Well, we've waited all year for this holiday to come and it's over with already. Where does the time go? I'm sitting here looking at my Christmas tree (it's 9 feet tall and 6 feet around... it's a BIG tree) saying, "NO, I don't want to take it down." But once it's gone, it will symbolize the fact that a new year is about to begin.
Of course, what do we all talk about when we think about the new year? We think of goals, time management and our dreams for the future. 2011 is going to be a great year -- I know it. I feel it in my bones. I have big dreams, and lots of goals to focus on. And I'll bet you do too. But do you know how to get those goals to become reality?
First, you need to write them down. Look at them each and every day. Make sure you have both short and long-term goals that you can mark off as you complete them. This gives you a feeling of success and the idea of moving forward. You won't feel like you're stagnating; but instead are making great strides towards those dreams you have.
Another thought to get you moving ahead is to find a place in your home where you can be away from the noise and hustle bustle of life. Keep this spot clutter free and have pen and paper nearby. By having this quiet space, you get a place where you can think, where you can work without disruption and you can accomplish your to-do lists more quickly and more efficiently.
Still another area that should be addressed at this time is the time management process. Using this space we just talked about, make a list of everything you do in a day based on 15 to 30 minute increments. Do this for 2 weeks so that you can see what you really do on a daily basis -- this shows time you waste, things you do that perhaps might be better done by someone else, and also shows you where you can change your activities to make your business life more workable.
2011 is going to be an exciting year for us all. I see great things happening in our futures and wish you all a wonderful new year!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
This is no way to run a train!
Guest Blogger, Ed Becher, Owner/Director of Training, MI Security Training
Can you imagine being the CEO of a train company, never knowing from one day to the next if you would have passengers or freight to haul? Never knowing how many cars you would need to add to the train. Not being able to tell the track people where you were going or when.
As a member of the SSBI Board of Advisors this is how we feel sometimes, never knowing if we will fill the cars we have on the track or if we are going to cancel the trip. We all live very active lives, with work, school, children, spouse or significant other, other networking groups; myself included in this; finding time for one more activity can be hard. But each of us has made a commitment that we wish to see our businesses grow and prosper. That is where SSBI comes in. We are the tracks and each of you is a rail car, full of experience, desires and expectations.
Now each of you is going‘Where the h*!@ is he going with this?’ SSBI has a variety of activities to choose from: Tuesday morning BANG, Thursday Biz Development, Round Tables, TGIF’s, Book Club and others. These are the stops along our railroad tracks to success. But here is where the scheduling comes in; we do not know how many cars are going to be on those tracks because no one lets us know. We have had to cancel many events lately; the Book Club this week, TGIF for October; because we have no idea who is going to be there or if it is something you desire or not. Much hard work goes into developing each of these events, from booking a room to setting up a guest speaker. Not all of the guest speakers are local; some have come from Detroit and other locations. For them to make the trip here on a Wednesday evening and have three people show after 12 have said “See you there” makes it hard for us to get quality speakers.
The average net user spends approximately 13 hours on the internet per week. For some of us that’s in one day. SSBI both sends out a calendar of events and has them available in hard copy at many events. Our Newsletter and web site show upcoming events, events for you to choose from and hopefully schedule to attend. To help the Board of Advisors and Nancy make things better for you, we ask two things: 1) Come to as many events as your schedule allows; 2) Let us know you’re coming. This makes it easier for us to plan and it adds it to your calendar.
Sometimes things happen that make it impossible for you to attend an event that you have sent an RSVP for, we understand that, but we would like to know that you are coming, not able to make it or even a “Sorry, something just came up and I have to cancel”. You would not know how many times Nancy has uttered to me, “I wonder where ________ is they said they were coming tonight, hope everything is OK” Yes she worries about each and every one of you.
So please help keep those trains rolling down the tracks to business success. Email Nancy and let her know you’re coming to an event and follow through, stop and succeed. I have sent out a challenge also -- $75.00 night out on me to the SSBI member who between now and January 1st attends the most events. Oh and Nancy and I are not eligible to win. SO come on, get on the tracks and grab that $75.00 off the mail pole at the next station.
