SucceedAsYourOwnBoss.com | Monthly Archive

Melinda Emerson “SmallBizLady” is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Expert and Social Media Coach who hosts #smallbizchat on Twitter. #Smallbizchat is the trusted Twitter resource to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business. Melinda’s first book, Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-By-Month Guide To a Business Than Works! is scheduled to be released by Adams Media in March 2010.

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Best of Melinda Emerson’s #SmallBizChat Interviews in 2009

By Melinda Emerson on December 28, 2009 in Business Inspiration, How to Start, Mompreneurs, My Recommendations, Pink Slip Entrepreneurs, SmallBizChat, Solopreneurs, Telesummit, Women in Business, Your Small Business

My interview with Sherri Garrity on how to quit a job to start a business:

Sherri is the founder of Corporate Fugitive. Her company provides business coaching to aspiring entrepreneurs and business owners who want to go from overwhelmed to extraordinary. In 2007, she walked away from a successful marketing career to start her own consulting business. Contact her on Twitter @SherriGarrity or at http://www.corporatefugitive.com

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/09/2009/how-to-quit-a-job-to-start-a-business/

My Interview with Christina Katz on how to develop a platform for your small business:

Christina is the author of Get Known Before The Book Deal; Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow an Author Platform and Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids for Writer’s Digest Books. She has written hundreds of articles for national, regional, and online publications, presents at publishing events around the country. Find Christina on Twitter at @thewritermama or at: http://christinakatz.com/

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/12/2009/how-to-develop-a-platform-for-your-small-business/

My Interview with coach Elizabeth Barbour on 5 Ways to Shift from Tired to Inspired in Business:

Elizabeth Barbour’s company is The Inspired Entrepreneur. She is a small business coach who serves as a catalyst for entrepreneurs to take inspired action and create extraordinary results in business and in life. Her four core values are community, celebration, spirituality and self-care. Find Elizabeth on Twitter @CoachElizabethB Visit www.ElizabethBarbour.com.

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/09/2009/5-ways-to-shift-from-tired-to-inspired-in-business/

#SmallBizChat Live Telesummit Recap (Part 1)

In November 2009, we presented the first annual #SmallBizChat Live Telesummit. This blog post recapped three key points that each expert shared with us. The four experts highlighted are:

Mike Michalowicz talked about using social media a build your business. Mike aka @TPEntrepreneur is a small business expert and author of Toilet Paper Entrepreneur. For more information, please visit toiletpaperentrepreneur.com

Karyn Greenstreet talked to us about mastermind group best practices. Karyn aka @kgreenstreet is a self-employment expert who runs thesuccessalliance.com. Her website has all the resources a business owner needs to start or run a mastermind group.

Dr. Mel Gravely talked about how to retool your business in tough times. Mel aka @melgravely is the founder of the Institute for Entrepreneurial Thinking, the leading think tank on issues related to business development. For more information, please visit entrethinking.com .

Tim Berry talked about Managing Cash Flow in a Tough Economy. Tim aka @Timberry is president and founder of Palo Alto Software the makers of Business Plan Pro, and founder of bplans.com. He’s the author of The Plan-As-You-Go Business Plan, Entrepreneur Press.

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/11/2009/smallbizchat-live-telesummit-recap-part-1/

#SmallBizChat Live Telesummit Recap (Part 2)

Here’s the recap of three key points that each expert shared with us.

Allyson Lewis talked to us about getting more out of your day as a business owner. Allyson is a business coach whose focus is on productivity. Her book, The 7 Minute Difference, grew out of the workshops she has been teaching for years. Contact her on Twitter at @allyson7minutes or visit Seven Minutes Inc.

Michelle Villalobos talked to us about turning contacts into contracts. Michelle is a business turnaround expert who teaches busy entrepreneurs how to improve their sales. Reach her on Twitter at @mivi or visit MichelleVillalobos.com.

