Archive for the ‘Grow Your Business’ Category
It’s a new year. Time for a new mindset!
For 5 years, the Great Recession tightened its grip on our household. We hunkered down, often saying “The wolves are at the door.”
This year, Mike and I decided we needed to change our attitude. And we needed to hit the DELETE key on that wolves phrase.
What would be a good replacement phrase? Something suggesting a positive image?
Joking, Mike suggested: “A basket full of puppies.”
I loved it! It suggests playfulness, joy, and an optimistic future full of growth and opportunity.
This year, instead of bolting the door against “wolves,” we are metaphorically swinging the door open to a basket full of happy puppies!
Is it time to shift YOUR mindset?
What image or metaphor represents growth, joy, and opportunity for you and your business?
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Is this your LEAP Year?
Is this the year you step up? Really put yourself out there? Take your business to the next level? Is this your LEAP Year?
Every year is LEAP Year for Jake! (Photo by Michael Baum)
2013 was my LEAP Year …
One year ago – on New Year’s Day – I resolved that 2013 would be my “LEAP Year.” And was it ever! Those two words drove a lot of risk-taking, decision-making, and accomplishments.
My LEAP Year highlights included:
- Firmly resolving to step up as the thought leader in branding for solopreneurs – particularly infopreneurs such as speakers, consultants, business coaches, and authors.
- Clarifying my brand and creating my new tagline: Shine as an expert. Step up as a thought leader.™
- Creating an entirely new website with my team.
- Creating a new stationery package with my new photo and updated Brand Elements™.
- Presenting more “Nail Your Brand” workshops, including the NSA National Convention in Philadelphia.
- Restructuring my service packages, pursuing media opportunities, establishing a new MasterMind “partnership,” delving into video projects, and tackling innumerable other projects, large and small.
What did I get? What were the results?
- CLARITY – Committing to a LEAP Year forced a new level of clarity, decision, and action!
- LAUNCHPAD – By clarifying my brand and creating a polished, professional, and powerful website, I created more than a foundation. I created a launchpad!
- MOMENTUM – Armed with crisp, clear, and compelling marketing tools (including new website), I’m ready and able take advantage of opportunities to promote and grow my business. Already there’s an uptick in new clients, new media opportunities, and new speaking gigs.
QUESTION: Is 2014 your LEAP Year?
Ask yourself these questions:
- Does your brand need to be clarified or updated?
- Do you trip over your elevator pitch?
- When’s the last time you had your picture taken? Is it a headshot or a GREAT shot?
- Is your website woefully out of date? Does it bring you new business?
- Are your business cards, speaker one-sheets, brochures, and worksheets “homegrown,” with mismatched designs?
- Is your brand and entire marketing toolkit – website, one-sheet, and stationery package – crisp, clear and compelling, both in content and design? Are all the tools in your marketing toolkit polished and professional?
- Do you feel like it’s time to hit the “refresh” button?
IT’S A NEW YEAR – MAKE IT YOUR LEAP YEAR!
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Are you operating at the 10,000-foot level? Or are you lost in the weeds?
Thoughts for the New Year …
At this time of the “rolling year” (as Charles Dickens would say), we start thinking about goals to promote and grow our business.
It’s a good time to step up to the 10,000-foot level (the strategic level).
When guiding clients to clarify their brand, I’ll often say, “Let’s go up to the 10,000-foot level.” Stepping up to a strategic level helps us change our viewpoint, gain a wider perspective, and take the long view.
Meanwhile, I’ve been hearing the phrase “Don’t get lost in the weeds.”
I like the juxtaposition of these two concepts. Clearly, if you’re lost in the weeds, you lose perspective. Up-close tasks may be perfectly clear, but long-term goals (and the path to get there) may be out of focus.
How can you climb up to the strategic level for your business? Set a theme for 2014.
When thinking about promoting and growing your business, one way to step up to the 10,000-foot level is to set a theme for the new year. A theme can be a powerful touchstone, always at your fingertips.
For 2013, my theme was “LEAP Year!” And was it ever! Those two words drove a lot of risk-taking, decision-making, and accomplishments. Highlights include going live with my new website, speaking at the NSA National Convention in Philadelphia, and presenting more “Nail Your Brand” workshops here in Colorado.
For 2014, my theme has gelled into “Allow Time” – for more creativity, new ideas, and plenty of adventure!
What’s your theme for 2014?
I invite you to comment below, and share your theme.
Top photo: “Patrice enjoys long sightlines near Sedona, Arizona,” photo by Michael Baum.
Bottom photo: “Wildflowers at the San Juan River, Utah,” photo by Patrice Rhoades-Baum.
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How to ask for (and get) client testimonials
Your clients love teaming with you. When you ask for testimonials, they happily agree. BUT …
- They are crazy-busy.
