Marketing Your Business

How 'linked' are you to related businesses in your area? Do you cross-market with them, to help each of you grow your business? I know this has been covered time and again, but it's still worth discussing.
As a photographer, I want to expand my business into weddings and events. One way I plan to do this is to market myself to the local florists and caterers. I'll approach one or two from each category and request a partnership with them. When I'm contacted to shoot a wedding, I'll suggest my partners as my preferred vendors, and my partners will do the same for me. I hope to also work up packages with my partners, so our clients can get a discount by using all of us together.
While it will build our business base, it will also raise us from the level of vendor to trusted professionals.
What businesses can you partner with to build your business?

Photography

I love taking pictures in and around my community - it's not a very big place, but I sure am proud of it. Lots of lovely 'hidden' places, fields, lakes, swamps and all sorts of beautiful images.
I recently entered a picture of our newest water tower, with a beautiful sunset in the background, in a statewide contest geared towards communities. I received a notice yesterday that my photograph won second place. I'm very happy about it, because it was one of those shots that just presented itself. I wasn't even thinking about photography- I had headed out the door to pick my daughter up from band practice, and when I saw the sky across the road, I went back in and got my camera.
My picture will be on the cover of the February issue of the organization's magazine.

A Homecoming Event

The Alabama Department of Tourism is sponsoring The Year of Small Towns and Downtowns in 2010. Each town that participates receives a free historic marker; Rutledge will be participating and we'll center the Homecoming Weekend around the Primitive Baptist Church in Rutledge. It's one of the oldest churches in Crenshaw County, and since Rutledge was once the county seat, the church is even more central to the county.
We've already set dates, and we also decided to have a homecoming weekend in 2009 as well - you might say it will be our practice run.
We've come up with several ideas on how to celebrate our town and it's roots - we'll be making videos of town members telling how it was to grow up in and around Rutledge; an art show is also being planned; we'll have activities for the kids on Saturday; and Sunday we'll wind up the weekend with a community church service in the morning, dinner on the grounds and an afternoon singing with local groups.
I've also come up with an idea to have a poster and postcard design competition among the residents of Rutledge. The winning posters will be used to publicize the weekend, and the winning postcards will be reproduced and sold during the weekend. Each winning designer will get a copy of all the winning designs. It will encourage the local folks to get involved, and any money raised will go towards maintaining the church building.
Check back for more details on how the plans are developing...

"A Breaking Heart" is at the Printer's

A Breaking Heart, the latest book by Dimple McInvale, will be published by my company, and I'm proud to announce that it's at the printer's, and should be back in time for Christmas. This is Mrs. McInvale's first novel, but it's her third book.
The book tells the story of three women who leave abusive relationships and move into the home of a country couple; the safe home becomes a real home for the three women, and while it relates some bad situations, it's a very hopeful, uplifting book. It's based on real-life events.
If you'd like to read more information about the book, visit the author's website here, or you can go directly to the book's page here.

Insurance...

I am always amazed when people say they buy life insurance 'in case something happens to them' - I have only ever heard of two people who left this earth without dying - Enoch and Elijah. Everybody else has to be prepared for the time when they die; which brings me to my point.
How is your business covered? I'm not talking about life insurance, because I'm sure you've got that covered.
I'm talking about the day to day things that happen in your business:
*what happens to your clients when you die or are unable to work? Do you have a plan in place to make sure they're taken care of?
*what about your current projects? will someone you trust be able to step in and complete the work, or will someone be able to help your current clients find a new partner to finish their work?
*have you already discussed partnering for this with a trusted person in your business? someone whose work ethics are on the same keel as yours, and who can work with your clients to their satisfaction...
*do you have your passwords and file backups in a place that someone can find?
*are you up to date on notes on your clients and prospects, so someone stepping in won't have to start from scratch?
After making sure my family is taken care of, I want to make sure my clients are cared for; I want the transition to their new designer to be an easy one.
Are you prepared?

