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How To Go from Idea to Store Shelves QA Interview with Jen Groover

By on November 3, 2011 in Grow Your Business, Q & A Interviews, 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. This is excerpted from my recent interview with @Jengroover. She’s a top business expert and has been tagged by Success Magazine as a “One-Woman Brand” and named a leading “Serial Entrepreneur” by Entrepreneur Magazine. Jen Groover’s signature product the butler bag has revolutionized the handbag industry. www.butlerbag.com Her has quickly become synonymous with innovation, entrepreneurship and evolution. She has gone from guest-hosting spots on QVC to linking deals with some of the industry’s biggest heavyweights. For more information www.jengroover.com

Smallbizlady: Once I have a product idea what are the first things I need to do?

Jen Groover: Once you have an idea you need to check a few things:

Analyze the market and see if you see the idea already out there?
If so, why is yours different, or how can you push yourself to make it more unique than your original concept
If it was tried before was it successful? If not, when? And why?

Smallbizlady: What is intellectual property and why is it important in product development?

Jen Groover: Once you have answers for those questions, you will need to find an Intellectual Property attorney to verify legally what is already out there. Even if you don’t see something “in the market” it may be something in development and you don’t want to risk getting in trouble for patent or trademark infringement.

Intellectual Property is basically creative ideas that can be protected so that you can “own a space” in a category of business or develop enough brand equity that you can license your idea, which basically gives someone the right to use your patent and possibly trademarks to increase supply of your products and distribution channels while paying you’re a royalty to do so. You need to consult with an Intellectual Property attorney (very specific niche of training) in order to get proper representation.

Once an attorney verifies it is safe to move ahead, you can conserve costs by filing a provisional patent (if it is a patentable item) which buys you a year to begin product development and we as brand development.

Smallbizlady: Once I file for protection what do I do next?

Jen Groover: Once you file for protection whether it be a patent, trademark, copyright, etc, you will need something to be protecting the brand equity you are about to build. You begin product development by making a prototype. A prototype is an example of what your product should look like. You may need several iterations of the in order to perfect how you want your product to look and function. While you are clarifying that, you should also be devising your plan on what type of brand you want; for example is it a high-end luxury brand of a daily household affordable type brand. This will help you identify more closely the type of materials used to finalize your prototype. Because more often than not, many different grades of materials can be used but the type of brand you want will dictate that.

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6 Things Oprah Winfrey Taught Us About Business

By Melinda Emerson on June 5, 2011 in Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, Customer Service, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business

Oprah Winfrey is my hero. I never thought about being an entrepreneur until she got on my radar when I was in college in the early 90’s. It was around that time that she opened Harpo Studios in Chicago, making her the third woman in the American entertainment industry (after Mary Pickford and Lucille Ball) to own her own studio. She immediately went from being just a daytime talk show host to becoming a media mogul. And it was awesome to watch. The biggest thing she did for me was show me that I could do it too. I have studied her every move in business. I had an Oprah file for a year before starting my production company in 1999. Any article I could get my hands on about her business I would devour, print and keep. What I love about her most is that she has never been about goals. Oprah Winfrey has always been about growth. She has constantly evolved. That and her business acumen will leave a lasting legacy to all business owners to come. Here are 6 Things Oprah Winfrey taught us about business. 1. Find your calling. Oprah said in her final show that every day she walked on stage she felt that she was exactly where she was supposed to be. If you have no life plan, you are most likely following someone else’s agenda for your life. Live on purpose! Don’t be one of these entrepreneurs with an endless to do list, exhausted at the end of day– getting nowhere fast and not making any money. Oprah urged us to follow our own truth. God speaks to us though visions and dreams. Pay attention to what he is showing you about your destiny and build a business around that. 2. People show you who they are the first time. If a prospective customer approaches you, acting like an impossible nightmare, that is exactly who they are and how they will behave if you move forward in business. Do not allow your need for money or a contract force you to tolerate someone who does not value your professional expertise. You will never be paid enough money to make it worth it. 3. Oprah owned a broad niche. Oprah targeted a demographic that was women of all ages and income levels. She developed shows that would appeal to career women, working moms, stay-at-home mothers, grandmothers, retirees, high school and college students. And her audience was loyal because she helped them be better, live better, and find a correct fitting bra. 4. OWN your mistakes. In the wake of disappointing ratings at OWN, The Oprah Winfrey Network, Oprah’s latest venture in partnership with Discovery Networks, Oprah made a change at the top. Network head Christina Norman, abruptly left the 4-month-old cable channel at the beginning of May. How many of us wait until it’s too late to make changes in our businesses? Evaluate what is going on in your business and do not be afraid to change course if you need to. 5. Know that you are worthy of success. Often times we know what we deserve, but the thing that keeps us from truly capturing it is internalizing that we are worthy of all God has for us in our lives and businesses. 6. Be willing to do what it takes. Oprah never missed a day of taping on her show in 25 years. She knew that showing up was the most important element in her success equation. Are you willing to do all that it takes to make your business a success? I have begun to reach major success in my business, but I started being your SmallBizLady in 2007. There is no such thing as overnight success. What lessons have you learned from Oprah in your small business? 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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Blogging, & Handling Corporate Inquires & Monetizing your Online Brand.

