Remembering those who serve

It's Memorial Day- a day to remember all of those men and women, past and present, who serve this country and risk their lives each and every day.

I read this article in the New York Times yesterday about female Marines in Afghanistan (see link below). It moved me so much. I hope you take the time today to give thanks to those who have sacrificed so much for our freedom.

In Camouflage or Veil, a Fragile Bond

Putting your business first

I recently started following Fabienne Fredrickson, an amazing coach that has created a system to attract new clients. I love her approach. The one thing that really resonates with me is also the one thing I am having the hardest time doing.

If you ask Fabienne how many hours a week you should be marketing your business, she will tell you, "four hours A DAY."

What? How am I supposed to spend half my day on my own business? What about my clients? How am I supposed to make money if I focus half my attention on me? Oh, wait. How will I get new clients if I don't focus on marketing myself? What a a-ha moment.

I challenge you to spend more time on your business over the next month. What would your business look like if you spent half of your time promoting you.

Don't tell me you don't have time. You have more time than you think. How many hours a day do you spend checking your email, playing on Facebook or tweeting every thought that pops into your mind? Yep, plug those time wasters and channel that energy towards promoting yourself and see what a difference that makes.

What is your biggest objection or challenge to shifting your marketing focus? Are you up for the challenge? I'm in and I'd love for you to join me.

Learn more about Fabienne Fredrickson at ClientAttraction.com.

Do you have a crisis management plan?

I've mentioned my addiction to talk radio before, but even I am ready to shut it off. All the bad news is too much to take, especially the oil disaster in the Gulf. As a want-to-be New Orleans resident, I am heart broken over the devastation.

BP's apparent lack of an emergency backup plan got me thinking about my own business. What would I do if I lost my computer and all my files? What if I needed to attend to a family matter for weeks or months? What if I was sued for something I did?

A crisis management plan doesn't have to be about all of the bad things that could happen to you. It could also be about the opportunities that may pop up. If you have a resume-writing business and the largest company in your county goes bankrupt, would you be in a position to provide needed services for those employees? This isn't about taking advantage of a bad situation. Well, yes it is, but not in a mean, greedy, hurtful, selfish way.

I think I will focus on this topic more in a later post. In the meantime, backup your computer and put important files in a safe place.

That's all I have, for now. Feel free to comment with your ideas. I'd love to hear them. Oh, if you have any suggestions on how to cap a well spewing thousands (?) of gallons of oil into the ocean, please post that as well.

What you can learn from a strawberry farmer

It's strawberry picking time here in east Tennessee and I love it. I eat strawberries throughout the year, but there is nothing better than fresh picked balls of goodness that melt in your mouth. The best part is supporting local farmers- the backbone of our society.

One of the area's largest farms is Scott's Strawberry and Tomato Farm in Unicoi County, Tennessee. This is a family farm known for their sweet strawberries, but they also grow tomatoes, green beans, corn and squash.

So, what marketing lesson can you learn from a farm in small, rural town Tennessee? If your customers can't make it to you, then you must go to them.

I was in west Knoxville yesterday and past by West Town Mall. In front of the main mall entrance, at one on of the busiest intersections in all of Knox County, was a Scott's Farm stand with a big sign that read, "fresh strawberries." Wouldn't you know, there was a line of folks waiting to spend money for fresh produce.

If your ideal clients can't find you or can't come to you, then you have to get out of your office (aka your comfort zone) and go after them.

Knowing where your clients are means you have to by crystal clear on WHO your clients are. Think outside the box and away from typical networking events. What do your current clients have in common? Ask them what meetings they attend and what organizations they belong to. Ask them what websites they visit and which magazines they read. Find the common thread in your current ideal clients and then reach new clients through those avenues.

Don't be afraid to meet your clients where they are. Most people are fishing in an empty pond with a crowd of fisherman. Why not find your own pond to fish in.

Why blog titles matter (hint: your headlines stink)

After posting an article on blogger outreach, I decided to revamp my blog campaign to include more bloggers in a wider range of topics. In order to discover new blog sites, I headed over to Technorati and Alltop.

Here is what I noticed: I only selected blogs that had interested titles for their last two or three posts. The blog could be exactly what I am looking for, but if the titles of their last few posts were irrelevant or boring, I didn't bother to add them to my list.

Take-away message:

(1) Make each and every blog post interesting and put some effort into the headline.

(2) Include relevant keywords in your blog post title. If you cover real estate, but never include real estate words or phrases in your headings, then you might get past right over.

(3) Blog often so people want to come back to your site.

(4) Give people something to debate (aka everyone loves a good argument). Ask questions or issue challenges, anything to encourage folks to comment on your post.

