Each week as Smallbizlady, I conduct interviews with small business experts on my weekly Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat.
Here are the upcoming guests for February 2012…
Every week I publish articles on this blog to help small business owners start and grow their entrepreneurial ventures. My mission is simple: to end small business failure. There are times when I write things based on questions I am frequently asked and then there are other times when I wake up in the middle of the night with an idea I simply must get down on paper. I write this blog for all the people who I never get to meet or mentor. I want you to succeed as your own boss, and I write faithfully so that you can have a roadmap to achieve your small business goals. Over the past year, I have grown as a writer and business consultant, and I shared what I have learned with all of you. Happy New Year everybody. Lets make 2012 is year to remember!
Here’s the best 10 articles I have written in 2011 according to all of you.
5 Things Every Entrepreneur Must Do Each Day
http://succeedasyourownboss.com/10/2011/5-things-every-entrepreneur-must-do-each-day/
10 Best How to Start a Small Business Websites
http://succeedasyourownboss.com/10/2011/10-best-how-to-start-a-small-business-websites/
Use 3 C’s of Social Media Marketing: Content, Community, Commerce
http://succeedasyourownboss.com/08/2011/use-the-3-cs-of-social-media-content-community-commerce/
12 Things to Tweet About on Twitter
http://succeedasyourownboss.com/03/2011/12-things-to-tweet-about-on-twitter/
How to Write a Business Plan Part I, II, and III
http://succeedasyourownboss.com/01/2011/how-to-write-a-business-plan-part-iii/
6 Business Lessons for Under 30 Entrepreneurs
http://succeedasyourownboss.com/07/2011/6-business-lessons-for-under-30-entrepreneurs/
10 Tips to Recession Proof Your Small Business
http://succeedasyourownboss.com/10/2011/10-tips-to-recession-proof-your-small-business/
What Can Twitter Do For Your Small Business
http://succeedasyourownboss.com/12/2011/what-can-twitter-do-for-your-small-business/
11 Great Technology Tools for Small Business
http://succeedasyourownboss.com/04/2011/11-great-technology-tools-for-small-business/
11 Bible Versus Small Business Owners Need in 2011
http://succeedasyourownboss.com/04/2011/11-bible-verses-small-business-owners-need-in-2011/
For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.
Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, 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 Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.comMelinda is also bestseller author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works.
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 a special holiday interview with Bob Burg. I loved his new book, Its Not All About You and I wanted to share it with all my loyal readers. Bob shares information on topics vital to the success of today’s businessperson. He speaks for corporations and associations internationally, including fortune 500 companies, franchises, and numerous direct sales organizations. He is the author of the popular book The Go-Giver. He and co-author John David Mann wrote their newest book, entitled It’s Not About You, another business parable focusing on influence and leadership. http://www.burg.com/
Smallbizlady: What’s the basic premise of It’s Not About You?
Bob Burg: That to the degree you focus on building, benefitting, and adding value to others (your team, employees, organization, social-media connections, etc.), that is the degree to which you, and your bottom line will increase. You benefit yourself by benefiting those around you. Of course, this must be done in a way that is authentic and genuine; not manipulative.
Smallbizlady: That sounds good in theory. but, in the real world, can you really thrive if you don’t care about yourself?
Bob Burg: Actually, this should not be confused with not “caring” about yourself or not being “interested” in yourself. As human beings, we are indeed self-interested creatures. Good thing, too! Without this trait, we would not advance, either as individuals or as a society. The key then is not interest, but “focus.” Turn your focus off of yourself and onto others and great things will happen! Not for some “way out” reasons but for very solid, practical reasons. Remember that, as Ernesto tells the protege, Joe, in our previous book, “The Go-Giver”…”all things being equal, people will do business with, and refer business to, those people they know, like and trust.” And, the quickest, most powerful and most effective way to elicit those feelings toward you in others is to temporarily suspend your self-interest and focus on providing value to them.
Smallbizlady: In the new book, you talk a lot about character, and compare that with competence in terms of market value. Why do you do that?
Bob Burg: Character comes from an old Greek word meaning scrape or scratch. It came to mean an engraved mark and, eventually, a defining quality. I think that’s a good definition. Actually, the sum of all one’s qualities make up their defining quality, and that really dictates everything. While Competence and Character are both very important, competence is simply the baseline; that which allows you into the game. Character, on the other hand, is harder to come by. In his excellent book, “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” Dr. Marshall Goldsmith discusses the fact that as people climb further and further up the corporate ladder, the competence/talent level is pretty similar. Character is becomes the separator. I believe that’s true not only in corporate business but in any business; in any area where people desire to influence. As we say in the book, “Character is that rare, precious gem, and anyone who possesses it is worth a great deal to the world around them.” In other words, because character is in such short supply and with great demand for it, it has far more market value.
Smallbizlady: How does this play out? What is one quality of character in particular?
Bob Burg: People with character truly “stand for something.” That alone provides them with a huge amount of influence. An excellent example of this is John Allison, the former CEO of BB&T (Branch Banking and Trust Company). He grew one of the most profitable banks in the country as well as one of the few that never involved themselves in sub-prime loans; only writing conventional mortgage. He knew that what the politicians and many of the other bankers were doing was wrong, and refused to go for the “easy money” when it went against his value-based principles. The result was that not only was his bank left standing profitably in the middle of the meltdown, but he was hugely respected, as well.
