The entry for today is going to be just a bit different. Today, we're going to discuss the word perseverance. It's a pretty big word yes, but it is also a word that speaks volumes to the future success of you, me, of all of us.
Tomorrow, our country will make history by the swearing in of the first African-American President, Barack Obama. Wherever your political beliefs fall on the political scale, it cannot be denied that our nation is on the verge. What we are truly on the verge of still remains to be seen. But with perseverance, we will, as a country, get there. That's what got the President-Elect to our country's supreme seat of power, and will sustain him throughout his term in office.
I am African American. The sense of awe and pride that I feel for the historic events happening as we speak are at time overwhelming. I am hopeful and optimistic, and have the utmost in confidence in our future leader. However, I must confess that while I believed in the possibility of an ethnic president, I didn't think that I would live to see the day happen. My mother, who turns a spry 70 in February, said the same thing. So has most of my family, as well as my friends; some ethnic, some not. The fact that this amazing event is happening now, at this point in the history of our country is unparalleled. But the one thing that has propelled this event into our today, is that word perseverance. Of a man, of a people, of a nation, we have all worked to reach this point in our history. Of course there were obstacles along the way, as there will be in the future. But the bottom line is that our country and it's citizens didn't give up.
Business is tough, we all know that. New businesses, existing businesses, all are suffering. But the one thing to keep in mind is that the climate can and will get better. Immediately? Doubtful. But in the not-so-distant future, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Don't give up, and throw in the towel on your dreams. Because with perseverance, we can overcome.
Another man who held the position President-Elect Obama is about to occupy, said this about perseverance...
"Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air."
- John Quincy Adams
Monday, January 19, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Art of Appreciation: Saying "Thanks" to Your Clients
Okay, it's been said before I know, but just to add one more voice to the chorus, these economic times are a challenge indeed. Drumming up new business is a tough task to be sure. But there is an untapped resource that you may have overlooked. So what better time to uncork that resource and reap the benefits?
I am talking about your current client base. These jewels of data are a goldmine, or at lease can prove to be, if you mine them correctly. In future entries we will discuss some ways to finesse your client base to your best advantage. But for this entry, we are going to offer you a suggestion that you should have already thought of before. A client appreciation event.
Now I know what you're saying, I can't afford to do that! While that may be true, with a bit of charm and tenacity, you may find such an event can be quite a bit less expensive than you anticipated. More on that in a moment, for now let's start at the very beginning. The planning!
Planning such an event can seem a bit daunting, but it doesn't have to. With enough advance work, your event can go off without a hitch. That is the primary tip; give yourself ample time to plan. Plan out your list of attendees, and then begin fitting that number into a venue of your choosing. You want to allow enough space for all your guests to be comfortable, but not so much space that the venue has a barn-like feeling. An intimate setting is nice, but make certain here is ample lighting for your clients to see two feet in front of themselves. In short choose a space that you an your guests will be comfortable in. Then add the rest of the trapping afterward.
Once you've selected your venue, get those invites out as soon as possible. You want to give folks ample time to commit to your event, and the more advance you give, the better your chances are of a good turn out. Another idea is to encourage your guests to bring one guest of their choice with them. Voila! You now have a room full of new prospects! Wasn't that simple?
Next, what do you serve? Well, this is where that creative budgeting can come in handy. So if you are ready, hang on ; this goes pretty fast...
No matter where you live, there is some new gathering place opening all the time. All these places need publicity and promotion as badly as you do. So what about a cooperative partnership? You bring the bodies, they provide you with some hors d'oeuvres and drink tickets? Or for a discounted fee, you will host a sit down in their restaurant to help roll out their new menu? Get the connection?
Maybe you want to do something a bit different. Invite your guests to a local gallery space, or clothing boutique. Enlist a couple of friends to act as servers and have them circulate with glasses of wine, and trays of cheeses. Note: Red wine is a no-no! Always serve white, and you'll keep any little "accidents" to a minimum. And as always, offer lots of nonalcoholic beverages as alternatives.