Paul B. Brown spoke with us about becoming a published author to build your business. Paul is a long-time contributor to the New York Times and author of more than two dozen books, including the international best-seller Customers for Life. He is the author of Publishing Confidential: What it really takes to land a non-fiction book deal.

Lisa D. Sparks taught us how to become email marketing rock stars. Lisa is an email marketing expert with nine years of experience developing and implementing marketing campaigns for small business owners. Reach her on Twitter @lisadsparks or visit lisadsparks.com

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/11/2009/smallbizchat-live-telesummit-recap-part-2/

We have had a great time doing #smallbizchat interviews weekly, and we hope you enjoy these recaps. If these interviews have been helpful join us every Wed 8-9 ET for #smallbizchat on Twitter. We have lots if great small business resources coming in 2010. The goal of #smallbizchat is to end small business failure and reduce the learning curve of small biz owners as they start a grow their small business.

How to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

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How I Became SmallBizLady

By Melinda Emerson on December 23, 2009 in Business Inspiration

This week I was interviewed on “Inside the Success with Rod Kirby.” He takes his listeners on success journey inside the career paths of small business owners, CEOs, industry professionals, on how they are finding their path to success.

In today’s economy you’ve got to be smarter, wiser, and more prepared to start a business. You can’t just take your idea from zero to sixty in six months with a little or no financing anymore.

If you always wanted to know the story behind how I became SmallBizLady, this interview is the whole story behind my entrepreneurial journey.

In this exclusive Blog Talk Radio interview with Melinda Emerson you’ll learn;

What it really takes to be a small business
Why you should have a life plan before a business plan
How to plan for success
What is platform development and why it’s important to your business
How to maximize social media for your small business

Click this link to hear the interview http://bit.ly/64mjeh

Enjoy the show; leave a comment to let me know what you think.

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Best Small Business Start-Up Books

By Melinda Emerson on December 21, 2009 in 10 Things Lists, Business Inspiration, How to Start, My Recommendations, Your Small Business

I am a serious book reader. I pride myself on reading at least 25 new books a year to learn the latest information about running a successful small business. business book stack

When you are first launching your small business I believe it’s best to plan for 12 months before you start. During that time there are many things you will need to do to get ready – including developing a life plan, saving money, networking, joining industry organizations and reading as much as you can about the business of running a business. Below are some of the best start-up business books I have read. They could be a great resource for you, too.

Start Your Own Business, 4th Edition (Entrepreneurial Press, Revised 2007) by Rieva Lesonsky – While I don’t agree with the author in that this is the only book you’ll ever need, it is one book that you should have in your business book library. This book is extremely useful to a newcomer starting a business. Rieva Lesonsky was at the helm of Entrepreneur Magazine when she and her fellow editors wrote this book on small business start-up. Start Your Own Business is a best-selling book now in its fourth edition; it has helped thousands of people start their own businesses

What No One Ever Tells You about Starting Your Own Business: Real-Life Start-Up Advice from 101 Successful Entrepreneurs (Kaplan Publishing, 2004) By Jan Norman – What No One Ever Tells You about Starting Your Own Business is practical business advice from over 101 real-life entrepreneurs who have “been there, and done that.” It is designed for people who are launching a business, whether they are first-time entrepreneurs or people who need to re-group and do it right this time. Norman combines practical, straightforward how-to advice with interesting and memorable stories.

The Young Entrepreneur’s Edge: Using Your Ambition, Independence, and Youth to Launch a Successful Business (Princeton Review, 1999) By Jennifer Kurshell – I’ve read The Young Entrepreneur’s Edge twice at different stages of running my numerous businesses. This book is not only “informative,” but it provides humorous and enlightening stories from the front lines of starting a business before you have much of a professional track record. Being a young entrepreneur is possible, but it takes many of the specific tactics that she lays out in this thoroughly researched book. Everyone can learn from this book!