Can you imagine being the CEO of a train company, never knowing from one day to the next if you would have passengers or freight to haul? Never knowing how many cars you would need to add to the train. Not being able to tell the track people where you were going or when.
As a member of the SSBI Board of Advisors this is how we feel sometimes, never knowing if we will fill the cars we have on the track or if we are going to cancel the trip. We all live very active lives, with work, school, children, spouse or significant other, other networking groups; myself included in this; finding time for one more activity can be hard. But each of us has made a commitment that we wish to see our businesses grow and prosper. That is where SSBI comes in. We are the tracks and each of you is a rail car, full of experience, desires and expectations.
Now each of you is going‘Where the h*!@ is he going with this?’ SSBI has a variety of activities to choose from: Tuesday morning BANG, Thursday Biz Development, Round Tables, TGIF’s, Book Club and others. These are the stops along our railroad tracks to success. But here is where the scheduling comes in; we do not know how many cars are going to be on those tracks because no one lets us know. We have had to cancel many events lately; the Book Club this week, TGIF for October; because we have no idea who is going to be there or if it is something you desire or not. Much hard work goes into developing each of these events, from booking a room to setting up a guest speaker. Not all of the guest speakers are local; some have come from Detroit and other locations. For them to make the trip here on a Wednesday evening and have three people show after 12 have said “See you there” makes it hard for us to get quality speakers.
The average net user spends approximately 13 hours on the internet per week. For some of us that’s in one day. SSBI both sends out a calendar of events and has them available in hard copy at many events. Our Newsletter and web site show upcoming events, events for you to choose from and hopefully schedule to attend. To help the Board of Advisors and Nancy make things better for you, we ask two things: 1) Come to as many events as your schedule allows; 2) Let us know you’re coming. This makes it easier for us to plan and it adds it to your calendar.
Sometimes things happen that make it impossible for you to attend an event that you have sent an RSVP for, we understand that, but we would like to know that you are coming, not able to make it or even a “Sorry, something just came up and I have to cancel”. You would not know how many times Nancy has uttered to me, “I wonder where ________ is they said they were coming tonight, hope everything is OK” Yes she worries about each and every one of you.
So please help keep those trains rolling down the tracks to business success. Email Nancy and let her know you’re coming to an event and follow through, stop and succeed. I have sent out a challenge also -- $75.00 night out on me to the SSBI member who between now and January 1st attends the most events. Oh and Nancy and I are not eligible to win. SO come on, get on the tracks and grab that $75.00 off the mail pole at the next station.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Showing Commitment to the Growth of Your Business
It is really easy to believe that you're doing everything you can to help your business grow, but the economy is just not working in your favor. It is easy to sit back and complain that no matter what you do, nothing changes. It is easy to look at your calendar and say, oh yeah, there's a meeting tonight, but I'm really tired. I'll go next time. Any of these sound familiar? I know they do to me. My SO tells me all the time, do you have any cheese to go along with that "whine"? Money is tight for us all these days, and it seems that it is ever harder to get -- and keep -- customers; even when doing a great job providing the service or product that that customer came for in the first place. There's always going to be somebody cheaper, friendlier, more convenient, or something. What do we do to make sure that we keep our client base coming back?
In the SSBI Thursday, business development training sessions, I talk repeatedly about having to give your marketing time to work. Most marketing experts tell us that you need to have at least seven "touches" (different ways of communicating with and to your target market) before someone will even consider talking to you or using your business. You must have a commitment to your business and to your self (marketing, goals, values, etc.) in order to see any growth take place. This is why we're starting something new at SSBI.
It's all too easy to say, I've had a hard day, I just want to go home. Or, I really need to put some time in on this job. I'll catch up with meetings next week or next month. And then what happens? What happens is that there is a chain reaction. We start out with 30 people coming to a meeting; several decide not to go for some reason next month, and when a new person comes, they don't see a crowded room, so they think, why bother? OR -- we're talking about creating a budget and the bookkeeper who's part of the group doesn't come to that meeting and thus doesn't share some vary valuable advice. Everyone loses out.
