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Communicating with Difficult Clients

By on November 12, 2009 in SmallBizChat, Social Media

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat.  The show takes place every Wed on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with @sueyoungmedia.  Susan Young works with businesses who want to increase their publicity, credibility and revenues with public relations and social media. She’s a news and communications expert, and President of Get in Front Communications. She hosts weekly webinars on blogging and newsletter content. She can be reached at www.getinfrontcommunications.com

Smallbizlady: Customers have all different personalities, styles and goals. How can small business owners handle a difficult customer?

Susan Young: I always like to look for similarities and not differences when there is a conflict. If you step back for a moment and ask yourself: “What is happening here?” you can get some sense of where to begin working through a problem. Resolving conflicts requires excellent communication skills and self-confidence.    

Smallbizlady:  How does self-confidence take a role in costumer communications?

Susan Young: Self-confidence plays a pivotal role in communication and relationships.  If you lack self-confidence, your communication skills will be weak and it will be difficult to express your point of view or willingness to amicably resolve a dispute or disagreement.

Smallbizlady:  What are some good tips to handling a customer who is difficult?

Susan Young: Listening and empathy are important. You don’t have to agree with them but people don’t like to be ignored. They want to know their complaint or opinion is being heard. Allow them express themselves without passing judgment or criticizing. Listen with an open mind and a genuine interest in helping. Avoid getting “stuck” in the problem.

Smallbizlady: Many conflicts occur over money or a client trying to get you to eat endless change orders. How should that be handled?

Susan Young: The terms of any agreement regarding time spent, scope of project, deliverables and guarantees should be clearly written in a contract so that this situation can be avoided. Each scenario and customer is different. You have to determine how the project and your relationship has evolved. You may have to eat an hour or two of your time to “go the extra mile” and then decide not to take on future projects with this customer.  That’s often a better way than having an unhappy customer leave with bad words to spread. You have to decide what it’s worth.

Smallbizlady:  How does Emotional Intelligence (EQ) play into communicating with difficult customers?

Susan Young: Emotional Intelligence is critical in all of our interpersonal relationships. It addresses compassion, empathy, assertive communication and rapport. Strong leaders and excellent communicators tend to have high levels of EQ. Start to watch people you admire and how they handle difficult situations. Pay attention to their language, demeanor and attitude.

Smallbizlady:  Is it possible for me to get more in tune with difficult customers?

Susan Young: Paying attention to verbal cues and clues can be very helpful in bridging communication gaps. We communicate through our senses or modalities. People are generally visual communicators, auditory communicators or kinesthetic communicators.

For example, a visual person would say, “I am so mad with this product; don’t you see what I mean; it’s broken.” Or they may say, “Look here, I want to get this resolved right away.” The words look and see are your clues that they are visual. If your difficult customer complains, “This doesn’t sound like the sale price, I want a refund”, then they are more auditory (sound). Someone who is more kinesthetic may complain, “I don’t feel like I’m getting a bargain; I want a refund.” The word feel is your clue. The key is to respond in their modality so you are both speaking the same language. If the customer is visual and you respond in an auditory modality, it’s as if you are speaking a foreign language, which makes communication a real challenge. Once you connect with them in the right modality, you’ll be able to build rapport and ease the tension.

Smallbizlady: Is there a strategy I can use so I don’t fly off the handle at someone?  

Susan Young:  I like the “P-R-R” method, which is Pause, Reflect, and Respond. It allows the other person to completely finish their sentence and requires you to pause for just a second or two, quickly digest what was said and then respond in a mature and deliberate way. You don’t want to have a knee-jerk reaction.

Smallbizlady: How do you handle a cross email from a client?

Susan Young: Get on the phone immediately and resolve it. Communication often gets misconstrued or misunderstood with technology so I would avoid replying with another e-mail. A live conversation can only take a few minutes and can help to smooth things over. 

Smallbizlady: What is the difference between a reaction and a response? 

