Re-Branding After Divorce

It’s a whole new life with a new start ….

I use to sit at work and dream about working from home and being my own boss.  I use to dream about being happy and living life on my own terms.  The universe has ways of making things happen, sometimes it’s not exactly how you envisioned it ….  

Way back in 2009 I had been watching a reality TV show and one of the celebrities had a Personal Shopper and a Virtual Assistant while she was traveling round the world.  This fascinated me to no end and I thought it was a great idea.  I decided to start a business but shelved it when I got offered a job.  It was only when my life fell apart in 2012, during a bad divorce that I had no choice but to go back to my Virtual Assistant idea.

The best advice I ever got from my mother was, “find your strength, pick yourself up, and move forward with your head held up high”. 

For eight years, I had just been someone’s wife and I lost my identity completely because everything went into his name.  There was no trace of me, I had got lost in my marriage.  After the divorce it was time to re-brand myself, find who I was and build up my own life with my own business.  I decided to put all my skills together, get a name for my business, got my logo designed, my business cards and set up all my social media, I was ready to take on the world.  I started marketing myself online which lead to getting clients. 

I had a lot to learn, because up to this point, I had never been so completely in charge of running my own life and making sure that I had enough money at the end of the month to keep a roof over my head and all my bills paid.  Working from home and being your own boss is great, but it comes with it’s own set of challenges.  You have to be very disciplined to get up in the morning, hit the gym, eat properly, stay focused, get out and socialize with people, else it can become pretty lonely.

Today I am very grateful for living in my own little place I called home with my furkids.  I don’t have human kids so my cats and my little dog are my companions.  Roscoe, my little French Bulldog is definitely my best friend.  Before Roscoe came along I mostly just worked.  Having this little guy in my life gets me out the house, weekends we go to the park, the beach and find other things to do, he has changed my life in so many ways and taken away a lot of the loneliness I was feeling.  Through Roscoe I’ve met so many people and made new friends.  I now have a whole new life, my own brand, my own identity and my own dog.  I am no longer someone’s wife, I am just ME!

It’s important after a divorce to take time to yourself, re-brand your life and start over with your head held high!  Never stay in a situation that no longer serves your highest good. 

www.tonibaptista.com

  

Lets Talk Linkdin Profiles & Networking

I see so many people take the power of Linkdin for granted when your target market is right here. CEO’s, Business owner, Consultants, Speakers, Recruitment specialists, Politicians and the list goes on.

When someone connects with me on Linkdin, I will usually go onto their profile and have a look at what they’re all about before connecting with them. I also google them and check out their other social media platforms to see if they are legit or possibly a fake account, one can never be too careful these days. I want to know who I’m connecting with and why you feel we should connect. After all this a professional network platform where professionals connect to do business … or do I have this whole thing wrong? Is your only reason for connecting with me is to increase you Linkdin numbers and you have zero interest in getting to know what my business is all about and if our connection can be mutually beneficial? How does connecting with you benefit me or my network?


If I go onto your profile and it has no picture or an unclear picture or you have a picture with your sunglasses or your profile is only a company with no human, I generally wont connect with someone like that because it raises the question of what you are hiding .....

An incomplete profile tells me that you don’t take pride in your work, you do things half heartedly and couldn’t be bothered with what you are presenting on a professional business network platform. Taking all this into account, why should I connect with you? Why should I do business with you?

Now, say I do accept your connection request, what’s more annoying is that YOU have connected to me, I have accepted your connection and now I have to send you a message to find out more about what you do (because although some profiles are complete, they are not up to date with what you are currently doing). You have shown zero interest in my business, my service or even just dropping me a line to say why you're connecting with me. Most people don’t even bother replying to my message which is when I decide to delete you off my network.

People not only neglect their Linkdin profiles but their overall personal brand, they are still under the misconception that it’s only for celebrities …. This is where you are wrong, these days the internet is a powerful tool and having a strong professional online presence could be the difference between getting your next big client or even that job you applied for. Whether you like it or not you are a brand and your online presence does matter.

When you don’t respond to the message I’ve sent you, it tells me that you are completely rude and self absorbed or just clueless about how to successfully network online and build relationships.

All these things contribute to your personal brand, your professionalism and the type of person you are. People do business with people they like, people do business with other professional people, it just makes things so much simpler and pleasant.

The internet gives us the opportunity to grow our business, our networks and to connect with people globally, so why do a half-hearted job with your Linkdin account and your personal brand. All you doing is giving off a very bad first impression.