The mission and philosophy of SSBI is that people come because they WANT to learn, they want to share and they want to form a community. Yet, if they don't have commitment to the program, then everyone loses. Sure, life happens and we can't ALWAYS be a part of everything, but I'm asking you to stop and think, figure out how many (which meetings) you can commit to attending and then try your best to be there for those meetings. Not only will you be helping yourself, but you'll be helping others and passing on the good vibes to us all! We will be sending out a Commitment Letter soon. Please take the time to read through it, sign it and send it back. I think you'll find it helps with your focus and goal setting for your own business as well.
------------------------------------------------------------
Along those same lines, there are two challenges being given this month: the first comes from Ed Becher, of Michigan Security Training. He is setting forth the challenge to us all to stand up and be accountable to ourselves, our businesses, and our colleagues... For the person who attends the most meetings between now and the end of December, he will present a gift certificate to Martell's in the amount of $75.00. This is a great incentive for us all ... not only will we be meeting our colleagues and creating business relationships, we will be learning about great topics and perhaps winning a wonderful dinner out!
And the other challenge comes from me, Nancy. Since the benefits of this organization come from sharing with each other and becoming advocates for each other's business, we need to have members and new members, coming to all the meetings. From now through the end of the year, when a member signs up another member, they get a $10 gift card to Biggby Coffee. If they sign up two members, they get a $15 gift certificate to a local store; and if they sign up three members, they get a $25 gift certificate to Pasta Pasta downtown Kalamazoo. Pretty good deal for sharing something that people want to share anyway.
It really is all about all of us...marketing and growing our businesses takes time. It is not like we're Jeannie in I Dream of Jeannie. We can't just blink our eyes and have all the business we need. We have to study, learn, share and work our tails off to get ahead. And we need to have supporters and cheerleaders along the way. This is a great way to do that! Come on you guys, you just might learn something useful!
In the SSBI Thursday, business development training sessions, I talk repeatedly about having to give your marketing time to work. Most marketing experts tell us that you need to have at least seven "touches" (different ways of communicating with and to your target market) before someone will even consider talking to you or using your business. You must have a commitment to your business and to your self (marketing, goals, values, etc.) in order to see any growth take place. This is why we're starting something new at SSBI.
It's all too easy to say, I've had a hard day, I just want to go home. Or, I really need to put some time in on this job. I'll catch up with meetings next week or next month. And then what happens? What happens is that there is a chain reaction. We start out with 30 people coming to a meeting; several decide not to go for some reason next month, and when a new person comes, they don't see a crowded room, so they think, why bother? OR -- we're talking about creating a budget and the bookkeeper who's part of the group doesn't come to that meeting and thus doesn't share some vary valuable advice. Everyone loses out.
The mission and philosophy of SSBI is that people come because they WANT to learn, they want to share and they want to form a community. Yet, if they don't have commitment to the program, then everyone loses. Sure, life happens and we can't ALWAYS be a part of everything, but I'm asking you to stop and think, figure out how many (which meetings) you can commit to attending and then try your best to be there for those meetings. Not only will you be helping yourself, but you'll be helping others and passing on the good vibes to us all! We will be sending out a Commitment Letter soon. Please take the time to read through it, sign it and send it back. I think you'll find it helps with your focus and goal setting for your own business as well.
------------------------------------------------------------
Along those same lines, there are two challenges being given this month: the first comes from Ed Becher, of Michigan Security Training. He is setting forth the challenge to us all to stand up and be accountable to ourselves, our businesses, and our colleagues... For the person who attends the most meetings between now and the end of December, he will present a gift certificate to Martell's in the amount of $75.00. This is a great incentive for us all ... not only will we be meeting our colleagues and creating business relationships, we will be learning about great topics and perhaps winning a wonderful dinner out!
And the other challenge comes from me, Nancy. Since the benefits of this organization come from sharing with each other and becoming advocates for each other's business, we need to have members and new members, coming to all the meetings. From now through the end of the year, when a member signs up another member, they get a $10 gift card to Biggby Coffee. If they sign up two members, they get a $15 gift certificate to a local store; and if they sign up three members, they get a $25 gift certificate to Pasta Pasta downtown Kalamazoo. Pretty good deal for sharing something that people want to share anyway.