Smallbizlady: In the business world in general; certainly in social media we talk about “influence” a lot, but what is it, really?
Bob Burg: Influence is *pull*…not *push.” This is most likely why you rarely hear, “Wow that person is so influential; he or she has a lot of *push*! Joking aside, influencers are those who understand that the substance of influence is pull; gentle pull. This is a form of “power” as opposed to “force.” Force involves control, manipulation, intimidation and compliance. It is often a function of “positional leadership” rather than true, influence-based leadership. Let’s face it, even a positional leader can cause those in their employ to take a certain action. That is “compliance.” The challenge is that, at best, the person will perform exactly what he is asked and no more. At worst, they will sabotage the process. On the other hand, when there is “buy-in” that person is committed to the process and to its success. This is why our good friend, Leadership Consultant, Dondi Scumaci (www.DondiScumaci.com) says, “Compliance will never take you where commitment can go.”
Smallbizlady: One concept you discuss in the book – in fact – in most of your books, is “Empathy.” Why is that?
Bob Burg: Not only is empathy a vitally important part of the influence and selling process; it is also a vitally important part of the *human* process. This is true whether trying to understand why someone is resistant to our viewpoint or if we are simply attempting to help them through an issue or difficult time. I believe that in any relationship – business or personal – empathy is another key differentiator between the successful and the unsuccessful person. Those who have the talent and skill; both at having empathy and being able to *communicate* empathy are at a huge advantage over those who don’t. Empathy can be defined as the as “the identification with the feelings of another person. Being a simple person, I just say it is really nothing more than – as the saying goes – putting yourself in the other person’s shoes. If we have similarities in experience, we might actually be able to really identify; to know what and/or how they are feeling. But, what if that is not the case? Let’s face it; there are times when not only do we not know exactly how they feel…we have absolutely *no idea* how they feel! Yet, we can still be empathetic. You see, empathy doesn’t necessarily mean you actually feel what the other person feels. The truth is, you might not. It *does* mean you communicate that you understand they are feeling … something. When someone with true empathy listens…the other person feels truly heard. And feeling heard is what often makes the difference.
Smallbizlady: What about “Tact” which you seem to place a high value on. Is that part of empathy?
Bob Burg: Well, I certainly think that people who are empathetic employ tact. However, tact is really a concept that can – and I believe should – be utilized by anyone who wants to be more effective both personally and professionally and who wants to help to bring out the best in others. My Dad defines Tact as “the language of strength.” I think that really encompasses the entire concept. Tact is a way of correcting, critiquing, teaching…and in such a way that not only is the person not defensive about what they are hearing, but they embrace it. And, they embrace you. Tact, like any other great principle, must be used in a genuine way, not manipulative.
Smallbizlady: So, a person who can utilize tact but does it will ill-intent can really cause some damage then?
Bob Burg: There’s probably nothing more dangerous than a bad person with good people skills. And, when I use the word “bad” I realize that’s a bit politically incorrect when it comes to the personal development genre; what I mean is someone with truly ill-intent. When a person like that has good people skills, they are downright dangerous. It’s also the difference between manipulation and persuasion.
Smallbizlady: That brings up another point. What actually *is* the difference between persuasion and manipulation. Aren’t they the same thing?
Bob Burg: The big difference is intent. I think that yes, the principles are similar; often even the same. In actuality, however, the results are as different as night and day. Again, the big difference intent.
Smallbizlady: In The Go-Giver you discuss the Law of Value, which says, “Your true worth is determined by how much more you give in value than you take in payment.” Certainly, you don’t mean not making a profit, do you?
Bob Burg: Actually, if a person taps into this Law correctly, they’ll make a very substantial profit and have a hugely thankful customer. The key is understanding the difference between ”price” and “value.” Price is a dollar amount; a dollar figure. Value, on the other hand, is the relative worth or desirability of a thing to the end user. In other words, what is it about this “thing” (product, service, concept, idea, etc.) that brings with it so much worth; so much value, that someone will very willingly exchange their money for it, and be ecstatic that they did? Here’s an example. Let’s say an accountant charges you $2000 to do your taxes. That’s his fee, or price. But, he saves you over $6000 in taxes. he also provides you with the security and peace of mind of knowing it was done correctly. He has given you more in value (both in concrete value – the $6000, and conceptual value – the peace of mine) than he took in payment. So, I’d imagine that you feel great about it, and he made a significant profit, which he should for providing you so much in value compared to the price he charged. That is the essence of the Free Enterprise System, by the way; both the buyer and seller come away better off than before the transaction.
Smallbizlady: Let’s go back to the process of persuasion. You’ve talked about something called “The Law of The Out.” What is that?
