is the response from readers.

Some of the comments will give you an insight as to what they like and what other topics they are interested in. Use this to increase your readership in future posts.

4. Number Of Email Opt-Ins

A sure sign of a successful blog is the number of opt-ins. Email opt-ins should be a priority on your business blogs. This is so you can market to them through email. And the more subscribers you receive from your blogs, the more likely you are to see a paying customer.   

Make sure your email opt-in is found in more places on your website. Sometimes, readers overlook such forms.

5. Professionals Looking To Collaborate  

Consumers are not the only ones who read your blogs, but professionals also. If they like the content you are producing, they may wish to collaborate.

All in all, business blogs have several benefits. It creates exposure and adds value to consumers looking to make a purchase and professionals looking to network.

Do you have content goals that you want to achieve? I’d love to help you! Send me a message here

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Footwear-related injuries are an issue in the workplace. Slips, trips and falls can happen in an instant, but niggling foot pain is the first sign of an underlying problem.

If you are on your feet all day, the one thing you may notice is how uncomfortable your PPE work boots are. If you feel foot pain at the end of your shift, then you can almost be certain that it comes from your choice of footwear.

If you feel foot pain at the end of your shift, then you can almost be certain that it comes from your choice of footwear.

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You heard the saying: “you get what you pay for” and if you work 8-12 hours and find your feet, back or legs hurt after a shift then you might want to reconsider your footwear purchase.

Footwear affects your muscles, ligaments and joints. Therefore, the implication of wearing ill-fitting footwear over a long period of time can prevent you from carrying out duties efficiently. Worse, prevent you from living a mobile quality of life.

Cheap PPE work boots may have some safety features but quite often they lack other features that your feet would benefit from.

Believe it or not, footwear has an enormous influence on the way feet move. Your body uses natural methods to decrease the forces of impact and absorb shock in your lower limbs. This is why you should not look for the cheapest PPE work boots for the sake of your foot health.

Good news is that footwear is an easy fix. And with companies competing for sales, you should be able to find one at a reasonable price. When trying out work boots, there are 7 key features to look for in terms of comfort and support.  

Arch Support

You may have heard that people with a high arch, a low arch or flat feet require arch support. The truth is that people with normal arch still require arch support and not just those with foot conditions. The purpose of arch support is to prevent strain to tendons. This feature is essential if you carry heavy loads or do a lot of walking. 

Removable Insoles

PPE boots with removable insoles allow those with certain foot conditions to add orthotics to help optimise the fit and feel of the shoe.   

Stability

No doubt, an important feature to have to prevent an ankle injury that is often associated with a lack of stability. The best support is located in the back two-thirds of the boot.

Flexibility

You want flexibility at the toe joints which allows normal function of the foot while walking and standing. Nothing worse than having a shoe that prohibits the natural flex in your feet.

Traction

PPE work boots with limited rubber gripes are prone to slips, trips and falls. Your workplace health and safety officer may have repeated this message a thousand times before. Tread patterns are a key indicator of the effectiveness of grip. Look for an evenly distributed tread to ensure you get the most out of this feature.

Heel Counter

Heel fatigue happens when it is overworked. A strong heel counter prevents fatigue and secures the heel to prevent injuries from occurring. 

Cushioning

Some of the footwear-related injuries are due to the lack of cushioning. This feature is to help offset hard surfaces of the ground that comes from standing for long periods of time. 

Protecting your feet is made simple knowing these 7 key features that will help reduce foot pain and your risk of a foot-related injury at work.

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People love tangible devices which is why brochures are a convenient medium. They provide information for prospects to take home and study at their leisure. 

Brochures are a convenient medium. They provide information for prospects to take home and study at their leisure. 

There are different types of brochures and to know which one to use is to know where the brochure fits into the buying process.

When you think about it, most packaged goods are sold in a single step. Consider household items such as toothbrushes, deodorants and canned foods.

On the other hand, goods and services such as computers, cars, financial services and club memberships require several meetings between the organisation (seller) and prospect (buyer) before the sale is closed.   

The content of every brochure is unique; however, many of them share common characteristics. Below is a list of three categories:

Brochure About A Service

The introduction should outline the services offered, types of accounts handled and why the reader should consider your service.

Brochure About A Product

The introduction should cover a description of the product and why readers should consider your product.

Brochure About A Company

For businesses engaged in a corporate structure (parent company, divisions, departments, subsidiaries, branch offices). The introduction should cover the company history and philosophy.