Now, see the benefit of a client appreciation event? You have re-introduced yourself to a room full of people that already know you and the quality service you provide. And you have introduced yourself to a new crop of prospects your clients have brought with them. Sounds like a win/win to me...how about you?
I am talking about your current client base. These jewels of data are a goldmine, or at lease can prove to be, if you mine them correctly. In future entries we will discuss some ways to finesse your client base to your best advantage. But for this entry, we are going to offer you a suggestion that you should have already thought of before. A client appreciation event.
Now I know what you're saying, I can't afford to do that! While that may be true, with a bit of charm and tenacity, you may find such an event can be quite a bit less expensive than you anticipated. More on that in a moment, for now let's start at the very beginning. The planning!
Planning such an event can seem a bit daunting, but it doesn't have to. With enough advance work, your event can go off without a hitch. That is the primary tip; give yourself ample time to plan. Plan out your list of attendees, and then begin fitting that number into a venue of your choosing. You want to allow enough space for all your guests to be comfortable, but not so much space that the venue has a barn-like feeling. An intimate setting is nice, but make certain here is ample lighting for your clients to see two feet in front of themselves. In short choose a space that you an your guests will be comfortable in. Then add the rest of the trapping afterward.
Once you've selected your venue, get those invites out as soon as possible. You want to give folks ample time to commit to your event, and the more advance you give, the better your chances are of a good turn out. Another idea is to encourage your guests to bring one guest of their choice with them. Voila! You now have a room full of new prospects! Wasn't that simple?
Next, what do you serve? Well, this is where that creative budgeting can come in handy. So if you are ready, hang on ; this goes pretty fast...
No matter where you live, there is some new gathering place opening all the time. All these places need publicity and promotion as badly as you do. So what about a cooperative partnership? You bring the bodies, they provide you with some hors d'oeuvres and drink tickets? Or for a discounted fee, you will host a sit down in their restaurant to help roll out their new menu? Get the connection?
Maybe you want to do something a bit different. Invite your guests to a local gallery space, or clothing boutique. Enlist a couple of friends to act as servers and have them circulate with glasses of wine, and trays of cheeses. Note: Red wine is a no-no! Always serve white, and you'll keep any little "accidents" to a minimum. And as always, offer lots of nonalcoholic beverages as alternatives.
Now, see the benefit of a client appreciation event? You have re-introduced yourself to a room full of people that already know you and the quality service you provide. And you have introduced yourself to a new crop of prospects your clients have brought with them. Sounds like a win/win to me...how about you?
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Don't Let Holiday "Blahs" Derail Your Business Plans
Well, we’re in the home stretch of the holiday season. What was that? Could I have possibly heard a collective sigh of relief? I wouldn’t be a bit surprised. Still, I hope you and yours found the holidays full of surprises, joy and happiness.
The New Year is just a couple of days away, but now is not the time to slack. Plans have to be made and put into motion to guarantee your success in 2009. With a solid plan of attack, 2009 can indeed be one of your best years yet. But where do you begin?
First, the list. I know, it seems a bit archaic, writing a list, but it still works. If it makes you feel better, boot up your laptop and type it there just to give it a more 21st century feel. Comprise a list of all the goals you want to achieve in your business in the New Year. Next, break down that list into priorities; what goes where, what will my budget afford (more on this in a moment), etc… Then, break it down further into steps that you need to take to achieve each goal on your list. Look at that, you have a plan for 2009! Congratulations!
Now, if your plan veers off course, don’t panic. Life happens; even in business. And even if you do get off track, just figure the best way to get right back on it. Sticking to the plan is the key to the success of your business. Don’t let minor, mundane things derail your path to the top.
Okay, so we have a plan in place, we know what we need to do to make it happen, we have it in priority order… Seems like a good start right? Well why not ride this new “wave of momentum” to the next level; budget.
