// BLOG
Take Advantage of Every Opportunity to Practice Effective Marketing
February 15, 2010
Take Advantage of Every Opportunity to Practice Effective MarketingSo you have an opportunity to showcase your business for FREE. Maybe it’s a tabletop display at a networking event or a new member table at a Chamber of Commerce mixer. What are you going to do with it? The biggest mistake you can make is to do nothing. 
But you think it’s a big hassle and you won’t sell anything anyway. Well, I have great news for you – you’re probably not going to sell a single thing; your job is not to sell- your job is merely to collect information. Now doesn’t that take the pressure off?
Although it would be nice to sell something every time we come in contact with people – that’s just not reality; and since most of us live in reality, we have to resort to Marketing. Instead of thinking a display table or booth is a big hassle and you won’t sell anything anyway, think of it as an opportunity to collect information – to build your email list. Building an email list full of people who have said, “yes, I want to receive more information from you, because the information you are offering is interesting, educational, and fun to read” is crucial to an effective marketing strategy.
Build your list by collecting cards. You can do this by giving away a free report, a free consultation, or even have a drawing for a Starbucks gift card. You can make a little inexpensive sign and put a fishbowl on your table inviting people to drop their cards for a chance to win and to be signed up for your newsletter, monthly tips emails, special offers ,etc. Offer a demo of your products or services, or simply ask the people you meet if they would like to receive your very educational and informative newsletter.
Whatever you do, don’t waste an opportunity to showcase your business, collect information and build your “know, like and trust factor”. Please click here to leave your comments.
Small Business: Are you a Winner or are you Happy to Just be on the Team?
February 7, 2010
Small Business: Are you a Winner or are you Happy to Just be on the Team?In honor of Super Bowl XLIV I want to write about what it takes to be a winner. Whether it’s sports, business or life there are a few things that separate the winners from the losers.
- The desire to win. This may seem really obvious. But stop. Really think about it a minute: The desire to WIN. Do you really have a desire to WIN or do you simply have a desire to be there? Are you happy just to show up every Sunday and play or do you want to be the best and make it to the Big Game? As a business owner, did you set out to create something that earns you recognition (in the form of lots of customers) and renders the fulfillment of a dream and a lifestyle? Or did you start your business just to show up to a job every day that didn’t require taking orders from someone else? So, is your goal to win- or just to be on the team?
- The belief that you can win. If you go into any endeavor or wake up each morning thinking “I can’t” – you won’t. The key to being a success is believing that you can do anything you put your mind to and putting all of your energy and efforts into making it happen. I doubt a single Super Bowl winner went into the Big Game – or the NFL for that matter – thinking they couldn’t win. There are no pessimists in the winner’s circle. If you think your business isn’t meant for big things, you won’t ever achieve big things. If you think “I can’t {sell, market, grow, find the time…}” – Then guess what, you won’t. If Peyton Manning had said, “There is no way I’ll be the NFL MVP 4 times in my career”, he wouldn’t have been. No matter what, believe that you can – and you will.
- Hard work and commitment. No one ever achieved anything by just sitting around and waiting for good things to happen. Luck doesn’t make winners; hard work, commitment and perseverance do. If you want something you have to go out and get it. You have to work hard, you have to learn and practice and push yourself beyond your comfort zones. Jerry Rice didn’t get to the Hall of Fame by keeping his workouts and training comfortable and easy; he pushed himself -each and every day – to do better than he did the previous day. And Peyton Manning didn’t make it to his 2nd Super Bowl by resting on his laurels after his first Super Bowl win or by giving up when he didn’t win the next one. Success is hard work. Success is a commitment. It’s completely up to you. Do you simply want to play… or do you want to win?
What It Takes To Be a Winner
What are you doing in your business to push yourself beyond your comfort zone to take your game to the next level; to make it to the big time? And for fun, who are you rooting for today and why? Leave your comments by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom of the next page.
My Small Business Can Bench Press More Than Your Small Business
January 31, 2010
My Small Business Can Bench Press More Than Your Small Business
Photo Credit: BigStockPhoto.com (and yes, this was a fun search!)
I was standing in line at the grocery store the other day and overheard a conversation between a man and a woman that went something like this:
Big buff man (puffing out his chest just a little), “Yeah, I lift about 1000 pounds a week…”
The woman’s eyes got wide, “Oh wow, that’s a lot of weight,” but not wanting to be out-gymmed she non-chalantly professed, “I do 4 ½ miles on the elliptical 5 times a week… “
That conversation got me thinking. We love to talk about our accomplishments – some people even take it to the extreme and bore everyone with constant stories of self-aggrandizement; bragging endlessly about what they have or what they’ve done. But for most of us, we simply work hard to achieve our goals and it makes us feel good to share our success.
So yes, we as individuals - as human beings - like to brag a little now and then. But I rarely hear small business owners bragging about their professional achievements. I’d love to be in a networking group and hear a fellow solopreneur proclaim (with chest puffed out), “I got 10 new leads last week and converted 8 of them.” And another respond, “Oh yeah, well I have a 95% customer retention rate”. And a third, proudly assert, “My average sale increased 50% last year!”
Why don’t we hear and engage in conversations like these? I mean we are entrepreneurs for crying out loud! We should be loud and proud! We work our tails off, haven’t we earned bragging rights? Why don’t we talk about these things more? Could it be that we have nothing to brag about? Is it because we don’t set goals or measure results so we have no idea what we’re accomplishing – or even if we’re accomplishing anything ?
You see, the key to earning bragging rights as a small business owner is knowing where you started, where you are now, and where you want to go. Mr. Grocery Store Iron Man didn’t just walk in to the gym one week and start lifting 1000 lbs. And I know his companion didn’t do 4 ½ miles her first time on the elliptical. Without a starting point how can you know what success looks like? And if you don’t know what success looks like how can you share it with others? So start setting goals and tracking success. I want to hear you brag!!!
What do you think? We’d love to hear from you. Leave your comments by clicking here and scrolling down the page.