Bob Burg: The Law of the Out is one of the most effective ways to make a person comfortable with you and the process, and leaving them in complete control of the decision so that – if the decision is the right one for them to make – they will. “The Law of the Out says: the bigger the out (or backdoor) you give someone to take…the less they’ll feel the need to take it.” In other words, when someone feels no pressure, they are much more apt to make the right decision. Understand, you are not giving them the “out” or “backdoor” in order for them to take it. But, rather that they feel comfortable enough to *not feel the need to take it.* Of course, if they feel it is in their best interest to take that out, they will. But, they would have anyway. Or, had they instead capitulated to your demands because they felt pressured to do so, they would have then had to either go back on their word or perhaps they would have sabotaged the process. Let it be their decision and – if they make the decision to proceed – they will feel good about it because it was their decision, not yours. And, the best way you can can increase the odds of this happening is to make the option for them *not* to do it, very clear.
Smallbizlady: Any final thoughts that an influencer should keep in mind when trying to persuade or encourage others?
Bob Burg: In a sense, it goes back to, above all, keeping in mind that – when it comes right down to motivating others to take action, it isn’t about you; it’s about them. It’s about them, and what *they* see as a benefit to their taking that particular action. In teaching selling, we often relate the old saying that each and every year, millions of 1⁄4-inch drill bits are sold, yet nobody buying any one of these 1⁄4-inch drill bits actually wants a 1⁄4-inch drill bit. Then, why do they buy them? Because they want a 1⁄4-inch hole! What does this have to do with influence and persuasion? People do things/buy things, not for the thing itself, but for the benefit that doing/buying the thing brings them. What makes this challenging is that those reasons are not always obvious. And, without knowing what they are, the chances of their taking the desired action are considerably lower. The key is to find out by asking the right questions. Asking the right questions, and then listening. Really listening!
If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e
For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.
Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.comMelinda is also bestseller author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works.
I signed up for a Twitter account three years ago, and it truly changed my life. My Twitter anniversary was on December 2nd, and I thought it might be helpful for me to explain what my goals were for the social network. Now is a perfect time to step up your game on Twitter or finally get it going with a social media strategy.
I have never had a nickname in my life, but since my name Melinda Emerson was taken when I tried to sign up for Twitter, my buddy social media strategist, Cathy Larkin @Cathywebsavvypr nicknamed me @SmallBizLady. We now know that was the best branding accident that ever happen to me. We thought it would work, since it would help people know who I was and what my expertise was as a small business start-up and business development expert. We ultimately knew it would help me raise awareness to my book, Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months.
When you got on Twitter did you have a plan?
When I started out on Twitter I had two goals. First, I wanted to build an author platform to demonstrate my thought leadership on all things small business. Secondly, I wanted to make friends and attract my niche target customer; professional women 30+, who want to start or grow a small business. However, Twitter provided some unintended benefits as well.
When I first when on twitter I did three things each day. I shared a helpful article on small business, I tweeted out something personal about myself, and I answered someone’s small business question. Being helpful was my intent, and it served me well. I set up Google alerts on specific business topics so that I would always have fresh things to tweet. Once I got the hang of it, I made sure that I shared other people’s content more than my own.
I am now, a well-respected social media expert as a result of how well I’ve built my brand. I also am an active member of the Twitter community with over 125K followers. I tell people that I work Twitter like a job Monday thru Friday.
Why Twitter works for me.
Twitter is a micro-blogging platform designed for people who need the bottom-line and not much else. In short, if you can’t say it in 140 characters or less, forget about it. If you do not know who you are trying to talk with or attract forget about it. You need a content strategy in order to really be successful with Twitter.
In April 2009, I launched #SmallBizChat which is a Tweetchat (or Twitter Talkshow as I like to call it.) My professional background is as a television producer, so I approached my tweetchat like a TV new program. I developed a formula. We have an open, close and new question coming out every four minutes. Every Wednesday on Twitter to help entrepreneurs get answers to their small business questions with #Smallbizchat. To date, my co-host @TaiGoodwin and I have produced over 130 shows. By the way, New York Times Small Business Blogger Jay Goltz @JaySmallBiz is my guest this Wednesday. His topic is how to run a successful small business. He’s been an entrepreneur over 33 years, with five businesses so I think he knows a little something about it.
Twitter has grown my @SmallBizLady consulting brand. I have gotten several coaching clients and hundred of business contacts. I have also been invited for at least 50 speaking engagements, countless blog talk radio interviews, and thanks to this blog, I have been requested to write for several publications including smallbiztrends.com, secondact.com, black enterprise and essence magazines and quoted in many articles for publications including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Washington Post, Philadelphia Inquirer and Fortune. I have also had several TV appearances for NBC, MSNBC, and Fox News. These opportunities came just because of the content, resources and blog posts I tweet out regularly on Twitter.
Twitter is a great resource for a small business owners, particularly if you sell B2B or are in infopreneur. Try it you might like it.
Do you have any other suggestions for how Twitter can help 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 smallbusinessexperts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small businessfailure. As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her the #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)
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 Howard Yermish @hyermish, an expert in Internet strategy, website development, speaker and private trainer. His new project, “More Digital Referrals” is an online course delivered via email several times a week, with step-by-step instructions, video tutorials, and downloadable materials you can implement right away, launching in January 2012. Learn more and register for free at http://moredigitalreferrals.com.
SmallBizLady: How do you define a digital referral?