By Melinda Emerson on June 3, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Business Inspiration, BYOB2011, Customer Service, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, My Recommendations, Social Media, Technology, Women in Business, Your Small Business

Check out this quick video from the Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Conference. Fellow blogger Jewel Figueras of http://www.JewelsFabLife.com was interviewed by LaShanda Henry creator of SistaSense blogs for entrepreneurs and the Black Business Women Online Social Network.

http://www.sistasense.tv/smallbizlady-and-jewelsfablife-talk-blogging-and-working-with-brands-part1/

We discussed blogging, handling corporate inquires and monetizing your online brand. Enjoy!

I’m always here as a resource.
If you have a question for Melinda Emerson, SmallBizLady, leave a comment on this blog using thecontact us page or send me a note on Twitter @smallbizlady, on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/smallbizlady or you can hit me up on www.linkedin.com/in/melindaemerson

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4 Things All Entrepreneurs Should Do On LinkedIn

By Melinda Emerson on May 31, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, Social Media, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business

Linked in Logo

LinkedIn is important! 75% of all professionals in the US have a LinkedIn profile, which means if you want to do business you must have one too. LinkedIn is powerful tool that you can use to promote yourself if you are an individual consultant or a company with 2 or more employees. Here are my four tips that all entrepreneurs should do on LinkedIn.

Make sure your profile is 100%: If you do not have a headshot, please add a profession one. Typically, business owners who are not 100% lack recommendations. Look at your connections and ask at least three people to write why they love doing business with you. To make it easy, write the recommendation for them. This might be rough, but go ahead and do it. Actually, you should get in habit of asking anyone you interact with to give to a recommendation. I have over 47 recommendations and counting, you can never have too many.

Know Your Keywords: Your keywords should be spread across your profile. First your description of who you are should include keywords that your target customer would use to find you on the internet. Your summary and skills should also be peppered with keywords. This will also help you appear higher in Linkedin searches for experts.

Join LinkedIn Groups: You can join up to 50 groups on LinkedIn. You should join at least 10 groups that have your target customer in the group. You should have a strategy for how you will engage and attract members of the group to connect with you. Many groups allow fellow members to connect even though you do not know each other.
Answer Questions: One of best ways to standout in LinkedIn is to answer questions. It should become a part of your social media routine. Try to answer two to three questions a week and see how many new connections you will make for your business.

LinkedIn is a powerful tool and a great way to connect with decision makers. Make sure you are in the best position to promote yourself and your business online. Do you have any other LinkedIn secrets to promote a small business? 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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How to Use Video to Promote Your Brand Online

By Melinda Emerson on July 1, 2010 in Branding & Marketing, Grow Your Business, 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 8-9 pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with Donna Maria Coles Johnson @indiebusiness She is an attorney, podcaster, award-winning small business advocate and the leader of the Indie Beauty Network. With her husband, she also co-owns Indie Business Media, LLC, http://www.indiebusinessblog.com, a company that provides video production and social media training for small and independent business owners.

Smallbizlady: Why Is Video Important For Establishing And Expanding Your Brand?

Donna Maria Coles Johnson: Statistics show that people are watching increasing numbers of video clips online, and for more extended periods of time, than ever before. Over 50% on online traffic is video and nothing establishes your credibility and expertise better than video.