Your personal brand matters, so take the time to clean up your online presence. Google yourself, complete your Linkdin profile, create a company profile on Linkdin, get a clear headshot and background picture! Take pride in yourself, your online reputation and put a little effort into getting to know people in your network and perhaps make a difference in some’s life …. at the end of the day it all goes a long way.

 

I am a Personal Brand Consultant and run a Virtual Business Support Service to help entrepreneurs and companies save time, create a strong professional online presence that is consistent with a clear message that is inline with their brand. I help you grow your business and accelerate your success !!! If you'd like me to help you with your Linkdin profile, your personal brand and your business, schedule a call with me lets discuss a way forward.

Email me at tabvpa@gmail.com

LIFE IS AN ADVENTURE & AGE IS JUST A NUMBER

Meet Ron Joubert aka The Stray Dog. For Ron age is just a number and he is upping his game at the age of 70. A role model for the elderly and for the younger generations. Ron is not your average 70 year old, by day he is the Estate Manager for Clifton Hill Estate, in Hillcrest, South Africa and on his spare time he is an accomplished adventure cyclist who has done a lot for various charities. 

In 2006, Ron decided to go on his first adventure across South Africa in aid of the Kloof & Highway SPCA. He cycled from Durban to Cape Town and covered a distance of 3000km’s in 30 days. Sleeping in a tent next to the road. He rode along the Garden Route to Cape Town and returned via the Karoo. This was all in aid of raising funds and creating awareness for animals in need.

In 2008, Ron went on another road trip, this time to Australia, from Perth to Adelaide, 3000km’s in 30 days. 

In 2016, Ron headed off to the United Kingdom. This was his most challenging trip due to the weather conditions being bitterly cold and wet. He travelled the full length of the UK, from John O’ Groats in Scotland down to Land’s End in southern UK.

In May 2018, Ron officially retires as the Estate Manager at Clifton Hill where he has been an integral part of the successful and development of this beautiful estate. He will be sorely missed for his dedication and commitment to the well being of all the individuals living on this Estate. But this is where his new 3 year adventure starts …..  

He will be travelling to the USA to start his 3 year trip, starting in LA and will be traveling over 11 states and 4 times zones. His trip will cover Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and end in New York. 

His mission is to create awareness and raise much needed funds for Khanya Hospice in Umkomaas, which is down the South Coast in KwaZulu Natal.  "Khanya" means ‘light’ in Zulu and is an appropriate name as they are the light in dark times for terminally ill patients and their families. Khanya Hospice is a non-profit organisation, NPO no: 002-412 and does not get any government funding.  They rely on businesses and individual people to financially support the work they do, which is offer free palliative nursing care to people with life threatening diseases. They are currently building a 60 bed hospital which will cost in the region of R6 million, http://khanyahospice.org.za/

 

 

Ron is appealing to the public and any companies that would like to go on this adventure with him. Any sponsorships and financial support will be very welcome. Over the next three years Ron will have extensive media coverage in the US, a possible documentary, his trip will be recorded on his website and social media, Ron will also appear in various travel magazines. This is a great opportunity for people who want to increase their company brand awareness while also supporting a worthy cause.  

One of the things Ron will need is a new adventure bike when he gets to the USA, so if anyone is willing to sponsor that it would be a great start. 

Please visit Ron’s website  http://thestraydog.co.za/ for further details. Should you decided to become a sponsor your logo will be put onto his website and clothing. You will get extensive media coverage over the next three years and be part of this epic adventure.

Road tripping on a bike, sleeping in a tent, seeing the world and raising funds for charity at the age of 70, how many people do you know that would do that?  This energetic, young at heart elderly man who is still fit and healthy deserves our support and encouragement.  Please support Ron and his plight to helping others in need of help.  If you would like to contribute towards this worthy cause, please contract Ron directly.

 

 

 

Ron Joubert

Cell:  +27 82 883 4327

Email: ron@thestraydog.co.za

 

 

 

 

Time Poverty

ARE YOU ….

·        Feeling overworked and overwhelmed?  Constantly running around like a headless chicken and not achieving much?

·        Tired of spending so much time searching for content to post on your social media channels?

·        Stuck on how to leverage yourself and your talents to grow your business?