The Successful Business Plan, 4th Edition: Secrets and Strategies (The Planning Shop, Revised 2008) By Rhonda Abrams – The Successful Business Plan is a thorough small business planning book. She leaves no stone unturned in the planning process. This book also helps you sort out your thoughts and feelings about why you are starting a business which is critically important. If you are someone who wants to use a book to write your business plan, instead of software, this is a great resource.

Tell me about the best small business start-up books you have read and how they helped you.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Melinda Emerson “SmallBizLady” is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Expert and Social Media Coach who hosts #smallbizchat on Twitter. #Smallbizchat is the trusted resource on Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business. Melinda’s first book, Become Your Own Boss in 12 months! A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business that Works! will be released by Adams Media in March 2010.

For more tips on how to start or grow your small business visit http://succeedasyourowboss.com and subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog.

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Using Teleseminars to Grow Your Business

By Melinda Emerson on December 17, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, Grow Your Business, SmallBizChat, Social Media

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wed on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with @TinaFortune. Tina is a super single mom extraordinaire who produces and edits teleseminars, podcasts, and video blog posts. She can perfect your show! For more information log onto http://www.alifemessage.com

Smallbizlady: In what ways can teleseminars be used to work for a small business?

@Tinafortune 1. Added Value Teleseminars can be used as a way to add value to their customers. Wouldn’t it be great to go to a website that has step by step instructions as an option instead of those hard to follow printed guides we get when we purchase items? I remember putting together my bookcase recently and just become so frustrated at all the different pieces. How much loyalty could companies save by making a teleseminar of their instructions available in lieu of paper documents?

2. Financial Savings Teleseminars can provide residual income for years to come.

3. Test Market Teleseminars give small business owners the opportunity to test their products/services and make the necessary changes BEFORE the product is launched.

4. Establish Credibility as an Expert Teleseminars build confidence. The more a host teaches about a topic, the more they solidify themselves as experts and their customers know it.

5. Convenience Teleseminars give your business the opportunity to provide expert service 24/7. No travel necessary. When edited and packaged correctly, Small businesses can really make teleseminars work for them.

Smallbizlady: How Can Teleseminars Grow a Small Business?

@TinaFortune Teleseminars are a great way to provide information, training, awareness, motivation and to sell or promote products to a specific group of people interested in a particular topic.

Smallbizlady: What are the 3 Essential Steps to do before Hosting a Teleseminar?

@TinaFortune 1. Identify niche market. and determine where they are online (Twitter, FB, LinkedIn, etc.)

2. Identify a Topic of Interest or Expertise. Teleseminar hosts should choose a topic of personal interest and do research As you’re learning about their topic, you will eventually become an expert. The best teleseminars start with the knowledge the host already has. Confidence comes from knowledge in the topic. Practice, practice, practice!

3. Research the Topic Problems and Solutions. Think about why your audience would want to attend your Teleseminar. How will your event provide solutions. For instance, I’ve recently gone to natural cleaning products. I saw a product online for a new laundry soap and it was $59! Now, the cost was for a twenty-pound plus bag and each load would require just 1 teaspoon. If they would have had a “How to Telesminar” about their product, the importance of going to natural laundry soap, etc. I would have understood more about their business. Unfortunately, they did not and I did not make the purchase.

Smallbizlady: What is the advantage to using Teleseminars?

@TinaFortune No writers block! Teleseminars give businesses the opportunity to match the perfect message with their target market and continuously develop content for their specific niche. Teleseminars can be transcribed and an e-book can be developed. Teleseminars are more intimate because of the inflection in voice.

Smallbizlady: Why are Teleseminars so important for a business?

@TinaFortune Teleseminars give hosts an opportunity to provide information to their clients 24/7, provide an “added value” incentive and to give clients an opportunity to download or have access to the recording when it is most convenient for them. No matter the industry, vocation, expertise, hobby, event, etc. there are people interested in your niche!

Smallbizlady: How can a small business make a profit from a Teleseminar?

