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With the entire buzz right now swirling around the President Elect’s pending high profile appointments like Secretary of State and Head of Homeland Security, there is one non appointment that hovers under the radar. Yet this non appointment has proven to be more critical and has generated more ROI than any of the appointed will likely produce. Before I get to that, let’s examine some of the accolades given to the campaign and now the transition. Consistent. On task. Single message.
Single message
With literally thousands of staff and thousands of volunteers, how does a leader get that many people to spread a single, uniform message? In a name, at least on the President Elect’s behalf anyway, that name is David Axelrod. His low profile job during the campaign and now through the transition – as I’ve heard him say over and over – is to make sure that everyone on the organizational chart understands the message and is able to share that message in the same way as the next staff or volunteer person.
Okay, so you may be thinking, what does this have to do with running a profitable business? Everything! As I work with clients in my coaching practice on how to sustain profitability and grow their company, I find that many of them are not clear on their own message. Nor can they communicate a message out to their target market in a consistent uniform way. Sending mixed messages makes it difficult for a small business to attract and retain their most profitable customer. This has a long term effect on the overall sustainability of the business.
A key element to communicating a single message is to know your unique position in the market. Communicating what distinguishes your company from all the others providing a similar product or service can go a long way to capturing the attention and subsequently the loyalty of customers who want to do business with you. Many of my clients come to me with a copy cat mentality regarding what makes them different. They state a position that may work for another company without thinking through how that position really applies to their own uniqueness.
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Whenever I speak or network with business owners, I am still asked questions like “can MySpace really help my business” or “does a brick and mortar business really need to be on the Internet”? I guess these questions continue to shock me because the Internet has become such an important tool for any and every business. No matter what product or service you sell, no matter how you conduct business - from an external office or from a home office, no matter how small or big your company is, you need an Internet presense. Studies show that the majority of customers start their buying cycle on the Internet. Whether they are making the purchase online or they plan to go into a store and buy, most customers conduct some type of research on the company, product, or service first. So what does that mean for companies that do not have an online presense? It means that they don’t sell as much as they could. It means that their company is probably not growing like it should. That’s why I put together a great series of workshops for those business owners that need to get up to speed. If you want to learn more, check out the business growth series link in the blogroll.
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With the increased use of mobile devices like the smart phone and internet enabled cell phone, potential clients are accessing the web in a new and more interactive way. Unfortunately, existing websites are usually not fit for mobile device display. In fact, a mobile user attempting to access your traditional website will most likely see an error page on their cell phone screen. That is, unless you have a mobi site. dotMobi or .mobi, also known as Internet made mobile, is a domain name extension that is used for mobile ready websites. With a dotMobi website, you can deliver content specifically designed for internet ready phones. The benefit of having a dotMobi site is that users know your content is mobile friendly. With a dotMobi site, you can extend your company’s reach by giving potential customers a simple and easy way to get information about your company and what you can do. You also create an opportunity for your company to capture sales that you might have otherwise lost.
Tip: If you are ahead of the game and you already have a dotMobi site, you can test the readiness of your mobile site at http://ready.mobi
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Blogging is an easy way to develop an instant online community. Instead of a hard-sell technique you can use your blog to attract clients/customers by communicating useful interesting information.
To start:
1) Choose a provider like blogger.com, livejournal.com, or blogspot.com.
2) Select a template that fits your business image.
3) Write a few short posts.
4) Visit other blogs to build a blogging circle.
5) Post a link on your website and tell everyone about your blog.With your blog you are able to deliver new content to your clients or customers and establish yourself as someone they will want to do business with.
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There is a long list of benefits that come with hosting a Teleseminar. At the top of that list is generating leads, getting known as an expert in your field, product creation, and cash flow. In addition, a Teleseminar can be easy to host while adding a dynamic component to your traditional marketing strategies. To get started you’ll need what’s called a bridge line. Two great tools are Free Conference Call and Audio Acrobat. Now, ask yourself what is the purpose of the Teleseminar. Is it to teach a class or is it to conduct research, or is it to build your database? There are many reasons to conduct a Teleseminar. Some of the most common include build a platform, client loyalty, and create a product. After you have selected a phone service and you know the purpose of the Teleseminar, follow the next few steps to hosting success. 1. Pick a topic of interest to your target audience AND that you are familiar with. Like any public speaking opportunity, you don’t want to ruin your credibility by talking about something you know little about. 2. Determine a format that will work best for your style of deliver. Popular formats include interviews, coaching, or lesson. 3. Develop an outline or script for the call. Be sure to include a timeline. This will keep you on track. Calls under one hour work best. 4. Market your event to your contacts via email. But don’t stop there. Just because this is a Teleseminar doesn’t mean you can’t use other marketing tools like sending out a postcard announcement or writing a press release. 5. Host the meeting, present your topic and record it for future marketing or sales opportunities. And most important than all, don’t forget to follow up after the event.
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