Fluid Design

For as long as I've been designing websites, I've almost always designed using a fluid design- one that is set up so that it 'fits' the screen of the viewer, as often as possible. Obviously you can't fit everyone's screen, because some people use a small portion of their monitor to view the internet, saving another portion for their other open apps.
However, I feel this is the best way to go for most sites. If I use tables in the design, I set them so that they only use a percentage of the screen size. I did have a client who had purchased a template online, and we made some adjustments to it to customize for their site - he actually pulled out a ruler and showed me that the lines on each side of the design were not the same width, even though I had them set at the same pixel width. He also wanted the site to be perfect on his monitor, which was a fairly large one...
The problem with making a site 'perfect' on your monitor? You're forgetting that your customer is who you should be building your site for. My goal for website customers is to make a site that visitors can easily navigate, will enjoy viewing, looks good on their monitor, and is easily readable to them. That usually means, among other things, that I don't set exact font sizes in the design, but rather set it at 'large' or 'medium' according to how the font looks.
I do this for one simple reason - if I am on a site with tiny print, I will hold my CTRL button and use the scroll wheel on my mouse to enlarge it - if that doesn't work, I usually don't hang around very long. Life is too short to strain my eyes trying to read something in microscopic print.
Any site needs to look good, but it's most important that viewers can use it easily - and if they can't, what is that saying to them? "If you're not cool enough to use this site, then we don't want your business" is what it says to me. And I don't want to be responsible for a site that's saying that.

Seasonal ideas

If you have a website, do you update it for seasonal changes? Obviously, you don't want to do a total remake several times a year, but it is always a good idea to acknowledge the holidays and seasons of the year.
My favorite search engine is Google; if you've never seen the way they honor different holidays, visit this page - it's their 'museum' of logos.
I know you can't do something on the same scale, but you can support your favorite holidays. As an example, during the Christmas holidays, I make a slight change to my logo, then link it from my main page, to a retelling of the Christmas story from the book of Luke. Starting this next year, I plan to do something similar for the Easter season - after all, the main purpose of Christmas' gift is fulfilled in Easter.
Think about it, and see what ideas you and your designer can come up with to celebrate the holidays and seasons that are important to you.

New Year's marketing pieces

Have you completed your 2009 marketing piece yet? This year I'll be giving away calendars to my best clients and prospects.
I've got several very nice photographs I've taken of the local area, so I'll have one photo per month, with a large monthly calendar opposite. I will add some dates that are important to my clients, and leave room for them to add their own information as well.
I want to make sure that I give something that is usable by my clients, and that will also remind clients of my business everytime they use it.
What will you be doing for the new year?

A Simple Thank You Note

Last week, I had reason to send out several thank-you notes. Instead of picking up a package of small note cards, I decided to make my own.
I bought a package of half-fold greeting cards, and designed a 'thank you' header using a pretty font, and printed them. I printed out some of my favorite photos in 4x6 size, and mounted them to the front of the cards, then wrote a note inside.
I made sure to add the title and date of each photograph, so the recipient knew it was a handmade card, and sent them off. So far I've gotten compliments on three cards... I'm glad I was able to do this- hand-written correspondence has almost become a thing of the past; I love to get mail like this, and I'm sure others do too.
If you've got the time and patience to do this, it's a good investment of your time. At the very least, have some notecards designed for you, and handwrite notes to folks you appreciate. If you're trying to build a relationship with a business associate, what better way than to send something handwritten?

On Speaking Publicly

This past weekend, I had to represent our town at a family reunion. Most of the family had moved away from our area, so the hostess asked me to speak on the history of the town.
I contacted someone from our historical society and got some great information, and sat down to write my speech. I'm sure that my speech wouldn't win any prizes, but I do think I did rather well, and most folks seemed to enjoy listening to what I had to say. Here are some of the things I did.
First I thought about how long I wanted to speak. I personally despise listening to long, dry, boring political speeches, and I hate to think about putting anyone else through that. I decided that 15 minutes was my limit, and I hoped to keep it less than that.
Next, I thought about all the things I wanted to say - I made about three pages of notes and ideas. My own personality is quirky, to say the least, so I knew I needed the speech to sound like me, and not a professional writer. I knew I wanted to bring some humor about living in a small town, but I didn't want to sound like I was making fun of our town. I also knew I wanted to pique the interest of those who were learning about Rutledge, so they'd be encouraged to learn more on their own.
You also need to know that the hostess found out I ride a motorcycle, so she asked me to invite as many of my riding friends as possible, to escort me in. The clothes I ride in (jeans, t-shirt, leather gloves and boots, etc) do not lend themselves to what you normally expect from a speaker, so I knew I had to keep things light.
Then I sat down and wrote what I'd like to say, adding things from my notes, and deleting things, until it flowed like my normal speaking pattern. I printed it out on half-sheets stapled together on one corner to keep them together, and read through it in front of my mirror until I was comfortable with how it sounded, practicing the parts where I tended to stumble over phrases.
I didn't memorize the speech, but I was so familiar with it, that I could work through it without looking like I was reading it, and I was able to vary a little on what I said.
By the time I was in front of the group, I was comfortable enough to make eye contact with different areas of the crowd while speaking.
I'm not going to say it was hugely successful, because only the listeners know for sure. But I was able to move through it, without my knees knocking too badly, and I did have several people tell me that they had learned something new about our town. That was my goal, so I feel good about it.
By the way, my friends sat in several areas of the group, so I was able to look at them while I spoke- it's amazing how a friendly face in a crowd can help you get through public speaking!

