Click on the picture to go to the Twitter hashtag. You’ll see lots of local goodies there so give it a try for ‘Shoping made easy in Lincolnshire’
The Funny Thing Is…
Shopping in Lincolnshire with LincsConnect – use Hashtags! Do you find them confusing? Do you use them but don’t know why? The funny thing is that many people don’t really know how to use them so let me try to quickly explain:
A hashtag is just a label or name given to a section in a very large database. That’s it! It’s just a database. Every time you write a post and use a hashtag your post will go to the appropriate folder in the database. If you use two hashtags your message will go to two folders in the database. Use #LincsConnect and #ShopLincs for your shopping and online shopping in Lincolnshire.
Use The Search Bar
To search for your messages just go to the search bar in your chosen social media platform and type in the name of the hashtag. If you do you’ll find your post as well as every other post with the same hashtag. However, be aware that the hashtag is specific to the social media platform you’re using so if you type a message on Twitter you won’t be able to find your post if you search for it on Facebook.
The hashtags go to a huge database which is used globally so if you use the hashtag ‘#Lincolnshire’ you’ll see what’s been posted for our County. If you search the hashtag ‘#LincsConnect’ you’ll find all of the messages that have been using the hashtag in Lincolnshire. However, if you search the hashtag ‘ShopLocal’ and see how many countries are using that hashtag you’ll realise that it is anything but ‘local’.
Be Specific
Choose your hashtags wisely. If you’re trying to get the attention of your local community the #ShopLocal hashtag is no good to you but the #LincsConnect hashtag is very specific to Lincolnshire and our close neighbours. For shopping in Lincolnshire with LincsConnect don’t forget to add the hashtags #LincsConnect and #ShopLincs
At this point you may be wondering what the hashtag has to do with Shopping Made Easy In Lincolnshire? The answer to that is quite simple of course. Using Twitter just type in #LincsArtCraftHour to your search bar to see what local art, craft, sculpture and photographic posts have been included over the last few years. You’ll find everything from needlework to paintings, cards and photography and the list is growing steadily. Not only will you find pictures but you’ll also discover links to local Etsy & Folksy shops and Facebook pages too so you really can shop on line while keeping your money in the local economy. It’s a win, win situation don’t you think? To make life even easier for you I’ve included links to the most recent artists & crafters below.
Not on Twitter? Not everyone is of course so if you’re a Facebook user don’t despair because you can still access some of the messages from the local artists by typing in #LincsArtCraftHour to your search bar.
Facebook #Hashtags
If you’re a Facebook user please don’t despair because you can type in the hashtag #LincsArtCraftHour to the search bar to find everything that’s been posted there. You’ll find several blogs as well as some posts by the local artists. I haven’t tried it on Instagram yet but I can assure you it will be coming.
What’ve You Missed?
Lots of gift ideas have been posted including Christmas decorations and cards but the question really should be ‘who’ have you missed? That’s easy to remedy; You’ll find a list below which includes some contact details too.
Advert
Breakfast £3.70, Afternoon Tea £7.50 and 3 course dinners available too. What’s not to like? Why not visit The Eatery, 36 Park Street, Lincoln, Lincolnshire next time you’re in town? Please get in touch first though to book your visit. Just click on the picture to go to the Lincoln Age UK Facebook page or follow them on twitter @ageuklsl It’s all for charity and you get fed at a bargain price too!
The Local List:
Shopping in Lincolnshire with LincsConnect – This list is set to grow and grow so please do make a note to keep checking in to see who else has joined us:
Advert – Shopping In Lincolnshire With LincsConnect
Mandarin Therapies and @MandarinMothers provide a bespoke mobile complementary therapies service throughout the County of Lincolnshire and beyond. Call 07966 174878 to book your appointment today. Click on the picture to go straight to the Mandarin Therapies Facebook page.
AgeUK Lincoln & South Lincoln are a registered charity needing your donations. However, you also have the chance to purchase an inexpensive meal here and be pleased to know that the profits will be going straight to the charity.
Let’s face it, you’re older now than when you first started reading this blog! Age creeps up on us all so it’s nice to know there is a charity here to help us when we need it. If you would like breakfast, afternoon tea or a full meal don’t forget to book your place early. Breakfast starts at 9.30am.
Stay Safe
Please go ahead and enjoy yourself but lease also remember to stay safe. Keeping a social 2m distance, regular hand washing and wearing a mask when required will help you, your family, friends and everyone around you.
Shop Local In Lincolnshire – follow the # Hashtags
Do hashtags really work? The simple answer here is ‘yes’ and ‘no’!