Smallbizlady: What Does Video Do That Other Forms Of Media Cannot Do?

Donna Maria Coles Johnson: Video shows you in action. It engages all of the sense of the audience to provide a full experience of what it’s like to engage with you. Video shows your leadership qualities. People like to follow leaders. Perhaps nothing shows that you are ready, willing and able to lead than videos that share your expertise and make you visible to the entire world. Video makes you stand out. How many people do you know who are good at what they do, but who are not willing or able to lead with video? There are plenty, and taking the lead to beat everyone in your field to the video punch will set you apart.

Smallbizlady: How Can Video Help Me Expand My Brand?

Donna Maria Coles Johnson: If you put your videos on YouTube and/or Vimeo, you can set them to “share” mode. This allows other people to cut and paste the embed code for your video and play it at their sites. With so many people looking for quality content for their blogs, but unable to create it all themselves, it’s the perfect way for you to help other people while also expanding your brand.

Smallbizlady: How Do I Make Professional Video If I’m Not A Professional Videographer?

Donna Maria Coles Johnson: While your videos do not always have to be professionally produced, they must always be professional. For promotional projects designed to advance your professional interests in major ways (including seeking business financing, pitching your book or seeking a job), a professionally produced video is often best. But for everyday projects — sharing your ideas, telling your customers about a new success tool you discovered, sharing your personal commentary on a topic of importance to your audience — so long as you appear professional, the picture is clear and the audio is good, you will be fine.

Smallbizlady: What’s The First Step To Producing Quality Videos?

Donna Maria Coles Johnson: First, just get comfortable using your video camera. Read the instruction manual and start trying things out. Ask a friend to record some test videos in different parts of your home or office (or outside) to see what light you look best in, check out the audio quality of the camera you are using, etc. If you don’t know your equipment, you will not be able to control your equipment. Get to know your camera first, then move on to other things.

There are many camera options to choose from. Today, many still cameras and smart phones come equipped with video options. I use a Flip and a Vado, both of which are handy and lightweight so I can pull them out wherever I am and be shooting a video in a matter of seconds. No muss, no fuss.

Smallbizlady: Once I Know My Camera, What Do I Do Next?

Donna Maria Coles Johnson: Know your audience. I don’t care how good a video is, it your readers don’t care about the topic, you’ve just wasted a ton of time. Know your audience first, then start brainstorming about topics that lend themselves to video and which your readers will care about. Make a “top 10″ list and begin to keep notes about what subjects you can cover on video.

Smallbizlady: Once I Decide On Topics Of Interest, What Then?

Donna Maria Coles Johnson: Make some practice videos, again trying out different convenient locations in your home or office. For each topic, think of a short intro, 3 points to share, and a call to action. That’s all you need.

Smallbizlady: How Long Should My Video Be?

Donna Maria Coles Johnson: This will vary depending on the topic, but generally, 3 minutes is quite long enough. Don’t feel like you must go that long. If you can say what needs to be said in 30 seconds, that’s plenty. The shorter, the better.

Smallbizlady: What Do I Need To Know About Lighting?

Donna Maria Coles Johnson: Most of this you will learn as you practice, but the first thing to remember is that almost nothing spoils a video shoot as much as poor lighting. An important tip is to shoot video with the light source behind the camera, shining on the subject. If it is an outdoor shot where the sun is shining, make sure the sun shines on your subject and not on your camera lens! If all else fails try to shoot in soft light provided by shade. This always looks natural, and natural is always good.

Smallbizlady: What Do I Need To Know About Audio?

Donna Maria Coles Johnson: If you can get a video camera with an external mic input, use that. If not (and don’t let lack of external mic stop you!), keep the camera’s internal mic as close to you as possible to get good audio.

Smallbizlady: What Are Some Of The Most Popular Topics For Video?

Donna Maria Coles Johnson: First, be fun and entertaining. Everyone likes to laugh so if you can make someone smile, you’re halfway there no matter what the topic is.

Other than that, the secret to good media of any kind is to tell a story. So, tell stories about how you help people, or stories about your latest products, services or exciting collaborative projects. If you manufacture products, take people into your manufacturing area and show them how it’s done. (Make sure your manufacturing area is clean and presentable!) Take your video camera with you to trade shows, conferences and other events and capture interesting people on video.

