Focus on others when you network!

August 23, 2015

Q: I've been told I need to network more in order to grow my service business. How does one go about it?

A: The most effective form of marketing is word of mouth. But people can't spread the word about you and your small business if they don't know you.

That's where networking comes in. Whether it's through a professional association for your industry, a chamber of commerce or another local business group, networking offers a valuable forum for prospective customers and colleagues to learn about you and the services or products you provide.

Successful networking is more than simply exchanging introductions and business cards, then waiting for someone to call. In fact, Nelson Farmer, a marketing expert and SCORE mentor, says people waste the few precious moments they have with new and existing contacts by focusing on themselves.

"It's better to spend most of that time asking questions and collecting information," he says. "Then you can make quick assessments as to whether they would have any interest in the solutions your business provides."

Farmer recommends that every entrepreneur have a succinct "elevator speech" - a 30-second description of the problems the business solves. After that, the focus of the networking conversations should be entirely on other people: their primary business concerns, problems they want solved and unmet business needs. As the conversations unfold, you may find areas that overlap with the solutions you provide.

"If not, you can still make an impression by referring them to other people in your network who can help," Farmer says. "They'll see you as a problem solver, and be more likely to provide you with referrals in return."

Networking also doesn't end with the conversation. Farmer recommends maintaining a data file of networking information and updating it as soon as possible after every contact.

"Make note of their interests, what you've shared with them, and when to contact them next," he says, adding that regular follow-ups are essential. "People have short memories and may forget that you exist and more importantly, that you're the best person to help them with their business needs and problems."

Finally, while valuable business contacts can happen anytime and anywhere; don't leave your strategy to chance.

"Identify the people you want to make contact with, whether prospects or potential marketing alliance partners, and make carefully researched efforts to build relationships," Farmer says. "This approach takes more time on your part, but it gets results."

Using dreams to positively impact solutions in your business

Dreams have been used by people to improve and solve problems in their lives.Business is one such area that needs constant solutions to create products or services for consumers.It may seem impractical,illogical and slightly silly to use your own dreams to solve business problems.The following examples though show that its real and possible to do so.
Madame C.J.Walker
She has been cited in the Guinness Book of Records as the first female African American self made millionaire.This success all started out in a dream to solve a problem in her life.She had been suffering from a scalp infection that led to her loosing a lot of hair.One night she had a dream in which a big black man appeared to her and told her the remedy required to solve her scalp condition.The following morning she got the ingredients together and put them on her scalp and was amazed by the results a few weeks later.She then tried the scalp remedy on her friends and it worked and from then on decided to sell the hair remedy product.The business started small from her house and with time it grew as the demand for scalp remedies and hair growth pomades for the black woman increased.Madame C.J.Walker then hired women and trained them on hair beauty products and business presentation.They went on to be her sales agents and this led to the establishment of a company ;The Madame C.J.Walker Manufacturing Company.The company grew through franchising and became successful.
Elias Howe
The innovator of the sewing machine got his idea from a dream.Elias had been faced with the problem of a needle going through a piece of cloth to sew.He had been trying to use a needle that was pointed at both ends with an eye in the middle and failed to sew at each attempt.One night Elias dreamt that he was taken as prisoner by a group of native Americans.They were dancing around him with spears and then started to aim their spears at him.At this frightening point of the dream he noticed that all the spears had holes near their tips.In the morning he realised that the dream had offered a solution;he then located a hole at the tip of the needle so thread could be caught as it went through the cloth.This made his sewing machine operable and led to mass sewing of clothes at a time when sewing was still done by hand.
Srinivasa Ramanujan
Ramanujan was an Indian mathematician who lived a short but purposeful 32 years, who used dreams to generate mathematical formuales. These have led to ground breaking solutions in statistical and nuclear Physics. Ramanujan revealed that in his dreams a goddess Namakal would appear and present mathematical formula.He would see a red screen formed by flowing blood then a hand would begin to write on this screen.When he awoke he would write the formula as he saw them in the dream and verify later.
Scientist who created artificial arteries
A scientist in America at the New Dimensions in Medicine Center had been working hard to solve the problem of repairing bad arteries in patients' hearts.At the time the transplant method used was to resort to using other arteries in the patient's body to replace the damaged one.This came with the risk of further damage to the patient's life and a shorter life span.The scientist one night dreamt a formula for artificial arteries and the next day went to the laboratory to test it.He was surprised at the results that the human body could accept the transplanted artificial arteries. His work has been adapted and is used to repair damaged heart arteries and comes with the benefits of an improved life span.