@TinaFortune The goal of any teleseminar is to get the customers interested enough to purchase and tell their friends and family about how great your product/service is. You can charge for Teleseminars and the content can be repurposed to provide quick profits! They can be used to create CDs, How to Courses, e-books, podcasts, Online Courses, etc.

Smallbizlady: How much does it cost to host a Teleseminar?

@TinaFortune Nothing! There are FREE services available such as Whistletree, Free Conference Calls.com, Blog Talk Radio and of course there are others that are available for a nominal fee. Now if a host wants to use a service I suggest looking at http://www.instantteleseminar.com or

Smallbizlady: What type of equipment is necessary to host a Teleseminar?

@TinaFortune A landline telephone and a headset. Landline telephones truly allow the hosts and guest to achieve the highest quality of audio and reduces the possibility of dropped calls. I recommend a headset because many of talk with our hands and don’t realize it. Having a headset gives the host the opportunity to use expression which of course, is important in the Teleseminar.

Smallbizlady: Is it necessary to edit your audio from your Teleseminar?

@TinaFortune I say absolutely yes. If a host wants to be considered a leading expert in their field, they have to provide star quality audio. Audio Editing is what separates the ordinary from the extraordinary in the Teleseminar industry where some like Alex Mandossian have made are making millions! That means editing the audio, adding an Intro and an Outro and removing the annoying beeps, static and dead silence from the question “Does anyone have any questions?” There are simple tools available to edit audio. The idea is to make a quality product.

Smallbizlady: What are the easiest programs to edit audio from teleseminars?

@TinaFortune I also like Sony Sound Forge. I have used Wavepad, a free audio editing program, available at http://nch.com.au/wavepad. Audacity is another free program, but it may be too complex for the average user.

Smallbizlady: How long should a Teleseminar be?

@TinaFortune 90 minutes MAX. I suggest 45 minutes with 15 minutes available for a question and answer period.

Smallbizlady: How do successful Teleseminars work step-by-step?

@TinaFortune First the Host must define who their audience is, what solution they are providing, and why their clients would want it from them. What sets their business apart in the industry?

1. Research the topic and prepare the guest(s).

2. Have an outline and prepare questions in advance

3. Go to an area to host the call that is free from distractions

4. Never end a call without a Call to action (Make an offer about your services, product, blog, mailing list or next event, etc.)

5. Gather contact information from participants

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.

How to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on starting or growing your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog at www.succeedasyourownboss.com

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Let SmallBizLady Help You in 2010!

By Melinda Emerson on December 16, 2009 in Business Inspiration, My Recommendations

What did you accomplish this year? Did you finally start your business or did your business climb to new heights or did you find yourself getting nowhere fast?

If you are ready for a new start in 2010 to take your business to the next level, I want to help you! MELINDAFINALLOGO

What I realized in 2009 is that regardless of how great of a business idea you have it takes a coach or nudge to keep you on track. We all have too much clutter and distraction in our daily lives. An outside perspective will really help you make sense where you are doing and where you are going.

I am dedicating a large part of my time in 2010 to helping people one-on-one. I want to be able to assist entrepreneurs or people who want to become entrepreneurs to achieve their goals.

Here’s the deal… I’ve been on “hold” in terms of selling anyone anything… It’s not because I didn’t have anything to offer but because I spent most of the latter part of 2009 finishing my book Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months and building my professional small business courses to serve you better.

I know you are probably working more than you should and you more than likely are focusing on many parts of your business that aren’t necessarily required. I can help.

I have no fancy coaching program to sell you … I just want to work with you each month to work through your ongoing projects and challenges to move your business forward. If you’re planning to start a business or are an existing entrepreneur, I can help.

The format for 2010 will be two meetings every single month that are one hour in length. We’ll work together in a one-on-one setting by phone or by video chat (your choice) and we’ll get you through some of your biggest roadblocks. You’ll pay each month in advance, so that you’re committed. There’s also a discount for paying for three months in advance. Once you make this investment in your business, we’ll instantly get you started taking action.

My one-on-one coaching is not just about demanding that you do certain things. It’s a partnership that combines focused conversations with specific action steps.

