Barnes & Noble and Annemarie Segaric, founder of The Career Changer Company www.thecareerchanger.com, have partnered to bring you an event you won't want to miss. If you are wondering how you're going to change careers or find that new job in this economy you will want to be at this power-packed lunchtime workshop.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
12:30pm-1:30pm
Barnes & Noble - Lincoln Center
1972 Broadway at West 66th Street, NYC
(1 Subway at West 66th Street stop)
$25 registration fee includes free copy of Step into the Right Career. Special Friends & Clients discount: enter FRIENDSANDCLIENTS during checkout and take $5 off. Also, if you RSVP before 12/31 you can take an additional $5 off! Just enter YEAREND during checkout.
Register at: http://www.careerchangerevent.com
During this laser focused lunchtime event you will learn:
* the one thing you must have when changing careers so that you don't need to have lots of money saved up.
* the three steps you can take to get started right away on your transition even if you have no idea what you want to be doing in the first place.
* how to decide between pursuing a passion or just getting a job (especially if you are unemployed right now)
* the key to standing out from the crowd in a tight job market especially when you don't have the listed experience in the first place.
Sign ups have already begun but because of the room size seats are very limited so grab yours now! We expect this event to sell out very quickly.
It will truly be the best hour you could spend. I hope you'll join us
Tuesday, 30 December 2008
Monday, 29 December 2008
Today on Women Entrepreneurs -The Secrets of Success
Guest Host Elena Camp interviews Monica Thakrar, President and CEO of Joyful Soul Coaching, a coaching firm that specializes in holistic coaching focused on body, mind, and spirit alignment. Monica's mission is to help people live joyfully and authentically by finding their true passions and taking the risks to go after them. She believes that when people's actions are in alignment with their true heart's desires they can achieve their greatest dreams.
Monica's own journey began when she began to soul search to figure out what she wanted to be when she grew up so that she could live more joyfully. Externally she looked successful, but inside she knew she was not living her best life. She always wanted to help people and she found Newfield Network (or it felt like it found her!). She realized that the holistic approach to living was the most effective way of living a balanced, connected, and joyful life.
Before becoming a coach, Monica worked in the Financial Management
Program at General Electric. She also worked as a Manager in BearingPoint's Organizational Change Management group for over 7
years. As a consultant Monica worked with Executives and mid-managers in large public sector, commercial, and international organizations to prepare them and their organizations to adopt large scale technology or process changes.
Monica is also a graduate of the ICF certified Newfield Network
coaching program as well as is a certified Soul Coach through the
Denise Linn Soul Coaching Program. Monica has worked with numerous
coaching clients in order to live their most joyful lives possible.
www.JoyfulSoulCoaching.com
Monica's own journey began when she began to soul search to figure out what she wanted to be when she grew up so that she could live more joyfully. Externally she looked successful, but inside she knew she was not living her best life. She always wanted to help people and she found Newfield Network (or it felt like it found her!). She realized that the holistic approach to living was the most effective way of living a balanced, connected, and joyful life.
Before becoming a coach, Monica worked in the Financial Management
Program at General Electric. She also worked as a Manager in BearingPoint's Organizational Change Management group for over 7
years. As a consultant Monica worked with Executives and mid-managers in large public sector, commercial, and international organizations to prepare them and their organizations to adopt large scale technology or process changes.
Monica is also a graduate of the ICF certified Newfield Network
coaching program as well as is a certified Soul Coach through the
Denise Linn Soul Coaching Program. Monica has worked with numerous
coaching clients in order to live their most joyful lives possible.
www.JoyfulSoulCoaching.com
Saturday, 27 December 2008
How to Make Positive Changes in Your Life
by Deborah A. Bailey
What are you attracting? Years ago a career coach told me that I had to work on becoming "irresistibly attractive." I didn't completely understand it at the time, but now I do. When we hear the word, "attractive" we usually think of physical appearance. That's what makeovers usually focus on, don't they? Changing the outside and expecting that the inside will just fall into place.
If you don't think you deserve a better job, a rewarding career or a successful business, how can you achieve it? How can you reach something if you don't feel you can have it? If I don't believe in my business, then it's not likely that I'll attract clients who want to work with me. It's also not likely that I'll be successful if I don't believe it's possible for me.
Even though I'd been dreaming of my own business for years, once I started it I didn't completely believe in it. I wondered how I could compete with more experienced entrepreneurs, and how I could attract people who saw value in what I could do for them. What I have learned is that if I don't think my work has value, I'm going to attract people who don't see the value either - and I certainly can't build a business that way.
Instead of complaining about what you have, think about what you want to accomplish. Do you want a new job, or to return to school or move to a new place? What steps are you taking to make those things happen?
1. Write down your ideas for the future. If you're going back to school, what courses do you want to take? If you want to move, where do you want to go?
2. Look at where you are now and write down the things you'll need to move forward.
3. Consider your everyday thoughts - do you go from believing you can reach your goals to being discouraged? You won't be able to move forward if you don't believe that that you can.
If you want to change for the better, then you have to believe in it. You have to be there on the inside long before you see the outside results.
What are you attracting? Years ago a career coach told me that I had to work on becoming "irresistibly attractive." I didn't completely understand it at the time, but now I do. When we hear the word, "attractive" we usually think of physical appearance. That's what makeovers usually focus on, don't they? Changing the outside and expecting that the inside will just fall into place.
If you don't think you deserve a better job, a rewarding career or a successful business, how can you achieve it? How can you reach something if you don't feel you can have it? If I don't believe in my business, then it's not likely that I'll attract clients who want to work with me. It's also not likely that I'll be successful if I don't believe it's possible for me.
Even though I'd been dreaming of my own business for years, once I started it I didn't completely believe in it. I wondered how I could compete with more experienced entrepreneurs, and how I could attract people who saw value in what I could do for them. What I have learned is that if I don't think my work has value, I'm going to attract people who don't see the value either - and I certainly can't build a business that way.
Instead of complaining about what you have, think about what you want to accomplish. Do you want a new job, or to return to school or move to a new place? What steps are you taking to make those things happen?
1. Write down your ideas for the future. If you're going back to school, what courses do you want to take? If you want to move, where do you want to go?
2. Look at where you are now and write down the things you'll need to move forward.
3. Consider your everyday thoughts - do you go from believing you can reach your goals to being discouraged? You won't be able to move forward if you don't believe that that you can.
If you want to change for the better, then you have to believe in it. You have to be there on the inside long before you see the outside results.
Deborah A. Bailey is author of two non-fiction books including, “Think Like an Entrepreneur: Transforming Your Career and Taking Charge of Your Life
.” She's also the creator and host of Women Entrepreneurs Radio, a weekly internet talk show. Her fiction work includes a short story collection and a novel, available on Amazon.com.
.” She's also the creator and host of Women Entrepreneurs Radio, a weekly internet talk show. Her fiction work includes a short story collection and a novel, available on Amazon.com. For more information, visit http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com.
Friday, 26 December 2008
How to Market Your Business With an E-Book
by Deborah A. Bailey
Less expensive than producing a "traditional" book, electronic books (or "eBooks") exist in various formats, including MS Word files, Adobe Acrobat pdf files (one of the most popular formats) and HTML files (which can be read using a web browser). Readers can download your eBook from your website, a third-party site (such as Amazon.com), or receive it as an email attachment. If you choose to create your eBook using HTML files, all you need to do is give your readers the URL so that they can view it like any other web page.
Looking to promote your products or services? Consider using an eBook in your promotions. For instance, a caterer might offer books such as "Entertaining for Large Parties at a Small Cost" or "Perfect Wine Pairings" and distribute them to prospective clients. She could also reformat the content into individual articles and submit them to specialized publications. An organizer might select topics such as "How to Set up a Home Office" or "10 Steps to Eliminating Clutter." She could feature these books on her website and create passive income by setting a fee for downloads. Someone opening a coffee shop might market her business with titles such as "How to Brew the Perfect Cup" or a "Guide to Global Coffees."
Want to define yourself as an expert in your field? Use an eBook to share your expertise. A house painter who finds that he's always being asked about painting might write books such as, "10 Things to Know before Hiring a Painter" or "Three Top Painting Techniques." He could market these books on his website, and offer them when meeting with prospective clients. Perhaps each month or quarter he could make a new book available for download or sale. He can market himself as an expert, while creating an additional source of income. Even do-it-yourself painters could benefit from his tips!
Have a group of articles you've already written? Compile your articles into an eBook, with each article as a separate chapter. Use your eBook as a manual for classes or talks that you give. Distribute your eBook as a "textbook" for your online classes. Are you involved in coaching or mentoring? Make your eBook available on your site as a download for your clients or students. Need to create instructions for a product you're selling? Put it into an eBook. Use your eBook as a "thank you" to clients, or as an incentive to prospective clients.
Don't underestimate the power of an eBook. You can use it for marketing, income, building writing credits or establishing yourself as an expert. Whatever your objective, use an eBook to get exposure for your business while sharing your expertise.
Less expensive than producing a "traditional" book, electronic books (or "eBooks") exist in various formats, including MS Word files, Adobe Acrobat pdf files (one of the most popular formats) and HTML files (which can be read using a web browser). Readers can download your eBook from your website, a third-party site (such as Amazon.com), or receive it as an email attachment. If you choose to create your eBook using HTML files, all you need to do is give your readers the URL so that they can view it like any other web page.
Looking to promote your products or services? Consider using an eBook in your promotions. For instance, a caterer might offer books such as "Entertaining for Large Parties at a Small Cost" or "Perfect Wine Pairings" and distribute them to prospective clients. She could also reformat the content into individual articles and submit them to specialized publications. An organizer might select topics such as "How to Set up a Home Office" or "10 Steps to Eliminating Clutter." She could feature these books on her website and create passive income by setting a fee for downloads. Someone opening a coffee shop might market her business with titles such as "How to Brew the Perfect Cup" or a "Guide to Global Coffees."
Want to define yourself as an expert in your field? Use an eBook to share your expertise. A house painter who finds that he's always being asked about painting might write books such as, "10 Things to Know before Hiring a Painter" or "Three Top Painting Techniques." He could market these books on his website, and offer them when meeting with prospective clients. Perhaps each month or quarter he could make a new book available for download or sale. He can market himself as an expert, while creating an additional source of income. Even do-it-yourself painters could benefit from his tips!
Have a group of articles you've already written? Compile your articles into an eBook, with each article as a separate chapter. Use your eBook as a manual for classes or talks that you give. Distribute your eBook as a "textbook" for your online classes. Are you involved in coaching or mentoring? Make your eBook available on your site as a download for your clients or students. Need to create instructions for a product you're selling? Put it into an eBook. Use your eBook as a "thank you" to clients, or as an incentive to prospective clients.
Don't underestimate the power of an eBook. You can use it for marketing, income, building writing credits or establishing yourself as an expert. Whatever your objective, use an eBook to get exposure for your business while sharing your expertise.
Deborah A. Bailey is author of several fiction and non-fiction books, and creator and host of Women Entrepreneurs Radio, a weekly podcast. For more information, visit http://DeborahABailey.com.
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
Nurture Others By Nurturing Yourself
by Mariana Cooper
There is a great deal of attention placed on Giving to others during the holiday season. And this is totally appropriate. However this year may be a little bit more of a challenge as we watch those around us become consumed with fear, worry and concern about what is happening with the economy.
Perhaps you yourself are struggling, wondering about your job, your business, your finances, your home. Our relationships are more strained than ever as everyone searches for some "relief" from the daily drama.
Everyone is searching for some energy and encouragement. Yet it seems that we are ALL stretched and don't have a lot of extra energy to give to others as much as we may like to. This is truly a time where it is important to Nurture Yourself.
Self nurturing is the best gift that you can provide for yourself AND for others. Because when we are feeling at peace, rested, well hydrated, nourished and centered we have the energy to be a good listening ear for others or to just allow others the space they need to go through whatever they are going through.
We all want to help but now more so than ever before it is important to refrain from trying to rescue others, fix their problems or fill in their blanks. Actually we are insulting them when we attempt to solve it all, because we are robbing them of the growth and learning that is there to make them stronger and more importantly to bring them back to their Intuition and higher self.
Remember that when we face challenges, the best place to turn for nurturing is to Spirit, our Higher Selves, our Intuition. Life's obstacles are always Spirit calling us forward to a higher version of ourselves!
This week, instead of listening endlessly to the woes and problems of others, politely end the conversation and take some time to regenerate and nurture yourself.
Set the example for your friends and family of the calm, centered, focused person who goes with the flow and truly honors their own self care. It may be a bit of a challenge at first and feel like you are abandoning your friends but you are not!
The best way to nurture your loved ones is by allowing them to have their free will to choose and be responsible for their own happiness. And for you to take the time out to pay some much needed attention to yourself!
So indulge!
