Small business owners must choose their words carefully when describing what they do. The consumer or customer associates a skill level and product value when he or she hears certain words. Words enable the listener or reader to draw a picture in his or her mind based on his or her life experiences.
When a small business owner is developing his presence online or offline through social media, marketing, or public appearances the word he or she uses to describe his or her profession will result in his or her earning potential.
Below are three examples of how choosing one word over another will put more money in the small business owners’ bank account.
1. Artist or crafter. When a consumer hears the word crafter he or she thinks of someone who sells his or her products at flea markets and craft fairs. The consumer often sees this as a hobby for someone who is retired or just trying to earn a few extra dollars. They assume the person is self taught and the value of the item is dirt cheap. People attend craft fairs looking for a steal. When the consumer hears the word artists he or she thinks high ticket item or one of a kind. He or she automatically thinks the artist has invested heavily in his or her education and the consumer is willing to pay a premium price for the item. If you are selling quilts or handmade items you need to decide before you start your business if you are a crafter or an artist and brand yourself accordingly. An artist will be able to earn more money for his or her quilts vice the small business owner that says he or she is a crafter and sells his or her items at a craft fair.
2. Cake designer or cake decorator. A person touting him or herself as a cake decorator will not command as much money as a cake designer. A cake decorator decorates cakes that are often designed by someone else. A cake designer designs the cakes and may decorate them. A cake designer is an artist. He or she will command more for a cake that is one of a kind because of the exclusitivity that the consumer pictures in his or her head. A customer will be willing to pay more for a one of a kind cake and the bragging rights that goes with it. Anyone can purchase a cake decorated by someone at a local grocery or discount store. But, not everyone purchases a cake from a cake designer. If you are a cake designer make sure you are using the word designer to sell your art.
3. Girl Friday, Secretary, Executive Assistant or Virtual Assistant. The word secretary will have the reader or listener picturing a woman who types and answers telephones. She will typically make minimum wage. A Girl Friday will be thought of as someone who runs errands, types, answers telephones, makes reservations and does whatever is needed to assist the boss. The term Executive Assistant is often thought of as the behind the scenes person who assists the boss. Guess who earns more money? If you guessed Executive Assistant you are right. All three typically do the same job in today’s work place. They all demand being discrete and professional. Yet, the Executive Assistant demands and gets paid the higher salary. If you enjoy being a Girl Friday or a secretary I highly suggest you change your title to Virtual Assistant or Executive Assistant so that you can demand top dollar. Many Virtual Assistants earn $60-90 per hour. Virtual Assistants may work for more than one person and are often a business owner since they are an independent contractor.
Consumers are not aware of the stereotypes they apply to various professions. But, they do know what they are willing to spend when they are shopping at a flea market or craft fair. They know what they will pay for a cake at a discount store and why they will seek out a cake designer at a bakery. Small business owners also fall into the trap of paying a certain wage for a secretary regardless if he or she is performing the tasks of an Executive Assistant. Remember, specialists command more money. Choose your words carefully when describing what you do. Do not sell yourself short by using the wrong word and communicating the wrong image to the customer.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapists. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can learn more about Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching by visiting http://coachjaynine.com/blog/ or by calling 910-539-2810.
As a small business owner and business coach I am always on the lookout for unique ways to stand out from the crowd and be remembered. Earlier in the year, I recommended three resources that allowed the user to put their hand written signature in their emails, on their website, or other marketing materials. We all have seen them and they look unique and professional. It also shows off the person’s unique personality. It appeals to the reader.
However, it has been brought to my attention that identity thieves are copying these signatures and using them. I guess I do not have a criminal mind because I never thought about that. So with that scenario buzzing around in my head I want to remind you to safe guard your signature.
Electronic signatures have become a norm and acceptable form of doing business online. If someone has your signature and is using it how will you dispute that “it isn’t your signature” when it looks exactly like your handwritten signature?
As we proceed into the Holiday Season it is important for not just business owners but consumers alike to safe guard their identity. Here are my three tips for safeguarding your signature.
1. Remove your signature from your email, website and blog. Make it hard for an identity thief to forge your actual signature.
2. No Forging. Do not allow your employees to “forge” your signature when you are out of the office. As a business owner take the necessary steps to designate who can represent you. This may be in the form of allowing the trusted employee to have a business credit with his or her name on it. Consult with your bank on how to set up the trusted employee to sign your checks when paying bills etc. These tips also apply to family members. We know at one time or another we have given our child our credit card to use. If you want your child to have an “emergency” credit card to use contact your credit card company so they can issue a card in your child’s name.
3.Respect. Respect your signature with the same level of security as you would your intellectual property, social security number and passwords.
My three tips for safeguarding your signature will aid you in preventing your identity from being stolen by unscrupulous people. Do not make it easy for the identity thieves. Remove your signature from your email and websites. Do not allow employees or children to forge your signature. Make the time to set up accounts so employees can conduct business legally on your behalf. Respect your signature. Hold it close and safe guard it the same as you would your birth certificate, passport, or social security number.
These three tips will help you grow your business and have a safe and happy holiday season.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can learn more about Coach Jaynine and her MYOB Fall Retreat by visiting http://myobworkshop.com/ or by calling 910-539-2810.
It is an exciting time of the year. Next month Dream Catcher will be celebrating its four year anniversary. I will be launching new programs and services. I will be offering you the opportunity to purchase strategy sessions and various home study courses. I will continue to offer 1 on 1 Coaching and my Dynamic Business Owners Coaching Club.
As I end my third year in business it is exciting to announce we have continued to grow despite the economy. In 2009, my business grew by 1900%. This month we have exceeded our gross income for 2009. My clients have also had tremendous success this past year. I contribute my success to refining my follow up procedures.
When you know how you are going to follow up, when you are going to follow up and what you are going to send or say it relieves stress and saves you time. But, most importantly it shows off your professionalism and gets you a signed contract. You must follow up and ask for the sale.
I have designed a home study course that walks you through every step of following up when you get a lead. The home study course contains a checklist for following up with leads, what to do when they say “NO”, and what to do when they say “YES” and after the contract is signed. It contains sample scripts for various objections so you can prepare what you will say. It also contains a list of resources to use for following up. A phone call or email is not your only ways to follow up. The home study course will also help you examine your fear of following up. Procrastination is fear keeping you from moving forward. You will learn to change your mindset and understand the value of following up with leads. Lastly, for those of you that prefer to have something on paper there is a follow up tracker that you can use to record the leads and the dates and times you follow up and action taken. I’ve taken the guess work out of it for you. You just need to slightly modify the home study course for your particular business.
If you are ready to put more money in your bank account and design your follow up procedures I invite you to download my home study course Put More Money In Your Bank Account: Follow Up
As a business coach, my goal for you is to help you make more money. Download your home study course today to that you can turn your dreams into reality.
Dream Catcher is a Veteran Owned and Woman Owned Business providing business and life coaching services to clients nationally and internationally. Coach Jaynine retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2002 and since then has been on a quest to assist individuals in turning their dreams into wealth and success.
Write the Right Resume – great book/service for someone who will be graduating and entering the job market www.writetherightresume.com
Attract Love Keep Love – great ebook for the person who is single and does not want to spend another holiday season alone.I met my husband after writing this book. $19.97 www.attractlovekeeplove.com
Mom’s Recipes for the Broke & Starving – ebook with over 41 main recipes and several variations that I wrote for my adult children who did not know how to grocery shop or cook. Most recipes serve a family of 4 and cost approximately $5 per recipe. This makes a great stocking stuffer for college kids. Download your copy today for $2.97http://dld.bz/eq6F
Gift Certificates Available for Business & Life Coaching
If you are a United States Marine you have attended boot camp and probably heard the phrase “No one ever drowned in their own sweat.” This statement has served many Marines well. It resonates with Veteran business owners too. But, what does it really mean for a business owner? It means this:
1. You must be willing to do the unpleasant things. When you are first opening your business you probably will not have the money to pay someone to clean the bathrooms and sweep the floor. You will have to do these things yourself. You may find yourself washing windows and mowing the lawn too. If you are a Veteran Business Owner you may find yourself thinking “Wow, I’m not a Private anymore. I’m the boss, the big cheese, the big kahuna”. Well, I’m here to tell you “If you want your business to be debt free you are going to have to be the cleaning lady, window washer, and lawn service”. You may need to be the one “policing” the parking lot in order to keep it clean. Military field day has prepared you well for these tasks.
2. You must be willing to put in long hours. I know I know you have retired once and now you are ready to live life on your terms. You are ready to golf in the afternoon and go to lunch with your friends. But, if you want your business to become successful and not operate in the red you must be willing to put in the long hours. You must be the bookkeeper, marketing director, human resources director and all the other figure heads that go along with running a business. When you put in the long hours you will grow your business more quickly and then you will be able to outsource and delegate after the money is rolling in. But until then you must be willing to put in the sweat equity. Remember, no one ever drowned in their own sweat.
3. You must be willing to do whatever it takes to honor your word. As a Veteran Business Owner you understand that your word is everything. You understand that you must honor your word. As a business owner if you do not honor your word or do what you say you will do you will lose customers. You will not be in business. You must also ensure that your standards of excellence are continuous. If you run a lawn service make sure that each week you edge the sidewalks, trim the shrubs, pick up the trash and mow the lawn as outlined in your contract. Do not take shortcuts and skip one part of the service and think someone will not notice. Trust me. People do notice when you do not deliver or honor your word. McDonalds is international not because the hamburger is fabulous but because the product is consistent. You know what you are getting each time you go into a McDonalds. As a business owner you must be consistent and honor your word.
When you make the time to invest sweat equity into your business it will grow faster than if you spent your afternoon on the golf course. Business owners must be willing to invest in their business. Remember, no one ever drowned in their own sweat.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can learn more about Coach Jaynine and her MYOB Fall Retreat by visiting http://myobworkshop.com/ or by calling 910-539-2810.
Successful business owners make time to attend conferences, tradeshows and retreats. New business owners will often hesitate to spend money on these events saying they cannot afford to attend. As a business coach, I will ask “How can you afford not to?” These events are key to your success.
Conferences are a great way to network with people in your industry. You will learn from those who have already blazed the trail for you. But even better, business owners who attend conferences learn about the latest trends in their industry. You will also learn about upcoming changes in your respective industry before the changes becomes public. Conferences keep you on top of your game. They are continuing education.
Tradeshows are where you will learn about the latest technology advances in your industry. You will see what your competitors are doing and what equipment they are using. Tradeshows will let you know what is out there so when your equipment dies you know exactly what you will purchase as a replacement. You will also be able to start budgeting for the new equipment purchase. Tradeshows are to business owners what toy stores are to children. Again, tradeshows are necessary for business growth.
Retreats are a time to step away from the day to day operations of running your business. Retreats are a time to focus on growing your business. You will have the opportunity to mastermind with likeminded individuals. You will be able to let your guard down and confide in other business owners and seek their input. You cannot do this when you are at work with your employees or board of advisors. This is an entirely different environment. It is safe. You will leave inspired and re-energized. When you attend a retreat you will be investing in growing your business.
Do NOT think that spending money to attend conferences, tradeshows, and retreats is frivolous. You are not spending money on attending these events; you are investing in you and your business. You must be willing to invest in your business. You must add to your annual budget money to attend conferences, tradeshows, and retreats. If you are not willing to invest in your business then you need to change your mindset or go get a job. Business growth is dependent upon you investing your money and energy into keeping it viable and moving forward.
When you invest in attending conferences, tradeshows, and retreats you cut down the time and money wasted on using the trial and error approach to growing your business. Attending conferences, tradeshows, and retreats allows you to tap into brain power of the attendees. It allows you to see things in a fresh new light. You will learn about new resources, new trends, and changes in the laws. You will grow personally and professionally and your business will grow too. Conferences, tradeshows, and retreats are necessary to grow your business.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can learn more about Coach Jaynine and her MYOB Fall Retreat by visiting http://myobworkshop.com/ or by calling 910-539-2810.
As a business owner, time is money. At one time or another, we all have needed to call a client to confirm an appointment or remind someone about an event. However, sometimes when you make the call and only intend to be on the telephone for a minute you end up on the telephone for 10-15 minutes. DialMyCalls is a great time management tool for small business owners, independent contractors, therapists, meeting organizers, Team Moms etc.
You can record or upload a greeting. If you do not want to take time to record a message you are provided the option of typing a message and it will be digitalized. Then you design your telephone list of people to be called and identify the date and time of the call. DialMyCalls places your call on your prescribed date and time. The system is set up to detect answering machines and will leave a message.
After a call has been made, you will receive a detailed report showing if the call went to voicemail, was answered live, or had an error. This is a great feature for small business owners who have a problem with no show clients. You can show that you left a reminder message at a prescribed date and time.
As the Debt Free Business Coach, who teaches business owners how to develop their presence by having the necessary systems and strategies in place using the free of the internet, I love the fact you get one call per day up to 25 numbers for FREE. You can purchase additional numbers and calls if needed.
I suggest you sit down one day a week or month and set up all your reminder or confirmation phone calls for their scheduled date and time. I see this as a great time management tool for small business owners and others who do not have a receptionist or secretary. You could also schedule reminder phone calls to yourself to remind you of events or things you need to accomplish.
Jaynine Howard, USMC (Ret), PhD (ABD)
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free.
She is the author of Doctor Gunny’s Business Boot Camp and the upcoming Gunny’s Profit Center Blue Print.
As the Debt Free Business Coach, I always recommend that my clients use social networking to promote their business; it’s FREE. Twitter Lists is a great time management tool when using Twitter.
Rules for Using Twitter Lists
1. You can only have 500 Tweeps per list.
2. You can only create 20 lists.
Suggested Uses for Lists
1. Family – make a list to so you can see what your family members are up without searching individually.
2. Friends – stay in touch easily with friends.
3. Competitors – business owners should always keep an eye on their competition. When you have a twitter list of your competitors you will save time by not searching individually to see what the competition is doing.
4. Peers/People you like to learn from – this is a great way to have access to their knowledge.
5. Organizations/Alumni/Product Companies- having a list of your manufacturers, alumni, or favorite product company will allow to stay abreast of the latest trends and news without spending needless energy and time searching for their updates.
6. Clients/Customers – as a business owner you want to know what your clients are doing or saying. Twitter List allows you to group them. If one of them is unhappy with your company, you will easily see it and be able to rectify the situation. If they are happy you will see a tweet your will want to retweet (RT) and thank them for their tweet.
Tidbits
1. You can follow a list without following the people on the list individually.
2. If you end up on a list you don’t want to be on ask the list creator to remove you. You can also block the list creator’s account.
3. If you make a list public and then make it private the people following the list will no longer be able to see it.
4. Listorious http://listorious.com is The Directory of Awesome Lists on Twitter. You can add your lists to this directory.
5. Public Lists can be seen by everyone and anyone can follow. This is ideal when recommending people to follow.
6. Private Lists can only be seen by the creator. I recommend business owners have a private list for competitors.
Utilizing Twitter Lists will help easily see what your family, friends, competitors, and clients or customers are doing without having to search for each person individually. Business owners once your lists are set up you will save you countless hours of time.
It is hard to remember everyone who is your “friend” on Facebook and it is even harder to stay in contact with everyone and build a relationship. Facebook Lists are a great time management tool for small business owners. Facebook Lists provides you the opportunity to add your “friends” to Lists.
As the Debt Free Business Coach, I recommend using Facebook Lists as a business tool for time management and rolodex. It is a way to keep track of people you meet at networking events, peers, clients, product manufacturers you use for business, and your competitors. When you return from attending a networking event, I recommend that you “friend” the people you just met if they are on Facebook. Then design a list with the name of that networking event and enter everyone you met into the list. This will allow you to easily see your new “friends” and begin the rapport building process. It will also provide you easy access to his or her contact information.
When you create your list, you will easily be able to see the status updates of everyone in each list in chronological order with the latest update at the top of the screen. A word of caution, when you type a message in the status update block it will be seen by all your Facebook friends not just the people in your list.
Clicking on the chat window feature will show you everyone who is logged in or online by list and then other friends. If you have someone listed in more than one list they will appear in each list. If no one from a specific list is online you will not see the list name in the chat window.
As a business coach, I am always sharing resources with others on Facebook. You too will want to share resources and links with your clients and customers. When clicking on “share” you will be able to see the name of your list as a choice. When you click on the list you will save time by not having to click on each individual person in the list.
Facebook Lists is a great customer service tool for business owners. When you have a list of clients or customers you will be able to see their “live news feed” and if they are mentioning your service or product in a bad way you will be able to rectify the problem immediately. If they are signing your praises, you will be able to thank them.
Business owners who take advantage of Facebook Lists will save themselves time and money by being more productive while offering optimum customer service.
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free.
She is the author of Coach Jaynine’s Business Boot Camp and the upcoming Coach Jaynine’s Profit Center Blue Print.
After attending traditional (face to face) business networking events, what do you do? Do you go home and wait for the phone to ring? Do YOU have a follow up strategy?
As the Debt Free Business Coach, I teach business owners to have a follow up strategy. When you get home from the networking event, you will want to determine who was a prospective client, who will become a great source of referrals, who is going to be a great friend and who you would like to have a business joint venture. Since many business owners have too many business cards to actually add to the rolodex I recommend laying as many cards as you can fit on the copier and making a copy of the cards. Then on that sheet of paper write the corresponding category for each person next to his or her business card. This will give you easier reference than shuffling cards. You will want to either staple the cards to the sheet of paper or put them in stack with a rubber band around them.
Next, you will want to send a follow up email or handwritten note to each person you met. You should already have a simple script prepared and saved as a word document so that this can be easily accomplished. I also recommend having a tip article to share as an attachment; this will begin the rapport building process and highlight your expertise.
Now, go to your Facebook and LinkedIn accounts and begin inviting your new contacts to join you on your social networking sites. If you have a Facebook Fan page for your business also invite the person to become your fan. You will also want to create a “list” with the name of the networking event and add your new contacts to the list. You can continue to develop rapport with your new “friends” while saving time. When you use the chat feature on Facebook, your lists will appear and show you who is online for each of your lists. You will also be able to click on your list and read his or her status updates without having to search for each person by name to see what he or she is doing.
Adding social networking to your traditional business networking strategy will provide you another free tool to stay in contact and continue to develop the business relationship.
Do you attending ribbon cuttings? Have you had a ribbon cutting for your business? Have you ever wondered where the tradition started?
Business ribbon cuttings date back to the 1900’s. Business owners tied the ceremonial ribbon at the entrance of the new business. The scissors for cutting the ribbon were often kept as a keepsake. The long-winded speech by dignitaries marked the business officially open.
Today, ribbon cuttings are a great way to get free publicity for your business. It is the opportunity to write a media release. When you post your media release online, it will aid in your search engine optimization. It can also be recycled and placed on your blog, in your newsletter and various social networking sites. These places also aid in your search engine optimization.
Your ribbon cutting is also an opportunity to meet new people. Your local Chamber of Commerce will promote your ribbon cutting for free. You can also use various event tools available online for free to promote your ribbon cutting. Following your ribbon cutting you will want to follow up with the business owners that attended your event. This is an opportunity to continue the rapport-building step. You can send an email or handwritten note thanking the business owner for attending. You will also want to invite the person to join you on your social networking sites.
Photos taken during your ribbon cutting provide you another avenue to promote your business. Using the free of the internet, you will want to post the photos on your website and your social networking sites. You may also get your photo published in the next issue of your Chamber newspaper.
