Tuesday, July 13, 2010 at 7:01AM

1. Transparency. P. Cheung, www.my-wedding-concierge.com

2. Work when the inspiration strikes you. H. Claus, www.365daysofstyle.com

3. Diversify projects to offset monotony. S. Horowitz, www.principledprofit.com

4. Respond to all inbound inquiries from clients and colleagues immediately. N. Marshad, www.marshad.com

5. Let others know what you are doing, achieving and pursuing. P. Draper, www.mentalmysteries.com

6. Be a source of information. S. Bloom, www.bloomreg.com

7. Set untouchable, personal time away from business. K. Sherkey, www.streamline6.com

8. Be committed to the community you serve. J. Flynn, www.thelegalcheckup.com

9. Work in your strengths. Do what you do best. D. Hensch, www.drh-group.com

10. Live below your means. Use profits to grow your business. P. Solomon, www.pablosolomon.com

11. Keep up with technology. Emerging technology allows small business to compete on all levels and if adopted and utilized frees an amazing amount of time. B. Attig, www.myretailcareer.net

12. Never stop marketing. No marketing = No sales. C. Ruenheck  www.itsyourcall.com

13. Never start the day without a plan. D. Furtwengler, www.furtwengler.com

14. Focus on results. Know what you are doing, how and why you are doing it. B. Flaxington, www.the-collaborative.com

15. Be willing to turn down business that does not pay you what you are worth. B. Phibbs, www.retaildoc.com

16. Discipline because there’s no “boss man” threatening to fire you. S. Fischer, www.fischer-law.com

17. Consistently meet and connect with new people and have a follow-up system. B. Basilico, www.b2b-im.com

18. Stay in contact with influencers, network and stay highly visible. L. Singer, www.hsdominion.com

19. Monitor your progress. D. Helbig, www.seizethisdaycoaching.com

20. Become an avid “inspirational seeker” – read inspirational quotes. R. Guerrero, www.ficklets.com

21. Consistency. Whether it is a blog post, a contest giveaway, or product updates on the website, it is very important in my business that it is done at the same period of time each and every week. M. Podlesny, www.averagepersongardening.com

22. Treat your customer with respect and always make it about them. C. Sisson Hensley, www.hopsports.com

23. Focus, focus, focus on identified target market, ideal client and revenue generating activities.  P. Mussieux, www.confidenceandcourage.com

24. Have a written plan. L. Tener, www.lisatener.com

25. Always be optimistic – yet tempered with reality. M. Pisik, www.breckwell.com

26. Live your top five values. Know your values intimately and be fueled by them. J. Hornickel, www.boldnewdirections.com

27. Listen at meetings, events, one-on-one, over the phone; any time you interact with another human being and you are in some way part of the conversation; listen to what is being said. D. Menzies, www.menziesconsulting.com

28. Sleep. Having enough sleep keeps your mind fresh and your mood positive. J. Johnson, www.allmomsgotoheaven.com

29. Learn to manage your schedule. D. Moseley-Williams, www.moseleywilliams.com

30. Frequently ask yourself, “What will be my legacy?” Be legacy-driven, not only hitting the mark, but also leaving a mark. V. Ashford, www.fearlessleading.com

31. Add value above and beyond your peers and competitors. D. Dalka, www.daviddalka.com

32. Don’t think you can’t; assume you can. J. Fender, www.accessmainstreet.com

33. Have integrity. When you operate from a fundamental position centered on integrity you have the ability to gain the trust and respect of your clients. G. DeRosa, www.cgmaterials.com

34. Maintain balance — Without balance, you may lose sight of the really important reasons why your vision becomes your dream (i.e. family, ethics, community service, etc.) J. Patterson, www.e-LYNXX.com

35. Do your most important work first every day. T. Tervooren, www.tylertervooren.com

36. Show keen detail to servicing your clients and their needs. Regard yourself as an extension of their business. E. Khalil, www.abelpromos.com

37. Skill development. You need to be the best at what you do. Constant education in your field is a must. M. Meikle, www.mikemeikle.wordpress.com

38. Regular analysis of the numbers. On a monthly basis, look at the profit and loss statement and balance sheet of your business. H. Schauffler, www.marketingwithhenri.com

39. Measurable goal setting. You have to know what you want to achieve to be able to achieve it. P. Geisheker, www.geisheker.com

40. Continuously ask yourself, “What’s the best use of my time right now.” B. Maher, www.barrymaher.com

41. Frame it in the positive because realizing the benefits in every situation is the foundation for growth. G. Shiffrar, www.shiffrar.com

42. “Work” at home – maintain a daily schedule of going to your office and closing the door each morning at a set time. S. Lamb, www.sandralamb.com