It really is all about all of us...marketing and growing our businesses takes time. It is not like we're Jeannie in I Dream of Jeannie. We can't just blink our eyes and have all the business we need. We have to study, learn, share and work our tails off to get ahead. And we need to have supporters and cheerleaders along the way. This is a great way to do that! Come on you guys, you just might learn something useful!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Body found after garage fire - Sturgis, MI - Sturgis Journal
Body found after garage fire - Sturgis, MI - Sturgis Journal.
On my way to work yesterday morning, I was listening to the radio and heard that there had been a fatal fire in the 69000 block of Elaine Drive in Sturgis. No names were being released pending notification of family. Well, the day before my father had had cancer surgery in Kalamazoo, and was at home in his house in the 69000 block of Elaine Drive. I immediately starting calling both house and cell phones but got no answer. I have never felt so helpless in my life. What should I do? I had business meetings all day long, but I had no way of knowing if my parents were okay or not. It was a horrific feeling. And I was at a loss to do anything about it. Making a split second decision to let business go for the day, I headed to my parents to make sure all was okay. Thank God, for us, it was. But for my parents' best friend and next door neighbor, life will never be the same. Her son's unidentifiable body lay in the burned out hull of the garage near what had been the front door. There were -- and are -- rumors flying everywhere about the cause. She will be haunted forever. Please say prayers for Jeff and his mom.
--------------------------------------------------
Life happens -- no matter what you plan, life has a way of sneaking in on you and making it's own plans. There's no way that I could have ever predicted anything like what happened above, yet it did. But even though the world was a sadder place yesterday for people on Elaine Drive and the Messer family, the sun still came up and it was a beautiful day. The world continued spinning on its axis. And so we all do too. I think that's a good thought for small business owners at the moment. Life has given us some twists and turns that we have not planned; yet the world still revolves and life goes on.
We don't always get what we're hoping for in our businesses, but that doesn't mean we should just give up. We need to keep on going, and following our goals and our plans. A book I'm reading right now tells us that when we get on an airplane we know that we're going to get to our destination safe. But did we know that for 90% of the airtime, the plane would not be actually on target but would need to be relined over and over again to keep us on track? That's what we need to do with our businesses as well. There will be many zigs and zags along the way, but if we keep our goal in mind, we will arrive at our destination. There may be bumps and bruises, but we will get there and the victory will be all that much sweeter!
Never give up!
On my way to work yesterday morning, I was listening to the radio and heard that there had been a fatal fire in the 69000 block of Elaine Drive in Sturgis. No names were being released pending notification of family. Well, the day before my father had had cancer surgery in Kalamazoo, and was at home in his house in the 69000 block of Elaine Drive. I immediately starting calling both house and cell phones but got no answer. I have never felt so helpless in my life. What should I do? I had business meetings all day long, but I had no way of knowing if my parents were okay or not. It was a horrific feeling. And I was at a loss to do anything about it. Making a split second decision to let business go for the day, I headed to my parents to make sure all was okay. Thank God, for us, it was. But for my parents' best friend and next door neighbor, life will never be the same. Her son's unidentifiable body lay in the burned out hull of the garage near what had been the front door. There were -- and are -- rumors flying everywhere about the cause. She will be haunted forever. Please say prayers for Jeff and his mom.
--------------------------------------------------
Life happens -- no matter what you plan, life has a way of sneaking in on you and making it's own plans. There's no way that I could have ever predicted anything like what happened above, yet it did. But even though the world was a sadder place yesterday for people on Elaine Drive and the Messer family, the sun still came up and it was a beautiful day. The world continued spinning on its axis. And so we all do too. I think that's a good thought for small business owners at the moment. Life has given us some twists and turns that we have not planned; yet the world still revolves and life goes on.
We don't always get what we're hoping for in our businesses, but that doesn't mean we should just give up. We need to keep on going, and following our goals and our plans. A book I'm reading right now tells us that when we get on an airplane we know that we're going to get to our destination safe. But did we know that for 90% of the airtime, the plane would not be actually on target but would need to be relined over and over again to keep us on track? That's what we need to do with our businesses as well. There will be many zigs and zags along the way, but if we keep our goal in mind, we will arrive at our destination. There may be bumps and bruises, but we will get there and the victory will be all that much sweeter!
