How Often Should I Share to Social Media?

Have you ever had a jingle stuck in your head? Or perhaps you’re familiar with a slogan that you could start reciting and 90% of people could finish?

How do so many major brands manage to get their message stuck in our heads? You may have noticed, consciously or not, that their commercials play constantly on your TV, computer and other media to the point that you’ve probably memorized the ad!

One way you continually get your name out there should be through posting on social media.

But how often should you be posting? Where do we strike the balance between memorable and obnoxious? What is the optimal frequency for posting to social media?

Dan Wilkerson of LunaMetrics put it this way… “To ‘know’ the BEST is an impossibility. You can only predict and measure.”

That may not be a super clear cut answer, but as Dan explains in his article, there is no end-all be-all magical set of numbers that will have our social media platforms loaded with likes, followers, and re-tweets. We must predict, then measure the results and make adjustments.

Without research-backed data, predicting is about as effective as guessing. And guessing isn’t too far off of what most agents end up doing, but we don’t want you to be like most agents.

Below, you’ll find a summary for each major social media network covering the ideal posting frequency – based on actual studies by social media experts.

FACEBOOK
Posting Strategy:
Facebook is a low volume/high value network. Don’t post too frequently, and make sure what you do post is of high quality.

A HubSpot report indicated you should post one or fewer times per day if you have less than 10,000 followers. They found a decrease in engagement as smaller brands posted more often.

Recommended Frequency:
1 post per day.
Best times: Sat/Sun and Thurs/Fri at 9am, 1pm, and 3pm.

INSTAGRAM
Posting Strategy:

Instagram is a low volume/high value network for feed posts and high-volume/low value for stories. You can share more in the stories format because of the way stories disappear after 24 hours.

There aren’t many studies about the ideal Instagram post frequency, but a recent Digg article claims 3 stories each day should be your target.

Recommended Frequency:
1 to 2 posts per day.
3 stories per day
Best times: Mon & Thurs at 8-9am, 5pm, & 2am.

TWITTER
Posting Strategy:
Twitter is a high volume/low value network. You can share more here because of the fast pace conversations happening.

Social Bakers released a report on Twitter with a random sampling of 11,000 tweets from major brands. The report concluded that three tweets per day is the point where brands see the most engagement.

Recommended Frequency:
3 tweets per day.
Best times: Wed at 12pm, 3pm, 5pm, & 6pm.

LINKEDIN
Posting Strategy:
LinkedIn is a low volume/high value network. The best guideline for LinkedIn sharing comes from the site itself, which published a marketing report claiming 20 posts per month allows you to reach 60 percent of your audience.

Recommended Frequency:
1 post per day
Best times: Tues, Wed, & Thurs at 7-8am, 12pm, and 5-6pm.

PINTEREST
Posting Strategy:
Pinterest is a high volume/low value network. A report from Piqora found many well known brands were pinning 3 – 10 times per day.

Recommended Frequency:
3+ pins per day.
Best times: Sat & Sun at 2pm, 9pm, & 2am.

Bottom Line
We hope this article can act as a guide to finding the right frequency for posting to the various social media sites listed, the important thing to remember is that there are no hard and fast rules. You must be willing to measure and adjust as needed.

Tips To Give You Clients Extraordinary Care And Retain Them

Occasionally I encounter a level of service that isn’t good, or great, or excellent. It’s extraordinary, brilliant, and incomparable. And that’s the kind of service I want to talk about today.

So what are the ten secrets to extraordinary client care? Here’s my list:

• Identify what the people keeping you in business want from you. Not what you think they want or hope they want, but what they do want. Don’t know? Ask!

• Realize that customers aren’t just purchasing products or services. They’re buying solutions and experiences. Many (if not most!) customer needs are emotional, not logical.

• Look way down the road. When you drive a car, you aren’t simply focused on the ten feet in front of you. Instead, you are looking at what’s directly in front of you, what’s ahead in the distance and what’s in the rear-view mirror. Using extended vision in this way will allow you to anticipate client needs, which is part of delivering extraordinary service.

• Treat clients in such a way that they feel valued. Don’t take them for granted and say “thank you” on a regular basis.

• Utilize the power of “yes.” If a client has a special request, and there’s a way to make it happen for a client, agree to do it (provided, of course, that you’re not breaking any laws or regulations). You can always figure out the mechanics of delivery later. Always give more than expected– not only does it feel good, it will differentiate you from your competitors.

• Make doing business with you easy. The more barriers, the fewer clients.

