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2011 Best of Smallbizchat Q&A interviews

By on December 29, 2011 in 10 Things Lists, My Recommendations, SmallBizChat

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.  Every Thursday, I always publish a more detailed Q&A interview from my guest so that anyone who missed it or isn’t a Twitter user can still benefit from the information.  My co-host Tai Goodwin and I had an amazing year this year with #Smallbizchat and I am excited to share the best 10 interviews of this year with you all. Happy new year! 

1. Guy Kawasaki @guykawasaki How to Build  Successful Business Relationships

2. Nicole Fende @BizFinanceForum How to Set Your Price to Achieve Your Profit Goals

3.Tai Goodwin @employedpreneur How to Launch Your Business While Working Full Time

4. Anita Campbell @Smallbiztrends How to Use Visual Marketing to Grow Your Business Brand?

5. Raj Malik @kikscore How to Make Your Business Look Credible and Trustworthy Online

6. Pierre Debois @ZimanaAnalytics How to use google analytics to grow your small business

7. John Warrillow @johnwarrillow How to Create a Business Your Can Sell

8. Alyssa Gregory: @Smallbizbonfire How to Teach Yourself the Art of Delegation for Business Success

9. Anisha Robinson Keyes: @anisharkeyes How to Generate Corporate Sponsorship For Your Small Business

10. Matt S. Mansfield  @mattsmansfield How to Use QR Codes in Your Small Business 

If you found these interviews helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

 

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

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and smallMelinda Emerson "SmallBizLady" business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her the #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

 

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2011 Best of SmallBizLady Blogs

By on December 28, 2011 in 10 Things Lists, My Recommendations

Every week I publish articles on this blog to help small business owners start and grow their entrepreneurial ventures.  My mission is simple: to end small business failure. There are times when I write things based on questions I am frequently asked and then there are other times when I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea I simply must get down on paper. I write this blog for all the people who I never get to meet or mentor.  I want you to succeed as your own boss, and I write faithfully so that you can have a roadmap to achieve your small business goals.  Over the past year, I have grown as a writer and business consultant, and I shared what I have learned with all of you. Happy New Year everybody. Lets make 2012 is year to remember!

Here’s the best 10 articles I have written in 2011 according to all of you.

5 Things Every Entrepreneur Must Do Each Day

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/10/2011/5-things-every-entrepreneur-must-do-each-day/

10 Best How to Start a Small Business Websites

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/10/2011/10-best-how-to-start-a-small-business-websites/

Use 3 C’s of Social Media Marketing: Content, Community, Commerce

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/08/2011/use-the-3-cs-of-social-media-content-community-commerce/

12 Things to Tweet About on Twitter

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/03/2011/12-things-to-tweet-about-on-twitter/

How to Write a Business Plan Part I, II, and III

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/01/2011/how-to-write-a-business-plan-part-iii/ 

6 Business Lessons for Under 30 Entrepreneurs

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/07/2011/6-business-lessons-for-under-30-entrepreneurs/ 

10 Tips to Recession Proof Your Small Business

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/10/2011/10-tips-to-recession-proof-your-small-business/

What Can Twitter Do For Your Small Business

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/12/2011/what-can-twitter-do-for-your-small-business/

11 Great Technology Tools for Small Business

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/04/2011/11-great-technology-tools-for-small-business/

11 Bible Versus Small Business Owners Need in 2011

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/04/2011/11-bible-verses-small-business-owners-need-in-2011/

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

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professionalMelinda Emerson "SmallBizLady" speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.comMelinda is also bestseller author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works.

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SmallBizLady’s Summer Reading List 2011

By on June 27, 2011 in 10 Things Lists, Business Inspiration, My Recommendations

For those of you who follow this blog, you know that I love books. One of the most important  things you must be as a small business owner is a lifelong learner. Reading a key way to learn  more to run your business better. You may be counting down to your family vacation, (even  if it’s a staycation) I wanted to provide you with some suggestions for great reading material  for the beach. These book will all help you start or run your business, and that could make all  the difference in your business in the last half of this year. Here are my picks  for SmallBizLady’s Summer Reading List 2011.

 

SNAP Selling, Speed up Sales and Win More Business with Today’s Frazzeled Customers (Portfolio, 2010) by Jill Konrath.

I like this book because nowadays everyone you want is too busy and overwhelmed and we all could benefit from lessons on how to think about selling to busy decision makers.