 

The SOLUTION …. TAB Virtual Business Support

Take a non-traditional approach to running and growing your business.  Imagine shifting your focus to the more critical details of your business.  Let me help you regain your time to focus on the income generating and business growth activities.  Let’s work together to find the best solution for your business needs while also building your personal brand.

While you might be professional, charming, impressive and influential in person your online presence could be saying the opposite.  Most entrepreneurs neglect to focus on their personal brand and only focus on building a company brand. 

Personal branding is a methodology of packaging all that in a way that works online via your website and social media presence.  I focus on articulating what makes YOU, your brand and your company brand exceptional.   I will develop an authentic online presence for your brand, one that is true to who you are.  Having a strong and consistent online presence among other media is essential in growing any brand.

 

I offer the following services:

·        Virtual Admin Support

·        Social Media Management

·        Marketing

·        Personal Brand Consulting

·        Public Relations

 

 

Don't get overwhelmed outsource!  Visit my website for further details on how I can help you www.tabvirtualbusiness.com

Personal Branding

A personal brand is something that all of us who has at least one social media account have to worry about. Your digital and social footprint is more important than you would imagine.

A company that wants to hire you or do business with you, will most certainly Google you before taking a final call, a research team will check out your online profile prior to granting you a fellowship, even your potential date will say yes to you only after running a quick search on you.

Your personal brand tells people who you are and what you care about when you are not there to tell them in person.

Your LinkedIn profile is a big part of your personal brand. If you don't have one, you should get started as that's part of your personal brand, too.  It is your online resume.

People who know you have ideas about you that formed during their interactions with you over a short period of time or over decades.  Your clothes are part of your brand, and so is your car, scooter, bicycle and even your address.  Your tastes in food, music, films, your jokes, your habits and your mannerisms are all part of your brand. Everything you do a reflection of your personal brand.

Branding yourself takes time and reflection. You have to ask a few questions of yourself, like:

What are my goals?
What am I working toward?
How do I want people to see me?
What is your niche?
What differentiates you from the rest?

 

 

www.tonibaptista.com

 

TAB Virtual Business Support Service

 

Outsourcing has become increasingly popular amongst entrepreneurs. Businesses have changed the way they run their operations and most small businesses now run from their home offices which cuts down costs dramatically. With the internet freely available communication with the rest of the world has become increasingly easier.

Virtual Staff are usually qualified, highly-skilled professional who works remotely, therefore eliminating the need for office space and IT equipment, along with all the mandatory permanent or temp staff benefits, thereby effectively reducing your overheads and optimizing your spend.

 

 

TAB Virtual Business Support Service was founded in 2009 but it was only in late 2012 that I started providing a full range of services to clients all over the world. I specialize in Social Media Marketing, Virtual Assistance, PR, Marketing and Branding. I provide a practical and flexible service, tailored to suit the individual business needs. I work with clients to help them focus on developing and expanding their business and work more efficiently towards achieving their business goals.

Services offered

Social Media Management: 

• Identify, evaluate and monitor relevant social media channels
• Follow the social media trends
• Writing the social media strategy
• Implement strategies for using social media channels for marketing purposes
• Setting up and customizing profiles on Linkdin, FB, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+ & Instagram
• Establish relationships with online communities by identifying key influences
• Attracting the right followers and growing your online presence
• Creating content (status updates, graphics, photo’s, video & links)
• Scheduling posting & promoting content
• Blog Updates
• Creating, implementing & managing campaigns (ad spend for campaigns is an additional cost)
• Reporting once a month.

 

 

 

Virtual Administration Support:

•  General Administration → Correspondence, Document drafting, etc.
• Transcriptions
• Newsletters via Mail Chimp
• PowerPoint Presentations
• Excel spreadsheets
• Invoicing & Expenses
• Online Research
• Email Management
• Mailing List Management
• Travel Arrangements, Hotel bookings & Itineraries
• Database Set up, Data entry & Management
• Diary & Appointment Management, including reminders

Biography Writing:

Simply send me your order as well as the data that you want me to work on. I’ll review your information then contact you to discuss your biography needs before proceeding. You’ll receive a draft of your paper before the deadline so you can check if there is anything that you need to change. Once you’re satisfied with the outcome, I’ll put the finishing touches to your biography before sending you the final result.