The best part is that I have a wide pool of resources for you with a team that can assist with implementation work.

In any case, if you want information on the one-on-one work with me next year or you want to get started, just send me an email at Melinda@melindaemerson.com and I’ll send you more info. I’m not directing you to a sales page or anything like that. This is just an open call to those who feel that they want to make 2010 their best year yet.

I look forward to hearing from you!

Melinda Emerson @smallbizlady

http://www.melindaemerson.com

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda Emerson “SmallBizLady” is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Expert and Social Media Coach who hosts #SmallBizChat on Twitter. #Smallbizchat is the trusted resource on Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business. Melinda’s first book, Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months! A Month-by-Month Guide to Start a Business that Works! which will be released by Adams Media March 2010.

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10 Things To Do Before 2010

By Melinda Emerson on December 14, 2009 in 10 Things Lists, Business Inspiration, Grow Your Business, My Recommendations

The best way to start out the New Year is to close out the previous year with a plan to get your house in order. Don’t start January 1st in a panic. Use the down time of the last two weeks of the year to close out important administrative and marketing tasks. Here’s a list of suggestions to start your 2010 off right.

Are your business ducks in a row?

Organize Your Files. I can find all the proposals I created in 2009, because I have a file folder for it on my hard drive. Don’t waste time looking for things. Organize your files and create file folders for key projects and information. Delete duplicate files before you cannot remember which one was the final version. Once the organization project is complete, back it up. Invest in an external hard drive from Western Digital or another top brand. Remember this is your back–up system, so please have your information in at least two places. There are also online back-up systems such as http://www.carbonite.com or Mozy. It will be a sad day if you lose critical data, because you didn’t take the time to back it up.

Clean Out Your Inbox. Clean out your email. If you can’t get to an empty inbox every day, get busy deleting all unnecessary emails to get to zero before the New Year. Marsha Egan, of the Egan Group, Inc. has some great advice for changing your email routines in her book, Inbox Detox; And the Habit of Email Excellence. Here’s a link to a great article Egan wrote as a resource. If you make her advice part of your daily routine, you will reduce stress and increase your productivity throughout the coming year.

Review Accounts Receivable. Find out who owes you money! What is the total owed? Start making calls on all outstanding invoices. Try to negotiate at least partial payments. If you have been owed money longer than 180 days you may need to decide whether to turn them over to collections or write it off as a loss. Consult your accountant for advice.

Update your website. Every year you should update your website with new graphics and photos. You can get a new header graphic for under a $100 bucks. If that’s not in the budget, at least update your site with fresh content. Update your services or product offering pages. Make sure your tagline still best describes what your business does. You will need to fine tune your website as you learn more about your niche target market.

Organize your financial records. If you have waited until the last minute to do any accounting for the year, it’s time to get organized. Go online and print out all your bank statements, organize your receipts and bank withdrawal or deposit slips by month. Make sure you have copies of all invoices. Collect statements from any credit cards you use in the business or monthly draws from your account such as a merchant service accounts or any online memberships. Pull together copies of any monthly phone or utility bills and any quarterly insurance bills.

Update employee paperwork. Ask each employee and any freelancer to complete new 1099’s & W-2 forms. This is to verify the mailing address you have on file and make sure you have the social security numbers for current and former employees and your independent contractors as well. Your accountant or payroll company will need this information to prepare tax forms by Jan 31, it is best to collect the information before you need it.

Develop Your Editorial Calendar for 2010. Holiday downtime is an excellent time to start creating a library of content. Take time now to develop an editorial calendar for your blog. Write as many posts as you can and all your monthly e-newsletters for 2010.

Update your contact database. This is a great time to take the business cards that have been lying around on your desk or in your purse and get that info entered into your outlook database or contact management system. Aweber, Constant Contact, or 1shoppingcart.com are effective CMS systems. This is a great task to hand off to an intern or virtual assistant.