Mariana M. Cooper, Aha! Moments, Inc. Intuition Expert and Mentor. For more information, products and services go to: www.TrustYourAHAMoments.com
There is a great deal of attention placed on Giving to others during the holiday season. And this is totally appropriate. However this year may be a little bit more of a challenge as we watch those around us become consumed with fear, worry and concern about what is happening with the economy.
Perhaps you yourself are struggling, wondering about your job, your business, your finances, your home. Our relationships are more strained than ever as everyone searches for some "relief" from the daily drama.
Everyone is searching for some energy and encouragement. Yet it seems that we are ALL stretched and don't have a lot of extra energy to give to others as much as we may like to. This is truly a time where it is important to Nurture Yourself.
Self nurturing is the best gift that you can provide for yourself AND for others. Because when we are feeling at peace, rested, well hydrated, nourished and centered we have the energy to be a good listening ear for others or to just allow others the space they need to go through whatever they are going through.
We all want to help but now more so than ever before it is important to refrain from trying to rescue others, fix their problems or fill in their blanks. Actually we are insulting them when we attempt to solve it all, because we are robbing them of the growth and learning that is there to make them stronger and more importantly to bring them back to their Intuition and higher self.
Remember that when we face challenges, the best place to turn for nurturing is to Spirit, our Higher Selves, our Intuition. Life's obstacles are always Spirit calling us forward to a higher version of ourselves!
This week, instead of listening endlessly to the woes and problems of others, politely end the conversation and take some time to regenerate and nurture yourself.
Set the example for your friends and family of the calm, centered, focused person who goes with the flow and truly honors their own self care. It may be a bit of a challenge at first and feel like you are abandoning your friends but you are not!
The best way to nurture your loved ones is by allowing them to have their free will to choose and be responsible for their own happiness. And for you to take the time out to pay some much needed attention to yourself!
So indulge!
Mariana M. Cooper, Aha! Moments, Inc. Intuition Expert and Mentor. For more information, products and services go to: www.TrustYourAHAMoments.com
The Big Question
You're trying to sell something to an entrepreneur. What's top of mind for him or her?
Himself or herself, of course. (No points for getting that one right.)
I was reminded of this when talking to a Western Canada business owner this week. "What can you do for me?" was his first question. "What else can you do for me?" was his second question. And his third.
This show the importance of the old adage, "Don't sell features, sell benefits." All your target market cares about is, "What can you do for me NOW?"
Himself or herself, of course. (No points for getting that one right.)
I was reminded of this when talking to a Western Canada business owner this week. "What can you do for me?" was his first question. "What else can you do for me?" was his second question. And his third.
This show the importance of the old adage, "Don't sell features, sell benefits." All your target market cares about is, "What can you do for me NOW?"
Sunday, 21 December 2008
5 Ways to Increase Your Revenue Now
by Ali Brown
While the rest of your friends and colleagues may be hemming and hawing about how bad the economy is, smart entrepreneurs are quietly calculating not only how to thrive in these times but dramatically increase their incomes as well!
And it's not complicated either. For example, when I coach with clients, one of the first things we do is sit down and look at their current income streams -- what they are, what kind of money they bring in, and with how much effort.
From there, we look at several ways to increase their revenues from these streams alone. For the purpose of this article I'll share five with you.
1. Raising your prices/rates.
Most entrepreneurs - and especially solo-preneurs - grossly underestimate what we marketers call "price elasticity". That is, how much they can raise their prices and/or rates without losing business.
Warning: This is completely contrary to what you think you should be doing right now -- lowering your fees!
One of my Platinum Mastermind members, a Canadian coach who works in a particular niche, resisted raising her rates for months. Finally, she agreed to raise them and even DOUBLE them. She found that not only did she not lose business, but she gained better clients as well. Now she's making the same money in half the time, leaving her many more free hours to develop information products for passive income.
For a year or two I was selling my "Boost Business With Your Own Ezine" system online for $197. It sold pretty well back then, but I realized the information contained was worth much more. Ever since I raised the price to $497, it now converts even more sales! The key here is to track and test for yourself.
2. Up your transaction size.
Ladies, don't you find it amusing when you're at a fast food joint, doing your best to get a healthy salad, and the teenager at the counter brainlessly asks if you'd like fries with that? This is called "up-selling", and it's an easy way of increasing your transaction size.
I just returned from a trip where my hotel automatically billed me a "resort fee" of $20 a day. Not a huge addition to my room rate, but look at how that adds up for the hotel: If they have 500 rooms, they make an additional $10,000 a day, and that's an additional $3.65 million each year!
You can do this in your business too! Use your shopping cart system's up-sell feature to offer additional products or services that complement what the customer is buying. Ideas: a special report, resource guide, workbook, audio program, or laser coaching session. Or offer a special "bundle" price if they purchase more than one product or service at a time. And lest you think these tactics are only for widget-sellers, I've seen this work for everyone from cosmetic surgeons to accountants.
3. Increase your net.
I'll admit it took me several years after I first started my business to understand the important difference between gross profits and net profits. Today I track every product and program in my business separately for both income and expenses - including administrative time. While all this tracking takes time and effort, a quick report instantly tells me which offerings are truly bringing in the big bucks... for keeps.
A few ways of increasing your net are:
* upping your selling price
* lowering your expenses for marketing, sales, and product/program delivery
* culling products/programs that don't bring in the profits you want
* spending more time marketing and selling the products/programs that DO bring
in the profits you want!
4. Up your customer value.
Generally, when you look at your entire customer or client base, there will be a percentage who are your BEST customers and clients. They adore you, buy whatever you come out with, and are happy to pay your fees. This goes along with "the 80/20 rule" -- a good 20 percent of your current customers or clients likely brings you about 80 percent of your revenues!
Once you identify this portion of your list, why not create special offerings just for them? Either at a higher price point or delivering a more exclusive level of service. And, very important: Analyze who these folks are, and fine-tune your marketing to attract more of them!
5. Fine-tune your frequency.
You've been seeing many membership/continuity programs around these days, and it's not just because they are a wonderful way to deliver information or products. It's because smart business owners realize they can gain multiple sales from ONE purchase transaction instead of going back and trying to get folks to buy from them again and again.
Here's how it works: Jane or Joe buys into your monthly membership or widget-of-the-month club, and that one purchase gains YOU recurring income. You saw the start of this trend years ago with book-of-the-month clubs and today it's the most popular way to sell beauty products via infomercials as well. Proactiv, Youthful Essence, and many of those beauty products sold on TV enroll you into an autoship program. (I should know, because I've tried many of them!)
So think about how you can develop one continuity or membership program to continually funnel new members into - versus having to sell your prospects over and over.
First, Just Be Aware.
If you are just working day by day with your nose to your desk, or with clients nonstop, you won't have time to even be aware of your current financial situation, let alone opportunities to improve it.
Step one is taking a half day or so to review your current income streams as I described above, and look for ways to apply these five revenue boosters!
[EDITOR'S NOTE: These strategies are just a portion of what Ali will be helping her new Millionaire Protege Club members apply in their businesses. Watch your inbox for a special invitation come end of year - don't miss out on learning more!]
© 2008 Alexandria Brown International Inc.
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown publishes the award-winning 'Highlights on Marketing & Success' weekly ezine with 36,000+ subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.AlexandriaBrown.com
While the rest of your friends and colleagues may be hemming and hawing about how bad the economy is, smart entrepreneurs are quietly calculating not only how to thrive in these times but dramatically increase their incomes as well!
And it's not complicated either. For example, when I coach with clients, one of the first things we do is sit down and look at their current income streams -- what they are, what kind of money they bring in, and with how much effort.
From there, we look at several ways to increase their revenues from these streams alone. For the purpose of this article I'll share five with you.
1. Raising your prices/rates.
Most entrepreneurs - and especially solo-preneurs - grossly underestimate what we marketers call "price elasticity". That is, how much they can raise their prices and/or rates without losing business.
Warning: This is completely contrary to what you think you should be doing right now -- lowering your fees!
One of my Platinum Mastermind members, a Canadian coach who works in a particular niche, resisted raising her rates for months. Finally, she agreed to raise them and even DOUBLE them. She found that not only did she not lose business, but she gained better clients as well. Now she's making the same money in half the time, leaving her many more free hours to develop information products for passive income.
For a year or two I was selling my "Boost Business With Your Own Ezine" system online for $197. It sold pretty well back then, but I realized the information contained was worth much more. Ever since I raised the price to $497, it now converts even more sales! The key here is to track and test for yourself.
2. Up your transaction size.
Ladies, don't you find it amusing when you're at a fast food joint, doing your best to get a healthy salad, and the teenager at the counter brainlessly asks if you'd like fries with that? This is called "up-selling", and it's an easy way of increasing your transaction size.
I just returned from a trip where my hotel automatically billed me a "resort fee" of $20 a day. Not a huge addition to my room rate, but look at how that adds up for the hotel: If they have 500 rooms, they make an additional $10,000 a day, and that's an additional $3.65 million each year!
You can do this in your business too! Use your shopping cart system's up-sell feature to offer additional products or services that complement what the customer is buying. Ideas: a special report, resource guide, workbook, audio program, or laser coaching session. Or offer a special "bundle" price if they purchase more than one product or service at a time. And lest you think these tactics are only for widget-sellers, I've seen this work for everyone from cosmetic surgeons to accountants.
3. Increase your net.
I'll admit it took me several years after I first started my business to understand the important difference between gross profits and net profits. Today I track every product and program in my business separately for both income and expenses - including administrative time. While all this tracking takes time and effort, a quick report instantly tells me which offerings are truly bringing in the big bucks... for keeps.
A few ways of increasing your net are:
* upping your selling price
* lowering your expenses for marketing, sales, and product/program delivery
* culling products/programs that don't bring in the profits you want
* spending more time marketing and selling the products/programs that DO bring
in the profits you want!
4. Up your customer value.
Generally, when you look at your entire customer or client base, there will be a percentage who are your BEST customers and clients. They adore you, buy whatever you come out with, and are happy to pay your fees. This goes along with "the 80/20 rule" -- a good 20 percent of your current customers or clients likely brings you about 80 percent of your revenues!
Once you identify this portion of your list, why not create special offerings just for them? Either at a higher price point or delivering a more exclusive level of service. And, very important: Analyze who these folks are, and fine-tune your marketing to attract more of them!
5. Fine-tune your frequency.
You've been seeing many membership/continuity programs around these days, and it's not just because they are a wonderful way to deliver information or products. It's because smart business owners realize they can gain multiple sales from ONE purchase transaction instead of going back and trying to get folks to buy from them again and again.
Here's how it works: Jane or Joe buys into your monthly membership or widget-of-the-month club, and that one purchase gains YOU recurring income. You saw the start of this trend years ago with book-of-the-month clubs and today it's the most popular way to sell beauty products via infomercials as well. Proactiv, Youthful Essence, and many of those beauty products sold on TV enroll you into an autoship program. (I should know, because I've tried many of them!)
So think about how you can develop one continuity or membership program to continually funnel new members into - versus having to sell your prospects over and over.
First, Just Be Aware.
If you are just working day by day with your nose to your desk, or with clients nonstop, you won't have time to even be aware of your current financial situation, let alone opportunities to improve it.
Step one is taking a half day or so to review your current income streams as I described above, and look for ways to apply these five revenue boosters!
[EDITOR'S NOTE: These strategies are just a portion of what Ali will be helping her new Millionaire Protege Club members apply in their businesses. Watch your inbox for a special invitation come end of year - don't miss out on learning more!]
© 2008 Alexandria Brown International Inc.
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown publishes the award-winning 'Highlights on Marketing & Success' weekly ezine with 36,000+ subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at www.AlexandriaBrown.com
Saturday, 20 December 2008
Time Management for the Entrepreneur
by Deborah A. Bailey
It’s the end of the day and you’re feeling overwhelmed because you haven’t accomplished everything that you set out to do. Not to mention the fact that now there are more things to add to your “to do” list. If you’ve ever had that experience then you know how frustrating it can be. Where did the time go?
Even though we all get the same 24 hours in a day, we might not be using that time as efficiently as we’d like. A friend of mine, who’s also an entrepreneur, says she’s only getting a couple of hours sleep a night because she’s trying to get everything done. It’s not unusual for her to go to bed at 5:00 am, only to have to get up again at 8:00 a.m. to start working again. Though we can have good intentions when we start out, it’s so easy to get sidetracked with time wasters. If you find yourself wondering why you’re not getting things done, it’s time to change how you’re managing your time.
If you plan out your day and create systems to stay on track, you’ll be able to accomplish more. At the end of the day you can look back on all the things you’ve completed and not be frustrated by what’s been left undone.
It’s the end of the day and you’re feeling overwhelmed because you haven’t accomplished everything that you set out to do. Not to mention the fact that now there are more things to add to your “to do” list. If you’ve ever had that experience then you know how frustrating it can be. Where did the time go?
