Social Sparks: Build A Successful Social Media Business
Cate Scolnik
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Social Sparks, your go-to source for starting your own successful social media business.
I'm, Cate Scolnik and every Tuesday and Thursday I share bite-sized, no-fluff strategies you can action straight away! I’m a mum and social media strategist and I love cutting through the overwhelm so you can create a social media business simply and easily.
Want a roadmap to creating a social media business? Download my free e-book at https://catescolnik.com/socialsuccess/
Join me as I share simple strategies to ditch overwhelm and build your business in bite-sized, fluff-free episodes. And don’t forget to hit subscribe so you don’t miss any of my episodes, released every Tuesday and Thursday
Available episodes
Newest first
Oldest first
May 2, 2022
7 Rules to Create a Killer Newsletter
You’re often asked for extras, right? As a social media manager, you’ll often find people asking if you could write their blog or newsletter.
So, I want to be sure you know all the risks AND how to create a killer newsletter. Because newsletters are competing in an already crowded inbox.
They’re often optional reading for your audience, so they really have to WANT to open them and read them. Let’s face it, we’re all overloaded with emails and information as it is.
So here’s how to create a killer newsletter, for yourself or for clients.
*You don’t want to miss:*
* How To Create Compelling Content Your Audience Wants To Read
* How To Make People Open Your Newsletter, Even If They’re Overwhelmed With Content
* Why You Don’t Want To Ask People To “Follow Me On Facebook” Every Week
*Resources mentioned:*
Get A Copywriter. Full disclosure: this is an affiliate link – you don’t pay any more, but I get a small percentage and you also *get A$35 credit for your second order!*
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review. Thank you!
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Apr 27, 2022
Content Creation Hack #5: What To Post When You're Out Of Ideas
🤔 Does your mind draw a blank? 💭
When it comes to creating content, I mean. Do you stare at the blank page and think, "I have no idea ...?"
If so, you’re not alone and this episode is going to be a gamechanger.
The truth is that everyone has days where they need to create content and they have no ideas, inspiration or insights.
So how do we deal with that? I share my favourite go-to hacks for jolting myself into content creation mode, and how to cheat at content creation!
*You don’t want to miss:*
* The Key Places To Look For Inspiration
* Fabulous Video Creation Tools
* Three Alternatives to Canva
*Resources mentioned:*
Post Planner
Biteable
Wave Animation
Canva
Easil (great for hospitality, restaurants etc)
Vista Create (Previously called Crello )
Promo Republic
Promo
How to Create Charismatic Content (Episode 17 of Social Sparks)
Beautiful Business Launch: Your simple action plan to get your social media business up and running, beautifully! No overwhelm. No fluff. And no theory.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review. Thank you!
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Apr 25, 2022
Content Creation Hack #4: How Your Competitors Can Help Grow Your Brand
Crazy isn’t it?
The idea that your competition can help build your business, but it’s true. You just need to know how to use them right!
In this episode we go over the exact steps to take to identify and define your true competitors and how to spy on them to build your own business.
*You don’t want to miss:*
* How to Identify Your True Competitors (Because Most Business Get This Wrong)
* How to Know When A Business Has A Disengaged Audience
* The Exact Steps to Take To Analyse Any Business or Industry
* How to Use this Knowledge to Become a Marketing Maven
*Resources mentioned:*
Gruen Transfer
How to Create Charismatic Content (Episode 17 of Social Sparks)
Beautiful Business Launch: Your simple action plan to get your social media business up and running, beautifully! No overwhelm. No fluff. And no theory.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review. Thank you!
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Apr 20, 2022
Content Creation Hack #3: How Long Your Copy Really Needs To Be
There are rumours about this – maybe you’ve heard them?
The ones that tell you that your captions should be less than a 80 characters, or you should have short-form copy.
Yes, that works … but not with every industry and audience. The key is knowing when to use long-form copy and when to use short-form or medium-form copy.
As a content creator, you need to know what works for what industry and when to get your images to do the heavy lifting.
*You don’t want to miss:*
* The Two Different Types of Investment We Make When We Buy Anything
* Why Rumours About Keeping Character Count Down Are Wrong
* When to Get Images To Do The Heavy Lifting and When Longer Copy is Crucial
*Resources mentioned:*
How to Create Charismatic Content (Episode 17 of Social Sparks)
Beautiful Business Launch: Your simple action plan to get your social media business up and running, beautifully! No overwhelm. No fluff. And no theory.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review. Thank you!
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Apr 18, 2022
Content Creation Hack #2: How to Hack the Facebook Algorithm.
I'm sure you've heard the rumours.
How the Facebook algorithm is out to get business owners. How content reach is down and it's not worth posting.
But that's not true.