Are you ready?

What would it take for you to move up a level in your organization? Would you need training of some sort? Is there information that you would need to let you serve in that position? Are there people you'd need to learn from, so you could do the job effectively?
If you want to move up, make sure you're prepared ahead of time. You never know when opportunity might strike...

Time Management

Last week I wrote about contact management- today I'd like to say a little about time management.
We all have the same amount of time each week to get things done. There are so many hours each day that are already spoken for - you have to sleep, eat and refresh yourself physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally.
So, you've got to make the remaining hours count. There are all kinds of time management systems on the market, so there's sure to be a system that meets your needs.
I use the Franklin-Covey paper system in combination with Outlook. My daily tasks go into my datebook, with recurring tasks set in Outlook to remind me. I've tweaked both systems until they work the way I want. I use some FC forms; some forms I've found on other forms on 43 Folders that I like, and other forms I've created on my computer to print as I need them.
Most every seminar or class on time management that I've attended has used the pickle jar story. The basic story is that if you've got to get a whole bunch of stuff in a pickle jar, start out with the big stuff, then move down the list; in other words, plan for your most important tasks, then work the others in as you've got time.
My point is that everyone should be able to find some system that works for them. Once you find it, USE it... it does no good at all to have a beautiful leather planner with all kinds of forms, dated pages and envelopes in it, if all you do is lug it around and show it off to people. It's kinda like those folks who own a gorgeous Yamaha Raider motorcycle that's completely dressed out with every chrome bling on it that's available; but they're afraid they'll get it dirty so it sits in their garage - it's basically a huge paperweight...
I have two planners I use - one has 1 1/2 inch rings, and the other has 2 inch rings. It depends on how full my life is at the moment - right now, things are very busy so I use the bigger rings to hold more 'stuff'. In a few months, things may back off and I'll move back to the smaller rings.
If you're not sure what system might work for you, check out some of the following places to get some ideas. Franklin Covey, 43 Folders, DayRunner, Outlook/Palm (if you're running a computer with Windows, you've got Outlook Express, which may work for you, but you may need more). And don't be afraid to ask others what system they use- they'll be flattered you want their input, and they may have some ideas you hadn't considered...

Contact Management

I sometimes get mired down by 'pushy paper' - you know, those little notes,letters, ads and other things on your desk that you need to deal with, but somehow can't find time to do. They end up getting pushed around from one corner of my desk to another.
Most of the things in my little stack are things that could taken care of very quickly, but I put them off, and I rationalize that since they're such little things, I can get them done later.
I've made a conscious decision to set aside 30 minutes at least once a day to work through these items. For example, I had a stack of business cards sitting on my desk that I've collected on my runs around town -they've now been entered into my Outlook contacts list, with notes on who the person is and how I met them. I've also edited my list of categories in Outlook, so they're more effective.
I also make notes in any appropriate fields in Outlook - if I only know that the business manager's name is Jim, I enter that, sorting the contact to list it under only the business name, but I also add a task to find out a little more about Jim- last name, hobbies, etc. Then if I think he'll make a good source of assistance to someone else, I list him in that category, too. If I can get several of his business cards, I'll pass them along to folks who can use his help. I'll make any notes I can in in the miscellaneous field.
I'm not trying to sell you on Outlook; I love it and use it as much as possible, even looking for new ways to use it. But you might have a different system that works for you. The point is to use it for all it's worth.
Besides Outlook on my computers, I also use the Franklin Covey paper system (2 pages per day and sometimes that's not enough!); my cell phone is a Palm Centro which syncs to Outlook and keeps as much information as possible on it.
One other suggestion- no matter what your system, make sure you keep it safe. If it's a paper system, make sure you keep your planner with you; if you're using a computer-based program, back it up often. I speak from experience: several years ago I bought an external hard drive that I keep all my documents and files on and it's backed up onto another computer. However, I failed to back up my Outlook files, and when my system crashed, I lost all my emails, and even worse, my notes and contacts. Thankfully I had printed my contacts list to a pdf file, but the notes I had are gone. Some I could recreate, but not all.
Remember, if it's important enough to you to save in the first place, make a back up!