Susan Young:  A reaction is more knee-jerk and doesn’t require any thought. You’re on auto-pilot. For example, if you are in a restaurant and the waitress asks if you would like a salad or hamburger for lunch, a reaction is you automatically choose one. A response would be you ask a question: “Is that a cheeseburger?” or “Does the burger come with French Fries?”  “Is the salad a chef salad?” You spend a moment carefully contemplating your best choice and gathering information before rendering a decision.

Smallbizlady: What if the angry customer is ranting for a long time; should I interrupt?

Susan Young: I would try my best to let them finish without interrupting. If they are going on and on, you can politely and calmly interject with a validating statement such as, ” I see that you are very upset” (use a word or phrase that they have used to describe their feeling)  and “I really want to help.” Try to refocus them to stay on message by asking, “How would you like to see this resolved?” or “Can you tell me one thing that I can do to make this better for you?”  

Smallbizlady: What if my difficult customer is completely unreasonable?

Susan Young: You have options but they depend on damage control. I have fired some customers after realizing that no matter what I do, they will not be happy. Understand what their expectations are and if there is a disconnect between what they expect and what you can deliver or provide. You should also consider your reputation. Sending a disgruntled customer out your door can impact future sales and your reputation. Consider who this person knows and if they may carry a grudge or vendetta. To me, this is a last resort. 

Smallbizlady: If we can’t quickly agree on a resolution to the problem, what should I do?

Susan Young:  Simply ask the person, “What would make you happy so we can resolve this amicably; what would you like me to do?” That’s usually a good starting point for progress.

Here’s a link to my blog post from September on Managing Difficult Customers.

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/09/2009/managing-difficult-clients/

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

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

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

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#SmallBizChat Live Telesummit Recap (Part 1)

By on November 9, 2009 in Business Inspiration, Cash Flow & Finance, Grow Your Business, Mompreneurs, Pink Slip Entrepreneurs, SmallBizChat, Social Media, Solopreneurs, Telesummit, Your Small Business

(Dear readers: this is the first part of a two part post about SmallBizChat Live Telesummit. Part two will post on Friday, November 13, 2009.)

smallbizchat_live_telesummitEvery week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. This past week, I presented the first annual #SmallBizChat Live Telesummit. The goal was to give the audience the information to create a new plan for their business in 2010. After nearly a year of communicating in writing on this blog and using Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook, I wanted to interview small business experts over the phone. I also wanted our followers to have access to some experts who do not use Twitter, but who have fantastic information to share. In today’s blog post, I have prepared a recap of three key points that each expert shared with us.

Mike Michalowicz @TPEntrepreneur kicked off our Telesummit. Mike is small business expert who is known as the Toilet Paper Entrepreneur. For more information, please visit toiletpaperentrepreneur.com Michalowicz talked about using social media a build your business.

Here are Mike’s key takeaways:
1. Use a 4 to 1 ratio in your content posted on social media sites. Only promote yourself once in every four times you communicate. Always seek to add value to your audience.
2. Take a non-traditional position to stand out among other experts in your field.
3. Blogging and participating in forums is a great strategy, but using Google ad words can be effective as well. 

Karyn Greenstreet @kgreenstreet was our second guest. She’s a self-employment expert who runs thesuccessalliance.com. Her website has all the resources a business owner needs to start or run a mastermind group. Karyn talked to us about mastermind group best practices.

Here are Karyn Greenstreet’s key takeaways:
1. Being involved in a mastermind group is something successful entrepreneurs do.
2. Think about the other skills you need in your business when you want to recruit members to start a mastermind group. Mastermind groups are typically four-to-ten people.
3. Develop set procedures for how your group will operate and get all participants to sign the agreement. Using an agreement is one of the best ways to get participants to commit to the terms and then fully participate.