43. Respond to all customer feedback (positive and negative) immediately upon receipt. K. Pine, www.worldwiseewelry.com

44. Think like an innovator and trend-setter. J. Scardina Becker, www.eventsofdistinction.com

45. Learn to delegate. S. Olivarria, www.biggerthanyourblock.com

46. Ask for quality referrals, quality referrals, quality referrals. M. Henker, www.thehenkergroup.com

47. Keep improving your product or service. A. Sinha, www.accessconsultinginc.com

48. When you think you have worked hard enough, work harder. The business is your baby and must come first. L. Levine, www.profiledproducts.com

49. Eat right, sleep and exercise. It doesn’t matter how smart you are or how great your plan or product is, if you don’t take care of yourself, you will burn out quickly. T. Tafur www.thomasinatafur.com

50. Take time to rejuvenate. A. Pelliccio, www.thehappygardener.info

51. Keep in touch with past clients as they are great referral sources and will come to you when they need your service again in the future. M. Ferletic, www.enterey.com

52. Under promise and over deliver. J. Gallacher, www.santacruzrehearsalstudios.com

53. Hire the professionals to do what you can’t excel at so you can use your time to do what you do best that generates income. Let them do the heavy lifting because they have the contacts and know-how. D. LeVie, Jr., www.kingscrownpublishing.com

54. Good writing and clear communication. Aim to write with clarity, correct grammar and punctuation; and whenever possible, with style. C. Sparks, www.holotropic.com

55. Network and leverage the resources of others with a win-win mindset. Ethically exploit the resources of other businesses, and share profits with them.  They understand joint ventures, strategic alliances and endorsed marketing deals. R. Brauer, www.prophet-marketing.com

56. Be outrageous.  Successful entrepreneurs are rarely run of the mill, boring or average. They approach business in a way so they ethically stand out in the minds of the market and the media. R. Brauer, www.prophet-marketing.com

57. Have a support system. Use the help of others to give you advice, provide a sounding board, and offer encouragement. Get into the habit of meeting regularly. J. Mounce, www.coacheffect.com

58. Bundle your services and products.  Make it easy for your customer to buy more from you by packaging complementary products. J. Crisara, www.contractorselling.com

59. Make sure you’re getting the best credit terms and discounts from suppliers. T. Anastasi, www.tomanastasi.com

60. Always stay caught up on your bookkeeping, bills and deliveries. J. Nielsen, www.myntstyle.com

61. Have a routine. Successful entrepreneurs create a routine of work that is consistent and fits with their lifestyle. D. Langton, www.langtoncherubino.com

62. Keep it simple. Write out business goals on one page. If you can’t communicate it to an employee or a business partner in one page, it’s too detailed – and no one will understand it. B. Leone, www.mrcopy.com

63. Surround yourself with highly motivated and talented people. B. Powell, www.yardshare.com

64. Put hard deadlines on a calendar, and to create a timeline of events that your customers, suppliers and prospects can hold you to. C. Goodwin, www.talkiscake.com

65. Don’t be afraid to fire the poor performers. C. Tuculescu, www.cosnet.com

66. Document procedures and processes, so that you don’t have to spend time training multiple people on the same thing. R. Bodon, www.onesmallstep.com

67. Make appointments with yourself. Block out time on your calendar for projects and don’t let anything move into that space; at least not without a conscious decision on prioritization. I. Miller, www.MentorMiller.com

68. Trust your gut. It feels things your brain does not. L. Taylor, www.nexgendigital.com

69. Know when to kill the idea. Abandon what doesn’t work or no longer works even if it once did. Don’t hang on to practices or business concepts because you are emotionally attached. C. Stewart, www.remarxmedia.com

70. Be a businessperson who wants to succeed. Don’t be a slave to your businesses; don’t work 20-hour days unless you’re under a tight deadline. Time isn’t always money, except when it is. K. Bretcher, www.brazenbutton.com

71. Persistence, persistence, persistence. The ability to face the myriad of obstacles that entrepreneurs will encounter, and continue to push forward, is the most critical (not the only) factor in success. G. Karwoski, www.creativepr.com

72. Ask for referrals and references regularly. The best leverage into new and varied business opportunities lies within the business you have done successfully already. M. Harris, www.aperturecapital.com

73. Look at everything from your clients’ perspective (it will help marketing). L. Aharoni, www.aqtext.com

74. Believe in your product or service. If you truly believe in what you do or sell and can convey that belief from the heart, others will too. Dr. R. Amicay, www.amicay.com

75. Listen to customers and adapt to changing needs and requirements. S. Donahue, www.skyya.com

76. Be Grateful. Always thank your customers, clients and even those who just act interested. Don’t try to sell anything when showing gratitude. K. Cahill, www.kriscahill.com