Marketing Your Business

You know your business more than anyone else - what is your marketing strategy? Starting today, I'll occasionally give you ideas to market your business that are will hopefully be quirky enough to get a prospect's attention, and isn't that one point of marketing?
Today's suggestion: seeds.
If you are in any business that can help another business grow, mail out small seed packets attached to a marketing piece discussing ways you can help 'grow your business'. To further personalize the pieces, gear seed choices to the prospect- a grocery store might get vegetable seeds, wheat seeds for a bakery and flower seeds for a florist's shop.
It's okay to have your marketing pieces mass-produced, but leave yourself a little leeway in putting those individual touches on them. I've designed some marketing postcards for my own business - the front is pre-printed, but I've left the back blank so I have the choice to hand write a message or print it from my desktop, then add my signature.
Make sure your prospects see that you've got time for them- that may be the deciding reason they choose to do business with you.

Customer Service

We were at the local Verizon store on Saturday, because I've got to upgrade my phone. We looked around at the different options, and I spoke to the salesman a couple of times with questions.
When I decided on the phone I wanted, I told the salesman, who then told me that he would be glad to sell me a phone, but it would benefit me more if I went home and ordered it online- there were a wider variety of phones online, more savings available, the phone would be delivered the next business day, and my store credit would work online, so I'd actually get a better phone for the same price.
That's good customer service in my book. This young man acted very professionally, answering all my questions, besides working with another customer (and not making either one of us feel as if we were being too much trouble). He put my benefit above his own, so I plan on going back to that store for any accessories I need to get for my phone.
How do you live intentionally (see here or here) in your business? Do your employees know how to put the customer's needs first?

What's Your (tag) Line?

Does your business have a tag line? You know, like "Coke- it's the real thing"; or "Pepsi- the choice of a new generation" (just to be fair, ya know.)
Sometimes it can be hard to come up with a tag line. It needs to be something that is catchy and tells a little bit about the personality of your business. One great way to come up with a tag line is to brainstorm with some of your trusted employees and customers. One person trying to come up with ideas can be difficult, but working within a group can be fun and inventive (and eye-opening, too).
One 'rule' to remember - there are no stupid ideas when you're brainstorming. Make sure each person knows that everyone's ideas will be considered. The junior stock boy's ideas will be treated the same as the boss's suggestions.
Jot down each idea - even if it sounds dumb, it might trigger a very good response from someone else. And in the worst case, if it's completely silly, the laughter can relieve stress.
And speaking of humor- if you're having trouble getting started, tell everyone to come up with the craziest idea they can. Sometimes thinking around corners can bring out some good ideas that will really work.
You can always bring in your professional designer to help, and he or she will have some great ideas too. Your designer can fine-tune things and give you some tips on how best to word things, but remember, you know your business better than anyone else, so you should have some input into the process.

The Accidental Salesperson

A few years ago I was offered a short-term position as a radio ad salesperson; to prepare for that job I visited my favorite bookstore and found a copy of the book "The Accidental Salesperson" by Chris Lytle. It's been one of the best investments I ever made for my career.
Lytle uses unorthodox methods to make his points, including suggestions for movies to watch on how to NOT be a successful salesperson. And like a good preacher, he finds lessons in all kinds of situations, including an airport shoe shine man.
Make sure you read all the way to the end of the book - there's a special section on Chris' website that is accessible only to readers of the book.
And if you're thinking "But I'm not a salesperson", remember, everybody is a salesperson in some part of their life. While the book is geared towards advertising sales, it can be translated to other types of marketing.
This is a great system, and Chris also offers marketing emails several times a week, that are also helpful.
If you need a good boost in your sales career, find this book and buy it. At about $18, it's worth every penny. Buy it, read and study it, and get the system in gear. You'll be glad you did.