Howard Yermish: A digital referral “happens” when a person puts his or her own trusted reputation at risk with her or her own network of contacts for the benefit of someone or something else. When I post a link to my stuff on Twitter, you see it as self-promoting. When one of my clients posts a link to my stuff, there is added credibility. It is obvious to most people, but most business professionals focus on broadcasting as loud as possible, and skip referral marketing.
So many businesses pin their online success to Google. Google is like a reverse cold call. People click on random and unknown links in the absence of any knowledge or trust. If the sole purpose of your website is to try to catch random people who in effect accidentally clicked on your website, you start at a zero level of trust and loyalty.
SmallBizLady: What are the first steps for getting more digital referrals?
Howard Yermish: It may seem basic, but it starts with making connections. A powerful network is a messy combination of sheer number of people and loyal ambassadors. I actually focus on building a network of people that I can regularly refer business out to. Once you start building your network, the focus shifts to giving. It is exactly what #SmallBizChat is about, giving valuable information to a community of people. And when it was time for the @SmallBizLady to take the spotlight, the community was there to lift you higher than you could go yourself.
Philosophically it is an understanding of giving and taking turns. Once you know that you have been giving, you get “permission” to ask for help. When asking for help, you need to be specific. “I’m looking for anyone that needs to have their taxes done,” is an impossible request. That is everybody! “I’m looking for someone that has recently changed jobs,” is much more specific. “I’m looking for someone that just moved into an apartment in the city,” is specific.
People won’t make digital referrals in floods, so don’t expect it. Instead, put together many different trickles from multiple sources over a long stretch of time and you will stop caring about the random cold leads from Google.
SmallBizLady: Does this mean that a business professional doesn’t need a website?
Howard Yermish: Business professionals should have a particular “home base” to operate from. Ideally, this is a website, but in some cases a corporate entity or budget or time may get in the way. A LinkedIn profile can be a great home base, as could a Facebook page, Twitter account or Tumblr site. When it is your own website, that becomes the source of material that others can link to. When you rely on third-party sites, your tactics may change out from under you, like when Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter change how things work on their sites. Not having your own “source” is a risk.
Some business professionals have to work with a handicap as their corporate umbrella prevents them from using some of the Internet tools.
SmallBizLady: What are the key concepts for getting more digital referrals?
Howard Yermish: I’ll boil this down to four things. First, clarify and define your audience of prospective customers and referral partners. Don’t just talk about it, write it down. Next, stop trying to “hunt” for prospects online, instead focus on giving referrals. It allows you to model the behavior to your own referral sources. Third, learn to spot people that are raising their “virtual” hands and communicate this back to your referral sources. Finally, integrate your online activities with your traditional systems.
Referrals are a two way street. In order to receive a referral, you have to give a referral. So a core component to receiving a digital referral is giving digital referrals. Most don’t realize the importance of giving first. Most also don’t realize that referral marketing starts slow, but then builds and builds and builds over time.
SmallBizLady: So digital referrals are about using social networks the way Dale Carnegie may have?
Howard Yermish: If you have read Dale Carnegie, you will have a good sense of what I teach business professionals to do with the social networks. If Dale had Facebook, what would he suggest? I see books and websites focusing on “Influence” and “Trust” which is really what Dale Carnegie teaches. Remember that digital tools are not replacements for human connection; digital tools are conduits for human connection.
SmallBizLady: Does this mean that I should send email instead of hand-written notes?
Howard Yermish: If you have a habit of writing handwritten notes, extend that habit by also writing short personal email messages, or posting a note on someone’s Facebook wall. For example, you might meet someone at an after hours event and exchange cards. An email follow-up is a great action. But it should be about extending a conversation, not just a copy/paste of your marketing boilerplate text. If the email feels impersonal, you may be teaching the recipient that you aren’t really paying attention to them. When you value your audience’s attention, you make them feel special. As business professionals, attention is our most valuable and scarce resource.
SmallBizLady: LinkedIn seems very business focused, while Facebook and Twitter are more social. Should business professionals focus on LinkedIn?
Howard Yermish: Time and time again, I hear business professionals resist using social networks, claiming that they get their business through word of mouth. Their only real use of LinkedIn is to accept or ignore connection requests. My hope is that these same people will understand that LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are about two-way conversations rather than broadcast media. I see word of mouth really as referral marketing, and when someone on Facebook “likes” something or someone “retweets” something else, it can be the start of a referral. LinkedIn is a great place to start and get comfortable, but referral math gets much better when you are comfortable on Facebook, Twitter and Google Plus.
SmallBizLady: What was your reason behind putting a system together?
Howard Yermish: I see people using social networks quite haphazardly. It’s why the corporate IT departments want to block their use. Sharing links to 20 stories from the New York Times every day is probably not an effective use of your time. Just like having a meeting agenda or an exercise routine, a system for using social networks should be obvious. You can track your own execution of the tactics and the overall performance of the system to generate referral opportunities.
SmallBizLady: Do you recommend that business professionals mix work contacts with personal contacts?
Howard Yermish: Business people will often give me the line, “But I don’t want to connect with people from high school or upload photos of my kids.” So don’t. Keep in mind that trust forms from common interests and experiences. Being part of the same high school or college class is a component of trust, sometimes enough to get your foot in the door. So don’t discount the “trivial” experiences.