Business owners are often modest and fear that no one will show up for their ribbon cutting. I challenge you to address the fear and take advantage of having a ribbon cutting. It is a great way to promote your business for free or nearly free while increasing search engine optimization.
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free. She retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2002 and resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina.
Listen up business owners, when you live in a mid to small town you must be cognizant of what you wear when you leave the house at all times. You never know if the person in line behind you at the local grocery store will be your next client or customer.
It only takes a person 15 seconds to form an opinion of you based upon your appearance. Admit you do the same thing when you see someone. It is human nature. Our first opinion of someone isn’t always justified but often times we never give someone a second change nor do they give us a second chance.
If you are attending a networking event or business function the below items are three musts to ensure you are presenting a professional appearance and not turning off prospective clients or customers.
1. Proper supporting garments. Early in my military career when female Marines were inspected a ruler was run down the back to find out who was wearing a bra or not. No matter how perky the “girls” are, you need to wear a bra. Nothing ruins your professional image faster than the “girls” telling the world they are cold. You will also want to ensure you have on a slip if you are wearing a white skirt. If you have on white slacks ensure you have on the appropriate colored under garment. Don’t let your lack of appropriate supporting garments ruin your chance at business success.
2. Closed toe shoes or a pedicure that is perfect. In North Carolina, we tend to wear flip-flops and sandals all year round. Most business dress codes will state you must wear closed toed shoes. This is for health and safety reasons. If you are lucky enough to be able to wear sandals or open toed shoes ensure that you have a fresh pedicure. Nothing ruins your professional appearance quicker than rough cracked heels or chipped toe nail polish.
3. Appropriate clothing. You will want to ensure you are clean and wearing business casual at a minimum. Blue jeans are probably not appropriate for the event. Leave the dirty worn out clothing home along with the lawn mowing sneakers. It is also not a time to dress cute or sexy. It is time to show respect to the person you are meeting by dressing appropriately for your industry. In order to be seen as the expert you must look like the expert. Your clients are spending money with you because they believe in you and your abilities. Nothing ruins your reputation faster than showing up for a session or event dressed inappropriately.
In order to be taken seriously you must present a business persona when attending networking events, ribbon cuttings, or client sessions. This requires ensuring you are wearing proper supporting garments, closed toe shoes or have a pedicure, and industry appropriate clothing. When you adopt the three tips above you will see people approach you at networking events or other events. People will be drawn to you by your professional appearance. They will want to learn more about you and your business. This will result in more leads, which will aid you in growing your business. Networking takes time and money. Let your appearance help you in your networking efforts not kill you and your efforts.
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free.
She resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina and is the author of Coach Jaynine’s Business Boot Camp and the upcoming Coach Jaynine’s Profit Center Blue Print http://www.profitcenterblueprint.com/.
Are you a business owner that uses testimonials on his or her website or squeeze page? Are you a blogger that promotes someone else’s product? Do you use affiliate marketing to grow your business?
December 1, 2009 the Federal Trade Commission begins enforcing its new guides to protect consumers against business owners who use deceptive testimonials in their online advertising.
If you use testimonials from clients, you must make it clear what the normal result will be. No longer, can you have one shining star or unusual client represent your typical client. We all see this in advertisements where the person claims to earn a certain dollar amount since using a product or service.
If you are a blogger or involved in affiliate marketing you must make it clear that you are receiving payment to endorse, promote or sell the product.
As the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free I am also proud to be a veteran owned business owner. As a business coach, I have worked with clients who are afraid to profess their love for our military or do anything that may be interpreted as being political. They don’t want to make waves or risk upsetting a potential client.
Yesterday was the Marine Corps Birthday and today is Veteran’s Day. I am here to publicly shout out to the world “I love being a retired United States Marine and I love everyone who has served or is serving in our Armed Forces”. I am not embarrassed to be affiliated with our military.
I was raised in Holstein, Iowa in a very conservative Catholic family. The United States Marine Corps further developed the direction my moral compass points. The Marine Corps has three core values – Honor, Courage, and Commitment. These three core values guide me daily when working with business owners.
It takes courage to turn away a prospective client when I know their issue or concern would better benefit from seeing a psychologist or licensed mental health professional. The honorable thing to do is to refer the person to the appropriate agency or professional, not take their money, or work out of my area of expertise. Do no harm is my mantra.
I don’t have any magic fairy dust or a magic wand to wave to make my clients successful. I rely upon the skills I learned while in the United States Marine Corps and the theories and skills I learned as a psychologist and business owner to teach my clients the strategies needed to grow their business. The Marine Corps taught me to use various leadership styles so that my Marines were successful. I use these same styles when working with business owners. Sometimes they like me to drag them by their ponytail other times they like to be gently nudged. However, either way, they succeed and turn their dreams into $$$$.
As a business coach, my mission is to provide honorable service. Honor and respect my clients. It is to employ courage and say or do what needs to be done to benefit the client. I am committed to see my clients succeed.
On this Veteran’s Day, I would like to say thank you to my parents and to the United States Marine Corps who have helped shape me into the business owner I am today. I am not ashamed or embarrassed to be proud of our military men and women. I am thankful to everyone who is defending my freedom so that I can be a business owner.
Semper Fi,
Coach Jaynine
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free.
She resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina and is the author of Coach Jaynine’s Business Boot Camp and the upcoming Coach Jaynine’s Profit Center Blue Print.
To get your free e-course Networking Detox: My 5 Secrets to Networking Success visit http://www.networkingdetox.com , email jaynine@coachjaynine.com or telephone 910-539-2810.
As a business owner do you attend networking events? Do you have piles of business cards sitting on your desk that you don’t have room to file on your rolodex? When was the last time you purged cards from your rolodex?
A business card represents money. It can represent someone who will become a client or who is currently a client. It may represent someone who can refer your business to someone else. It can also represent someone that you seek out for guidance or masterminding.
I suggest you have two rolodexes. One for current hot leads, referrals, clients, or people you want to keep at your finger tips. The other rolodex will contain the cards of people you want to stay in contact with but you do not see or talk too often. It can contain the cards of other business owners that you may later want to refer someone to.
Look through our current rolodex. When was the last time to you spoke to the people? If you have never spoken to the person or can’t remember when you met them move them to second rolodex. Use a pencil to make any notes on the rolodex card that you may later forget.
When you get home from your next networking event I want you to make a copy of all the cards. Sort the cards according to prospective clients, joint venture partners, or prospective friends. Annotate these categories on the sheet of paper with your photocopied cards. Keep this paper handy at your desk for easy reference. Once you file a card you will often forget the contact. Out of sight out of mind. This sheet of paper will ensure you follow up with the business owner. If the person does not fit one of those categories file the card on the second rolodex.
When you have two rolodexes you will ensure that you do not lose a business card. Time is money. When you waste time looking for a card you are wasting your ability to focus on revenue producing activities. When you lose a card you lose the ability to close a sale.
No one wants to lose money. Go buy yourself a second rolodex today and begin your new system for keeping business cards so that you do not lose money by losing a business contact.
Learn more about Networking by signing up for my FREE ecourse Networking Detox: My 5 Secrets to Networking Success.
When writing content for your website, blog or an article you will want to ensure that it contains keywords that are relevant to your business. This will help in search engine optimization and drive traffic to your website, blog or article. Keywords are words that most people enter into the search window. When they read your article, blog, or web content they are actually skimming; looking for the keywords. They will leave your site if they do not see the keywords.
List five words that best describe what you do or your business mission/product/service. These will be your Primary Keywords.
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Now think of variations to these keywords or key phrases. These are your secondary keywords or phrases.
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Now you may wonder what makes a word a keyword or why you should use one word over another. My favorite tool is http://freekeywords.wordtracker.com/
This website allows you to enter a word and see how many views it attracts.
When searching for the relevance of keywords you can see that hot keywords is searched more than keywords. Resume keywords is the most searched.
You will want to ensure that at least one if not more of these keywords are used in your article title, website heading or blog title. You will also want to use one or more of these words at least five or six times in the content of your web page, article or blog. If you use the keywords, too many times your article, blog or webpage will be considered SPAM. “Optimize primary phrases using a keyword density of 4-6% while the secondary phrases should have a density between 2-4%.” Richard Lang, http://www.YourBlogToday.com
Ezinearticles.com will review your article for keyword density prior to accepting it into submission. You may want to write your article as a blog with the keyword density first then adjust it later for posting as an article on Ezinearticles.com.
As a business owner, knowing how to use keywords in your website copy, blogging and article writing is paramount. Your ultimate goal is to show case your expertise in your niche and drive traffic to your website or business.
A big thank you to Michael Sharp owner of http://www.ecarolinatech.com/ for teaching me about the importance of using keywords in my blog and on my website. Also thank you to Richard Lang, http://www.YourBlogToday.com for providing insight on using keywords too.
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free.
She resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina and is the author of Coach Jaynine’s Business Boot Camp and the upcoming Coach Jaynine’s Profit Center Blue Print.
To get your free e-course Networking Detox: My 5 Secrets to Networking Success visit http://www.networkingdetox.com
I have written on this topic before but it is time to revisit it.
As business owners, we love going to events. We get to meet people and hand out our business cards. However, honestly, that all costs money. Even if there is no initial cost of attending an event you still will probably be required to purchase a meal or at a minimum a beverage at the event. There are also hidden costs associated with attending networking events. You will be spending your time in the car commuting and while at the event. Your time is a very precious resource. You will also be spending money on gas to get you to and from the event. Do not forget you may also catch yourself wanting to splurge on a new outfit or visiting your favorite hair or nail salon prior to the event.
Now, I am not saying do not attend networking events but I am going to tell you to be selective. As a business owner, if your target niche is not going to attend then why are you going to go? Do not say that everyone is your target niche. We all know that not everyone is our ideal client. The people must be able to pay you for your service or products. I think it is very appropriate to call the organizer of the event and ask the demographics of the attendees. Evaluate the event with the same scrutiny you would use when evaluate where to spend your marketing dollars. After all, you will be there marketing you and your business.
After you have attended the event, do not let the contacts you made fade away. Honestly, I would estimate that 98% of the contacts I make at events do not ever return an email or phone from me or my clients. You must have a system in place for following up with the people you met. You may want to send them a hand written note or an email letting them know you enjoyed meeting them at the event. I often hear my clients complain that they attended events and met great people but no one followed up with them. This is because the other person did not know how to effectively network.
Business Owners, listen up, networking effectively requires that you have a plan to evaluate what networking events are for you. You must have a system in place to follow up with people you met at the events. You can learn how to networking effectively and efficiently by completing my free ecourse My 5 Secrets to Networking Success.
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free.
She resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina and is the author of Coach Jaynine’s Business Boot Camp and the upcoming Coach Jaynine’s Profit Center Blue Print.
To get your free e-course Networking Detox: My 5 Secrets to Networking Success visit http://www.networkingdetox.com
Business Owners Listen Up: Social Networking is about “Compound Friending”TM
As the Debt Free Business Coach, I am always recommending that business owners use social networking or social media as a way to grow their business and develop their expertise. Social networking is about “Compound Friending”TM.
Compound FriendingTM occurs when you post a status update to your social networking site. If you are my friend then I will see the update. If another of your friend’s replies or comments to your update then I will see that person and their comment too. I then have the opportunity to click on their name and learn more about that person depending upon his or her privacy settings. I can also friend that person. If I want to post a note directly to your page, I can do that so that all your friends now see my message to you. This again is creating exposure to a new audience of people. If you have 500 friends and I post a public message to you on your page now 500 new people get to see who I am; Compound FriendingTM.
Compound FriendingTM can also occur when someone shares your status update. This can be in the form of an article link or video. When I post a link on my page and if I have 500 friends that gives 500 people the opportunity to share my link with their lists/friends. Again, this is the beauty of Compound FriendingTM.
As a business owner, you will use social networking to promote your business and display your expertise. The articles and videos you post help you gain exposure to a new group of friends through Compound FriendingTM.
Last night I had the opportunity to attend a Chamber Business After Hours. A woman noticed my name badge with my logo on it. She immediately commented, “Are you the Dream Catcher all my friends on Facebook are following?” She had recognized my logo through the power of Compound FriendingTM. She further commented that she had been reading the posts on my Fan Page.
If you are not using social networking as a way to promote your business and your expertise through the use of Compound FriendingTM I have to ask you “What are you waiting for?”, jump on the bandwagon and begin taking advantage of the beauty of Compound FriendingTM.
Join me on Facebook so you can begin Compound FriendingTM.
Today I received another request for money to help a certain population enjoy the Holiday Season. I have nothing against helping the various causes out there. My husband and I do donate a large sum of money and our time to help those who need assistance. However, as we approach the Holiday Season, I wanted to write about a group of women that are very dear to my heart. I feel it is time to share my story so that others can benefit.
I have not always been the woman wearing 9 carats of diamonds on her left ring finger. I have only been remarried for one year. My journey in life has not always been easy or as easy as I’ve made it look. I was raised in Iowa in a small farming community. I joined the United States Marine Corps in October 1982. I was married in 1984 and started my family. I was always the girl with the perfect hair. Everyone thought my husband and I had the perfect marriage. People always commented on what a beautiful couple we were and how we had beautiful children. What they didn’t know was the violence that took place when inside the privacy of our home. Women Marines have a great deal of pride and they will never tell or share their struggles. They put up a great façade. I have lived in a homeless shelter with my children. When my husband decided to leave us we were stationed in Okinawa, Japan. The family car was registered in his name on base so he got to keep the car. People thought I just loved to run because the only way I could get to work was to walk my three small children (ages 3, 4, 6) to daycare and then run to work. It was only a couple miles. In the afternoon, I ran back to the daycare to pick them up and walked with them home. We even walked to the Commissary; that was rough trying to carry groceries and kids who got tired walking. This took place for a couple months until I was able to purchase a car. No one knew I didn’t have a car and I wasn’t going to be one of those whiney women and expect sympathy from others. I had pride. Today I can spot a Woman Marine who is the victim of domestic violence- my internal alarm beings going off. I never received spousal support so when I paid my bills there were times I would only have $20 left for two weeks of food. I learned to make miracles happen with my paycheck without defaulting on my bills. I could not risk losing my security clearance by being late on paying my bills. I remember the first year I was on my own with my children. When holiday time rolled around, I was publically humiliated by my SNCOIC. She handed me one of those Holiday boxes from the Chaplains office in front of my entire office of junior Marines. I had budgeted and purchased my families holiday meal. Granted I only had $15 to spend on each child for Christmas that year but I made sure they had something. I had never asked for that box of food and guess what …I said “no thank you” “give it to someone else” and I never took that box home. I did go home and cried. That incident made me feel like a failure.
After my tour in Okinawa, Japan, I was stationed at the Pentagon working for the Secretary of the Navy. Everyone knew I was a single mom and no one ever treated me like a lower class citizen. They themselves had class. I worked with some of the best Generals, Admirals, and Political Appointees. When holiday time rolled around, I was overwhelmed with very nice gifts, flowers, Godiva truffles and well wishes for the Holidays. No one made me feel like I was a charity case. They all made feel like an equal, valued employee, and friend. Their kindness felt genuine. I love it when I see them as commentators on the news shows now. I knew them when…They are the reason I am finishing my PhD. They inspired me to greatness and treated me with dignity. Many of those gifts came in handy as hostess gifts during the holiday season.
While on my twilight tour at Camp Lejeune, I had great peer relationships. People would come to the rescue without me asking. They knew times were tight because things in their households were tight too and they had wives that worked. By then my children were teenagers. I worked part-time as a telemarketer to pay for Christmas and I donated plasma to pay for necessities. However, I never whined or let on how tight money was. My children always had the latest styles and no one would have guessed how tight my budget really was. I brought my own lunch and was a PT fanatic so I always had a reason to turn down a lunch invitation. Even when there was “kid trouble” at home, no one ever knew. I would drive almost four hours to visit my son in the hospital after I got off work and I would be at work the next day. No one had a clue. Again, I put up a great façade. I saw how others were ridiculed when there were problems at home or they didn’t have money for haircut etc.
So, if you know a single mom who is in the military she may not be as financially well off as she appears. Her appearance will be impeccable. She will always be cheerful and volunteer to help others. But, she maybe stressed wondering how to pay for the holidays. However, remember, she has a great deal of pride and will not ask you for a handout. She will not put her family on the adopt a family list or ask the Chaplain for a care package. People who are in charge of those programs also may not realize she qualifies because it may be just her and one child or two. They seem to focus on families composed of a mom, dad, and a few children. Not a single mom paying mega bucks for daycare and who is probably not receiving child support. I have met several women this year who are not receiving child support even though there is a court order.
Here are my suggestions on how you can help her without embarrassing her or wounding her pride.
1. If you have some extra cash sneak into her office and put it in her gym bag, coat pocket, or desk drawer. There is no greater feeling than finding money. I once found a $20 bill in my All Weather Coat pocket. I don’t know if it was mine or if someone had put it there. But, at that time that $20 had the same feeling as 1K does today. If you can get hold of a recall roster with her address on it just put an envelope in the mail with some cash in it.
2. Don’t be afraid to give her a small gift of homemade cookies, breads, fruit or something small with a personal note wishing her and her family a Happy Holiday. But also do this for other people too so she doesn’t think you did this just for her. The food gift will be welcomed and if it is a gift she doesn’t like she will be able to re-gift it. Paying for all the extra gifts at Christmas time is hard on a single mom budget. Many times, you will see a single mom offer to stand duty instead of attending a party where you need to bring a toy for Toys for Tots, buy a new outfit or pay a big fee to attend. I once begged to stand duty so I didn’t have to pay $50 to go on a fishing trip. Luckily, I was the only female SNCO in the Unit so they readily agreed I could be the Duty. I didn’t have $50 to blow on something so frivolous. While stationed at the Pentagon I would use my children as an excuse so that I didn’t have to attend a party that required a more formal party dress that just wasn’t in my budget. I also didn’t date when my children were little because I couldn’t afford daycare or clothes to go out on a date.
3. If you invite her and her family to dinner be prepared for her to say “no”. She may not have money for a hostess gift or to pay for the gas to get to your house. I turned down many an invitation because I did not have money for the gas to drive the extra distance or to buy or make a hostess gift. Make it very clear that she does not need to bring anything. However, if she says NO just drop it. Don’t make her feel bad by having to state the real reason she cannot accept your hospitality.
Being a single mom Marine can also be very lonely. As she advances in rank there may be times she is the only female of her rank in the Unit. During the workday, she has many friends who are often male Marines. However, when it is time for office functions she is left alone because the male Marines do not want to introduce her to their wives because they may get jealous that he talks to a female at work. The Marine Corps Ball is a very lonely and stressful time for women Marines who are single parents. They often cannot afford the price of the ball ticket. They are forced to wear their uniform and not a pretty ball gown. They can purchase a dress uniform but many cannot afford to do that nor can they afford daycare so they can attend the event. If they do attend the event, they sit alone because everyone else is paired with their spouses or they leave after happy hour and say they need to pick up kids. Many women Marines often end up not attending the Marine Corps Ball due to finances. They sit home alone. They also sit home alone during the holiday season because they cannot afford the gas or airfare to go home to visit family. It is different being a single parent home alone with children on the holidays than being a married family staying home on the holidays.