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

Here are Dr. Gravely’s key takeaways:
1. It is more important than ever to focus on your niche market and your value proposition. Gone are the days of the generalist consultant.
2. Do not launch any new marketing initiative that you can’t afford to keep up for at least a year.
3. Business shouldn’t always be a struggle. If you have been struggling in your business for more than four years, and it’s never been profitable; it might be time to move on from that business or that business model.

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

Here are Berry’s key takeaways:
1. Make sure you know how your clients process invoices. When you can, build a relationship with someone in accounts payable. When evaluating a deal with a major corporation, make sure you’ve got enough cash reserves to wait on your money, or don’t do the deal.
2. Would you walk a city-block blindfolded? Well that’s what is it like to run a business without up-to-date financial statements. You must have a current statement of cash flow, profit & loss statement, and a balance sheet every month.
3. Do not use your line-of-credit to finance marketing efforts to generate sales. Use you line of credit of finance business you have already won.

(NOTE: This is part one of the #SmallBizChat Live Telesummit recap. Part two will post live on Friday, November 13, 2009.)

If you missed the SmallBizChat Live Telesummit, do not worry! We are editing and packaging the calls to make them available shortly… so stay tuned.

My co-host Cathy Larkin @cathywebsavvyPR and I presented the 1st Annual SmallBizChat Live Telesummit because it is our mission to end small business failure. We will be back November 2010 to do this again.

Please follow us at @smallbizchat and join us for #SmallBizChat every Wednesday from 8-9pm Eastern on Twitter. #SmallBizChat is the trusted resource on Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business.

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

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

Comments { 6 }

Is Cold Calling DEAD?

By on October 29, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, SmallBizChat, Social Media

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wed. on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with @BradfordShimp. Bradford is a small business expert and the blogger behind All Business Answers. The goal of allbizanswers.com is to answer common business questions, solve the problems that hold businesses back, and show owners how they can build amazing companies. He is actively involved in running a regular small business, as well as several online ventures. His services are available for consulting advice as well as writing content. For more information check out www.allbizanswers.com

Smallbizlady: Is cold calling dead?

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

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

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

Smallbizlady: What is permission based marketing?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Smallbizlady: How can Twitter help businesses avoid cold calling?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Comments { 1 }

The Perfect PR Pitch For Your Small Business

By on October 22, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, SmallBizChat, Social Media

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wed. on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with @PRSarahEvans. Sarah is a public relations and new media strategist at @SevansStrategy.  Sarah has worked extensively in the non-for-profit, higher education and healthcare sectors, focusing on media relations, message management, coalition building, deployment strategies, and organizational change. A self-described social media freak, Sarah is the founder of #journchat and MediaOnTwitter. Her personal mission is to engage and employ the use of emerging technologies in all communication – that connects her with a rapidly growing base of more than 26,000 people. Contact Sarah online at: http://card.ly/prsarahevans


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Smallbizlady: What about social media press releases?

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. Use traditional and online media to share your stories

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

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

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

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

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

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

Smallbizlady: What determines a story?

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

Smallbizlady: Is PR only generating media coverage?

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

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

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

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

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

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

3. Share information on social networks.

4. Use a social media release.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Comments { 5 }

10 Ways to Get Your Blog to Shine

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

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

1. Be strategic about your headline.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Comments { 12 }

Managing a Crisis In Your Small Business

By on August 13, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, SmallBizChat

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 Jane Jordan-Meier @aussiechic on Twitter.  Jane is a famous import from Australia.  She has worked for many years in and around the media and consulted on crisis communication in the sports industry and with corporate clients.  She’s run two million dollar businesses, including her own PR firm.  She’s also working on an upcoming book on crisis media management. 

SmallBizLady:  What are the warning signs that you are in the midst of a business crisis?