Public Relations:

• Providing a PR service to high end & marketable clients, by building their Personal Brand through the media
• Liaising with various media, Magazines, Newspapers, Radio & TV
• Raise the client’s social media presence & managing their pages
• Each client has a media tracking list to record all their interviews

Branding & Marketing:

Nelson Mandela once said, “Sport has the power to change the world.”  Well truth be told it also has the power to change your business. More and more companies are using athletes and fans to help market their products on digital channels.  Smart brands are learning how to engage these people in creative ways.

• 83% of fans are checking their social media while watching sports on TV    
• 63% of fans are using social media while at the stadium.

Together with Prosport International, who are the largest sports management agents in Southern Africa, we connect businesses to professional athletes in order to market their products, create brand awareness and increase your sales. We analyse your business and work out the best strategy linking you up with key players to represent your product to a large targeted audience. We work around your budget to create a suitable strategy.

Ready to take your business to new levels?  Mail me for further details tonibaptista@icloud.com



 

 

SPORTS MARKETING

Building your brand through sports

 

 

 

Nelson Mandela once said, “Sport has the power to change the world.”  Well truth be told it also has the power to change your business. 

 

The 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil was estimated to be the most widely viewed sports event in history, surpassing the 2010 World Cup’s 3.2 billion viewers and generating about $4 billion in sales for FIFA.  With an estimated 3.5 billion fans worldwide, there is arguably no social phenomenon with the same power to inspire, unite and connect as soccer. As a global language, soccer can provide an incredibly effective and cost-efficient way to engage with consumers.

Sports marketing focuses both on the promotion of sports events and teams as well as the promotion of other products and services through sporting events and sports teams. It is a service in which the element promoted can be a physical product or a brand name. The goal is to provide the client with strategies to promote the sport or to promote something other than sport through sports. Sport marketing is also designed to meet the needs and wants of the consumer through exchange processes.
Sport marketing is an element of sports promotion which involves a wide variety of sectors of the sport industry including broadcasting, advertising, social media, digital platforms and community relations.

This process allows corporate brands to leverage athletes as brand ambassadors to reinforce brand positioning, build brand awareness, increase sales and create differentiation in the marketplace.
Famous athletes also sign contracts to work as celebrity endorsers and lend their images to marketers.  An great example of this is Herbalife who sponsor Cristiano Ronaldo.

Closer to home we look at a young company that has come a long way and who has had a phenomenal growth in the South African market, FUTURELIFE® has become one of the fastest growing and most credible health brands in South Africa.  Securing Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs striker, Bernard Parker as one of their brand ambassador has helped the growth of the company into a larger target market.

  

The biggest advantage of sports marketing is that it allows marketers to piggyback on the popularity and devotion many fans feel towards their favorite teams and athletes.  Social media has become the go-to resource for many fans seeking fan photos, news, information and behind-the-scenes peeks to their favorite teams.  Through social media, fans not only connect with sport teams and leagues, but the athletes themselves have accounts which allow potentially millions of fans to connect personally to the athletes and their teams. This direct connection has allowed fans to now be a part of the sport organization’s story.  Live-tweeting, fan giveaways, posting highlight reels, there are many unique strategies that sports teams have successfully used to create an active community following of their social media platforms.
More and more companies are using athletes and fans to help market their products on digital channels.

• 83% of fans are checking their social media while watching sports on TV    
• 63% of fans are using social media while at the stadium.

So smart brands are learning how to engage these people in creative ways.

We offers a full brand-matching platform to align the needs of the corporate brand with the public personality of an athlete. We also facilitate all aspects of the athlete endorsement spectrum, from long-term brand endorsements and product co-creation to speaking engagements and events.  We understand the requirements of corporate clients, and use its unique experience and global reach to maximise returns from athlete sponsorships, in line with brand strategy.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about how we can assist you please feel free to mail me at info@tonibaptista.com

Successfully Pitching Your Business 

To The Media 

 

One of the most frequent requests I receive from businesses is assistance in writing a press release with the goal of having their product or service appear in a variety of publications or media.   What many don't realize is to have your product or service written up in a publication or appear in the media isn't as easy as writing a press release, posting it online and then sitting back and waiting to magically appear in the media.  There is much more involved in getting out a story of your business, your product or your service. Much more.

Things to consider:

·         Journalists and editors receive 100's of emails a day from companies looking to have them write about their product, business or service.

·         People are busy. Journalists are busy. Editors are busy.

·         Editors and journalists are working on stories every day. Some publish daily, some weekly, some monthly. And they have ideas of what these stories will be ahead of their deadlines.

·         Each journalist generally focuses on certain specialties within their respective niche.