Get a new professional headshot. If you’ve changed your appearance in any way, you need a new head shot. If it’s been a year or two since you had a professional photo taken, you need a new headshot. Ladies, be sure to get your makeup professionally done, and remember to smile. Give your business a fresh new look with a new headshot.

Refresh your bio. Every business owners need two bios. You should have a comprehensive one-page bio and a 50 word bio. Be sure to include a mini client list, any national media, all awards, association memberships and any volunteer service. Ask at least two people to review it, if you’re really struggling, hire a professional copy writer to tweak it for you. Once it’s updated, be sure to update your bio across your entire social media footprint for consistency.

Special shoutout to @AliciaSanera who’s blog post The Cure For A Business Hangover was inspiration in part for this blog post.

Is there anything else you are planning to tackle before the year is out?

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

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How to develop a platform for your small business

By Melinda Emerson on December 10, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, How to Start, SmallBizChat, Social Media

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wednesday on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with author, Christina Katz @thewritermama on Twitter. Christina is the author of Get Known Before The Book Deal Use Your Personal Strengths to Grow an Author Platform and Writer Mama, How to Raise a Writing Career Alongside Your Kids for Writer’s Digest Books. She has written hundreds of articles for national, regional, and online publications, presents at publishing events around the country. Katz is the founder of #platformchat on Twitter, The Writer Mama Back-to-School Giveaway, Writers on the Rise, and The Northwest Author Series. For more information: http://christinakatz.com/

Smallbizlady: What is a platform as far as entrepreneurs are concerned?

Christina Katz: When I hear about your platform, I should immediately know three things…or you might lose my attention. 1. Who you are. 2. Whom you serve. 3. What you do. Your platform is what you DO with your expertise for a particular audience. If I have to shuffle thru pages, bios and profiles trying to piece these things together, your platform might be a hot mess.

Smallbizlady: Why is clarity crucial to entrepreneurs BEFORE building a platform today?

Christina Katz: Because if you don’t communicate who you are and what you do, then how will anyone know how to work with you? It’s not enough to say, “I’m a radio personality” or “I’m a life coach” neither of these tell ME how I can work with YOU. Say: On Jan 31^st I’m offering a workshop at location x on topic y for $z. Now I can pay, show up, and work with you!

Smallbizlady: What are the platform challenges for entrepreneurs today?

Christina Katz: Standing out. The web is more crowded today. Don’t be slick or all zing. Let your integrity shine through. But don’t be boring. Check yourself constantly for rushing. The Internet goes fast but people grow slowly & steadily. Slow and steady is sturdier. Avoid social networking overload. Don’t get so busy surfing that you are not investing time digging deeper into your own niche.

Smallbizlady: What’s helpful platform-wise for entrepreneurs who want to land a book deal?

Christina Katz: Think in terms of numbers. How many blog readers? How many e-zine subscribers? Twitter followers? How much buzz online? Don’t fudge. Agents & editors want real results. Everyone knows how to use Google. Not just online buzz. Get media coverage. It used to be that a FEW things were key like a site, blog, and e-zine, but these days it’s more like EVERYTHING matters.

Smallbizlady: How did you come to write Get Known Before the Book Deal?

Christina Katz: Marketing comes pretty naturally to me. I’m actually rather shy in person but in business, I’m a fountain of ideas. Both my books, Writer Mama & Get Known, are written based on looking back at what I’ve done and sharing what I learned. Get Known was the book idea that was right in front of my face but I couldn’t see it. Luckily someone else could. And did.

Smallbizlady: Why was a book on platform development needed?

Christina Katz: There is a flood of info on platform online but not all of it necessarily comprehensive, useful or well organized. Also, no one should have to pay thousands of dollars for information they can find in a book for the price of a paperback. Getting known doesn’t take a lot of $, but it does take the investment of time, skills & consistent effort.

