// BLOG
Don’t Feel Guilty – Taking Time Off IS Work!
September 6, 2011
I realized something over the past few weeks…. I’m kind of insane. I suppose in some ways all of us self employed entrepreneur types are a little insane. After all we risked everything, threw caution to the wind , gave up the steady paycheck, paid vacation, sick days, healthcare, and 401k matches to follow our dreams; many of us struggling and barely scraping by the first couple of years to build something we passionately and whole-heartedly believe in.
My latest “I’m insane” epiphany came after undergoing major surgery 4 weeks ago: I don’t know how to take time off.
Sure, the surgery wasn’t life-threatening (I had my uterus removed) and it went smoothly and was a huge success. But I had allowed myself 2 weeks off to recover and yet there I was in my hospital bed doped up on Morphine and Percocets just hours after leaving the O.R reading and responding to work emails (and I was surprisingly lucid and effective…). - And I was home the next day at my computer writing blogs, catching up on Fortune Marketing Company Social Media Marketing, brainstorming titles for and writing chapters of my book, and organizing future workshops and webinars. Basically, I was doing anything but actually taking time off.
I am such a hypocrite!
I consult small business owners all the time about the importance of taking time to themselves – and even how an effective marketing strategy can help you do that. What I realized through my own experience is that you have to WANT to take time off – and maybe just like selling or marketing or accounting or networking it’s a learned skill for we crazy entrepreneur-types! So, even after major surgery, I guess I just didn’t know how to want to take time off…
But then on my 10th post-op day something happened…. My morning started with coffee with my friends, and then I decided to go on hike rather than go back to my home office, after the hike I decided to enjoy the beautiful summer day and splurge on a leisurely outdoor lunch at a little country café near the park. While enjoying my turkey, bacon and avocado sandwich and fries, I thought that my dusty tennis-shoed feet could probably use a pedicure. After my pedi I took a meandering midweek Sunday-drive in the country and made a couple of serendipitous stops at local produce stands where I sampled local nectarines and tomatoes and talked to my neighbors. I ended up with bags of ripe fresh produce and went home and cooked myself a nice dinner… before I knew it, I had gone a whole entire day without turning on my laptop or reading a single email. Not a single drop of work – that is unless you count the thinking I did – and that’s what hit me: I realized I was thinking clearly! During my day away from emails, research, blogs, Facebook, and Twitter thoughts and ideas and plans and dreams were flooding my brain like crazy! I felt refreshed and clear-headed and alert and alive!
So, I took the next day off, and then the day after that – and before I knew it, I had strung together 3 work-free days – just in time to “officially” go back to work. I was soon lamenting the fact that I had to go back so soon and was wishing I’d learned to let work go on Day One!
See the problem is as a small business owner, and especially as a small business owner who is still very much in start-up mode, there is always stuff to do. – ALWAYS. My mental to-do list has no end. So doing nothing, or reading a fun book instead of a work book, or lounging by the pool, or taking a hike, or a drive, or just watching Netflix without the heat from my laptop burning the skin of my lap, I feel guilty. I always feel like I should be doing more.
But surgery (finally) taught me that taking time off is crucial to success. When I came back I was refreshed and invigorated with new ideas. I talk a lot about the difference between working on our businesses and in them and that time “off” where I could clear my head and not be bogged down by the tactical details of working “in” my business allowed me the brain-space to strategize and plan the future direction of my business – and my life!
And the Moral is….
Taking time of work is work because it allows our minds to clear of all of the fires and the “stuff” of running a business and allows us to get out from under ourselves so we can see the big picture again; to strategize, to think… to dream, to plan – to actually be business owners and entrepreneurs rather than overworked and underpaid employees of our own companies! (Or is this just some reverse psychology ploy the right side of my brain is using to trick the left side into succumbing to this theory? ). So go ahead – take the day off – and don’t feel guilty, you’re still working!!!
I’d love to hear your story about life lessons you’ve learned as a small business owner. Please feel free to leave your comments!!! Leave your comments here.
By the way, if you liked this post, I’d really appreciate your Retweet!!! Thank you. 
Is Your Business Competing with SPAM?
August 23, 2011
We’re all familiar with the “who-actually-falls-for-this-stuff” SPAM and we all know its complete bogus.
For example: RE: I await to hear from you urgently Please I am seeking for your help (sic) From Google: Google winning notification Or the ones that actually warn you they’re SPAM in the subject line, what is up with that? Is their honesty and up-frontedness supposed to catch me off guard and mak
e me want to open it?
I think you get the point. Hilarious, right?!?
But what about the SPAM that isn’t so obvious? The emails from people we handed a business card to at a Chamber mixer (and did not give permission to be added to their list) or who friended us on Facebook or emailed us through the Contact page on our website? What about those SPAMMERS? They’re a little more insidious – but are you competing with them? I would hope not.
Here’s the thing. I get hundreds of SPAM emails a week some are of the hilarious type and some are from people who actually want my business and think that SPAMMING me is the way to get it. And what strikes me hilarious is that for each SPAM email I get, I probably know at least 5 businesses personally – or even virtually for that matter, that I would turn to if I were looking to hire that particular product or service. Why would I hire a complete stranger – and a SPAMMER at that?
So here’s my point: When I am working with small business owners to develop marketing systems for their businesses one of the key elements of that process is figuring how they are different so they can stand out in a crowd. One way you can be different is to NOT spam, another is to actually get out there – either off- or on- line and meet people. The more people who know you, the better your chances of being thought of when they are ready to buy what you have to offer. The whole goal here is to you’re your business known in your niche so that your target market never has to turn to a stranger!
