Challenges … we all have them in life, and we have them in business. But all challenges don’t have to be a Challenge in a bad way. Some of them are actually good, and self-imposed.

Before you think I’m off my rocker, the challenges I’m talking about are challenges that help you improve your skills and make sure you’re getting the most out of your favorite Marketing platforms. Like the LinkedIn challenge I signed up for earlier this week. I’ve taken other challenges by Sarah Santacroce before, and they have helped me improve and update my LinkedIn profile so I can attract more qualified leads and grow my network. I have to say I saw a noticeable difference in the quality, and quantity, of leads after taking one of Sarah’s challenges.

I know I keep saying this, but social media IS one of the easiest and least expensive marketing tools available for online businesses. But in order to get the most out of our social media platforms, and make sure they represent us in our best light and attract our ideal clients and target market, we need to make sure our profiles are up-to-date, and make sure we are using these awesome platforms to the full extent of their capabilities. Last Spring I held my own 10 Days to a Better Blog challenge, and plan on doing it again sometime in the near future. Interestingly enough, holding my own challenge ended up helping me learn and grow along with the participants. Blogging, LinkedIn, Facebook … whatever social media or content marketing tools you choose, participating in (or hosting) a challenge is a great way to keep up with the platforms, improve your skills and get more visibility!

So my marketing tip for you today, is to join a challenge or two, and keep up with the changes and improvements of your favorite social media platforms so you can take advantage of their unique marketing capabilities and keep up with their newest trends and features.

While many of them are free, the paid ones are typically very low cost. Why don’t you start with this LinkedIn Challenge that starts November 10! It’s only $27. Based on Sarah’s other challenges, I know it will be well worth such a minimal investment!

And if you know of another challenge that would be a benefit to improving our marketing skills and efforts, let me know and I’ll be sure to check it out!