That said, Facebook lets you categorize your friends into custom named lists, Twitter has public and private lists, Google Plus has custom named circles, and even LinkedIn lets you tag contacts. When you connect with people, you should be defining the reason or context for the connection. This way you stay organized and efficient.
SmallBizLady: How can you be most efficient with your social network activity?
Howard Yermish: Proficiency with the social networks does not make you efficient. It simply means that you can Tweet faster than the average bear. Proficiency doesn’t mean that you have to partake in every social network website available either. Exploring new outlets for creating connections is important, but it is rarely your main business focus.
If you do strength training at the gym, you probably have a system. A system that builds good habits and measures progress over time is valuable in every area of your life. Practicing your activities in the system will develop a more efficient use of social networks.
SmallBizLady: Are your methods appropriate for all types of businesses?
Howard Yermish: I don’t think that the system that I’m teaching in my “More Digital Referrals” course is appropriate for retail stores or “brand marketing.” I’m focused on the service business professional. There are a lot of business professionals that are really great at what they do for their clients and customers, but not great marketers. They don’t want to be labeled as marketers as they believe that it devalues their professional expertise.
SmallBizLady: What are some examples that you use to inspire digital referrals?
Howard Yermish: Each person has to explore this, but there are some basics that everyone can use. I like to promote one or two events that I’m attending each week. It’s not my job to be the event organizer, but the event will be better if more people are there. Posting a link to Facebook or LinkedIn with a comment about why you are going to the event is more interesting than a simple link.
When you learn something valuable from someone, that is a perfect opportunity to lift up the source. When I learned the math behind how my health insurance policy worked, I wanted to share, but my health insurance broker didn’t have a website or use social networks. I had no link that I could share and my own blog was the wrong venue.
Also, I recommend people participate in other people’s posts with comments. Participation should follow a few basic principals. Avoid criticizing or complaining about people, products or services. When using your sense of humor, self-deprecating works, but never ever make fun of someone else. I also recommend that people avoid getting into political debates online.
SmallBizLady: How do you go about putting together a system schedule?
Howard Yermish: It starts by creating three separate checklists: one for daily activities, one for weekly activities, and one for monthly activities. My previous example about promoting an event would go on my weekly checklist. If all I ever posted was links to events, people might learn to safely ignore my posts if they don’t like going to events. Using the checklists, you will develop good habits over time. At first, the checklists will be a way to help you get comfortable with the different activities. Many of the daily actions will become automatic. But the weekly and monthly activities are easy to forget.
The system also includes a score card for the referrals that you make to others: 1 point for posting someone’s link, 2 for an email introduction or recommendation, 3 for a warm lead, 5 points for direct business referral. It may seem silly at first, but it helps you improve and stay on task.
If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter. Here’s how to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e
For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com
Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also bestseller author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works.
Guest Post by Tai Goodwin
I love Twitter.
Depending on which group I am speaking to, I can’t always say that too loudly. There are some crowds that get it. There are other rooms, many of them filled with small business owners and solopreneurs who don’t get it – yet.
LinkedIn makes sense. Facebook is starting to make more sense. Twitter still feels like a whole other universe to most people -it’s even got its own language (retweet s, tweetups, hashtags, etc…) right? But here’s the truth: Twitter, when used correctly, can be one of the most valuable resources for small business owners looking to expand their network, research their niche and competition, position themselves as a leader in their niche, and grow their influence.
Most small business owners have a system to connect with their customers. And in most cases you know how to reach out to your current vendors. But Twitter can help you find and connect to new strategic partners you may not have known about because they were too new or too far geographically to be on your radar. Go for quality and not just quantity when it comes to who you follow – and who you follow back. Twitter makes key influencers and connectors accessible and opens the door to connections for those willing to reach out and offer value and not just brag and sell. Remember, who you know (or follow) on Twitter influences what you know and what opportunities come down the stream – literally.
Talk about information overload – as of March, 2011 over 140 million tweets are sent every day. On the bright side, there are a number of search and filtering tools that allow small business owners to sift through those tweets to find articles, tips, tools, coupon codes, offers, incentives, news, and answers. There’s even a tool that will let you send a poll question through twitter and then track and report the results. The key to using Twitter for research effectively relies on two things: knowing what information you are looking for and knowing what tools to use.
These days, with so much information available from everyone and everywhere it seems, it is hard to define an expert as someone who knows everything. In my book – the expert is the one who knows how to find the answers and resources needed and then is wise enough to put that information where others can get to it. Twitter can help you do that. Statistics have shown that just 20% of Twitter users create 80% of the content. If that’s so – creating and sharing more content than your competitors can help you be part of that 20%. And by content, I’m not just talking about tweeting your offers and services three times a day. I’m talking about creating and sharing real valuable content for your followers and prospective clients that answers their questions. The more information you find and share (to the right audience), the more knowledgeable and valuable you appear.
According to Merriam – Webster’s online dictionary, influence is “the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways: SWAY.” It’s one thing to nudge people into coming to your site because you are giving them something. It’s a completely different level when you’ve got a crowd of fans that are nudging people for you. Many small business owners understand the value of word of mouth referrals; in fact their business depends on it. Think of Twitter as online word of mouth: one retweet from the right follower or connection can put your brand or business in front of thousands. And what’s better than having someone who’s already got the relationship and credibility spread the word about what you have to offer? Without you having to pay for an endorsement?