Never give up!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Friday, September 3, 2010
The Excitement of Fall
I thought my summer was busy -- all kinds of family outings, picnics, swimming, vacations -- Huh? That didn't happen for me...but I hope it did for you. Summer is generally the time for people to relax a bit, take it easier, have family time and not do quite so much work. I never did get the concept though. Even as a kid I worked all summer. I remember when I was in high school, I started a playgroup for the neighborhood kids. We read stories, played games, had kool-aid, and the kids learned, got their exercise and were socialized all at the same time without even knowing it. And I made money for college. Can't beat that now can you?
Well, I've taken that concept into adulthood with me. I've been working away all summer, creating new programs, interesting presentations, and signing up new members that are ready to get going now that for most people, it's back to work time. But in order for all of these things to happen I need your help too. Nothing I do, even if it's the best darn program in the world, will do anybody any good unless people get involved. It certainly won't help you if you don't come to meetings, hold discussions online, or meet and get to know the other members both in meetings and outside.
The beauty of networking and educational programming is that it requires attendance and action on the part of all involved. Some organizations have great turnouts -- they turn out for the free food and booze -- and along with that, they get to meet and greet. And it's FUN. Something I think highly of. Other groups are well known for their referral programs. And lots of business gets passed because of relationships and the referral process. But again, you have to be active for people to refer you. And then there are the programs where you have speakers come in and give you their bits of wisdom and experience. What better could you ask for than on the ground, years of being there, doing that, to give you insight into what you might try in your business.
We all want business coming to our doors. We all want it now. But unfortunately, it's not always that easy. It takes time, effort, money and relationships to get that business flowing. We can't just open our doors, put up the OPEN sign and expect the work to come flooding in. That's why it's called WORK.
So, I'm asking you to help me help you. Come to the different meetings. Share with the others present. Refer others to the group. Remember, the more the merrier. We can all help each other grow and prosper if we get involved. It takes a committment to the group, to yourself and to others but it can -- and will -- get done with all our help!
Well, I've taken that concept into adulthood with me. I've been working away all summer, creating new programs, interesting presentations, and signing up new members that are ready to get going now that for most people, it's back to work time. But in order for all of these things to happen I need your help too. Nothing I do, even if it's the best darn program in the world, will do anybody any good unless people get involved. It certainly won't help you if you don't come to meetings, hold discussions online, or meet and get to know the other members both in meetings and outside.
The beauty of networking and educational programming is that it requires attendance and action on the part of all involved. Some organizations have great turnouts -- they turn out for the free food and booze -- and along with that, they get to meet and greet. And it's FUN. Something I think highly of. Other groups are well known for their referral programs. And lots of business gets passed because of relationships and the referral process. But again, you have to be active for people to refer you. And then there are the programs where you have speakers come in and give you their bits of wisdom and experience. What better could you ask for than on the ground, years of being there, doing that, to give you insight into what you might try in your business.
We all want business coming to our doors. We all want it now. But unfortunately, it's not always that easy. It takes time, effort, money and relationships to get that business flowing. We can't just open our doors, put up the OPEN sign and expect the work to come flooding in. That's why it's called WORK.
So, I'm asking you to help me help you. Come to the different meetings. Share with the others present. Refer others to the group. Remember, the more the merrier. We can all help each other grow and prosper if we get involved. It takes a committment to the group, to yourself and to others but it can -- and will -- get done with all our help!
Monday, August 23, 2010
Fall is right around the corner
The hazy, lazy, crazy days of summer are almost over. If you're like me, the beginning of the business year is right around the corner. January 1 is a good time to set new goals but September 1st is the day that I know I have to get off my B-hind and get back into gear with my business. I hope you guys are the same. Vacations are over, kids are back to school, friends have gone home to their own work and family. It's time to put the swimsuits away and get out the calendars -- it's BACK TO WORK TIME!!!!!!
This is a time for excitement: I get reinvigorated, and my brain starts to churn -- what is just around the corner for me and for my business? The days ahead feel full of challenge and adventure. I'm looking forward to absorbing education, new ways to do the same old things. Who knows where my business will be 30 days from now? My goals seem that much more poignant, and my ambitions that much stronger. I really want to move forward with my ideas and my dreams.