These solutions that come from dreams reveal to us that our brains work differently at the awake and sleep state.According to research done,Laura Silva Quesada of the Silva Method found that,slower brainwave functions prepare us to solve problems.The awake state also known as the Beta brainwaves are between 14 to 20 cycles a second is associated with taking action by using physical senses to solve problems. The sleep state also known as Theta brainwaves are 4 to 7 cycles a second is associated with inductive reasoning and uses dreams and visions to solve problems.
Based on this report I seek to challenge myself and you the reader to make note of dreams that offer implicit or explicit solutions to your business problems.

Agribusiness and the misconception of GMO

Genetically modified organisms are defined as an alteration in plants genetic material which does not occur naturally. The technology used selects individual genes to be transferred from one organism to another. These selected genes are meant to increase resistance to diseases caused by insects and viruses and increase tolerance to certain herbicides. The primary objective of GMOs was to increase crop yield for farmers at a lower input price. The first GM foods were introduced in the mid 1990s in the form of herbicide resistant soybeans. There is also an extension of GMO innovation in the use of bio-fortified rice which has been found to be useful in rice based societies such as India and Vietnam. This Golden Rice is genetically engineered to have Vitamin A and zinc to combat the perennial deficiencies affecting children’s’ immune systems and eyesight. The East African region now has available bio-fortified cooking bananas and cassavas to enhance the nutrient content of these staple foods.

Professor Ochanda, the Director of Biotechnology at the University of Nairobi notes the advantage to the farmer of using GM seeds is that the crops protect themselves. This is a cost efficient method as opposed to using expensive chemicals to eliminate disease and pests. This is supported by Professor Gudu a plant specialist at the Moi University who values the use of modern biotechnology by Kenyan farmers as a way out of poverty.

However, the harsh reality for most farmers in sub Saharan Africa is the politicisation of GMOs which prevents them from reaping the high rewards of the innovation. The root cause of this lies with the great divide between lobbyists and scientists which is in turn driven by the media that has a tendency to take a bias to sensational reports. The journalists from developing countries depend on western media which is split between the pro and anti-GMO supporters. Yet, the people who suffer are the populations in the developing world from lack of sufficient food supplies when GMO innovation is disregarded.

Mark Lynas a British scientist who was once a fierce anti-GMO supporter publicly apologised in January 2013 for his former stance. This was for the part played in a propaganda generating conspiracy theories that ultimately led to the starvation of millions across the developing world. The pro-GMO decision was based on sound scientific information on the benefits of GMO. Lynas’s efforts are now on supporting the use of GMO to address food security and economic self-reliance of developing countries. He led a public lecture in Kenya on this topic in late July 2013.

The Kenyan government started with optimism for GMO innovation when it passed the National Biotechnology Department Policy. This was followed by an enactment of the Bio safety Act in 2009 and a gazetting of three bio-safety rules in 2011. Then all these developments were undermined when on November 21, 2012 the Ministry of Public Health ordered the removal of all GM food on the market and a ban on GM imports. This decision was arrived at after a harrowing report by Professor Gilles Eric Seralini and other scientists. Their study was based on a two year feeding trial of 200 rats on GM maize and plants treated with a herbicide known as Roundup. Both male and female rats developed cancerous tumours, kidney and liver failure. This implied that people were at risk of exposure to cancer and organ failure from GM foods adding to more misunderstanding of the innovation to our lives.