Now that you understand and consider the above points, what do you do? Here are a few tips in helping your product, service or company get more notice and attention from the media:

·         Pitch a story, not a product or service!  Your product or service isn't usually big news.

·         What is news is the story behind the product or service,

·         How it benefits people,

·         How people have used it for success,

·         How your product/service fits within the broader perspective of life, etc.

Put yourself in the shoes of the journalist and think about the story behind your product/service and what may be of interest to their readers by targeting the right people and get to the point.

Find out the journalists that cover the subject you are pitching.  Not all journalists cover all stories, many specialize in specific areas. Those that match your pitch are the ones you want to target.

Get to the point! Remember these journalists are very busy. Don't just send them a press release; instead, why not suggest a few story ideas that will fit within the realm of your targeted journalists beat? And, getting to the point quickly, simply and succinctly will increase your chances of getting noticed within the sea of emails they receive daily.  Don't expect overnight success.

Despite the fact that you may have the best story, product or service on the market, it's not a guarantee that journalists will write about you right away. Think of public and media relations as a journey.

What you need to do is build a relationships with the media for long term success of your public relations and media relations program. By building a relationship with journalists you are showing that you are a reliable source who understands their needs and are there to help them when they need you.

If you are looking for assistance in starting or improving your public or media relations program, feel free to contact me via email info@tonibaptista.com to schedule a time to discuss your needs.

 

 

Daily Radio Shows

for

Entrepreneurs Worldwide

 

Online Radio

The Global Internet Radio market is projected to reach US$2.3 billion by 2020, driven by the increase in radio listening as a result of the growing popularity on internet-connected devices.  Radio is one of the few media platforms that remains relevant even today supported by the improvement in quality of programming and technological innovations that have ensured its availability over newer platforms.

More than half of Americans, 12 and older, tune into online radio and in the past five years, the percentage of people who listened online has almost doubled, rising from 27% in 2010 to 53% in 2015. Simply put, the face of radio is changing dramatically with the rise of online stations and streaming services, but what does this say about the new generation of listeners?

73% of the online radio audience surveyed said they listened on their phones in 2015, a 13% increase from 2014. Desktops and laptops are still significant in the field, with 61% of respondents saying they listen to online radio via one of those devices. However, listening on traditional computers is still down 6% from 2014, when it was at 67% and it’s likely that mobile listenership will continue to grow.

Radio W.O.R.K.S. World

Is a global broadcasting project empowering everyday people to make a significant difference through entrepreneurship.   If you are an entrepreneur and looking to stand out from the crowd, create more visibility for your brand, increase traffic to your website and getting more sales, then hosting your own show is the way to go.  Research has shown that effective communications will eclipse your competition and increase your visibility by 3 and a half times.  Now think of what that can do for your business alone …. Isn’t it time that you skyrocket your business and re-invent your Life?  Share your story and your vision to attract the ideal clients.

Marina Nani is the Founder of RADIO W.O.R.K.S. WORLD News Interview and Broadcasting Series, Author of 33 books, Wealth Building Coach at How to Monetize Your Big Idea and Founder and CEO at Academy of Significance.    

I had the great privilege of being invited to be on Marina Nani’s show and to tell my story.  I am also delighted that soon I will be hosting my very own show.  It’s true what they say, “who you hang around with is who you become”.  If you would like to grow your brand and know how you could possibly host your own show please feel free to contact me.

Here is a link to my interview http://youtu.be/JDQsR-oPTrU

Here is a link to one of the testimonials  https://vimeo.com/163578912

 

Toni Baptista

www.tonibaptista.com

 

BE SEEN!  BE HEARD!  BE PRESENT!

 

Advantages of using a Personal Trainer

 

How many times have you set new fitness goals for yourself only to lose interest in a couple of weeks?  We all need a little help sometimes.  I sometimes struggle through the same flux of motivation and feelings of unfulfilled fruitless efforts as the average gym goer.  For this reason I capitalize on the tremendous benefits of working with a personal trainer.  Personal trainers are not just for stars and athletes.  Every single person can benefit from working with a trainer.  Personal training is truly an investment in one’s own health and well-being. Let’s take a look at the reasons why all people, including myself, achieve more working with a personal trainer.