Is it the same for you? How do you look at fall and business? Are you excited about the possibilities? Revved to take on new challenges and move your company forward? If not, you should be. It's time to get motivated and get back to work: you never know where you'll be in the future.
This is a time for excitement: I get reinvigorated, and my brain starts to churn -- what is just around the corner for me and for my business? The days ahead feel full of challenge and adventure. I'm looking forward to absorbing education, new ways to do the same old things. Who knows where my business will be 30 days from now? My goals seem that much more poignant, and my ambitions that much stronger. I really want to move forward with my ideas and my dreams.
Is it the same for you? How do you look at fall and business? Are you excited about the possibilities? Revved to take on new challenges and move your company forward? If not, you should be. It's time to get motivated and get back to work: you never know where you'll be in the future.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
What's the difference between Small Biz and Entrepreneurs?
I just read an article in Entrepreneur Magazine that talked about a recent Tweet on Twitter where viewers were asked what the difference was between a small business owner and an entrepreneur. The answers were very interesting: the one I liked the best said that small biz owners were those who worked from 9 to 5 and then walked away from the business til the next day. An entrepreneur, on the other hand, was someone who focused on the business 24/7. They were passionate about growing their company and wanted support, guidance and education to help them with their passion.
I see these two types of businesses all the time. The one finds excuses not to do things outside the norm: "It's too early. I can't possible get up to go to a meeting that early". "I had a friend come over. Haven't seen her in so long. I can't possibly come to a meeting. I need to see my friend." "I've been in business for many years, I'm sure there's nothing new out there for me to learn."
The other type finds ways to get involved and anticipates good things will happen if they put in some effort. "It's always good to share experiences, and expertise. By being a part of this group, I can not only learn from others, but I can share what my experiences have been as well." "The more I give to others, the more I get back in the long-run."
Do you know business owners like these two? Which type do you think has the stronger business? Which are you? Think about it -- I know the type I want to be. Do you?
I see these two types of businesses all the time. The one finds excuses not to do things outside the norm: "It's too early. I can't possible get up to go to a meeting that early". "I had a friend come over. Haven't seen her in so long. I can't possibly come to a meeting. I need to see my friend." "I've been in business for many years, I'm sure there's nothing new out there for me to learn."
The other type finds ways to get involved and anticipates good things will happen if they put in some effort. "It's always good to share experiences, and expertise. By being a part of this group, I can not only learn from others, but I can share what my experiences have been as well." "The more I give to others, the more I get back in the long-run."
Do you know business owners like these two? Which type do you think has the stronger business? Which are you? Think about it -- I know the type I want to be. Do you?
Friday, August 6, 2010
Passion for your work
Lately I've been thinking about the differences in small businesses around the country and the state and how there are different personalities for different businesses and business owners. It seems that there are a couple of different types of business -- those that are content to have a product or a service and "sell" that commodity, and those that are passionate about what they do and how to make that business grow. For this second group it's all about putting the time and energy into making this a BUSINESS, not just a way to make money.
I was doing some surfing and came across this website: http://www.passioninbusiness.co.uk.
The front page says exactly what I'm trying to state here --
"Passion in business is about you jumping out of bed in the morning enthusiastic about the day ahead. It’s about your team coming to work every day with ideas about how to make a difference. It’s also about your customers having a smile on their face when they think about your business and coming back for more." Now granted, it's summer and time to take things a bit more slowly, but all too often I see business people saying, oh yeah, I'll get around to that. Or, I know you have a good meeting planned, but I've got friends coming over. I want to hang out with them.
Sure, you need to take time for yourself; that's really important. But if you are passionate about your business, you find time to do things that will help your business grow. Time for friends later perhaps. Now's the time for business growth -- that is, if you really want your business to grow past the I just want to make some money stage.
Think about it, and ask yourself (I've got news for you -- the IRS asks this question, too): am I truly in this to be a business, or is this a hobby (a part-time income)?
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Ready, Shoot, Aim?
I'm an archer (and I shoot on the pistol range too). You learn when you're standing there with a dangerous piece of equipment in your hands that could hurt someone else if you don't shoot it properly, that you need to take your time, slow your breathing, take aim and then let it go. Hopefully, it will hit the target where you want it to go. But if you just take up the gun or the bow and shoot, without aiming, the result might not be too pleasant.