The GM crops on the global market are risk assessed and are unlikely to present health risks to people according to the World Health Organisation. There is also a dire need for governments, NGOs and agricultural extension workers to come together and find out the scientific merit or demerit of the GMO innovation. The agricultural extension workers in Kenya should educate the public on the real meaning and use of GMO in farming to reduce their reliance on exciting headlines from anti-GMO supporters most of whom live in Europe. There was a debate this week to reintroduce GMO foods back into the Kenyan market but there needs to be robust public and expert participation.

Business Stages

1. Startup or business birth This part of the business stage is simultaneously the most difficult and rewarding. It starts off as a business idea and progresses into materialization of the idea. This is a journey fraught with impediments, doubts, fears and wrong advisers. It comes along with the need for business planning which is ignored or found bothersome by Kenyan micro enterprises. Yet this is the roadmap needed to guide the business, passion is not enough you require direction to get the business moving forward. The next step is financial resources a real headache for all micro and small business people. This can come from borrowing family and friends, selling unwanted items you have on OLX, Pigiame and all other online platforms to raise capital. I know this as; I was able to raise some capital to run this online business from selling shoes, clothes, printers, crashed laptops, kitchen gadgets and many more. The business name, registration, location, product buying, service creation are all determined at this stage. 2. Business Survival At this stage most micro and small business are usually struggling under immense barriers such as limited cash flow due to debtors and limited technical skill to have competitive advantage. The entrepreneur should have at this stage mastered the markets fully and undertaken relevant sector training. A casual glance at businesses reveal: consecutive mobile phone shops; many of the same money transfer shops in the same area; boutiques; fruit stalls; hawking clothes and fruits and many others. This is despite the dominoes effect that occurs when markets are highly saturated. Check out the case studies of Balloon Kenya in creating business competitive edge in Nakuru at www.balloonkenya.com 3. Business Death or Exit This stage is the crushing finale for most micro and small businesses in the first three years.This inevitable stage in Kenyan micro and small enterprises is caused by a multitude of factors such as making small profit margins and stiff competition from rivals.Yet all that is needed is a shift of focus on policy implementation to actually reach the many micro and small business people for the sector to rival big business. Sources Kilonzo, D. (2006). “Barriers affecting the growth and development of micro and small enterprises in Kenya”. Masters Dissertation. University of Northampton, United Kingdom. Available on request. The Micro and Small Enterprises Act (2012). Kenya Gazette Supplement. The Government Printer, Nairobi.

Micro and Small Business Kenya

Most Kenyans affectionately refer to the micro and business sector as ‘kale kabiz kamine’, ‘my biz’, ‘hustle tu yangu’, ‘nikutafuta maziwa na mkate kwa biashara’. All over the country people have a business they are running to contribute to their household budgets. So the sector is actually defined as: Microenterprise - employs less than ten people and has an annual turnover that is not more than Kshs 500,000. The owner is the manager of the business with family or friends being recruited as employees. Small enterprise - employs between ten and fifty people and has an annual turnover of between Kshs 500,000 and Kshs 5 Million. The owner can be the manager and there can be part-owners as well in this sector which, has acquired a small share of the market. Both micro and small enterprises refer to the manufacturing, farming, trade and service sectors. They operate in informal settings such as hawking, home baking and formal settings with a determined office. Importance to the Economy The sector employs most Kenyans at 6.5 million persons which accounts for roughly 80% of people in employment. It contributes 20% of the Gross Domestic Product and provides goods and services. It is the key driver to innovation and competition. The enterprise culture creates and facilitates private sector development. Ironically the significant and positive role played by the sector is undermined by many constraints that deny it the full potential required to succeed. Sources Kilonzo, D. (2006). “Barriers affecting the growth and development of micro and small enterprises in Kenya”. Masters Dissertation. University of Northampton, United Kingdom. The Micro and Small Enterprises Act (2012). Kenya Gazzette Supplement. The Government Printer, Nairobi.

Take time to see the big picture

August 9, 2015

Q: I was recently surprised to learn that a competitor is using new technology enabling her to provide faster service than I can. How can I keep from being caught off guard again?