Even though we all get the same 24 hours in a day, we might not be using that time as efficiently as we’d like. A friend of mine, who’s also an entrepreneur, says she’s only getting a couple of hours sleep a night because she’s trying to get everything done. It’s not unusual for her to go to bed at 5:00 am, only to have to get up again at 8:00 a.m. to start working again. Though we can have good intentions when we start out, it’s so easy to get sidetracked with time wasters. If you find yourself wondering why you’re not getting things done, it’s time to change how you’re managing your time.
- Don’t answer every call as it comes in. Screen your calls and return the lower-priority calls at a later time.
- Close your email program. Reading and replying to emails all day long is a major time stealer. Choose two or three times during the day to check your mail.
- Keep a list of things to accomplish for the day and stick to it.
- Take time for breaks in order to keep your energy level up.
- Working for hours without clearing your mind will make you less productive.
- If you work from home establish boundaries. Don’t get stuck on the phone with friends or family who feel that if you’re at home you’re not working.
- If a potential client contacts you, arrange a time to meet. A consultation that you think will take 15 minutes could end up taking a large chunk of time out of your day.
- Create systems to handle repetitive, day-to day tasks.
If you plan out your day and create systems to stay on track, you’ll be able to accomplish more. At the end of the day you can look back on all the things you’ve completed and not be frustrated by what’s been left undone.
Deborah A. Bailey is author of two non-fiction books including, “Think Like an Entrepreneur: Transforming Your Career and Taking Charge of Your Life.” She's also the creator and host of Women Entrepreneurs Radio, a weekly internet talk show. Her fiction work includes a short story collection and a novel, available on Amazon.com.
.” She's also the creator and host of Women Entrepreneurs Radio, a weekly internet talk show. Her fiction work includes a short story collection and a novel, available on Amazon.com. For more information, visit http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com.
Friday, 19 December 2008
Recipe for Success
by Deborah A. Bailey
My mom usually makes pies for the holidays. This year I wrote a couple of recipes down just in case I decided to try them for myself. The reason I haven’t done it so far is because I know my pie won’t taste the same as hers. We may follow the same recipe, but the result won’t be the same. Each person puts something a little different into the thing they’re creating.
It might be a bit of a stretch to compare pies to careers, but in this case I think it’s similar. Everyone brings a part of themselves into everything they do. It doesn’t matter if there are already other people doing that work – you will bring something to it that no one else can.
During this time of year there’s always a lot of introspection about where we’ve been and where we’re heading. It’s easy to get discouraged if we think we can’t compete with people who are already doing what we want to do – or we think we are entering a seemingly overcrowded field. When I was afraid to move forward, I was always finding reasons why I should stay put. Thankfully I didn’t let any of them stop me.
So I guess it’s okay if my pie doesn’t taste like my mom’s. Her pie doesn’t taste like my grandmother’s. Each of us can add something to the mix that is uniquely our own.
My mom usually makes pies for the holidays. This year I wrote a couple of recipes down just in case I decided to try them for myself. The reason I haven’t done it so far is because I know my pie won’t taste the same as hers. We may follow the same recipe, but the result won’t be the same. Each person puts something a little different into the thing they’re creating.
It might be a bit of a stretch to compare pies to careers, but in this case I think it’s similar. Everyone brings a part of themselves into everything they do. It doesn’t matter if there are already other people doing that work – you will bring something to it that no one else can.
During this time of year there’s always a lot of introspection about where we’ve been and where we’re heading. It’s easy to get discouraged if we think we can’t compete with people who are already doing what we want to do – or we think we are entering a seemingly overcrowded field. When I was afraid to move forward, I was always finding reasons why I should stay put. Thankfully I didn’t let any of them stop me.
So I guess it’s okay if my pie doesn’t taste like my mom’s. Her pie doesn’t taste like my grandmother’s. Each of us can add something to the mix that is uniquely our own.
Deborah A. Bailey is author of two non-fiction books including, “Think Like an Entrepreneur: Transforming Your Career and Taking Charge of Your Life.” She's also the creator and host of Women Entrepreneurs Radio, a weekly internet talk show. Her fiction work includes a short story collection and a novel, available on Amazon.com.
For more information, visit http://www.BrightStreetBooks.com.
Today on Women Entrepreneurs -The Secrets of Success
Guest Host Elena Camp will be interviewing Jerri Graham of BlueBelle Muffins today at 12:00 noon EST.
www.BlogTalkRadio.com/CoachDeb
www.BlogTalkRadio.com/CoachDeb
Thursday, 18 December 2008
Marketing Through a Downturn
With my customers feeling the impact of the slow economy as white-collar-job losses mount and their investment portfolios dwindle in value, I've had to adjust my marketing strategy for Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar.
Revenue is hard to come by these days, but it's critical to stay visible in the marketplace and engaged with my customers so no one "forgets" we are still here.
In the absence of budget to launch big promotional campaigns and advertising programs, I have been implementing a low-cost marketing and PR strategy. What we’re doing differently is taking advantage of our unique selling point in the market to capitalize on consumers’ moves “down menu,” i.e., buying appetizers, small plates, and desserts at lower prices rather than high-priced entrees and large meals.
When we introduced our fall menu in October, we offered more value-oriented choices, including extending our happy hour to seven days a week, to give our customers more choices at lower price points. In November, we took this strategy another step farther and updated our menu to eliminate all the slow-selling items (“dogs”) so my staff has fewer food and beverage items to manage and can concentrate on delivering the core items extremely well.
Despite the downturn, consumers eventually get weary of all the bad news and want to treat themselves to a night out, and they will certainly be looking for a range of dining and entertainment options. This gives us a great opportunity to keep the business in the spotlight, particularly in the press. With that said, I have been focused on generating more publicity for my business on both a local and national scale to generate buzz and position myself as a small business expert on the front lines. PR gives us awareness and credibility, and while this approach is not different from my marketing strategy under normal business conditions, I have been even more vigilant about finding opportunities because they cost nothing but time and generate tremendous ROI on the back end.
One great resource is Help A Reporter Out (HARO). PR expert Peter Shankman created HARO, a free service which connects journalists in online, broadcast, and print media with sources on a wide variety topics, including business, finance, health, fitness, and technology. Each day HARO sends registered users up to three emails, each with anywhere from 15-30 queries per email. If there's a query that you'd be the perfect source for the journalist, you answer it directly. There are several queries a week from journalists who are doing stories about entrepreneurs and small businesses. If you are not a member of HARO, you need to get yourself signed up today.
I can tell you from experience that it works! I have landed features in the Phoenix Business Journal newspaper and Entrepreneur and Restaurant Startup & Growth magazines and contributions to the BizChicksRule and Credit and Collections blogs and the Gaebler Ventures web site. In addition to HARO, I've been "hustling" for stories on my own. Recent highlights include appearances on CNN’s “Your World Today with Tony Harris,” “Restaurant of the Week” on KATU Channel 2’s “AM Northwest” news magazine show, and remote broadcast of a local TV station’s evening news program from the restaurant.
Another option that allows me to get more bang for my limited marketing bucks is joint marketing and selling with suppliers, customers, or complementary businesses. I don’t have to look far to create joint marketing opportunities, nor do I have to spend a lot of money to achieve good results. Here’s a case in point: My restaurant is located next to our town’s main movie theater, and for the Sex and the City opening in May, we collaborated with a local salon and spa, the Grand SalonSpa, on free chair massages, prize giveaways, and $5 cosmos and logged our best sales day ever.
Being next to a movie theater strengthens our value proposition as movies are still considered “cheap” entertainment and our customers have always combined an evening at the movies with a visit to the restaurant before and/or after the show. In early 2009, I'm working with a special event promotion company, Odds on Promotions, to offer a $15,000 cash prize giveaway for a promotion that I’ll do for Academy Awards season. I think I can get a lot of buzz going around this, especially if the economy remains as dour as it is now, and again, it won't cost me a lot of money.
Business has always been challenging for my restaurant, as I've documented in this blog over the years. As I noted, we’ve been seeing the signs of this recession for more than a year and a half already. With the economy presenting challenges that are beyond my control, I have been forced to concentrate on the things I know I can control and marketing is one of those areas. Some lessons learned:
Five things not to do in tough times:
1. Panic.
2. Go off the radar.
3. Compromise on service and quality and the perception of the brand when cutting spending.
4. Lose faith.
5. Lose focus.
Five things to do in tough times:
1. Evaluate the strategy and course-correct to fit the times.
2. Keep the brand visible through low-cost advertising, promotions, and PR.
3. Take care of your best customers and engage them in a dialogue about what marketing/promotions work for them to continue to support the business.
4. Use your employees as ambassadors to spread goodwill about the business and generate word-of-mouth.
5. Use the slow periods to reflect and brainstorm new ideas when the crazy, busy times prevented you from devoting the time and energy.
There are many things you can do to keep your business visible without going broke in the process. If you have something that you're doing that's working, please share it.
Cross-posted on The Business of Being Monique
http://www.moniquehayward.com/
Monique Hayward is living the busy life of a late-30s corporate player and entrepreneur in Beaverton, Oregon. Owner of Dessert Noir Cafe & Bar. Nearly 15 years of experience in marketing, communications, public relations, business development, and entrepreneurship. Emerging author and speaker with first book set for release in early 2009.
Wednesday, 17 December 2008
Limit Yourself For Greater Efficiency
by Caroline Melberg
Part of Caroline Melberg's marketing strategies Networking for Small Business, Small Business Finance, Tools for Small Business, Traditional Marketing for Small Business
Time management. Just thinking about it makes us sick, doesn’t it? In truth, we need it. It’s necessary. It keeps us on track and makes us more efficient.
Greater business efficiency boils down to just one thing: How you spend your time. It’s the most important thing in business. Making money is good. You always want to make a profit. But if you lose revenue over a bad decision, you can always turn that around and increase your future revenue. You learn. You turn a loss into a gain. But if you lose time then you can’t get that back. That makes a time a bit more valuable than money, doesn’t it?
Small business owners are typically more strapped for time than their big corporation counterparts. Corporate executives usually have access to free training tools that help them become more efficient managers. Small business people, though we face the same challenges, are on our own. We’ve got to pay to play. Many of us feel that we can’t afford to shell out the dollars for the efficiency training, so we go on and on and on spending our time on things that don’t matter and in the process lose out on ROI. It’s one of the reasons many small businesses go down before the five year mark.
One tip I’d like to share for making your business day more efficient and allowing you get more done is this: Limitation. Grasp it.
Yes, I’m talking about limiting your activities. Let me explain:
Many of us, when we hear of the great new tool that everyone is using, rush over to give it a try. Some of us have so many social media accounts that we don’t use that if we started using them all then we’d only spend one day a month at each one, or less. Stop that!
The key to more efficiency is to learn what is truly important to your business and to focus on that. Do you need all those social media accounts? Maybe not. Maybe you just need one or two. Or maybe more, but who’s going to manage them?
There are two ways to increase your efficiency: Hire someone to handle the tasks that are eating up your time, and that costs money - although, it may not be a bad solution for some of you - or to limit the amount of time that you spend doing unnecessary things. In some cases I’d say hire someone and pay them $8-$10 per hour to handle those menial tasks that you shouldn’t be doing. In other cases, and in a lot of cases, I’d say cut out completely some of those things you are trying to do and just focus on the important ones. I’ll bet you get more done.
Online entrepreneur Caroline Melberg, "the Local Small Business Internet Marketing Guru" publishes the award-winning "Small Business Maverick Internet Marketing Secrets " weekly eZine. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, increase your sales and leverage the power of the Web to market your local small business, get your FREE subscription now at
www.SmallBusinessMavericks.com.
Part of Caroline Melberg's marketing strategies Networking for Small Business, Small Business Finance, Tools for Small Business, Traditional Marketing for Small Business
Time management. Just thinking about it makes us sick, doesn’t it? In truth, we need it. It’s necessary. It keeps us on track and makes us more efficient.
Greater business efficiency boils down to just one thing: How you spend your time. It’s the most important thing in business. Making money is good. You always want to make a profit. But if you lose revenue over a bad decision, you can always turn that around and increase your future revenue. You learn. You turn a loss into a gain. But if you lose time then you can’t get that back. That makes a time a bit more valuable than money, doesn’t it?
Small business owners are typically more strapped for time than their big corporation counterparts. Corporate executives usually have access to free training tools that help them become more efficient managers. Small business people, though we face the same challenges, are on our own. We’ve got to pay to play. Many of us feel that we can’t afford to shell out the dollars for the efficiency training, so we go on and on and on spending our time on things that don’t matter and in the process lose out on ROI. It’s one of the reasons many small businesses go down before the five year mark.
One tip I’d like to share for making your business day more efficient and allowing you get more done is this: Limitation. Grasp it.
Yes, I’m talking about limiting your activities. Let me explain:
Many of us, when we hear of the great new tool that everyone is using, rush over to give it a try. Some of us have so many social media accounts that we don’t use that if we started using them all then we’d only spend one day a month at each one, or less. Stop that!
