Tag Archive for: capra strategy

What’s Your Happy Dance? Frostie the Goat is a Wayfinder

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“more happiness and joy, love and friendships, 

kindness and compassion than many animals receive in a lifetime” 

When was the last time you found yourself, “caught in an endless, boundlessly happy frolic”? If you’re still trying to remember … it’s been too long! About a month or so ago, our Capra Team happened upon this Huff Post article from June.

A Tribute to the Late Frostie the Goat,

An Animal Who Actually Taught Us To Be Better People

At Capra (Italian for Goat), we tend to believe we’re privy to all things … goat. But it appears, Frostie the Goat alluded us. (However, we can’t say the same about a Frosty with fries… .) When a GIF of this effervescent kid appeared across our screens with the unfettered gait & gallop of the happiest creature around in spite of his handicap, we swooned.

More, we felt inspired. To reiterate the words from Edgar’s Mission, “the nonprofit farm animal sanctuary that rescued Frostie,”:

“… Frostie’s lesson to me has been this,

to seize every minute of [your] life.”

Life is tough. No matter the decisions we make–good or bad–nor the people we surround ourselves with–good or bad–life will always be tough. Of course we stave-off much difficulty when we opt for the good choices. But, even this leaves no guarantees. So start today. Start now. Find the frolic. Find the very special frolic in your life–in your day–that no one can take away. That no one can steal or touch or tarnish. And if you cannot, create. Create that frolic. If Frostie can do it, so can we all.

Thank you for being a Wayfinder, Frostie.

And thank you for helping to show us the way!

Your Wayfinders,

Capra Strategy

Social Media in 5 Steps

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Take 5.
Five steps, over the next six weeks, to make real strides that change your next quarter. For the better.
Statistics reveal that Social Media Marketing (SMM) can generate ROI. The trick? Getting to know the D-List.
The D-List
1. Diversify – Are you the C-suite of your SMM? Don’t be. Go internal and enlist varying perspectives to create killer content. Here are 2 scenarios:
  • Limited Resources – no consistent stream of internal intel you can depend upon? … Take it to the streets! Conduct informal market research via your own social networks or through email. However you engage, begin with inquiry. You’ll be surprised – The answers you generate from the questions you ask will save valuable time.
  • Team Work Works – perhaps you have a smaller team of colleagues and cohorts who can help create content. Perfect. Delegate tasks. If all else fails, grab a deck of cards. That’s right – take a (calculated) chance. Ascribe 1 suit to 1 topic or 1 type of statement, and use this as a creative content guide. … Does the trick and saves time.
#Protip – Full Disclosure : let your market research subjects know you plan to use their feedback.
2. Differentiate – Know your audience and know your platform. Feel free to use 1 piece of content for multiple social media avenues. But, take time to mix-up the messages. Here’s what we mean:
  • Facebook – On Facebook, you’re family. So talk like it. Just be sure to use the we’re-in-a-nice-family-restaurant voice and not the one from Uncle Benny’s diner. You’ll feel real, and you’ll get much more real engagement because of it.
  • LinkedIn – How frequently do you log-on to LinkedIn outside of the office? …Exactly. On LinkedIn keep it business, but conversational. Pick topics you and your colleagues can relate to: the morning commute, what’s for lunch, healthcare and wellness, vacation time, working late. Lead with tie-ins like this and link your content to it.
  • Twitter – Pick a tone, any tone. On Twitter: brevity is boss.
    • Identify exactly what you want audiences to gain from the content.
    • Use proper grammar.
    • Don’t be terse.
    • Do take-up character real estate by including the following: a) #hashtag – relevant and well-researched; b) @mention – for associated parties; c) photograph. In fact, using pictures is the real way to set your tweets apart.

You might spend the most overall time crafting your tweets. But it’s worth it.