Inbound Marketing, Get Found Using Google, Social media, and Blogs. (J. Wiley and Sons, 2010) By Hubspot CO-founders Brian Halligan and Dharmesh Shah.

Selling is dead. In order to connect with today’s customers you must stop pushing sales messages and instead start pulling your customer’s in.  This book will give you the tools and strategies you need to improve your search engine rankings and analyze which of your online marketing efforts are working..

Enchantment, The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions (Portfolio, 2011) By Guy Kawasaki.

This is a terrific book to learn about how to take your relationships to the next level, give a fantastic presentation, and enchant your customers and employees. There’s nothing more important than your existing client list, Guy explains how to keep your customers enchanted.

Full Engagement! Inspire, Motivate and Bring Out the Best in Your People (Amacom, 2011) by Brian Tracy.

Brian is a legendry business leader who has developed a terrific employee manual for small business owners. He explains how to achieve financial results for your company by motivating employees through what he calls “ROE” Return on Energy. Read it if you have two or more employees, you will be a much better manager for it. 

201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business by Jane Applegate. (Bloomberg Press, 2011 Third Edition)

This book is full of creative ideas that will help you solve everyday problems in your small business. Jane has collected tons of proven tips for managing, growing, and promoting a small business. Enjoy the third addition of this international bestselling book. You will keep it nearby as a reference for a long time in your small business.

The Start Your Own Business Bible, 501 New Ventures You Can Launch Today! (Adams Media, 2011) By Richard Walsh

No matter what kind of business you want to launch you can the 411 on it in this books. He outlines the start-up costs, pros and cons and potential earnings of hundreds of business opportunities. This book will help match your resources to your plans and kick off a business that works.

Franchising & Licensing, Two Powerful Ways to Grow Your Business in Any Economy (AMACOM, 2011 Fourth edition). By Andrew J. Sherman 

This book is a blueprint to developing additional streams of revenue in your small business. Andrew outlines what is takes to license your intellectual property from business acumen, legal expertise, strategy and trends and financial insight to turn your business into a franchise. This book as also filled with sample agreements, checklists and questionnaires.

Become Your Own Boss in 12 months, A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works (Adams Media, 2010) by Melinda Emerson

BYOB is a book on how to develop a 12 month plan to start or reinvent a small business. Use the Emerson Planning System to get serious about your business. If you are one of those small business owners who still does not have a website and social media strategy this book will really help you as well.

There are my 8 picks, and do you have any other suggestions for summer reading for small business owners.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a
seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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10 Things to Grow Your Business This Summer

By on June 22, 2011 in 10 Things Lists, Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, Customer Service, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, My Recommendations, Social Media, Technology

growth, summer, Summer is here!  Now that the kids are out of school, you might be thinking about how to reduce your work schedule, but that’s the worst thing you could do.  It’s time to turn up the heat in your business. Third and fourth quarters are critical times in business. You may have customers who are in budget planning cycles, or have excess budget to spend. Now is the right time reach out to your existing customers and get your house in order to make your revenue goals for the rest of the year.

 

Here’s 10 Things to grow your business this summer.

1. Take a break. Even if all you can afford to do is a staycation, take a break from work for at least 7 days. You need to recharge your batteries so that you can go hard the rest of the year.

2. Attend a conference. The Summer is a great time to sign up for a course or attend a conference in your industry to learn the latest trends and techniques.

3. Read a great business book. Pick a book that’s you have been meaning to read and learn a few techniques that will help you grow your business. I really like 201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business by Jane Applegate. http://www.amazon.com/Great-Ideas-Small-Business-Bloomberg/dp/0470919663/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

4. Revisit your business plan. In the first few years of a business, you should be updating your business plan every 90 days.  When is the last time you reviewed your marketing plan and how well it was working to drive sales. Make sure your budget and revenue projections are up-to-date.

5. Organize a Business Retreat. Take your team offsite treat them to some good food in a lush environment. Brainstorm with them to solve the top three issues in the business.  Bring in a trainer.

6. Ask for testimonials. Go back to all of your customers that you worked with over the last six months and ask for testimonials. Get them in writing to update your website and ask them to post recommendations to LinkedIn.

7. Refresh your website and marketing materials. Take a look at your website and marketing collateral including your blog header, business cards, and newsletter template.  If something was just thrown together just to get some out or you’ve been using the same template for a whole, take the time to clean up your design elements to make your brand shine.