The fact is that the algorithm is out to HELP you – if you know how to use it right.
There’s one underlying thing that the algorithm aims to do, and if you have the same mission then you’re golden!
*You don’t want to miss:*
* How Top Gear Can Help You Hack the Facebook Algorithm
* Simple Strategies to Spy On Your Audience and Discover What They’re Thinking
* How to Boost Your Best Content on Facebook Organically
*Resources mentioned:*
Top Gear TV show
How to Create Charismatic Content (Episode 17 of Social Sparks)
Beautiful Business Launch: Your simple action plan to get your social media business up and running, beautifully! No overwhelm. No fluff. And no theory.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review. Thank you!
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Apr 13, 2022
Content Creation Hack #1: What to Post When Your Mind Draws a Blank
It’s OK. We all have days like that.
Days where we HAVE to create content but our mind is completely blank. And the harder we try, and more stressed we feel, the worse it gets.
One trick is to relax and know that you’ll come up with something. But, let’s face it, you need something more concrete than that, right?
That’s why I’m sharing one of my favourite content creation hacks today.
*You don’t want to miss:*
* How to Cheat at Content Creation
* How to Kick Your Mind Into Creation Mode
* Why This Content Creation Strategy Works So Well
*Resources mentioned:*
Canva
How to Create Charismatic Content (Episode 17 of Social Sparks)
Beautiful Business Launch: Your simple action plan to get your social media business up and running, beautifully! No overwhelm. No fluff. And no theory.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review. Thank you!
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Apr 11, 2022
How to Create Charismatic Content
Charisma is that certain indefinable something that makes people magnetic. Charismatic people draw people to them almost effortlessly.
But what is the recipe for charisma, and how can we use it to create irresistible content?
It turns out there is a simple formula for charisma. There are two key ingredients that blend together to create this magnetic quality we find irresistible.
Knowing this formula allows you to become more charismatic, but it also allows you to create content that draws people to your business like moths to a flame.
*You don’t want to miss:*
* The two key character traits that make up charisma (that anyone can learn and practice)
* How to use these traits to create content that draws people to us and helps the algorithm send people our way
* Examples of charismatic content and frameworks you can start using immediately
*Resources mentioned:*
Vanessa Van Edwards and the Science of People
Beautiful Business Launch: Your simple action plan to get your social media business up and running, beautifully! No overwhelm. No fluff. And no theory.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review. Thank you!
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Apr 6, 2022
How to Control Nerves in a Sales Conversation
Let's face it, selling services we're providing ourselves can feel a bit icky.
It's not you. It's a thing.
It's easy to feel nervous, or excited (or nervous-cited, which is a great word my daughter created!).
The problem is that these feelings can disrupt the sales process. It can make it harder to complete the sale successfully, because you're so nervous and excited.
I know, because I wrestle with this myself. That's why I'm sharing some of my secrets to controlling my nerves and winning customers!
*You don’t want to miss:*
* How to Use Your Body to Biohack Your Way To Feeling Calmer
* How Your Tone Can Keep You Calm and Convey Authority
* How Your Nerves Undermine Your Ability Get Customers
* It's Not What You Say But How You Say It
* How to Use Vocal Resonance To Stay Focused and In Control
*Links and resources:*
* What sort of Social Media Manager are you? Take my fun quiz to find out!
* For more free training and resources, join my Facebook group: Become a Social Media Manager
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review. Thank you!
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Apr 4, 2022
7 Steps to Bringing In Leads on LinkedIn
Looking for leads? That can be tough when you're starting out.
But, if you want an effective lead-generation system that doesn't cost anything but your time, LinkedIn is a great platform!
It can generate a tonne of business. If you know what you're doing.
That's why I'm sharing the exact process I used to generate 12 meetings each week with prospective business owners.
The process works - you just need to invest your time and energy and be authentic with your approach. Don't worry, I'm giving you all the details!
*You don’t want to miss:*
* How to Increase Your Connection Acceptance Rate
* How to Protect Your LinkedIn Account
* The Best Topic To Discuss with New Connections
* How to Use LinkedIn to Create Authentic Connections (nothing Spammy or Pushy!)
* How to Stand Out From The Crowd
*Links and resources:*
* What sort of Social Media Manager are you? Take my fun quiz to find out!
* For more free training and resources, join my Facebook group: Become a Social Media Manager
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review. Thank you!
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Mar 30, 2022
The Perfect Proposal Pitch
Pitching prospects is an art, but it can be easier than you think! There are a also a couple of little hacks that can make a HUGE difference, particularly if you're pitching organic social media services.