Remember, blogging is a powerful tool for your business and it must be treated as a primary communications tool, not an afterthought or like a trip to the dentist.

What you can learn from May sweeps

It's that time of the year again. If you are a television fan, then you know what I am talking about- May sweeps. This is the period when advertising rates are set and programs are evaluated. Networks, desperate for the most viewers as possible, cart out the big guns- special guests, cliffhangers, crazy plot twists- whatever it takes to create a buzz for their show and increase viewership.

So, what does this have to do with your business?

A couple of things come to mind. First, advertisers reevaluate the value of time purchased on each of the networks. Same should go for your business. Is it time to raise your rates or change up your service packages?

Next, networks give viewers what they want during sweeps. They know the exact formula to increase viewership. Have you figured out what your clients want and/or need? How are you meeting those needs in order to increase sales?

Also, many television shows have crossover episodes where characters from one show end up on another show, like Addison being on Grey's Anatomy, then Sloan being on Private Practice with Addison in a continuation of the plot line from Grey's Anatomy. I guess the thinking is viewers from each show will watch the first show and continue with the second show, thereby increasing ratings for both shows. This technique could also benefit entrepreneurs. Find a few people you trust and love working with and see if you can work together to offer new products or services for your clients. You could even see about switching client lists in order to reach a new audience. Be creative and see what unique packages and partnerships you can come up with.

Finally, sweeps often determine if a show stays or goes. When was the last time you looked over your list of services to see what is working and what is not. It may be time to remove services from your menu or get new training in order to increase your offerings.

Just as networks take the time to reevaluate their entire television lineup, each business should do the same at least once a year in order to avoid being killed off in a shocking cliffhanger.

Six tips to reaching out to bloggers

If you have never considered bloggers as a group you need to reach out to, then you are missing a huge opportunity to increase brand awareness, promote your products and/or services, connect with people seeking information on your niche (and maybe potential clients), announce upcoming events, expand your reach and even be seen as a leader in your field.

It is not an easy process, but adding blogger outreach to your social media plan will pay huge dividends. Here are some tips to get you started.

1.  Build a targeted list. Research your market and look for bloggers that cover that topic. Do not just go after blogs with the largest readers. Instead, use Google Blog Search, Technorati, PostRank and Alltop to find blogs on specific topics. Look for bloggers that reach the same audience you want to reach. Don't forget to check our local blogs as well. Select 10 to 20 blogs to follow and research further.

2. Get to know the bloggers. You should check out each blog, read several blog posts and look at the "About Us" page to learn more about the person who writes the blog. You need to understand the purpose of the blog and get an idea of their writing style, content and history. While you are there, make sure to reach through the comments to get a sense of how they interact with their followers.

Here is a cool tip: you can figure out whether they blog about your topic by going to Google and typing in "site:http://theirsite.com yourtopic" where http://theirsite.com is their website address and yourtopic is, well, your subject, all that without the quotation marks.

3. Become a regular follower and commenter. Comment when it is appropriate and when you have valuable content to add. Never push your products or services when commenting on blogs. Do add your website to your post so those interested can learn more about you.

4. If you do have something you want to promote to the blogger, send an email or fill out the online form, make sure to personalize the pitch and be brief. It is not a good idea to send a generic press release or a general form letter. Let them know you read their blog and are familiar with its content. Best of all, make sure they know you have something their readers will be interested in. They don't care about making money for your business, they care about things that benefit their followers.

5. Follow your top bloggers on Facebook and Twitter. This is an extra way to gain familiarity for yourself while learning more about what they like to cover.

6. Lastly, be respectful. A lot of bloggers cover what they love and their blogs are very personal to them. It is not their job to promote you or your business. Be respectful.

Taking the time to build relationships with top bloggers in your niche is a great way to expand your reach and build your community.

Finding inspiration

I must admit I know very little about Martin Luther King Jr. Just the information I was forced to learn in school, which was very little. I am fascinated and inspired by people who seem to be fearless. Leaders with strong convictions that aren't afraid to stand alone, no matter how difficult it may be. While I try to be fearless in my business, I cannot imagine taking a stand so powerful that it changes the world. Would I be up to the challenge? 

I found this great article in Success Magazine, "Profiles in Greatness - Martin Luther King Jr.: Standing Up for Justice."  Here are some of my favorite quotes from that article.


“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”


"Ultimately a genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus, but a molder of consensus."


"I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."


“And whenever men and women straighten their backs up, they are going somewhere, because a man can’t ride your back unless it is bent.”


“And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the Promised Land.”


What are your favorite Martin Luther King Jr. quotes or memories? What is your biggest fear in business or life and how will you overcome it? How do you inspire your clients to be their best? 

