Dream Catcher

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.

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.

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/

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.

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

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.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Now think of variations to these keywords or key phrases. These are your secondary keywords or phrases.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

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.

To get your free e-course Networking Detox: My 5 Secrets to Networking Success visit http://www.networkingdetox.com

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.

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.

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.

This is the first time the Federal Trade Commission has updated these guides since 1980. For more information visit http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2009/10/endortest.shtm

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/.

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.