I sh
*You don’t want to miss:*
* The psychological hack that get's people to trust you
* Why creating sample content is better than having a portfolio
* How to start out from the crowd, charge more, and still get the gig
*Links and resources:*
* Grab my free ebook: How to Build a Successful Social Media Business to nail your pricing and get a recipe for client creation
* Join my Facebook group: Become a Social Media Manager for more free training and cheat sheets
* For more about me and what I do, check out my website.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review? Thanks!
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Mar 28, 2022
The Non Sleazy Sales Process
Does the idea of selling make your skin crawl?
You're not alone. It can be really difficult and uncomfortable, particularly when we're selling services.
Selling products is entirely different, but selling services that we provide ourselves can lead to self-doubt and feeling ... icky!
But here's the rub.
You have to have an effective sales strategy to have a successful business. I've learned a lot of pushing sales techniques and they don't work for me. They're like wearing someone else's shoes - they don't fit and they're uncomfortable!
You have to have an effective sales strategy to have a successful business. I've learned a lot of pushing sales techniques and they don't work for me. They're like wearing someone else's shoes - they don't fit and they're uncomfortable!
Now I have a simple, non-sleazy sales process that I'm going to share with you.
*You don’t want to miss:*
* Why you should never send another proposal
* Why a two-step sales process is easier to manage and l…
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Mar 23, 2022
Everything You Need to Know About Niching
You hear all around the place "The key to success is niching" and "You totally *have *to niche" or even "No, you shouldn't niche".
So what's the deal when it comes to niching? I give you all the information you need to work out whether you need to niche ... yet!
*You don’t want to miss:*
* Why You Don't Need A Niche When You Start Out And What To Do Instead
* The Pros and Cons of Having A Niche
* How Niching Can Help You Scale When Your Business Grows
*Links and resources:*
* For more about me and what I do, check out my website.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review? Thanks!
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Mar 21, 2022
What Is The ROI On Organic Social Media?
Organic social media is unpaid. That is, social media marketing without paying for advertising. So it's hard to measure the return on investment.
With paid advertising, we get a lot of data. We know how much we invested, how many people saw the ads and how many took action. Organic social media is harder to measure, but there is a return!
*You don’t want to miss:*
* Why Asking Customers "How Did You Hear About Us" Is A Waste Of Time
* How Social Media Marketing Captures Customers And The Cost Of Not Posting
* The Key To Creating Killer Social Posts (Spoiler: It's Not Gorgeous Graphics!)
*Links and resources:*
* For more about me and what I do, check out my website.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review? Thanks!
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Mar 16, 2022
How To Compete With Cheaper Priced Services
We see cheaper social media services all the time. There are several that offer daily posts for $99 a month.
How do you compete with that without working yourself into the ground?
*You don’t want to miss:*
* How To Compete On Value Instead Of Price
* The Real Cost Of Cheap Social Media Services
* Why Cheap Services Do Not Have Loyal Customers
*Links and resources:*
* Download my free ebook: How to Build a Successful Social Media Business
* Join my Facebook group: Become a Social Media Manager
* For more about me and what I do, check out my website.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review? Thanks!
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Mar 14, 2022
How To Price Your Services
How do you price your services? It's tempting to look around at what everyone is else doing and create similar pricing to other people. But look at enough people and you'll see there isn't any rhyme or reason behind pricing.
The truth is that pricing is all a mindset game, and you do not want to compete on price!
*You don’t want to miss:*
* Why You Should Never Compete On Price (Who Wants To Be The Cheapest Social Media Manager, Anyway?)
* How You Can Get People To Pay You To Learn
* Why You Don't Need To Be A Bigger Expert To Charge More
* How Understanding Your Own Problems Can Be The Solution To What To Charge
*Links and resources:*
* Join my Facebook group: Become a Social Media Manager to get cheat sheets, training and resources
* For more about me and what I do, check out my website.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a revi…
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Mar 9, 2022
How to Get Killer Testimonials
Testimonials are a powerful asset to your business, and can help make it easier for new people to work with you.
But how do you get great testimonials without grovelling? Steal my strategy for getting killer testimonials!
This process makes it easy for you and your clients.
*You don’t want to miss:*
* How Asking For Feedback Can Be The Best Way To Get Testimonials
* My Favourite Questions To Ask For Feedback
* The Ethical But Easy Way To Write Your Own Testimonials
*Links and resources:*
* Join my Facebook group: Become a Social Media Manager
* For more about me and what I do, check out my website.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review? Thanks!
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Mar 7, 2022
Why You Should Never Offer Services For Free and What to Do Instead
It's tempting to offer your services for free when you're starting out, but it leads to disappointment. We do this because we're not confident in ourselves and because we hope it will lead to paying customers.
The problem is that offering services for free rarely results in landing a paying client and often ends up with people taking advantage of you. But there are ways to negotiate a reduced rate and a great deal for you!