Smallbizlady: What is the key idea behind Get Known Before the Book Deal

Christina Katz: My intention was it would be the book folks would read before attending a writer’s conference to increase chances of landing a book deal. Often folks with weak platforms are over-confident about impressing agents and editors, while folks with strong ones are under-confident. Get Known offers a plan to help anyone make gains in the rapidly

Smallbizlady: What are some common platform mistakes entrepreneurs-turned-authors make?

Christina Katz: They don’t spend time clarifying who they are to others. They don’t zoom in specifically on what they offer and offer it, in specific packages. They don’t precisely articulate what they offer so others get it immediately. Even one second of “Huh?” is unfortunate.

Smallbizlady: What are three things entrepreneurs can do today to get started building their platforms?

Christina Katz: Make sure your website represents you in the best possible light. Website or blog doesn’t matter, it just has to fit. The blog is the front of the house, but more often the real work is going on in the back of the house. Get this. Your platform is only as big as your permission based e-mail list. Read everything by Seth Godin, especially his book, Permission Marketing.

Smallbizlady: At the front of Get Known, you discuss four phases of the authoring process. What are they?

Christina Katz: First is the platform development and building phase. Second, comes the book proposal development phase. Third, comes the actual writing of the book (for fiction writers this is likely the re-writing of the book). Finally, once the book is published, comes the book marketing and promoting phase.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.

How to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on starting or growing your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog at www.succeedasyourownboss.com

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When a Book Can Change Your Outlook About Your Business

By Melinda Emerson on December 7, 2009 in How to Start, Starting A Small Business

Those of you who follow this blog know that I am a serious book lover. Last year, an email from Amazon.com informed that I purchased 118 books over the last 10 years. I was surprised they didn’t send me a coupon or discount card, but this post is not about customer service.

My love affair with the written word started when I was a little girl. For my birthday, my dad bought me an electric typewriter – and I was hooked. In the eighth grade, I decided that I would be a journalist and by the time I finished high school, I was the assistant editor of the school newspaper. My favorite class in college was editorial writing. Throughout my journalism career, I always wanted to write a book. After more than five years, my goal is finally about to be realized. My first book, Become You Own Boss in 12 Months is to be released by Adams Media in February, 2010.

The road to becoming a published author was not an easy one. The only easy part was to write the first draft. My book went through five drafts in the end. At one point last year when the market crashed, my book was postponed twice. I wasn’t convinced that Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months would ever be published. I was so depressed about my book situation that I banned all family and friends from even asking about it – unless they were willing to hear me whine about the irony that that so many people were being laid off, creating such incredible demand for my book – and yet, my publisher wasn’t rushing it to market.

One day, a friend was walking through a Borders book store and spotted, Get Known Before The Book Deal by Christina Katz. She immediately called and insisted that I buy it online. I wasn’t happy about this…remember, I had banned all book project conversation. But I complied and bought the book – and I cannot thank my girlfriend enough.

Get Known was a great read for me and it came just in time. It changed my attitude about my book, my writing career and my growth strategy for my business. This book helped me to understand three critical points about the book business.

1) I needed to create a built in audience for my book,

2) I needed to build a platform for a business and a book,

3) Book publishers are not interested in making you famous they are interested in capitalizing on the fame you create for yourself.

Last year I read Get Known Before The Book Deal. I was already the @Smallbizlady on Twitter, but I refocused my efforts a bit and launched #SmallBizChat and I developed this blog. The community that has grown out of this has enriched my life and work far beyond what I expected.

I also reached out to Christina Katz to share with her the profound effect her book had on me and on my business. She was so kind and gracious; she actually asked me to send her an early version of my book – which she read in a week and then provided me with a quote for the back cover.

Successful entrepreneurs are lifelong learners. Reading books is just part of the program. You never know when a book can change your entire outlook on your business.

What books have you read that transformed your business?