Budget is one of those “dirty” six-letter words. There are a few folks that like it, but for the most part a budget inspires the same amount of enthusiasm as cleaning out the garage. Still, you must have a budget. Determine what you made last year, what you’d like to make this year, how much you need to cover expenses, overhead, labor, whatever. There has to be enough money coming in to compensate for money going out; plus a little left over to pay down those holiday bills.
Our next entry will be in the New Year. Wishing you and yours all the best in 2009!
The New Year is just a couple of days away, but now is not the time to slack. Plans have to be made and put into motion to guarantee your success in 2009. With a solid plan of attack, 2009 can indeed be one of your best years yet. But where do you begin?
First, the list. I know, it seems a bit archaic, writing a list, but it still works. If it makes you feel better, boot up your laptop and type it there just to give it a more 21st century feel. Comprise a list of all the goals you want to achieve in your business in the New Year. Next, break down that list into priorities; what goes where, what will my budget afford (more on this in a moment), etc… Then, break it down further into steps that you need to take to achieve each goal on your list. Look at that, you have a plan for 2009! Congratulations!
Now, if your plan veers off course, don’t panic. Life happens; even in business. And even if you do get off track, just figure the best way to get right back on it. Sticking to the plan is the key to the success of your business. Don’t let minor, mundane things derail your path to the top.
Okay, so we have a plan in place, we know what we need to do to make it happen, we have it in priority order… Seems like a good start right? Well why not ride this new “wave of momentum” to the next level; budget.
Budget is one of those “dirty” six-letter words. There are a few folks that like it, but for the most part a budget inspires the same amount of enthusiasm as cleaning out the garage. Still, you must have a budget. Determine what you made last year, what you’d like to make this year, how much you need to cover expenses, overhead, labor, whatever. There has to be enough money coming in to compensate for money going out; plus a little left over to pay down those holiday bills.
Our next entry will be in the New Year. Wishing you and yours all the best in 2009!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Planning Your P.R. Attack for the New Year
Greetings!
The holiday season is in full swing! After a weekend of braving the malls and dodging shoppers, I was actually ready to come into the office, hunker down, and plan the rest of the year. While the prospect may seen a bit late, there actually is no such thing as too late to plan. 2009 is just a couple of weeks away, and you are going to want to hit the floor running.
Today we are going to talk a bit about e-Marketing, and how you relay information to your clients. If I were to say RSS, or podcast, would you have any idea what I was talking about? f you're a gadget person like me, you most definitely would. If not, we'll break it down for you.
RSS is the acronym that can mean either Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Summary, depending on who you ask. Used to describe the de facto standard for the syndication of Web content, RSS is an XML-based format and while it can be used in different ways for content distribution, its most widespread usage is in distributing news headlines on the Web. A Web site that wants to allow other sites to publish some of its content creates an RSS document and registers the document with an RSS publisher. A user that can read RSS-distributed content can use the content on a different site. Syndicated content can include data such as news feeds, events listings, news stories, headlines, project updates, excerpts from discussion forums or even corporate information.
The beauty of an RSS feed is that information provided to it is almost instantaneous. Subscribers to your RSS feeds receive a notification that there is new information available to hear, and can direct them immediately to the download area of your site. It's great because it's a simple, fast and economical way to relay important information to your client base.
Southwest Airlines use of RSS is a great example. Their program is simply called "Ding!" because it does just that. When there is a fare sale or special deal available, subscribers received an audible tone through their computer letting them know that there is an update available. For a frequent business or leisure traveller, this is a must have tool! The service is free, but at any cost it would more than pay for itself by the business it generates for Southwest. Go to their website and sign up for the service just to see how it works. I am certain you will be sold.