I challenge you to listen with your eyes and ears throughout the year. Learn from my story how to be respectful yet helpful to a single woman Marine Mom. She has a great deal of pride and will never admit that her life is anything less than perfect. It is tough being a Marine; it is tougher being a Woman Marine, and even more tough being a Single Parent Marine.
Jaynine Howard retired from the United States Marine Corps in 2002. She is the author of Mom’s Recipes for the Broke & Starving available at http://www.knowledge-download.com/5120/
Do you find yourself avoiding the store entrance that has a Bell Ringer? Now that the holiday season is upon us, business owners will often find that he or she is bombarded with solicitations for monetary donations and donations of their time.
Business Owners must learn to say “NO” to any request that does not fit into his or her budget. This budget is more than just money it is also his or her time. So how do you learn to say “NO” gracefully? Follow my tips below and you will save yourself from incurring headaches this holiday season.
1. Stop impulsively saying “YES” to requests for money. Tell the person you think their project is wonderful but you must consult your financial advisor, accountant, or board of directors before making a financial commitment. You must take time to do your homework and investigate if this is even a true organization or just someone trying to be nice but no guarantee they will really deliver the money or product to its destination.
2. If the person is requesting you sign up for one more fundraiser or charity event use the similar response to tip #1 but state you must check your calendar and you will get back with the person if you are able to assist. Your time is valuable.
3. Know in advance, what your monetary budget and time budget will allow. Review what events or organizations you gave your time and money last year. Review the new requests for your time and money and only choose to participate in the activities that truly tug at your heart and that you believe in.
4. It is ok to let organizations know that you have already made your monetary and time allocations for the year. Tell the person to submit their request to your business by the third quarter next year so that your board of directors can review their request.
5. Holiday parties masked as networking events also take extra time and money. Often they will require the purchase of holiday attire, event ticket, make a toy donation, food donation or similar unexpected cost. These parties can wreck your budget. It is imperative you know in advance how much you can afford to spend on these unexpected costs.
When you design a budget for your time, hidden party costs, and last minute requests for money you will be prepared to say “YES” or “NO” without feeling guilty. You have worked very hard all year for your money. Do NOT feel pressured to give it to everyone that is standing at your door with an open hand. You must take time to review the solicitations and give them as much attention as you would other business decisions. Do not be conned or guilted into giving away your hard-earned time and money to organizations that may not be true organizations.
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free.
She is a retired United States Marine, resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina and is the author of Coach Jaynine’s Business Boot Camp and the upcoming Coach Jaynine’s Profit Center Blue Print.
It is that time of year again for business owners. You want to thank your loyal clients with a gift. You also want to send something to prospective clients. But what?
As the Debt Free Business Coach, I must ask you “What does your budget allow this year?” You do have a budget for holiday gift giving, right. Are you shaking your head no? Are you showing me empty pockets? Well, that is ok too. Honesty is the best policy. Let’s take a few minutes and brainstorm how to show appreciation to your loyal clients and stay in the forefront of the minds of prospective clients without breaking the bank.
First, thing of all the “crap”, yes, I just called it “crap” that you receive from businesses each year. Do you really use those plastic cups, calendars, fly swatters, lip chap, Frisbees, plastic bags, pens, magnets etc or do you throw them away? When you throw them away, you are really wasting the business owners’ money. Do you want your money wasted? Heck NO!
So, what can you do or give away that won’t waste your money by ending up in the trashcan? Think! If you were doing business with you what would you want? What would make you feel appreciated? Would you like a discount or gift card to use on a future purchase? Did you know that most gift certificates are never redeemed? Yep, that is true. So how about you give out gift certificates for your services or design a discount card to enclose in a Christmas card. I have seen business owners design a business card that is their gift certificate or discount card. It can before for a percentage off a purchase or for a specific dollar amount. If you sell a product to your clients would they like travel sizes of that product i.e. shampoo, moisturizer, shower gel? If this would be too expensive then I suggest going with sending a gift certificate. Think of what inventory you may have that you need to move quickly before it expires. Bakery owners could offer a free cookie, cupcake or small cake in the favorite flavor of their loyal customers. This is something you know they would enjoy and not throw away. Gunilla, if you are reading this you know I love your oatmeal cookies.
My point here is – do not feel that you must break your bank account and give your clients something during the holiday season. Prior to becoming a business owner, I use to attend Expos and festivals and collect all the “crap” that went into the trashcan a few days after the event was over. I don’t know why I was one of those hungry vultures taking things I would never use but I did. Yes, I admit it I took the “crap”. However, once I became a business owner and realized how much each of those items cost I stopped taking anything I knew I would never use.
So, this Holiday Season, I challenge you as a business owner to stop spending until you examine your budget. Think about what your clients truly would want from you and keep or use. Do not waste your money on “crap” trying to impress prospective clients.
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free.
She is a retired United States Marine and resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She is the author of Coach Jaynine’s Business Boot Camp and the upcoming Coach Jaynine’s Profit Center Blue Print.
Are you a small business owner? Do you run a household? Do you manage your life? Well, it is time to take inventory of your supplies and your life. Now is the time to take advantage of end of year sales and restock your shelves with office supplies and other must have items.
Today, I want you to take a few minutes and check your office supply cabinet. What supplies are sitting unused? What supplies are you running low on? Do you have certain supplies that are better savings when bought in bulk? If you are like me when you go to your local office supply store for one item, you end up leaving with a cart full. It will save you money to make one big purchase for 2010. You will save money from not going to the store for one item and bringing home ten. Think about what items you kept going to the store to purchase. Was it ink for your printer? Paper? Staples? Envelopes? Last year I was shocked when I bought a huge box of envelopes. I saved so much money by buying in bulk vice going to the grocery store or dollar store to purchase a small box of ten envelopes for a dollar. The envelopes are kept clean and dry. It was a great savings. Binder clips was another item I was routinely going to the store to buy one box at a time. Now that I have the bundled pack of them, I seem not to use them as often. Take a few minutes and plan a shopping list. Do not forget to look at your supply of business cards, brochures, and note cards.
Your household, what items do you need to stock up on? Is it the toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, laundry detergent or thank you notes? These again are all items that if you run to the store to buy when you run out you end up throwing more items in the cart. I have made it a practice to only step into Wal-Mart once a month. I make my list of all the items I will need for the month and purchase then. This once a month shopping is typically around $100-125. When I do break my rule and go more than once I still seem to spend at least $70.00- the stuff just jumps in my cart. Do you have this happen to you too? If you shop once a month and stock up you will save money by not impulse shopping. Take time to shop for your home office too. Don’t forget the Dollar Store is a great place to buy birthday cards (2 for a $1), thank you notes, and other household staples. What about the family medicine cabinet? Is there stuff in there that needs to be tossed? The Dollar Store is also a great place to visit to replenish aspirin, Tylenol, Band-Aids, peroxide, etc.
Now let’s focus on the most important topic; YOU! Let’s take time to conduct a personal inventory. Are you getting enough sleep? Are you eating the right foods to fuel your body? Do you need to replace worn out clothing and shoes? What about your hair? Is your haircut in style or outdated? You are your biggest asset. You must take care of you. I want you to get out a 2010 calendar or print one from online and start making dates to take care of you. Do you exercise? Make a date with yourself to go to the gym or go for a walk. Do not feel guilty scheduling dates to get your nails or hair done. It is amazing what just a new dress or blouse can do for your mood. I’m not saying go break the family budget but I am telling you it is ok to spend time and money on YOU. Lastly, take a few minutes to inventory your financial, insurance, and other important documents. Do you have enough insurance for your home? Do you have enough insurance on your vehicles? When was your Will last updated? Do you know where your important documents are located in your home? When your life is in order you will have less stress.
Remember, many of the items you purchase for your business and home office may be tax deductible. Now, go conduct your inventory and get ready for a great 2010!
When was the last time you cleaned your office or home in record time because you had received a phone call that an unexpected guest was dropping by? Do you put that much energy in everything you do? Do you catch yourself dilly-dallying throughout the day?
If you were given one hour to do whatever you wanted what would you do? Would you race around like a crazy person and complete a pile of filing? Would you tackle paying bills or would relax with your favorite beverage and pastry?
For a business owner, time is a very hot commodity. You can accomplish a great deal when you sit and focus on a task. Have you ever watched a child dilly dally with their homework? Yet, they can rush through it in record time when there is something fun they want to do?
How many hours do you work each week on your business? Would you like to slash that amount of time in half? You can spend less time working on your business if you work smarter and with more focus using my three tips.
1. Identify distractions. I challenge you to recognize what distracts you. If it is the telephone, do not answer it. You can return calls later. If it is the television or radio, turn them off. Is it family pets or children? Send them out to daycare, out to play or put them down for a nap. Is it a task you do not know how to complete? Identify your distractions so they can be tamed or eliminated.
2. Identify the purpose. When you sit down at your desk, you need to have a purpose. What is the purpose for why you are at your desk? Do not mindlessly play games or shuffle papers on your desk. If you pick up a piece of paper do what needs to be done with it- read it, answer it, or file it. If you have phone calls to return, sit down and return the calls. Stop staring at the phone messages. Use your time efficiently – don’t waste it. If you need to pretend that you must get those phone calls returned or the filing completed before you can go out to play.
3. Design a Plan. As a profitable busy business owner, you must have a plan. When you schedule time in your day planner and make an appointment with yourself to pay bills, write your newsletter, return phone calls, or meet with new clients you will be focused and accomplish your tasks. You know the hourly rate you charge clients. Pretend you have to pay yourself for working. If you had an employee that was dilly-dallying would you keep him or her on the payroll or would you fire him or her. Is it time to fire you?
When you use my productivity tracker and my three tips to identify your distractions, define your purpose, and design a plan you will accomplish more in less time and have more free time. What would you do with your extra time? Would this free up time to design new profit centers? Would you be able to spend more time on revenue producing activities? I challenge you to track your time and how you are using it. You may be surprised at whom or what is sabotaging your time.
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free.
She is a retired United States Marine and resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She is the author of Coach Jaynine’s Business Boot Camp and the upcoming Coach Jaynine’s Profit Center Blue Print.
To get your free e-course Networking Detox: My 5 Secrets to Networking Success visit http://www.networkingdetox.com , email jaynine@coachjaynine.com or telephone 910-539-2810.
It appears that business owners who send email and receive email have forgotten to use their manners. When you receive an email what do you do with it? Do you have a system in place for replying? Do you ignore it and forget about it? Do you mark it with a flag? What happens to it? Are you losing money because you forgot to reply to a potential client? Did you miss meeting new people because you forgot to reply or even reread an email about a networking event, ribbon cutting or social event?
Now, let’s flip the scenario. You send an email. How do you know the person received it? Remember, not all email programs will send you a message back when it is read. In addition, many business owners find that system very intimidating or just rude so they don’t open the email until they have time to read it. Do you get frustrated when you do not get a reply to your email? Is it wasting your money and time when people do not reply? Do you end up purchasing more food than is necessary for a meeting or event because people failed to reply to an email invitation?
I know this has happened to all business owners at one time or another. A conversation with a fellow business owner a few weeks ago has prompted me to write on this topic. He was very frustrated with associates who did not reply to his emails. He was wasting his time wondering if the emails were delivered or if his email was broken. Then he spent time and energy being annoyed that no one replied.
I want you to take a few minutes and self reflect on your procedures and systems on sending and replying to emails.
Now let’s implement three key systems for sending and receiving email so you don’t frustrate or offend others and drive business away.
1. Reply to all emails. If you do not reply to an email, you are offending and frustrating the sender. Even if the email you receive is just announcing a date and time for a meeting it is important that you take a few minutes to reply to the sender conveying that you received the email and will or will not attend. This will let the business owner know that you received the email and it will let the business owner know how many people plan on attending the event. If no one replies to an email this will signal to the sender that he or she may have sent an email that was undeliverable and he or she will know to resend it. If the email begs for a detailed response, I highly recommend that you still notify the sender that you received his or her email and that you are working on the formal reply but you wanted him or her to know that you did receive it. You will want to flag all emails that require a more thorough response or that you want to reread when you have more time.
2. Sort your emails. Business owners often receive emails from vendors, clients, prospective clients and business associates. It is a good idea to sort your emails when they arrive at your inbox. You can do this manually by sending them to the appropriate folder or depending upon your email service you can set up systems that do this automatically. Your email service may also have a feature that allows you to attach a flag or star to key players in your business or life. This will allow you to easily identify when you receive an email from this star player.
3. Auto response. If you are going on vacation or will be away from your desk or business, you will want to use the auto response or auto reply feature. This will automatically send a message back to the sender for each email you receive notifying the sender of when you anticipate answering the email. As a busy business owner, you can also use the auto response or auto reply feature to let people know what time of day you read your emails and anticipate replying. This will alert the sender so he or she can telephone you if the email they sent you requires your immediate attention.
As the debt free business coach email is just one of the many business systems I work with business owners on designing for their business so that they use their time wisely and do not lose money by forgetting to complete a task.
Please save yourself and the email sender time by replying to all emails (of course I do not mean reply to SPAM or newsletters) upon receipt. This will show the sender that you value him or her and that you were taught to use your manners.
Yours truly…turning dreams into $$$
Coach Jaynine
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free.
She is a retired United States Marine and currently resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She is a member of the Onslow-Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce, Carteret Chamber of Commerce, Wilmington Networking Group Circle of Excellence. She is also a member of Coachville and 24/7 Coaching as well as the Amercian Psychological Association.
There are signs everywhere asking that you turn off your cell phone before approaching the bank teller. Customers respect this sign and they respect the bank teller. So, why do they not show the same respect to other business owners and his or her staff?
Answering a cell phone that is ringing or to view text messages while you are in the middle of conducting business is rude. The business owner who is telling you about a certain product or service doesn’t know if he or she is suppose to stop talking, move away to give you your privacy to talk, or go help someone else. Remember, time is money. Even if the event is an Expo or Tradeshow, the business owner is trying to answer as many questions as possible on that busy day.
Another scenario depicting rudeness is when someone is talking on his or her cell phone at the checkout counter and the clerk is trying to ask a question or return your change. He or she is typically very young and again does not know if he or she should interrupt you while you are on your call or wait patiently while the line behind you gets longer. Please help the store clerk and do not answer your phone while it is your turn to receive service. Also remember to stop talking or texting before it is your turn at the checkout. This will avoid mistakes at the checkout.
As we approach the final days of Christmas shopping and the stores become more crowded take a few minutes to review my cell phone etiquette tips below.
1. Turn your cell phone on vibrate when out shopping. The crowded shopping malls with music playing, each shoppers cell phone ringing, and people talking can create unneeded stress and anxiety in many people.
2. Talk in a low voice. Do not get into a screaming match with someone on your cell phone in a public place or talk about private intimate subjects. You never know when small children are in close proximity.
3. Respect the business owner or store staff. Do not answer your cell phone or text while conducting business. If you are texting while the business owner or store employee is trying to explain how to use a product you may not hear what you need to hear. Remember, store employees earn their income based on commission. If you are wasting his or her time by talking on your phone, you are reducing their earning power. They want to enjoy the holiday season too. Let them have the ability to earn as much commission as possible.
4. Respect others. Do not hold up the airplane, the checkout line, or monopolize the business owner by talking on your cell phone and making others wait. We all are busy and we all think our calls are important. However, if the call is not a true 911 call then it can probably wait until you are done conducting business. If you are attending a home party sales event (i.e. Mary Kay, Pampered Chef, Party Lite etc., show respect and do not interrupt the presenter by answering your cell phone or start texting. We all are busy but trying to show off how busy or important you are by answering your cell phone or texting during a conversation is just plain rude.
5. Safety. Cell phones can be a great way to monitor your children or spouse while out holiday shopping. Using the text feature is a great way to find each other in the mall. If you receive a text message or phone call from a lost spouse or child just let the business owner or store clerk know you must excuse yourself and answer the call because it is a child. They will understand. However, keep the call very brief.
I do not know why people began leaving their manners at home. But, lack of cell phone etiquette has become a hot topic at networking events. Business owners swap stories on who was treated the rudest by a potential customer or client. They often do not know what the right or wrong way is to respond to the rudeness. You can make it easy for the business owner or store clerk by practicing cell phone etiquette.
Business owners and store clerks are very busy trying to offer great customer service. So please, while you are out shopping this holiday season, please remember to use cell phone etiquette. But also remember to use cell phone etiquette all year.
Tis the season to be jolly. But, as you Christmas shop for family, business associates and your favorite customers or clients you don’t feel so jolly. You get a feeling of dread in the pit of your stomach as you watch your bank balance going lower and lower. I know the last thing you want to do is focus on your business or your budget right now.
However, no one likes that horrible feeling that he or she gets when he or she looks at a small bank balance. As a business owner, this is the prime time to review your budget and trim the fat. That dreaded feeling is good because it will propel you to take action. When you trim the fat from your budget, you will put more money in your bank account. This is a great way to give you a pay raise.
Seven Tips for Trimming the Fat
1. Review your business and home expenses for the past year. Do you really know where your money went? 2. Did you really need and use all the items you paid for? How many phone companies do you use? Do you have a cell phone, business line, home phone line, fax line etc? 3. Look for duplicate services or unused services. Many companies offer a trial or introductory period then start charging your account when the free offer expires. They know most people forget to cancel the service and do not review their bank statements and catch or question the small fee charged each month or the service is difficult to cancel and therefore it is never cancelled. When reviewing your budget look for newsletter services, Google Awords, and membership sites that renew annually. The membership sites can be the ones that allow you to keep in contact with military, high school or military friends. They were popular before social networking hit the scene but now you may not use. Also, review your statements for credit card renewal fees. Do you still use the credit card? Do you even have the card? Have you ever ordered flower from online and received a free trial for a travel service or a discount on future purchases. Look for the hidden charges that may have popped up. 4. Investigate alternatives or less costly services or products. As a business owner, if you are paying various professionals, it might be time to hire one person to do all those tasks. The internet is a valuable tool to use for researching less costly alternatives. There is often no reason to pay for a fax line. There are several fax services that allow you to fax free. If you are a solopreneur, you may be able to eliminate your dedicated fax line and use only your cell phone. This will save you money. There is also a phone product/service that is very inexpensive. Its annual cost is less than one month of a phone service. You can also save time and money on travel and conference room fees by hosting a business meeting online. There are various virtual meeting services available for free to business owners. 5. Negotiate a new contract. Review the contract and make a list of what services you want to keep and what you want to eliminate then contact the business owner and ask to renegotiate your contract. If you do not need or use the service, it makes good business sense to request to cancel the contract early. The cancellation fee might be a better option than paying for the contract until it ends. Again, be careful of contracts that automatically renew. I recently forgot I had a contract that required a 90-day prior cancellation. Luckily, I was able to cancel part of the contract even though it was less than 90 days. 6. Barter for Service. When was the last time you bartered with another business owner? You want to barter only for products or services you need or use and with business owners that you know and trust. Do not feel guilted into bartering for services or products you do not use or need. I highly recommend you use a contract and know the business owner before engaging in bartering. I personally know of many bartering experiences that have become a nightmare. Use caution. 7. Share or split the cost. Can you share a service or product with another business owner? Did you buy office supplies in such a large quantity that they might get faded or obsolete before you use them all? Is there a complimentary business that can share the cost of an advertisement? Think outside the box.
As the debt free business coach, I keep a list of free resources that are available for business owners. I teach business owners how to grow their business while remaining debt free.