So how are savvy business owners leveraging Twitter to grow their business? Here are a few practical ideas that will make your time on Twitter more profitable (or at the very least less frustrating).
Tai Goodwin (www.TaiGoodwin.com) is a social media strategist and editor in chief of Launch While Working.com, an online resource center specifically for the growing population of professionals who are launching a business while working full-time or part-time jobs. She is also co-host of #SmallBizChat.
Summer is here! Now that the kids are out of school, you might be thinking about how to reduce your work schedule, but that’s the worst thing you could do. It’s time to turn up the heat in your business. Third and fourth quarters are critical times in business. You may have customers who are in budget planning cycles, or have excess budget to spend. Now is the right time reach out to your existing customers and get your house in order to make your revenue goals for the rest of the year.
Here’s 10 Things to grow your business this summer.
1. Take a break. Even if all you can afford to do is a staycation, take a break from work for at least 7 days. You need to recharge your batteries so that you can go hard the rest of the year.
2. Attend a conference. The Summer is a great time to sign up for a course or attend a conference in your industry to learn the latest trends and techniques.
3. Read a great business book. Pick a book that’s you have been meaning to read and learn a few techniques that will help you grow your business. I really like 201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business by Jane Applegate. http://www.amazon.com/Great-Ideas-Small-Business-Bloomberg/dp/0470919663/ref=dp_ob_title_bk
4. Revisit your business plan. In the first few years of a business, you should be updating your business plan every 90 days. When is the last time you reviewed your marketing plan and how well it was working to drive sales. Make sure your budget and revenue projections are up-to-date.
5. Organize a Business Retreat. Take your team offsite treat them to some good food in a lush environment. Brainstorm with them to solve the top three issues in the business. Bring in a trainer.
6. Ask for testimonials. Go back to all of your customers that you worked with over the last six months and ask for testimonials. Get them in writing to update your website and ask them to post recommendations to LinkedIn.
7. Refresh your website and marketing materials. Take a look at your website and marketing collateral including your blog header, business cards, and newsletter template. If something was just thrown together just to get some out or you’ve been using the same template for a whole, take the time to clean up your design elements to make your brand shine.
8. Update your personal bio and profiles across social media. Every small business owner should have a professional biography. Take this time to update yours with any new marquee clients, non-profit board service, and speaking opportunities. Be sure to update your profiles on your social media accounts as well.
9. Do a waste walk in your office. Summer is a great time to chuck the clutter. The shredder is your friend. Get rid of stray paper, conference bags, direct mail, magazines, equipment that doesn’t work, and giveaways you really didn’t want anyway.
10. Develop a special offer. You need a reason to contact your customers. Nothing is better than a discount, coupon or special offer. You use this as your excuse to call, email or snail mail your existing customers. They are the most valuable asset in your business.
Do you have any other tips to keep a small business growing over the summer?
For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.
Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)
Using Twitter is a great way to start building your online brand. If you can send a text message, you can tweet. You can only communicate using 140 characters on Twitter, but if you want people to Retweet (RT) or share your content, you should cut your tweets down to 125 characters. Here a few quick rules: Listen first, then engage with people directly, then start sharing articles of interest to attract your target audience. Once you establish relationships on Twitter you can then start writing your own blog and tweeting your original content.
5 steps to Establishing Your Twitter Account:
Step 1: Set up an account
Step 2: Enter your profile information
Step 3: Find your friends
Step 4: How to follow someone
Step 5: How to post messages
Send a Direct-message
How to Retweet or RT someone else’s message
Quick Twitter Tips
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)
Every Friday, I answer your small business questions in a video blog segment called Ask Small Biz Lady. This week, I took a question live from the New York Times Small Business Summit.
Here’s the question: How do I make a plan to follow-up after a business conference? Here’s the answer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3rKLFEkF_I
Immediately reach out to all of your new connections on LinkedIn.
Here’s some key takeaways: It’s all about being ready to do commerce via mobile devices. All websites need to be mobile ready and google is coming out with some innovate tools to help…stay tuned.
LivingSocial.com CEO Tim O’Shaughnessy, enlightened the audience by explaining how important it is to have a local sales presence for an online business. He also made the audience aware of all the other services his company can provide for small businesses beyond daily deals, which I am intrigued to learn about that more fully.
Susan Sobbott, President of American Express Open, shared sobering statistics on social media use among small businesses. 35% are using Facebook, 14% are using LinkedIn and 10% are on Twitter regularly.
If you have a question for Melinda Emerson, Small Biz Lady, leave a comment on this blog using the contact us page or send me a note on Twitter @smallbizlady, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/smallbizlady or you can hit me up on www.linkedin.com/in/melindaemerson I’m always here as a resource.
Image taken from Google Images
Leveraging the power of social media to market your brand in the Web 2.0 world is imperative to remaining viable as a business owner. Having social media profiles on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn aren’t enough to take advantage of the marketing opportunities that new media environment has created. You need to adopt a comprehensive strategy to deliver the results that you want.