If you clients have been worried about giving their name and email address to subscribe to any newsletter, the RSS feed has come to the rescue. Subscribing to an RSS feed does not require your clients to provide any information they don't feel comfortable providing. Your clients privacy is assured, and as we mentioned they will get updates automatically on the blogs that they have chosen to subscribe to. Not sure about that "Blog" thing? That's okay, we'll talk about that in our next entry!
So check back for our next entry, and we'll talk about how RSS ties in to you becoming part of the Blog Generation.
The holiday season is in full swing! After a weekend of braving the malls and dodging shoppers, I was actually ready to come into the office, hunker down, and plan the rest of the year. While the prospect may seen a bit late, there actually is no such thing as too late to plan. 2009 is just a couple of weeks away, and you are going to want to hit the floor running.
Today we are going to talk a bit about e-Marketing, and how you relay information to your clients. If I were to say RSS, or podcast, would you have any idea what I was talking about? f you're a gadget person like me, you most definitely would. If not, we'll break it down for you.
RSS is the acronym that can mean either Rich Site Summary or Really Simple Summary, depending on who you ask. Used to describe the de facto standard for the syndication of Web content, RSS is an XML-based format and while it can be used in different ways for content distribution, its most widespread usage is in distributing news headlines on the Web. A Web site that wants to allow other sites to publish some of its content creates an RSS document and registers the document with an RSS publisher. A user that can read RSS-distributed content can use the content on a different site. Syndicated content can include data such as news feeds, events listings, news stories, headlines, project updates, excerpts from discussion forums or even corporate information.
The beauty of an RSS feed is that information provided to it is almost instantaneous. Subscribers to your RSS feeds receive a notification that there is new information available to hear, and can direct them immediately to the download area of your site. It's great because it's a simple, fast and economical way to relay important information to your client base.
Southwest Airlines use of RSS is a great example. Their program is simply called "Ding!" because it does just that. When there is a fare sale or special deal available, subscribers received an audible tone through their computer letting them know that there is an update available. For a frequent business or leisure traveller, this is a must have tool! The service is free, but at any cost it would more than pay for itself by the business it generates for Southwest. Go to their website and sign up for the service just to see how it works. I am certain you will be sold.
If you clients have been worried about giving their name and email address to subscribe to any newsletter, the RSS feed has come to the rescue. Subscribing to an RSS feed does not require your clients to provide any information they don't feel comfortable providing. Your clients privacy is assured, and as we mentioned they will get updates automatically on the blogs that they have chosen to subscribe to. Not sure about that "Blog" thing? That's okay, we'll talk about that in our next entry!
So check back for our next entry, and we'll talk about how RSS ties in to you becoming part of the Blog Generation.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Web Marketing (pt. 1): Time to Blow Your Own Horn
Marketing and branding your business is all about maximizing relationships. To build relationships requires some efforts designed to generate awareness that your business even exists. And you generate awareness by making a connection with your client, closing a sale, or providing exemplary service to a customer.
Lesson learned. Let’s pack it up and head home. NOT!
If it were only that simple. In reality, the rules of the marketing game are constantly changing. The trip is to find a niche, and stay ahead of the game. While in theory it may seem a bit impossible, with the ever-changing internet, well, ever-changing. But if you look at your web based marketing efforts as a skirmish, it can seem less like work, and more like fun.
The first step is to put your “assets” on display. No, not those embarrassing bachelor party photos or the pictures of your drunken water skiing trip to the lake. I mean your business assets. If you take a good look at your organization, you may find a number of assets that you haven’t discovered as of yet. Ever heard the saying about “hiding your light under a bushel?” Well, now is NOT the time to do that! Examine aspects of your business that you feel sets you apart from the competition. Is it your follow-through with your clients? Do you have a channel of strategic partnerships that your competition can only hope for? Is your sales approach irresistible to your marketplace? We all have a unique business talent, and there is no shame in promoting it.
But let’s take a quick step backwards for a minute. You do have a web presence don’t you? Well, of course you have access to the web (otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this entry), but does your business have a presence? Sure, you may have a home-made web site that you put together over a weekend, which might serve you well. But if no one knows you are out there on the World Wide Web, why bother?