The key to more efficiency is to learn what is truly important to your business and to focus on that. Do you need all those social media accounts? Maybe not. Maybe you just need one or two. Or maybe more, but who’s going to manage them?
There are two ways to increase your efficiency: Hire someone to handle the tasks that are eating up your time, and that costs money - although, it may not be a bad solution for some of you - or to limit the amount of time that you spend doing unnecessary things. In some cases I’d say hire someone and pay them $8-$10 per hour to handle those menial tasks that you shouldn’t be doing. In other cases, and in a lot of cases, I’d say cut out completely some of those things you are trying to do and just focus on the important ones. I’ll bet you get more done.
Online entrepreneur Caroline Melberg, "the Local Small Business Internet Marketing Guru" publishes the award-winning "Small Business Maverick Internet Marketing Secrets " weekly eZine. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, increase your sales and leverage the power of the Web to market your local small business, get your FREE subscription now at
www.SmallBusinessMavericks.com.
Today on Women Entrepreneurs -The Secrets of Success
Sharon Levy is the CEO and Founder of Taking Tea In Style, LLC, which was established in 2005. Ms. Levy worked as a Project Manager, IT Specialist and Executive Assistant at several fortune 500 companies including AT&T, American Express, Merrill Lynch and IBM. In June 2007, Ms Levy pursued her dream to launch her own business and create elegant Tea Parties for organizations and individuals, and to teach Tea Etiquette and Table Manners Workshops. Her company offers private lessons as well as monthly workshops which are interactive and fun.
Ms. Levy enjoys entertaining her friends and family and has had numerous tea parties in her home. She loves the tea experience and wanted to create this exquisite and relaxing feeling for others. Her friends and family encouraged her to pursue her dream, so she moved forward to create her company.
Taking Tea In Style was also created to alleviate the stress and hassle associated with planning an event. They bring the tea shop to your location and customize it for your special event. A complete setup, serving and cleanup services are available so that clients and their guests can relax and enjoy each other. Their goal is to ensure that everyone who attends a Taking Tea In Style event will have an unforgettable tea experience. www.takingtea-instyle.com
Ms. Levy enjoys entertaining her friends and family and has had numerous tea parties in her home. She loves the tea experience and wanted to create this exquisite and relaxing feeling for others. Her friends and family encouraged her to pursue her dream, so she moved forward to create her company.
Taking Tea In Style was also created to alleviate the stress and hassle associated with planning an event. They bring the tea shop to your location and customize it for your special event. A complete setup, serving and cleanup services are available so that clients and their guests can relax and enjoy each other. Their goal is to ensure that everyone who attends a Taking Tea In Style event will have an unforgettable tea experience. www.takingtea-instyle.com
Tuesday, 16 December 2008
The Day I Learned to Start Saying 'No'
by Alexandria Brown
It was the fall of 1998 when I had just started my first business as a marketing communications writer. Most of my clients hired me for newsletters, brochures, and sales materials, but I would get the occasional request for something different. At the time I was too naive to consider saying "no" to any project that didn't fit me perfectly. (Especially when I was living paycheck to paycheck.)
A perfect example of this was when a colleague named Chip asked if I could write a short script for a customer service training video. "Wow," I said. "Video! That sounds like fun. Sure thing. I'll take it on!"
Big mistake.
Sure, at first it seemed exciting. But after I got into it, I was miserable. Not only did I spend three times as many hours as I'd planned JUST on figuring out what they wanted, but I honestly didn't know what I was doing. I'd never written a video script in my life! I thought it would be simple, but it was a whole other world.
This thing not only sucked up all my time, taking me away from my best clients, but it also drained my energy and my confidence. Even worse, I couldn't take on a wonderfully perfect NEW project that I was offered in the meantime.
I felt sick every time I looked at that project folder. I lost sleep worrying that I wasn't doing a good job on it, and worst of all, my fears were confirmed...
One day Chip left a message on my answering machine that MORE major revisions were needed. Then, it sounded like he hung up the phone, because there was a soft click. But then I heard him start to talk about me with his partner (obviously unaware that his speaker-phone was still on).
At first I stopped the message from playing, because I knew I was not supposed to be privy to this conversation. But I wanted to know the truth, so I listened. My heart sank as I heard things like, "This writer doesn't know what she's doing on this... we should have hired a real video writer... I feel bad she's trying so hard, but this just isn't getting better."
I got so ANGRY!
Not at Chip, but at myself.
Here I was... an award-winning writer for marketing communications. Marketing communications! That means marketing materials. NOT training videos!
So why had I taken on that project?
A good friend of mine calls this "bright, shiny object syndrome", and it happens to many entrepreneurs. You see, we love ideas! We enjoy moving from idea to idea, and it's easy to get distracted by something that seems new and exciting.
Especially when you start experiencing success, it's as if every opportunity in the world starts falling in your lap. You have to become a master of saying "no". That was very hard for me.
But by sticking with what you KNOW you are good at, you are always confident and calm in your work. You know how to market yourself, and you know who you're marketing to! (Plus you can charge high rates with confidence.)
I've become so clear now at what I'm amazing at, what I offer, who I'm marketing to, and how I want my life to look like, that any business or life decision is crystal clear. I know exactly what to say "no" to.
(And they say for every "no" you give, a better "yes" comes along!)
So today, make a list of what you are good at, what you're confident in doing, what you want to do, and who you do it for. And then practice saying, "No!" to anything else.
You'll find that your marketing and your business will magically become easier, more enjoyable, and more successful!
© 2003-2008 Alexandria Brown International Inc.
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown publishes the award-winning "Highlights on Marketing Success" weekly ezine with 36,000+ subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at AlexandriaBrown.com
It was the fall of 1998 when I had just started my first business as a marketing communications writer. Most of my clients hired me for newsletters, brochures, and sales materials, but I would get the occasional request for something different. At the time I was too naive to consider saying "no" to any project that didn't fit me perfectly. (Especially when I was living paycheck to paycheck.)
A perfect example of this was when a colleague named Chip asked if I could write a short script for a customer service training video. "Wow," I said. "Video! That sounds like fun. Sure thing. I'll take it on!"
Big mistake.
Sure, at first it seemed exciting. But after I got into it, I was miserable. Not only did I spend three times as many hours as I'd planned JUST on figuring out what they wanted, but I honestly didn't know what I was doing. I'd never written a video script in my life! I thought it would be simple, but it was a whole other world.
This thing not only sucked up all my time, taking me away from my best clients, but it also drained my energy and my confidence. Even worse, I couldn't take on a wonderfully perfect NEW project that I was offered in the meantime.
I felt sick every time I looked at that project folder. I lost sleep worrying that I wasn't doing a good job on it, and worst of all, my fears were confirmed...
One day Chip left a message on my answering machine that MORE major revisions were needed. Then, it sounded like he hung up the phone, because there was a soft click. But then I heard him start to talk about me with his partner (obviously unaware that his speaker-phone was still on).
At first I stopped the message from playing, because I knew I was not supposed to be privy to this conversation. But I wanted to know the truth, so I listened. My heart sank as I heard things like, "This writer doesn't know what she's doing on this... we should have hired a real video writer... I feel bad she's trying so hard, but this just isn't getting better."
I got so ANGRY!
Not at Chip, but at myself.
Here I was... an award-winning writer for marketing communications. Marketing communications! That means marketing materials. NOT training videos!
So why had I taken on that project?
A good friend of mine calls this "bright, shiny object syndrome", and it happens to many entrepreneurs. You see, we love ideas! We enjoy moving from idea to idea, and it's easy to get distracted by something that seems new and exciting.
Especially when you start experiencing success, it's as if every opportunity in the world starts falling in your lap. You have to become a master of saying "no". That was very hard for me.
But by sticking with what you KNOW you are good at, you are always confident and calm in your work. You know how to market yourself, and you know who you're marketing to! (Plus you can charge high rates with confidence.)
I've become so clear now at what I'm amazing at, what I offer, who I'm marketing to, and how I want my life to look like, that any business or life decision is crystal clear. I know exactly what to say "no" to.
(And they say for every "no" you give, a better "yes" comes along!)
So today, make a list of what you are good at, what you're confident in doing, what you want to do, and who you do it for. And then practice saying, "No!" to anything else.
You'll find that your marketing and your business will magically become easier, more enjoyable, and more successful!
© 2003-2008 Alexandria Brown International Inc.
Online entrepreneur Alexandria K. Brown publishes the award-winning "Highlights on Marketing Success" weekly ezine with 36,000+ subscribers. If you're ready to jump-start your marketing, make more money, and have more fun in your small business, get your FREE tips now at AlexandriaBrown.com
Monday, 15 December 2008
Entrepreneur Stories: How I Got Started as an Entrepreneur
by Vanessa Torres
I never thought I'd be an entrepreneur. It wasn't something I dreamed of or studied for. It just kind of happened.
About a year ago my fiancé decided that marrying me was not the best choice for him and so he left me five days before our wedding. In a span of six months my whole life changed. I was single again for the first time in eight years. I had to find a new place to live. I had to leave my two dogs behind with the Ex, who kept the house. I had a surgical procedure looming that I was supposed to assume would take me out of commission for at least eight weeks. A routine doctor visit turned up another, completely unrelated, fairly serious diagnosis.
And then suddenly, my job was "eliminated."
I was so devastated by all that I was already dealing with, that I could barely feel the panic of losing my job. It was actually kind of a relief to not have to "fake it" through the day anymore. My job had gotten increasingly unsatisfying, and with the joint battle of having to diffuse the overwhelming pity everyone felt for me, I was exhausted. There is some adage I can't remember exactly about not being able to panic about multiple things at the same time. I can now attest to its veracity. There is only so much the brain and body can take, and the job loss was last on the list. After all, that was just about money; I found the personal affronts far more devastating.
After a few weeks of taking some downtime and filing for unemployment I started thinking about what my next steps would be. There was a little voice in my head telling me to use my experience as a springboard. Instead of trying to pretend like none of this had ever happened, I thought about exposing it further – the opposite of what the old me would have done. The idea for www.ThatHappenedtoMe.com came fast and stuck. At one point I decided not to ignore it anymore, but to grow something positive out of the seed that had been planted. I asked a friend and former colleague to help me build a website. I asked my friends to give me their honest opinions and strangers to share their stories with me. I started reading blogs written by other women. I started going to therapy to see if there was anything about myself that I had been "missing" all these years. But, most importantly, I joined two national women's networking groups.
The amount of support I've received from those women is the sole reason for my successes to date. Without their help (this site's Deborah Bailey included) I would never be this far along in achieving my goals. Asking for support has been my greatest marketing tool. Instead of assuming that everybody was too busy with their own lives/businesses/families to answer my silly, 101 questions, I just threw it out there and hoped for the best. The responses I got were incredible; these women answered my questions, sent me helpful links, and even offered to give me classes on web marketing and SEO applications. I've never received that kind of support and encouragement from people who were virtual strangers, but then again, I had never asked for it either. I had never put myself out there before in such an honest and straightforward way. And when I did, the help, support and encouragement was plentiful.
I stopped seeing my shrink in September. I ripped the band aid off and launched my site at the end of October. In November I voted for the most exciting presidential candidate my generation has ever known. This month, I am determined to enjoy the holidays. My surgery is scheduled for February. The second, scary diagnosis turned out to be false. The doctors - all three of them - HAD MADE A MISTAKE. Just like my ex-fiance did.
A graduate of the University of Southern California, Vanessa Torres began her career as a journalist in Los Angeles. In 2007 Vanessa experienced her "aha!" moment while going through the aftermath of a broken engagement. Having not actually been married, she realized that there weren't any hard and fast rules or legal precedents established regarding a breakup with a Significant Other. Not being able to find a place where women could get support from peers – and professionals – she decided to create one. www.ThatHappenedtoMe.com launched in October of 2008 with the support of a team of experts prepared to give women what they want and need – comforting! One of the main goals of the site is to encourage women to open up about this painful experience and share their stories in an effort to lessen the feelings of shame, rejection, isolation and depression that are so prevalent during a breakup. It's also a place to share tips, coping strategies, and even a joke or two.
I never thought I'd be an entrepreneur. It wasn't something I dreamed of or studied for. It just kind of happened.
About a year ago my fiancé decided that marrying me was not the best choice for him and so he left me five days before our wedding. In a span of six months my whole life changed. I was single again for the first time in eight years. I had to find a new place to live. I had to leave my two dogs behind with the Ex, who kept the house. I had a surgical procedure looming that I was supposed to assume would take me out of commission for at least eight weeks. A routine doctor visit turned up another, completely unrelated, fairly serious diagnosis.
And then suddenly, my job was "eliminated."
I was so devastated by all that I was already dealing with, that I could barely feel the panic of losing my job. It was actually kind of a relief to not have to "fake it" through the day anymore. My job had gotten increasingly unsatisfying, and with the joint battle of having to diffuse the overwhelming pity everyone felt for me, I was exhausted. There is some adage I can't remember exactly about not being able to panic about multiple things at the same time. I can now attest to its veracity. There is only so much the brain and body can take, and the job loss was last on the list. After all, that was just about money; I found the personal affronts far more devastating.