Here are five (5) key strategies to insure that you make the most out of your social media marketing efforts:
Have a Plan and Set Objectives: As an entrepreneur, the temptation might be to just jump in and start using various social media platforms to promote your brand and products, but before doing so, you need a clear understanding of how you’re using social media to augment your core marketing efforts to generate leads and convert them to sales. Social media alone can’t be the “be-all, end-all” of your company’s plan, so having a Social Media Marketing Plan that specifically shows how social media outlets will be used to promote your brand is key.
Know Your Niche: In a world where Facebook has over 500 million registered users and Twitter sees 155,000,000 tweets a day from any of its 200,000,000+ tweeters, your message can be easily lost in the “noise” being created in the social media space. Targeting your market and knowing the best places to reach key members of your audience is the best way to insure better returns for your efforts.
Encourage Conversation and Dialogue: If you run a blog, enable your comments and allow visitors to contribute their opinion and provide a sense of community around the content you’re providing. If you visit other blogs regularly, leave useful comments (i.e. relevant to the topic at hand and not just a standard “Great Post!”) and provide your contact/blog information within your comments profile (if possible). Encouraging conversation and dialogue among the people who already find your content compelling is a great way to learn what makes them tick and ensure that you can keep providing what they need to keep them coming back to you.
Be Easy to Contact: It may seem like a “no-brainer”, but you’d be amazed at how many websites, blogs, and Facebook pages provide absolutely no way to get in touch with the people behind them. If your goal is to facilitate a relationship with your customers using social media, you have to be available to them. This can be done by providing easy ways for your customers and future customers to get in touch with you by providing online forms on your websites and blogs, giving email addresses and phone numbers (if you check them regularly and intend to respond), and even providing your Skype ID (if you use the service). Making it easy for people to contact you will provide one more way that you can hear what your audience wants.
Monitor Your Progress: Any Social Media Marketing effort is dead in the water without assessment. Be sure to manage and tweak Social Media Marketing Plan to determine if you’re meeting the long and short-term objectives you’ve set for your company.
What other strategies have you used to maximize the return on investment
of your social media marketing efforts?
Kindra C. Cotton is a Serial Entrepreneur, Technology & Social Media Specialist who runs a small business consulting practice specializing in brand marketing, market research, and strategic information consultancy. Her flagship brand “SSS for Success (Small Business Survival Specialists)” specializes in preparing small and medium-sized organizations to take advantage of the free and low-cost marketing avenues that exist online.
google logo
If you’re ready for a midcareer makeover, you can get new clothes and a new haircut. But even more important, you must make yourself what I call “Google-able.” That means you need to create a smart social media footprint.
By day I work as a small-business coach, and I keep coming across amazing professionals with extraordinary credentials who want to build a consulting practice or establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry.
But here’s the problem: When I put their names in Google, I come up with nothing. No website, no social networking profile — not even a guest blog post. These people may have advanced degrees and impressive titles on their resumes, but there is no electronic evidence of their expertise and accomplishments. Since this has happened several times over the last few weeks, it dawned on me that I needed to help fellow midcareer folks understand this new paradigm.
Gone are the days of calling around to get the 411 on a potential business partner or new hire. These days, people do an internet search before you ever get a call about a new opportunity. Recruiters and corporate executives routinely conduct internet searches when looking for talent and don’t always advertise open positions. Many believe you don’t even exist if you don’t have a social media footprint.
One of the key things you need prior to establishing yourself online is to get a professional headshot. Go ahead and spend money to get a good photo. It should be a smiling shot that is friendly. Even though you are communicating over the internet, people still want to see who they are talking to.
If you haven’t established an online presence yet, keep this in mind: You are using the skills you already know — how to communicate with people. Creating an online presence simply helps people find you. Think of it as your virtual business card, which is far more useful in 2011 than the paper variety.
The first step to building your brand online is to stake your territory: One of the best moves you can make is to set up a profile on LinkedIn. Yes, you’ll also want to establish a Google profile and sign up for a Facebook or Twitter account, too. But LinkedIn is the most important.
“If you are looking to do anything in the professional world, LinkedIn is where you need to be. LinkedIn is the ultimate buyers’ market,” says Patrice Rutledge, author of Using LinkedIn.
Here are her top tips to make your profile shine on LinkedIn:
The next thing you can do is register your name or your business name as a website domain and create a simple one- to five-page website. If you are interested in establishing yourself as a thought leader in your industry, adding a blog to your new website is a great idea.
I realize that this might sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. You can register your own domain name and then hire a virtual assistant who specializes in social media to help you set it up. (By the way, a virtual assistant is an entrepreneur who assists business owners and busy people with time-consuming tasks, allowing them more time to focus on profit-generating activities.) With a few basic lessons, and time with tutorials, you can get going in no time.
Cathy Larkin, founder of Web Savvy PR, conducts hands-on workshops to teach baby boomers how to use Facebook. Her clients often want to know what to talk about on their Facebook Fan Pages and how to create a good profile.
“I show people how to use Facebook rather than telling them how to do it,” Larkin says. “It’s all about figuring out what your intended audience wants to hear, learn or know about.”
She offers the example of a real estate agent who posted information about how to clear two feet of snow from your roof, which is much more creative — and useful — information than simply listing houses for sale.
