Crealanta Magazine

Imagine Color 2023 Color 2023 Head of the Table

Nov 19, 2023

The Think In Color 2023 conference has been declared a success! We're thrilled and grateful for the opportunity to listen to our panel of incredible women as well as BIPOC makers and pioneers in their field. We'd like to think that, at the close of the program that you've been inspired by the experiences of our panelists and gained insight into how you can build an effective community of virtual friends and expand your offerings of services and grow your business to expand its reach among others.

While many subjects were discussed in the forum, we've made every effort to highlight the most memorable moments to the attention of. Find out the key points we took away from the various speakers.

Skip ahead:

Creating Cozy & Collaborative Virtual Communities

Cicely Blain is a anti-racism specialist and Founder Bakau Consulting. Bakau Consulting

The description of the session is that while remote working existed before the outbreak of COVID-19 however, it was the COVID-19 outbreak that accelerated the need for companies to move to a digital environment. As a result, those who want to keep close relationships with their clients have decided to create teams comprised of like people to be an asset to each other. It's not easy to create a group with the same level of intimacy as a true one.

In this talk, Cicely Blain shares their process of building their own virtual community, known as Living Room. The group discussed the method that they've used to create an inviting and welcoming atmosphere inside a virtual setting by establishing secure and inclusive communities and using online tools to meet the needs of their members.

     The primary takeaways    

     HTML0 Be aware of who your target audience is and what they're searching to find.    

Prior to the launch of Living Room, Cicely had to decide on who they wanted to create the digital space to. Because their work is rooted in anti-racism, anti-oppression as well as the fight against oppression, Cicely was aware that this audience will be primarily those who are DEI professionals or consultants. Additionally, they include HR professionals doing similar work.

Then, Cicely had to figure out exactly what the people wants to hear from them.

HTML0 "I examined what the people are anticipating, particularly during these times of great uncertainty where so many variables are shifting and being influenced by various means?

     They're looking for an atmosphere of community, of solidarity, and connectivity when there's a sense of. Additionally, they're seeking ways to be connected and learn."

Make your content an audience-friendly site.

One of the most efficient ways to attract people to join your community online is to offer them something they can relate to. For Cicely the item that was relatable was their living room. They hoped to create exactly the same warm and welcoming feeling that their home provided to their residents.

     "I was thinking "What are the things I'd like for people to feel as they enter the space? I thought, well I would like that they experience exactly what they will feel when entering an environment that is cozy and welcoming. I would like them to be relaxed, happy, supported, connected, and seen."

Cicely integrates this spirit into the community via:

  • The start of each virtual conference begins with a 10 minute reflection. This is a short question displayed on screen which assists participants in reflecting about their actions.
  • A soft, R&B-inspired playlist to help callers relax and ease into their conversation.
  • When you speak it's as if you're enjoying conversations with the people you love most. If they're recording their online course, Cicely could be working on their makeup, or even making espresso in the kitchen.

Give a wide range of choices for members of the community to get the information they need

Although the people who make up the online community are most likely to have common desires, they may have different needs strength, weaknesses, and needs. For your company, you'll need to find different methods in that you are competent to meet the demands of the members of your community, regardless of their individual differences.

Together with Living Room, Cicely met the demands of its community by:

  • The company offers a variety of ways to engage (e.g. chat forums, live-streamed discussions or online courses that are comprehensive and more. );
  • The definition of community's principles and values;
  • The dress code allows people to wear their authentic selves;
  • Removing unnecessary stressors for example, the time limit and agendas for meetings.
  • Be aware of accessibility issues (e.g. impairments and neurodivergence), etc.

Funds in the Funnel What to Do To Maximize Revenues Using the most efficient funnel, which aims on the your customers.

Ellie Diop, Content and Finance Coach at Ellievated Academy

Description of the session For you to create an effective company, there must be customers who would purchase or profit from the services you offer. Most businesses fall into the trap of putting out content they think the customer might need, and not exactly what the customers need in reality. In this talk, Ellie explains how you will grow your business and increase revenue by creating a successful sales funnel that entices your ideal customers and caters to their needs and wants.