Jane Jordan-Meier:  1) Sudden unexpected, unwanted media attention; sudden unexpected negative mentions on twitter, negative video on You Tube.  2) If a relatively flat-performing employee is enjoying unprecedented success.  They could be doing something illegal or against company policy.  3) A customer who used to complain a lot has suddenly stopped voicing their opinion so strongly. They are probably on-line being nasty.  4) Unfortunately many business crises go unnoticed, are deliberately avoided or pushed under the proverbial carpet – until something gets the nation and the business’s attention think United Airlines, smashed guitars and a You Tube hit

SmallBizLady:  Are there any special skills needed for effective crisis communication?

Jane Jordan-Meier:  You must be very calm under the intense pressure.  It’s best to show empathy – put yourself in your customers/employees/victims’ shoes.  Be authentic, genuine & transparent as opposed to evasive, defensive & negative.  Be humble & admit when you’re wrong.  Be tactical in your responses, never appear reactive.  To speak persuasively, speak in everyday language to command a high level of respect.

SmallBizLady:  What is a crisis communication plan and why does a small business need one?

Jane Jordan-Meier:  When the unexpected happens you need a plan for what to say, when to say it, how to say it, where to say it, why and who will communicate the critical messages. A crisis communication plan is designed to minimize damage to the business brand and basically shapes how the story is told.  Knowing what to say and having a plan for what to say and DO is far better than having to “make it up” in the heat of the moment.  Most businesses that go thru a crisis loose significant business. 40% never re-open, 25% fail within 2 years.

SmallBizLady:  What needs to be in a crisis communication plan?

Jane Jordan-Meier:  The #1 thing to have is an up to date contact list!  It sounds simple but so many businesses fail to keep theirs up to date.  The list should include the business owners, an identified spokesperson, key vendors, external advisers (e.g. legal, CPA, PR) key clients (top 5 list), one-page fact sheet on the company, the products (and logo) in camera-ready condition & available on a CD/DVD in generally-accepted word processor format.  You also need a pre-written frequently asked questions list that you have generated through your crisis scenario planning.

SmallBizLady: How long does it take to put a plan together? How do you get started?

Jane Jordan-Meier:  Start by imagining what could go wrong – the more bizarre the better.  Ask tough questions and involve your staff.  How would it look if our problems were on the front page of the Wall Street Journal?  Would we survive that test?  Practice scenario playing – get a facilitator or someone independent from outside the business to help you brainstorm.  You could do a plan in five minutes on the back of an envelope over a lunch if you ask the right questions! A good basic plan will take about 20-30 hrs.  Spend $1 on preparedness and save $9 on response.

SmallBizLady: What do you say in a crisis? What are the rules?

Jane Jordan-Meier:  There are 3 key questions that need to be answered in every crisis – what happened? How did this happen? What are you going to do to ensure it never happens again?  There are also some critical no-no’s in a crisis.  Release a statement within the first hour of something happens.  Telling angry or frightened people to calm down has the reverse effect.  Acknowledge the public’s concern and apologize for mistakes.

SmallBizLady:  Should you use the same tactics in managing a crisis online as you would with a typical business crisis?

Jane Jordan-Meier:  One of the big problems today is that a lot of people are treating every negative comment on-line as a crisis, when it’s not!  It’s a negative issue that needs to be managed.  The big difference today is speed – your reputation could be tarnished in hours if not seconds, so if it’s a REAL threat to your business ENGAGE & engage quickly.  Also it depends if the issue goes viral or is isolated to a couple of negative tweets.  The speed may have changed but the principles have not – act fast, tell it all and do it so with compassion, authenticity & transparency.

SmallBizLady: Can you list three steps to protect your reputation online?

Jane Jordan-Meier:  Most important asset to any business, small or large, is its employees so keep them engaged and informed.  Unhappy employees can turn rogue.  Be authentic, be engaged, and be prepared to share insights and tips.  Be a good corporate citizen.  Never spam.  Never attack, put dollars in the trust bank.  Set up listening posts to monitor your brand – check twitter 3 times a day and key blogs daily.

SmallBizLady: How do you manage the media in a crisis?