Marketing is really the same: if you do it right, you hit the target -- maybe even get a bullseye. But if you don't take your time, find the right market, and aim your presentations at that target, then you are shooting everywhere at once, and much of what you hit will be nowhere near where you want it to be.
Even for businesses that have been around for a while, and have their marketing plans already in place, it doesn't hurt to take some time to look over those plans, make changes where necessary and even, perhaps, take a look around and see if there maybe something new you could do to laser in a bit on who you want to sell to.
Spend some time going over your plan. Who is your target market? Has that changed over time? Is the market you're targeting good for your company, or perhaps the sight is not quite true and you're missing the bullseye all together?
Once you are confident about your target market, then you can look at the different ways to market: how about direct mail? Does that still work? What about social media? How long does that take? By looking at the way your target customers like being marketed to, then you can play to those likes and WHAM! You've just hit the bullseye! Congratulations!
Marketing is really the same: if you do it right, you hit the target -- maybe even get a bullseye. But if you don't take your time, find the right market, and aim your presentations at that target, then you are shooting everywhere at once, and much of what you hit will be nowhere near where you want it to be.
Even for businesses that have been around for a while, and have their marketing plans already in place, it doesn't hurt to take some time to look over those plans, make changes where necessary and even, perhaps, take a look around and see if there maybe something new you could do to laser in a bit on who you want to sell to.
Spend some time going over your plan. Who is your target market? Has that changed over time? Is the market you're targeting good for your company, or perhaps the sight is not quite true and you're missing the bullseye all together?
Once you are confident about your target market, then you can look at the different ways to market: how about direct mail? Does that still work? What about social media? How long does that take? By looking at the way your target customers like being marketed to, then you can play to those likes and WHAM! You've just hit the bullseye! Congratulations!
Friday, July 16, 2010
What do small business owners want most?
That's an interesting question, and one that I've been struggling with for a while now. I know what I want as a small biz owner -- I want people to buy my services. I want to have an increase in my bottom line, and I want help figuring out how to get it. Sound familiar? This blog is an interactive one guys: I really want your suggestions and ideas here, so please feel free to answer me.
I've been an entrepreneur since I was 11 years old. I started out selling crafts (potholders, macrome, knit sweaters, etc.) -- things my family made and then we sold. I babysat for a lot of families in the area and my first "teaching" gig was with the neighborhood kids in the summer where we had a play afternoon, a couple of days a week. I've never stopped teaching since.
My most recent teaching position is as the Executive Director of the Strategic Small Business Initiative -- an organization based in Richland, MI that creates programs for small businesses to help them grow and increase revenues through training programs, mastermind groups, relationship building, marketing, and support services. I've worked hard on putting programs together and people seem to like them a lot. But I wonder if what I'm offering is what you want? We have recently started a six month program on marketing and our first month has been looking at target markets and marketing plans. Before you can create a marketing plan, before you really can focus on your business, you need to know who it is you want to sell to and work with. The old saying "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there" is true. To be truly successful, you have to have a plan. And to have a plan, you have to know who your customer is. The final aspect to that question is, okay, now, what does that customer want you to sell them?
As small business owners, do you feel like you're alone? Are you looking for knowledge to help you know how to deal with a particular situation, or a growth question? Would you like to have a board of directors to share your business challenges and successes with? What is it that you want, and need but can't do by yourself? These are the things that I want to provide to you, my members. So, please think about it, and get me your questions and comments. It will help us all -- I guarantee it.
I've been an entrepreneur since I was 11 years old. I started out selling crafts (potholders, macrome, knit sweaters, etc.) -- things my family made and then we sold. I babysat for a lot of families in the area and my first "teaching" gig was with the neighborhood kids in the summer where we had a play afternoon, a couple of days a week. I've never stopped teaching since.