     Key takeaways:    

     Each and every piece of content performs a vital function to perform.    

The process of creating a funnel that is targeted towards your customers could be described as making an emotional connection to your customers. One way for achieving this is by creating content that is educational and useful, as well as valuable for clients. A funnel created to be customer-focused has five steps:

  • Awareness
  • Discovery
  • Then there is the consideration
  • Conversion
  • Retention and Relationship

Concerning the necessity of creating the material Ellie states, "Every piece of content that you create will be a crucial part of your team's selling. What you wrote in the past three months are doing the work of moving people through the funnel... Be consistent in your presentation and with the same style and format creates a consistent and consistent style that users can comprehend and help them navigate this funnel."

Your brand's definition

If you're not aware that the products or services you offer are catering to people, no one will make a purchase or use your services. When you design an online funnel, you must define the goals of your company and its purpose beginning with your appropriate client. You can ask your self:

  • Who do I serve?
  • What could I do to help them in resolving the issues they face?
  • What should I accomplish?

These are the fundamental foundation of any business decision you make. Ellie provides a simple model that can be used to help [your target customers] achieve your"YOUR" goal by offering a product or service.

In her report on developing her business Ellie states, "For me, that could be "I help women build businesses that succeed by aiding businesses in their financial and strategy skills '... for long. time. I even had the info written on a notepad at the corner. After I had took the decision to film a video, I remembered my subject matter. about. "

     Create your Social Media following    

Social media is one of the most efficient digital channels for establishing the image of your brand and generating prospects for your business. These results indicate that a lot of users visit the Instagram page of your company's Instagram profile (or your other social media sites) before they visit your website.

Thus, you must spend the time (and perhaps even money) in the material that you share on social media in order to make it more popular. The best way to accomplish this are to:

  • Engaging, informative and engaging sharing content and videos (especially videos)
  • Advertising that is paid
  • Work with influencers who share the same target market as you

Lead magnets are a great way to expand your database of email addresses

In the case of creating videos and videos, the goal must be to get the highest quantity of those who aren't active on social media to your list of subscribers. The moment people join your subscribers list, it emails, it gives them the opportunity to make a direct connection to them directly. It's much more beneficial rather than merely hoping that users stumble across your videos and content when browsing Instagram or X (formerly Twitter). These lead magnets could prove helpful.

In the ideal scenario, using lead magnets, you're making a transfer of value that allows you to acquire contacts of individuals (usually their email addresses and address). You can also ask for other services as well. At the start of the firm, Ellie provided free, one-on-one training to individuals to review her services. The classes were used to acquire the first group of customers.

     "You've to think about what I'm able to offer in terms of high-quality free services that will get people excited?' Consider that as your main motivation. My company recently introduced a different method of operation where instead of leading the user directly into a particular product the user is directed to sign-up for a special offer with a masterclass no cost. After that, we offer it in the final stage. The results we have had are amazing."

     The process of keeping existing customers far easier than finding new customers.    

With each new lead you receive each lead you are given, you will need go through the procedure in order to lead them through your sales funnel. This is harder than getting your customer to purchase from you over and over again. So, it is important to stay focused on keeping your client at the same level or, at a minimum, higher than just a purchase.

To keep your customers coming back to you For you to keep them coming back, here are some tips to follow:

  • Provide high-end customer service
  • Use surveys from your customers to collect the feedback of your customers.
  • Collect testimonials from customers who were pleased (offer incentives programs, if it's feasible)
  • Create a second offer that can fill in the market gap

The moment she thought of the idea, Ellie says, "I made my first credit for business course for only 15 dollars. While I was there, I started receiving comments from my clients about what they would prefer to have following. So I came up with my own idea for the Business Credit revamped. In the end, I designed the Business Credit masterclass, and following that, the entire bundle. The results showed that the majority of people who bought the first bundle also purchased the next one to complete the missing parts. They then purchased the third version because they were growing in their knowledge, and needed more."