• Ensure your clients understand the machinery behind the way you work. Explain the processes, and the reasons behind your actions, so your clients understand “the way things work” and their role in the process.

• Learn good conflict resolution skills. If there is conflict, be a good listener. Are you paying attention to body language, the tone of voice, and the underlying emotions of an upset customer or are you simply “hearing” their words? Unhappy customers are usually locked in emotion, not logic.

• Make it easy for clients to complain. Value their complaints. And learn how to apologize sincerely if you have made a mistake or dropped the ball on something you promised. Then take action to make things right.

• Ask for feedback, and learn from it.

Muskegon Hopes To Draw Large Crowds This summer

Muskegon County's tourism and marketing goals remain similar to those of the statewide Pure Michigan campaign.

Like their partners at Travel Michigan, staff at the Muskegon County Convention and Visitors Bureau are working to bring guests to the state by changing outdated or inaccurate perceptions, creating more things for people to do and highlighting the region's abundant natural beauty.

"The power of the Pure Michigan brand really can't be underestimated," said Muskegon County Development Director Bob Lukens. "It's one of the most powerful brands in America, so, as a convention bureau here in Muskegon, we work with Pure Michigan to tap into the power of the brand."

Lukens expanded on several of the county's strategies in front of a full house at the Holiday Inn Muskegon Harbor on Friday, March 25. Here are a few highlights:

Partnerships

The Muskegon CVB partners with Pure Michigan in a variety of ways, most notably through its winter and summer marketing campaigns. Two of Muskegon County's top attractions, Michigan's Adventure and the Muskegon Winter Sports Complex, are prominently featured in the campaigns that focus mainly on Chicago and Ohio.

"We're finding more visitors are coming from Ohio market," Lukens said

Muskegon also has a partnership with Michigan's Beachtowns, a cooperative effort by West Michigan cities to draw people to the area. St. Joseph-Benton Harbor, South Haven, Saugatuck-Douglas, Holland, Grand Haven and Silver Lake Sand Dunes-Hart are all involved.

Muskegon County advertisements of the color tours and luge track are also featured in Pure Michigan's, fall and winter travel guides, respectively.

New website

Like Travel Michigan, staff at the Muskegon CVB is working to unveil a new and improved website in hopes that it will encourage prospective visitors to further explore the area's amenities.

"We want to make it a more responsive site and to highlight our partners more," Lukens said, "We want to keep them (visitors) on our website for a longer period of time."

But what about the statewide website?

The Muskegon County page is the 15th most visited on www.Michigan.org.

"Of course we would like to raise that number but we have a lot of competition in this state," Lukens said. "There are many destinations and many destinations, even in our own state, that people haven't discovered yet."

Focus on sports

Semipro teams like the Muskegon Lumberjacks, Risers, Mustangs, Lake Hawks and Ironmen have increased the sports profile of Muskegon County. The CVB recently hired a sports sales person to make Muskegon more of a focus as a sports and entertainment destination.

"You will see a lot more sports marketing in the future," Lukens said.

Looking forward

Here are a few of the Muskegon County CVB's initiatives for 2016:

Focus aggressively on sales outreach

Optimize ad buys and continue Travel Michigan ad partnerships

Increase local partnerships.

Increase earned media opportunities.

Build group tour awareness of Michigan's Heritage Park.

Continue event and festival promotion.

Promote retail tourism development.

Accommodation tax collection revenues

Muskegon County has been trending upward in accommodation tax collection revenues for the last seven years thanks in large part to higher occupancy rates and increased daily rates.

2009 - $748,881

2010 - $845,152

2011 - $852,637

2012 - $920,332

2013 - $939,153

2014 - $1,096,033

2015 - $1,152,610

The years of 2014 and 2015 are the first time the accommodations tax collection revenues have exceeded $1 million.

Bay County is becoming Michigan's next great destination

A few years ago, a man from Bay County was having a conversation with a friend from Saginaw County. The Bay County man was preparing to perform in a show with the Bijou Orchestra at the State Theatre in downtown Bay City. He invited his friend from Saginaw County to see the show.

"I should come," said the man from Saginaw County. "I haven't been to Bay City in years."

Around the same time, that same man from Bay County was taking part in a leadership training day with fellow community leaders from the Great Lakes Bay Region. He was walking along Water Street in downtown Bay City with a friend and long-time colleague from Midland. As they walked, he couldn't help but notice her looking up in amazement. He inquired about what had caught her eye.

"I've never been to downtown Bay City," she said. "I've heard some things about it, but I've never been here. It's amazing."