ACCOUNTABILITY & MOTIVATION: 

Trainers are experts at holding you accountable. You have a set, paid appointment. Your trainer will be there waiting for you with a smile on his/her face each and every time you show up. They help you to not only develop your own personalized goals but to also develop a realistic and achievable plan to attain these goals. Trainers have the ability to believe in you even when you are feeling at your lowest and don’t believe in yourself. “CAN’T” is not in a trainer’s vocabulary.

DEVELOP A ROUTINE:

It's easy to get to the gym and hop on the elliptical trainer but then what? Trainers are educated on the most effective ways to help you get to your fitness goals. They will work with you to develop a routine that is realistic for you. If you haven’t worked out in months and are just returning to the gym a trainer will help you to figure out how to maximize your time in the gym but not overwhelm you. They will work with you to develop an exercise routine that takes you on the path to achieving your personal goals. All along the way holding you accountable and providing motivation!
It's also very easy to hurt yourself in the gym and your trainer is there to cue both your mind and body to help you achieve your goals quicker by making sure you are  doing each exercise correctly.

RESULTS:

Working with a trainer will allow you to achieve the results that you cannot achieve on your own.  Everyone has their own personal goals, whether it be weight loss, weight gain, injury rehab, etc. your trainer is going to develop goals that will lead you down the path to success.
If you have been thinking of going back to gym, eating healthy & living a better lifestyle then getting a Personal Trainer to help you achieve your fitness goal is definitely your answer to get back on track.

Over the years I've had various trainers but have found my current trainer Dylan to be the best of the best.  He is dedicated to his passion of helping people achieve their fitness goals, he is extremely knowledgeable and certainly pushes me to my limits (boy do I feel it the next day).  He also follows up on my eating to make sure I'm on track !  Dylan is 100% dedicated & powered by your success to help YOU achieve your goals.  Connect with him here on Linkdin and contact him for a free assessment so that you can get back on track to achieving the goals you have always dreamt of.

#bodybuilding #umhlanga #nutrition #weightloss #fitnessdurban #fitnessworld #athletes #tabmarketing #tabpr #marketing #tabpromtions #promotions #fitnesscoach #personaltrainer

Exciting New Joint Ventures .... Come see !

 

TAB Promotions, PR & Marketing is expanding and I am delighted to be teaming up with my good friend Dave Guselli. 

Dave, is one of KZN’s most loved and popular Radio DJ’s who worked for East Coast Radio for 22 years until he moved over to Megazone Hit Radio, an online station broadcasting around the world.
In September 2015 Dave moved to Cape Town to join a brand new radio station called Magic828am to present the afternoon drive show from 3-7pm.

Dave has been an MC at many big events all over SA over the years, such as the Comrades Marathon, House & Garden Show, IFBB, Spar, Toyota, Mercedes, the World Transplant Games in Durban but to name a few.

Currently he is also the Brand Ambassador for the Sunflower Fund and the Cancer Association of South Africa.

 

Not only has Dave been a familiar voice on our radio’s but he has also been the voice to many TV and radio commercials over the years. Click on the links to view some of his work.

Magic828 FM    
https://youtu.be/d1-kFiMT5jE       

Sunday Tribune Garden & Leisure Show
https://youtu.be/9k9aj-VtTOs
       
Royal Show Promo
https://youtu.be/88BKRUXVN-c  

FutureLife Smart Food TV commercial
https://youtu.be/oOXcXSHWmM8 

So whatever your requirements are for your next function, marketing campaign or promotion allow us to help you. Here are some of the ways we can assist;

MC’s
DJ’s
Promoters
Dancers
Brand Ambassadors
Voice over artists

Another addition to my team is a very talented young gentleman, Menelisi Potwana who is an amazing Cameraman and Video Editor.  Menelisi is very passionate and dedicated to his incredible work.  Watch his showreel to get an idea of his talent  https://youtu.be/QmNhZqIUCxI




Menelisi and I at a video shoot last year.

For more information and bookings please contact me at toni@tonibaptista.com

Marketing & Branding = Results

 

 

 

At the beginning of 2015 Jimmy Sauces approached me to help them with Marketing and Branding in KZN in order to increase their sales as the previous years sales were dismal.  I happily took on this new challenge and became their Brand Ambassador.

Throughout the year I worked with a team of promoters and we did in store promotions, attended all the major shows in KZN, consistently posted things on social media (much to the annoyance of some people) and just continually created an awareness for the product.  I also worked with the sales team from Crown National and Patelys, who are our distributors, to push the sales.  Along the way we had many fights as my goal was to increase sales and I am result driven so I wanted to see results.  I physically went to the different stores in the region to check if my product was indeed on the shelves.  I always reported back to the distributors on my findings.