A: Owners of small businesses sometimes get so bogged down in day-to-day operations that they don't find the time to see the big picture. They need to make the time to continue the kind of planning and research they did before they started up their business - so they see the new technology coming along that might impact their business.

Planning is an ongoing necessity because the environment in which your small business operates continually changes. New opportunities and challenges will arise that are different from those assessed during the startup stage.

How do you find the time to plan? Work more efficiently by prioritizing your activities, eliminating the low-value or unnecessary tasks, and delegating work to others.

Then watch your industry. In today's interconnected global economy, any change anywhere can have a ripple effect on any small business. The influences may be as far-reaching as a shift in demand, or as local as a new stoplight near your store, or as subtle as an emerging technology that could affect your business. Stay current with world and community events, and communicate with customers, suppliers and colleagues. You'll be less susceptible to surprises and better prepared to anticipate and capitalize on these changes.

Watch those numbers. Financial statements provide a window into the health of your business. Monitor and analyze trends. Your initial financial projections may be trending in an unexpected direction. Are current and projected cash flows in line with your industry and local environment? By comparing actual cash flows to projections, you can spot opportunities to improve performance.

Revisit your business plan. Your business plan shouldn't become a "trophy" of your startup success. Refer to it frequently to compare plans and estimates with current realities. Reassess your customer base, competition and marketing strategy, and adjust if necessary. Seek objective input from your key advisers like your CPA, attorney and SCORE mentor. It will improve the plan and speed up the process.

Make continuing your business education a priority. Attend topical workshops, webinars and chamber of commerce learning events to stay up-to-date and learn new skills. Monitor the SCORE workshop schedule at www.scorehouston.org to identify important educational opportunities.

Hotjar - Optimize your Site's Usability and Conversion Rate.

Hotjar is a new powerful tool that reveals the online behaviour and voice of your users. By combining both A) Analysis and B) Feedback tools, Hotjar gives you the ‘big picture’ of how to improve your site's user experience and performance. 

The Analysis tools allow you to measure and observe user behaviour while the Feedback tools allow you to hear what your users have to say.

Heatmaps

Understand what users want, care about and do on your site by visually representing their clicks, taps and scrolling behavior - which are the strongest indicators of visitor motivation and desire.

Visitor Recordings

Eliminate guesswork with recordings of real visitor behaviour on your site. By seeing your visitor's clicks, taps, mouse movements you can identify usability issues on the fly.

Conversion Funnels

Find the biggest opportunities for improvement and testing by identifying on which page and at which step most visitors are leaving your site.

Form Analytics

Improve online form completion rates by discovering which fields take too long to fill, which are left blank, and why your visitors abandon your form and page.

Feedback Polls

Improving the performance and experience of your website starts with understanding what your visitors want and what's preventing them from achieving it. Target questions to specific visitors anywhere on your web and mobile site.

 

Surveys

Build your own responsive surveys using an easy editor. Collect responses in real-time from any device. Distribute your surveys using web links, emails or invite your visitors just before they abandon your site to uncover their objections or concerns.

Recruit User Testers

Recruit the best possible participants for user research and testing directly from your site. Collect profiling information, contact details and offer a gift in exchange for their help.

Hotjar is the ideal tool for:

UX & UI Designers ,Web Developers, Product Managers, Analysts, Digital Marketers, Agencies

Here are just a few examples of how you can use Hotjar:

• Give your clients or boss proof of what works or not.
• Challenge internal misconceptions & 'best practices'.
• Overhaul forms to generate more leads.
• Impress your clients or colleagues with visual insights.
• Test what content works best above 'the fold'.
• Learn what content to move higher or lower on the page.
• Speak directly to visitors before they leave the page.
• Think like an actual visitor by understanding their mindset.
• Identify what new content needs to be added to the page.
• Confirm your hypothesis before creating new elements.
• Reveal your visitors' pattern of reading the page.
• Remove or rethink ignored content.
• See which type of imagery works best.
• Collect valuable testimonials from customers.
• Change design and content based on different traffic.
• Deploy feedback poll on pages with UX issues to get instant feedback.