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For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

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Website Design Basics for Start-up Businesses

By Melinda Emerson on December 3, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, SmallBizChat, Social Media, Starting A Small Business

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wed on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Yiana Palacios @designleap on Twitter. She is Founder and CEO of Design Leap. She specializes in graphic design and website design. Her unique approach is to work closely with startup and small business owners one-on-one, designing marketing materials that help you grow your business. Design Leap is located in Burbank, CA, serving businesses nationally. For more information http://www.designleap.net

Smallbizlady: What are some excuses that start-up businesses make about not having a website?

Yiana Palacios: The biggest one is the money issue. I also hear people say “my business is not big enough to have a website” or not having time or knowledge about web design in general. These days, if someone asks for your website address and you don’t have one to give them, your business will not be considered seriously. A simple starter website doesn’t cost a fortune, but not having one at all will send your potential clients to your competition.

Smallbizlady: Do you recommend purchasing a .net, a .org or any other domain name extension in addition to a .com?

Yiana Palacios: Personally, I would purchase a .net or a .org in addition to .com, but not both. Because these two in my opinion are the top two remembered extensions after the .com. There are millions of sites on the Internet and it’s not likely that your competitor will choose the exact same name to win over your business, so buying too many extensions is not necessary.

Smallbizlady: What do you need to consider when hiring a web designer?

Yiana Palacios: Have an architecture for your website with how many pages the site will have. Have your budget in mind before you start talking with potential vendors. Be sure to check out the actual websites the vendor has done (and not just their online portfolio). Call at least three references. Use a contract with progression payments for work completed.

Smallbizlady: What are the alternatives to hiring a website designer?

Yiana Palacios: When your business is starting you can settle for a do-it-yourself website solution. There are many companies that offer this alternative. It will take more time and effort on your part as you would be doing everything yourself, but at this stage in your business, you just want to have some sort of a website.

Smallbizlady: How should you start in a web design process?

Yiana Palacios: You need to know who your target market is, who your competitors are and check out their websites, and know what you want your website to do for your business. At Design Leap, we want to get to know the client and their business as much as possible. It’s not just about having a good-looking site, it’s creating a site that is user friendly, easy to navigate and that delivers on what you want to accomplish.

Smallbizlady: What are the common mistakes that you see people make on their websites?

Yiana Palacios: Well, there’s actually a long list, but having lots of text in different fonts with different colors and things jumping and flashing all on one page spells disaster. It’s best to keep your website as clean and clutter free as possible and have an easy and consistent navigation throughout.

Smallbizlady: Should a website have a Splash page (also know as a Flash page)?

Yiana Palacios: Short answer is no. A Splash page can be pretty, but it takes time to load, search engines can’t rank it and it turns away visitors because they don’t have time to wait for it to load. Basically, a Splash page hurts your website more than helping it.

Smallbizlady: What do you say about using your own photos vs. stock photography on your website?

Yiana Palacios: Stock photography is a great, cheaper alternative to using custom photos on a website. If you’re handy with a digital camera and your photos look presentable, absolutely use them. However, if you’re selling products, it’s best to hire a professional to take the photos to present them in a best possible way. Images help you tell a story so only use those that are relevant to your topic. Here’s an article on “Adding Images to Your Website” that has good tips and links to where you can find free stockphotos. http://www.designleap.net/blog/2009/03/adding-images-to-your-website.html

Smallbizlady: At what point of the website design process should one start working on SEO?

Yiana Palacios: SEO is really a topic in its self, but do your keyword research, write different titles and descriptions for each individual page that will be on your site in the beginning of the website design process. Doing this at the beginning will save you and your website designer a lot of time by not having to go through all the pages again to insert this information.

Smallbizlady: How does one get on the first page of Google?

Yiana Palacios: Yeah, the one question that everybody asks and the only one that can’t really be answered. Google has a secret formula and it’s always changing, so there’s no one sure way of getting there. Start by having your website search engine optimized and most importantly start building relevant links to your website. The more links incoming to your website from other relevant and in “good standing” sites, the better ranking it will receive.

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.

How to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on starting or growing your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog at http://bit.ly/3x5Gm2 www.succeedasyourownboss.com

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