8. Update your personal bio and profiles across social media. Every small business owner should have a professional biography.  Take this time to update yours with any new marquee clients, non-profit board service, and speaking opportunities. Be sure to update your profiles on your social media accounts as well.

9. Do a waste walk in your office. Summer is a great time to chuck the clutter.  The shredder is your friend. Get rid of stray paper, conference bags, direct mail, magazines, equipment that doesn’t work, and giveaways you really didn’t want anyway.

10. Develop a special offer. You need a reason to contact your customers.  Nothing is better than a discount, coupon or special offer.  You use this as your excuse to call, email or snail mail your existing customers. They are the most valuable asset in your business.

Do you have any other tips to keep a small business growing over the summer?

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

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com  Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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11 Bible Verses Small Business Owners Need in 2011

By on April 4, 2011 in 10 Things Lists

Each year, I pick a bible verse as my theme for the year.  This year I did not choose a verse, but a saying that a coaching client shared with me. “Either I win or I learn, but with God’s help I never lose”. I loved that, and I was so touched by what this entrepreneur shared with me, that I felt like that was the message for me this year.  But I still wanted to share the verses I was considering.  There are so many powerful verses to read in the bible. Here’s a list of 11 favorites that I use for encouragement.  I hope that you will print this post and share it with others, so that they might be helped along the spiritual journey we call entrepreneurship.

1. No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Corinthians 2:9 One of my favorite business heroes Oprah Winfrey often says God can dream it bigger for you than you can dream it for yourself. There will be times in your life and in your business when the people around you will not understand the vision God had given you for your business. Read this Bible verse and be steadfast in your entrepreneurial journey.

2. Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 If everything in your business is done to glorify God, he will Bless your work.

3. The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. Proverbs 21:5 A good idea is still a good idea three weeks from now. There are no “get rich quick” schemes. Do not be in a hurry for anything. Learn all you can. Be focused and diligent and your business will succeed. Continue Reading →

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SmallBizLady’s Business Checklist: 10 Important Tasks To Do Before 2011

By on December 6, 2010 in 10 Things Lists, Business Inspiration, My Recommendations, Your Small Business

At this time of year, we all have a lot of pressures. We have our families, the holidays, parties, shopping, and our travel plans. Then there’s how we make our living. We are small business owners, we do not get lots of time off. It is important for us to stay organized to manage all that we juggle.

In order to get things started off right in the New Year; it’s time to make sure you’ve got everything squared away. I hate to do it, but I need to add a few more things to the to do list. Here are 10 Important Tasks To Do Before 2011:

1. Update Your Business Plan: It much easier to go some place when you know where you are going.  Take the time to finish, update or write a business plan so that you can start out the new-year not wondering what’s going to happen – you’ll be able to make it happen!

2. Create 2011 Folders: Do this for all your key files in your computer that you use on a regular basis ex: contracts 2011, schedules 2011, meeting notes 2011, etc.

3. Unsubscribe Yourself: If you haven’t opened an e-newsletter in the last 60 days, you no longer need to get the information in your inbox.  Free yourself.

4. Export Your 2010 Contacts: Make sure you have three ways to contact everyone.  Export your contacts into email, LinkedIn, Facebook and your CRM system.

5. Develop an Editorial Calendar: If you use an e-newsletter or blog, lay out a monthly content plan for yourself for 2011.  If you can, write all your e-newsletters now for the year, so you won’t be slammed once the New Year starts rolling.

6. Give Your Blog a Facelift: Think about a new feature you can add to your blog next year. Even adding a new header graphic can make a big difference to your blog.  People like to see things evolve and change over time. Here’s a link to a great interview with @cathywebsavvypr on how to reinvent your small business blog.  http://bit.ly/haBhYZH

7. Empty Your Email Inbox: Start the year fresh with no old emails.  It will be like going away on vacation and coming home to a clean house.   Ahhh… priceless.  And if you subscribe to anything you haven’t read yet, file it or delete, delete, delete.

8. Collect W-4 Forms and W-9 Forms: Make sure you get up-to-date W-9 forms and/or W-4 on all freelance and full-time employees so that you can mail the W-2 and 1099 forms by Jan 31, 2011 to all workers paid over $600 this calendar year. People need those to get their personal income taxes done.

9. Develop a target customer list: Every year I make a list of the top conferences where I want to speak, and corporate clients I want to have. Monthly, I check my list against my sales activities. Challenge yourself by putting some big fish on the list. It’s a great way to keep your sales processes going.

10. Get yourself a new personal theme song: It’s important to have way to keep motivated as an entrepreneur. Music is always a good option. Pick a theme song that makes you feel good whenever you hear it.  Make the song’s video one of your favorites on YouTube. Make sure you have a copy on your MP3 Player, and have a version for the car too.  Just have it handy so you can rock your theme music whenever you need to remind yourself why you started your business.

Do you have any other tips to add to the 2011 small business to do list?

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

Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months Books By Melinda EmersonMelinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. She has been featured on NBC Nightly News, in Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and Black Enterprise Magazine. Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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The Right Way To Make Sales Calls For Your Small Business

By on March 8, 2010 in 10 Things Lists, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Customer Service, My Recommendations, Your Small Business

I have recently been exposed to too many instances of sales calls that are inappropriate and ineffective to actually make a sale.  Social media networks such as LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook are great for making the initial connection, but if you do not take the time to interact and actually build a relationship with your new connection, you are still a stranger.

My nickname is SmallBizLady and @smallbizlady is my handle on Twitter.  I am considered a power Twitter user, with more than 10,000 followers between two accounts. That is great and all, but my favorite thing to do is reach someone outside of Twitter – on the telephone.  That’s where the real relationship is made.  Once that connection is made, there’s a right and a wrong way to approach a sale.

SmallBizlady’s 10 Rules For Small Business Sales Calls

  1. Do not make sales calls on Monday! Mondays are tough enough for people; do not bother them when they are just getting their week started — if you want to be successful.
  2. Make sales calls on Tues. Wed. Thurs. and never make sales calls before 10am or after 3pm.The prime calling hours for sales calls are 10-noon and 1-3pm. People do not like sales calls generally. Do not be a bother to a potential client before they get their morning coffee. After 3pm people on deadline do not have time for your call. Give yourself the best possible path to success by respecting your prospect’s time.
  3. Always ask if your contact has time to speak with you. And if they are busy, ask when would be a best time to give them a call back.  Then you’ll have a scheduled appointment which is even better.
  4. Make sure you can remind your contact how you know them.
  5. Research whether or not the contact is really a potential customer. It’s always best to know what products and services your customer purchases – and when they make these decisions to do so. If you really know your target market, you’ll know this information.
  6. Make sure you have the correct name of the person you want to speak with on the call. When you do get a potential customer on the phone, be ready. You only have 7 seconds to make an impression.  Stammering over someone’s name is not the way to make a good first impression.
  7. Do not leave a voicemail if you do not reach your sales target. Connections are only made with real people. Your message will be deleted anyway.
  8. Use contact management software. You need to track your calls and when it’s time to make follow-up calls.
  9. Never make a sales call on a Friday! No one wants someone selling them something when they are trying to wrap up their week and get out the door to start their weekend.
  10. Use a target list for potential customers.  Make sure you contact you target list at least once a month by phone, email or direct mail.

Your sales pipeline is the life’s blood of your business, so you must make sales calls. Just remember these rules so that you can build on your social networks instead of instantly turning them off with no chance of a sale.

Do you have any more rules to add to my list of sales calls dos and don’ts for a small business owner?  Please leave me a comment below.

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.

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Working With The One You Love

By on February 15, 2010 in 10 Things Lists, Mompreneurs, Pink Slip Entrepreneurs, Solopreneurs, Women in Business, Your Small Business

When you are first starting out in business, you will need help.  Good help is especially hard to find when you have very limited resources.  Other than interns, you may be forced to look around your personal network to see if you have any friends or family that can jump in and help you build your new enterprise.  One of the most obvious helpers that may jump out to you is your spouse.  But working with the one you love can be a slippery slope.  If you drive each other crazy with simple household work, it’s probably not a good idea to work together.  There also are those who believe that you should never hire someone you can’t fire. Why? If you fire your spouse you could ruin or severely damage your marriage.

Relationships and certainly marriages are hard work every day without adding the complications and stress of working together in a start-up business.  My husband and I worked together in my first business Quintessence Multimedia for four years—so I have perspective on this subject.

Whether you go it alone or work with your sweetie… it’s a challenge.   One of things that you need to do if you decide to work together is really understand each other’s best skills and work styles. 

I am a morning person, who is a hyper Type-A, task master.  I make lists and mow down the list daily.  My husband is a corporate MBA, six sigma, sales manager, and a procrastinator.  We annoyed each other every day, before we even got to the office.  We drove to the office together, and were late most days because my husband was usually running late.  I found myself sitting in the living room, waiting silently and getting more upset by the minute.  One of the things that really helped us was seeking out mentorship from an older husband and wife team who had an office in our building.  Once they suggested that we drive separate cars to work, that problem was solved. 

One of the critical decisions that need to be made if you are working with your spouse is whether you are going to be equal partners, or if one of you is the boss.  Defining this dynamic upfront – and communicating it – is essential.  There’s a big difference between being a partner and being a key employee.  This especially comes into play when handling disagreements about the business. 

Ladies–this is a big issue for you if you started the business, and your husband later joins the business.  Some men really can’t handle being a key employee, and may assert themselves like they are the boss. 

The long term viability of the business and the marriage are intertwined. Resentment from this dynamic can really spill over into your home life.  When you are personally invested in your business; it’s hard to not take a bad day in your business home with you at night. 

So How Can You Avoid Having Your Work-life Ruin Your Home-life? 

Here’s SmallBizLady’s 10 Rules for Working Well With Your Spouse.

  1. Have clearly defined roles at work, and stay in your lanes.
  2. Regular date nights (weekly if possible)
  3. Drive separate cars
  4. Have separate offices (and separate assistants–if you can afford it)
  5. Have clearly defined roles at home, too
  6. Have regular meetings to air out disagreements
  7. Have separate interests outside of the business
  8. Make decisions based on what’s best for the business
  9. Be accountable to each other (regardless of who get the final say)
  10. Seek out other couplepreneurs to get advice and support.

A great husband and wife business owner team, Donna Maria Coles Johnson her husband Darryl Johnson inspired me in part to write this blog post.  They lead the Indie Beauty Network http://www.indiebeauty.com.  I interviewed them last year about being successful couplepreneurs.

Do you have a rule or suggestion for how to work successfully with your spouse?

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.

Melinda Emerson, known to many as “SmallBizLady,” is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Coach and Social Media Strategist who hosts #SmallBizChat weekly on Twitter for emerging entrepreneurs.  #Smallbizchat is the trusted resource on Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business. Her first book Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months is out in March 2010.

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10 Things To Do Before Going into Business

By on January 4, 2010 in 10 Things Lists, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Business Inspiration, How to Start

The following is excerpted from my forthcoming book Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months: A Month-by-Month Guide To a Business That Works! which is being published by Adams Media, March 2010.

cover_becomeboss_11-16-09Are you tired of your boss nagging you throughout the day? Are you fed up with the small amount of pay you get as compensation at the end of the month to put up with his repeated verbal attacks? If this is the case, it is high time that you chucked your 9 to 5 job and started your own business. The best way to do this is to develop a plan for success.

Life is too short, and jobs are no longer secure anyway. When you are your own boss, you can work how and when you like in your own business. The key to launching a successful small business is to developing a firm plan, saving enough money before you quit your job, and learning the business of running a business.  Below is a list of the Top 10 Things to Do before Going into Business.

  1. Plan Your Departure 12 Months Before You Quit Your Job. Create a 12 month countdown to accomplish all the things that you need to get in order personally prior to starting your business e.g., financial resources, upgrading your technology skills, building marketing platform, business planning, office space/inventory needs, etc.
  2. Develop A Life Plan. Decide what kind of entrepreneurial lifestyle you will lead.  Do you have the energy to start a business?  How many days a week will you work.  Will you work 6 days a week or be off every Friday?  Will you work weekends, every weekend? You should design your life plan around what your best day looks like 5 years from now.
  3. Calculate Your Net Worth. List all of your fixed and liquid assets, such as real estate and cars, cash, stocks, and bank accounts at their current value.  List all jewelry, furniture and household items at their current value.  These are your total assets.  Subtract all of your debts, such as your mortgage, car loan and credit card balances, from your total assets. The result is your net worth.  Remember: Pay off all credit card debt! Carrying large amounts of credit card debt will strangle you financially as you start your business.
  4. Save As Much Money As Possible. Time to tighten your belt.  All too often, people go into business without any personal savings, exclusively using loan money from friends and family, home equity and credit cards.  You may expect to pay the loans back right away with the profits from your business; however, it typically takes 12-18 months to generate revenue and an average of three years to break even.  Please note: You will also need a separate emergency savings account just for your household.
  5. Upgrade Your Technology Skills. 80 percent of the people know less than 20 percent of their software’s capabilities.  Invest in online training or video professor to learn any software and social media marketing skills essential to your business operations.  Quickbooks is a very common small business accounting software program that will be helpful to learn even if you hire a bookkeeper.  Learning how to maximize your technology resources will give you skills that make you more valuable in your business.
  6. Determine How You Will Cover Your Health Insurance.   The ideal scenario is when your health insurance is covered by your spouse, but for those that are divorced or single parents, health insurance is serious business.  There is COBRA, which is offered by your most recent employer, but it is only available for 18 months after your quit your job and is very expensive.  You may also obtain health insurance through the National Association for the Self Employed (NASE), local Chambers of Commerce, and trade organizations.
  7. Expand Your Network. Evaluate your network.  Are you known internally or externally at your job? Make a real effort to join organizations and attend networking functions to build and reinforce relationships.  When you first start out in business, many of your customers typically come from your personal network.
  8. Get Yourself a “Kitchen Cabinet” of Advisors. Find four supportive mentors or friends who you can safely bounce ideas and concerns off of.  It is helpful if at least one of these people is already an entrepreneur or a potential client.
  9. Get Yourself a Personal Theme Song. Pick a song that always makes you feel good!  Play it everyday to energize you.  The journey you are about to start is hard and lonely, and your theme song  will help lift you up and keep you focused on your goal – especially when you need extra motivation.
  10. Stay Positive and Encouraged. You are the power source that will make your business a success!  Find ways to keep your battery charged and sustain your optimism.  Make a list of your accomplishments every day – it will keep you from dwelling on your never ending to-do list.

There are many different types of opportunities available for you in the form of a small business.  If you are experienced in any field, you can make money working for yourself.  Start realizing your real potential and make money for yourself by selecting the right business opportunity.

Good Luck! An expanded version of this article titled; 44 Things You Need To Do Before You Go Into Business is available as a free download on my website at www.melindaemerson.com.

This is insight into starting – and more importantly, staying – in business.  I love to get feedback. Tell me if you have any other good tips to add to the list.

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 month! 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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Best Small Business Start-Up Books

By 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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10 Things To Do Before 2010

By 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?

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.

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 Feb. 9, 2010.

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Smallbizlady’s Reading List Part II

By on November 26, 2009 in 10 Things Lists, Business Inspiration, Grow Your Business, Mompreneurs, My Recommendations, Pink Slip Entrepreneurs, Solopreneurs, Women in Business, Your Small Business

readingglasses_iiReading is brain food for your business. To keep your thinking sharp it is always good to read about the latest techniques for running a successful small business. One of my favorite things to do is read books about business strategy, social media and leadership. 

Here’s Part II of a list of best books that I think will have a major impact on your business strategy heading into 2010.  (Part I was posted earlier this week.)

Plan As You Go Business Plan by Tim Berry (Entrepreneur Press, 2008)  Business owners struggle everyday because they don’t have a plan. I also see folks who create a business plan and then never use it. Without an up-to-date business plan, you put your business at a great disadvantage. Tim Berry lays out an easy to use system to get your business plan done. The value from having a written plan comes from going through the process and updating it on a regular basis to evaluate how your business is doing and making adjustments as needed. Tim has organized the book to support his “plan as you go” approach. It is designed so you can jump around and use the section of the book that you need at any given time. Don’t start 2010 without an updated business plan.

When Growth Stalls: How it Happens, Why You’re Stuck & What to Do About It by Steve McKee (Jossey-Bass, 2009)  One of the biggest challenges any business owner faces is generating consistent, profitable growth. “When Growth Stalls” is all about keeping the momentum going in your business.  It is a practical, hands-on guide for business owners who are struggling with stalled growth and for those who hope to prevent it in the first place.   When your entire financial future is on the line – it’s not just business, it’s personal.   This book is based on research that illustrates that 54.9% of companies’ growth is currently stalled. Growth can slow down for a variety of reasons including: marketing inconsistency, increased competition, lack of focus at the top, or a loss of nerve. Steve gives you the blue print to focus inward and turn things around in your business.

Book Yourself Solid: The Fastest, Easiest, and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients Than You Can Handle Even if You Hate Marketing and Selling by Michael Port (J. Wiley & Sons, 2006)  Michael Port makes you think about your clients and work in a different way.  He suggests attracting clients with a no-cost-of-entry offer that leads to a low-cost-of-entry offer that leads the client deeper into your solutions and offerings. He also teaches that, if you have clients who sap you of energy because they are not “your” kind of clients, you cannot do as good a job for them, and you lack integrity. This is what I believe as well.  You may restructure your marketing plans based on the lessons taught in the book. This book is especially helpful for service businesses.

From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur: Make Money with books, E-Books and Information Products by Stephanie Chandler (J. Wiley & Sons 2007)  In this business age, it’s all about what you know that you can sell.  Stephanie Chandler does a great job of breaking down all the different ways to generate content and information products. She also illustrates how you can repurpose your content to build your expertise and brand. She profiles the biggest names in the infoproducts at the end of every chapter including my favorite self-publishing guru Dan Poynter.  She also has an extremely thorough chapter towards the end of the book about how to promote a book.  From Entrepreneur to Infopreneur is worth reading a few times. 

ONO: Options not Obligations, Family First Entrepreneur by Marc Warnke (Morgan James Publishing 2009)  Most entrepreneurs struggle with work/life balance issues. Marc Warnke challenges readers to enrich their personal lives by rethinking their financial lives. ONO teaches a wealth creation lifestyle that focuses on making a difference first and creating profit second.  Family first entrepreneurs make business choices based on the potential impact they will have on their families first, and on business profitability second. I bought this book after reading an incredible review by a blogger online.  This is a great philosophy to live and run your business.  Try it!

Do you know a book that should be added to the list?  Let me know, I love the feedback.

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.

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! is scheduled to be released by Adams Media in Feb 2010.

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SmallBizLady’s Reading List Part I

By on November 23, 2009 in 10 Things Lists, Business Inspiration, Cash Flow & Finance, Grow Your Business, Mompreneurs, My Recommendations, Pink Slip Entrepreneurs, Social Media, Solopreneurs, Women in Business, Your Small Business

readingglassesIn business, reading is fundamental. It is crucial to help you grow your expertise as a business leader.  One of my favorite things to do is read books about small business best practices, social media and leadership.  Here’s a list of best books that I think will have a major impact on your business strategy heading into 2010.  Later this week, I’ll have five more of my favorite books to share.

Small Business Cash Flow: Strategies for Making Your Business a Financial Success  by Denise O’Berry (J. Wiley & Sons, 2006)  The best thing you can do for your business is understand how much profit is in every sale and stay cash flow positive. Denise O’Berry writes a terrific book that explains the ins and outs of financial management in a successful small business. The book does a good job of pointing out how a small business owner can stay on top of the cash flow issue in running her business.  This is an incredible resource book that I highly recommend.

Get Known Before the Book Deal by Christina Katz (Writer Digest Books, 2008) It is not often I read a book that truly enlightening from cover to cover. On a scale of 1-5, Get Known Before the Book Deal is a 10! If you want to know what it takes to get a book deal, Christina Katz gives a very specific recipe, but this book is not just helpful to people who want to be authors.  This book is for anyone who needs to build a marketing platform and a brand for their expertise.  This book changed my entire business model and my brand. I could not recommend this book more highly.

Customers For Life: How To Turn That One-Time Buyer Into a Lifetime Customer by Carl Sewell and Paul B. Brown (Doubleday, 2002)  This is a must read for every business owner.  None of the ideas in this book are ground breaking, but the authors do a great job of explaining how they translate into loyal customers for your business. This book will help you create systems in your business to avoid customer service problems in the first place. This book was originally published in 1998 and has been updated three times since, selling over 1 million copies worldwide. Every business owner should have this book, and I’d also recommend buying copies for all your employees as well.

Blog Blazers: 40 Top Bloggers Share their Secrets to Creating a High-Profile, High-Traffic and High Profit Blog by Stephane Grenier (Levac Publishing House, 2008)   This is one of those books that serious bloggers will keep on their shelves.  I like that this book features 40 top bloggers and not just 10 or 15 like most profile books. I enjoyed learning great techniques and about what blogs these pros read.  Try reading a chapter a day, look at the blogs of the blogger featured, see what they are doing well that you can implement in your blog. Learning how successful bloggers approach their blogging is an exercise that will have lots of benefits.