The Growth of Both B2C as well as B2B businesses to create a variety of streams of revenue

Jessica Chen, the Global Chief Executive Officer, and Communication Expert for Soulcast Media

The talk's description: Businesses generally speaking generally have three major revenue and sales determinants which comprise the goods or services they offer as well as the content they use to describe their products or services and the channels by the channels through which they distribute their content. In this talk, Jessica discusses the power of LinkedIn for helping companies reach out to clients (B2C) as well as other companies (B2B) and how your content could be appealing for both groups, and also how to expand the range of products and services that you provide in order to meet all the demands of both types of customers.

     LinkedIn is a great way to share content and boost your profile    

While many professionals and entrepreneurs are on LinkedIn, they don't consider it a platform where you have the ability to expand your reach and to share your content. The majority of them view LinkedIn as an instrument to enhance resumes, discover job opportunities, and interact with their friends and colleagues.

In the real world, LinkedIn is a social media platform that is similar to Instagram and X (formerly Twitter), which is what it should be viewed the same as. There is only one difference in the type of information you post.

Regarding the popularity of LinkedIn, Jessica says, "The attraction of LinkedIn is the fact that you're aiming at a particular segment of users who have an attitude that is committed to their personal growth as well as the desire to improve their skills. "

Jessica will also discuss her journey to becoming a journalist in the year 2018 to getting certified as a Top Voice as well as an LinkedIn instructor in just five years. The reason she attributes it is due to the fact that she has been consistent with her use of LinkedIn, and connecting with various audiences which can be benefited of her experience to assist users enhance their communications skills.

Make your message appropriate for B2C as well as B2B users.

The majority of business owners believe that they only get noticed by presenting their information towards consumers on a particular basis. This isn't the case.

The strength of LinkedIn is that it permits users to alter their content to be more appealing to B2B and B2C audience. The content you offer is not required to be altered, but altering the language used to define your business could increase exposure and make it easier to attract people and businesses.

"I found that when trying to convey my message with my B2C clients, I like to use words such as 'you' or "'you'. Have you thought of it? ...?'" Says Jessica. "My method of communicating is simple, which means that those who read the material feels as if it's their own personal.

     "[With B2B audiences Instead of using the words "you" as well as "your" I'm structuring my presentations using terms like "the team" as well as 'the business'. It's more positive and less personal."

     Create a reputation as a thought-leader in order to attract to B2B buyers.    

As opposed to individuals that require quality products, B2B customers want to be sure they're buying at the best quality. In order to attract the attention of B2B customers, you must be able to present yourself as an expert or thought-leader in your field regardless of whether or not your products are primarily aimed toward B2C customers.

If, for instance, you're a photographer, you can offer courses and create photography to your target audience of B2C. To gain B2B customers, you might publish thought-provoking content about working in the arts or the steps to create your own business that is successful by becoming a professional artist. Additionally, if you're giving one-on-one training sessions that show individuals how to become more efficient and productive then you could be able to attract B2B customers through publishing articles about increasing productivity in the workplace.

Thus, you can go in the direction of offering B2C things like online courses or one-on-one courses to providing occasions for events, speaking opportunities and even the occasional event.

Personal branding using video

XayLi Barclay is a specialist as also a Visual Content Coach using Start Shoot Develop

Event description conference's title is your company's might leave you feeling invisible, particularly if you're selling in an extremely crowded market or a crowded industry. You can however overcome this issue by creating your brand's image with video that is shorter TikTok videos, Instagram Reels, or longer-form YouTube videos. In this video, XayLi explains how you might use video content to market your online course, improve sales and establish the image of your business to clients.

It's easy for you to start.

If this is the first video or even your first livestream, don't expect every aspect has to be flawless. You can start by using footage you have. Beginning, people are willing to overlook your low quality footage or editing mistakes because they are aware that as time passes the quality will improve.

XayLi herself started by making use of a laptop, a simple white backdrop, as well as the ring light taken from an old mill.

"This is where was where I started my journey even after being approached by one of their experts" she states. "I didn't wait till I had arrived at the newsroom in my first lecture to be able to share with students. I used the equipment I owned because I was aware that my objectives for teaching did not revolve around how beautiful the equipment could look.