Reviewing your budget just makes good business sense. You must know where your money is going. When you trim the fat from your budget, you will be giving you and your business a pay raise.
I suggest you start the New Year by getting your business budget in shape by trimming the fat. Trimming the fat and creating a spending plan will ensure you have more money in your bank account. It will make you smile when you review your profit and loss statement and see you have a larger profit.
[caption id="attachment_5" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="Business Owners Give Yourself a Pay Raise: Trim the Fat!"][/caption]
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free. She provides open and honest feedback to her clients while coaching them on how to turn their dreams into dollar signs.
She is a retired United States Marine and resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She is the author of Coach Jaynine’s Business Boot Camp and the upcoming Coach Jaynine’s Profit Center Blue Print.
Stop the energy leaks. Each fall and winter homeowners complete a home inspection to see where energy is leaking out of their home. Then they apply weather stripping, caulk and establish new rules and procedures. As a business owner, you will want to winterize your business too. Winterizing a business encompasses many things. My five tips to stopping energy leaks will help you save money so you can give yourself a pay raise.
My Five Tips to Stopping Energy Leaks:
1. Business/Office building. Take time to look for obvious and not so obvious energy robbers. Do you have drafty doors or windows? Contact your electric company to come conduct a free energy assessment. Thermal drapes and window tint are great ways to keep the heat inside the office space during the winter and keep the sunshine or heat out in the summer time.
2. Office appliances. Does the office refrigerator need a new seal? Do people leave their computers or the copy machine on 24/7? Do you have a procedure in place for closing your office each day? Turning off space heaters, computers, and the copy machine needs to be included in the closing procedure. Also do not forget to include turning off the office coffee pot and all the lights.
3. Thermostat. Does your business have a policy on who controls the thermostat? Is there a temperature war going on? As the business owner, I suggest you control the thermostat and do not allow anyone else to touch it. You must clearly state your new policy and let employees know what the temperature will be in the office so that they can dress accordingly. Thermostat wars wreck havoc on the heat pump and your business budget. When your employees complain, ask them directly if they are willing to forego a cost of living or pay raise in order to pay the heating bill. I can guess what their answer will be.
4. Bullying & Gossip. Office gossip and bullying should not be tolerated. Bullying is mentally draining. When employees do not feel valued or enjoy where they work it can make them sick. Unhappy employees will also take longer to complete their work and may make more mistakes because their heart is not into completing the mission. Now is the time to make time to review your business procedure for confronting a bully or office gossip so that your employees do not waste mental energy being scared or unhappy. Remind your employees of the policy on bullying and gossiping in the workplace. Conducting an employee climate survey will show you how your employees feel and think.
5. Honest & Clear Communication. Miscommunication is very tasking and can zap mental and physical energy. When employees are frustrated because they must redo a task that they thought they performed correctly they become frustrated and disenchanted. They also may fear they will lose their job. This can result in headaches, stomachaches, and body aches. As a business owner, you do not want to pay an employee twice or three times for performing the same task. It is important that your employees understand the procedure for completing the task. The employee also welcomes honest feedback. Employees want to know where they need to improve work performance so that they do not lose their job. Employees welcome positive feedback too. When was the last time you told an employee they were doing a good job? When was the last time you muttered under your breath something negative about an employee but never said a word to the employee? This left you the business owner mentally and physically drained. Take time to clear the air and see why or where you and your employees are miscommunicating.
As 2010 approaches now is the time to winterize your business so you can save money and give yourself a pay raise with the savings. Employees will welcome knowing the closing procedures for the office and the office temperature. These two winterizing tips will save your business money on the energy bill. You and your employees will also save mental and physical energy when you stop office gossip and bullying and begin communicating honestly and clearly.
Now go winterize your business so you can give yourself a pay raise in 2010. Stop the energy leaks.
This is Part II in a series of articles Give Yourself a Pay Raise.
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free. She provides open and honest feedback to her clients while coaching them on how to turn their dreams into dollar signs.
She is a retired United States Marine and resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She is the author of Coach Jaynine’s Business Boot Camp and the upcoming live event Roadmap to Success 2010 on January 9, 2010. There is still time to reserve your seat http://bit.ly/8ajkIG .
As we start the New Year, many unscrupulous individuals will start their new year with a new identity. Will he or she be stealing your identity?
Business owners must take steps to protect their identity and their employee’s identity. You never know who is going to snoop through your trash. What may seem like nothing to you can be used to steal your identity or your employees’ identity.
As we begin 2010, I encourage you to take five steps to protect your identity.
1. Shred or burn documents that contain your name, business name, address, and other vital information such as date of birth. This includes but is not limited to junk mail, magazine renewal notices, and bank statements. I highly suggest you cut or rip the address label off catalogs before you throw them away. Also, if your catalogs contain offers for free credit with that catalog I suggest you rip that out offer of the catalog and shred it too.
2. Change your passwords. I know this may seem like a real pain but I bet your children, spouse and friends can figure out your current passwords. Take a few minutes and change your passwords. Also, do not automatically store your passwords on each account on your computer. If someone broke into your business or hacked into your computer you would be granting them easy access to your bank accounts and other private areas. When you fire an employee or an employee quits you will want to change your passwords on your accounts. Business owners must remember that the business computer contains a great deal of intellectual property that when in the wrong hands could sabotage your competitive business edge.
3. Protect your social security number. Do you have your social security card in your wallet? Is it in your glove box of your car? If you have a teenager in the house or someone who has been job hunting I guarantee they are carrying their social security card in their wallet or leaving it in the car so they have it handy to show employers. Do you still have your social security number printed on your checks? This was the rage when I was younger and it took friends pointing out to me that times had changed and I needed to remove it from my checks. Do not give your social security number to someone over the telephone. Request that they provide you written documentation before you release it. As a business owner review your procedures for safeguarding your employee’s social security numbers.
4. Keep your credit card receipts and ATM statements until you get home or return to the office and can shred it. Again, you may not know what to do with the information on those receipts but identity thieves do. Don’t forget to ask your employees to provide you all the receipts if they are doing your banking and running errands. This includes the gas station receipt that is often left in the gas pump. Grab it and take it with you. Do not toss it in the trash can by the gas pump.
5. Check your credit report at least yearly. Look for accounts that you did not open. An identity thief may have a bill sent to their address so you will never know about the account unless you review your credit report. You will want to check your children’s credit report too. It is also important to know what you will do and have a plan in place or at least in your mind on how you will handle an identity thief that is a trusted employee or family member. I have had several friends tell me about family members that stole their identity or their child’s identity yet they didn’t want to press charges and cause a riff in the family. Spend a few minutes and think about what you would do.
Identity thieves do not just steal from people they steal from business owners. Start your year out right by taking measures to safeguard your identity and your business identity.
As a home based business owner I know how hard it is to be viewed as successful business owner by family and friends. They see you in the role as friend, spouse, or parent. Using my five tips you will be able to work with your family and friends and bring them on to your team so you are seen as successful business owner by your customers or clients.
1. Examine Your Environment. Your well-meaning friends and family will be the worst offenders when it comes to seeing who is sabotaging your time and professionalism. Take time to review the people in your life and see if they are contributing to your success or harming you and your business. Once you pinpoint who is sabotaging your efforts you need to sit the person down and have a frank talk. Your family and friends need to understand that you cannot spend a day or even half a day doing laundry and cleaning house when you have business phone calls to return or meetings to arrange. Your family needs to become part of the household team so you can focus on revenue producing activities.
2. Establish boundaries for yourself and your family. Business owner need to have clear and defined boundaries on who is allowed in your home office and who has access to your business computer, office supplies and telephone. You do not want to get ready to work on a project just to find out that someone used all the computer ink or took your favorite pen.
3. Set Business Office Hours. Set office hours so you know when you are working. This will also allow your family and friends to know when they can and cannot call or visit. I suggest posting the hours on your office door or setting a policy that when the door is closed, they are not allowed to interrupt you. I have had fellow dissertation peers state that when they put on their university sweatshirt the family knew not to bother him or her because it is homework time. Put on your work uniform so you feel dressed for success and everyone knows you are going to the office.
4. Phone Greeting. You do not need to answer your telephone each time it rings. Your telephone can be a great asset to your team. Set your voice message so it announces your business name and hours of operation. This will let callers know when you are in the office. Do not let family or friends answer your business telephone with a “Hi” or “What’s up”.
5. Business Mindset. Do not sabotage yourself by not adopting a business mindset. If you see your business as a hobby or something that plays a secondary role to everything else in your life that image will carry over into how you conduct business. You will be sabotaging yourself and you will not be in business. Adopt a business mindset by dropping the excuses. Demand that your family and friends abide by your boundaries so you can run a profitable business.
When you examine your environment, establish boundaries, set business office hours, have a professional phone greeting, and adopt a business mindset you will be a successful home based business owner. You will be employing family, friends and technology to be a part of your winning team.
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free. She provides open and honest feedback to her clients while coaching them on how to turn their dreams into dollar signs.
She is a retired United States Marine and resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She is the author of Coach Jaynine’s Business Boot Camp and the upcoming Coach Jaynine’s Profit Center Blue Print.
As we swing into the New Year, you have a decision to make. Will you be doing business the same as last year or will you take time to evaluate what worked and did not work. Will you take time to review your mission statement and see if the direction your business is heading is in line with your mission statement? Is this the year you turn your dreams into reality?
You will want to lose the excuses and establish new goals for the New Year. If you do not have goals, how will you know if you are making progress?
There are four action steps to effective goal setting.
1. Preparation. Before you can begin writing down new goals you must take time to self reflect and review. You need to evaluate what went well in your business last year. What did not work out for your business as you intended. Also, think about the latest trends for your industry. Think about what your clients told you they wanted.
2. Planning. This step is where you put your goals on paper. I like using the SMART acronym. Your goals must be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Timely. When you apply the SMART acronym to your business goals, you will be able to achieve your goals or realize that the goal is just not the right goal for you and your business at this time.
3. Implementation. The implementation step is where most business owners lose sight of their goal. They forget to implement the goal. People often write the goal in a journal or view the goal as something that is nice to have but they are not serious about the goal. Your goal should be more than wishful thinking or a fantasy. If you are serious about turning your goal into reality, you need to take action steps each day so you are closer to reaching your business goal.
4. Follow Up. When you applied the SMART acronym, you agreed that your goal was important to you and it would be measurable. So using the fourth step, Follow Up, you must take time to measure if you are on track of achieving your goal. If you are not on track don’t beat yourself up. Just re-evaluate what you need to do to meet your goal. You may also realize the goal is no longer important to you or your business and you can delete the item from your goal list. However, do not let a negative mindset or laziness keep you from reaching your goals.
Business owners who are serious about turning their dreams into reality need to make time to apply my four action steps to effective goal setting. When you apply the SMART acronym to your business goal setting you will turn your dreams into reality.
Goal setting is a continuous process. Apply my four steps to effective goal setting so you can make this the year you lose the excuses and you work hard on growing your business so you can turn your dreams into reality.
[caption id="attachment_5" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="Lose the Excuses!"][/caption]
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free. She provides open and honest feedback to her clients while coaching them on how to turn their dreams into dollar signs.
She is a retired United States Marine and resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She is the author of Coach Jaynine’s Business Boot Camp and the upcoming Coach Jaynine’s Profit Center Blue Print.
Do you run your business from home or a store front? Do you receive your mail at a post office box or at your place of business? Do your customers or clients know how to contact you by mail? My desk is littered with envelopes that were returned to me because business owners did not have their correct mailing address on their website or business card. I fully intended to contact the business owners to find out their correct mailing address but just ran out of time. Therefore, they did not get the invitation to a big event, a thank you note or holiday card.
One of the steps we employ after we meet new people is to follow up. People cannot follow up with you if you do not have your mailing address on your website or marketing materials such as your business card or brochure. Follow up is part of the rapport building system. I recently looked at a brand new website that someone was bragging about and noticed they had listed the words post office box but they did not put a number. Therefore, others cannot mail them a congratulatory note for opening their business or hosting a new website.
People want to know where you are located. I often hear the controversy that you need a physical address because a post office box makes your business look like it is shady or a scam. However, other business owners think safety and do not want someone showing up at their home unannounced. Only you can answer the question on where you want to receive mail for your business. However, once you make the decision you need to let your customers and clients know where to send mail. You cannot receive a testimonial from a client if they do not know how to mail it to you. Not everyone uses email and sometimes people want to send a “real” thank you note or gift through the old-fashioned mail system. The note I had sent a storefront business owner was returned with a yellow label saying the business did not receive mail at that address. The business owner missed learning how much I loved the candle I had bought and how much I looked forward to coming in again and purchasing more. I was not trying to sell her something I just wanted to brighten her day and let her know everyone who entered my home loved the candle I had bought from her store.
I encourage you to review your website and see if you have your correct mailing address on your website. You can list both a physical address and a post office box on your website. List the street address first with the post office box below the street address followed by city, state, and zip code.
When you list your business on various online business listing sites you will also want to ensure that you have your mailing address displayed. Additionally, take a minute to look at your business card. Do you have your mailing address on your business card? What about your brochure? Can customers or fellow business owners find you? Can they contact you?
A mailing address on your website and marketing documents adds to your credibility. When a fellow business owner or prospective client gets a piece of mail returned, they will often not take time to follow up. They will dismiss the returned piece of mail as well as you and your business. Do not miss making new friends, business contacts, or gaining new customers or clients by not having your business mailing address listed on your website or marketing materials.
Business Owners often attend networking events and workshops with the intention of finding other business owners who they can joint venture. A joint venture is a great way to combine your talents with another business owner. It introduces you and the other business owner to a new list of prospective clients. It is a great way to be seen as the expert and have fun. It can also be a great way to share the cost of hosting an event. However, I have been burned several times and lost my shirt too when I did not do my investigative homework on the joint venture partner.
My three tips will help you so you don’t lose your shirt.
1. Do a background check. You must do your homework and investigate all you can about the person you are going to collaborate with in a joint venture. Snoop around online and see what others are saying about this person. Watch what the person is doing online. Is he or she doing what he or she says they are going to do. Ask other business owners about this person. Ask for references. Ask the same questions you would ask a prospective employee. When I announced whom I was combining my talents with for a joint venture I had people very bluntly ask, “Do you know her?” as they gave me a skeptical look. Find out all you can about the person. Do not go with the word of one raving fan of that person.
2. Ask for samples of work. It is ok to ask your prospective joint venture partner for samples of past work. Also, ask for a sample of the work that you will be expecting. See if the person meets your deadlines and provides work that compliments you. I joint ventured with someone one time that produced work that was always late and riddled with typos. I should have clued in when the person was always grocery shopping or absent from scheduled meetings.
3. Contract. Always have a very detailed contract of who is doing what and when. Make the contract very specific. You will also want to have a no compete agreement in your contract. I have had many of my ideas and my intellectual property stolen by joint venture partners. I had one client who engaged in a joint venture and did not think she had to tell the other person how to dress. The day of the event, the joint venture partner showed up in blue jeans. Be very specific in your contract. Do not assume that things are automatically understood. You will want to state who is paying for what and when payment is expected. You will want to state who is responsible for the setup of the room and the cleanup afterwards.
I cannot stress enough that jumping into a joint venture partnership is something that should NOT be done on a whim. If you are approached to engage in a joint venture use my three tips to evaluate the joint venture partnership and see if it is truly a great fit for you and your business so that you do not lose your shirt.
Is this the year you step outside the box to grow your business? Do you keep doing things the same old way each year? When did you start your business? How many years have you been in business? When was the last time you looked at your business systems to see what was working and what wasn’t? When was the last time you tried something new? Nothing remains the same. Business owners must stay abreast of the latest industry trends as well as the latest marketing trends in order to grow their business.
My three tips will help you in step outside the box so you can continue to grow your business.
1. Know your competition. Who is your competition? What are they doing differently than you? What are they doing better than you? What do you do or offer that is better? Are your prices in line with the competitor? Cheaper or Higher? Think outside the box on how you can gain the business competitive edge while growing your business. If you have fallen out of favor with clients what can you do to get them back? Often clients or prospective clients go elsewhere not because they were unhappy but because the business was not in their face enough. Social networking has changed how people make buying decisions. People are buying from what they see in front of them. They are no longer shopping around. If they see a recommendation on Facebook or Twitter or they are connecting with the business on social networking sites that is where they are buying. They are being loyal to the company that is in front of them every day sharing tips and developing rapport.
2. Know your industry. When was the last time you attended continuing education for your business or industry? Do you subscribe to trade journals related to your business or industry? How much time each day or week do you devote to continuing education? As a business owner, you must stay abreast of your industry trends and changes. Nothing remains stagnant. Do not become complacent. In order to have the competitive business edge you must stay abreast of the latest and greatest in your industry. You also must be aware of recalls of products so that you can be the first to offer a solution to your customers and clients. You will be seen as the expert if you are first on the scene with a solution or notification of a recall to a product. Social networking is a free tool that will help you market your business and stay in touch with your previous clients, prospective clients and current clients or customers.
3. Know You. Business owners need to take an honest assessment of their own strengths and weaknesses. Do you enjoy networking or does it make you feel faint? Are you embracing technology to grow your business? What are you not doing that you know you should be doing to grow your business? Is it following up with prospective clients? Do you feel like you are begging for the sale? Now is the time to adopt a business mindset and realize that certain things just need to be done because they are part of owning a business. I challenge you to pick one or two areas to immediately begin focusing on changing so that you can grow your business. Pick one or two networking events to attend each month. Go to the event with someone you know so it is less scary. After a while, you won’t mind going alone because you will look forward to meeting new people. To make it less scary do not focus on you and your business. Focus on learning about the people you meet and their business. Let the conversation casually lead back to who you are and what you do. Business owners need to stay abreast of the latest trends in using technology so that they can monitor what their employees are doing as well as grow their business. Social networking is here to stay. Use it as a free tool to grow your business. If you cringe at making follow up phone calls, you need to put your follow up system in writing and make yourself do it. Design scripts so you know what you are going to say so that it is less scary. In addition, you will want to use technology to aid you in following up. You could use email, dialmycalls.com and other resources to save you time and money when you follow up with prospective clients.
Business owners must make time to know your competition, know your industry, and know themselves so that they can increase their business revenue. Social networking is a free resource you have at your disposal to aid you in knowing your competition and keeping an eye on what they are doing, it allows you to follow your industry leaders and learn from them and it is a great way to show off your expertise and grow your business while increasing your revenue.
Resource Box:
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free. She provides open and honest feedback to her clients while coaching them on how to turn their dreams into dollar signs.
She is a retired United States Marine and resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She is the author of Networking Detox and the upcoming Social Networking Bootcamp starting February 16, 2010.
As a female entrepreneur and retired United States Marine, I know what is needed to succeed in a man’s world. Women business owners must stop thinking like a girl. Women are raised to be kind, giving, and modest. Women are pulled in a million directions and often put themselves last. These traits work well when you are a mother and you are attempting to raise children that will become model citizens. However, in the business world women must stop thinking like a girl and adopt a man’s mindset.
My ten tips will help you begin thinking like a man and start running a profitable business.
1. Make decisions based on facts not emotion. Stop feeling guilty. If a business you associate with or supplier is not fulfilling their contract or providing quality services stop allowing them to give you excuses. If friends or family want you to do something that is not a revenue producing activity and you know you need to be focused on revenue producing activities don’t feel guilty saying “no”. Make your decision based on facts and not emotion.