After a few weeks of taking some downtime and filing for unemployment I started thinking about what my next steps would be. There was a little voice in my head telling me to use my experience as a springboard. Instead of trying to pretend like none of this had ever happened, I thought about exposing it further – the opposite of what the old me would have done. The idea for www.ThatHappenedtoMe.com came fast and stuck. At one point I decided not to ignore it anymore, but to grow something positive out of the seed that had been planted. I asked a friend and former colleague to help me build a website. I asked my friends to give me their honest opinions and strangers to share their stories with me. I started reading blogs written by other women. I started going to therapy to see if there was anything about myself that I had been "missing" all these years. But, most importantly, I joined two national women's networking groups.
The amount of support I've received from those women is the sole reason for my successes to date. Without their help (this site's Deborah Bailey included) I would never be this far along in achieving my goals. Asking for support has been my greatest marketing tool. Instead of assuming that everybody was too busy with their own lives/businesses/families to answer my silly, 101 questions, I just threw it out there and hoped for the best. The responses I got were incredible; these women answered my questions, sent me helpful links, and even offered to give me classes on web marketing and SEO applications. I've never received that kind of support and encouragement from people who were virtual strangers, but then again, I had never asked for it either. I had never put myself out there before in such an honest and straightforward way. And when I did, the help, support and encouragement was plentiful.
I stopped seeing my shrink in September. I ripped the band aid off and launched my site at the end of October. In November I voted for the most exciting presidential candidate my generation has ever known. This month, I am determined to enjoy the holidays. My surgery is scheduled for February. The second, scary diagnosis turned out to be false. The doctors - all three of them - HAD MADE A MISTAKE. Just like my ex-fiance did.
A graduate of the University of Southern California, Vanessa Torres began her career as a journalist in Los Angeles. In 2007 Vanessa experienced her "aha!" moment while going through the aftermath of a broken engagement. Having not actually been married, she realized that there weren't any hard and fast rules or legal precedents established regarding a breakup with a Significant Other. Not being able to find a place where women could get support from peers – and professionals – she decided to create one. www.ThatHappenedtoMe.com launched in October of 2008 with the support of a team of experts prepared to give women what they want and need – comforting! One of the main goals of the site is to encourage women to open up about this painful experience and share their stories in an effort to lessen the feelings of shame, rejection, isolation and depression that are so prevalent during a breakup. It's also a place to share tips, coping strategies, and even a joke or two.
Sunday, 14 December 2008
Today on Women Entrepreneurs -The Secrets of Success
Payson Cooper was destined to make jewelry. As soon as she could hold a pencil, she began drawing tiny, beautiful pictures - always small, always neat.
As happens to many of us, Payson was side tracked from her art through school, but found inspiration and "education" through her years at the United Nations International School, the University of Wisconsin, and at the Sorbonne in Paris. Throughout these years, Payson was known for her unique artistic talent and for attracting the bling. Not only was jewelry the only thing she spent money on, but she constantly found gold, silver, and even diamonds on the street, in the sand, in buildings - everywhere.
Payson's gift sprung to life the moment she began a silversmith class at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City while desperately seeking her passion (doing everything from massage therapy and tending bar to working as a computer consultant for the City of New York). Jewelry exploded into her awareness as a form for her own creativity and she continued her studies in private schools, such as Fred de Vos' Wax Carving Studio, Cecilia Bauer Studios, GRS for engraving and stone setting, and with individual teachers including Tom Herman (Seven Fingers Jewelry) and Sam Alfano. Mastering 3D modeling software is the latest addition to the many skills she has acquired over ten years of study.
When designing, Payson follows her intuitive pull toward the curves, spirals, and lines of the natural world. And through meditation she allows inspiration to flow, creating in concert with the universe.
Payson offers her clients the opportunity to choose from her inspiring works or to bring their own thoughts and ideas for custom pieces. "The melding of two minds to create a beautiful work of art is like nothing else," she has said. "It is euphoric and exciting - an opportunity to create something greater than the sum of its parts."
View Payson Cooper's collections online at www.paysonjewelry.com or contact her to create a unique and amazing expression of heart and soul. Payson Cooper is more than a jewelry designer - she is masterful and intuitive…and has built a reputation for distinctive jewelry that can inspire and transform lives. www.paysonjewelry.com
As happens to many of us, Payson was side tracked from her art through school, but found inspiration and "education" through her years at the United Nations International School, the University of Wisconsin, and at the Sorbonne in Paris. Throughout these years, Payson was known for her unique artistic talent and for attracting the bling. Not only was jewelry the only thing she spent money on, but she constantly found gold, silver, and even diamonds on the street, in the sand, in buildings - everywhere.
Payson's gift sprung to life the moment she began a silversmith class at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City while desperately seeking her passion (doing everything from massage therapy and tending bar to working as a computer consultant for the City of New York). Jewelry exploded into her awareness as a form for her own creativity and she continued her studies in private schools, such as Fred de Vos' Wax Carving Studio, Cecilia Bauer Studios, GRS for engraving and stone setting, and with individual teachers including Tom Herman (Seven Fingers Jewelry) and Sam Alfano. Mastering 3D modeling software is the latest addition to the many skills she has acquired over ten years of study.
When designing, Payson follows her intuitive pull toward the curves, spirals, and lines of the natural world. And through meditation she allows inspiration to flow, creating in concert with the universe.
Payson offers her clients the opportunity to choose from her inspiring works or to bring their own thoughts and ideas for custom pieces. "The melding of two minds to create a beautiful work of art is like nothing else," she has said. "It is euphoric and exciting - an opportunity to create something greater than the sum of its parts."
View Payson Cooper's collections online at www.paysonjewelry.com or contact her to create a unique and amazing expression of heart and soul. Payson Cooper is more than a jewelry designer - she is masterful and intuitive…and has built a reputation for distinctive jewelry that can inspire and transform lives. www.paysonjewelry.com
Friendships, Fun and Networking
Friendships, Fun and Networking with The Twisted Sisterhood
Date: December 18, 2008
Time: 6:00 -7:00 p.m. EST
As business women we tend to focus on growing our businesses and often neglect the one thing that makes us unique - the connections and bonds we have with our girlfriends.
The vision of The Twisted Sisterhood is to inspire women to reclaim those connections. It's vital to allow space for new friendships and maintaining those we have developed over the years (but may be neglecting.)
Women network while having fun, and we have fun while we are networking! The Twisted Sisterhood encourages both, and in this salon we'll talk about the perfect marriage of both ideas.
On December 18 at 6 pm EST two of the six original Twisted Sisters will be interviewed. The topic will be friendship and fun and why it's vital for you (and your business) to nurture both.
Click on the link below to go to the registration page and to find out more details about the show.
Register here: http://www.successforwomen.ca/success_salon.htm
Cross posted from Success for Women
www.successforwomen.ca
Date: December 18, 2008
Time: 6:00 -7:00 p.m. EST
As business women we tend to focus on growing our businesses and often neglect the one thing that makes us unique - the connections and bonds we have with our girlfriends.
The vision of The Twisted Sisterhood is to inspire women to reclaim those connections. It's vital to allow space for new friendships and maintaining those we have developed over the years (but may be neglecting.)
Women network while having fun, and we have fun while we are networking! The Twisted Sisterhood encourages both, and in this salon we'll talk about the perfect marriage of both ideas.
On December 18 at 6 pm EST two of the six original Twisted Sisters will be interviewed. The topic will be friendship and fun and why it's vital for you (and your business) to nurture both.
Click on the link below to go to the registration page and to find out more details about the show.
Register here: http://www.successforwomen.ca/success_salon.htm
Cross posted from Success for Women
www.successforwomen.ca
Saturday, 13 December 2008
You and Your Virtual Assistant
by Alba Henderson
Building a website and then promoting the site can be a challenging task, especially for those with limited experience and/or time. Having a relationship with your virtual assistant can be a promising achievement for your business.
It is very disheartening to spend hours and days trying to focus on tasks that you can pass on to someone else that cares about your business just as much as you do.
Some of those tasks can be:
A virtual assistant can complete your team of reliable sources. Get all the help you need. Virtual Assistants are an outsourcing strategy that can give you the best of solutions, time and definitely save you money.
The relationship between you and your virtual assistant can be rewarding in your personal life as well. You will be able to spend more time with your family, you will not have to impose a task on a family member whose strengths does not include your task, eliminating stress on your marriage, friendships and family.
No task is too big or small for your virtual assistant.
Alba Henderson, founder of Your Virtual Solutions, began her career as an executive secretary. Her desire to help people succeed by offering her skills in the industry. Making a business owners life easier is her goal. To help people get a handle on their business tasks. Her clients have included work-at-home parents, "solopreneurs", teachers, students, business owners, coaches, executives, churches, and other business professionals.
www.yourvirtualsolutions.webs.com/
Building a website and then promoting the site can be a challenging task, especially for those with limited experience and/or time. Having a relationship with your virtual assistant can be a promising achievement for your business.
It is very disheartening to spend hours and days trying to focus on tasks that you can pass on to someone else that cares about your business just as much as you do.
Some of those tasks can be:
- Typing a business letters
- Data Entry
- Emailing
- Scanning
- Last minute phone calls or travel arrangements
- Handwritten Envelopes
- Faxing
- Mailing
A virtual assistant can complete your team of reliable sources. Get all the help you need. Virtual Assistants are an outsourcing strategy that can give you the best of solutions, time and definitely save you money.
The relationship between you and your virtual assistant can be rewarding in your personal life as well. You will be able to spend more time with your family, you will not have to impose a task on a family member whose strengths does not include your task, eliminating stress on your marriage, friendships and family.
No task is too big or small for your virtual assistant.
Alba Henderson, founder of Your Virtual Solutions, began her career as an executive secretary. Her desire to help people succeed by offering her skills in the industry. Making a business owners life easier is her goal. To help people get a handle on their business tasks. Her clients have included work-at-home parents, "solopreneurs", teachers, students, business owners, coaches, executives, churches, and other business professionals.
www.yourvirtualsolutions.webs.com/
Friday, 12 December 2008
Publicity Tips for Entrepreneurs
by Melissa Cassera
Are you resolving to get more publicity for your business in 2009? In today's economy, publicity is an excellent way to spread the word about your business. As a small business owner, you have the chance to secure interviews, profiles, anecdotes and by-line writing opportunities with media outlets as big as New York Times and as small as your local daily.
Here are my Top Tips for entrepreneurs to gain publicity in 2009:
1. Helpareporter.com
Peter Shankman is an amazing publicist, and now he's sharing his reporter contacts with you. In the form of a 3x daily free email, Peter will send around 50 leads per day from media outlets looking for sources. Not every email will apply to you, but the easy-to-read format lets you weed out the leads that don't apply, and find the ones that are perfect for you. Sign up today at www.helpareporter.com
2. Don't Ignore the Little Guys
While hometown media may not reach the audience that Oprah does, media coverage in smaller outlets can lead to great things - often you will be splashed on the cover or receive a prominent story with plenty of pictures, helping to build a local buzz about your business. I've also seen these local stories grab the attention of the larger media outlets. Try your local dailies, college alumni publications, trade publications, local radio and TV stations, township newsletters and blogs.
3. Don't Rely on your Press Release
Press releases are often used as 'back up' information to your story - your PITCH is what peaks a reporter's interest. Personalize your correspondence to the person you are pitching. Let them know you are familiar with their work. Don't pitch them something they've already covered. Give them something fresh and newsworthy.
4. Find Media Contacts Online
Having trouble finding media contacts? Make a list of the top media outlets you want to be featured in and start googling. Most websites list a masthead to find editor's names. The Wall Street Journal lists every reporter's email address at the end of the story online. Use Google News - type in keywords for your industry and see who is covering your industry.
5. Create an Online Press Room
Make it easy for reporters to cover your business by creating a press page on your website. Dedicate one page featuring your contact information at the top and have the following items available for download: press releases, biography, company background, product images/description, headshot, sample interview questions, company logo, testimonials, video (if applicable), book excerpts. Post links to current media coverage you've received.
6. Brainstorm Various Angles
You can’t expect to pitch the same angle to Oprah that you would your local news station. Brainstorm angles every day that would be perfect for you to pitch. Think outside of your product or service. Can you comment on business surviving in the economy? Working with family members? Finding unusual ways to fund your business? Think of tie-ins to the economy, holidays, and other hot topics.
7. Think of Yourself as an Expert
Even if you’ve only been in business a short time, you still know more about your industry than some others. Don’t think of publicity as being ‘egotistical’ and don’t feel ‘undeserving.’ Reporters are always looking for stories and quotable experts.