Presently, I'm using a built-in studio in my home. However, it is where I first started in the past few years. "

More resources will be accessible as you progress

As you gain more attention through videos and you begin to earn revenues, you should increase your collection and upgrade your equipment for video. You can, for instance, purchase a better quality camera or webcam, as well as tripod stands (worth around $500-$1,000) and a green-colored screen as well as E-Camm Live and a teleprompter application in conjunction with the Adobe Premiere subscription for editing.

In a discussion of upgrades for sets and equipment, the XayLi writes, "[At this stage] you can have multiple camera angles and more. It's time to start investing in these items because you're earning money. We all believe you must be attractive to get rich. No. You have to go into the market and you'll get cash."

If you're making enough money then you can begin outsourcing the recording of the videos, editing and distribution to freelancers, or even your own in-house team.

     Be attentive to just one item at a time    

It's the common belief that you must take each measure necessary to build your business. It is essential to post on every channel, be informed of the latest developments and discuss a wide range of issues. It's not always the case. Concentrate on one thing at a time as you create your own personal brand. Not only does this prevent the possibility of becoming overloaded and wasting your time, but it helps the viewer know what to expect each when you create videos.

Based on XayLi's "Rule of 5 Ones" These are the five aspects to be focused on when choosing the most effective digital plan of action:

  • A single item or service
  • One possible market
  • One Lead Conversion Tool
  • One of the major source of traffic
  • The main goal of a the business

Memberships The Good, the Bad and the Ugly The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

Teri Ijeoma who was the founder of Trade & Travel

Summary of session: If implemented correctly, memberships are an effective way for businesses to strengthen their relationships with their customers in addition to generating additional revenue. Teri Ijeoma was the creator of the membership system she developed to help with Trade & Travel and she is currently enrolled in more than 35,000 students taking part in her courses in addition to more than 185,000 people in her email list. In this lecture, Teri shares the benefits of creating a membership program and explains the ways organizations can create and apply to create members in a manner that is productive.

HTML0 Find out when you're ready to shift from a group which is not paid to one that is

If you're not a well-known business, you'll have to join the program that you'd like to join that offers value for money. Teri created her own with an unpaid Facebook group. However, when you begin to build your social network, it's important be aware of when you'll need to change from a community that is free to a membership-based model.

There are a few indicators to be aware of before making a pivot:

  • The company you're working with is growing, yet the members pay only once to avail your services instead of having to pay for any extra benefits that the company provides, e.g. year-long customer support, etc.
  • The members of the group form independent gatherings, called sub-groups. This can be a challenge for the administration of the group.
  • The group is hiring moderators and coaches who provide coaching services for members. The group is there is no additional revenue from the members.

The membership program is an individual service

Many companies who offer online courses also offer members' plans to add incentive to their classes. While a membership program is a great option to increase the effectiveness of your courses, however it must be considered a whole service, not just a marketing gimmick.

As she discusses Teri's Trade & Travel membership, Teri admits "In my early days I thought that this membership was an opportunity to advance my studies. It's not an actual fact. the membership is a product completely on its own. It needs to be backed by its own staff as well as promotions and marketing plans... You should be aware of it as a product that is an item in and of itself."

Make sure you are aware of the amount you'll pay.

If you're switching from a group that is free into a membership model examine your revenue targets and set your price as per the final objective. In this point, it's easy to decide on that your price is lower in order to attract new customers. If you're sure that your membership plan provides value, do not feel shy about requesting an additional fee for your program.

For example, if your goal is to make 10,000 dollars each month, it's better to have 500 people paying $200 a month, rather than 1000 people to be paying $100 per month. In reality, the more costly the fee is, the less people sign up for it. This also means you'll reach your goal of revenue quicker, and also having a better control over your programme.

Discussion Panel Discussion Discussion of The Head of Table

Diandra Marizet (Host) Co-founder, Executive Director and co-founder of Intersectional Environmentalist

Description of the event The panel discussion will feature four panelists Cicely, Ellie, Jessica and XayLi discussing their views about the importance of diversification and inclusion in the corporate world along with the issues females and BIPOC business owners confront as they transition into the market of creation and how they can assess their work ethically in the capitalist system.