77. Collect e-mail addresses constantly and consensually. S. Dunseath, www.renoenvy.com

78. Keep the passion alive. Find things to stimulate you and challenge you so that you keep the passion for your profession alive. M. Verdin, www.verdinmarketing.com

79. Hustle. Constantly be on the lookout for story angles and places to tell your story (i.e. online, at events, to the press …anywhere).  N. Beckord, www.venturearchetypes.com

80. Establish a vision that you review daily and use as a touchstone to make fundamental decisions. G. Butler, www.butlerfitzgerald.com

81. Don’t be afraid to say, “I don’t know,” and ask for help from seasoned council. T. Merrick, www.project7.com

82. Always keep an open mind (to new ideas, products, operational methods, etc.) V. Troyer, www.architecturalmailboxes.com

83. Have a willingness to learn from harsh feedback and mistakes made. E. Stutz, www.smoothsale.net

84. Do everything for yourself at least once. You gain valuable experience doing things for yourself. Afterwards, you can decide what is not core to your business success and outsource it. Dr. Z. Zguris, www.limetreecove.com

85. Show up. T. Scanlon, www.borgidacpas.com

86. Be consistent with your company’s image or else it will confuse and reduce your customer base. T. Hartl, www.sellingsunshinebook.com

87. Start with the easy stuff. It frees you up to focus on the tough problems by limiting distractions caused by other tasks. B. Law, www.primedesignsolutions.com

88. Follow up on every opportunity until you have an answer either way, meaning the customer has bought something, or ultimately says “no”. A. Sittig-Rolf, www.sittiginc.com

89. Block time for strategic planning and set time to check in on the business plan. K. Harad, www.newparentfinances.com

90. Pay bills and paychecks on time. Never being late on a bill is another big professional plus. Fast payments will foster loyalty with your employees and with anyone contracted for a project. C. Schexnyder, www.ohbabyfitness.com

91. Be the brand. You are your business. Everything you do reflects your brand. Protect it at all times. A.M. Blakeley, www.simplicitymastered.com

It’s a bummer that the hail has damaged the house, we now have holes in the siding again for the third time in about 4 years.  I have mixed emotions as I think about the insurance companies who will now have to pay out many claims for damage and the companies who’s livelihood depends, in part, on storms like these for business.  I don’t like having to go through the process of filing a claim and filling out the paperwork involved but it’s just a fact of life we have to deal with.

I think about how much this is like my business.  I love having the opportunity to create and I love the process that involves.  I don’t love all the paperwork required to make it all happen.  All that left brain stuff that makes my head spin.  But it’s necessary.  I understand how important it is because, without it, great things cannot happen.  My good friend, Rebecca Metz, has something coming soon that I can’t wait to share with you.  Something that will inspire you beyond belief and will show you truly why all that stuff we don’t love to do is so important.

Today, take a step moving forward.  Do something you don’t love to do and get it done OR, even better, find someone else to do it for you and outsource or delegate!  Wishing you a life full of many successes (and just a little hail).

“Oh, is that the yogurt drink that helps you live to 100?”

Yep, that’s pretty much the definition.  Kefir is a cousin of yogurt and, while I couldn’t drink the real stuff in Russia (too sour and awful-tasting), I do love the fruity kind they sell at Whole Foods.

When I bought some recently at Kroger, the checkout lady asked, “Is that the stuff that you drink and live to 100?”

Literally repeated the exact same words as before.  The checkout lady!

I’m sure you’re wondering, “What the heck does this have to with branding, or marketing or anything except living to 100?”

I’ll tell you: You want your brand to be like kefir.

Even though kefir is a commodity, we can use the way it’s described as a lesson for our own brands.

* Is your message clear?  It should be understood immediately – without diagrams, stories, explanations or Power Points.  “Live to 100?  I want that!”

* Is it compelling enough to get attention?  Seems like the whole “live to 100″ thing has caught on.  Where did that come from anyway?

* Is your message benefit-oriented?   Kefir has such a big benefit (live to 100) that people forget the features – runny yogurt, sour flavor, probiotics….

* Is your message concise?  We may bemoan the sound-bite attention span, but they sure are easy to learn and repeat. Our new barbeque grill has us chuckling “Stop, Drop and Roll” all the time now.  Concise for a reason, right?

* Is it consistent?  You may find it hard to believe that the same words are used to describe kefir every time someone mentions it.  But, interestingly, when my clients field customer surveys, they find the same words being used to describe them over and over!  When you find out what they are, you can use those words to describe your brand to prospects.  If you don’t like them, define your brand better and teach new ones.

Kefir’s reputation has become a kind of meme or ideavirus, passed through word-of-mouth almost word-for-word.

We business owners would love to have a message that catchy!
How to do that?