Jane Jordan-Meier:  Act fast; get a statement out within the first hour that says what happened & what steps you are taking to fix the problem.  Respect and meet media deadlines, and be available.  If not they will turn to someone else to fill the vacuum & that person is unlikely to have your best interests at heart.  Have a strong, simple, consistent message & run it through the cynic filter before you speak or do anything.  Give some background to the situation to put the incident into context, BUT only after you have expressed empathy & talked about the actions you have taken.  Never repeat the negative of the question – state what you are doing in positive, use active language. Hire a PR person to assist with media training.

SmallBizLady:  Who should be a spokesperson in a crisis?

Jane Jordan-Meier: It depends on the type and scale of the crisis, and whether your business has a significant profile in your industry or town.  Go with a spokesperson that is well-spoken. If the CEO does badly, where do you go from there? The spokesperson must have credibility, must be believable, must look and sound trustworthy to be acceptable to your key audiences. The spokesperson must be able to handle the anxiety of standing before reporters and cameras.  If you run a franchise, then you as the franchise owner may have more credibility in the local area then the President of the franchise corporation.

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

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

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

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How to Start a Business In This Economy

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Smallbizlady: Where should you look for your first clients?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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25 Small Business Experts to Follow on Twitter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6. @richelleshaw: small business expert for women

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

23.  @lenawest: Social media maven and successful entrepreneur

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

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

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

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How to Participate in #Smallbizchat

By on July 21, 2009 in SmallBizChat, Social Media

What is #SmallBizChat? It is a weekly interactive talk show on Twitter for small business owners. It takes place every Wednesday from 8-9 pm eastern time. Participants and guests type answers to questions from the host, using the social media site Twitter. The focus of #SmallBizChat is to help business owners succeed as their own boss as they start and grow their small businesses.

For info on the upcoming Week’s chat and a link to the current Tweetgrid (see below for explanation), follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.

Getting Started on Twitter

First, you need a Twitter account.  For details on Getting started on Twitter click this link http://succeedasyourownboss.com/06/2009/getting-started-on-twitter/

It’s a good idea to follow our Twitter account @SmallBizChat. Each week, we post a series of tweets about our guest and the topic for the week.

Terms you need know before we get started

  • Hashtag- The # symbol in front of any word creates a hashtag.   #SmallBizChat is a hashtag. Hashtags are used on Twitter to track information on a specific topic. Click it, and it will take you to the most recent conversation on that topic. In Twitter, you can put a #hashtag in the search box, and see what folks are saying about that tag at that moment too.
  • Tweetchat- is a Twitter talk show, using text messages on Twitter to interact with a weekly guest on a specific topic – using a #hashtag to help my people follow the same conversation.
  • Tweetgrid.com -a third party website tweetgrid.com which allows you to participate in a live tweetchat using three columns
  • Tweetchat.com- a third party website tweetchat.com which allows you to participate in a live tweetchat using one column

There are many options to participate in our live chat:

Using Tweetgrid for our Chat:

On Wednesdays, we put out a custom link to Tweetgrid.com making the chat easier to follow. Consider following our Twitter account @SmallBizChat for details on upcoming chats and links to each week’s TweetGrid.

By using the link, This mode automatically puts the #SmallBizChat hashtag on each tweet sent out in the chat. It allows other participants in the chat to see your comment as well.

Click this link for example of tweetgrid http://is.gd/1yu6j the far right column is where you can see anyone’s comments in the chat.  The center column shows this week’s guest and the host comments. You can use the far column for you own twitter account just put @ your twitter name and hit search.

You’ll notice above you username is a #hashtag box, which should say #SmallBizChat – if it doesn’t, please add it there, so that it adds that tag to each tweet you send.

In the center at the top of the page, you will see a box labeled Tweet, and below it one that says user:    and pass:      Fill out the lower two boxes with your username (without the @ symbol) and password. Putting your password into any program can be a risk, but this program has a good reputation.