*You don’t want to miss:*
* Why Offering Services For Free Never Leads to Paying Clients
* Two Alternatives to Offering Services for Free
* How to Negotiate Reduced Rates So You Both Win
*Links and resources:*
* Download my free ebook: How to Build a Successful Social Media Business
* Join my Facebook group: Become a Social Media Manager
* For more about me and what I do, check out my website.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave…
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Mar 2, 2022
5 Things More Important than Being a Social Media Expert When You Start Your Biz
Believe it or not, there are a LOT of things more important than being a social media "expert" when you start your business.
*You don’t want to miss:*
* Why More Knowledge Doesn't Grow Your Business
* Why You Should Get Clients Before Learning Anything New
* How To Discover Your Superpowers (Everyone Has Them!)
* Why Your Values are Critical To Your Success
* How I Take Care of My Mental Health And Stay Resilient
*Links and resources:*
* Join my Facebook group: Become a Social Media Manager
* For more about me and what I do, check out my website.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review? Thanks!
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Feb 28, 2022
How to Deal with Disasters
Sooner or later you're going to make a mistake or have a "disaster" in business. It's OK. You're human. We make mistakes. The important thing is how you deal with it. In this episode, I share two disasters that I've faced and how I dealt with them so you can learn what works.
*You don’t want to miss:*
* The day I lost every single post I'd ever sent out - for anyone - for over 18 months
* What I did when I accidentally overspent on someone else's ad account
* PLUS, my philosophy and approach to dealing with mistakes, mishaps and disasters.
*Links and resources:*
* Download my free ebook: How to Build a Successful Social Media Business
* Join my Facebook group: Become a Social Media Manager
* For more about me and what I do, check out my website.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review? Thanks!
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Feb 23, 2022
The Best Way to Find Clients for your SM Business When You're Just Starting Out
You don't have a business unless you have clients, but where do you find them when you're starting from scratch? In this episode, I share the best way to find clients and grow your business at the same time. It's simple, low cost and effective
*You don’t want to miss:*
* How to find other business owners who will send you clients
* What sort of business owners you need to look out for
* PLUS, the script you can use to tell people what you do
*Links and resources:*
* Download my free ebook: How to Build a Successful Social Media Business
* Join my Facebook group: Become a Social Media Manager
* For more about me and what I do, check out my website.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review? Thanks!
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Feb 21, 2022
5 Places to Find Social Media Freelance Gigs That Pay Better Than Fiverr
Where do you find clients when you're starting out? It's tempting to go to Fiverr, but there are places that pay better than that. In this episode, we dive into five places to find social media gigs that pay better than Fiverr, including where I found my first client.
*Links and resources:*
* We Work Remotely * *The largest remote work community in the world. With over 2.5M monthly visitors, WWR is the #1 destination to find and list incredible remote jobs.
* CloudPeeps CloudPeeps is a community, marketplace and platform that empowers freelancers and businesses to do their best work. I got one of my first gigs here!
* Rachel’s List Australia’s leading freelance jobs board for media, digital, PR and comms
* Facebook groups such as AussieSocialMediaJobs Search for groups in your area, or go global!
* Facebook group: Become a Social Media Manager. The Guides section of my group has a downloadable PDF of places to find social media work, and a list of Facebook groups with s…
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Feb 18, 2022
The Three C's of Starting a Social Media Business and How I Wrestled With Failure
Imposter Syndrome is real and can be crippling! In this episode, we’re looking at the three C's you need to survive and thrive in business. I also share how I wrestled with failure when I was starting out, and what I put in place to help prevent me from getting sucked into that vortex of "I'm just not good enough".
*You don’t want to miss:*
* The three C's you need to succeed in business!
* How I found myself wrestling with imposter syndrome
* Things to put in place to keep yourself positive and resilient, even on those rough days
*Links and resources:*
* Download my free ebook: How to Build a Successful Social Media Business
* Join my Facebook group: Become a Social Media Manager
* For more about me and what I do, check out my website.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review? Thanks!
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Feb 17, 2022
5 Things You Need Before A Website When Starting a SM Biz.
Starting your own social media business is amazing - when done properly. And, a huge part of starting professionally is getting your foundations in place. In this episode, we’re looking at five things you need to have in place before you start wrestling with creating a website, as well as how to protect yourself in business.
*You don’t want to miss:*
* The experts you need when you're starting out
* How to protect yourself and your business
* PLUS, the three C's of starting your business!
*Links and resources:*
* Download my free ebook: How to Build a Successful Social Media Business
* Join my Facebook group: Become a Social Media Manager
* For more about me and what I do, check out my website.
Make sure you hit SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss out on any of my content marketing lessons, coming up soon.
And, if you enjoyed this episode, please leave me a rating and a review? Thanks!
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