1.    Name the biggest benefit you deliver.  It’s doesn’t have to be immortality. My car insurance guy once walked from his office to a little fender-bender I had.  I tell that to everyone who asks me about him.  Yours may be about increasing revenues or self-esteem, helping people get the job they want or express their anger safely.

2.    Craft it into a concise sound-bite.  This is always harder if you don’t know the full message, so think first about whom you help, what problems you solve and the unique results you deliver.  Then you can whittle it down to a nugget like “the pain-free massage therapist.” I always say my favorite photographer takes the most beautiful photos that still look like you.

3.    Repeat it exactly, without variation.  Once you get the language you want, stay consistent.  Too often we get bored with a message we’ve heard repeatedly. But your prospects have not learned it yet – and won’t if you keep changing it!

I had a client whose brand message changed every meeting.  I realized he liked evolving, creating and changing it.  This is like putting a plant in your garden, then digging it up and moving it every day.  It may be alive, but it will never take root and flourish.

© 2010 Enlightened Marketing

“By Samantha Hartley of Enlightened Marketing. For effective marketing strategies that align with your values visit http://www.enlightenedmarketing.com/.”

Make better connections with real conversations. For years we’ve been told to recite what it is we do in 30 seconds in effort to catch someone’s attention, attract potential clients and believe it or not, make a sale. Although we acknowledge that business relationships take time to develop, we continue to “pitch” our products and services to anyone who will lend an ear.

Someone once said, “People don’t buy products and services, they buy trust.” Potential clients need to feel a sense of trust before they will ever engage you for your product or services.

Long-term professional relationships have always been built on personal connections. Before you can get to trust, you have to connect on a very basic and human level. You essentially put the cart before the horse when you offer your services without ever being asked for your assistance.

The next time you feel inclined to “pitch” someone, stop and think about the following:

1. Never jump into sales mode or take the person you whom you are speaking with on your ego trip. Keep the conversation natural and casual. Networking conversations are really introductory conversations. They are the perfect time and place for you to discover what you have in common.

2. Ask questions and if you forget what to talk about, remember F.O.R.D. Friends and Family, Occupation, Recreation and Dreams. Ask questions related to any of these areas to not only find out what you may have in common, but you may discover unmet needs or ways you may be able to help later.

3. Do your homework. Don’t just take someone’s business card and flood him or her with emails or expect them to call you. Search out their name and company on the Internet and see what they’ve been up to. What is going on in their industry or region? What other things do you have in common? Do you share a target market? Do you share some of the same connections? Are your products and/or services complimentary? What else have you discovered that you can build on?

Social networking should be just that, social. Ditch your pitch. Stop ambushing people with your cards (unless they ASK for one). Idle chitchat can lead to powerful conversations, but business relationships aren’t built over night. Save the professional interrogations for a time and place after you have taken some time to get to know someone.

A.Michelle Blakeley is the Founder and CEO of Simplicity, Inc.; a progressive small business development firm. She manages her clients’ business expectations and prevents information overload via Micro Business Therapy™ and Micro Business Action Plans. She is featured in Forbes.com and the Financial Post as one of 30 Women Entrepreneurs to Follow on Twitter, contributor for the San Francisco Examiner and Fearless Woman Magazine; the host of Simple Truths for Women Entrepreneurson BlogTalkRadio.com and author of the NEW e-book: “Get it Right and Move Along… a collection of practical tips, tools and techniques for small business owners.”

So, what causes procrastination?  We get into that rut when we over-think what we need to do instead of just getting to it.  The over-thinking is often caused by a fear of failure or not allowing enough time either because they waited until the last minute or because they haven’t thought through how much time it will actually take.  It can also happen when we “don’t feel like we are in the right mood”.

The bottom line is this…whatever the reason, it can hold you back in both your personal and professional life.  So, what can you do to move through it?  Keep your eye on the prize is one way to get through it.  What are your goals?  How are you going to accomplish them?  If you think of something else that you need to do, jot it down so you can free your mind to stay focused on the task at hand.  If you find something is promising to pull you away from what you are doing, ask yourself if it will help you accomplish your goals today.

And remember, the longer you wait, just like the cartoon says, the longer it takes to finish.  Dive it now and “get ‘er done”!

Any tips you can share on how you stay focused on and accomplish your goals?  Post them here.

One thing I do suggest highly is having some sort of free offer available to others to give them a taste of what you do and who you are.  This is a part of your marketing plan and well worth it to provide for people.  I love giving something away to those I connect with.  If you want to learn more about this, contact me at michele@lodestonedynamics.com or visit us at one of our upcoming Lodestone Group meetings.  In the meantime, check out this article I found talking about the very subject of giving away products and services.  Very timely!