8. Pitch Smart
Successful pitching is all about doing your homework. Study the media outlets you are pitching. What do they cover? Identify the appropriate contact to pitch. Check out what they’ve covered previously. Send a note of introduction before pitching anything to start building a relationship.
I hope these publicity tips will assist you in planning for a successful 2009! If you don't have the time to design and manage a publicity campaign, please contact me at (856) 816-3413 or casseracommunications@gmail.com for a consultation and publicity services proposal. I work with clients on a national level, and specialize in working with entrepreneurs, speakers, experts and women-owned businesses. I also offer coaching services for those that want to DIY - with a little guidance.
Melissa Cassera is the owner and operator of Cassera Communications, a publicity and marketing firm. Her firm helps small business entrepreneurs become successful on a local or national level through personal branding. Melissa’s services blend traditional marketing and publicity strategies with ‘new media’ such as blogging, social networking and article marketing. These elements combined with showcasing a client’s talent and charisma help create a winning personal brand. www.casseracommunications.com
Are you resolving to get more publicity for your business in 2009? In today's economy, publicity is an excellent way to spread the word about your business. As a small business owner, you have the chance to secure interviews, profiles, anecdotes and by-line writing opportunities with media outlets as big as New York Times and as small as your local daily.
Here are my Top Tips for entrepreneurs to gain publicity in 2009:
1. Helpareporter.com
Peter Shankman is an amazing publicist, and now he's sharing his reporter contacts with you. In the form of a 3x daily free email, Peter will send around 50 leads per day from media outlets looking for sources. Not every email will apply to you, but the easy-to-read format lets you weed out the leads that don't apply, and find the ones that are perfect for you. Sign up today at www.helpareporter.com
2. Don't Ignore the Little Guys
While hometown media may not reach the audience that Oprah does, media coverage in smaller outlets can lead to great things - often you will be splashed on the cover or receive a prominent story with plenty of pictures, helping to build a local buzz about your business. I've also seen these local stories grab the attention of the larger media outlets. Try your local dailies, college alumni publications, trade publications, local radio and TV stations, township newsletters and blogs.
3. Don't Rely on your Press Release
Press releases are often used as 'back up' information to your story - your PITCH is what peaks a reporter's interest. Personalize your correspondence to the person you are pitching. Let them know you are familiar with their work. Don't pitch them something they've already covered. Give them something fresh and newsworthy.
4. Find Media Contacts Online
Having trouble finding media contacts? Make a list of the top media outlets you want to be featured in and start googling. Most websites list a masthead to find editor's names. The Wall Street Journal lists every reporter's email address at the end of the story online. Use Google News - type in keywords for your industry and see who is covering your industry.
5. Create an Online Press Room
Make it easy for reporters to cover your business by creating a press page on your website. Dedicate one page featuring your contact information at the top and have the following items available for download: press releases, biography, company background, product images/description, headshot, sample interview questions, company logo, testimonials, video (if applicable), book excerpts. Post links to current media coverage you've received.
6. Brainstorm Various Angles
You can’t expect to pitch the same angle to Oprah that you would your local news station. Brainstorm angles every day that would be perfect for you to pitch. Think outside of your product or service. Can you comment on business surviving in the economy? Working with family members? Finding unusual ways to fund your business? Think of tie-ins to the economy, holidays, and other hot topics.
7. Think of Yourself as an Expert
Even if you’ve only been in business a short time, you still know more about your industry than some others. Don’t think of publicity as being ‘egotistical’ and don’t feel ‘undeserving.’ Reporters are always looking for stories and quotable experts.
8. Pitch Smart
Successful pitching is all about doing your homework. Study the media outlets you are pitching. What do they cover? Identify the appropriate contact to pitch. Check out what they’ve covered previously. Send a note of introduction before pitching anything to start building a relationship.
I hope these publicity tips will assist you in planning for a successful 2009! If you don't have the time to design and manage a publicity campaign, please contact me at (856) 816-3413 or casseracommunications@gmail.com for a consultation and publicity services proposal. I work with clients on a national level, and specialize in working with entrepreneurs, speakers, experts and women-owned businesses. I also offer coaching services for those that want to DIY - with a little guidance.
Melissa Cassera is the owner and operator of Cassera Communications, a publicity and marketing firm. Her firm helps small business entrepreneurs become successful on a local or national level through personal branding. Melissa’s services blend traditional marketing and publicity strategies with ‘new media’ such as blogging, social networking and article marketing. These elements combined with showcasing a client’s talent and charisma help create a winning personal brand. www.casseracommunications.com
Melissa Cassera on Women Entrepreneurs Radio™
Model Melissa Cassera spent much of her life appearing in local print and television ad campaigns. Now she’s focused solely on achieving that same exposure for her clients.
Melissa is the owner and operator of Cassera Communications, a publicity and marketing firm. Her firm helps small business entrepreneurs become successful on a local or national level through personal branding. Melissa’s services blend traditional marketing and publicity strategies with ‘new media’ such as blogging, social networking and article marketing. These elements combined with showcasing a client’s talent and charisma help create a winning personal brand.
As a former model and actress, Melissa also offers insider knowledge for coordinating commercial campaigns, securing photographers and models, and providing appearance and media coaching to clients. Clients that prefer to stay behind the scenes can also hire her to serve as their spokesperson.
Melissa Cassera has extensive experience in the publicity, journalism and marketing fields and has executed many successful campaigns for her clients. She is a graduate of Rowan University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Public Relations.
Melissa worked as a commercial model and actress in addition to providing public relations/marketing/advertising services to various industries including entertainment, health care, finance and publishing. She started her own successful firm at the age of 26. Her company website can be viewed at http://www.casseracommunications.com
Melissa was also named the 2007 'Woman of the Year' for the Southern New Jersey Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and is dedicated to serving the community through various philanthropic efforts.
Melissa is the owner and operator of Cassera Communications, a publicity and marketing firm. Her firm helps small business entrepreneurs become successful on a local or national level through personal branding. Melissa’s services blend traditional marketing and publicity strategies with ‘new media’ such as blogging, social networking and article marketing. These elements combined with showcasing a client’s talent and charisma help create a winning personal brand.
As a former model and actress, Melissa also offers insider knowledge for coordinating commercial campaigns, securing photographers and models, and providing appearance and media coaching to clients. Clients that prefer to stay behind the scenes can also hire her to serve as their spokesperson.
Melissa Cassera has extensive experience in the publicity, journalism and marketing fields and has executed many successful campaigns for her clients. She is a graduate of Rowan University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Public Relations.
Melissa worked as a commercial model and actress in addition to providing public relations/marketing/advertising services to various industries including entertainment, health care, finance and publishing. She started her own successful firm at the age of 26. Her company website can be viewed at http://www.casseracommunications.com
Melissa was also named the 2007 'Woman of the Year' for the Southern New Jersey Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and is dedicated to serving the community through various philanthropic efforts.
Thursday, 11 December 2008
The Friendship Stone
Jill Raff contacted me regarding the radio show, "Women Entrepreneurs - The Secrets of Success" which is how I was introduced to The Friendship Stone. I was intriqued by the story behind this product and I wanted to share this with you. It's a beautiful idea and I think that it would make a fantastic gift for the holidays and for any special occasion.
The Friendship Stone began on a visit to South Africa when a chance encounter led Cathy Raff, the founder of My Stone Company to notice the variegated Tiger’s Eye. What started with giving a few stones to a couple of friends soon grew into The Friendship Stone – a meaningful give-back gift of love, appreciation and gratitude.
The Friendship Stone is meant to serve as an important reminder of the bond of friendship. It is created using a Tiger’s Eye, semi-precious gemstone which displays an effect of a thin band of light, called Chatoyancy, that changes position as the stone is turned back and forth.
When Cathy saw this stone, it soon developed into a metaphor for living positively and she wanted to share its message with as many people as possible. The ability of the stone to change with the rays of light is an important notion for how one chooses to view life and friendship. Just like the stone’s appearance changes, the Friendship Stone symbolizes the power of choice, of positive thinking and of one’s own ability to alter his/her direction. Despite the circumstances, Cathy realized especially through her own trials and tribulations, how one should always look for the silver-lining in each situation.
Furthermore, The Friendship Stone’s structure is as beautiful, distinctive and irreplaceable as the people that comprise one’s life. Like the stone, each individual is unique and reflects Mother Earth’s magnificence. When you give The Friendship Stone as a gift, you are affirming your belief, confidence and support in the other person. The stone, small-enough to be permanently carried around, serves as a constant reminder of the importance of each individual in one’s life. By giving the Friendship Stone, and now one-of-a-kind Friendship Stone Jewelry, one provides a keepsake, an everlasting sign that no matter where the place or location, there will always be an enduring connection between those two particular individuals – even when in times when they are apart. The Friendship Stone reminds us that giving of our friendship is what truly matters in life. It is the people in our life that counts most.
The Friendship Stone makes a unique friendship gift which also gives back. 10% of all profits from The Friendship Stone product range go back to help the communities in Western South Africa from where the stones originate.
www.thefriendshipstone.com
Wednesday, 10 December 2008
Today on Women Entrepreneurs -The Secrets of Success
Kristin Moore of Single Tease will be the guest. Kristin, who left her corporate job as a Creative Director of a design firm in the Washington, DC area, is the co-owner of a company for singles called SingleTease. Their company creates products that break the ice between singles. Starting a conversation with an adorable stranger isn’t easy. Where do you begin? Dating experts agree that breaking the ice is easier with a conversation starter: a bestseller, baseball cap or a playful dog—anything that gives them an easy way to start chatting with you. What about wearing a clever t-shirt, or dressing your pup in a fun t-shirt to get their attention and invite conversation?
Their first product is a line of great fitting tshirts with clever messages which let a guy know a woman is available and approachable. Some samples messages are "Just Ask Me (out)" and "Boyscouting (are you prepared?)" They recently launched two more products, SingleTees® for men, and SinglePup® doggie tees which are available for wholesale only.
www.singletease.com
Their first product is a line of great fitting tshirts with clever messages which let a guy know a woman is available and approachable. Some samples messages are "Just Ask Me (out)" and "Boyscouting (are you prepared?)" They recently launched two more products, SingleTees® for men, and SinglePup® doggie tees which are available for wholesale only.
www.singletease.com
Tuesday, 9 December 2008
Open to Receive your Desires - 7 Steps to Clear Energy Blocks Teleclass
Join Elena Camp for her informative and motivational teleclass on Thursday, December 18th at 8:00 pm.
Have you mastered the asking component of the Law of Attraction and are you clear and focused on what you want?
But if what you desired has not manifested in your life, there may be an energy block preventing manifestation. This course will cover 7 important areas in your life that if blocked will delay or prevent full manifestation. Clear your energy and allow and receive quickly and easily all that you have asked for !!
Have you mastered the asking component of the Law of Attraction and are you clear and focused on what you want?
But if what you desired has not manifested in your life, there may be an energy block preventing manifestation. This course will cover 7 important areas in your life that if blocked will delay or prevent full manifestation. Clear your energy and allow and receive quickly and easily all that you have asked for !!
Monday, 8 December 2008
Today on Women Entrepreneurs -The Secrets of Success
Margie Basaraba of YTB Travel will be the guest today at 12:00 noon EST.
www.blogtalkradio.com/CoachDeb
www.blogtalkradio.com/CoachDeb
Which Comes First, Your Book or Your Business?
By Sophfronia Scott
It's sort of like that chicken or the egg question: which do you work on first, your book or your business? Should you write a book first and then develop a business when you start attracting attention? Or should you build your business up first and then write a book as the biggest, tastiest piece of your marketing pie? It's the kind of pondering that can put a well-meaning entrepreneur into the overwhelm zone--and neither the book nor the business move forward! Here's the problem with this kind of thinking: it assumes that the book is a separate project from your business, when really the two can be developed together. Here's how you can easily fit a book into your business strategy.
What Will Be Your Focus?
Let's look at your business going forward in the next 6-12 months. Is there a particular area, subject or service you would like to introduce or highlight in a new way? Perhaps you've been coaching on business success and you want to start a coaching program around marketing to women or you sell a product that teaches how to write copy, but you want to start teaching it live as a bootcamp. What exactly is it you want to bring to your business and what kind of results do you want to see from the effort?
What Do You Want People to Do?
Now let's pretend someone on the street has just heard about your new offering. What would you want them to do next? Go to your website to learn more? Attend a free public seminar? Call or email you? Think of all the different "next steps" that could be possible for a person who comes across your information. Write out these steps as if they were on a map that leads the person right to you or, more specifically, into the top of your product funnel. These steps might be simple such as going to your website for a tool or a report. Or they could be a little more complicated, like having them fax in a request for seminar tickets. I like to have a sprinkling of both kinds--it can help you gauge the quality of your prospect.