If you can find people of interest to interview, you’ll be creating exciting content for your site while also building your intellectual property library. This increased not only your brand, but also the value of your business!

When you post your video to your blog, be sure to include text around it. I understand YouTube will soon be allowing embedded text links in video and this will be helpful. But remember that people do not always want to watch a video at the moment they come across your post. (Consider that they might be in an environment where turning up the audio would be inappropriate.) If you don’t include text, they’ll never enjoy the information you are sharing. Including a textual summary of the video gives your audience another option, and options are always good for the people you serve.

Smallbizlady: How Do I Maximize The Spread Of My Video?

Donna Maria Coles Johnson: One way is to makes sure to allow sharing so people can paste an embed code easily to share your video. Also, make sure your video is viewable on mobile devices. This is easy to check when you post your videos and ask friends to watch them from different mobile devices, from basic to maximum sophistication. If people are confused or frustrated, they won’t watch your video, and that’s not what we want!

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

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog Succeed As Your Own Boss.

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 Bo ss in 12 Months was released in March 2010.

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10 Ways to Get Your Blog to Shine

By Melinda Emerson 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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Developing a Blog vs. Website Strategy

By Melinda Emerson on September 28, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, How to Start, Social Media, Your Small 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.

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6 Things Michael Jackson Taught Us About Business

By Melinda Emerson on July 7, 2009 in 10 Things Lists, Branding & Marketing

1) You must be excellent

Michael Jackson was nothing if not a perfectionist. He was the greatest entertainer of all time, because he had his hands in everything. It wasn’t just about the music; he designed the lighting, the choreography, the video montages, and his wardrobe.

When you first start a business you do 10-12 jobs. As the business grows and you delegate tasks you still need you know all the positions in your company. Are you paying attention to every detail in your customer’s experience? Effective follow-up after the sale is a great way to do this. You want your clients to say you were the best small business vendor they ever worked with.

2) You must have a signature move

We all know that the first time Michael Jackson did the moonwalk, and that became the move people always wanted to see. What is your secret sauce or custom process in your business? Does your business have a signature that your customers are aware of?

Signature service could be the way you say thank you, or the uniforms the employees wear, or it could be a seamless process that takes a burden off your customer. A close family friend died last year, and the funeral home took a photo and had a faux oil painting done in four business days and presented it to the family as a gift at the end of the service. They do that for all their funeral services. Take some time to think about your signature move.

3) You must be strategic about branding

From the very beginning he wanted to be legendary. He was just 21 when he made Off the Wall. But by the time he made the Thriller album, he understood branding as well as any Madison Avenue ad agency. The infamous sequin glove he wore when he did moonwalk, to the red leather zipper jacket from Beat It video, and his dance moves were all part of his brand. Every time Michael Jackson released an album he reinvented his look. His versatility was his brand. He managed to be original and timeless at the same time; children who never saw him perform live know the words to his songs. Is it time for you to reinvent your business?

mj-thriller

4) You must be an innovator

Michael Jackson was self-taught in music and dance. But he studied Fred Astaire, Charlie Chaplin and Frank Sinatra. Every time he did something first, he did it best. Thriller was the great selling album of all time at 100 million copies, and in the video for Thriller the song had the world on the edge of our seats waiting for the world premiere. Is there an innovation in your business that could have the world on the edge of our seats waiting for it?

5) You must give more than you get

Michael Jackson made the Genesis Book of World Records for most charities ever supported by a pop star. While he lived, he gave more than $500 million dollars to charity, and in death he left 20% of his estate to charity. What have you given to your favorite charity? Do you just give money or do you give your time?

6) Who is the business owner in the mirror?

“Man in the Mirror,” was one of Michael Jackson’s most famous songs. In it he talked about changing the man in the mirror. What do you need to change about the business owner in the mirror? Does your family know what kind of day you had based on how you treat them? Are you a family first entrepreneur or a work first entrepreneur? Lets all work to keep our family and friends as our #1 customer.

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 is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Expert and Social Media Coach who hosts #smallbizchat on Twitter. #Smallbizchat is the trusted Twitter resource to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business. Melinda’s first book, Be Your Own Boss! How to Quit Your Job and Start Your Own Business 12 Months or Less! is scheduled to be released by Adams Media in early 2010.

If you’re ready to start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog. www.succeedasyourownboss.com

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