Here are 4 things you can do so you don’t have to compete with SPAMMERS (or anyone else!):
- Network – This is a great way to meet potential clients and expand our sphere of influence. Join a networking group or two – and whatever you do, make sure the networking group, association or organization is full of people who fit your target market profile – or at least can introduce you to them. If your target market is women between the ages of 25 and 35, Rotary is probably not the best networking group for you.
- Engage in Social Media – I know thousands of people online. Some I’ve met face-to-face, some I haven’t yet, some I probably never will. But in today’s world, none of that matters. I have formed real professional relationships with people I may never meet face to face – and I’ve received and referred business to them! Social media is not about merely blasting ‘salesy’ stuff; it’s about educating, informing, and engaging an audience. This is a great way to stand out from the crowd and build some top of mind awareness for your brand.
- Blog– Blogging is a great way to promote your brand and build a reputation and credibility. Writing relevant, informative posts/articles will help you stand out from your competition (and certainly SPAMMERS). And blogging isn’t just about writing a few words and posting it to your blog site; you must become diligent about repurposing your blog posts and submitting them to sites that our target market reads to expand your reach.
- Be a giver - I was in sales and marketing for 17 years when I worked for other people and it wasn’t until I became a business owner that I realized the power of being a giver. I had always approached networking and relationship building with a “what’s in it for me” attitude. I now approach it with a “how can I help you attitude”. And the more people I meet the more I am able to refer and make introductions that can help other people. I enjoy this aspect of it much better than the old way! Being a giver instead of a taker, makes it that much more fun! When is the last time a SPAMMER gave you anything?
It boils down to this: our goal as business owners is to help our target market Know, Like, and Trust us so that when they are ready to buy, they buy from us (a John Jantsch, founder of Duct Tape Marketing saying). What are you doing each and every day to work toward that goal? If you don’t have an answer, your target market could be encouraging those SPAMMERS!
What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!! Leave your comments here.
By the way, if you liked this post, I’d really appreciate your Retweet!!! Thank you.
The #1 Marketing Secret Revealed: Price Doesn’t Matter!
August 14, 2011
Do you think price is the most important thing potential customers consider when purchasing what you sell? If you answered “yes” I’d like to challenge that idea. When I ask small business owners this question, about 70% of them say “price”. That means the majority of business owners believe price makes or breaks a sale. 
Here’s the truth: customers will shop on price if they have no other way of differentiating you from your competition. Which means if you believe your customers shop you on price, it’s because you have trained them to do so by NOT setting yourself apart from the competition. Yes, it’s your fault – not theirs.
Don’t believe me? Consider this:
Recently I needed a new phone. I had 2 options; go through the Verizon website and pay $150 or go through a 3rd party broker who came highly recommended and pay $99. Of course, I went with the broker.
After several phone calls, emails, and texts over the course of three days, my order got placed and confirmed, and put on hold and finally flagged for questions, resulting in a 30 minute online chat session with the broker company during which there was no resolution and the order got cancelled. So, after 3 days and over an hour of my time dealing with them, my phone was still not ordered and I was told by my representative that I’d need to get on yet another 20 minute call with him and his company to sort it out and re-place the order. This was 20 minutes I just didn’t have.
Since he and I had already been through all this on our initial 30 minute call to place the order I asked him to re-place the order without me, explaining that I didn’t have 20 minutes to spare anytime soon.
His response was: “No, they’ll need your information.” Me: “But I already gave you all my information, can’t you just place the order for me?” His answer: “No.” My response: “I’ll go to Verizon.” He lost the sale.At 11pm that night I logged onto the Verizon site (and discovered that the special was over and I now had to pay $200 for the phone instead of $150) and within 3 minutes I was done; my order was placed and in 1 business day I had the phone in my hands. Three minutes of my time… well worth the extra $100.
And The Point Is…?
So what is the moral here? The moral is I paid double for the convenience of not having to deal with another phone call and 3 more days of waiting. So, was my main consideration for making this purchase price? No, it was convenience. My rep made the mistake of thinking it was price… and lost the sale.
Did he provide me lousy customer service? Not at all. But he failed to recognize my real pain: my old phone was on its last legs, I needed it to conduct business, and I didn’t have the time to jump through hoops to buy a new one. Price was irrelevant and convenience and timing were everything. I paid double for convenience – and I don’t think I’m the only one who has ever done that…
What do your customers pay for? Believe it or not, it isn’t the widget or the basic widget service you provide. They pay for a solution to a particular pain or problem.
And I’ve said it before; if you can find the REAL problem and effectively solve it you can pretty much charge what you want (within reason). Think your business is different? Think yours is more competitive or a commodity? Think again – I bought a DROID – a commodity that I could have purchased in 15 different places… so regardless of what you sell, you do NOT have to compete on price!
Who has time these days to shop around for the cheapest? I know I don’t, I‘d much rather know that I’m going to get value for my money – and that means finding companies that somehow demonstrate or prove their value before I part with my money. How does a company do that? By figuring out who your target market is and how you uniquely serve them. Whether it’s your process (like Verizon – easy process), your follow up, a guarantee, or super speedy service with that little something extra (Verizon – FREE overnight shipping), it’s about doing something special – and better – and grabbing on to that differentiation and not letting go!
What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this!! Leave your comments here.
By the way, if you liked this post, I’d really appreciate your Retweet!!! Thank you.
-
- THE BEST FREE MARKETING ADVICE YOU CAN GET!!!
Get Great Images!
Let's Get Social!
-
+Carolyn Higgins, President of Fortune Marketing Company
- Carolyn Higgins, President of Fortune Marketing Company specializes in helping small to medium sized businesses get the customers they need to sell more, increase profits and achieve all of their business and personal goals. We do this by implementing and managing marketing systems based on data and strategy - there is no guess work. For more information visit us at: FortuneMarketingCompany.com. We'd be glad to help!
Free Report: 7 Easy Steps to Small Business Marketing Success