On a third occasion, that same man was having a conversation with his neighbor – a member of a prominent family that owns and operates a well-known business in Bay County. He mentioned he was heading out for the day with his wife and she asked where they were going. Downtown, he told her.

"I haven't been downtown for 10 years," she replied. "What's down there now?"

These anecdotes illustrate the need to better tell the story in Bay County. And that's just what a group of community leaders hopes to do as it works to put the findings of the recently released Bay County Road Map to the Future into action.

The Road Map is a project launched two years ago by the Bay Area Community Foundation and the Bay Area Chamber of Commerce aimed at identifying the strengths, weaknesses, challenges and opportunities that this area faces as a community in the coming decade. With help from Saginaw Valley State University and input from hundreds of community partners, the Road Map identifies four avenues where the Bay Area must focus their attention – a robust and diverse economy, the presence of outstanding talent, the ability to meet basic human needs and developing a strong sense of place.

It is the last of these I'd like to focus on here because I believe Bay County, and in particular Bay City, is on the cusp of becoming Michigan's next great destination," said President of the Bay Area Chamber, Ryan Carley. "We have so much to offer, but as the stories above show us, some of the folks who call the Great Lakes Bay Region home, and even some of our very own residents, are not fully aware or may simply need a friendly reminder."

Bay City is located on Saginaw Bay and their natural resources are one of their greatest strengths and something they are working to establish as a calling card for tourists. Bay City features the amazing Rail Trail system, the new Michigan Sugar Trails, efforts to expand beach access at the Bay City State Recreation Area, hiking opportunities at Tobico Marsh, the Saginaw Bay Birding Trail and Pinconning Park, which is among one of the nicest outdoor recreation facilities you'll find anywhere in the state.

It's all right if you aren't much of an outdoorsy person, Bay City still has something for you.

Entertainment venues, including the beautifully restored State Theatre and the Bay City Players, Michigan's oldest, continuously operating community theater, is located in Bay City. Events such as the Tall Ship Celebration, River Roar, St. Stan's Polish Festival and free outdoor concerts and movies take place all summer along a striking riverfront.

If you are looking for family-fun, Bay City has that too.

The Bay County Historical Museum and the Saginaw Valley Naval Ship Museum aboard the USS Edson are education destinations. The Antique Toy and Firehouse Museum will be sure to entertain your children. You can even take a cruise up the Saginaw River aboard the Princess Wenonah or the Appledore IV tall ship. Bay City is also putting forth efforts to construct a new Imagination Station playground and community tennis complex.

Come for the weekend, and experience the unique shopping opportunities, which include one of the world's largest antique malls, an old-fashioned candy store, art galleries, an antique automobile showroom and many unique boutiques. Bay City is home to unique and delicious independently owned restaurants where you can find fresh cuisine to appease your hunger. In addition to the existing Doubletree hotel, Bay City will soon have a Quality Inn and Courtyard by Marriott located riverside.

Bay City has a new gem rising from the banks of the Saginaw River unmatched by any other in the region and, perhaps, the Midwest. Bay City is deeply rooted in its amazing history of lumber mills, shipyards and auto parts manufacturers, the Uptown Bay City development is the bedrock of the city's future. This mixed-use facility sits on more than 40 acres of prime real estate and features offices for Dow Corning Corp., McLaren Bay Region hospital and Chemical Bank, as well as restaurants, town houses and condominium living. Bay City is focused on the future and Uptown is the evidence.

All of these amazing qualities Bay County offers are perfect for anyone looking to live, work or play in a progressive area.

Spread the word about Bay City and the Bay Area; then the man from Saginaw County, the woman from Midland County and the Bay County resident will pass it on and the story of Bay County will begin to weave itself into conversations both near and far.

Free Fishing Weekend offers fun events across the state June 13-14

This coming weekend (Saturday and Sunday, June 13-14), everyone in Michigan – including

residents and nonresidents – can fish without a license, but all other fishing regulations still apply.

Those two days make up the Summer Free Fishing Weekend – the Department of Natural Resources’ annual effort to promote Michigan’s world-class fishing opportunities. While many individuals and families will head out to fish for free on their own, there are many organized events scheduled throughout the state to celebrate the weekend, too.

Some of these events include:

2nd Annual Fish the Bricks Fishing Tournament (Genesee County)

Saturday, June 13, 8 to 11 a.m.

Come to the University of Michigan-Flint Riverfront Residence Hall to register and fish the Flint River. The tournament is for kids age 15 and younger and prizes will be awarded for various categories. All participants must provide their own gear. Refreshments will be served at the end of the tournament.