Recently, Ning announced that they were laying off 70 staff and no longer going to provide their social networking platform as a freebie. Ning’s COO Jason Rosenthal said they would stop offering free services, forcing networks to either pay or move (http://ow.ly/1BNke). Although it is not unusual for us to hear about the need to downsize and tighten belts, it is unusual to hear about such a large social networking venue to suddenly charge you for what you become accustomed to and enjoyed having as a freebie.

Just what is the cost of providing services and products as freebies? First of all, just because you offer something for free doesn’t mean people will want it. Offering products and services at no cost can be tricky. Giving away products and services that you promote as “valuable” actually decreases in value the more you do it. Although one man’s junk is another man’s treasure, what’s the value in something that you can get anytime you want? Just how long can your business survive when you are giving away everything with everything?

How much is too much? What happens when you can no longer afford to give away your products and services? What do you do? Do you grandfather your existing clients with the freebies and only charge new clients? Do you abruptly stop providing the freebies and only provide the products and services that cost?

Providing sessions, teleclasses, products, books, etc. as freebies are all great ways to get your foot in the door but when it is done in excess and/or over time there are risks. Those risks could cost you more in the long run. The last thing you want clients and potential clients to feel is like they’ve just experienced the “bait and switch.”

3 ways to avoid the costly mistake of providing products and services for free:

1. Have a time limit. This will help let clients and potential clients know that it is only for a set period of time and that they can anticipate having to pay for those said products and services in the future. Even if you use the term “for a limited time” or “limited supply” it gives the viewer notice. They should understand that it might not be available or expect a cost at some point in the future.

2. Attach the free product or service to the purchase of a product or service. Create a win-win scenario by offering a “bonus” item to the purchase of a product or service. You get a sale, but the client gets something extra of value without you giving away the kitchen sink.

3. Use the free product or service as a platform they can upgrade from. Keep the freebie a bare bones type of thing and keep the bells and whistles as something of value that they should expect to pay for. Many technology platforms use this type of technique as seen in “basic, premium and platinum memberships” etc.

One final note, if you utilize and incorporate a product or service into your business that does not have a cost attached to it, weigh the pros and cons carefully and know that should the bill come in the mail one day, you will gladly pay it because it is an integral part of your business functionality and success.

A.Michelle Blakeley is the Founder and CEO of Simplicity, Inc.; a progressive small business development firm. She manages her clients’ business expectations and prevents information overload via Micro Business Therapy™ and Micro Business Action Plans. She is featured in Forbes.com and the Financial Post as one of 30 Women Entrepreneurs to Follow on Twitter, the host of Simple Truths for Women Entrepreneurson BlogTalkRadio.com and author of the NEW e-book: “Get it Right and Move Along… a collection of practical tips, tools and techniques for small business owners.”

It is true that having someone else tell me when something needs to be complete and then checking in, can help when someone is as easily distracted as I can be.  I usually have several projects going on at a time.  Right now I actually have 29 (yes, you read that right) web pages open along with Photoshop, Outlook, Quicken, Word, oh and my printer needs ink and the reminder is up on my screen, AND last but not least, my Blackberry Desktop Manager program.   Perhaps that gives you a better understanding of my mind and how it works (yep, painful at times).

So you can imagine my delight when I received a newsletter from Marcy at Coaching Toys/The Product Mentor where she highlighted some great planning tools that are actually available at no charge!  I love this and I thought you might too.  I think my fav is the Productivity Jumpstarter so far.  Nice and easy to use!  Let me know what you think of these tools…

For 23 years, Pepsi has spent millions of dollars on SuperBowl ads.  In 2010, they stopped.  Instead, they are opting to spend the 20 million dollars on a social media advertising campaign called “The Pepsi Refresh Project”.  Not only is this giving Pepsi a boost to their image with the concept of doing good in the world and making a difference, it is providing the opportunity to create increase brand awareness, results that can be tracked and will generate demand for their product – all through the use of social media.

There are two trends in one here that can’t be ignored.  One is the desire for a greater world full of promise and hope.  Especially big with the baby boomers, a company who shows they have a desire to be of service and support others is the company that will most likely get the business from others.

The other is the ever-growing, probably never-going-away social media craze.  With budget cuts coming going deep, why not capitalize on what you have that’s free?  If you’re department or company doesn’t have a page on Facebook or a Twitter account, you may be missing the boat.  With just the right amount of nurturing, you can serve both employees, customers and potential customers alike.  If you have a minute, check out one of my last articles on how to do social media right and begin growing your number of fans now.

3.  Inbound Marketing

Inbound marketing is all about driving traffic to your website through the use of social media and other forms of advertising AND getting them to buy.  Up to 70% of all leads who visit your site are not ready to buy.  So how do you stay engaged with them in the hopes of turning them into a purchasing customer in the future?