My most recent teaching position is as the Executive Director of the Strategic Small Business Initiative -- an organization based in Richland, MI that creates programs for small businesses to help them grow and increase revenues through training programs, mastermind groups, relationship building, marketing, and support services. I've worked hard on putting programs together and people seem to like them a lot. But I wonder if what I'm offering is what you want? We have recently started a six month program on marketing and our first month has been looking at target markets and marketing plans. Before you can create a marketing plan, before you really can focus on your business, you need to know who it is you want to sell to and work with. The old saying "If you don't know where you're going, any road will take you there" is true. To be truly successful, you have to have a plan. And to have a plan, you have to know who your customer is. The final aspect to that question is, okay, now, what does that customer want you to sell them?
As small business owners, do you feel like you're alone? Are you looking for knowledge to help you know how to deal with a particular situation, or a growth question? Would you like to have a board of directors to share your business challenges and successes with? What is it that you want, and need but can't do by yourself? These are the things that I want to provide to you, my members. So, please think about it, and get me your questions and comments. It will help us all -- I guarantee it.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
This is a new start to an exciting life
The last few years have been hard on all of us small businesses -- If you're like me, we've struggled, we've cried, we've thrown things, and we've prayed that our businesses would survive and grow in the coming months. Well, this is the year. I feel it in my bones!
But we're not going to get there without the support and efforts of the community. We need to work together -- not in opposition. If we look at ways that we can support each other and learn through each others experiences and expertise, we will all feel the abundance of the universe around us -- that equates to business growth and prosperity.
May 19th will be a celebration of this growth in business. We're holding a conference that will help shape our community through education, networking, sales and service. There will be speakers on marketing, branding, entrepeneurship, networking, organization, sales, and the state of the economy in Michigan. Here's the info:
But we're not going to get there without the support and efforts of the community. We need to work together -- not in opposition. If we look at ways that we can support each other and learn through each others experiences and expertise, we will all feel the abundance of the universe around us -- that equates to business growth and prosperity.
May 19th will be a celebration of this growth in business. We're holding a conference that will help shape our community through education, networking, sales and service. There will be speakers on marketing, branding, entrepeneurship, networking, organization, sales, and the state of the economy in Michigan. Here's the info:
Conference to Celebrate Small Business with 'Mind Capture' author Tony Rubleski
Best-selling author Tony Rubleski headlines a full day of exciting presentations, networking and education during the Strategic Small Business Initiative (SSBI) Celebrate Small Business - The Year of Growth, held May 19, 2010 at the Greater Kalamazoo Association of REALTORS®, 5830 Venture Park Drive in Kalmazoo.
As a 12-year member of Toastmaster's International, Tony Rubleski has presented hundreds of programs on marketing trends, sales strategies, and customer service related topics in the age of "Advertising Deficit Disorder". His unique and engaging presentation style has drawn rave reviews from audiences at state and national associations, chambers of commerce and business groups. This event will help kick off his third book; his 2008 release Mind Capture: How You Can Stand Out In The Age of Advertising Deficit Disorder is an Amazon.com #1 Best-seller.
The exciting list of presentations includes Social Media 101 with Terry Bean, Creator/Chairman at motorcityconnect.com, Attraction Hero at Curve Detroit and Chief Networking Officer at Networked. Since 1996, he has started numerous face to face and virtual networking groups. He is currently the 9th most connected LinkedIn member in Detroit and has consulted with the Relationship Networking Industry Association to set standards and metrics.
Additional break-out sessions are being led by Nancy Diamond, Dave Kersjes, Pam Carls, Kelly Duggan, sharing their expertise in the areas of entrepreneurship, networking and organization. Mary Jane Mapes will be speaking in the final event of the day on “Now that you’ve got your foot in the door, what’s next?”. The meeting will close with a reception and networking hour.
"We put together a group of presenters who will make this a uniquely valuable event for owners of new and emerging Michigan companies," said Nancy Sherman, owner of SSBI and conference organizer. "This conference will also give participants a chance to see what SSBI can do for them. Our goal is to combine education, peer support and fun, with the goal of business growth and success."
Plenty of free parking is available at the conference site, which is conveniently located off M-131 and I-94. Cost of the event includes lunch, networking and all presentations. Early Bird registration, which closes April 30th is $50. After May 1, registration is $75. Vendor spaces are available. SSBI is also offering special packages that combine membership and registration or vendor space.
For more information or to register, visit thessbi.com or call Nancy Sherman at 
269-488-8904
.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)