The key to a great web site is search-ability, and quality content. You site is only as good as the content, and how search engines direct web searches to you is paramount. Now I’m not going to give you a long lecture from “Web Sites: 101,” but I will give you a few basics. First, learn the term “meta tags.” It will serve you well when creating your web site or enhancing your existing one.
In essence, meta tags are the trigger that search engines pick up on to direct traffic to your web site. You may have heard the terms “enhanced text” or “text optimization,” which are basically the same. If you want folks to find your site, it’s a good idea to have your text optimized. If you aren’t a savvy web master yourself, there are a number of guys and gals that can work magic. Whether your site has been on the net for a while, or you are just heading that direction, I would recommend at least consulting with a web master, just to make sure you are on the right path.
Okay, so where were we? Ah yes, displaying your assets. The content of your site should be dynamic, entertaining, informative, thought provoking, be a call to action… You get the idea. Ultimately the idea is to make your site copy as compelling to your market that you can. The goal is to make your site, in conjunction with your business, an expert resource for your customer base. If you can promote your site as a value to your market, you’re in.
In future entries, we’ll talk about other ways to enhance your web marketing aspirations. And remember, don’t be shy! You, and your business are great, and have a lot to offer to your market. Don’t be afraid to let them know it!
Lesson learned. Let’s pack it up and head home. NOT!
If it were only that simple. In reality, the rules of the marketing game are constantly changing. The trip is to find a niche, and stay ahead of the game. While in theory it may seem a bit impossible, with the ever-changing internet, well, ever-changing. But if you look at your web based marketing efforts as a skirmish, it can seem less like work, and more like fun.
The first step is to put your “assets” on display. No, not those embarrassing bachelor party photos or the pictures of your drunken water skiing trip to the lake. I mean your business assets. If you take a good look at your organization, you may find a number of assets that you haven’t discovered as of yet. Ever heard the saying about “hiding your light under a bushel?” Well, now is NOT the time to do that! Examine aspects of your business that you feel sets you apart from the competition. Is it your follow-through with your clients? Do you have a channel of strategic partnerships that your competition can only hope for? Is your sales approach irresistible to your marketplace? We all have a unique business talent, and there is no shame in promoting it.
But let’s take a quick step backwards for a minute. You do have a web presence don’t you? Well, of course you have access to the web (otherwise you wouldn’t be reading this entry), but does your business have a presence? Sure, you may have a home-made web site that you put together over a weekend, which might serve you well. But if no one knows you are out there on the World Wide Web, why bother?
The key to a great web site is search-ability, and quality content. You site is only as good as the content, and how search engines direct web searches to you is paramount. Now I’m not going to give you a long lecture from “Web Sites: 101,” but I will give you a few basics. First, learn the term “meta tags.” It will serve you well when creating your web site or enhancing your existing one.
In essence, meta tags are the trigger that search engines pick up on to direct traffic to your web site. You may have heard the terms “enhanced text” or “text optimization,” which are basically the same. If you want folks to find your site, it’s a good idea to have your text optimized. If you aren’t a savvy web master yourself, there are a number of guys and gals that can work magic. Whether your site has been on the net for a while, or you are just heading that direction, I would recommend at least consulting with a web master, just to make sure you are on the right path.
Okay, so where were we? Ah yes, displaying your assets. The content of your site should be dynamic, entertaining, informative, thought provoking, be a call to action… You get the idea. Ultimately the idea is to make your site copy as compelling to your market that you can. The goal is to make your site, in conjunction with your business, an expert resource for your customer base. If you can promote your site as a value to your market, you’re in.
In future entries, we’ll talk about other ways to enhance your web marketing aspirations. And remember, don’t be shy! You, and your business are great, and have a lot to offer to your market. Don’t be afraid to let them know it!
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