How many times have you seen posts on social media with the hashtag #ShopLocal on it? As crazy as it may sound, the hashtag really isn’t much use if you’re using it to help people find you. It’s fine as a statement of fact on your post but when you search for it you’ll find that the posts are anything but local. In fact, the posts you’ll find are from all around the world! If you’re expecting people to find your cheese that you produced in Sleaford I strongly suggest you think again! Try using and promoting the #ShopLincs hashtag instead.
When I set upLincs Connectin 2012 I experimented with several hashtags and names before settling on #LincsConnect. Other examples of my trial hashtags included #ShopLocal (ironically I created this hashtag in January 2011 for use on my @MANDARINLEISURE account but scrapped it because it went global) #SupportLincolnshire #SupportLincolnshireBusiness #SupportLocal #SupportLocalBusiness with the latter being shortened to #SLBiz.
Early research made me realise that the ‘Support…’ hashtags were just too long so people refused to use them. Another reason for scrapping them was because they start with the word ‘Support’. When searching social media for relevant hashtags about Lincolnshire you’ll find that typing the letters ‘Linc’ into the search bar will give you LincsConnect on twitter and Lincs Connect on Facebook in the top three names to visit. Compare that to typing in ‘Support’ which will give you all sorts of connotations from TwitterSupport to a whole host of other national and international business support sites.
It makes sense then that the hashtag to use on your tweets needs to be #LincsConnect as it is at the top of your searches and is truly local to Lincolnshire.
How To Use A Hashtag
If you’re happily adding hashtags to your post but never searching them you’ve truly missed s trick!
Here’s what to do: Type in #LincsConnect in your search bar then press enter. Don’t click on the account @LincsConnect as that’ll take you to the account only which means you’ll miss all the good information. Once your device takes you to the messages on the #LincsConnect timeline you need to look for the ‘Latest’ tab at the top of the Twitter page. If you type #LincsConnect into the search bar on Facebook you’ll need to look for the ‘Posts’ tab at the top of the page (this’ll also show you related Instagram posts).
Once you’ve discovered these pages you’ll realise that there is a huge amount of information, business posts, personal posts, charity posts and requests for help etc etc that are all related to our local area. Try it now to see what you can find. It’s a fantastic way to network and find out what’s going on locally.
Supporting Local In Lincolnshire
How do you support local? Is it as easy as going to the local shops and picking something from the shelves? In case you hadn’t considered it before, let me share some of my ideas about shopping and supporting locals:
Shop locally – supporting local traders by buying their produce in local shops, garden centres, farm shops and markets
Online – Many local traders have online shops. A more cost effective way of selling may be via platforms like Etsy shops or even selling directly via social media
Don’t forget the local charity shops. Dropping off your unwanted items is absolutely crucial but don’t forget they are there to help raise funds for the many worthy causes that otherwise would’t survive without our support. Buying from the shops is absolutely essential if the charities are to survive.
Social media – Since I’ve been running #LincsConnect I’ve noticed big changes in how people use the various platforms. I’ve noticed a big rise in the professionally run accounts (some companies run several accounts for different clients) and I’ve also noticed the reluctance of many accounts to share anyone else messages or support others. I’ll talk more about these two subjects later.
Obviously there are many other ways to support local businesses, charities and organisation but I’ll focus on my main observations first if that’s OK?
Shop Local In Lincolnshire
Shop local in Lincolnshire – this concept certainly isn’t new. However, during the Covid19 pandemic it became much more important and (thankfully) much more prolific. We know how important our local CoOp, Post office, newsagent and Spar shops are. Many of them are in walking distance (for those who are able) and stock locally produced products.
Perhaps, with the use of ‘people power’ they might be able to stock more local produce to help our economy even further. A polite request from customers or local traders may be all it takes. It’s worth a try! In addition to helping to support local traders (including the shop owners and staff) it must have also come to your attention that during the lockdown there were less emissions, less fossil fuel burned and less litter. All of these positives are good for the planet so let’s see if we can learn the lessons.
If you can’t physically support local businesses you could try supporting them online
Shop Local In Lincolnshire – Online
This isn’t something I ever considered for my own businesses before Covid19 but it is something that I explored during the lockdown. FaceTime and WhatsApp video calling is still a fantastic way to maintain contact with my clients while reducing my fuel usage in my truck. It’s definitely a practice that I’m committed to. During the lockdown I was busy writing blogs and searching for companies who sell online. Some are using Etsy, some use Facebook and others use Twitter.
