Selling to your Ideal Customer was supposed to be a snap, remember?

You toiled away at your previous job, dreaming of the day you'd chase your passion. After what felt like a few hundred people who kept telling you to take a chance, you did it.

You went all in and played what felt like a winning hand of cards...but it wasn't.

Many days, weeks or months later, you still have those cards, but you've switched to solitaire as you wait for that door (virtual or otherwise) to open and the cash to start rolling in.

At this point you'd accept Monopoly money.

Hold on a sec! Before you decide to throw in the small business towel, here are four surprising ways you can reach out and sell to your ideal customer.

As an earlier adopter of Twitter, writing 140 character messages was both fun and challenging. It was new, it was cool, and it was infectious. Was, was was. Back then there was no video to grow your brand, just text. For small businesses, Twitter was a great platform. But yes, there is that magic word again - was.

Unfortunately Twitter could only do so much so fast and then the next big player came to town. Say it with me - Facebook.

The central reason why Facebook has survived is simple. They evolved. I'm not going to step on the Zuckerberg Express, mind you, but hats off to Facebook for being the modern day Terminator - evolving and bettering itself with each new version. They're not perfect, but you have to admit their monstrous growth attracts us all.

But the next time you're on Facebook, ask yourself one simple question:

"What Facebook posts attract me the most?"

A friend of mine, Kim VanderPoel, owner of social media company Fresh Impact, recently shared with me her opinion, which fortunately matched my own. It's one of the reasons why Twitter is slowly dying and why Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, and others are still in the fray. And although the stat I'm about to share comes from a few year's back, it's as true today as it was back then.

Three Reasons Why You Need Video to Grow Your Brand

If your brand wants to engage with your customers, video is the primary force to do so. According to Sproutsocial, videos average 62% more engagement than photos. In other words, if you're still posting text or photo only posts, you're leaving money on the table.

Why is video that much more engaging?

The first reason why you need video for your brand is its diversity. Video comes in all shapes and sizes. Videos can be long or short. They can be in black and white or colored. They can contain words, images, music and leave you wondering how it will end. Just like a movie.

Speaking of movies, the second reason why you need video for your brand is the emotional connection you can create with your customers. Like various genres of movies, videos can make you sad or glad, mad or empowered. When marketers talk about connecting brands to consumers, emotional branding is a strong frontrunner. To make the viewer feel a certain way is more readily done via video versus words alone.

And the third reason, but certainly not the last, why you need video to grow your brand is as simple as looking at your competition. Here's a hint: if your competition is doing video and you're not, they're going to leave you in the dust on the competition floor. And if your competition is not doing video for social media, etc. - then it's a great time to start so you can leave them in the dust and stay ahead of the game.

Consumers are smart cookies. They no longer want you to tell them what you do. They want you to show them. As the quote goes, "Words are nothing. Actions are everything. Don't tell me. Show me."

Since I'm from Missouri, the Show-Me state, there's no one better to remind us all that if you want to grow your brand in today's consumer-driven world, improve your chances and engagement and use video to do it. For more reminders, updates, etc. - sign up below.