Plan Your Book Accordingly and Launch It
Fortunately for you, you don't have to wait for someone on the street to tell someone else about your business and your new offering--you are writing a book. And all of those different ways you want people to come back to you, to make contact? They will be placed in the book as your calls to action. Your book will also highlight your knowledge and expertise with the subject you've chosen, be it marketing to women or how to hire the best people. It would also mention all the new business offerings in this area. Once you have written and launched the book, you can promote the book. And here's the magic of this: it looks like you're promoting this one book, but you're really selling all that other stuff you have going on that's connected to the book: your paid newsletter, your workshops, your coaching programs, your contests, your products. How are you doing that? It's all in the book!
The great thing about this book-and-business strategy is that it can be repeated again and with different subject matter and different offerings. Successful entrepreneurs such as Jack Canfield, Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump have been doing this for ages. Isn't it time for you to get the word out--and make a profit as well?
© 2008 Sophfronia Scott
Sophfronia Scott is Executive Editor of the Done For You Writing & Publishing Company. Learn what a difference being a published author can make for your business. Get your FREE audio CD, "How to Succeed in Business By Becoming a Bestselling Author" and your FREE online writing and book publishing tips at www.DoneForYouWriting.com.
It's sort of like that chicken or the egg question: which do you work on first, your book or your business? Should you write a book first and then develop a business when you start attracting attention? Or should you build your business up first and then write a book as the biggest, tastiest piece of your marketing pie? It's the kind of pondering that can put a well-meaning entrepreneur into the overwhelm zone--and neither the book nor the business move forward! Here's the problem with this kind of thinking: it assumes that the book is a separate project from your business, when really the two can be developed together. Here's how you can easily fit a book into your business strategy.
What Will Be Your Focus?
Let's look at your business going forward in the next 6-12 months. Is there a particular area, subject or service you would like to introduce or highlight in a new way? Perhaps you've been coaching on business success and you want to start a coaching program around marketing to women or you sell a product that teaches how to write copy, but you want to start teaching it live as a bootcamp. What exactly is it you want to bring to your business and what kind of results do you want to see from the effort?
What Do You Want People to Do?
Now let's pretend someone on the street has just heard about your new offering. What would you want them to do next? Go to your website to learn more? Attend a free public seminar? Call or email you? Think of all the different "next steps" that could be possible for a person who comes across your information. Write out these steps as if they were on a map that leads the person right to you or, more specifically, into the top of your product funnel. These steps might be simple such as going to your website for a tool or a report. Or they could be a little more complicated, like having them fax in a request for seminar tickets. I like to have a sprinkling of both kinds--it can help you gauge the quality of your prospect.
Plan Your Book Accordingly and Launch It
Fortunately for you, you don't have to wait for someone on the street to tell someone else about your business and your new offering--you are writing a book. And all of those different ways you want people to come back to you, to make contact? They will be placed in the book as your calls to action. Your book will also highlight your knowledge and expertise with the subject you've chosen, be it marketing to women or how to hire the best people. It would also mention all the new business offerings in this area. Once you have written and launched the book, you can promote the book. And here's the magic of this: it looks like you're promoting this one book, but you're really selling all that other stuff you have going on that's connected to the book: your paid newsletter, your workshops, your coaching programs, your contests, your products. How are you doing that? It's all in the book!
The great thing about this book-and-business strategy is that it can be repeated again and with different subject matter and different offerings. Successful entrepreneurs such as Jack Canfield, Robert Kiyosaki and Donald Trump have been doing this for ages. Isn't it time for you to get the word out--and make a profit as well?
© 2008 Sophfronia Scott
Sophfronia Scott is Executive Editor of the Done For You Writing & Publishing Company. Learn what a difference being a published author can make for your business. Get your FREE audio CD, "How to Succeed in Business By Becoming a Bestselling Author" and your FREE online writing and book publishing tips at www.DoneForYouWriting.com.
Saturday, 6 December 2008
What Every Blogger Should Know About Trademark Law Before and While Blogging
by Latoicha Givens, Phillips Givens, LLCHello Friends!
I felt the need to write this article because one, I am a blogger. Also check me out at www.luxetips.com. And two, I have had discussions with so many bloggers about whether they owned a trademark and how to protect the good name and reputation they have built through blogging.
I will give you an example of some of the pitfalls bloggers have encountered.
Example 1: You register a blog with blogger and your blog name is Widgets.blogspot.com. You build up a reputation and readership and you decide you want to own your own domain name.
You contact a hosting company and try to register Widgets.com, but low and behold, someone else already owns the domain name. You contact the owner of the domain name and they will gladly let you have it.....for the low low price of $10,000.00! Yikes.
Example 2: You go ahead and register your domain name, Wethepeople.com. Hey you own it! But then some company comes along and registers Wearethepeople.com. You both are in same business and when you do a google search, their name comes up first. You have built a brand name, reputation, and following with Wethepeople.com. They are diverting traffic from your blog and causing confusion. What can you do?
So fellow blogger and potential bloggers follow these simple rules to ensure your blog, your brand and trademark, is protected and avoid becoming prey to infringers and cybersquatters.
1. A blog name is a trademark. One misconception many bloggers have is that they do not think they own a trademark because they are not organized as a company. If you a blogger and publish daily, weekly, or monthly articles on your blog, you are in the business of publishing. Also if you receive advertising revenue, or in-kind gifts, products, etc to review on your blog, you are actively engage in commerce - the ability to conduct business transactions.
A trademark is defined as words, symbols, phrases or designs which the public associates with a single source of goods or services. By law you establish trademark rights by actual use of the mark in commerce or filing an intent to use the mark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, USPTO.
2. Do a preliminary search for your blog name. Make sure the blog name you choose is not identical or too similar to a brand name, company, or other blog. You can accomplish this by doing a Google Search. Now Google may not capture every identicial or similar name, (only a comprehensive trademark search will do this) but those that are registered with government agencies and are on the web will be found. The last thing you want to receive is a cease and desist letter from me, a trademark lawyer, stating shut down your blog or else!
3. Register your domain name. A MUST MUST MUST! You must own your blog's name. Before starting a blog, you have to own your name. I can't repeat it enough. Now there are tons of services like blogger, typepad, and wordpress that will let you create a blog name through their service but this DOES NOT mean you own the domain name.
You can choose a domain registrar like VL Hosting to register your name for a nominal fee. Sometimes fees are as low as $10.00 per year. Why do this? Because there are mean lean sharks out in the blogosphere called cybersquatters. They literally surf the net for brand names and company names that do not have registered domain names and register them so they can hold them (cybersquat them) until you come crying and begging for them to release it. They will but for an astronomical fee.
4. Register your blog's name, phrases, and design as a trademark. It is just good practice and planning to register your blog as a trademark. You never know how successful you and your blog may be. Without registering your trademark, you do own a lawful common law trademark right (a trademark right without federal or state trademark registration). However to bring a trademark infringement action against an infringer you must register the trademark with the state where you are located or the USPTO.
Also registering your blog as a trademark is good evidence that you have a legitimate interest in your blog's domain name, if you have to file a domain name dispute against someone who purposely registers a domain name similar to yours in order to steal your traffic. I do understand that obtaining federal trademark registration can be expensive, but it is relatively inexpensive to register with your state. Depending on the state where you are located, fees can be as low as $15.00. But it is smart to get some legal advice. A poorly drafted trademark application will be rejected.
If you are a blogger already engaged in publishing your blog and have not completed any of these steps, I would recommend that you complete these steps as soon as possible! Believe me accomplishing these simple tasks will save you headaches and potentially money.
I hope this article was helpful. If you would like further information, please contact me at lgivens@phillipsgivenslaw.com. Please stay tuned for my next topic: How to file and win a domain name dispute.
Reprinted from phillipsgivenslaw.blogspot.com
Latoicha Givens is the founder and a member of the firm Phillips Givens, LLC. Ms. Givens practice includes representation of start-ups, small, and mid-sized businesses in intellectual property matters, specifically, trademarks, copyrights, and licensing issues.
Tuesday, 2 December 2008
Give Your Elevator Speech a Lift!
By Lorraine Howell, Media Skills TrainingYou only have one chance to make a good first impression. This is especially true in today’s tumultuous business climate.
When someone asks the introductory “What do you do?” keep in mind that 15-20 seconds -- or the length of an elevator trip – is all you have to start a meaningful conversation.
To get to the essence of a great elevator speech, answer these questions:
Who is your target audience?
Is there an ideal industry, business type, group, socio-economic status, location, hobby, or other common characteristic that describes your best customers? If your target audience is a business, what is the company’s profile? Where is the business in its growth cycle? What processes are involved in the business?
When you identify your ideal customer and target your message accordingly, listeners will see the value and be eager to talk about it. And, if the people you meet are not a fit for your skills and services, a memorable elevator speech can encourage quality referrals.
What do they care about?
Most business owners care about making a profit and outperforming their competition. Yet within each business there are unique concerns and problems. Do they have supply chain issues? What’s their employee retention history? Is their industry expanding or contracting? What issues keep the business owners up at night?
The more you understand the situation from their perspective, the more likely you will be to hit a nerve with your elevator speech. Ask your best customers what is important to them and listen carefully. Within their comments are the jewels that can help you stand out.
What results/benefits do you provide?
Don’t launch into a long explanation about how you do what you do. This confuses the process with the results. Rather, define what problems you solve for your customers. Here are two examples to help frame your storytelling:
•“I help level the playing field for vendors who are negotiating contracts with large multi-national corporations.”
•“I help business and community leaders prepare for the spotlight through public speaking coaching and media interview preparation.
What spins your jets about what you do?
People like to work with professionals who demonstrate passion and enthusiasm for their work, so share zest and energy when you deliver your elevator speech. Make it clear that you enjoy your work and the results you bring about for customers.
Put the pieces together…
As the answers to these questions unfold, your elevator speech will take shape. Use the language of your target audience to state your value and benefits. Shortcut the process and get right to the results in an enthusiastic and compelling way.
With practice, your elevator speech will flow naturally, become part of your personal brand, and help you make the most of every opportunity to make a good first impression.
Lorraine Howell, Author, Give Your Elevator Speech a Lift!
Media Skills Training
www.mediaskillstraining.com
Monday, 20 October 2008
Cynical and not listening
Business owners are among the most suspicious, cynical bunch of people you’ll ever market to. They have learned to tune you out. They're so busy heading off impending catastrophes that they rigorously filter out any inputs that don't directly address their problems of the day.
Here’s an embarrassing example. Just before presenting a workshop on personal communication to a group of business owners, I sent the group leader a one-page outline citing my seven strategies. He forwarded the document to the group. So on workshop day I compressed my introductory remarks and jumped right into things. Then one entrepreneur stopped me cold. He asked what I was there to talk about.
I explained, it’s about those seven strategies. And he said, “what strategies?” "It was in the memo you got last week," I said. “Well, I didn't read it,” he said indignantly. “Did anyone else read it?”
He looked around the room. Not one entrepreneur put up their hand. Even the leader said, “I just skimmed it.”
“We’re busy people,” said the first entrepreneur. He made it clear I had erred in assuming this group had read an email addressed to them about a meeting they’d be attending. And he was right. I had violated one of my own cardinal rules of communication. I had assumed my audience knew what I was talking about.
Many marketers make the same mistake. They assume their target market knows what business they're in. They assume their customers know what services they offer. They assume prospects understand the benefits of dealing with them.
Never take any of that for granted. You have to explain yourself, anew, every time. You have to explicitly describe the benefits you offer clients. Because they have no interest in knowing anything about you until you’ve proven you can help them. So they won't be listening until they need you - and when they do, you need to be speaking their language, not yours.
As they say in the shampoo business, "Lather. Rinse. Repeat."
Here’s an embarrassing example. Just before presenting a workshop on personal communication to a group of business owners, I sent the group leader a one-page outline citing my seven strategies. He forwarded the document to the group. So on workshop day I compressed my introductory remarks and jumped right into things. Then one entrepreneur stopped me cold. He asked what I was there to talk about.
I explained, it’s about those seven strategies. And he said, “what strategies?” "It was in the memo you got last week," I said. “Well, I didn't read it,” he said indignantly. “Did anyone else read it?”
He looked around the room. Not one entrepreneur put up their hand. Even the leader said, “I just skimmed it.”
“We’re busy people,” said the first entrepreneur. He made it clear I had erred in assuming this group had read an email addressed to them about a meeting they’d be attending. And he was right. I had violated one of my own cardinal rules of communication. I had assumed my audience knew what I was talking about.
Many marketers make the same mistake. They assume their target market knows what business they're in. They assume their customers know what services they offer. They assume prospects understand the benefits of dealing with them.
Never take any of that for granted. You have to explain yourself, anew, every time. You have to explicitly describe the benefits you offer clients. Because they have no interest in knowing anything about you until you’ve proven you can help them. So they won't be listening until they need you - and when they do, you need to be speaking their language, not yours.
As they say in the shampoo business, "Lather. Rinse. Repeat."
Thursday, 10 July 2008
Sleepless in Small Business
An executive who markets to small business asked me the other day what’s keeping entrepreneurs awake at night. (You have to know your prospects’ problems before you can start marketing effectively to them.)