I’m sure there are other platforms that are equally as good or even better. I haven’t come across them yet but the obvious choice and probably the most popular is direct selling from personal/company websites. Many people have their own eCommerce shop on their website which is easily maintained by the trader and convenient for the customer. If, like me, you’re a bit of a technophobe you’ll be able to find website designers to build a site for you. They’ll even help you with your existing site. If you’d like to get in touch with any designers please feel free to ask me for some suggestions. After all, that is what Lincs ‘Connect’ is for!
Charities
I often include charities in my blogs because I feel they need all the help they can get. I’ve focused on very small, medium and large charities and the one thing that they all have in common is their use of social media. The posts may not raise funds directly but their constant presence certainly helps to raise your awareness of them and they help you to shop local in Lincolnshire.
Share The Love
Looking at the various accounts on social media I often make up my mind whether I should support them or not simply by looking at their posts. The ones who never share anyone else posts, have conversations or try in any way to support anyone else is a big red flag for me.
I find myself asking the question “why should I support them when they don’t support others and are very unlikely to support me?” I’m a big believer in helping others so when I find someone who shows no interest other than to post their own tweets I tend to move on to find someone who is more sociable and supportive.
Buying And Selling
I’ve noticed Fiona @OrigArtPrints on Twitter while searching the #LincsConnect hashtag and really like what she has been painting on old maps. Her main sales come from Craft Fairs but during covid she turned her attention to Facebook and Twitter for her sales. Facebook has been successful but Twitter less so. However, her Twitter account is a good platform for showcasing what she does and for directing people to her Facebook account. It’s important to use more than one platform on social media if you want to increase your client base. It’ll be interesting to see if future sales turn more towards social media and less towards the craft fairs. Only time will tell.
As a consequence of lessons learned during the covid lockdown I’m pleased to see that Fiona has turned her attention to Etsy for her sales too. An online presence is great way to keep customer engagement. I think these paintings on old maps are fabulous. You have to admit, they do bring the map to life. Here is another example:
Shop Local In Lincolnshire – Use Websites, Social Media And YouTube
I’m no expert of course but it appears to me that one of the best ways to find a website (given that you probably didn’t know the sites name or even that you wanted to make a purchase) is through social media. I’ll say that bit again just to clarify, “through ‘social’media”. Why the emphasis on ‘social’? Because I’ve noticed far too often that many people are using Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to show off their products but don’t realise that they need to talk to followers to get continued engagement and sales.
Put it this way, if you don’t talk to me on social media I’m not likely to notice you! Likewise, if you talk to me but I don’t talk back you’ll soon stop talking to me. Either way, I would be the loser so that’s why it’s always best to be ‘social’ on social media!
While being pre-occupied with social media I almost forgot about YouTube. Surely I can’t be the only person who searches YouTube on a very regular basis for music and information? I do think it’s a great platform for showing your products (you’ll have seen some of my YouTube videos if you’ve been reading my other blogs), courses and skills.
While the social media could drive potential customers to your website the same driving force could apply to your YouTube channel. I sometimes feature a local band on twitter. Invariably I find them on Twitter or Facebook first then either follow a link to their YouTube channel or take a few seconds to search for them in the YouTube search bar.
This band (Saboteurs) from Sleaford have really got my attention . You can follow them on Twitter @sabsbanduk for regular music posts and updates. Alternatively go straight to their website www.saboteursband.co.uk for lots more info and a chance to purchase their albums.
Have a listen to one of their albums by clicking on the YouTube link above.
Shop Local In Lincolnshire With YouTube
YouTube is arguably more useful than Instagram. They are both popular of course and Instagram has a huge customer base. However, YouTube is a constant. When a video is posted on YouTube it’s there to be found at any time until the originator deletes it. Finding a specific post on Instagram is much less easy.
As a shopper it’s easy to go to YouTube to search for what you are looking for. A good video will show you the product before you decide to buy. Subsequently, as the originator of a YouTube post you are able to upload the link to any social media platform or your own website at any time. An uploaded video can be an ongoing advert for many years because the link can be copied and re-posted multiple times.
Uploading a video to YouTube (this one is about Nordic Walking with @MandarinFitness) can be timeless. This video is often posted on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to help encourage new customers to join the sessions. Simply following the link from the social media platform takes you straight to the advert.
The videos don’t need to be long or even professionally produced. Simply upload a video clip from your smartphone to YouTube then copy the link and post it onto your social media platform.
I hope you’ve found the blog useful. Don’t forget to shop locally wherever possible to support our local traders.
See You Soon…
I hope you like my brief blog about using social media for selling and finding new customers. Please feel free to leave a comment below and share the post with your friends and contacts. Hopefully I’ll see you when I search the #LincsConnect hashtag again soon.