Free Fishing Weekend on Black River (St. Clair County)

Saturday and Sunday, June 13-14

Bluewater Sportfishing members will be monitoring 15 rod-and-reel combos available for anyone to use to catch fish at the mouth of the Black River (at the St. Clair River). Local businesses will supply the bait.

Go Fish! At Marshbank Park (Oakland County)

Saturday, June 13, 4 to 6 p.m.

Join West Bloomfield Parks & Recreation at the fishing pier located inside the park on Cass Lake for fun for the whole family. Some equipment will be provided and hands-on instruction will be available. Pre-registration is required at westbloomfieldparks.org.

Kids’ Fishing Derby at Menominee Marina (Menominee County)

Saturday, June 13, 8 to 11 a.m. (CST)

Kids ages 13 and younger are encouraged to participate in this free event with lunch and prizes provided afterward. More than 100 rods and reels will be given away to attendees.

Youth Fishing Derby at Burchfield Park (Ingham County)

Saturday, June 13, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Come to the park for a fishing event for kids ages 4 to 16. Free lunch will be provided to all and free T-shirts will be given to the first 300 youth, compliments of the Mason Optimists Club.

There are many more Free Fishing Weekend events scheduled in various locations throughout the state in more than 25 Michigan counties. For more information about the 2015 Summer Free Fishing Weekend please visit michigan.gov/freefishing.

Michigan has celebrated the Summer Free Fishing Weekend annually since 1986. With more than 3,000 miles of Great Lakes shoreline, more than 11,000 inland lakes, and tens of thousands of miles of rivers and streams, Michigan and fishing are a perfect match. Folks heading out this weekend are encouraged to share their photos with the DNR on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Just use #FreeFishing

Blue Water Bridge construction begins Sunday, to last 3 months

Construction on the Blue Water Bridge began Sunday morning, closing the westbound span a few days earlier than originally planned.

The construction, which was scheduled to begin on April 1, will move all international traffic to the eastbound span for three months as workers resurface the road and do maintenance work. Construction is expected to end in early July.

Work began Sunday to lower the amount of traffic on Sunday, according to authorities.

One travel lane will run in each direction across the St. Clair River on the eastbound span. Two lanes will be open at the customs approach on both ends of the bridge.

During construction, bicyclists will not be allowed to ride across the bridge. Wide loads will be restricted to less than 11 feet, and there won't be lanes for NEXUS and FAST drivers, officials said.

The closure will slow down traffic, and although the wait times aren't expected to significantly increase, drivers are encouraged to find alternate means to cross the border if possible.

Powers Diner To Re-Open In Port Huron

Filling the stools in a diner after a high school football game to guzzle down milkshakes — that's what John Liangos remembers about growing up.

He plans to bring those classic milkshakes to Port Huron, along with homemade french fries, 10 kinds of burgers and fried pickles.

And of course, the classic slider.
On Feb. 17, Liangos, 47, of Wyandotte, purchased the Powers Diner building at 1209 Military St.

The eatery will re-open mid-April and will retain the name Powers Diner.
Liangos grew up in the restaurant business, watching and learning from his dad. Liangos cooks for his family's restaurant.

"In the summer I am planning on having BBQs outside and setting up a few tables," he said. "I'm excited to be able to see all the old cars cruising down the street this summer. This diner is going to be all Coca-Cola and cars."

The stainless steel structure shuttered its doors in September 2011, when Phil and Kathy Syzak, who had owned the diner for 28 years, decided to close the business.

In 2003, the iconic shiny chrome diner building replaced the original Powers Classic Hamburgers, which was built in the 1930s.

Dale Powers operated two hamburger joints in Port Huron.

One was dubbed The Hamburger Stand, a drive-in restaurant at 1524 Pine Grove Ave. The city of Port Huron bought that restaurant in 1992. It was demolished to build an access road to the Thomas Edison Parkway.

The second bore Powers' name at the current diner site.
In the 1950s the sliders were 15 cents.

While the stands were founded by Powers in the mid-1930s, ownership changed hands a few times.

In 1975, Mary Ann Barcelona and Suzanne Oden bought the restaurants and renamed them J&J's Hamburgers after their husbands, Jerry and Jack, according to a 1983 Times Herald article.

J&J's, a small black-and-white stand, was one of few remaining drive-in restaurants where a waitress would come out to parked cars to serve customers.

In the 1980s the sliders were 45 cents — a steep increase from the 15-cent burgers back in the day — but the simplicity kept the customers coming.
It was known as the place everyone from homemakers to factory workers and policemen gathered to grab a bite to eat