Creating the ability to capture their email address as a way to share information with them in the future is one way.  Remember, though, you need to stay in contact with them regularly (I recommend 2-3 times a month) AND it can’t just be about getting them to sign up for a program.  Nobody wants to feel sold to all the time.  It’s about sharing information you think they might be interested in.  80% of your content shared should be education, tips, information on trends, etc. versus telling them about an upcoming program you want them to participate in.  This is what builds relationships.

Curious how you are doing as far as driving traffic to your site?  Checkout websitegrader.com and get your website evaluated for free.    If you don’t get a great score, don’t panic.  Find someone who is knowledgeable in this area to help boost your site ratings.

4.  Marketing Directly to Your Target

This is the way it has always been, however, with all the information coming at people all the time it is more important than it has ever been before.  You want to make the most of your time in front of your target market.  In addition to your brochure, consider sending out flyers and updates to those who have signed up for similar programs in the past rather than everyone.

Segment out your mailing list is key for this trend.  You might choose to have a list for people with preschoolers and send out an email once a month with an activity they can do at home, something about a park facility and an educational piece about why it’s important for children to spend time outside.  After you’ve filled 80% of the email with this type of content, add a promotion for an upcoming program.

5.  Automate, Automate, Automate

Use an automated system like MailChimp, Constant Contact, Hootsuite, TweetDeck, etc. to automate some of these tasks so you can do a group of them at once and then sit back and enjoy the benefits.  Just remember, it’s all about authenticity and transparency so don’t automate everything.

If you have any questions about any of these trends or are in need of additional resources, please let me know.  I can be reached at michele@lodestonedynamics.com or 763.633.9364.

How do you network?  What organizations are you a part of that you enjoy?  I’d love to hear about them.

http://mashable.com/2009/11/14/small-business-video/

In all of my research, education and experience, it boils down to this.   Customers love consistency.  They need it.  We often think they like change such as flyers that look new and fresh each time.  The truth is – they don’t.  Think about major companies like Northwest and Delta who merge.  These two companies took months to make the transition and Northwest just recently took the Delta name and logo.  They let their customers know for months that they would be making changes long before they actually made them.  If they hadn’t, they ran the risk of losing many customers.

It doesn’t matter what field you are in, customers don’t like change and any change must be implemented gradually to be effective.  Having the same look to your brochures, flyers,  website, etc.  creates branding and customers begin to identify with that brand.  Even a color change can cause confusion.

When you develop your marketing plan,  come up with a look you are comfortable sticking with.  Include design elements such as where your logo shows up and the colors that you use  every time in everything you print.  One of the things I did when I worked at Elk River Parks and Recreation was have templates created so all flyers were consistent in their appearance.  I highly recommend this, not just for marketing, but also because it saves time in the creation process and fewer details are overlooked.  To be honest, it’s one thing I haven’t done in my current business that I will be implementing here soon.   I’m not sure why I haven’t because I know how much easier it makes everything.

Additionally, take a look at the next several months or even the next year.  What advertising opportunities do you have that you can always do?  Do you have a calendar of events on your website that you keep current?  Do you take out an ad, not once in a while, but on a regular basis in the local paper?  Do you send out a newsletter regularly?  Whatever you include in your marketing plan, include it without fail.  People will come to expect it and watch for it.  Partnered with consistent looking materials, they will begin to recognize your brand and take notice every time they see you somewhere.  Over time, you’ll be able to watch your numbers improve in all your opportunities.

If you Twitter, think about using Hootsuite.com, a free site that allows you (among other things) to schedule out your tweets. This makes it a lot easier to be consistent – a very important piece of effective social media.  They just upgraded it and it has several new features.

Also, on Facebook there is a great Twitter application. When you install the application. It allows you to Tweet right from Facebook AND when you Tweet from anywhere, your Tweets show up on Facebook as a status update. But if you want to be able to be selective, try the Selective Twitter app.  This will only publish the tweets with #fb at the end of them.  This is a great way to manage your social media more effectively.

Most experts in social media will tell you to pick one platform and stick with it until you get really good.  Then add another if you choose.  These two tips will allow you to do both Facebook and Twitter without much extra work.  Let me know how it goes…

It pays to play to your strengths. But how do you pinpoint the areas that will increase revenue and earn you more money? Simple: by following the Pareto Principle. Developed by Italian economist and sociologist Vilfredo Pareto, this short, simple rule states that 80% of our results come from 20% of our activity.

You may have heard that we wear 20% off of our clothes 80% of the time, and the same 80/20 rule applies to business. For instance, 80% of your sales come from 20% of your customers. Conversely, 80% of your complaints come from 20% of your customers and 80% of the profits made in your industry come from 20% of the companies. The exact percentages may vary, perhaps 75% and 25% instead of 80% and 20%, but the concept remains the same.