To know where your brochure fits into the buying process, below is a list of five types to help you determine the right one for your business.

Leave Behind (Post-Meeting)

As the name suggests, this is the type of brochure that you leave behind after a meeting with a potential client. The contents should summarise your sales pitch with information on the product/service and its benefits.

Point-Of-Sale

If you have visited a travel agency or tour guide’s office, you will recall seeing a display of colourful brochures mounted on the wall or neatly placed on a desk. This type of brochure always contains an eye-catching headline and beautiful imagery.

Sales Support

Salespeople who visit prospects in their home or office often use this type of brochure as selling aids in their pitches. Contents include bold headlines, large images and subheadings to guide the reader through the pitch.

Query Responder

This is the brochure to use when a prospect requests more information on your product or service. This is different from sales support because the person requesting this information is interested in what you have to offer. Consider it a hot sales lead. This simply means that someone is likely to buy from you over someone who has not contacted you.

Direct Mail Supplement 

A direct mail is a type of medium in which businesses send letters, postcards, or other promotional materials to customers and prospects. Brochure contents should provide additional sales points, lists technical features and drawings of the product not covered within the sales letter. The size is slim and is specifically designed to fit in a standard mailing envelope.

In short, each brochure has a purpose in the sales process. Knowing the different types will help you determine the best fit for your business to maximise your selling potential. When in doubt, check with a copywriter.

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Source: The Copywriter’s Handbook by Robert W. Bly

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Casual sneakers are anything from canvas, pumps, boat, slip-on, high and low tops or anything ‘designer’.  

When it comes to weight training, you may have heard that squatting in flat-soled shoes gives you better glute and leg gains. The reason behind this approach is because the flat surface allows your foot to stabilize as you squat which enables you to push through your heels.

Flat soled shoes itself isn’t bad. It’s the material and structure of the shoe, and the purpose it is used. What gym goers should know is that wearing casual sneakers can increase your chances of foot-related injury during weight training or workouts that have multi-directional movements such as HIIT.

Weight lifting shoes are different. They have elevated heels to help with posture when lifting. A feature that casual sneakers don’t have.

Quite simply, casual sneakers do not have any arch, ankle, midsole support or cushioning that your feet need during training. Not to mention sneakers are made of very simple materials. When you consider the increased level of force going through your feet while training, it’s no wonder podiatrist are seeing an increase in footwear related injuries.

Quite simply, casual sneakers do not have any arch, ankle, midsole support or cushioning that your feet need during training

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Footwear with good arch support is designed to prevent injuries to tendons. This is especially important for people with flat feet, low or high arch.

Do you get sore calves, heels, ankle, achilles or shin splints after a HIIT session? That could be due to the lack of cushioning your feet are receiving. Multi-directional workouts require a good midsole. The midsole acts like shock absorbers which are a feature that sneakers lack.       

Another feature found in most sneakers is a narrow toe box. The toe box is where your toes rest. Friction occurs when your toes don’t have enough room for movement, therefore, you risk developing corns, calluses and bunions.

A callus It’s a build-up of hard skin, usually on the bottom of the foot caused by an uneven distribution of weight. Corn is a build-up of hard skin near a bony area of a toe or between toes.  A bunion (Hallux Valgus) is a type of foot deformity and it occurs when the bone at the bottom of the big toe moves out of place causing the big toe to point inward.

Those three conditions are normally treated in diabetics or the elderly; however, podiatrists are treating more patients wearing inappropriate footwear such as casual sneakers during physical activity.

When you wear ill-fitting shoes over time, you experience pain in other parts of your body such as lower limbs, hips and back. Long-term damage to your feet can mean the difference in living a pain-free quality of life or undergoing frequent rehabilitation. This is why it’s important to wear appropriate shoes to suit the type of physical activity you wish to perform. It’s the first and foremost advice that podiatrists will tell you.

If you are finding it hard to let go of your beloved sneakers, custom-made orthotics or over the counter insoles can be used to aid in the prevention of injuries. However, this alternative requires an assessment from a podiatrist.

In short, wearing casual sneakers during intense physical activity will increase your chances of a foot injury. Worse, it may affect your mobility in other parts of your body. When in doubt, book a footwear assessment with a podiatrist to have your feet and footwear checked.

Do you wear sneakers during weight training or at a HIIT session? How do your feet feel afterwards? Please leave a comment in the ‘Leave a reply’ text box below. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

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