Here are a few of the most heart-breaking questions and answers to these queries and their answers.

     Women of color who run businesses have reached financial stability for first time. What new challenges, issues and possibilities do their future be?

Ellie Diop: Just like the traumas of poverty and wealth, there's a financial trauma as well. If you're one of the very few family members who have an online store or have a 7-figure business There aren't many instances that could be followed. The stigma persists when discussing the subject of money, particularly for those who are in the minority group and earning more than what most people can imagine during their lifetime.

In the example above when I earned the money I had earned and was ecstatic to get out of the home my mom lived in. I was not ready to make the investment of money because I was not sure of what would do if it went away. Additionally, I was worried about having of telling my family members as I was afraid that they would think differently regarding my personality.

What I'd love to be at a point to see more often is collaboration places like these, that could help remove the negative stigma and say "Hey is this happening? If you're struggling to earn cash and decide what to spend the money you earn Don't be shy to discuss your concerns". This is the main reason why we are blessed with people who earn a lot of money, but return to their roots.

     In many workplaces where there is a need to work together, switch codes or keep the silence, or even to put certain parts of us aside. Sometimes, it is difficult to think that we're part of the notion of professionalism. What has that experience taught you about the way you interact with your community? What do you think of using that knowledge to your work that you do as a DEI professional?

Cicely Blain Cicely Blain: in the same world that we grew up in, and when you see the same types of characters in media, TV and social media, as well as how certain web creators gain traction as others are snubbed, you begin to think that you must behave similar when it comes to your words and actions.

Being placed in a position that you are recognized for the person you are by colleagues and bosses (even regardless of the fact that they may not share the same experience as you do) can truly be an inspiring experience. Even though there's an increasing number of individuals who are representing you, and different opportunities to be had but there's a largely inexplicably imposed standard of what a person must do. It's not uncommon to accept the rules (even in the event that they cannot be accurate) that can prevent us from reaching our goals.

As an example, on TikTok, many people don't seem clean-shaven and neat all the time. While it's nice I think this opportunity is for those who are more discerning of their peers, as well as their appearance.

     When do you decide that the path you're on doesn't coincide with the direction that you're able to go and what your real desire is, and you decide to plunge full-time into business?    

Jessica Chen: All of us reach the point where we realize the goal we set out to accomplish has been realized and we're willing to tackle fresh opportunities. Personally, I worked in a fantastic job that I enjoyed but after 10 years of work I realized that there were more opportunities readily available. I've always been the kind of person with the capacity to create my own style. Then I began to think about ways to transfer the wisdom I've learned to people in my life.

My first attempt as a journalist, which may be viewed as an "proper" profession in which you aren't able to express your thoughts, and you aren't able to speak your mind when you're reporting on the experience of others. It was a jarring transition to begin creating my own voice and style in addition to exhibiting my personal design. It was certainly a journey of learning steeple.

     What is the best way to price the products and services you supply to attract people that share the same interests and eager to learn lessons from you and recognize the value in the products or services that you provide?

XayLi Barclay says: Many times, we try to keep costs low, but we create a difficult situation for investors to invest - this is an injustice to investors. You may think that you'll get a large number of clients in the event that you are selling for a bargain, but it's actually being overrun by those who don't have the confidence to make a decision.

I engaged a coach for my company to figure out what I should be earning, and then I figured out my pricing based on to the quantity. There are many creators who offer courses for $7, and get six figures from the course, however they're not the only ones making that much. If you're not a seasoned creator, you must be aware of the purposes your business has in its world so that you can be positioned to promote your course to a degree that's appropriate.

If I provide 5 online classes at a cost of $1,000 per class, I'll be earning about $5,000. It's not like providing 500 courses at $10 for each class. Take it as a case study. It's exactly what I went through.

Check out the Sessions from Think In Color 2023 on-demand

This is the top takeaways we learned from the event that lasted 3 hours for both veterans entrepreneurs and those who are just beginning to break into the economy. It is our pleasure to invite you to dive more deeply into any of the topics that piqued your curiosity.

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