Additional Blogs By LincsConnect:
Click the picture to discover more about this blog and get an insight into being successful on social media
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Mandarin Leisure Valentines Anniversary – Still Going Strong
Celebrating 34th anniversary on Valentines Day
Mandarin Leisure Valentines Anniversary – Still Going Strong…
Mandarin Leisure Valentines Anniversary – It hardly seems possible that Mandarin Leisurehas been going for so long! The 34th anniversary is on 14 February and it’s hard to believe how quickly the time has flown! I started working part-time in the World Gym while studying to become Lincolnshires’ first Personal Trainer. Later I added complementary therapies to my portfolio and the rest is history. Studying never stops of course as there is always something new to learn.
Initially teaching circuit training classes in village halls the business has grown to include Personal Training, injury prevention, injury rehabilitation, back pain rehabilitation as well as the almost limitless possibilities with the complementary therapies. A few celebrity clients at the very start saw the business skyrocket from zero to a very healthy going concern.
Injury prevention and rehabilitation is a key element of the Mandarin Leisure success
It’s fair to say that helping people is in my genes. My father was awarded the BEM for helping people and my great grandfather was awarded the George Cross for bravery while helping people. My journey started out by helping people with their fitness and wellbeing but I soon discovered that with my healing abilities and vision I was able to help more people than I had ever imagined.
Mandarin Leisure – Introduces massage, aromatherapy, antenatal and postnatal bespoke mobil treatments.
Therapies
Mandarin Fitness (formerly QRS Fitness) added Mandarin Therapies and Mandarin Mothers to the list of businesses in a natural progression. Making people feel well is what I do best! The decision was made very early on to keep the business mobile so that the fitness, rehabilitation and therapies could be taken to the clients. It’s a business model that I’m pleased to say has served me well.
eVouchers
With postal charges increasing it has become more popular (and convenient) to order eVouchers and have them delivered straight to the intended recipient. It’s a fabulous gift and a lovely way to let people know how much you care about them and appreciate them. You can order your eVoucher now and have a special message included too.
*** From now until 14 February 2025 celebratory massage eVouchers are just £34.00 ***
If you fancy keeping fit and would like to try Nordic Walking why not join one of the weekly classes? Beginners are always welcome to join us and all abilities are catered for. Call 07966 174878 for more information
Mandarin Leisure Valentines Anniversary – A natural progression
First started in January 2011, the decision to officially launch a dedicated platform in November 2012 took the ‘helping people’ a stage further with the official launch of @LincsConnecton Twitter.
In order to prove its worth I created it anonymously to let people know the it is truly impartial. I helped and promoted all businesses in the Lincolnshire area including other Personal Trainers and therapists who may otherwise have viewed me as a rival business. My fear was that if they had known who was behind the account they might have viewed it differently.
A few years later I started a #LincsConnect networking group so naturally I couldn’t remain anonymous! The meetings went well and I have to say a huge THANK YOU to Emma at thePetwood Hotel in Woodhall Spa for having the faith in me and for supporting Lincs Connect in such a big way.
Due to personal illness I put the meetings on hold but intend to revive them again in the not too distant future.
Covid19
The Next Chapter
Covid19 needs no introductions! My exercise classes were obviously put on hold and my Personal Training sessions moved to online sessions. Having contracted the virus the day before lockdown I needed to find something to keep me occupied during the long hours of isolation.
The pandemic forced me into overcoming my fear of blogging. Having previously written articles and weekly editorials for local papers and glossy magazines, coupled with my love of writing, ‘blogging’ was born. I used my skills to help others throughout the pandemic by sign posting people to local activities, charities and businesses. The new venture went well and I’m pleased to say that my community blogging skills are improving and continuing to help people.
Physical networking was already on hold but I did attempt to create an online network with some success. My heart lies in ‘people’ though so the physical networking sessions are still my priority. My exercise sessions are no longer an option as I suffer with long-covid and breathing is still sometimes difficult. However, I have managed to continue with my Nordic Walking sessions with the support of my fantastic, loyal clients.
What’s Next?
The next chapter has already begun as LincsConnect continues to grow and thrive. Community blogging is here to stay and the physical networking sessions are planned to return in the near future. Online Personal Training continues as do the mobile therapies, injury rehabilitation sessions and Nordic Walking classes.
Happy Valentines Day to you all. You’re never alone as long as Mandarin Leisure and LincsConnect are here.
Mobile complementary therapies covering Lincolnshire and beyond
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J&S Plumbing & Heating – Quality as standard
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I think these paintings on old maps are fabulous. You have to admit, they do bring the map to life. Here is another example:
