Archive | Social Media RSS feed for this section

Do You Need A Business Plan?

By on November 5, 2009 in How to Start, My Recommendations, 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 @TimBerry. Tim Berry is president and founder of Palo Alto Software, founder of bplans.com, and a co-founder of Borland International. He built Palo Alto Software from zero to 40 employees and 70% market share without outside investment. He is a Stanford MBA and has taught business at the University of Oregon. He’s the conceptual author of Business Plan Pro, author of The Plan-As-You-Go Business Plan, Entrepreneur Press. Find Tim on twitter at @TimBerry or at bplans.com 

Disclaimer: I was mailed a free copy of Tim Berry’s Plan As You Go Business Plan Book, and I have purchased a copy of the BusinessPlanPro software in the past.  I do not interview anyone on #smallbizchat or for this blog, who’s business ideas, advice and products or services I would not support. The focus of #smallbizchat is end small business failure.

Smallbizlady: What is plan-as-you-go business planning?

Tim Berry:  Plan as you go is a reflection of changing times, the new world realities of doing business. We need planning more than ever, but it has to be live, flexible, and reviewed regularly.

Smallbizlady: How is it different from any other business plan?

Tim Berry: Ironically, it shouldn’t be; all plans should be done this way. But somewhere along the line people got lost in the plan as document, instead of planning process. Which is a damn shame.

Smallbizlady: How is the “Plan As You Go” method better?

Tim Berry: Because it’s a matter of fundamentals: it assumes change, and that form follows function. Business planning is about the business, not the plan. It’s about steering, and management and it’s about metrics, responsibility, and accountability.

Smallbizlady: What are some common mistakes in business planning?

Tim Berry: By far the most important is thinking that the plan itself matters, instead of keeping it alive and managing your business using it. As if the plan weren’t going to change. Then there’s forgetting cash flow, and staying up in the blue sky instead of getting into specific milestones and metrics.

Smallbizlady: Are business plans obsolete?

Tim Berry: Only if management is obsolete. Planning is part of the management function, like steering the business. The full formal document doesn’t apply as much as people think, but we all need planning more than ever, and the plan is a first step in planning.

Smallbizlady: You say in your book all business plans are wrong, but vital. Aren’t they just wrong?

Tim Berry: No, wrong but vital. Wrong because we’re human and we try to predict the future. But vital because we then track the plan vs. actual results. We need to watch how and in what direction it was off, and following up on course corrections, interdependence, and better management and accountability.

Smallbizlady: If business plan is a lot of trouble, why should a business owner bother to do it?

Tim Berry: Done right it’s a lot less trouble than you think. Make it only as big as you need it to be, just big enough to manage your business. And forget the formalities, the dressing, until you need to present it to a lender. With business planning you get goals, a tracking progress, metrics, accountability, and a management tool.

Smallbizlady: Sometimes smaller startup businesses or home-based businesses don’t think they need a business plan because their not trying to get a loan or funding, what advice can you give?

Tim Berry: All businesses need to optimize their resources, and planning helps. It helps to lay out your goals and the steps to achieve them, to watch the cash flow, isolate the factors, think about focus, and strategy, and to work towards the right long-term directions even as the day-to-day gets in the way.

Smallbizlady: Okay, business plans are a dime a dozen. You can get them free off of the Internet, you can buy a finished plan for $25. Why bother to actually write one?

Tim Berry: Because you’re going to implement, and nobody else. It’s going to be your plan. It’s not a writing exercise, or a document. It’s what you intend to do to run your business. Would you send somebody else to exercise for you or take a trip for you? Ghost writing works for writing, not for planning.

Smallbizlady: What are the most important parts of a business plan. What one thing would you do if you were going to do only that?

Tim Berry: Dates, deadlines, metrics, milestones, and, above all, cash flow. Who’s is responsible for what? How do things work together? And it’s good to write down strategy, particularly what you are not doing. If nothing else, at the very least, manage a sales forecast, and review plan vs. actual sales and expenses. And always cash flow.

Smallbizlady: How long should a business plan be?

Tim Berry: Form follows function. It should be long enough to set down the strategy, main metrics, basic numbers, tasks, dates and deadlines. For the classic business plan, or the ones entered in contests, or submitted to investors or banks, 20 pages is enough, never more than 30. If we insist on measuring in pages. 

Smallbizlady: Why Business Plan Pro? How does it help?

Tim Berry: Business Plan Pro is a tool that does the mechanics like keeping the financials mathematically and financially correct, documented and error proofed; and putting things into logical order with the right tables, charts. And outputting to a printer, PDF, secure website, or Word or Excel.

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 biz subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com

Comments { 6 }

Is Cold Calling DEAD?

By on October 29, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, 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 @BradfordShimp. Bradford is a small business expert and the blogger behind All Business Answers. The goal of allbizanswers.com is to answer common business questions, solve the problems that hold businesses back, and show owners how they can build amazing companies. He is actively involved in running a regular small business, as well as several online ventures. His services are available for consulting advice as well as writing content. For more information check out www.allbizanswers.com

Smallbizlady: Is cold calling dead?

Bradford Shimp: No. Many businesses still use it. However, it is losing its effectiveness. Cold calling relies on interruption. Today, people have access to info when they need it, so are less likely to put up with cold calling. People are far less likely to trust someone based on a cold call, and trust is very important.

Smallbizlady: What is the difference between cold and warm calling?

Bradford Shimp: Warm calling is making sales calls after making preliminary contact. Warm calling works best when it is tied to another form of marketing, such as educational or event marketing. Warm calling can refer back to a marketing piece, a form filled out at a trade show, or any form of previous contact.

Smallbizlady: What is permission based marketing?

Bradford Shimp: Permission marketing is when prospects sign up to receive messages from you. Instead of you interrupting their day with messages they don’t care about, you are invited to speak to them. Permission marketing is about having prospect qualify themselves.

Smallbizlady: How do you get permission from someone to market to them?

Bradford Shimp: You need a complete marketing plan to gain a constant stream of permission. The basic concept is to provide something of value in return for getting permission to market further. Permission can include signing up for a newsletter, coming to an event, or requesting more information.

Smallbizlady: Cold calling brings results, why should I stop?

Bradford Shimp: Cold calling is a numbers game. For every yes, you have 10 or more nos that are closed doors. Using permission marketing, you can keep the conversation open, even with people who aren’t buying right now. By building marketing around conversations and education, you can create a steady stream of leads that will grow virally.

Smallbizlady: Why should businesses make the extra effort to educate customers?

Bradford Shimp: By educating, you set yourself up as the expert. This allows you to set the course of the relationship. Educating allows you to “sell without selling.” Prospects thank you for the info and go to you first to buy. When you create educational marketing, you can re-purpose it in many ways.

Smallbizlady: How can Twitter help businesses avoid cold calling?

Bradford Shimp: Twitter is a great place to communicate, attract fans, and build relationships. Your followers have given you permission to talk to them. Just don’t be all sales talk, all the time. From conversations on Twitter, you can move into a sales process. Twitter opens the door to a ton of prospects. It is your job to attract qualified prospects by providing quality content.

Smallbizlady: Why is building an email list the most important thing businesses should be doing?

Bradford Shimp: An email list built on permission is a group of people who have pre-qualified themselves as real prospects. With regular email, you can build trust with prospects and up sell current customers. An email list is a database of prospects you can dip in to when you need to add sales. Put out a good newsletter and good value for signing up, and your email list will continue to grow. Unlike cold calling, you will be able to communicate 1 to many, but with a much larger trust factor.

Smallbizlady: How can we use events to bring in loads of new customers?

Bradford Shimp: Events allow you to invite prospects to something they will value, without directly selling to them. Make your event specific, and it will attract ideal, pre-qualified, prospects. You can build a huge level of trust quickly by providing a quality event. People will be inclined to buy from you.

Smallbizlady: Should a small business have a blog/email newsletter?

Bradford Shimp: Yes. Providing regular content for customers/prospects has several benefits. It will bring in more traffic to your site and provide visitors with instant value. It will educate prospects and build trust, making them inclined to buy from you and trust you. It will make you better at your business. Creating content on your niche will inevitably make you an expert.

Smallbizlady: What kind of conversations should businesses be having with their customers/prospects?

Bradford Shimp: Conversations should be about much more than making the sale. You should seek to educate, to answer questions, to ask questions. The biggest thing is to build trust and provide endless value.

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 biz subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog  http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com

Comments { 1 }

The Perfect PR Pitch For Your Small Business

By on October 22, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, 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 @PRSarahEvans. Sarah is a public relations and new media strategist at @SevansStrategy.  Sarah has worked extensively in the non-for-profit, higher education and healthcare sectors, focusing on media relations, message management, coalition building, deployment strategies, and organizational change. A self-described social media freak, Sarah is the founder of #journchat and MediaOnTwitter. Her personal mission is to engage and employ the use of emerging technologies in all communication – that connects her with a rapidly growing base of more than 26,000 people. Contact Sarah online at: http://card.ly/prsarahevans


Smallbizlady: How much time should you dedicate to PR for your business?

@PRSarahEvans At least 10% of your time should be spent working on your business. That time should include building relationships with journalists and bloggers, identifying stories your public should know, reputation management, tracking who is talking about you…to name a few. Public relations is more than media relations. Here’s how I define it: Public relations is an ongoing conversation, which builds sustainable relationships between an entity and its publics resulting in change, action or influence

Smallbizlady: What’s the best way to generate traditional media coverage? What about social media?

@PRSarahEvans The best to generate traditional media coverage is to have a good story to tell to the right journalist with the right audience. That means knowing who covers topics appropriate to your business and reading/listening/watching their work. Nothing kills a potential relationship faster than an off-pitch. It’s not all about the press release (more on that later). Social media coverage means blogs, online news publications, content distributors and influencers. Same rules apple.

Smallbizlady: Are press releases still in vogue, does anyone read them?

@PRSarahEvans I host a Monday night chat on Twitter, #journchat, where journalists, bloggers and PR professionals discuss questions like this. Recently we had the New York Times social media editor @NYT_jenpreston who said this in response to the value of press releases, “Honestly? Minimum value.” @JeffJarvis recently told PRs that the press release is dead. However, I work with many local daily print publications who request press releases because of their cutbacks in the newsroom. If you really want to know if a journalist reads a release, ask them. There are other uses for press releases than for pitching stories. I’m the community manager for Pitchengine where we’re changing the way press releases are created, written and distributed–social media release (more on that in a bit).

Smallbizlady: How often should to use press releases as a small business? 

@PRSarahEvans It depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. The press release isn’t your magic cure all pill. Use the basics of “what is newsworthy” to determine whether you should write and distribute a press release: timing, significance, proximity, prominence, human interest. It’s not about how often, rather the quality of what you share.

Smallbizlady: What about social media press releases?

@PRSarahEvans I’m biased and I like the SMR. The social media press release is the first wave in the evolution of the release, there’s more needed to make it a truly great tool. Use the same rules as a traditional release. However, the caveat I offer is in regards to search engine optimization. SMRs are helpful in driving awareness to your site if they’re written and distributed effectively. I wrote a post for Mashable on this topic: 10 ways to make your press release SEO friendly http://bit.ly/GEdLx. 

Smallbizlady: How do you craft a pitch? How much time should you dedicate?

@PRSarahEvans One of the great things about social media is that I research a journalist or blogger’s online presence before a pitch. If they’re on Twitter I might check out what they’ve been talking about in addition to their recent work. It’s nice to add a personal touch–especially if it’s the first time you’re communicating. The research takes time. The pitch takes time. The follow up takes times. Your best bet is to create a small, targeted list of media you reach out to on a regular basis. You’ll put the bulk of your time into the initial contact and build a relationship from there.

Smallbizlady: What are your top 5 pieces of advice for small biz owners doing their own PR?

@PRSarahEvans 1. Develop a small, targeted list of media and bloggers (10-15) you communicate with on a regular basis

2. Engage a group of stakeholders (friends, family, customers) who serve as your third party coalition of supporters. When you have a message or story to share, include them and encourage them to share, too.

3. Use traditional and online media to share your stories

4. ONLINE: Set up Google alerts for you, your business, your competitors to monitor your online mentions. Secure your user name across all social networks, even if you don’t use them (knowem.com). Use a resource like @alltop to aggregate your favorite media outlets so you can easily research trends.

5. Participate in discussions and chats like this to share with one another. It’s good karma.

Smallbizlady: How often should you pitch a particular media source?

@PRSarahEvans It depends on the frequency and reach of the media outlet. If it’s a blog written about one topic with a targeted audience and they recently wrote about you, pitching them the week after is probably not smart.

Smallbizlady: Do you need to have a media reel to get national media coverage?

@PRSarahEvans No. I would however, recommend an online newsroom. A place where journalists and bloggers can easily obtain your logo, photos and headshots, boilerplate, recent releases, bios, etc.

Smallbizlady: What determines a story?

@PRSarahEvans This goes back to the definition of newsworthy. I’d also encourage you to think about a story in this way: if you go home at the end of the day and can’t wait to share something with your significant other, parent, child, it’s probably a story. In fact, when I think about a story I ask myself, “would my mom care about this?”

Smallbizlady: Is PR only generating media coverage?

@PRSarahEvans No way! The larger umbrella of PR is communications and that encompasses a whole host of activities. It can include media relations, community relations, internal and external communications, and legislative affairs (to name a few).

Smallbizlady: What’s the benefit of hiring someone to do PR for my small biz?

@PRSarahEvans Do write your own legal documents? Unless you’re a lawyer, I’m going to guess no. I hired a lawyer and an accountant for my small business because they are the experts. There are some things small business owners can do on a PR front, but in reality do not have the time to conduct full PR outreach.

Smallbizlady: What are ways to use social media to further a story?

@PRSarahEvans 1. Write a blog post. This can be for your blog or as a guest post.

2. Check out CNN iReport to see if there’s an appropriate segment for your story.

3. Share information on social networks.

4. Use a social media release.

5. Include bloggers and online influencers in your media database.

Here are 5 case studies of small businesses successfully using Social Media http://ow.ly/vJW2

Great information on social media press releases: http://budurl.com/SMReleases

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 biz subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog  http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com

Comments { 5 }

The New Rules About Blogging for Money

By on October 12, 2009 in Grow Your Business, Mompreneurs, Social Media, Solopreneurs, Women in Business, Your Small Business
justia

Lady Justice

As of December 1, 2009 the Federal Trade Commission is going to require Bloggers, Podcasters and video producers – any producer of consumer-generated content online to disclose any paid endorsements to their followers and audience they communicate with online. These new rules have the potential to change everyone’s online habits. Here’s what you need to know:

If you receive even a small fee in exchange for reviewing a particular product or writing a blog post about it – this new ruling applies to you. Under the FTC’s new rules, all bloggers who blog for dollars will have to disclose that they are receiving a fee for their blog post.  In addition, bloggers will also need to disclose any gifts they receive such as books, product samples or even toothpaste.  All merchandise now counts as compensation.

Many bloggers already disclose when they are being paid for reviews, but this could get tricky for some blogs who use sponsors, and particularly for some corporations such as Walmart, Office Max etc. who use mom bloggers to target women customers.  It will be interesting to see how these relationships will change.  

Transparency is what you need to have in social media anyway, but now it’s on another level.   Prominent users of social networks such as Twitter will need to pay attention to the FTC’s new rules.  If you want to give a business some praise – do it, but if you work there, you need to tell people.  If you want to get on Twitter and talk about how great a new book or product is…make sure people know it’s your product or that you are the author. 

When commenting on blogs and in forums, please do not pretend to be someone else particularly if you are leaving a negative comment.  If you post comments in an online forum that undercuts your competitor without making it clear who you are, you have broken the rules.

The FTC is not trying to fine mombloggers!  Repeat offenders may end up being punished, but the new regulations are really just trying to regulate how advertisers pay for endorsements and reviews.

So Blogger Beware!

What you do think about the new FTC regulations? Should you really have to disclose a free book?

Additional resources on the new FTC regulations:

http://www.whitneyhoffman.com/2009/10/06/the-new-ftc-guidelines-on-endorsements-by-bloggers/

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/business/media/06adco.html

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.

Comments { 7 }

How to Take Your Blog to the Next Level

By on October 8, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, 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 Anita Campbell @smallbiztrends. The editor and chief contributor of http://www.smallbiztrends.com, one of the most widely read small business blogs on the internet.  Her company, Small Business Trends LLC, is a media and information company. In that role she closely follows trends in the small business market and trends in technology. Her popular website won the Forbes “Best of the Web” distinction for small business blogs in 2005 and again in 2008.

Smallbizlady:  How long has Small Business Trends been around?

Anita Campbell–It’s been around for six years. I started out on Blogger at a blogspot address for first few years. Then moved to my own domain and WordPress. That was my first jump to a new level. If you are still on the Blogger platform and dream big, I suggest moving to WordPress. You will need its expanded features. Remember, also, that perseverance is a key to success. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Every blog starts small with just a few readers.

Smillbizlady:  How has blogging changed in the last 6 years?

Anita Campbell–In one sense it is still the same. But it has matured. Used to see a lot of shorter posts just dropping links to media articles. Now I think the bar is higher and you must have something original to say.  People now point out interesting links at Twitter instead. There’s lots more competition now, too.  Many more blogs.  The need for a narrow niche is important today.  There’s always room for good blogs, though.

Smallbizlady:  The niche target market is so important in any small business venture. Why is the blog niche so important?

Anita Campbell–There are millions of blogs today. Many topics are saturated. It’s harder to stand out. A niche is one way to stand out.  Your audience might be smaller, but you have the advantage of uniqueness.

Smallbizlady:  What’s the #1 thing you should do to get your blog to the next level?

Anita Campbell–Think about your blog as a product. You are the manufacturer and distributor of that product. This gives you purpose and structure. Makes it easier to know what to do. It makes the process of creating content much easier.  No waking up and wondering “what do I write about today?” Instead, it’s like a magazine – a clear concept. Problogger has a brilliant piece where he dissects a magazine as a way to shape a content plan.

You can find it in his e-book “31 Days to Build a Better Blog” (not free – but worth the modest price). Thinking of your blog as a magazine helps you set goals and stay on track.

Smallbizlady:  Do you recommend having a marketing plan?

Anita Campbell–Yes! You should have the typical elements of a marketing plan in it. Clear target market.  Unique selling proposition of your blog. Online marketing building blocks: SEO; email marketing; social media marketing. For an easy starting place, create plan for marketing a single blog post. Read Problogger’s post – how to get your post read by more than mom: http://adjix.com/uwkv  After learning how to promote single posts, work your way up to a marketing plan for the blog overall.

Smallbizlady:  Should you plan an editorial calendar for your blog?

AnitaCampbell–An editorial calendar will help you be more organized and make sure you stay on point.  Strive for a general sense of what you publish when – but not too rigid.  Allow yourself some flexibility.

Smallbizlady:  What is the biggest mistake to getting to the next level with your blog?

AnitaCampbell–First mistake: trying to monetize a blog too soon. Not enough focus on your audience.  You need to build an audience who clamors for your content.  Focus on serving readers first. You are not likely to make any money from ads in the first 6 months — So why distract yourself?   

Second mistake is not blogging enough. Most of the big name blogs post a MINIMUM of once a day. Your growth will be limited by how frequently you post.  Here’s analogy:  what if you developed a product, and only shipped it out now and then?  When you “had time”?  Would you expect that product to become a big seller?

Smallbizlady:  Can a part-time blog be successful?

AnitaCampbell–I’m not saying you can’t benefit from a blog with 1 post a week. Just that the blog’s growth will be limited. You may be OK with a part-time blog – there’s not a thing wrong with that. Perhaps you have a full-time business and your blog is there solely to market the business. If so, be proud! But adjust your expectations — traffic will be modest. You will need to work at your blog full-time if you expect to become a popular end destination.

Smallbizlady:  What about other mistakes preventing you from getting to the next level?

AnitaCampbell–Another blogging mistake is inconsistency.  Inconsistency in how often you post.  Inconsistency in your topics, sometimes getting off topic. Readers like consistency. Your readers want to know what to expect. Example: that you write about email marketing and they can get email tips at your blog.  But if one day you write about your dog, and the next email marketing – don’t be surprised if readers are confused.

Read “Why They’re a Successful Blogger and You’re Not”: http://adjix.com/zvcx

Smallbizlady:  What about guest bloggers?

AnitaCampbell–Guest bloggers are good.  Readers like to hear different voices. Vet your guest posters carefully. Your voice and what makes your blog unique can get diluted if you are not careful. Don’t make mistake of thinking guest bloggers are freelance writers, either. Think of them like Op Ed contributors to a newspaper Editorial page.

But they are not newspaper reporters.  Don’t expect them to be your workforce & only source of content. 

Smallbizlady: How to do become a paid guest blogger for a corporate blog?

AnitaCampbell–Consistent top notch writing.  Having something worthwhile to say in a conversational tone.  Face it — large sites can afford to pay freelance writers. And there are plenty of laid off journalists. You must offer something different, such as an edgy tone or unique perspective or a well-developed reputation.

They also will want you to “bring your audience with you.”  Get good at promoting your articles.  Then you become more interesting to such sites.

Smallbizlady:  How important is it to tie-in current events to your blog posts?

AnitaCampbell–Two schools of thought on current events.  One school says “yes, current events make you relevant.”  Another school says “stick with evergreen content.”  No surprise, then, that mixing both types of content has merit. 

If you found this interview helpful, subscribe to smallbiztrends and 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

Comments { 2 }

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.

Comments { 12 }

Developing a Blog vs. Website Strategy

By on September 28, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, How to Start, Social Media, Your Small Business
Blog vs. Website in Business

Blog vs. Website in Business

This is the second of a three part series on blogging for business. It is such an essential issue for small businesses today that I felt it important to dedicate some real time to the topic.  The first article focused on building a small business blog. Today’s piece investigates the decision to have a separate website verses using a blog as your website. 

It used to be that all you had to worry about was having a website, now you need a blog and a complete social media footprint to go along with it to reflect the many ways that your customers are using the internet.  Whether you have a professional services business, a brick-and-mortar retail establishment or an online business.  Your business needs a website as the anchor of your online marketing!   All websites should include a static home page that has been designed and written to clearly explain what you have on offer to people who visit your site.  The question then becomes what kind of website do you need?

One of the most common questions I get about building an online brand is whether a small business should:

a)     Have a website and a separate blog

b)     Have a blog as the company website

c)     Import a blog into an existing website. 

I polled my @smallbizlady followers on http://www.twitter.com/ for advice on this:  Here’s what a few had to say:

“With the right web team, you can power the blog within the website using WordPress.”

 ”Unless one can add value and maintain a blog long-term, I suggest just developing a website and importing dynamic content like Twitter feeds.”

“If your goal is heavy on the commercial side then go with a web site. If you want to create a community, go with a blog.” 

Let’s define the basic business website terms:  A blog is an online journal written by one person, or a team of staff people focused on a particular area of interest.  Blogs are typically written in a conversational style and updated 2-3 times a week minimum.   Search engines love blogs because of the fresh content.  If possible, it’s best to have the blog as part of your website.  Then, the fresh content on the blog attracts the search engines to your entire website.

Blog-based websites are cost effective, search engine friendly and can have both static information (like a traditional website) and dynamic information by way of blog posts.  It is also very easy to update a blog without hiring a web designer every time you make a change. Cathy Larkin of  WebSavvyPR.com says, “Blog posts are a way for service businesses to build trust in their brand. A blog, done well, gives you and your staff a way to showcase your expertise in a way that makes people think of you when it comes time to buy.”

A website is a collection of related web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that are available under a specific domain name on the World Wide Web. Websites are essentially online brochures designed to provide information, build a contact list, make money, and raise awareness of a small business. Information on a traditional website typically does not change very often.  The static information on a typical website includes 5-7 pages: home page, about us, contact us, services/products, in the news, and an online store.

If you are just getting started, a self-hosted blog is the best option to help promote your business online.  If you are starting from scratch, I suggest using WordPress.org, with your own hosting package.  What I like about WordPress is that is designed to have both static pages and blog pages.  Go for a hosting company that has a one button install for WordPress.org blogs.  Customizing a WordPress blog can be tricky, but once its rolling along it’s pretty much maintenance-free.   

If you already have a website, adding a blog section to it can be a way to update your online presence, and bring more traffic to your existing site. It’s best to have the blog as part of your website, but this isn’t always possible.  “You may have started a blog a long time ago on a free hosted site such as blogger or typepad and may not want to go through what it takes to transfer a hosted blog to your website.  In this case, you should link your blog from your website (and vice versa) and add frequent new content to your website, such as articles, white papers and special reports to provide fresh content on the website,” says internet marketing consultant, Phyllis Zimbler Miller, Millermosaicllc.com.  The only downside is you will need to engage a professional web designer to upgrade your website to import your blog, and add the additional content unless you learn to do it yourself.

When would you use a blog and website separately? If your blog is targeted to a very specific niche market and your website is targeted to a larger market, two sites make sense.  Some advocate creating a completely separate blog and stand alone website if you are an infopreneur. This works for authors, coaches, professional speakers etc. (a micro-site designed to sell each book, for example).  I use Melindaemerson.com and Succeedasyourownboss.com.

To get up and running quickly, I advocate hiring someone to help you set up your blog. You will have an expert to help you build the most professional presentation, create a branded banner, customize your blog with a theme, and show you the ropes.

No matter what method you decide to go with, it is very important to have a static home page on website and/or blog where what you offer is clear the moment someone lands on your page.  The headline, banner graphic, and the text all work together to keep that unique visitor on your site.

Next week, the final part of the blogging for business series: 10 Ways To Get Your Blog To Shine.

Part 1 http://succeedasyourownboss.com/09/2009/how-to-build-a-small-business-blog/

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 Start a Business that Works! is scheduled to be released by Adams Media in early 2010.

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

Comments { 11 }

How to Stop Wasting Time With Your Social Media

By on September 24, 2009 in SmallBizChat, Social Media, Women in Business

Each week as Smallbizlady, I conduct interviews with small business experts on my weekly Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. This is excerpted from my #SmallBizChat interview @Lenawest, Lena is a social media locksmith who helps dynamic women business owners untangle “social media spaghetti.” She makes social media easy-to-use, manageable and worthwhile. She also a columnist and blogger for Entrepreneur Magazine and Fast Company. For more information her website http://www.xynoMedia.com

Smallbizlady: Why does social media become such a black hole of time for so many people?

Lena West: Because for the most part, it’s easy to use. Notice I didn’t say easy to use effectively, I said, easy to use. And, the tools are mostly intuitive. Click here, type that, etc. And, people mistakenly equate easy-to-use with knowing what and why to do something and then it’s all downhill from there. It’s hour after hour of trying to get it right — to no avail.

Smallbizlady: Why is the source of where business owners get their social media information so critical to success with social media?

Lena West: Because everyone has an agenda. And, I don’t mean that in a bad way. I have an agenda, too. I am passionate about helping women CEO’s. So every word out of my mouth is going to be in favor of them and my agenda is to help them remove the “craziness” from social media and start using it as a marketing tool that gets results.  So, women CEO’s need to know where they’re getting their information. Is it from someone who’s just learning what it means to be a business owner or is it from a 12-year business veteran like myself?Understand to whom you’re listening and make sure you’re on their agenda. 

Smallbizlady: You talk a lot about people tapping into a “why” when they are using social media to market their businesses, how does that help them save time? 

Lena West: Once you figure out what your company needs to get from the blogosphere, you can figure out how and what to contribute. It’s like being in a relationship with a guy. You can’t figure out what you want from him until you figure out where you’re going in life overall. Otherwise you’re just hanging around watching each other breathe and there’s no way that’s productive.

Smallbizlady: Social media has its own vocabulary, is it important for entrepreneurs to understand the lingo – even minimally?

Lena West: Absolutely, it is. Anyone who knows me knows that I do NOT believe women CEO’s should spend all their time thinking about and learning social media “stuff”. But, just like you need to know how to read a profit and loss statment without being a CPA and sniff out a crappy contract without being a lawyer — you need to understand the basics of social media. And, if you don’t know, ASK. Educate yourself so people can’t give you the ear hustle about social media, even if they try.

Smallbizlady: How can business owners resist the urge to join everything and accept everybody?

Lena West:  They can treat it like they do everything else — have rules. Whether we know it or want to admit it or not, we all have rules. Rules for how we allow people to speak to us. Rules for how we allow people to treat us. Same deal with social media and social networking. You need to have rules. I get invites to join other social networks all the time, but I ignore them. I know where my market is and that’s what I care about. What do I care if my friends are on some other social network? My market’s on Facebook and so that’s where I put my energy. It’s OK to delete and ignore requests that don’t meet your business needs.  

Smallbizlady: What’s the quickest, most effective way for CEOs to evaluate social media consultants?

Lena West:  I’ve met so many “so called” social media consultants. They have glossy websites and you have a conversation with them and they’re managing PPC campaigns or running website stats. Those are all honorable jobs, but if you’re a social media consultant, don’t you think you should be working with social media tools? The bottom line is this: unless someone makes the lion’s share of their livelihood providing social media services to clients, they’re a hobbyist. If they’re not writing and PAID to speak about social media topics, they’re a hobbyist. Again, know your information sources!

Smallbizlady: How can we make sure that we’re being effective with our social media work – what metrics should we measure, etc?

Lena West: This greatly depends on the business owner’s goal. If you are using social media to learn more about your market, then you should be measuring how your products and services are resonating with your market (one way to do this by asking and keeping track of the answers you get). If you’re measuring blog post comments or some other metric, you’re not connecting the metric back to your original goal.

Smallbizlady: Many business owners now have less staff and thus less time for marketing, What is your Social Media Auto Pilot Program?

Lena West: This is a program that I’m really proud of. Women Business Owners love it. They get to work with me to figure out the big picture and then our team of VA’s execute the day-to-day details. Many of our clients don’t have the time, interest or inclination to get deeply involved with social media and so based on a proprietary process we’ve developed we do everything for them yet 100% of the content comes from THEM, not us. Clients love it. You can read more about it here: http://ow.ly/pSjU

Smallbizlady: What do you think is next for social media?

Lena West: What’s immediately next is more adoption and understanding — and WAY more women CEO’s releasing the fear and confusion energy surrounding social media, getting the expert help they need and stepping up to claim what was ALWAYS ours — word of mouth.

Smallbizlady: How should people approach social media?

Lena West: I place a HUGE amount of importance on personal responsibility. I believe that you should do what you say and mean what you say. I’m not perfect, but I strive for excellence. And, I believe that social media, by virtue of the medium, is making more people accountable. If you’re not who you say you are in this day and age, you’re in for it. I LOVE LOVE that!

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

Comments { 0 }

Global Creative Economy Summit 2009

By on September 22, 2009 in My Recommendations, Social Media

See Melinda Emerson Live at the Global Creative Economy Summit

Oct 5-6, 2009 Philadelphia Convention Center 

Only two weeks to register for GCECS 2009!

I will be among 150 speakers discussing topics including innovative technologies such as animation, gaming, design, social media, and business solutions software; to the resources that support creative entrepreneurial development ; to the 21st century workforce skills needed to fuel the creative economy; to the convergence of technologies and innovation that will drive sustainability in our communities and in the world.

Visit www.gcecs2009.com for more information about the program, speakers, the $75 No Frills registration package, and free events.

Comments { 0 }

How To Build A Small Business Blog

By on September 21, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, How to Start, Social Media
building a business blog

Building a business blog.

This is a first of a three part series on blogging for business. It is such an important issue for small businesses today that I felt it important to dedicate some real time to the topic. The series will focus on getting started at blogging, the decision to have a blog and a website or just a blog, and 10 tips to get your blog noticed.

Great blogs stand out because the writer knows who their reader is and has great content.   Getting your blog noticed takes strategy – planning, marketing know-how and good writing skills.  You can use pay-per click advertising to get your brand known, but developing a successful blog is really the best way to get noticed on the web.

Let’s look at some of the basics of creating a small business blog:

Know who you are talking to.  Don’t create a blog for you– create a blog for your readers and potential clients.  You should not write a single word on a blog until you have researched your target audience and conducted a trends analysis on that audience. It’s not hard, just do it.   Know who they are and what they need to know.  Christina Katz, author of Get Known Before the Book Deal says you need to identify your niche market, and then break down your target into several submarkets. Then use your blog as a service to your target markets.

Create an editorial calendar.  I am a former TV producer, so old habits die hard.  It’s important to build an editorial calendar to keep track of your content.  It will also help you brainstorm topics in advance.  Read articles and blogs in your industry to get ideas. Sometimes I read articles, and just a sentence from it can seed an idea for a blog post.  Avoid boring your readers to death with the same song, come at a subject from a different angle.  A well-kept calendar will also keep your blog sharp, timely, and informative.

Start developing content 3-6 months before you start blogging.  Good blogs have good content.  Take the time to write well to make sure your content is excellent.  Also, there will be days that you just do not have time to write.  It’s best to develop a mini archive of articles that you can use as blog posts when you do not have the time to write a fresh piece.  It is always good to get a timely piece that can tie-in a current event, but do yourself a favor – plan ahead. 

Determine your blog strategy.  Determine your blog publishing schedule.  The key is to remain as consistent as possible.  Some people post no more than two-to-three posts a week, but there are bloggers that put out new posts everyday. I post twice a week on Mondays and Thursdays.  While there is no specific formula for how many times a week you should post, just remember that readers appreciate consistency.

Choose the right blog platform.  There are so many choices out there to establish your blog.  WordPress.org has a huge community, with many support resources including featured plug-ins and many customization options.  You may need some help with set-up, but after that, posting is an easy process.  My blog is a customized WordPress blog.  If you don’t want to buy a domain name and hosting package WordPress.com, Typepad.com and Blogger.com might be just what you need.  If you are doing business, I suggest spending the $150.00 and personally branding your blog site.

Develop a picture library.  Adding an image to your blog posts adds a huge amount of depth to your blog.  Ahead of time, pull images that might work for your blog posts.  There are free sites such as www.Photobucket.com, www.openphoto.net, www.unprofound.com  You can also use www.Flickr.com, but use the advanced search page and check “only search within Creative Commons-licensed content” to avoid copyright issues.  There are also low cost photo sites such as www.istockphoto.com.  Pulling pictures can be time consuming, so if you start out with a library of 50 or so, you’ll save time in the long run. 

Write great headlines. Your headline can make or break your post, so choose your words carefully. It helps to think about what your reader would type into a search engine to find your information.  Use active voice and as few words as possible.  Throwing in key words is good too.  You can also use lists, numbers, how-tos, compelling questions, and famous names to draw people in.  It doesn’t matter how good your blog content is if no one will click on the link to read it.  Would you read an article titled “Growing Your Online Marketing through Blogging” or one titled “Blogging for Business”?  If you’re struggling with headlines, look at a few popular blogs to see how they do it. 

With these tips, you’ll speak to your target audience and attract a wealth of new readers. If any of these points sound difficult or time consuming, remember, you don’t have to do it all alone.  Get help from a social media coach or marketing consultant that can help you build your blog and position yourself as an industry expert in no time.

Did I miss any tips? Leave me a comment and let me know your secrets to blogging success.  

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 Start a Business that Works! is scheduled to be released by Adams Media in early 2010.

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

Comments { 5 }

Develop Webinars to Grow Your Business

By on September 17, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, 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 Roger Courville @1080group He is known as “The Virtual Presenter.” Roger is a sought-after speaker on how to improve productivity using live webinar presentations.  Roger’s company 1080 Group, LLC, is an independent training firm that helps companies learn and optimize online presentations and Webinars For more information log on to www.thevirtualpresenter.com Roger is author of The Virtual Presenter’s Handbook. Contact Roger at roger@1080group.com

SmallBizLady:   What is a webinar?

Roger Courville:  A webinar is a web-based seminar. It is a live presentation that brings presenters and audiences together from any place in the world.  Participants view the presentation via a web browser while listening to the presenter via a telephone conference call or over the computer speakers.  If your content can be shown on a computer, it is a good candidate for a webinar.

SmallBizLady:   What are webinars used for?

Roger Courville:  You can use a webinar for – lead generation, customer training, product demonstrations, etc.  The key is you must know what your call to action is and what questions to ask to help you build and advance a pipeline.

SmallBizLady:  How can a small biz owner use webinars to boost sales? 

Roger Courville Hosting a webinar is great for capturing data to building your list.  You can capture data via registration, polls, and surveys that help you avoid missing follow-up opportunities.  Combined with registration data or exit surveys, this can be powerful for building a business. 

Smallbizlady:  What are the top 5 mistakes people make with webinars?

Roger Courville Assuming people are paying attention.  A recent survey suggests 88% of attendees are multi-tasking.  Create an experience or become background noise.

Not using dialogue or asking for participation.  The presentation still might be mostly you speaking, but you wouldn’t stand in front of 20 people in-person and never ask or answer a question, would you?  Don’t wait until the end of webinar, either.  Don’t present at people.  Communicate with them.

Death by PowerPoint.  Webinars increase the importance of having visually engaging slides.  You need to engage visually or you’ll get tuned out.  The audience isn’t captive.

Poor voice quality.  I recently conducted a study on webinar presentation best practices, and out of seventeen success factors, audiences chose “quality of the speaker’s voice or delivery” second only to “user friendly webinar solution.”  Not everyone was born with a radio voice, but everyone can use what he/she has with passion and inflection.  Remember to enunciate, and remember that what sounds exaggerated to you doesn’t sound exaggerated to your audience.

No prep or rehearsal.  Most people over-estimate their ability to “wing it.”  You’re a professional businessperson, be a professional presenter.  And professionals rehearse.

Smallbizlady:  How can you get people to attend your webinar?

Roger Courville Present a topic of value, and people will attend.  More important, if it’s quite valuable to them, they’re more likely to engage.  Multi-tasking is high in webinars.  Shut off the sales-speak or they’ll ‘change the channel.’ 

Smallbizlady:  What is the best day and time for webinars?

Roger Courville The best day and time to host a webinar is the day and time your audience is most likely to attend.  If you were to schedule a meeting with them, what do you think would be the tme in their week they’d be most likely open? The most common days/times are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays between 9am and 2pm local time.  That said, I’ve seen fabulously-attended webinars at odd times or right before holidays. 

Smallbizlady:  How long should a webinar be? 

Roger Courville For most presentations, unless you’re utterly awesome, keep it to less than an hour.  Training webinars are the one exception, but even there, the trend is to “chunk” content and distribute them over time rather than try to tackle too much in one session. 

Smallbizlady:  How frequently should I interact with people during a webinar?

Roger Courville Think about how frequently you’d interact in-person and make it a point to do it more frequently online. You’ll never command 100% attention, but make it a point to learn how to connect with them naturally.

Smallbizlady: Should I make recordings of my webinars?

Roger Courville I think you should always make recordings.  They’re simple to make, and they’re great backup.  Offering the recordings can be a great tool to generate additional leads, and share with someone who wanted to attend the live webinar but couldn’t.  Be sure to think through what parts of your sales process need to be live via a webinar versus what can have impact as a recording.

Keep in mind, recordings can be an awful way to deliver mission-critical messages.  Recordings don’t engage like live dialogue, and if the content is important, consider whether or not it will be effectively consumed in a recording. 

Smallbizlady:  Can I charge for webinars?

Roger Courville Absolutely.  Just like you can charge for content that is valuable that is distributed in any other medium.  Even if your webinar is free ask yourself “What would they pay for?”  Plan content that someone finds valuable, and then if it’s free there is just that much more incentive for them to register and attend.

Smallbizlady:  Can a webinar be a direct sales pitch?

Roger Courville Yes – if you’ve promoted it honestly.  Clarity in the promotional and registration page content is key.  Don’t try to boost attendance by pitching one thing and then slipping in a sales pitch. 

Alternatively, if invitees know what they’re showing up for, a direct presentation of your product or service, a webinar can be a great way to connect with people – and gather valuable feedback to advance the sales process.

Smallbizlady:  What do webinar attendees hate the most?

Roger Courville Presenters who read slides or scripts.  I know when I’m in the audience and this happens, I always want to ask, “Why didn’t you just give me a document and save us both some time?”

Content that is not as advertised.  We spoke about this already, but let me put an exclamation point behind it:  trust is the new currency of trade.  Don’t risk your brand to get a few extra attendees.

Presenters that drift off-topic.  Remember that they’re giving up something more valuable than money – their time.  Respect that by delivering what you promised.

Smallbizlady:  Name some top webinar software solutions?

Roger Courville The top players are Webex, Adobe Connect,DimDim Citrix Online, MSFT LiveMeeting, but there are 200 players – many good ones.

My recommendation is to think “easy to use,” “capturing valuable data,” and “easy to make recordings” as you shop around for a service to use.

It’s important to think about what you want to accomplish.  Free is free for a reason:  don’t save 30 bucks on a webinar solution and waste hours doing extra production or missing valuable data that could help you close sales.

Smallbizlady:  What about video?

Roger Courville Video is a valuable tool when it’s the right tool for the job.  Much of the time, however, I find clients want to use video to compensate for bad slides or a slow-moving presentation.  Remember that any additional technological “ask” of your audience means you have that much more chance of an attendee having a poor experience.  I recommend using video only if it’s critical to what you need to show, but often it’s not. 

Smallbizlady:   Why should a business owner consider conducting webinars?

Presenting in a webinar changes the focus of your audience.  How you use your voice and how well you prepare your slides increases in importance.

I’ll never advocate replacing all face-to-face talks, but I do believe that any business owner who doesn’t expand their bag of tricks is missing out on new opportunities.

Smallbizlady:   How can you turn a teleseminar into a mini-webinar?

This will appear like an ad hoc presentation, but it’s really a sales tactic.   To turn a phone call into a webinar opportunity ask you audience “Can I show you something in the next eight minutes?” at the push of a button. It a great way to  shorten the sales cycle by making tomorrow’s appointment today’s presentation.

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

Comments { 0 }

How to Start a Business In This Economy

By on August 6, 2009 in How to Start, SmallBizChat, Social Media

From time to time as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts that could benefit my audience. This is excerpts from my #SmallBizChat interview on Twitter with Mike Michalowicz aka Toilet Paper Entrepreneur @TPEntrepreneur. Mike Michalowicz has a driving passion for entrepreneurialism. Michalowicz wrote The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur with the sole purpose of giving first time entrepreneurs the information they need to grow their concepts into industry leaders.  Michalowicz has successfully launched three multimillion-dollar companies.  His most recent venture, Obsidian Launch LLC, partners exclusively with first-time entrepreneurs, to launch their ideas into niche industry leaders.

Smallbizlady: Why is this a great time to start a business?

Mike Michalowicz: When the economy slows down, two things happen.  Established businesses that are weak close up, and new businesses that were going to start get put on hold.  In this economy there is way less competition.  If you start now it will be hard (just like it is in a great economy), but you will have the advantage as the economy recovers since you will have momentum going in when others are just starting.

Smallbizlady: What is the first thing someone who wants to start a business needs to consider?

Mike Michalowicz: You MUST consider what you love to do. Your passion.  Since if you do your passion, you will likely stick with it during the lean years, and you will naturally excel at it because it is your passion.

Smallbizlady: Where is the funding coming from to start a business right now?

Mike Michalowicz: Funding is coming out of the entrepreneurs own pocket.  Even hedge funds are starting to push more and more entrepreneurs to practically go on welfare before the fund adds any money.  The great irony is that if you use only your own money, you typically will do better since it forces better decision making and more out of the box thinking.

Smallbizlady: Are there certain industries that make more sense to pursue as a business in this economy?

Mike Michalowicz: Self help always booms in a down economy.  Any business that helps others become more self-reliant is a good thing.  Another great sector is “micro-luxuries”… these replace the big ticket luxuries like vacations and the new car.  A perfect example of a booming micro luxury is alcohol.  Instead of going on vacation, people take many “mini-vacations” with a bottle of wine!

Smallbizlady: Do you need a business plan to start a business?

Mike Michalowicz: No. In fact they often are big dust collectors. To start and BUILD a business you need a dynamic planning strategy. Something that adjusts with all the craziness that goes on.  The best dynamic planning strategy is the 3-sheet method (which I detail in The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur fully).

Smallbizlady: How do you develop a Unique Selling Position or secret sauce as I like to say?

Mike Michalowicz: The fastest way is by asking “what sucks about my industry?”  When you discover the stuff that sucks, your job is to make it “un-suck”.  That becomes a very unique selling position, and customers will flock to you.

Smallbizlady: Is it best to start an internet business right now?

Mike Michalowicz: I would argue every business is an internet business.  Since we all have a presence on line, and if you don’t you are being left behind.  So, hell yes, it is good to have an internet business right now… but it must compliment your passion.

Smallbizlady: Where should you look for your first clients?

Mike Michalowicz: That is a hard one, since every business is different. But the general answer is to go where they already are.  For example if you sell to baseball fans, don’t go to the local chamber of commerce… go to the ball park.

Smallbizlady: Can you give three low-cost marketing suggestions for start-up businesses?

Mike Michalowicz: Blogging is amazingly powerful and effective marketing. The key is sticking with it.  Another is speaking engagements.  If you do it well, you get paid to speak to a group and at the end they are will want to buy from you, too.  Collaboration.  Find complimentary vendors and make partnering deals. They may have the audience and you have the goods. Can be a win all around.

Smallbizlady: Can you list a few resources that a first time entrepreneur should read before starting a business?

Mike Michalowicz: Definitely read The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur, and I am not just saying that.  Also read E-myth to get you in the right mindset to scale the business and read Purple Cow to get to the marketing mindset.

Smallbizlady: How important is social media to a start-up business?

Mike Michalowicz: It is a powerful tool, but it isn’t critical. What is critical is consistently getting the word out.  If you only did it through face to face networking, that is in fact ok…. you just need to do a lot of it and build strong relationships.  If you just do social networking, make no mistake, you need to do just as much, if not MORE than face to face networking, but you can reach out to a lot more people a lot faster.

Smallbizlady: Can you give suggestions for maintaining work/life balance as an entrepreneur?

Mike Michalowicz:   There is no such thing.  Being an entrepreneur is your life.  And it is impossible to separate the two. So instead of trying to bring balance, I encourage you to blend them. I have my family come to my office, my children will work here at times and my wife too.  When it is slow at work, I will head home right away…. Because when work needs me I will head there right away!

If you found this interview helpful, join me on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET for @SmallBizChat on Twitter.  Here’s the link for how to participate: http://succeedasyourownboss.com/07/2009/how-to-participate-in-smallbizchat/

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

Comments { 2 }

25 Small Business Experts to Follow on Twitter

By on July 27, 2009 in Social Media, Women in Business

Social media is a powerful tool for would-be and existing small business owners. I have used Twitter often to reach out to people that I would never be able to reach otherwise. Now I am sharing my top list of professionals on Twitter, who I believe have real value, and are generous with their expertise.

If you’re serious about starting your own business, you’ll need first-hand advice from successful entrepreneurs.  Twitter is a great resource for making contact and learning critical business information, from small business experts, branding professionals and finance experts, so check out our list of 25 small business experts you should follow and learn from on Twitter.

1.      @smallbiztrends: Anita Campbell is one of the top smallbiz experts as CEO of a Smallbiztrends.com an online community with business blog posts, marketing news, and industry trends.

2. @kgreenstreet Karyn Greenstreet is a business coach and mastermind group expert.

3.      @mashable: Pete Cashmore is the CEO at Mashable who frequently tweets really useful articles about business tools and technology.

4.      @zimblermiller is a social media strategist and branding coach.

5.      @chrisbrogan: teaches people how to use social media to grow  your small business.

6. @richelleshaw: small business expert for women

7. @sidehustlecoach: Lawrence McClutchen help you transition from moonlighting to fulltime entrepreneur

8. @Typeamom: is a great social media strategist, momblogger and expert work at home mom.

9. @Merylkevans: is known as the content maven and professional blogger since 2000.

10.  @copyblogger: Brian Clark is writer turned professional blogger.  He’s great on having freelance success.

11.  @cathywebsavvyPR: She’s a pro at social media strategy, web marketing, PR and more.

12.  @FranchiseKing: Joel Libava is a marketing and business consultant.

13.  @smallbiztweets: Alex Bellinger’s small business podcast is full of information for entrepreneurs.

14.  @dmscott: David Meerman Scott has written ground breaking books including The New Rules of Marketing & PR and World Wide Rave.

15.  @problogger: Darren Rowse teaches how to use Twitter and blogging to grow your business

16.  @deniseoberry: Denise O’Berry of justforsmallbusiness.com is author of cash flow management

17.  @getresults John Reddish is the succession planner, he helps you plan what comes next.

18.  @DIYMarketers: Learn Do It Yourself marketing tips from Ivana Taylor.

19. @taigoodwin The career makeover coach help you develop your entrepreneurial mindset as you transition for worker to business owner.

20.  @startupprincess: Kelly King Anderson helps women entrepreneurs grow their businesses.

21.  @shelisrael: Shel Israel has written books like Twitterville: How Businesses Can Survive in the New Global Neighborhoods.

22.  @StefanW: Great links to articles about starting a business, managing your money, using budget-friendly marketing techniques, etc.

23.  @lenawest: Social media maven and successful entrepreneur

24.  @absolutelytrue: This entrepreneurial mom shares tips for web design, content development, and more.

25. @TPEntrepreneur Mike Michalowicz, “Mr. TPE” gives great advice for first time entrepreneurs.

If this list has helped you, please Tweet it and help spread the word on what I am all about at www.succeedasyourownboss.com

Comments { 4 }

Podcasting for Your Small Business

By on July 23, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, SmallBizChat, Social Media

From time to time as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with small business experts that could benefit my audience. This is excerpts from my #smallbizchat interview on Twitter with @podcaststeve.

Steven L. Lubetkin, operates Professional Podcasts LLC, an award-winning producer of radio, TV and other multimedia content distributed over the Internet as podcasts. Steve is a Senior Fellow of the Society for New Communications Research, a global think tank for advanced study of new communications tools, technologies and emerging modes of communication, and their effect on traditional media, professional communications, business, culture and society.  He contributes to AllVoices.com and NowPublic.com.

Steve published an article on podcasting in Bank Marketing Magazine. The download is available at http://www.lubetkin.net/docs/ABABankMktg-Podcasting.pdf

Smallbizlady: What is a podcast?

Steve Lubetkin:  A podcast is just an audio file distributed via the internet. People can download to mp3 players or onto a CD and play in car, while working out etc.

Smallbizlady: Why should small businesses do podcasts?

Steve Lubetkin: No one under 35 reads newspapers or looks at ads. You need to be high up in Google search. Podcasts help a lot!

Smallbizlady:  Is it expensive to produce podcasts?

Steve Lubetkin: No. You can do it yourself, although it should sound professional. All you need digital audio recorder and a computer. There’s good free software to edit.

Smallbizlady: What recording devices do you suggest?

Steve Lubetkin:  Check out BSWAudio www.bswusa.com for recorders. Olympus makes several under $150

Smallbizlady: What free software programs should you use to create and edit podcasts?

Steve Lubetkin: A good free recording/editing software is Audicity.  It is available for Mac and PC. Garageband is another MAC option. If you do not have a recording device, use can Skype to record an interview over the free internet phone service using the software Pamela (a free software program) on your computer.

Smallbizlady: Shouldn’t it sound like I’m not a professional?

Steve Lubetkin: Absolutely NOT! See top 100 podcasts in iTunes. They are mostly professionally produced. People prefer good quality pods. Don’t scrimp.

Smallbizlady: What should podcast include?

Steve Lubetkin: Don’t do a commercial. Be real, talk about your expertise in interview format, try not lecture! Small businesses should use to show they are experts and have solutions for clients. Anything you could hear on radio or see on TV you can do in a podcast. It’s your own radio or TV station. Be creative!

Smallbizlady: What are good resources for learning how to produce podcasts?

Steve Lubetkin: Tod Maffin’s book, http://todmaffin.com/book; NPR book Sound Reporting, http://bit.ly/9lFlW – as for free resources, try About.com has podcasting pages, Blubrry.com & libsyn.com have how-to features.

Smallbizlady: Can you list some free sources where I can host my podcast?

Steve Lubetkin: I suggest libsyn.com, podbean.com, blubrry.com they are all good podcast hosting platforms with RSS and other cool tools.

Smallbizlady: What about the fee-based podcasting services?

Steve Lubetkin: Powweb or Globat are low cost options and they work well with WordPress.

Smallbizlady: How does Google find my podcast?

Steve Lubetkin: RSS feed is important, consider feedburner.google.com. Learn about text metatags, embed in podcast mp3 files.  Metatags are text fields you fill out using your recording program or a tag editor program. artist, title, genre, keywords, etc.

Smallbizlady: How do I get my podcasts listed on iTunes?

Steve Lubetkin: An iTunes supported RSS Feed will automatically be generated for you by your hosting service such as Podbean. You need to Set iTunes options. Podbean provides an easy-to-use iTunes setting preview page. You can easily change all iTunes related options in this single page by clicking on ‘Settings’ in the main menu, then selecting ‘iTunes/Advanced.’ Once you set these options up, they submit your podcast to iTunes and it shows up in the store.  For additional info on iTunes check out podcast specs at http://is.gd/1Fonk

Smallbizlady: Shouldn’t it sound like I’m not a professional?

Steve Lubetkin: Absolutely NOT! See top 100 podcasts in iTunes. They are mostly professionally produced. People prefer good quality pods. Don’t scrimp.

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

Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Comments { 1 }