Jimmy's Sauce (being a South African brand) also won an international award at the World Hot Sauce competition, that took place in Louisiana for BEST Steak Sauce of the year.

I had a lot of fun promoting this amazing brand and got to meet many wonderful people along the way.  Last week I got the total sales figures from both the distributors and KZN showed the biggest growth in SA.

• Crown National showed a growth of 134.4% (they distribute into all the butcheries)
• Patleys showed a growth of 110% (they distribute into all your retails stores such as Pick n Pay, Checkers, Spar, Makro)

I am happy that all the hard work & long hours I put in paid off, results don't lie and KZN showed this incredible growth.  Now 2016 is here and we start all over again, this time a bigger growth in KZN and I will also be working with a team to grow the JHB market so watch this space.

No matter how good your product or service is, unless you consistently creating brand awareness by marketing and branding your product or service, it will never do well.

The distance between reality and dreams is taking action ... what action are you going to be taking to take your business to the next level in 2016 ?

Focus on your business and outsource the rest

As an entrepreneur in a small business, unfortunately, you can’t do everything yourself and still plan to grow. If you’re not in a position to hire employees to share the work, chances are that sooner or later you’ll consider outsourcing.

For many small firms, outsourcing has made a powerful impact on their growth, productivity and bottom lines.

More and more small businesses are outsourcing tasks these days because technology has advanced to the point of professionals being able to work from anywhere in the world, coupled with the availability and accessibility of extremely qualified professionals who have decided or been forced to leave the corporate world, such as, marketing directors, graphic designers, paralegals, web designers, HR consultants, bookkeepers, payroll specialists, public relations consultants, personal assistants, and the list goes on.

These freelancers come on board as subcontractors and save the small business owner the burden of paying overhead associated with payroll taxes and expenses such as Medical Aid and Pension or Provident funds, as well as the space constrictions that growing a company in-house can present.

For more on how to outsource and save, contact me toni@tonibaptista.com

How to start a Virtual Assistant Business

 

 

The Virtual Assistant industry has become so popular because it helps women become entrepreneurs yet also achieve a work/life balance. Business trends forecast an increase in service demands, start-up costs are minimal and the profit potential is good.

Before packing up the office cubicle and giving notice to your boss, know that becoming a virtual assistant isn't an easy job that just anyone can do. "To become successful, you need a good marketing strategy in addition to that you will need a phone, PC and Internet connection." Many virtual assistants work between 14 and 18 hours a day during the startup phase. Even after establishing solid practices, one-third of these business owners admit to working nontraditional hours, including weekends and holidays.

Virtual assistants are independent entrepreneurs who work remotely and use technology to deliver services to clients globally. Most work from their home offices and receive their project instructions by phone, e-mail or even instant message. Although many virtual assistants offer secretarial services, as more people with diverse backgrounds and skills enter the ranks, virtual assistants who specialize in such areas as marketing, graphic and Web design, IT support or even translations are becoming more common.

Clients are most likely to hire virtual assistants to save money or because they need help with a temporary project.  Virtual assistants pay for their own equipment, taxes, training, healthcare and insurance.  Industries most often hiring virtual assistants include the real estate, coaching, financial services, accounting and legal.

If you're wondering how to start a business as a virtual assistant, here are some tips:

·        Decide just what type of services you want to offer, and analyze your background to ensure you have adequate experience.

·        Determine your business niche-consider specializing in just two to three services.

·        Determine how much time and energy you have to commit to your venture. Do you want to work part or full time ?

·        Conduct thorough industry research to determine a need for your services in your local area.

·        Outline who your clients are, where they are and how to access them.

·        Do a market analysis. Find out the needs for your niche and focus on how you'll apply that to your business.

·        Know your budgetary constraints-projected expenses, expected income and how long you can "float" until your business is running successfully.

·        Prepare a business plan and review it often to manage growth and change.

·        Examine your equipment, software and work space to ensure they meet client needs.

·        Make sure you have an agreement in place for clients along with rates before securing your first client.

·        Market your services 24/7.  Just because you've built a Web site or placed an ad in the Yellow Pages doesn't mean clients will come knocking on your door.

You might want to consider joining a professional organization or networking group. This will give you the opportunity to network and build relationships.

 

Toni Baptista

http://www.tonibaptista.com/