Unfortunately, I didn't have any amazing insights to offer. Even in the face of recession in the eastern half of Canada, business owners are still grumbling to me about the same old problems:
* The agony of recruiting good help;
* The difficulty of holding on to good people when every other business is trying to lure them away;
* Rising energy costs;
* Trying to make sense of the Internet (before it changes their business forever);
* Finding ways to turn the Succession Boom to their advantage – either by preparing their business for sale, or by buying another business, for strategic or competitive reasons.
My marketer friend and I agreed that the slowing economy has not yet dented the confidence of most entrepreneurs. We decided the Canadian economy has gone through a huge restructuring in the past two decades, and that as a result, fewer businesses seem to be affected so badly by manufacturing’s decline and the slowdown in the U.S.
Of course, it also helps that entrepreneurs get to pick the markets they serve. In the past few years, many small businesses have changed focus and reduced their dependence on automotive companies, mass consumer markets, and other predictably vulnerable sectors. As the Canadian economy switches further to providing services, especially business and professional services to world markets, expect to see more and more entrepreneurs develop their own “Get out of Recession Free” card.
Unfortunately, I didn't have any amazing insights to offer. Even in the face of recession in the eastern half of Canada, business owners are still grumbling to me about the same old problems:
* The agony of recruiting good help;
* The difficulty of holding on to good people when every other business is trying to lure them away;
* Rising energy costs;
* Trying to make sense of the Internet (before it changes their business forever);
* Finding ways to turn the Succession Boom to their advantage – either by preparing their business for sale, or by buying another business, for strategic or competitive reasons.
My marketer friend and I agreed that the slowing economy has not yet dented the confidence of most entrepreneurs. We decided the Canadian economy has gone through a huge restructuring in the past two decades, and that as a result, fewer businesses seem to be affected so badly by manufacturing’s decline and the slowdown in the U.S.
Of course, it also helps that entrepreneurs get to pick the markets they serve. In the past few years, many small businesses have changed focus and reduced their dependence on automotive companies, mass consumer markets, and other predictably vulnerable sectors. As the Canadian economy switches further to providing services, especially business and professional services to world markets, expect to see more and more entrepreneurs develop their own “Get out of Recession Free” card.
Thursday, 5 June 2008
Six More Tips for Selling More
Continuing from the previous post, here are another six tips for more powerful personal marketing to small business owners.
1. Emphasize specific benefits. How much money did you save Client A by finding them better equipment? What kind of yacht did Client B buy after you helped them land a big deal?
2. Be free with referrals. If you can't help a particular individual, try to recommend someone who can. They will not forget the favor.
3. Ask for referrals! Once you have established what you do, ask prospects if they know anyone else who might appreciate a call from you to help them with their problems.
4. Find a reason to follow up. Most sales are lost through a failure to follow up in a timely manner. You might want to arrange a meeting, send them a document or an article you’ve read, or arrange an introduction. Your goal is to stay top-of-mind.
5. Ask for the order! As your relationship progresses, suggest a low-risk way to start working together. Offer some incentives, such as a pending deadline or a time-limited discount.
6. Eliminate fears and doubt: Your costs must be clear. Entrepreneurs abhor open-ended contracts and fees. Most people are more motivated by the prospect of losing $5 than by the chance of gaining $20 – so play up the value, minimize the uncertainty and set their minds at ease.
1. Emphasize specific benefits. How much money did you save Client A by finding them better equipment? What kind of yacht did Client B buy after you helped them land a big deal?
2. Be free with referrals. If you can't help a particular individual, try to recommend someone who can. They will not forget the favor.
3. Ask for referrals! Once you have established what you do, ask prospects if they know anyone else who might appreciate a call from you to help them with their problems.
4. Find a reason to follow up. Most sales are lost through a failure to follow up in a timely manner. You might want to arrange a meeting, send them a document or an article you’ve read, or arrange an introduction. Your goal is to stay top-of-mind.
5. Ask for the order! As your relationship progresses, suggest a low-risk way to start working together. Offer some incentives, such as a pending deadline or a time-limited discount.
6. Eliminate fears and doubt: Your costs must be clear. Entrepreneurs abhor open-ended contracts and fees. Most people are more motivated by the prospect of losing $5 than by the chance of gaining $20 – so play up the value, minimize the uncertainty and set their minds at ease.
Friday, 2 May 2008
Five Tips for Personal Selling to SB
How do you as an individual sell to the elusive small-biz market? Get out there and meet them! With entrepreneurs, it's all about the relationship.
Five top tips:
1. Go where the entrepreneurs are. Be seen as part of their community (e.g., through involvement in associations such as CAFE, TEC, EO, CATA, the CofC, etc.) If you don't know what those terms stand for, you have a chunk of catching up to do.
2. At networking functions, know whom you want to meet. Study the membership or guest lists to know who's whom. Arrange an introduction if possible, from a trusted mutual friend. And bring lots of business cards.
3. STOP SELLING! Ask good questions and listen: “Tell me about your business.” “What kinds of problems have you run into?” "What got you through that?"
4. Practice using the phrase, “How can I help you?”
5. When it’s your turn to talk, don’t brag about your expertise and experience. Tell stories that illustrate your experience and demonstrate the results you have achieved for your clients. (Make sure they’re pertinent!) Include vivid images and a happy ending.
Practice these stories in advance to make them as powerful (and as brief) as possible.
Simple as that!
Five top tips:
1. Go where the entrepreneurs are. Be seen as part of their community (e.g., through involvement in associations such as CAFE, TEC, EO, CATA, the CofC, etc.) If you don't know what those terms stand for, you have a chunk of catching up to do.
2. At networking functions, know whom you want to meet. Study the membership or guest lists to know who's whom. Arrange an introduction if possible, from a trusted mutual friend. And bring lots of business cards.
3. STOP SELLING! Ask good questions and listen: “Tell me about your business.” “What kinds of problems have you run into?” "What got you through that?"
4. Practice using the phrase, “How can I help you?”
5. When it’s your turn to talk, don’t brag about your expertise and experience. Tell stories that illustrate your experience and demonstrate the results you have achieved for your clients. (Make sure they’re pertinent!) Include vivid images and a happy ending.
Practice these stories in advance to make them as powerful (and as brief) as possible.
Simple as that!
Sunday, 30 March 2008
What constitutes "value"?
Are business owners cheap? Or do they just value “value”?
My customary joke is that entrepreneur is a French word meaning, “I don't have a budget for that.” Which means that while they don't specifically budget money for most purposes, they will still invest in new products, projects or services if they can see the value in it.
In a recent column for Tech Data’s quarterly publication, Tech Times, I wrote about attending a Toronto Raptors game with a friend who runs his own highly successful exporting company. His seats are in the third row.
“Harry” told me that he’d had a chance to move up a row, (where you can see and smell the players better), but he turned it down: “I couldn't justify paying an extra $300 per seat per game.”
I found that remark very telling. In my experience, entrepreneurs don't mind spending money to solve their problems and indulge their wants – they just like to receive value. Harry could afford the better tickets, but he can’t justify the cost. He can't see the value in it.
The good news about selling to business owners is that they rarely need to justify their spending to anyone. There’s no boss to oversee their activity or set spending limits. So the key to selling to business owners is to help them justify the purchase to themselves.
How do you do that? By understanding both the personal and financial issues involved in making these decisions.
For instance, business owners are looking for ways to improve their business – as long as these solutions don't make business more complicated. They adore fast returns on investment, but that’s usually less important than not rocking the boat. New LCD monitors that free up desk space are easy to justify. But a CRM system that will upset employees’ routines and take months to master will look more like a problem than a tool for growth.
Another example: the best entrepreneurs aren't risk-takers, they're risk-minimizers. If you can reduce the risk of their purchase, they’re more likely to buy. You can reverse the risk by offering money-back guarantees, rebates, installation assistance, or free service calls for 30 days. Entrepreneurs tend to be skeptical by nature, so demonstrate your faith in your products by assuming some of the purchase risk.
Finally, business owners are looking for respect. They want to be treated as individuals and as peers. So they like custom solutions, special deals, and being able to negotiate terms. Talk down to them and they’ll squawk. And walk.
My customary joke is that entrepreneur is a French word meaning, “I don't have a budget for that.” Which means that while they don't specifically budget money for most purposes, they will still invest in new products, projects or services if they can see the value in it.
In a recent column for Tech Data’s quarterly publication, Tech Times, I wrote about attending a Toronto Raptors game with a friend who runs his own highly successful exporting company. His seats are in the third row.
“Harry” told me that he’d had a chance to move up a row, (where you can see and smell the players better), but he turned it down: “I couldn't justify paying an extra $300 per seat per game.”
I found that remark very telling. In my experience, entrepreneurs don't mind spending money to solve their problems and indulge their wants – they just like to receive value. Harry could afford the better tickets, but he can’t justify the cost. He can't see the value in it.
The good news about selling to business owners is that they rarely need to justify their spending to anyone. There’s no boss to oversee their activity or set spending limits. So the key to selling to business owners is to help them justify the purchase to themselves.
How do you do that? By understanding both the personal and financial issues involved in making these decisions.
For instance, business owners are looking for ways to improve their business – as long as these solutions don't make business more complicated. They adore fast returns on investment, but that’s usually less important than not rocking the boat. New LCD monitors that free up desk space are easy to justify. But a CRM system that will upset employees’ routines and take months to master will look more like a problem than a tool for growth.
Another example: the best entrepreneurs aren't risk-takers, they're risk-minimizers. If you can reduce the risk of their purchase, they’re more likely to buy. You can reverse the risk by offering money-back guarantees, rebates, installation assistance, or free service calls for 30 days. Entrepreneurs tend to be skeptical by nature, so demonstrate your faith in your products by assuming some of the purchase risk.
Finally, business owners are looking for respect. They want to be treated as individuals and as peers. So they like custom solutions, special deals, and being able to negotiate terms. Talk down to them and they’ll squawk. And walk.
Wednesday, 5 March 2008
Memo to Big Business
Selling to small business is not just about finding a mailing list and hiring a call centre. It’s about knowing your market.
Case in point: I just got off the phone with Wells Fargo. A cheerful representative with a strong mid-west U.S. accent called to tell me that because of my business’s outstanding “profile” (i.e., they rented a list), I was eligible for a line of credit of up to $100,000. At prime plus 1.5%, which is pretty generous.
But of course they made the usual mistakes. They pretended that I had earned this privilege, when I clearly had not (my business is unincorporated, has no assets and has virtually no capital requirements). Please: if you want to earn my trust, don't start by lying to me.
Plus, they let someone call me who has a grating foreign accent. It was a mild one, to be sure, but why not use a Canadian call centre? We're a proud nation here: why not make it sound more like you actually have a presence in (and thus a commitment to) Canada?
They did some things right, though. When I said that I already have a credit line (from a Canadian bank) and didn't need hers, she was very cool about it. She asked if I would like to note down a web address and an invitation code that would let me take advantage of their offer some other time.
Why don't more people do this? It’s a marketing win-win – it lets the uninterested consumer off the hook quickly, yet it gives them a second chance to think about the offer. So I said, sure.
She then read out five numbers. I wrote them down thinking, "Good for them – they kept this simple." They were respecting my time. But then she read out four more numbers. Then three more. Then three letters. Why? With 15 digits, they have enough codes for everyone on earth, along with everyone who has ever lived on the planet. Plus everyone who ever will.
Moral: Making things easy for business owners is crucial. But you have to do in all ways, not just some.
Case in point: I just got off the phone with Wells Fargo. A cheerful representative with a strong mid-west U.S. accent called to tell me that because of my business’s outstanding “profile” (i.e., they rented a list), I was eligible for a line of credit of up to $100,000. At prime plus 1.5%, which is pretty generous.
But of course they made the usual mistakes. They pretended that I had earned this privilege, when I clearly had not (my business is unincorporated, has no assets and has virtually no capital requirements). Please: if you want to earn my trust, don't start by lying to me.
Plus, they let someone call me who has a grating foreign accent. It was a mild one, to be sure, but why not use a Canadian call centre? We're a proud nation here: why not make it sound more like you actually have a presence in (and thus a commitment to) Canada?
They did some things right, though. When I said that I already have a credit line (from a Canadian bank) and didn't need hers, she was very cool about it. She asked if I would like to note down a web address and an invitation code that would let me take advantage of their offer some other time.
Why don't more people do this? It’s a marketing win-win – it lets the uninterested consumer off the hook quickly, yet it gives them a second chance to think about the offer. So I said, sure.
She then read out five numbers. I wrote them down thinking, "Good for them – they kept this simple." They were respecting my time. But then she read out four more numbers. Then three more. Then three letters. Why? With 15 digits, they have enough codes for everyone on earth, along with everyone who has ever lived on the planet. Plus everyone who ever will.
Moral: Making things easy for business owners is crucial. But you have to do in all ways, not just some.
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