2. Negotiate. Do not be afraid to negotiate for a better deal. You know your budget and your business. If you want something but cannot afford it – negotiate. If you think the price is unfair or unjust – say so.
3. Lead your employees. Stop coddling your employees and allowing them to walk all over you. Time is money. Lead your employees and expect nothing but stellar work from them. Be seen as the leader. Do not let them lead you.
4. Demand Fair Compensation. Stop giving away your services for free. Stop allowing clients to guilt you into lowering your fees. Men would not do this. Men state their fees and expect to be paid. Do not be embarrassed by your fees. Do your homework and know what similar professionals in your industry are charging and expect to be compensated the same if not more depending upon your experience and skills.
5. Boundaries. Establish boundaries for your time and fees. Do not allow friends and family to abuse your time. Adopt a business mindset even if you work from home. Family and friends would not call you if you worked for someone else just to chitchat. They would not ask you to stay home and watch a sick child or run an errand. Establish boundaries so your family and friends stop abusing your time and energy.
6. Think Billable Hours. When attending networking events or attending business meetings learn to balance the conversation between business, current events, and personal. Think billable hours. You are attending the event to promote your business or close a business deal. Use the time wisely.
7. Ask for the sale or business. Stop procrastinating or being afraid of appearing pushy just ask for the sale or business. Stop wasting the other person’s time. If you want to work with him or her state that and close the deal or let the person say “no” and you will then know to move on.
8. Speak with Authority. Drop the whiney voice. Drop the apologetic voice. State what you want or need clearly and with confidence.
9. Learn to say “No”. Say “no” to things that you do not want to do or that you think are unjust. Do not apologize for saying “no”.
10. Be decisive and take action. Make decisions quickly and with authority. Stop sitting on the fence or being wishy washy because you do not want to hurt feelings or you are scared of making a mistake. Make your decision and follow through. Do not apologize for your decision. Make your decision and take action.
Women business owners do not run a profitable business when they do not run their business like a true business. It is time to stop thinking like a mother or best friend and time to adopt a man’s mindset in order to succeed in the business world. My ten tips to stop thinking like a girl will aid you in growing your business. When you speak with authority and adopt a man’s mindset, you will close the sale on your terms. Remember, stop giving away your services for free…no more free.
[caption id="attachment_6" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Stop Thinking Like a Girl!"][/caption]
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free. She provides open and honest feedback to her clients while coaching them on how to turn their dreams into dollar signs.
She is a retired United States Marine and resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She is the author of Networking Detox and the upcoming Social Networking Bootcamp starting February 16, 2010.
Sylvia Runyonis the owner and operator of the woman owned and veteran ownedRunyon Photographyin Jacksonville, North Carolina. Sylvia is a former United States Marine and combat photographer. In addition to “normal” photography services, Sylvia will come to your home and host a Portrait Party. You can learn more about Sylvia by visiting her website at http://runyonphotography.com/ and by tuning in to The Coach is in…
Join me on February 1, 2010 @ 12pm EST as I interview Sylvia Runyon as she shares with us some key tips. Sylvia will also share business success and horror stories. In addition she will answer, your burning questions so be sure to tune in to Coach Jaynine Presents: The Coach is in… on www.Talkshoe.com and participate by chat or call in at 724-444-7444 and enter the Caller ID 31087#. All programs are recorded so that you can download the program for your listening pleasure later at your convenience and add it to your audio library.
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As the Debt Free Business Coach, I coach business owners on the systems and strategies needed to increase their visibility and credibility so they are seen as the EXPERT. If you are ready to grow your business and increase your revenue contact me today at http://coachjaynine.com/ or 910-539-2810 or Jaynine@coachjaynine.com
Dr. Kent Peterson is a national leader in preventive medicine devoted to keeping healthy people healthy, safe from hazards and themselves, productive and joyfully growing. For the past 13 years, he has devoted himself to a deep personal spiritual transformation program based on what is known as “Pathwork”, which is taught at a retreat center in the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia and throughout the world. This has transformed all aspects of his life.
Ms. Wendy Hubbard, M.ED., has been practicing the Pathwork for 16 years. She is on the faculty of the Transformation Program and the Advanced Pathwork studies program. She offer individual sessions, phone sessions, and Pathwork Workshops, often teaching and giving couples sessions with her husband Tom, who is also a Pathwork helper. She has extensive training in bodywork and a keen interest in women’s body issues. She is also certified in Hellinger Family Constellation work. She has had a career as a business executive and owns a technology business with her husband of 30 years.
Join me on February 8, 2010 @ 12pm EST as I interview Dr. Peterson and Ms. Hubbard as they shares with us what the Pathwork Transformation program is and how it works. They will also share how it has benefited their lives. In addition they will answer, your burning questions so be sure to tune in to Coach Jaynine Presents: The Coach is in… on www.Talkshoe.com and participate by chat or call in at 724-444-7444 and enter the Caller ID 31087#. All programs are recorded so that you can download the program for your listening pleasure later at your convenience and add it to your audio library.
Niche rhymes with itch. In a way, they do go hand in hand. Are you a business owner? If you do not define your niche, you will always be scratching your head wondering why no one is buying your product or service. If you make time to define your niche, you will not have time to scratch the itch as you count your profits.
So how does a business owner define his or her niche? Business owners must answer the following questions.
1. Where does your ideal client live? Does he or she live in the city, country, suburb, townhouse, apartment, or mansion?
2. Where does your ideal client shop? Does your niche shop at Wal-Mart, the mall or online?
3. Where does your ideal client dine? Is it fast food, chain restaurants, or mom and pop restaurants where your niche is found dining?
4. What does your ideal client wear? Does your niche wear designer clothing, trendy clothing, or thrift shop finds?
5. What does your ideal client read? Does your ideal client read magazine regarding your niche?
6. How much money does your ideal client earn? This is important to know. If your ideal client cannot afford your services then you know you must adjust the price of your service or product or find a niche that can pay for your services or products.
7. How many children does your ideal client have? This will help you determine discretionary spending.
Answering these questions will give you, the business owner, a better picture of who is your ideal client. You may hear someone say, “Anyone that fogs up a mirror is my ideal client”. I challenge this statement because not everyone will be able to afford your product or service and you do not want to waste time or money marketing to areas where your ideal client does not live.
If you do not know where your ideal client lives or how much he or she earns you can do a search online, contact your small business center at your local community college, or contact your local media sources. They may already have compiled the demographics for your area. Another way to learn about your ideal client or niche is to look inside magazines that he or she may subscribe. The media page will often list the reader demographics.
When you can picture your ideal client in your mind, you will know where to spend your marketing dollars and time. You will recognize your ideal client when he or she presents him or herself.
So, business owners listen up. You must define your niche in order to grow your business and grow your profits.
[caption id="attachment_13" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Define Your Niche!"][/caption]
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free. She provides open and honest feedback to her clients while coaching them on how to turn their dreams into dollar signs.
She is a retired United States Marine and resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She is the author of Networking Detox and the upcoming Social Networking Bootcamp starting February 16, 2010.
Media releases are also known as press releases. They are a free tool available to business owners. Media releases can be used to announce a promotion or event such as an anniversary or grand opening. I encourage all business owners to get creative when writing their media release. Pay attention to the upcoming holidays and write your media release around one of the lesser-known holidays. This will spark curiosity and get your media release and your business attention.
Many business owners I encounter do not take advantage of writing a media release because they feel their business is too small to use a media or press release. There is no rule that says solopreneurs or small business owners with one or a few employees cannot use a media release. If you are serious about promoting your business without going into debt then you should make time to learn to write a media release.
Media releases can be emailed, faxed, or mailed to newspapers, radio stations, magazines and other media outlets. Email is not my preferred method for submitting a media release. An email can easily be deleted before it is opened. When faxing a media release do not use a cover sheet with excessive graphics. You do not want to waste the ink of the person you are faxing. I have heard this complaint from several business owners who receive media releases or faxes. Ink costs money. So be very mindful of the font and graphics on your fax coversheet. As a last resort, you can mail your media release to your media outlets.
Online press release sites are available as another free tool to business owners. The advantage of posting your media release to one or more of these online press release sites is that the media release will aid in your search engine optimization. Many times when you submit a media release to an online press release site your media release will be published in other online magazines or blogs. This will again help you get exposure for your business to an audience you would not have tapped into if you had not taken time to learn to write a media release.
When writing your media release you will want to follow the customary format for a media release. You will also want to use key words that are relevant to your business. This will help in search engine optimization so that your business ranks higher in the search results. Again, a media release is a free tool that is at the disposal of business owners.
Another place to post your media release is your blog. Many of the online press release sites will provide you a code to use to post the actual media release to your blog. Again, a media release is a free tool that is at your disposal to grow your business.
Business owners will grow their business when they make time to learn to write a media release.
Resource box
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free.
She is a retired United States Marine, doctoral candidate and host of the Dynamic Business Owners Coaching Club.
Small business owners often start their business using family money. As the Debt Free Business Coach, I have witnessed vast differences in the business mindset of men and women entrepreneurs.
These mindset characteristics are listed below:
The Male Entrepreneur -Men buy what they need for their business without asking permission or consulting the household budget. They often do what they need to do for their business without asking permission from their spouse. Male entrepreneurs also conduct business revenue producing activities without consulting the family schedule. They put business first. It is a priority with them. They do not worry about running a household or doing the laundry except when they cannot find what they need to wear for a business meeting.
Male entrepreneurs also move from operating a home based business to a storefront within months of starting the business. Again, they do not worry about family dynamics or the family budget. They just do it. Male entrepreneurs adopt a business mindset from the birth of their business idea and stay focused on growing their business. They do not let family or household pets get in their way of growing their business.
The Female Entrepreneur – Women entrepreneurs operate from a female mindset that often sabotages their efforts to be a successful business owner. Women are in charge of running the household to include laundry, house cleaning, shuffling children to activities, walking the dog etc. The majority of the time they put family first. Women business owners often consult their spouse and the family budget before scheduling out of town business trips. They also consult the family budget before buying business supplies or investing in their business. The female entrepreneur also typically consults her spouse and children before she schedules weekend or evening activities. She puts family first.
Women entrepreneurs are easily distracted by the myriad of duties i.e. mom, pet owner, house cleaner, and banker. Women often operate their business from home so that they can save money and continue to be the house cleaner, dog walker, baker, short order chef etc. Because women operate from home and put family first they are often viewed by the spouse, children, family and friends as working on a hobby or jobby (job and hobby) instead of a business owner. This can cause frustration for the woman business owner because she feels guilty or sees herself as being greedy.
My advice to women business owners is to adopt a new mindset, stop feeling guilty and beating you up. Run your business as if it were a storefront. Stop consulting a spouse that does not support your endeavor, find a mastermind group or a business coach. Women business owners must establish clear boundaries for when they conduct revenue-producing activities, business-building activities, and maintain a business budget. It is imperative that a female entrepreneur have the necessary systems in place so she can grow her business. This includes establishing a time for housecleaning and laundry, which does not cut into business hours or investing in a housekeeper. Hiring a babysitter or someone to help with children and their after school activities so she can focus on business. Women business owners also need to establish a business bank account. It is ok to fund the business with family money until the business is turning a profit.
Women entrepreneurs can grow their business more rapidly by working with a coach who will teach them how to change their mindset and budget their time while still letting them honor their role as a mother and wife.
[caption id="attachment_6" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Join me for The Coach is in..."][/caption]
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free. She provides open and honest feedback to her clients while coaching them on how to turn their dreams into dollar signs.
She is a retired United States Marine and resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She is the author of Networking Detox and the host of The Dynamic Business Owners Coaching Club.
Barbara Burke has spent the last 24 years as a customer service consultant, workshop leader and keynote speaker. Known as an international expert and thought leader in employee engagement, Barbara is passionate about helping customer-facing employees discover and use their personal power.
Barbara lives in Northfield Minnesota, a small college town, located just outside Minneapolis. In her free time, she enjoys gardening, writing, traveling, supporting local arts organizations, skiing and fly-fishing.
Her extensive client list includes: Honeywell, Target, Microsoft, Estee’ Lauder, Proctor & Gamble, State of Minnesota, State of Pennsylvania, Cox Communications, Verizon, Progress Energy, Alltel, Vertex, Carlson Companies, City of Austin Texas, Georgia Power and Time Warner.
Barbara’s book The Napkin, The Monkey, and The Melon: How to be happy by simply changing your mind is available at Barnes & Noble bookstores or on Amazon. You can listen to Chapter 1 at http://barbaraburke.com/book/listen
Join me on February 22, 2010 @ 12pm EST as I interview author Barbara Burke. So be sure to tune in to Coach Jaynine Presents: The Coach is in… on www.Talkshoe.com and participate by chat or call in at 724-444-7444 and enter the Caller ID 31087#. All programs are recorded so that you can download the program for your listening pleasure later at your convenience and add it to your audio library.
Business owners, wives, and moms often find themselves short on time and energy. They are busy juggling a myriad of tasks. Remember, it only takes someone 15 seconds to sum you up and form an opinion. Whether right or wrong that is what happens. No one likes to be around a whiney person or someone who looks a mess.
In order to reclaim YOU so you stop sabotaging your efforts– you must adopt the three L’s:
Love You – Make time each day to do something for you. You must fall in love with yourself all over again. Now is the time to purge your closet of any items that make you feel fat or ugly. Purge your refrigerator and cupboards of all foods that make you feel sluggish or guilty. If you are a business owner does your office reflect your personality? Are your surroundings or where you spend most of your waking hours conducive to good mental health? Many of us cannot function when we are surrounded by clutter. Clutter is not only present in your home or office it is also in your car. Clear the clutter so you can unplug and feel good about you. Do not forget to make time to exercise. This does not require investing in a gym membership or expensive clothing. You can put on a comfortable pair of shoes and go for a walk. When you exercise, you will improve your mental clarity and strengthen your heart. Now is the time to make time to take care of you. It is not greedy to love you.
Lose the Excuses – Now is the time to stop playing the blame game. Lose the excuses. Stop blaming the economy, the children, your spouse, or the family pet. You must accept responsibility. If you are short on cash, rework your budget. If you are short on time start budgeting your time. Learn to say no. You have a voice and it needs to be heard. If the children are making demands that strain the family budget, learn to say “no”. If you have family and friends making demands on your time say “no”. People are not mind readers. They often do not have access to your day planner to see that you are over tasked. People will not stop being your friend or associate if you say “no”. When you lose the excuses you will be organized and in control of your situation. This will result in less stress and anxiety in your daily life.
Learn something new – A fundamental part of being successful is always learning something new. You must invest in you so you can grow personally and professionally. This can be something as inexpensive as reading a library book or article online from a quality source. You may want to invest in a weekend retreat or class at your college. Online learning makes it easy to invest in you. You can often listen and learn from the comforts of your home. Do not dismiss investing in you. In order to be successful as a business owner, wife, or mother you must invest in learning something new each day.
Regardless of the role we play we all want to be successful. When you adopt the three L’s you will be on the road to reclaiming your life and being successful. You will reap many benefits when you make time to love you, lose the excuses, and invest in you.
Now go adopt the three L’s so you can turn your dreams into reality.
[caption id="attachment_5" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Lose the Excuses!"][/caption]
Jaynine Howard is the debt free business coach, who teaches business owners how to grow their business and increase their profits while remaining debt free. She provides open and honest feedback to her clients while coaching them on how to turn their dreams into $$$$.
She is a retired United States Marine and resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She is the author of Networking Detox and the host of The Dynamic Business Owners Coaching Club.
Expo and tradeshow season is upon us. However, many business owners do not know what to do after the expo is over. So, before you pack up your display items and wait for the phone to ring with new orders you need to do five things.
1. Review photos of your booth. Make time to self reflect. Look at photos of your booth with a fresh eye or ask a friend to provide you feedback. Where people able to see your business name? Was your business name viewable from various directions? Was your business name too small? Sign displayed to low? Did people know and understand what you were selling or what service you provide? What was your purpose of being at the expo? Did your table display work for you? Did you get the traffic you wanted to your booth? If no, why do you think you didn’t? Did you sit behind your table or were you standing and out front of your table display? Did you actively engage the crowd or were you shy?
2. Inventory your supplies. Business owners will want to take an inventory of what marketing materials they need to reorder. Did you run out of business cards or brochures? What promotional or marketing item was untouched? Do not place an order in such a large quantity that you may not give the items away before they become obsolete i.e. calendars or candy. Don’t wait until the day before your next event to order new marketing or expo supplies. You will save money by doing it now and not needing to pay for rush shipping.
3. Follow up with your leads. If your mission was to capture leads you will want to take time to follow up. It is highly recommended that you do so immediately after the event before your competitors get to the lead first. Also, follow up with the same theme as the event. If it was a pirate theme use a pirate them in your follow up email or written correspondence so that the lead remembers where and when they provided you their information. Next time you may want to already have your follow up letter prepared so when you get home exhausted the task is less daunting.
4. Evaluate your Return on Investment (ROI). Tradeshows and expos are not a good return on investment (ROI) for everyone. When you are reviewing what worked or didn’t you will want to also consider your personality. If you are shy or timid maybe this is not the place to spend your money. Business expos and tradeshows are not for the timid. They require stepping out and talking with the attendees. Also, take time to focus on the ROI of your marketing materials. Where they worth the expense? Did they bring you paying leads? Or where they just free goodies for the adults that used the expo as a grown up trick or treat event?
5. Celebrate. Celebrate that you survived another Business Expo.
Business expos and tradeshows are a part of many business owners’ grassroots marketing efforts. When you follow my five tips by reviewing photos of your booth, inventorying your supplies, follow up with your leads, reviewing your ROI, and making time to celebrate surviving the expo you will be guaranteed business expo success.
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Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine, PhD Candidate, and business owner. She resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina and enjoys working with clients nationally and internationally. She teaches business owners how to grow their business while remaining debt free.
Have you noticed you are getting less emails today than you were a year ago? This is because business owners have begun using social networking to promote their business. However, they are forgetting that Social networking is about being social or they were never taught the correct way to use social networking for growing and promoting their business.
As the Debt Free Business Coach one of the many tools I teach business owners to use correctly to promote their business for free is social networking. Facebook allows you to have a personal page, group and a fan page. Many business owners use the personal page for personal use and the fan page to promote their business by SPAMMING their fans. This is a very big NO NO. Facebook will shut you down for spamming as will other social networking sites.
I even see people SPAMMING offering to teach social media or do it for your business.
So, let’s review the basics so that you can begin to grow your business by using your Facebook Fan Page correctly.
What is SPAM?
SPAM is the repeated unwanted message that promotes a product or an event. If all you are doing with your fan page is sending promotional announcements that is SPAM. If all you is posting status updates with links to your website that is SPAM.
What is Social Networking?
Social networking is about being social. You must take time to engage in real conversation with your followers. Social networking sites are also not the place to post negative comments or engage in rude behavior. Think of it as one big expo or cocktail party where you do not know many of the people. You want to be on your best behavior. As Coach Jaynine always says “If you can’t type something nice don’t type anything at all”.