To reply to a tweet, hover over it, and hit the left-facing blue arrow, type your information and then hit reply. To RT or retweet something, also hover over the tweet and click the right-facing blue arrow. Tweetgrid will RT something even if it is too long, but if you want to add anything to the comment, you may need to edit the tweet for space.

Things may move pretty fast, so to control the flow of tweets, hit the stop so that you can scroll down, just remember to hit the search to rejoin the active chat.  If you forget you’ll wonder why you are not seeing any new tweets.

Near the end of the chat: In the last five minutes of the chat, the host sends out a tweet allowing people to introduce them selves, or to give a 140 character commercial, so be ready to plug your business.

The host also tweets out info on next week’s guest and topic.

After the chat: Follow the people who you found interesting, continue the conversation if warranted.

Follow @SmallBizChat. Our Virtual Assistant @YourJobMyOffice creates a transcript each week, which is usually sent out via @SmallBizChat later that evening, and the next day.

Just a Note about Chats and Twitter Troubles: Sometime Twitter’s search function is running slow, either due to the volume of people using the service, or maintenance issues. Sometimes it can take a full minute or two for a tweet you sent to show, if this is the case, we persevere. If the slowdown is long, we may try switching to a different service, such as savorchat.com or we may cancel or postpone the chat. If this is the case, be sure to watch the tweets of our host @SmallBizLady, co-host @CathyWebSavvyPR, @SmallBizChat and our virtual assistant @YourJobMyOffice for tips on what we are doing.

For more information about various chats on twitter, and how people use them, check out these links:

http://www.twitip.com/tweeting-with-your-twitter-community-how-to-participate-in-a-twitter-chat/

http://www.meryl.net/2009/05/06/list-of-twitter-chats/

http://www.meryl.net/2009/05/05/how-to-join-twitter-chats/

Info on hashtags and how they work: hashtag info/explanation" href="http://twitter.pbworks.com/Hashtags" target="_blank">http://twitter.pbworks.com/Hashtags

Look up a #hastag to find info on “what the hashtag:” hashtag " href="http://wthashtag.com/Main_Page" target="_blank">http://wthashtag.com/Main_Page

We hope this explainer page will help you join #smallbizchat each Wednesday on Twitter.  Our goal is to help you succeed as your own boss as you start and grow your small business.

Good Luck!

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How to Be a Guest on #SmallBizChat

By on July 13, 2009 in SmallBizChat

smallbizchat_logo_webThank you for your interest in being a guest on #SmallBizChat! In preparation for the TwitterChat, here is what you should know in order to ensure a great chat experience.

#SmallBizChat is a weekly interactive talk show on Twitter for small business owners. It takes place every Wednesday from 8-9 pm eastern time.  Participants and guests type answers to questions from the host, using the social media site Twitter.

The focus of #SmallBizChat is to help small business owners succeed as their own boss by reducing the learning curve as their small businesses start and grow.

The target market for #SmallBizChat is emerging entrepreneurs 25-54, who have been in business less than five years.  We try to balance topics on the chat between challenges for start-ups and issues faced by a business with 20 or fewer employees.

To be considered as a guest on #SmallBizChat we require that you submt:

  • a specific topic (The more specific the topic the better)
  • a link to a blog post, article or book about the topic
  • a one page bio  
  • an electronic media kit (if you have one or are an author)
  •  your twitter name
  •  your complete contact information  

Please send all information to smallbizlady at gmail dot com  Once the above info has been reviewed, a phone interview will be scheduled.

If you are confirmed as a guest, we need a twitter bio and 10-12 questions and answers that you can answer during the live TweetChat.  They must be emailed to smallbizlady at gmail dot com at least 5 days before your appearance date.  

The host, Melinda Emerson may use your Q&A as a blog post at www.succeedasyourownboss.com so be sure to answer in complete sentences.

If you have a free giveaway, resource guide or blog post about the topic, feel free to use it as a link in your answers. Or we can always give it away at the end of the chat. It’s not required, but it’s good to have to grow your followers.