White noise or powerful message?

I have a confession, and this is somewhat embarrassing, but I love talk radio. I have it on all day as I work. I don't actually listen; I just like having the background noise. I've tried listening to the radio, but I found myself singing along, which is distracting for everyone in my neighborhood. I think I like hearing the voices because it reminds me of working in a full office. Sometimes working from home can be very quite.

Which brings me to my point. Do you ever wonder how much attention is paid to your marketing efforts? Do people just pass right over it, like talk radio in the background?

The golden rule of marketing is that people have to be exposed to a message at least seven times before they even pay attention. If your message is inconsistent, then you will need to reach them more than seven times if you want to convince a potential client you have the solution to their problems. 

A concise, consistent message is key to cutting through all of the noise aimed at your ideal client. Using your business story to develop those unique talking points is a great way to connect with clients while staying true to your core values and showcasing your personality. 

Take some time this week to look over all of your marketing materials and jot down the key messages of each piece. Is there any consistency from piece to piece? Are the key points easily identifiable? Do they explain the benefits of your services, not just the techniques and details? 

Producing materials with key, clear powerful message points will prevent you from blending into the background noise.

What's all the chatter?

One of my favorite things about Twitter are the chat groups. On any given night, you can join dozens, or even hundreds, of other Twitterers in a lively discussion about a specific topic. Not only can you learn from others in the field, but you can establish yourself as a leader and expert while gaining new followers.

How does a Twitter chat work? The moderator of the group will post questions for everyone to tweet about during specific time. Everyone who participates in the chat tags their posts with the hashtag name of the group (i.e. #socialmedia). You can search for the group name and read all of the posts associated with the chat. You can even go back and read the transcripts of the chats if you miss it.

Here is a list of some of my favorite chat groups, along with the time they "meet."

#4change: monthly discussion of using social media for social change (second Thursday of each month from 5-7 p.m. EST)

#blogchat: bettering your blog (every Sunday from 9-10 p.m. EST)

#brandchat: discussion between experts, strategists and those interested in learning more about personal branding and managing their personal brand (every Wednesday from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. EST)

#engage365: open to association and meeting industry members- focused on social media for events (every Friday from 1-2 p.m. EST)

#entprchat: weekly conversation on entertainment, fashion, public relations and management issues (every Tuesday from 8-9 p.m. EST)

#journchat: conversation between journalists, bloggers and public relations folks (every Monday from 8-11 p.m. EST)

#mrktchat: discussion regarding travel and tourism marketing (every Thursday from 5-6 p.m. EST)

#pr20chat: discussion of where public relations is heading (every Tuesday from 8-10 p.m. EST)

#sbbuzz: weekly chat about small business for small business owners, techies, social media mavens and folks who love them (every Tuesday from 8-10 p.m. EST)

#smallbizchat: helpful tips and advice geared toward small business startups and those who have been in business for less than five years (every Wednesday from 8-9 p.m. EST)

#smbiz: open chat session where small businesses of every kind can meet, network and ask all kinds of questions in any area (every Tuesday from 8-9 p.m. EST)

#smchat: exploring and driving the new media paradigm (every Wednesday from 1-2:30 p.m. EST)

#socialmedia: advancing the business of social media (every Tuesday from 12-1 p.m. EST)

#solopr: open discussion designed for independent public relations professionals (every Wednesday from 1-2 p.m. EST).

Find a list of chats and search for transcripts of previous chats at what the hashtag.

Should you foursquare?

I have to admit I've been slow to jump on the foursquare bandwagon. Maybe it's the gypsy in me, but I don't want everyone to know where I am every second of the day.

It seems I may be the only one left not on board the foursquare ship. So, I thought I would do some research and see what the buzz is all about.

From foursquare.com:

Foursquare aims to encourage people to explore their neighborhoods and then reward people for doing so. We do this by combining our friend-finder and social city guide elements with game mechanics — our users earn points, win Mayorships and unlock badges for trying new places and revisiting old favorites.

As a business owner, you can use foursquare to engage your increasingly mobile customers with foursquare "Specials," which are discounts and prizes you can offer your loyal customers when they check in on foursquare at your venue. Don't forget to show extra love to your venue's Mayor! Additionally, if you offer foursquare Specials to your customers, you will be able to track how your venue is performing over time thanks to our robust set of venue analytics — for free!

Okay, I'm intrigued. I can see tons of opportunities and possibilities for brick-and-mortar businesses and even festivals and special events, pretty much any place that welcomes visitors. 

I'm going to play around with foursquare and do some more research and report back. Stay tuned.

In the meantime, does your business foursquare? Any advice or tips you want to share?