Here are Larkin’s three tips for using Facebook Fan Pages:
Thomas MacEntee, the 48-year-old founder of High-Definition Genealogy, says its best to think of social media as a garden you have to tend.
Laid off from his tech job in Chicago in late 2008, MacEntee reinvented himself as a family historian — helping people investigate their family trees — and utilizes social media to connect with clients. It took MacEntee about a year to build his business.
He’s been so successful mastering the intricacies of Twitter — the free service that allows users to share information in 140 characters or less — that he now teaches a social media class for baby boomers called “Twitter: It’s not just what I had for breakfast anymore.”
He says the key to Twitter is giving as much as you get, and listening as much as you speak. He says some boomers have a problem with these concepts. “They think they are giving away their work for free, but it’s part of building yourself as a brand and an expert,” says MacEntee.
Here are some action steps to get you started building your online brand.
If you follow all of these tips, when someone types your name into the world’s most famous search engine, they will immediately have your virtual business card — and so much more — right at their fingertips.
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
Look for Guy Kawasaki's New Book Enchantment!
Enchantment by Guy Kawasaki is a great book for emerging small business owners. I like that Guy gives readers every trick and good idea that he knows from how to make a great impression, get customers behind your cause, and even how to resist enchantment. He says that enchantment is a process, not an event. It’s all about nurturing the long-term relationship that will generate repeat customers and create a sustainable business.
One of my favorite chapters in the book is How to Enchant Your Employees This chapter is about helping the people who work for you achieve MAP mastery, autonomy and purpose. He’s also a huge advocate of telling people that you want them. He writes, “At the end of every day, one of the most valuable assets in your business goes home. The question is whether they will return in the morning. An enchanting boss make sure that her employees know they are valuable and they are appreciated.” This is some powerful advice.
I love the amount of research that is behind this book. It’s not just a bunch of war stories. There’s real science in here. If you follow Guy’s road map your business will be better for it.
If I could make any criticism of Enchantment it would only be that there’s too many apple “related” examples in this book—but the content is so good this is relatively minor.
Grab this book today. I loved reading it.
Melinda F. Emerson, SmallBizLady, is one of America’s leading small business experts. She is an author, speaker and small business coach whose areas of expertise include small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to End Small Business Failure. She publishes a resource blog, www.succeedasyourownboss.com and hosts a weekly talk show on Twitter called #Smallbizchat for emerging entrepreneurs. Forbes Magazine named Melinda Emerson one of the Top 20 Women for Entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. Melinda has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Fortune and Black Enterprise. She’s the author of the bestselling book “Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works.” She writes a column for www.secondact.com, and is an instructor for the Black Enterprise Small Business University.
Today marks the two year anniversary of #Smallbizchat. It’s a weekly interactive chat that I host on Twitter for small business owners. @Smallbizchat takes place every Wednesday from 8-9pm EST. It’s hard to imagine that an idea to help small business owners get answers to their small business questions has grown to such a strong community on Twitter and this blog. I started #SmallBizChat as an online mentoring program to fulfill my mission to end small business failure.
I’m so proud to provide this resource to emerging entrepreneurs week after week. Earlier this year, I was given a social media star award by the Philadelphia Business Journal for creating #SmallBizChat. It was the show’s first award. One entrepreneur who is regularly on @Smallbizchat recently told me that #SmallBizChat was part of her rope team that she looks to for help with running her small business. She’s a perfect example of the participant feedback that we hear often.
I could not do #SmallBizChat without my co-host @TaiGoodwin. Special thanks to my first co-host @cathywebsavvypr who helped me launch the franchise. I also have to give a special shout out to @SoniaSchenker who has pulled together our transcripts weekly since we started.
Over the last two years my team and I have had the opportunity to host top small business experts from across the world including Michael Gerber, Jill Konrath, Anita Campbell, James Tayo, Hugh McFarlane, Peter Shankman, and Tim Berry.
I am very excited that tonight for our 99th show our guest is @GuyKawasaki Author of the new book Enchantment (Penguin, 2011) and classic bestseller The Art of the Start (Penguin, 2004). Guy is a serial entrepreneur, venture capitalist, co-founder of Alltop.com and Former Chief Evangelist of Apple. Information on the topic and each week’s guest can be found by following @SmallBizChat and @SmallBizLady on Twitter.
You won’t want to miss our 100th show April 27th with my special guest Alan Weiss, Ph.D. @BentleyGTCSpeed author of the classic bestseller Million Dollar Consulting (4th Edition, McGraw Hill 2009). Alan has been called America’s #1 Independent Consultant. I can’t wait to learn from him!
You must have a twitter account to join @SmallBizChat. Participants can use tweetchat.com or use TweetGrid.com to join the live chat. For information on how to participate in #SmallBizChat, click here.
If you are not a Twitter user, a complete Q&A interview from the #SmallBizChat guest is posted every Thursday morning on Melinda’s blog at: www.succeedasyourownboss.com
If you know a small biz owner who could use some advice tell them to follow @SmallBizChat and join us every Wednesday at 8-9 ET.
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, and publishes a resource blog at: 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)
P.S. Want an “I [heart] #SmallBizChat t-shirt to help us celebrate? It’s available! for $20.00 plus s/h sizes M-L-XL-2X
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