#SmallBizChat is hosted by @smallbizlady Melinda Emerson, a veteran enterpreneur and smallbiz coach based in Philadelphia and is co-hosted by @cathywebsavvypr, a public relations and social media strategist.  For more information, log on to 800080;">www.melindaemerson.com, www.succeedasyourownboss.com or www.websavvypr.com

Thank you again for your interest in #SmallBizChat!  We look forward to tweeting with you. 

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8 Ways to Attract Followers on Twitter

By on July 6, 2009 in 10 Things Lists, Social Media

When it comes to Twitter, attracting “followers” are key to building your online brand.

Here’s key information to attract followers:

1)  Use usernames which match your name or business service or other social networking sites. When you sign up for your Twitter account, use your real name or the name you use on other social network sites. If this name isn’t available, try to use something that describes what you do.  Thus my name is @smallbizlady to my surprise Melinda Emerson was taken.  Using the same picture on all social media sites is helpful as well.

2)  Make sure your bio gives a good reason for people to follow you. Do not be cute or sarcastic. Bios on Twitter are short and to the point. Focus on how people can hire you.  Consider this: do people hire “divas or gurus” or “coaches and experts?”  People will make a decision about following you in an instant.  It is not like the About Me page found on your website or blog.

3)  Be part of the conversation. Answering questions and joining conversations is a great way to build relationships on Twitter.  Asking questions when you need a resource is also a great way to attract people. This may result in you learning about a great tool or website you were unaware of and you could find out you have more in common with the person who answered your question. Participating in conversations also shows you are approachable.

4)  Always look to add value. Twitter is a give to get medium.  Always look to share when you communicate on Twitter. Personal comments are fine to help people get to know you, but if you constantly make irrelevant comments, people will unfollow you or consider you a spammer. Make sure you are adding something of value when you post. Be careful about selling on Twitter prior to building a relationship. Just like people do not like sales calls on their cell phone, they don’t like it in social media either.  Try to sell in the form of a question.

5)  Follow people from within your industry niche and geographic area. One of the best things about Twitter is how easy it is to search for information. You can search for other Twitter users by city and state. You can go to search and hit “smallbiz marketing” and anyone who has tweeted those exact words recently will come up. If that’s your industry, I would follow every one of those people. By following industry folks, not only will you be able to understand what they are talking about, but you may be able to partner with them on projects or create a weekly chat about your industry. Once you start to interact with your peers, they are more likely to follow back.

6) The best way to get referrals is to give them. Word of mouth referrals goes a long way on Twitter. You can ask others to recommend your profile, but the best way to get referrals is to give them.  Recommend people you interact with each week on #FollowFriday, and be sure to explain why they are a great people to follow.  Use a call to action at the end of your blog posts to ask readers could recommend your blog or social networking profile.  Recommend people to follow @mrtweet. If you work to give support to others on Twitter, you will get support back in the form of followers and friends.

7)  Connect your blog and social networks to your Twitter profile. Add a Twitter link to each of your social media profiles (Linkedin, FaceBook, YouTube, etc.) this will make sure everyone you know is able to connect with you across your entire social media footprint.  You can also have your twitter stream or blog fed into you facebook and linkedin profiles.

8)  Purchase banner ads. You can use the website Banner Ads on popular sites in your industry to drive traffic directly to your Twitter profile. When your banner ads are clicked on, the link is automatically connected to your Twitter page. This is a very aggressive thing to do, but if you have a specific product or service such as a book to sell on a specific timeline, it could be beneficial.

It takes time to build relationships online. Be consistent. Be helpful, and you will build a quality following. It does not make sense to use one of those programs that allow you to attract 10,000 followers in 60 days. None of those people will know you and they will be far less likely to be influenced by you. Quality followers trust you, and value you as a resource.  Take the time to let people get to know you. You will be amazed how quickly you get to 2001 followers and beyond.

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.

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

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