Greening Your Small Business: How to Improve Your Bottom Line, Grow Your Brand, Satisfy Your Customers – and Save the Planet by Jennifer Kaplan (Prentice Hall Press, 2009)  Green is not just the color of money. Going green can be overwhelming, but Jen Kaplan provides a comprehensive guide to practical, meaningful, low-cost changes that can be applied today to go green in your business. Green practices are being measured by everyone including your customers-so use this book to build an additional competitive advantage in your business and save the planet as the same time.

Do you know a book that should be added to the list?  Let me know, I love getting your feedback.

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.

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! is scheduled to be released by Adams Media in Feb 2010.

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10 Ways to Get Your Blog to Shine

By on October 5, 2009 in 10 Things Lists, Branding & Marketing, Social Media, Your Small Business

This is the last post of a three part series on blogging for business.  We started out with how to get started blogging. Then we tackled the strategy for setting up your blog as your only website or having two separate websites. Now we are finally talking about what to do to get your blog noticed.  Here’s 10 Tips that I swear by for building a successful blog platform and getting your blog to shine.  The best way to get to the front page of Google and other search engines is to have the exact phrase a person is searching for used on your blog.  The same words you use in the title also need to be somewhere in your text. 

1. Be strategic about your headline.

2. Use a branded header. Image is everything. People need to know what your blog is about at first click.  Use a colorful header that features your logo, a professional photo and your tag line.  Your tag line is the most important element of your header.  It should tell your reader exactly what to expect from your blog. 

3. Explain your blog.  On the front page of your blog — tell people more information about what you can do for them.  Be sure and include keywords, your name and any branded materials you have such as a book title.  Explain who your target audience is and the credentials that make you an expert. 

4. Create a conversation.  Use a conversational tone when you write.  Do not just give information; let your personality shine through.  People love well told stories. They also like to learn from other people’s mistakes.  Don’t be afraid to take an unpopular position or be brutally honest.  Be your authentic self.   Tell your readers what you really think.  

5. Be original.  Teach ‘em some new stuff and be entertaining.  Your audience wants to find something that doesn’t exist anywhere else on the web.  David Meerman Scott author of World Wide Rave says people want to share in something remarkable.   Do you have any concepts or systems that you have developed?  I developed the Emerson Planning System which is a new approach to business planning.  I wrote my book Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months (Adams Media, Feb 2010) based on the system.  I use elements of it to write many blog posts.  That’s my signature content, what’s yours?

6. Be a participant.  If you want your ideas to spread or your blog posts to be retweeted you need to spend some time building relationships online.  Getting involved in the online communities where people actively share information in your specialty area. It is also a great way to have comments left on your blog.  I spent six months on Twitter building relationships, answers questions and supporting others before I launched my blog.  It made a big difference.

7. Avoid fluff.  In order to have people talk about your ideas, resist the temptation to hype your products and services.  Create something interesting that will be talked about online.  Readers have many choices available, and they’ll quickly move on from a blog with unnecessary or annoying commentary.  Keep your writing focused.  If you leave your readers wanting more, and they’ll come back for more.

8. Use multimedia to break things up.  Add podcasts and video posts to add depth to your blog.  Sometimes when I am interviewed on an internet radio show, I will turn the interview link into a blog post by adding a tip list highlighting key takeaways from the interview.  The interview host will appreciate the additional exposure for sure. Keep those video posts short, no more than 3 minutes please. Trust me – less is more.

9. Comment on blogs.  Leave comments on other people’s blogs.  Doing this will help you get a quality backlink.  Blogs need backlinks.  They help increase your PageRank and widen your blog’s visibility. The plugin displays a link to your last post along with your picture and your name using RSS feeds. Also use the CommentLuv Plugin on your blog.

10. Always think of your audience first.  Whenever you start thinking of a blog topic make sure the information will be helpful to your target audience.  Provide information, analysis, interviews and viewpoints on your blog.  When you give your audience what they want and need, they will tell others and post your information to social media sites. 

For more information on getting your blog to shine join us this wednesday 8-9pm ET on 10/7 for #smallbizchat on Twitter where my guest will be Anita Campbell @smallbiztrends who will be talking about how to take your blog to the next level.

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.

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! is scheduled to be released by Adams Media in early 2010.

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