How to use your fan page to promote your business without SPAMMING your fans:
1. Engage in real conversation.
2. Share tips related to your industry or business that will provide value to your fans.
3. Post photos of business events or activities.
4. Share web links that will provide value to your fans.
5. Answer frequently asked questions.
6. Conduct a poll or survey.
7. Ask questions to find out what your customers are thinking or what they want from your business.
8. Conduct a contest. But be sure you are following the new rules for conducting a contest on Facebook.
9. Share YouTube videos related to your industry or YouTube testimonials from your customers or clients.
10. Use it to promote your upcoming events only after completing at least three non promotional posts.
Remember, social networking is about being social. You will increase your fan page followers by compound friending. Just as word of mouth referrals can help your business or hurt your business in the online world compound friending can help your business grow. SPAM will hurt your business. You run the risk of not only losing fans but losing the opportunity to grow your business and promote your business using the free of the internet.
[caption id="attachment_5" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Stop the SPAM!"][/caption]
Jaynine Howard, is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. She is a retired United States Marine, psychologist, and business owner.
She has been using social networking for over two years to grow her business without SPAMMING. As the Debt Free Business Coach she is a firm believer that you can grow a profitable business when you have employing the necessary systems and strategies in place so that you are scene as the expert.
She invites to sign up for her free ecourse Networking Detox at http://networkingdetox.com/
How many trade magazines do you read each week? Have you ever stopped to wonder what makes the authors of the articles any different from you? Do they still work in your industry? Do they know the needs of your particular niche? Do you see the authors as the experts in your field or business arena?
People are buying differently right now. They are only buying what they need or what truly inspires them. This buying trend will probably continue for quite some time. Article writing is a free tool that will help you build a relationship with your readers so that they will buy from you when they are ready to make a purchase.
Article writing or article marketing has six key benefits for the business owner.
1. Develop your expertise. When you sit down to write an article you want it to be factual. No sales pitch. Article writing is a great way to show your readers what you know and what makes you the expert in your niche. As you develop loyal readers they will see you as the expert and you will be the expert in your industry that they call when they need your services.
2. Establish your credibility. As you write your articles and share your knowledge you will develop your credibility. Your readers will resonate with you because you are factual and you are sharing with them. You are not selling them anything. You are sharing and building trust. Just as your readers see you as the expert they will see the information you share as credible. They will see you as someone they trust and believe in.
3. Increase your visibility. Article writing allows you to speak directing to your niche. If you were to put an advertisement in a newspaper you would not be able to guarantee that the readers are in your niche. When you get your articles published in magazines or journals that are industry specific you have an audience that wants to read what you are writing. As you increase your visibility and credibility in the community you will become known as the expert. This will increase traffic to your blog, website and business.
4. Focused on your niche. Your niche is very important to keep in mind when writing. Your niche will resonate with what you write. Think about what they want to know. Do they want to know the latest trends, how to save money, or why to do something? I cannot stress enough that you must know your niche. When you know your intended reading audience you will also know where to submit your articles for publication.
5. It is FREE. Article writing is free. It does take a few minutes of your time but because you are writing about topics that are near and dear to your heart it will only take about 20 minutes to write an article. This is less time than it takes to design an advertisement.
6. Grow your business. When you implement steps one thru five above your business will grow while remaining debt free.
Article writing/article marketing has been the number one resource I have used to grow my business while remaining debt free. It is free. But the greatest benefit to article writing is that it truly aids in establishing you as the expert in your community. It provides you a means to establish your credibility while increasing your visibility. When you are visible and seen as credible you will be the expert in your niche. Article writing is a great free resource to use to drive traffic to your blog, website, or store.
Business owners now is the time to add article writing to your list of skills so that you can increase your visibility and credibility be seen as the expert and grow your business while remaining debt free.
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Jaynine Howard is the Debt Free Business Coach. She teaches business owners the strategies needed to grow their business while remaining debt free.
Jaynine is a retired United States Marine, psychologist and business owner residing in Jacksonville, North Carolina. She is the host of the Dynamic Business Owners Coaching Club and the upcoming Writers Bootcamp.
You can receive her free ecourse Networking Detox by visiting http://networkingdetox.com/
I decided to take out a Facebook Ad to help grow my list. You often hear me say that you need a list before you start marketing a product or service. My target niche was business owners, pet owners, and specifically pit bull owners. I used the keywords feature to help find my target audience. I also made sure the advertisement did not go to anyone already associated with my fan page. I created the ad as if Miss Savanna had hacked into my laptop and was soliciting fans for me. I did not use my logo but a paw print instead.
I noticed the day with the highest click rate was on the Friday when Dog Town and The Dog Whisperer are on television. I am curisous if all dog owners were watching tv and typing on their laptops.
My intent was to get quality fans for my business based on people who have similar interests i.e. business owners, pet owners, pit bull owners. I increased my fans by 86 during the experiment. I ran the advertisement for one week. My ad was shown over 111,000 times. Next time I will use my logo to help brand my business.
I will now make time to establish rapport with my fans before offering them the opportunity to sign up for my free ecourse or a free teleclass. I will NOT attempt to sell them anything. I have one fan that comments almost daily. I always reply to her comments. I have also started directly friending and messaging a few new fans each day. I want to see what I have in common with them. Of course as was my intent many are dog owners and are fans of Dog Town and The Dog Whisperer.
The insights are also helpful in identifying my fans by age and gender. However, I do know that my typical 1 on 1 clients are men and do not use the internet.
I foresee running an ad again using my logo. I like that I control my daily budget and click rate. Facebook ads are affordable for any budget. You can pause your advertisement at any time or end the advertisement. Pausing the ad will make it readily available if you want to run it again.
Things to remember:
Know your purpose for running a Facebook Ad.
Know your niche and keep it very narrow so as not to waste your money.
Know your daily budget and overall budget.
Monitor your ads progress. Don’t forget about it.
Monitor your insights to see who is becoming a fan.
Establish rapport with your fans.
Don’t SPAM!
Remember, people are buying differently. They are buying what is in front of them. Many are no longer searching on Google for an item or service. They are buying what a friend recommends on social networking sites or from who they see often on social networking sites. If you are selling golf clubs, wedding cakes, drapes, salon services, event planning services etc. be the one that is using Facebook Ads in your area. BE SEEN! As you can see from my experiment the number of impressions was very impressive. It was very affordable. You can pause your advertisement at any time. Maybe you only want to run it on Tuesdays and Thursdays or weekends. You can control when your advertisement is seen. I suggest starting out like I did by using Facebook Ads to build your Fan Page. Then you can introduce your Fans to who you are and build the rapport and employ the know, like, trust, and see as the expert factor.
When people know, like, trust and see you as the expert in your niche they will automatically think of you when they want to do business with your industry or niche.
Coach Jaynine is the Debt Free Business Coach. She teaches business owners the strategies needed to grow their business while remaining debt free.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine, psychologist, and doctoral candidate. She resides in Jacksonville, North Carolina with her husband and her blue pit-bull Miss Savanna.
You can learn more strategies for growing your business while remaining debt free by signing up for her free ecourse Networking Detox: My 5 Secrets to Networking Success http://networkingdetox.com/
Now that it is spring it is time to ask yourself if your business is blooming. Three months ago you probably made New Year’s Resolutions. So how are you doing on those? Are you meeting your short term goals? What about your long term goals?
Spring is the time for spring cleaning, flowers blooming and income tax refunds. So what do these things have to do with you and your business?
Let’s take a few minutes to self reflect. Is your business blooming? Is it growing? How was your first quarter? If you are a bit disappointed with what has been happening so far don’t fret. Spring is the time for your business to bloom. So let’s get started.
Three Steps to Help Your Business Bloom:
1. Spring Cleaning – get out a dust rag, broom, and put on your cleaning clothes. Now is the time to give your business a thorough spring cleaning. Your customers and clients will appreciate it. When your business is free of cobwebs, dust, and clutter your mind will be less cluttered too. You will be able to see your business in a fresh new perspective and plan new and exciting promotions for spring and summer. When people see a dirty dusty business or dusty products they automatically assume that the business is old and out dated.
2. Take Inventory – replace any pieces of furniture, fixtures or marketing materials that look drab, faded, worn, or torn. While you are at it – take a peek at your work wardrobe too. Remember, it only takes 15 seconds for someone to form an opinion about you and your business. I know, not fair, but that is human nature. Business owners, remember to keep receipts for office purchases. You will want to consult with your enrolled agent or tax preparer on how to deduct office expenses such as furniture and equipment. When you look on top of your game your business will bloom.
3. Invest – now is the time to invest in your business growth. Just as a flower or plant needs nurturing your business needs water and fertilizer in order to grow. When you open your mind to new ideas on how to grow your business you and your business will bloom. This could be through online workshops, coaching, conferences and retreats. Before you spend your income tax refund take a few minutes and schedule your upcoming business growth educational opportunities so that you and your business can bloom.
Business owners when you implement my three steps to help your business bloom you will see your bank account grow. You will have excited customers and clients coming through your door and calling your phone. They will feed off your spring fever and be ready to spend money on your products and services. So go right now and implement my three business blooming strategies so you can make your business bloom.
Jaynine Howard is The Debt Free Business Coach. She is the owner of Dream Catcher - Business and Life Coaching. She teaches business owners the systems and strategies needed to develop their presence in the community while remaining debt free.
She is a retired United States Marine, psychologist and doctoral candidate. She is presently conducting research for her PhD in Psychology. Jaynine is also the author of Write the Right Resume andAttract Love Keep Love. Her radio show The Coach is in is broadcast live on Talkshoe each Monday at 12pmEST and rebroadcast on Military Network to an audience of over 125,000 listeners.
Jaynine looks forward to helping you turn your dreams into reality while remaining debt free. You can learn more about her by visiting her website at http://www.coachjaynine.com/
Take a look at your shirt right now. Does it have a logo or advertisement for your favorite brand? Are you walking around advertising your favorite brand of running shoes? Your favorite sports team? I’m not talking about just men here. Women do it too. Women walk around advertising handbags made by name brand companies. They wear shirts, belts and shoes with the name of a business on them. If you are a small business owner I want to you stop right now walking around advertising other business owners products, services, or business.
Promoting your business does not have to be expensive. Every day people are looking at you and your employees. It only takes 15 seconds for someone to look at you and form an opinion. So, while they are looking at you and forming an opinion why not let them see your business name, your name, and your logo.
Starting today I want you to use my five tips to develop your presence and promote your business.
1. Wear a name tag. Name tags are a very inexpensive way to market your business. You can purchase a name tags for you and your employees in various colors and sizes. They typically cost less than $10 each.
2. Ball cap. If your industry takes you and your employees outside a ball cap may serve a dual purpose. It can protect your face from the harmful rays of the sun while promoting your business. You will want to choose a color that is in your business color scheme. Your logo or business name can be prominently displayed on the cap so that everyone can see where employees work for or what you do.
3. Polo shirt. I am not a fan of t-shirts because I think they promote a sloppy appearance and you do not want potential customers to think you are sloppy or perform sloppy work. Polo shirts can be used to adopt a professional appearance. They can be dressed up or down. Polo shirts come in an array of colors and fabrics. The person that designs your name tag can probably embroidery your logo and/or business name on to a polo or dress shirt.
4. Tote bag. Tote bags come in various sizes and styles. If you are going to be carrying a backpack or purse you can switch to a tote bag in your business colors and be a walking billboard for your business. Many times a brief case is not large enough to carry client files or your portfolio. A tote bag with your business logo on the side will promote a polished image while being an affordable option when carrying items that are too large for a brief case. It could even serve as your laptop case.
5. Jacket. I often see people wearing jackets with their favorite university or sports team on them. I suggest you invest in a nice seasonal jacket with your logo on it.
Investing in clothing, name tags, caps, or tote bags are very inexpensive. Many times you are already purchasing similar items to complete your seasonal wardrobe. I challenge you to pick up a uniform catalog and look at the prices of the items. I did not realize how inexpensive they were until I received several of these catalogs and noticed the quality of the items and how they come in many different styles. There is no need for a woman business owner to wear a man’s sloppy t-shirt. These catalogs have scarves, short sleeve, long sleeve, sleeveless, silk, and various fabric blends of tops and blouses. It does not matter what your industry these catalogs have great items that will help you promote your business as you conduct your day to day activities.
I encourage you to stop wearing clothing that promotes the great big name brand companies and start promoting your own business. Investing in self promotion is a great way to help your business grow while remaining debt free.
Jaynine Howard is the Debt Free Business Coach. She teaches business owners how to grow their business while remaining debt free.
Jaynine is a retired United States Marine, psychologist, and business owner residing in Eastern North Carolina. She is the host of The Coach is in which is broadcast each Monday on Talkshoe and re-broadcast on Military Network.
She is also the author of Write the Right Resume, Attract Love Keep Love, and Mom’s Recipes for the Broke and Starving. You can learn more about Coach Jaynine my visiting her website http://coachjaynine.com/
[caption id="attachment_6" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="Spring is in the air...is your business blooming?"][/caption]
I know, I know I talk about knowing your competition and being better than they are by offering more value…but do you listen? Do you take action?
Business Growth 101: Know Your Competition!
Recently several business owners were in my car and we were talking about competition. Competition is a good thing. But, when you get so full of yourself and think you have NO competition sooner or later you will be knocked off your pedestal. Don’t let this happen to you.
We all have competition. Competition is healthy and it helps us grow. My tips below will help you stay on top of your game so you do not get knocked off your pedestal.
1. Know your competition. This means staying aware of new businesses that are similar to yours in your area. There are many home based businesses that offer great products and services. Do not dismiss that people will hire them. You can learn what new businesses are opening in your area by paying attention to announcements for ribbon cuttings and watch who joins your local Chamber of Commerce. Advertisements in newspapers and newsletters can also alert you to new business in your area.
2. Review the value you provide. Reviewing the value you provide your customers or clients. Is what you provide still needed or relevant? Do you need to add more value? This does not mean cutting your fees or giving away more pencils, pens, or magnets. It means really listening to what your clients need or want. Do you deliver a product or service that is above and beyond what is expected? There are many free tools you can use to survey or poll your current customers and clients to see what they want or need from you. The extra value may be something as simple as a rack card that provides the care or cleaning instructions for the product they just purchased. No one wants to ruin their new purchase by not taking care of it properly. Maybe the value you provide is following up to see if they understand how to use the service or product they purchased or are happy with it. We all have closets full of stuff we bought that we never could figure out how to assemble or use. Business owners review what your competitors are providing and provide more value.
3. Invest. As a small business owner you must continually invest in personal growth so that you can grow your business. Investing in improving your skills will help you stay ahead of your competition because you will know the latest industry trends. Investing in your business owner skills is important too. When you invest in learning new ways to grow your business while remaining debt free you will help your business grow. You will be able to focus on providing value to your clients because you will not focused on making money to pay debts.
Business owners don’t get knocked off your pedestal because you failed to invest in you and your business. Don’t lose customers or clients because they are off chasing after the latest shiny new business in town. There are many low cost ways to promote your business, evaluate your competition and provide value to your customers and clients. Using my three tips you will not be knocked off your pedestal by your competition; you will be the competition.
*the tips in this article can also be applied to employees, independent contractors and anyone wanting to grow personally.
Jaynine Howard is the Debt Free Business Coach. She teaches business owners the systems and strategies needed to grow their business while remaining debt free.
She is a retired United States Marine, psychologist, and small business owner. She is the host of The Dynamic Business Owners Coaching Club and provides one on one coaching and array of other services that will help your business bloom.
[caption id="attachment_5" align="alignleft" width="199" caption="STOP the snatching and grabbing!"][/caption]
I recently had a conversation with several business owners on the purpose of a networking event. We all know that networking events have several purposes. But we came to the conclusion that many people attend networking events with the intent to snatch and grab free information from the other attendees.
Now, don’t get me wrong. We all love to share our expertise. But most people are at networking events with the high hopes they will meet prospective clients, people who can refer clients, or meet joint venture partners. We even go hoping to make new friends. We don’t go to networking events to be accosted or raped of our intellectual property. If you are a snatch and grabber you are being rude; so stop it.
Let me describe the snatch and grabber. The snatch and grabber has no intention of ever hiring you. He or she is there to snatch and grab free information. They will approach you each time they see you at events and ask one or two very specific questions which you will answer. They will never invite you to lunch or coffee. Most likely they will not even return your emails. I have even had one snatch and grabber pretend at each event she had never met me before. Yet, at each event she had snatched and grabbed; that is why I remembered her so very well. Your typical networking attendee would not think of asking such specific questions unless they had requested an appointment to meet with you and expected to pay you for your intellectual property or service.
So how do you handle the snatch and grabber? This takes you having a back bone and not giving away your knowledge for free. If clients typically pay you for the information the snatch and grabber is asking do not feel bullied to give it away for free. It also takes you realizing that the person is a snatch and grabber and not just innocently asking a question as a way to establish rapport. After brainstorming with several business owners I realized I needed a script to follow when approached by a snatch and grabber. I have learned to say “That is a great question. Please call my office so we can make an appointment to discuss it further.” This is also a time for me to request their business card and offer mine. After getting their card you will want to change the topic by complimenting them on their clothing or turning to another person nearby and bringing them in to a new conversation. The snatch and grabber will attempt to brow beat you into giving away your intellectual property for free. Be strong and do not give it away for free. I recently encountered a snatch and grabber on a social networking site too. So be careful snatch and grabbers have graduated from traditional networking events to social networking sites.
Business owners listen up. You must stand up to the snatch and grabber. A Realtor is not going to give you a free house so why are you giving away your information for free? A car salesman is not going to give you a free car and you won’t receive free stocks from the stock broker so stop the snatchers and grabbers in their tracks by having a script ready so you do not give away your brain for free.
Remember, networking events are NOT for snatching and grabbing. They are great ways to meet prospective clients, gather referrals and leads, make referrals and provide leads, meet joint venture partners and make great friends.
Jaynine Howard is The Debt Free Business Coach. She teaches business owners the systems and strategies needed to grow their business while remaining debt free.
She is a retired Unites States Marine, doctoral candidate, psychologist and business owner. Jaynine resides in Jacksonville, North Carlina with her husband and blue pit Miss Savanna.
You can learn more about Coach Jaynine by joining her each Monday for The Coach is in or by downloading her free ecourse http://networkingdetox.com/
Does your email signature help you promote your expertise and tell potential clients who you are and why they should do business with you? Your email signature can act as a free tool to promote you and your business. It can begin the rapport building between you and the reader.
These are key items you will want to include in your email signature.
Name – yes, you want to have your name listed. Make sure it is spelled correctly. Don’t laugh…even I’ve typed by name wrong once or twice.
Credentials – list your highest degree conferred. If you have a license or certification that is key for your industry then list it. Let people see your expertise. Let them see you are qualified. This is often used by massage therapists. You will see their license number after their name and title.
Title – Are you a business owner, Chief Operating Officer, etc….
Phone Number – I have been told by several people that they do not keep a rolodex any longer. They use their emails as their rolodex. So you will want to ensure you have a phone number on your email so people can call you.
Website – drive traffic to your website so they can sign up for your free newsletter, ecourse or downloadable PDF.
Social Networking Sites – let people know how to connect with you on a daily basis. When they follow you on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter you can begin developing a rapport and share your expertise with these people.
Email Tag Line – this is a quick way for people to know who you are and what you do and how to connect with you.
There are several free resources available to aid you in designing your email signature. Some will help you insert your signature in your own handwriting. They can add creative colors and fonts.
Another reason to list the above information on your email is that when your email is forwarded to others people love to scroll down and see who sent the email. Admit you do it too. Your email signature is a quick way to connect with these new email recipients.