By identifying customers and areas that are most valuable to you and your business, you can boost your bottom line without working longer or harder. In fact, you’ll be working smarter. At the same time as you’re finding your most profitable areas, you also need to think about those customers or products that are not performing well and may actually be dragging down you and your business.

For instance, if you own a secondhand music store, you probably have some inventory that is flying off the shelves and other products that just aren’t selling, no matter how low you price them. By dividing your products in categories (perhaps by music genre), you could see which items your customers are buying and which ones you should stop carrying. By matching your products to customer demand, you’ll be able to turn over inventory more quickly and make more money, all without adding more square footage or spending more money on advertising.

Here are some areas to consider in your own business:

*Employees – Who is your rock star salesperson and what you can you do to help them achieve even better results? Also, who is underperforming and might they be better suited to other tasks? Both are important considerations.

*Customers Calculate how much revenue you’re getting from each customer and subtract the cost of administrative time or other costs to maintain that relationship. Once you’ve figured out which customers are in your top 20%, you can make some strategic decisions about how to better meet their needs.

*Markets – If you sell products to different markets, evaluate these markets with the same principle you used for evaluating your customers. The markets that are earning you the most money should become obvious, so you can start examining the direction in which the company is headed.

Once you’ve identified areas that aren’t paying off, you have to be ruthless and kick them to the curb. Your business cannot flourish if you’re spending valuable time and resources on customers or products that are unprofitable. Once you make the strategic decision to cull wasted space and focus on areas that earn more money, you’ll have a much better chance of surviving, and even flourishing, in a competitive business environment.

© 2009 Ali International, LLC

Self-made multimillionaire entrepreneur Ali Brown is devoted to creating financial freedom for women globally through the power of entrepreneurship. To learn how to create wealth and live an extraordinary life now, register for her free weekly articles at www.AliBrown.com

They’ve just added this service which is very affordable. It allows you to send a voice message to a group of people at one time! So if you have a class, group, etc. that you need to call and give some information to everyone – this would allow you to do it with one phone call! What a great way to remind people about a meeting or give everyone a change in the program or whatever you need.

You can even schedule out your message to be sent in the future! I love it when my life gets easier.

Check it out here: https://www.simpleblast.com/default.aspx

1. Make sure your title tag relates to the content of your site.
2. Fill in your MetaTags.
3. Let people know about your site whenever possible.
4. Shorten URLs as much as possible. In other words, have URLs like www.lodestonedynamics.com/networking or /networking.html. Don’t have long ones that look like www.lodestonedynamics.com/01248974r3=?idvfhow.
5. Check your text. Have you included your keywords? Is your text about your business?

What changes can you make to optimize your site now?

If you need to create custom buttons for your website or links on your blog, this will do it.

If you tweet, try hootsuite.com. It’s a free site that allows you, among other things, to schedule out your tweets. Consistency is one of the most important things in social media.

Another favorite of mine is the Twitter application within Facebook. This application can be found just by doing a search on Facebook. Once installed, it allows you to tweet from your facebook page AND whatever you tweet from anywhere shows up on your Facebook page as a status update!

Each month, our Lodestone members have the opportunity to be a part of these calls – a different topic explored each time based on what our membership needs. This is a free, exclusive opportunity for Premium and Associate members. If you are a healing arts practitioner and are looking to connect with others and receive support with your business, check out our website at www.lodestonedynamics.com! Special pricing is available through June 2009.

May your days be filled with joy, love, abundance and success!

This book shares my 2 cents on various attributes I feel are important for success as an entrepreneur.  It was a joy to write and I loved finding just the right photos and quotes to go along with my content.  I hope you’ll check it out!

1. Log in to your Facebook account
2. Do a search for the app called Profile HTML
3. Add the app to your profile
4. Log in to your email manager account (I use Constant Contact) and follow their instructions for getting HTML code to add a sign up box to your website
5. Cut and paste that code into the box for Profile HTML
6. Click on the preview option to make sure it looks the way you want it to and then viola!  there it is on the left side of your page
7. Unfortunately, it probably appears a little ways down but, no problem, just make a note about it in the “write something about you” box and direct them down the page!

Good luck growing your lists:)

So how do you build a strong list?  Have sign up shees at events, expos, meetings and classes you are at.  Invite people you talk to to sign up (we’ll talk about incentives later). 

Your signature line is another great place to advertise your mailing list.  If you have a website, they recommend having a sign up on every page.  I know it seems like overkill but it really isn’t.  It doesn’t have to a big sign up and if you take care to place it in a good spot – some place where it flows well with the other things on the page.

Although there are many great ways to build your list, the last one I want to mention here is joint ventures.  Working on an event or program – anything really – with someone else allows each of you to share with a larger client base because you are all promoting for each other. 