#Protip – Aim for 120 characters, max. This maximizes your RT potential.
3. Drive – Triangulate your Social Media. (Think: opposite the Bermuda Triangle.) That is, use each avenue to adeptly direct traffic to another source. Your map might look something like:
  • Twitter –> check Facebook for more!
  • LinkedIn –> Like us on Facebook … when you’re not at work, of course.
  • Facebook –> Follow us here & visit our website, too.
#Protip – Switch-it up. Maybe one day you use Facebook to promote Facebook and the next, LinkedIn. Switch-up who drives, and do so with a purpose.
4. Develop – Don’t feel like you have to master every single detail of Social Media all at once. In fact, with that sort of pressure–your SMM is likely to self-destruct. Instead, allow your strategy to develop. Here’s one gradient you might follow:
  1. Post. Pay close attention to audiences and tone.
  2. Add. To all platforms (not just Twitter), add — relevant #hashtags, @mentions, and photographs.
  3. Interact. Make sure to follow/like/comment/share (Facebook), follow/favorite/reply/RT (Twitter), link-in/like/comment/share (LinkedIn). You might even join and interact with Facebook and LinkedIn groups.
  4. Organize. Create lists on Twitter to strategically target specific conversations and audiences.
  5. Play. Stage a contest or use social media platforms to build-off of each other. On Twitter, you might ask a question. On LinkedIn, you might answer it.
#Protip – Interact Efficiently. Use the #Discover button on Twitter (not mobile) for a list of tweets picked especially for you.
5. Demand – Need some help?? Just ask. Try BufferApp to queue posts and to efficiently edit multiple platforms and accounts. Use the basic account for free, or upgrade to The Awesome Plan and get 2 assistants!
#Protip – BufferApp also has analytics and emails quality Social Media tips.
For more reading:
…Who said the D-list is a bad thing??

Your Wayfinders,

Capra Strategy

Village Bakery

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Why we love Village Bakery?

Let’s not even factor in the french macrons or the breakfast sandwiches that make us swoon.
This client makes all of our chalkboard dreams come to life. They take impeccable care of creating an implementing their brand and we love their philosophy on ingredients: It’s not just what we use, it’s what we don’t.

Things we do for Village Bakery?
-Website
-Social Strategy
-Signage and Branding

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Climate Change & Breakfast.

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At Capra Strategy, we love ourselves some quality breakfast. That’s one reason why we’re so in love with our local bed & breakfasts. We just finished up work on the Finger Lakes Bed & Breakfast Association (FLBBA) website, and we say this because …

  1. It’s a great website, and
  2. The breakfasts are hot

Actually. Every single bed & breakfast (that’s 40+) in this association cooks a hot, gourmet breakfast to serve guests each morning. With treats like Finger Lakes coffee and other local ingredients, that means starting the day off right for you.

So what about climate change & breakfast?? This article discusses the disruptions our warming earth has on livestock, water, and crops.

It’s a serious matter, and we’re curious what you think. We also think you should … book a FInger Lakes bed & breakfast now … make sure you get a great breakfast soon.

(Search by location, amenities, and last minute availabilities!)

#FingerLakesLife

Thanks for helping to show us the way!

Your Wayfinders,

Capra Strategy

Bed & Breakfasts: 7 Networking Tips to Check Off Your Lists

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“Owning a B&B is a people business…”

At Capra Strategy, we don’t need to tell you that! B&B owners who we know live in-house. They are hosts and chefs and concierges. They know exactly when to help and when to take-leave for the night. Thing about the B&B biz? People outside these inn-doors count, too.

  • Business owners.
  • To-be B&B guests.
  • Even other B&B owners!

This article from The B&B Coach highlights 7 tips you may or may not already use. … At Capra, we don’t “play favorites.” But we can say we are quite fond of #1:

“Take full advantage of memberships in local organizations such as Chamber of Commerce and tourist associations.”

In our neck-of-the-woods, this is the: Finger Lakes Bed & Breakfast Association. For all the tricks and tips, updates and to-dos on the best #FingerLakesLife … Like FLBBA on Facebook! And let us know what you think:

  • Who would you like us to spread the word to?
  • What are your favorite ways to network?
  • When are the best times of day, week, month, season, and year to network?
  • Where would you like to expand?
  • Why is it important to know your communities?
  • How do these tips work for you?

Thanks for helping to show us the way!

Your Wayfinders,

Capra Strategy