I encourage you to take a few minutes and update your email signature. Don’t miss another phone call inviting you to an event because your phone number or contact information was not on your email.
[caption id="attachment_13" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Define Your Niche!"][/caption]
Jaynine Howard is The Debt Free Business Coach. She teaches business owners the systems and strategies needed to grow their business while remaining debt free.
I am an animal lover and have chosen to help Buster. Below is an exert that was published on Facebook by a member of Helping Hounds. The pictures of Buster are too graphic/horrific to publish.
Update on Buster
Buster is currently at valley Animal Hosp in Tucson, AZ. The vet has irrigated his wounds, he is on heavy pain pills and very strong antibiotics. The staff continue to try to get all the maggots out of him. Buster will continue to stay in medical boarding until a qualified foster can be found. Please donate to help pay Buster’s medical expenses and boarding.
* April 8 3:17am
1270611295000
Please help Buster American Bulldog
While at the County Shelter today to pick up another dog, we seen this boy. He has been at shelter for 2 days sitting in pain on the cold cement floor. We asked to take him out on medical as we seen maggots all over this poor boy and maggots are crawling under his skin. We called Smiling Dog Rescue and they agreed to take him if they can get help with his medical bills. We pulled this boy tonight and ran him to our vet. We will be picking him up tomorrow and transporting him to Smiling Dog Rescue’s Vet in Tucson, AZ. PLEASE DONATE. SMILING DOG RESCUE TAKES IN SO MANY MEDICAL NEED DOGS AND FUNDS ARE DESPERATLEY NEEDED. Please help save this boy. BUSTER, AMERICAN BULLDOG.
Donations may also be made directly to the vet.
Smiling Dog Rescue
Valley Animal Hospital
4984 East 22nd Street
Tucson, AZ 85711-4996
(520) 748-0331
[caption id="attachment_6" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Spring is in the air...is your business blooming?"][/caption]
Business owners why do we hate following up? Why do we confuse it with bugging a potential client, current client, or previous client? Following up is really just part of the relationship process. It is being nice. It is honoring your word. It is treating the person with respect.
You have all heard me say it over and over “we do business with those we know, like, trust and see as the expert”. In order to be known, liked, trusted and seen as the expert you must follow up. Following up without feeling like you are bugging your clients requires a shift in your mindset.
Employ my three business owner mindset shift strategies today:
1. Put yourself in the clients’ shoes. You are the client and you don’t hear from the business owner. You then jump to the conclusion that your business is not good enough for that business owner. You think they do not want your money. You get mad and go to his or her competitor. Then you start bad mouthing the business that did not follow up with you.
2. Respect the relationship. Following up is part of the relationship process. When you follow up with the client you are showing him or her respect and honoring the relationship. This is an opportunity to clear up any unanswered questions or clarify items.
3. Respect Your Follow Up Procedure. Business owners often postpone following up because they do not value the follow up process. Following up is a necessary step in your business systems. If you do not follow up on returning phone calls, proposals, or employee tasks you are losing money. You are leaving money on the table. You must have follow up procedures built in to every task that you assign your employees. You are the leader they expect you to follow up.
Follow up is a necessary step in returning phone calls and emails. If you fail to return a phone call or email you risk damaging the relationship with the other party. When you tell a prospective client that you will send a proposal you must follow up with the client to ensure they understand the proposal. This will give you the opportunity to answer any questions he or she may have.
Following up is a necessary step in everything you do as a business owner. When you change your mindset you will save yourself time and money. You will ensure your clients are doing their job correctly. When you change your mindset you will stop procrastinating and you will get your answer to your email, phone call, or proposal sooner. You will stop wasting mental energy worrying if the person is going to say “yes” or “no” to your proposal.
Business owners, you will have more money in your bank account when you follow your follow up procedures.
I am back from vacation. I hope you, as a business owner, have your vacation scheduled. In order to take a true vacation from your business you must have systems in place so that your business runs without you. Below are few suggestions to implement so you can enjoy your vacation.
Vacation Systems
1. Use your email auto responder to let people know you are away from your desk and when you will return. I even let people know I did not have internet access so that they did not expect a response until a certain date.
2. Set up your voice mail to let people know when to expect a return call.
3. Announce to your loyal customers in advance that you will be on vacation so that they can stock up on their favorite product etc. (This is a great way to generate income too.)
4. Use socialoomph to continue to your web presence. Since people know you are on vacation use quotes or share tips that pertain to your business. This will enable you to still be “in their face” without spamming or selling.
5. Have “people” who can do the little things that need done while you are gone so you don’t come back to more work. I recommend using ELANCE to hire people to design your newsletter, proofread your blogs or tip booklet while you are away.
I had a business owner comment that she was afraid to announce she was going on vacation because she thought it would make her customers mad or angry. She thought the customer would think she was charging too much since she was able to take a vacation. I told my clients that I was taking a vacation and not one person complained. I prepared them in advance. I ensured they had their homework assignments and that they knew when I was returning.
Do not feel guilty for taking time to vacation. We all deserve a break. When you implement my five strategies above you will be able to take a true vacation.
Yours truly…turning dreams into $$$
Coach Jaynine
P.S. Leave technology home. It was great to not have internet access for a week.
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It has been three years since The Bucket List debuted in theatres. “The Bucket List is a 2007 film directed by Rob Reiner, written by Justin Zackham, and starring Academy Award-winners Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. The main plot follows two terminally ill men (portrayed by Nicholson and Freeman) on their road trip with a wish list of things to do before they “kick the bucket.” (Wikipedia)
The Bucket List started a revolution. It prompted people to reexamine their lives and truly think about what they wanted to accomplish before “kicking the bucket”. Did you design a bucket list back in 2007? Have you been able to check one, two or more items off your bucket list? If you are like me you never got around to designing your bucket list. So, let’s stop what we are doing and design our bucket lists. If you already have a bucket list go ahead and go find it. We will wait.
Ok, are you ready to start updating or designing your bucket list? I’m glad you are shaking your head YES! Let’s get started.
Step 1 – Dare to Dream – close your eyes and dare to dream. I want you to think about all the things you would like to accomplish. What exotic or tropical places would you like to visit? Do you have family or friends you would like to reconnect with? Do you have a new skill you would like to learn? What about foods? Do you have foods you have never tried that you would love to sample? Do you have a fear that needs tamed? Dare to dream!
Step 2 – Record Your Dreams – now find a notebook or poster board and write down the items you would like to add to your bucket list.
Step 3 – Share Your Dreams – now is time to share your bucket list and see who would like to accompany you on your new adventures. In the movie Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman team up to accomplish the items on their bucket lists. Do not surround yourself with negative people and do not let negative comments detour you from completing the items on your bucket list. Remember, this is your life. Dare to dream!
Step 4 – Make a Timeline – in order to complete your bucket list I want you to go back and put completion dates by each item. Be realistic. Some of the items may require that you save money for years in order to make that dream come true and that is ok. Unless you are planning on kicking the bucket tomorrow you don’t need to quit your job and max out your credit cards in order to complete your bucket list. Let’s getting moving and start working on that list.
Step 5 – Don’t Get Overwhelmed – do not let your bucket list overwhelm you. Look at your list and decide what you can accomplish this week, this month and this year. Design a strategy and timeline to accomplish each of the items on your list.
If you are a business owner, I encourage you to design a bucket list for your business. This will allow you to push yourself out of your comfort zone. I dare you to dream big for you and your business. After you have completed your business bucket list I want you to look at your mission statement and vision statement. Are they still applicable or do they need updating? Now is the time to make changes in your business so that you can complete the items on your business bucket list.
Parents, designing a bucket list can be a fun family activity for a rainy day. You can assist your children in dreaming big and designing their bucket list. Your positive reinforcement will empower them to dream big without fear of ridicule. This activity may also teach you something new about your children.
Married couples, do you have bucket list? I encourage you to sit down and together design a bucket list. I bet it brings you closer together as you learn new things about each other.
Please do not let life slip you by. Remember, today is the someday you have been waiting for…my five steps to completing your bucket list will aid you in turning your dreams into reality.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapists. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can learn more about Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching by visiting their website at www.coachjaynine.com or by calling 910-539-2810.
P.S. Don’t forge to download your free ecourse Stop the Snatcher & Grabbers.
Snatchers and Grabbers are the people we meet that pretend they want to do business with us. You must identify who they are and how they operate in order to not give away your intellectual property, services, or products for free. I’ve enjoyed your feedback for my article Stop the Snatchers and Grabbers and for my free ecourse, Stop the Snatchers and Grabbers. The purpose of the free ecourse was to help you design your system so that you stop giving away products and services for free. Below are three more types of Snatchers and Grabbers.
Stop these Three Snatchers and Grabbers:
1. Late Payers: One type of Snatcher and Grabber may masquerade as a client or customer but he or she is always late paying. Therefore, they are using your product or service for free. The cost of the service or product may be so low that it is not worth your time or money to pursue in small claims court. The product or service may also not be worth your administrative time. The Snatcher and Grabber knows you do not have time to spend tied up in smalls claims court. They also may be a friend and know you will not take action to collect payment. If you find this happening to you it is time to review your collection procedures. When you do not receive payment on time it throws your business budget into a tail spin. Do not allow this to happen. Enforce your collection procedures.
2. Time Wasters: This type of Snatcher and Grabber will spend hours of your time letting you tell them about your products or services. They know you will share samples or valuable tips. Only after demanding your first available appointment and spending hours (sometimes multiple sessions) with you will they tell you that they are not ready to buy. I know one person who spent hours measuring windows only to be told the person had no intention of purchasing until nine months later. I suggest you prequalify the person before spending time with them. It is ok to ask them a series of questions. One question could be how soon they would like to begin using your product or service. I ask clients how soon they would like to get started and how many hours they would like to invest in coaching each week or month. I too have had people want to meet with me several times and share tips and resources knowing they were never going to hire me. They were snatching and grabbing and wasting my time. They were costing me revenue by tying up my time when I could have been working with paying clients.
3. Just Shopping: We all love a great bargain. But, an important lesson learned by several of you I heard from is how much information to put in your proposal. There is nothing more infuriating than spending hours with a potential client then only to have the potential client take your proposal to a competitor and receive a proposal that is lower. Again, my window treatment client offered free temporary blinds for home owners while they reviewed her proposal. Lesson learned…they got free temporary blinds and shopped around using her proposal. They went with someone who was willing to do the work cheaper. My friend who sells insurance labored over a proposal only to have the person show it to someone else and go with them. Be careful how in detail you make your proposal. You do not want the person shopping online with the manufacturer or with your competitor who will then offer the service cheaper. Do not let your competitor under bid you after you did all the hard work; take a look at how you are writing your proposals.
Remember, when you stop the Snatchers and Grabbers you will have more money in your bank account. Your coach can help you design your systems so that you can stop the various Snatchers and Grabbers mention in this article. Stay tuned for Part III where I will identify three more Snatchers and Grabbers.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapists. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can download your free ecourse Stop the Snatchers and Grabbers at http://coachjaynine.com/blog/.
In this article I identify three more Snatchers and Grabbers that must be stopped.
1. Tire Kickers: The tire kicker wants to try your product or service before paying for it. NO, no, no. You do not give away a product or service without payment up front and having a contract signed. Many of you have spent hours shopping for fabric swatches, designing floor plans, and making a custom item only to be told that the person changed their mind. Coaches, consultants, and mentors have spent hours designing programs and provided ecourses, audio recordings, etc. only to be told the person changed their mind (now that they have hundreds of dollars in free products etc.). I want you to think billable hours. Again, this is a time to revisit your system or procedure. It is ok to request a deposit that is nonrefundable if they change their mind and cancel the contract. You do have a contract signed before you begin working, right? Do not spend hours driving around hunting for the right fabric swatches only to be told the person changed their mind.
2. Dr. Jekyll & Ms. Hyde: This Snatcher and Grabber states that “money is no object”. You do everything right. You get the contract signed and you provide a proposal which is an outline of the work and when to expect the stages completed. The next thing you know they decide to become DIY clients. They have your agenda and begin doing the project themselves. I have noticed this type of Snatcher and Grabber prevalent in the home interior, home staging, and window treatment industry.
3. Bridezilla: Another type of Snatcher and Grabber is the client that purchases one of your smaller packages but demands services in your larger package. If you allow this person one extra product or service for free he or she will continue to demand more. The client becomes the next contest on Bridezilla. Do not let your clients intimidate, boss, or push you around. Establish firm boundaries. They purchased a package and they get what is in that package. Again, revisit your procedures and have your scripts ready so you can establish boundaries.
If you need help designing your systems and procedures so that you can stop the Snatchers and Grabbers your business coach can help. You will not be in business if you give away your products and services for free. You will be a very nice person who is broke. So, Stop the Snatchers and Grabbers!
What do you do after you make a sale? Do you follow up with your clients or customers to ensure they received the product? Do you follow up to ensure they were satisfied? How do you know he or she is a happy consumer? Business Owners – you must follow up. Following up is part of your customer service strategy.
A few months ago, I purchased a Miche handbag for my mother in-law for Mother’s Day. The handbag did not arrive in time for Mother’s Day. When it finally arrived it was missing the inside organizer. I also had found out I had been overcharged and was due a refund. Now, almost three months later I still have not received the organizer or the refund. The handbag has not been given as the intended gift because of the missing organizer. Am I satisfied? Will I recommend this party hostess? I’m sure you can guess the answer to those two questions.
Around that same time I purchased photos from a local photographer. I wanted the photos for Father’s Day. Guess what…I still do not have them. They supposedly were put in the mail at the beginning of June. Will I recommend this photographer?
Now, I can hear you saying why I didn’t pick up the phone to ask where my products were. Well, I wanted to see whether their business was a true business or whether it was a hobby. I only recommend true businesses to my friends and fellow business owners. I did not want to recommend someone only later to have that friend or business owner disappointed or embarrassed by receiving poor service. This was a test for the business owner. The business owner flunked the test. But, in reality I should not have had to test the business owner to see if he or she offered great customer service.
Business owners you must follow up with clients and customers. Following up is one way to offer great customer service. When you don’t follow up you may never find out how unhappy or dissatisfied they really are.
These three tips will help you follow up and offer great customer service:
1. Email: Send an email letting the customer or client know that the product has been shipped and the estimated arrival date. We see this commonly used by all big name business owners and companies.
2. Phone Call: Business owners you can have your virtual assistant or intern call the customer to ensure he or she received the product. Your assistant can also ask at that time if there are any questions on how to use the product.
3. Survey: There are several free survey sites you can use to send a survey asking your customer or client if they received the product in good condition and if they have any questions or concerns regarding the product.
Remember, people do business with those they know, like, trust and see as the expert. You must employ a follow up procedure to aid you are offering great customer service. When you, as a business owner, do not follow up and offer outstanding customer service you are guaranteeing you will not have repeat customers.
As a small business proprietor there are times where I need to call on my higher power. While out running the other morning the song by Carrie Underwood – Jesus Take the Wheel played twice in a row. It played at a time I was brainstorming about my upcoming business meeting. It made realize I just needed to stop worrying and let Jesus take the wheel. The song title has become my new mantra.
I was raised Roman Catholic so the song also reminded me of the Blessed Trinity which of course got me thinking. A business has three key players that are vital for its survival; the business owner, the business coach, and faith in the business owners’ high power.
The business owner’s attitude, knowledge and strength determine if the business will survive. He or she must have a positive attitude to get the business through tough times. The business owner must also work with a business coach that he or she resonates with and trusts. The business coach will provide the knowledge and strength to the business owner in areas he or she needs assistance. This may be in the form of moral support and changing a mindset when the business owner feels like quitting. A business coach may also assist the business owner in ensuring the business has the appropriate business systems and strategies in place so that the business can grow.
When I am working with clients in the capacity of a business or life coach there have been times when I have asked for guidance from my higher power. I know I am not the only business or life coach who will admit not having all the answers all the time. When those times strike you can bet I let Jesus take the wheel. The right answer for the situation is always provided.
Faith is very powerful. Your particular upbringing will determine whom you ask for guidance. There is nothing wrong with admitting that you sometimes need to take your hands off the steering wheel of life and ask Jesus to take the wheel.
As a business owner you must have faith. You must believe in your own dream and know that you know how to turn it into wealth and success. You must have faith in your business or life coach. He or she is the expert in the area your hired him or her. Let your coach do his or her job and coach you. If you believe in a higher power remember it is ok to ask for help from him or her too.
Business Owners remember, when the going gets tough ask your Coach for assistance and also ask Jesus or your higher power to take the wheel.
As a business owner, I have had a presence on Facebook and other social networking sites for almost three years. Social media is a great way to market your business. But, it is also a great way to network with other business owners. In the past two years, I have been asked to speak to various Mompreneur Groups, College Student Groups, Chamber of Commerce events and Women Business Owner Groups. I have been also been the guest on various online radio shows discussing my ebooks and teaching my ecourses.
Speaking to various groups allows me the opportunity to share my message with others throughout the United States and in other countries. This is the power of compound friending. Remember, social networking and public speaking are free ways to grow your business. When I speak in front of a group whether in person or online it is exposing me and my business to potential clients. It is allowing me the opportunity to share tips and resources that will help others grow their business.
When you use my five tips you will grow your business:
1. Be Yourself: Type your status updates in your lingo and language. Do not try to type, speak or present yourself in a manner that is not you. People that meet me and hire me resonate with my personality. They do not want a stiff executive who speaks or writes using big words. They like my down to earth no nonsense approach to life and business with a dash of humor.
2. Engage in Real Conversation: I try to spend a few minutes each day establishing rapport with people who give “the thumbs up” or “like” my posts. I click on their names to see who they are then I start engaging them in conversation.
3. Keep it Real: You will notice that my personal pages have tidbits and posts that reflect who I am. I love dogs and cats. I love pit bulls and post regularly about Miss Savanna my blue pit and Mr. Skittles my old grouchy cat. These posts let people see that I am not perfect and my life is not perfect. I don’t fret over an occasional typo so they can see I am human. I even joke about the fact I can’t type a complete correct sentence until I have consumed an entire pot of coffee. Social media is about presenting yourself just as you are – warts and all.
4. Keep it Clean: I know I just said keep it real however, I will add keep your posts clean. If you do not want grandma to see something do not post it online. Do not post things that would present you or your business in a negative way. Do not post inappropriate photos or use foul language. Also, do not get into a fight with someone online. Never ever speak poorly about someone. Keep your words and photos nice and squeaky clean.
5. Share: In order to grow your business you will need to show off your expertise so that you are seen as the expert. You do this by sharing your knowledge with your followers or list. If you are using Twitter you only have 140 characters. So you can share one small industry specific tip with your peeps. People love using social media to learn new things. When you share your knowledge it opens up opportunities for you to get new clients or customers, joint venture opportunities and invitations to speak at events.
When you use my five tips people will see you as human. They will see you as the expert in your niche. This will lead to invitations to speak to various groups either in person or online. When you accept invitations to speak you will get to promote your business for free. When you promote your business you will attract new clients, grow your business and put more money in your bank account.
Social media is a great way to market your business. But, it is also a great way to network with other business owners. Remember, social networking and public speaking are free ways to grow your business. When you promote your business you will attract new clients, grow your business and put more money in your bank account.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can learn more about Dream Catcher by visiting http://coachjaynine.com.