So once you start building that list, how do you contact them and what do you send them?  The first contact is ideally made within 24 hours.  Send them a welcome and begin to build that relationship.  Is there something you would like to know about them as it relates to your business?  A tip you’d like to share?  The most important thing to remember at this time is that this is not an opportunity to sell something.  it is an opportunity to build a relationship.

Continuing focusing on building a relationship as you continue to send out emails.  Offer tips, share stories ask what you can do for them.  You can also highlight upcoming events or services – just don’t make it a focus of your email.

For more tips to growing your business, visit our website and consider membership in our networking group.  It’s a great way to get ongoing support both professionally and personally.

Good to Great’s framework is the “hedgehog concept.” Collins is referring to philosopher Isaiah Berlin’s essay “The Hedgehog and the Fox,” which divides people into foxes, who know many things, and hedgehogs, who know “one big thing.”  In the world of organizations (whether for-profit or not-for-profit), Collins argues that hedgehogs have an advantage because they’re able to simplify the world into a single organizing idea, and hence are more likely to achieve greatness.

I started thinking about his behaviors.  He definitely is a creature of habit.  He sleeps a lot and doesn’t like to be disturbed.  If you wake him, he will be grumpy (cute but grumpy).  He begins to huff and hiss and starts to curl into a ball of quills – his safety mechanism.  If he’s eating, he eats with passion, almost a fury.  If he’s running on his wheel, he won’t stop for anything (nothing at all – do you have a visual?). 

He’s very focused and not much can derail him.  Every night when he’s up, he gets a lot done.  He only does a few things and he does them well and with dedication. 

In my new book, Inspiring Success, I talk about topics like perserverance, focus and dedication and how important they are for finding success in life and in work.  I am a person who likes a lot of change and focus is always a challenge.  I have created tools in my life to help me with this.   For example, I am clear about my vision and what I want.  When new opportunities come along, and they always do, I measure that opportunity with my vision.  I always ask myself how it fits in with my vision, will it get me closer to where I want to be, are there other things I do that this “fits” with.  There are lots of things I can do, but should I?  No.  I’d never get anywhere if I did that. 

Today, I invite you to become a hedgehog if you aren’t already.  Find what you do really well, look at how it all fits together and focus!

Using social media to develop and strengthen relationships with your customers.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, oh my.  Social media is everywhere.  If you are not using it to grow your customer base, I highly recommend starting now.  It’s a great way to strengthen relationship with your customers and keep them in the loop.  Here are a few points to consider:

1.  Be Consistent.  Do it well or don’t do it at all.  Start with one platform (I recommend Facebook – with over 350 million users, you can’t go wrong) and get really good at it and then add in another rather than diving in and signing up for them all, ending up overwhelmed and not getting any value for your efforts.

2.  Be Authentic.  Look at what you do really well…what people know you for and highlight that.  Keep information real.  Create a buzz without being dishonest – for example, don’t say something is almost full if it isn’t.  People sense insincerity and that isn’t what you want to be known for.   Share things like you’re having a great time planning the upcoming season or preparing a flyer on an upcoming event or setting up for a program that evening.  It’s a great way to let people know what you have going on without blatant advertisements.  People like this.

3.  Give Them A Reason To Follow You.  Offer discounts and specials that are available only to those who follow you on a site or share information that is only shared on that site.  (Hint:  it doesn’t have to be all your information.  If you come across an article about the value of what you do or is related to your field and you think your customers might be interested in it, share it.  Become known as an expert or a resource in your field.)

4.  Encourage Others to Post.  Encourage your fans or followers to post.  This gets others excited about what you are doing and they want to join in on the conversations.  It’s a great way to get some testimonials from participants and have others see them too.

5.  Stay Current.  The trends are constantly changing but one thing is for sure…social media isn’t going anywhere any time soon.  Use it and pay attention to what the current trends are.  For example, people are moving away from groups on Facebook and using fan pages instead.  I personally wish they were called something else but it is what it is.  Fan pages are viral where groups are not (the whole purpose of social media).  Groups don’t tend to be very interactive where it is much easier to get people to post on a fan page.  I believe it’s because people know others will see their posts where they might not in a group.  There are also great resources out there like HootSuite.com that allow you to schedule out your posts to some of these sites so you can get something up regularly without having to be a slave to it.  I schedule out some of my content so I don’t have to remember to do it later.  I also have Twitter and Facebook linked so that what I tweet about shows up in my Facebook too.  Very easy to do.

6.  Promote, Promote, Promote.  If you don’t share, no one will know to follow you.  Have a link to your social media accounts on your website, in your brochure, on your flyers, on the emails of everyone in your department, on your voicemail…everywhere you can think of. 

7.  Most Important – Have Fun!  If you aren’t having fun with it.  That’s what it’s all about.  Life is too short to not enjoy it!