Miss Savanna is my very friendly blue pit-bull. She normally lies on the floor beside my desk or she can be found looking out the window. Miss Savanna delights in occasionally chasing a cat. But, she also lets those same cats rub up against her and occasionally snuggle up with her on her bed.
Last night I was outside and the door was cracked open. She stood patiently watching me out the window. A neighbor had his American Bulldog running loose. The American Bulldog took out after a stray cat that we feed. The next thing I know Miss Savanna was out the door chasing the American Bulldog. She was attempting to protect the cat. I saw a new side of Miss Savanna. She was going after the bully.
So, I want to ask you what does it take for you to take action. If you are a parent what have you done to help stop bullying? You do not have to wait for your child to become the target of a bully. You can educate your child on why bulling is wrong. You can educate your child on how to protect him or herself against a bully.
Again, what makes you take action? Do you operate in reactive mode or are you proactive? I prefer to operate in proactive mode. I think it is wasteful to operate in reactive mode.
Below are my three tips to stop bullying before it begins.
1. Educate: Educate yourself and your children on what constitutes bullying. http://www.stopbullyingnow.hrsa.gov/kids/ is a great website to educate you and your children on the topic of bullying.
2. Consequences/Rules: Let your children know that you do not condone bullying and what the consequence will be if they bully anyone. You must let your children know that you will not tolerate name calling, teasing, making fun, hurtful joking etc. Stop it before it gets out of hand. You may need to self reflect and realize that you and your spouse are not always setting the best example. When my children were little the word “stupid” was considered a bad word. They did not understand why “Earnest Scared Stupid” was a movie title. Make sure your friends and other family members understand that you are instituting a no bullying campaign and ask that they refrain from teasing your children.
3. Make it Cool: Make “No Bullying” a cool thing. Actively participate with your children in events that promote “No Bullying”. Proudly wear t-shirts or carry a water bottle that proudly displays “No Bullying”.
Find an anti bullying rally in your area. Make it your family mantra – No More Bullying!
If you are a business owner, remember bullying can take place in the workplace too. You must stop bullying.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can learn more about Dream Catcher by visiting http://coachjaynine.com. If you are in Eastern North Carolina you and your family can attend the next Kids Against Bullying in Schools free rally on August 20, 2010 at 5pm at Coastal Home Gallery. You can learn more about KABS at http://www.kabsnow.org
Communication is present in everything we do whether it is verbal or nonverbal. Business owners often get so caught up in running their business that they fail to make time to spend quality time with their loved ones. I want to remind you that what you are NOT saying may be misinterpreted by your family and friends. Does your spouse or children really understand what you are doing when you are not at home? Do they think networking events are fun gatherings with friends? Do they view your presence on social media as frittering away time?
When you work from home it is easy to work on your business every waking moment. You may even wake up early to get a jump start on your business. But, what message is this sending to your spouse? Is he or she interpreting your devotion to your business as an insult? Are you hurting his or her feelings and making him or her feel left out? Are you making your spouse feel inferior? Are you making your spouse feel like he or she is not a good provider? Have you stopped to think about what nonverbal message you are sending?
When was the last time you sat down with your spouse and verbally communicated what was going on in your business? When was the last time you asked your spouse if he or she was bothered by the amount of time you spend on your business?
Business owners, the keys to having a healthy marriage are communication; verbally and nonverbally.
My three tips below will help you bring balance to your life so as a business owner can having a healthy marriage.
1. Boundaries: Sit down with your spouse and discuss the hours you really need to spend running your business. Verbally communicate why you are working so hard so that the other person knows you are not avoiding him or her. Together establish boundaries for your business. This can be in the form of establishing work hours that you both honor. You may want to establish a set time to eat meals together. I suggest grabbing the calendar and planning date night and vacation time so that you do not schedule clients or conferences during that time. It may seem boring or callous to schedule time with your family but as a business owner you know that if you do not you will fill that time with client sessions or time working on your business. It takes a while to break old habits. Your new habit is to start spending time with your family if you have been a workaholic. You may want to establish a bedtime ritual or plan on spending a morning in bed together instead of jumping out of bed early to start working.
2. Actively Listen: Part of communication is actively listening to the other person. Do you really focus your attention on what your partner is saying or is your mind focusing on what you need to be doing? When your spouse or child is speaking to you I want you to disengage from business mode and actively listen to what he or she is saying. This includes paying attention to their body language. He or she may say he or she is ok if you cancel date night to meet with a client but his or her body language may be saying the opposite.
3. Respect Your Spouse & Family: Social media is one of my secret weapons to growing my business. However, respect your spouse and children’s wishes on how much you share about them and your personal life online. Again, sit down and verbally communicate. Ask your family members if they like or do not like what you are saying online. Social media is a great way to promote your business and build rapport with clients. But, do not do so at the expense of your family and friends. If your spouse or children do not want to be mentioned in your blog or social media updates then do not include them in your status updates. However, remember you will never know what your spouse or children are thinking if you do not ask them. Communicate!
Verbal and nonverbal communication are key to balancing being a business owner and having a happy relationship with your spouse and children. You must ask the tough questions. You must ask for feedback. It is ok to ask your family members if they feel ignored because of the amount of time you spend growing your business. I challenge you to go employ active listening while sitting down with your family and discussing their feelings and attitude about the amount of time you spend growing your business. Do not assume that your spouse and children see you as driven toward succeeding. They may think you do not want to spend time with them. Again, communicate, communicate, communicate.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapists. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can download your free ecourse Stop the Snatchers and Grabbers at http://coachjaynine.com/blog/.
A business owner who does not establish boundaries with clients is essentially a convenience store that is open 24/7. Does your phone ring on holidays, weekends, or after hours? Do your clients purchase a small package or service but demand the items included in the pricier package? Business owners must learn to establish boundaries.
Below are five benefits for establishing boundaries.
Five Benefits of Establishing Boundaries
1. No Miscommunication – the first time you let the offender get their way by demanding services they did not pay for they will think it is ok. Stop it.
2. No loss of sleep – when you get interrupted during nap time or bedtime you lose sleep which reduces your creativity and productivity.
3. Less stress – boundary violators cause you unneeded stress due to being angry at being taken advantage of.
4. No loss of income – do not give away a product or service for free. Also, review number two above. When your creativity or productivity is interrupted you are losing money.
5. You are treated with respect.
Now, I know it is easier said than done. But you must make it a habit to establish boundaries early on in the business relationship.
Establish Boundaries
1. Post office hours on your door, on your sales literature, and in your contracts.
2. Do not answer the phone or return an email that is not an emergency except during normal business hours.
3. Firmly but politely verbally communicate to the offender that he or she has crossed the boundary. Be prepared with a script that you have practiced or can email that lets the person know what product or service they purchased and that they must pay extra for the added services they are requesting. Do not give your product or services away for free.
Sometimes it is hard for our clients and customers to realize they are not our only client or customer. When you establish boundaries with your clients and customers everyone will understand the rules of the game. Remember, your time is money. Business owners think billable hours. Your afterhour’s time is your afterhour’s time. Unless you advertise that you are on call 24/7 you should not be nor do you have to be. Do not get in the habit of being available 24/7. You need time to unwind and recharge your batteries so that you can start the next day offering great products and customer service. Business owners you must establish boundaries with clients so that you can grow your business.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can download your free ecourse My 5 Secrets to Networking http://networkingdetox.com/.
Do you find yourself making excuses for your business? Do you say “Oh, I’m just a small business owner?” or “I’m a new business owner?” or perhaps “I have no money”. Well, I learned early on in my military career that excuses are like a certain body part. We all have one. Today is the day to drop the excuses and start playing with the big dogs. What would you need to do to be able to compete with the big dogs?
Employ my five tips because – today is the day you stop talking and start doing.
1. Change Your Mindset – take time to review your mission and vision statement. Do they still inspire you and remind you why you are in business? It may be time to update them. Are you on track to reach your vision? I want you to stop playing small. I want you to stop listening to the hype that it is ok to not turn a profit until you hit your five year anniversary. You must change your mindset and start acting and performing like the owner of a big business. You must wake up each day and get dressed and perform with a purpose. Identify at least one item that will help you grow your business and do it. Do it whether you like it or not. Determine if your business is a true business or a hobby and run it as such.
2. Review Your Financials – do not ignore or put off doing your bookkeeping. You must learn what the numbers mean. Do you even know your credit score? Do you know your net worth? The big dogs know what numbers are on their financial statements and they know their net worth. If you are in an industry that requires working capital it is ok to apply for a loan so that you can continue to grow your business. You need to educate yourself on the loan programs available. You need to have a credit card for business emergencies. You need to know your banker. You must be proactive. Stop being scared of the numbers.
3. Review Your Business Systems – when a client does not pay, the bank account is empty, the ad copy has a typo, emails are not returned in a timely manner, telephone calls are missed or a bill is paid late it is time to review your business systems. Take time to review what is working and what is not working for each and every business system. If you have not taken time to design your business systems you are leaving money on the table by wasting time and forgetting to invoice clients. You are also probably not following up with new clients again, leaving money on the table. You must have systems to save yourself time and money.
4. Stop the Excuses – today is the day you stop using all the excuses that new business owners have heard and used. Today is the day you step up and start playing big. If you do not have working capital use the free of the internet. Go to the library and use their computer if you do not own one. There are several resources available to you even if you do not have money. There are even free legal services. When you start to hear an excuse coming out of your mouth you must stop and think about what business system needs changed so that you never ever utter that excuse again. Stop the excuses. Stop blaming the dog, stop blaming the spouse, stop blaming the mailman etc…STOP THE EXCUSES!
5. Call Your Coach – as your business coach I will guide you to finding the right answer for your business. I am not a franchise coach. I design my programs for each of my clients based on his or her needs. I find the resources and design the programs so that my clients will succeed in business. I am just a phone call or email away.
You are a business owner because you believe in your product or service. Now is the time to step out of your comfort zone and start playing with the big dogs. When you use my five tips above you will see a shift in your thinking, attitude, posture and bank account. So get on out there and start playing with the big dogs.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can download your free ecourse My 5 Secrets to Networking http://networkingdetox.com/.
Have you ever spent hours speaking with someone that inquired about your business only to find out that they could not afford your services or your services or products were not a “good fit” for their business? I’ve even experienced that after I talked to someone for hours then they revealed they did not like anything to do with computers, social media or learning in a virtual environment. Had I know that I would not have even scheduled an appointment to learn more about their business. They were not my ideal client.
As a business owner we need to think of our time as billable hours. We need to consider every meeting or task whether or not it is a good use of our time. So, I hear you asking…”How do I do this?” The answer lies in your prequalifying procedures. When you follow my steps below you will know that the person you are meeting is your ideal client. Your ideal client wants your service and is willing to invest in it.
Two Steps to Prequalifying Clients
1. When someone visits your website or contacts you on the telephone ask him or her a series of questions. It may be only three or six questions. This will show you two things. First, it will show you the person is committed by answering the questions and can follow directions. Second, it will let you know more about the person seeking your service or product. This will allow you to determine if the person is your ideal client or whether you may want to refer him or her to another business associate.
2. Your next step after receiving the answers to your questions is to send a reply along with a description of your services and fees. In your reply you will want to schedule a time to follow up in person or on the telephone. The person will have your fee schedule and a list of your products and services. This will allow the person to know before the session whether or not he or she can afford your product or service.
When you prequalify someone interested in your products or services you will save the other person time and embarrassment if they cannot afford your services or products. You will save yourself time and money by not spending hours with someone who is not your ideal client.
Your ideal client may not be able to easily afford your product or service. But, if he or she has the desire to invest in your product or service he or she will find the money. Prequalifying the person based on their ability to pay allows them to save the money until they can pay. It also allows him or her to find the money. Maybe he or she needs to wait a month until a bill is paid off or until it is income tax time. That is ok. They will know not to spend that money. They will also know upfront the value of what you offer. Yes, they may shop around and that is ok. But, if they are your ideal client he or she will hire you when the time is right without you having to do a heavy sales pitch. Prequalifying your clients will save you both time and money.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can download your free ecourse My 5 Secrets to Networking http://networkingdetox.com/.
I encountered a new type of Snatcher and Grabber that can be very harmful to your business. Remember, the Snatcher and Grabber is someone who wants something for free or nearly free. This past week I had a business owner ask for a quote on training three people at their business. I offered to work with the three employees only charging what I typically charge for larger group coaching sessions because she was a referral. I was actually a bit mad at myself for quoting the low price. The person came back with a counter offer wanting to then only pay to have one person trained. Ding Ding Ding. I saw exactly what this person was going to do. She was going snatch and grab. She wanted to learn my business secrets and then train her two employees thus saving herself money.
I countered her offer by educating her on the price of my one on one coaching fee and explaining the fee quoted was for group coaching. I also explained that if she wanted to use my materials to train her employees she would need to pay the licensing fee rate for my intellectual property.
After several email exchanges back and forth where I did not lower my fee I stopped hearing from the business owner. I do not expect to hear from her again. She did not understand the value I was bringing to her business. She wanted something of value for free or nearly free. She perceived the value of what I was offering her as very low and she was not willing to pay a fair market price for my intellectual property.
As a business owner, you do not need to justify your fees to anyone but you. However, you must know what it costs to produce a product. This includes the behind the scenes things that many people do not consider or see. Do you know your walk away point? Do you know the bottom line price you will sell a product or service? Are you prepared to walk away from a sale? Remember, you are a business owner. If you give away your products and service for free or at a ridiculous low price people will not see the true value of what you offer. They only see their perceived value.
Perceived value is what the person buying your product or service sees as the value to him or her. The true value of your product or service is determined by several factors. What pain does your product or service remove for the consumer? What is the cost to the consumer if he or she does not purchase your product or service? What does it cost you to produce your product or service?
When approached by the Snatcher and Grabber that does not understand the value of your product or service you must know when you will walk away and not give away your product or services. Do not feel bullied or pressured to give a discount.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can download your free ecourse My 5 Secrets to Networking http://networkingdetox.com/.
Business owners are in the business to make a profit. As a business owner you must know how much it costs to produce your product or services. This cost includes your time, administrative costs, utilities, marketing and several other items.
New business owners often forget to add the hidden time zappers into their fee or price structure. They are also often accosted by others who want them to lower their price or fee. Seasoned business owners may forget to add the cost of inflation into their fees or prices.
Now, the consumer is buying your product or service based on how your product or service can solve their pain. You must understand the client or consumers pain point. What pain does your product or service solve?
The secret to getting paid for the value you provide or product value is that you must be able to convey in your marketing message the results he or she can expect when purchasing your product or service. Consumers are not interested in the benefits. They want to know the results i.e. will they have more time, more money, lose weight, less stress etc. You must know the results the consumer can expect to achieve when you using your product or service.
When approached by a prospective client it is ok to ask him or her what is his or her most pressing concern or the one thing that is driving them crazy. Maybe your product or service will prevent the person from facing a fine or penalty. I want you to think about the fee that a heart surgeon charges for a heart transplant. It is a higher fee than what you would pay to have a broken leg reset. The perceived value and the true value is that the heart transplant is saving a life. Whereas resetting a broken leg will ensure the leg heals correctly.
As a business owner you must relay the expected results and the value of your product or service in your marketing message so that your clients and customers understand the value of what you offer. When the client or customer understands the true value of the product or service and not just his or her perceived value of the product or service you will face less resistance and people will not ask you to lower your fees.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can download your free ecourse My 5 Secrets to Networking http://networkingdetox.com/.
New business owners often fail to price their product or service correctly. They either price it too high or too low. If you price your product or service to high you will not have customers. If you price your product or service to low you may not make a profit. You may also not have customers because people will think you are not the authority or expert in your line of business. They will think you are new to the industry.
My three steps below will help business owners in determining the price for their services and products.
1. Competition – know what your competitors are charging. This means you must find out what people in your industry who have your level of training and years in business are charging. It is ok to know what someone who has been in business longer than you charges but you would not want to charge that amount if you do not have their expertise.
2. Costs to Produce – you must know all costs associated with delivering your product or service. This includes administrative costs, your time developing the product, and travel costs etc.
3. What if – what will happen if the person does not purchase your product or service? Will he or she spend money on a fine? If someone does not purchase your lawn service they may be fined by their home owners association. I want you to take a few minutes and think about why you make certain purchases such as using a dry cleaner, going to a bakery, grocery store, car repair shop, etc. The result of not purchasing that product or service may result in going hungry, looking unprofessional by wearing wrinkled clothing, a car that dies or maybe a fine for not having a current inspection or working lights etc. Business owners you must know the anticipated result if someone uses your product or service. You will then want to convey this is using a dollar value or percent.
When business owners employ my three pricing strategies above they will be able to determine the price to set for their products and services with confidence. Business owners will know the price is fair based on industry pricing standard, costs to produce, and the result of what will happen if the consumer does or does not purchase the product.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can download your free ecourse My 5 Secrets to Networking http://networkingdetox.com/.
Retreat! Does the word remind you of an old black and white movie where the bad guys wearing black hats turn their horses around and retreats from battle?As a business owner the word “retreat” does not mean backing down from a fight or running away from a battle.When business owners hear the word “retreat” they should envision relaxing and getting away from their business. Then they can focus on building their business and taking it to the next level.
Seven Reasons for Business Owners to Retreat:
1. R – Relax and Refocus– it is a time to relax and refocus away from the office. When you leave the office you won’t see the piles of filing, work that is unfinished, or hear the telephone ringing. You will be able to focus on your growing your business in a relaxed setting.
2. E – Examine – examine what has been working and what has not been working. This is a time to self reflect. Think about what makes you happy about being a business owner. What things would you like to change? Do you want more vacation time? More time with family? When you examine the day to day operations of your business you will be able to see things clearly and how they are or are not working.
3. T – Track – track your return on investment for your advertising. Track the feedback provided by your customers and clients. Track your website statistics. Track your newsletter open rate and anything else you want to track. This is your retreat and time to focus on you and your business.
4. R – Re-examine – review your mission and vision statement and see if you are still on track. As your business grows you may find that you need to update your mission and vision statement. This is a great time to make the time to update your mission and vision statement.
5. E – Eye – new sources of income and profit centers. Working with other attendees you will be able to brainstorm new profit centers and ways to generate income for your business. Masterminding with other business owners is very powerful.
6. A – Action Plan – design your action plan for the New Year. During your retreat you will design your budget, online and offline marketing plan, plan your vacations and time off for the upcoming year, as well as design your daily calendar for success.
7. T – Transform – your business to the next level. You will lay the foundation for a great new year that will take your business to new heights.
Business owners when you make time to relax away from your office, examine what works, track your return on investment, re-examine your mission and vision statement, eye new profit centers, design your action plan so that you can transform your business to the next level. You will be prepared for the New Year and you will be positioned to earn more money.
Jaynine Howard is a retired United States Marine and former psychotherapist. She is the owner of Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching. Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher Business & Life Coaching helps business owners, nonprofits, and individuals nationally and internationally turn their dreams into wealth and success. Coach Jaynine and her team of associate coaches will help you jump start your business and life through business, career, and life coaching. Jaynine is a member of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce, the Carteret Chamber of Commerce, the American Psychological Association, 24/7 Coaching, and Coachville. You can learn more about Coach Jaynine and her MYOB Fall Retreat by visiting http://myobworkshop.com/ or by calling 910-539-2810.
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Business, Business Growth, Uncategorized, communication | 
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I have written on this topic before but it is time to revisit it.