- They don’t get around to it.
- They forget.
- You are uncomfortable reminding (and pestering) them.
Sound familiar? You’re not alone! Getting client testimonials is a universal challenge for small business owners.
Here is the key issue: You are giving them an action item
When you ask for testimonials, you are giving clients an action item. They mean well and intend to give you a glowing testimonial.
However, that action item gets lost among other high-priority tasks. It may literally get lost in a sea of scribbled notes on their desk!
Here are solutions: My favorite tips to ask for (and get) testimonials
Over the years, I’ve acquired a variety of methods to request testimonials for my marketing consulting business. Plus, I’ve helped several clients by interviewing their customers for audio testimonials. Here are my favorite tips.
1. Jot down notes when clients rave, then write the testimonials for them – This has become my favorite method. Often, a client will enthusiastically share comments such as “I really like working with you because…” or “I’m so tickled how well this project turned out…” If your client gushes, grab a pen and jot down notes. Later, email the comments and ask for permission to publish this as a testimonial.
2. Convert emailed comments into a testimonial – After converting their comments into a draft testimonial, email this draft to your client and ask them to review/approve. Often, they will elaborate and give you an even better testimonial!
3. Request an audio testimonial – You can ask permission to interview your client and set up a conference call. Then you (or a colleague) can conduct a brief interview. For an example, listen to audio testimonials I created for Claire Hatch, a marriage counselor in Seattle. (In addition to the audio, be sure to include a snippet of the testimonial on your “Testimonials” web page.)
Capture your clients’ glowing testimonials!
4. Call and ask for a testimonial, on the spot – Extroverts may embrace this tip more readily than introverts! Simply call your client, explain that you’d love a testimonial, ask if he/she has a minute, discuss the project AND results, and write (or type) notes.
Edit this into a brief testimonial. Ask clients if they want to read and approve the written testimonial. This can be an extremely streamlined way to acquire hardworking testimonials.
Bonus #1: You have enough fodder to write a case study!
Bonus #2: Call past clients and let them know you are updating your website and would love to add their testimonial, with a link to their website. This phone call offers an excellent opportunity to reconnect with “old” clients, rekindle your relationship, and possibly identify new opportunities to work together.
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Eric Chester: “Become the definitive expert in your category”
Eric Chester – author of Generation Why? – shared sage advice with attendees at NSA/Colorado’s October program. A long-time member of the Colorado chapter, Eric has risen to the top as a professional speaker.
It wasn’t by accident. Or luck. Or happenstance.
Over the decades, Eric Chester has worked hard, focused on being strategic, and invested much time and money into his career and expertise – and he still does. Eric’s frank keynote was refreshing. But it was less “keynote presentation” and more straight-talk, no bull.
Here’s what I LOVED: He emphasized the importance of becoming an expert
Eric showed 4 buckets and, with the group, brainstormed well-known speakers who fall into each bucket.
As a professional speaker (or corporate consultant, business coach, or other solopreneur), you do not want to live in the Miscellaneous bucket! He urged every person in the room to become the definitive expert in their category.
Here’s Eric’s full statement: “You can learn to juggle chainsaws or climb Mt. Everest – or you can become the definitive expert in your category.”
And more: He underscored the importance of branding
Yay! Eric Chester was singing my favorite tune. His specific advice included:
- “Get clear about what you bring to the marketplace.” – This speaks to clarifying your expertise. Personally, I believe that, if you’re a serious small business owner who has acquired decades of life and business experience, you can stake a claim to a tightly defined niche.
- “Does your brand require a lot of explanation? You only have 8 seconds, or less, to say it.” – This speaks to having a clear, on-target message, not simply crafting a clever elevator pitch. I believe a clear brand enables you to quickly communicate (1) who you are, (2) what you do, and (3) what THEY get – the benefits and results your clients and audience members receive.
- “If someone picks up your business card, will they know exactly what you do?” – This speaks to my belief that a clear brand is the foundation (or launchpad!) for a hardworking marketing toolkit: website, speaker one-sheet, and stationery package (business card, letterhead, and envelope). Clarify your brand, and your marketing tools will be clear, compelling and consistent.
Eric Chester’s sage advice – hard won from decades of hard work – resonated for me and, I believe, everyone in the room that day.
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Stake a claim – and own your niche
“Angel’s Leap,” by Michael Baum
When teaming with new clients or presenting a workshop, I’m often surprised how many people insist they are not experts, despite their decades of career experience or intense life experience.
It’s as if they look at their feet, kick the dirt, and say, “Gee, I guess I’m pretty good at such-and-such, but I’m not an expert.”
I was raised in the Midwest, and I believe humility is a precious personality trait. However, something odd happens as you create and build a business.
You don’t want to set aside that precious humility, yet you need to embrace – and clarify – your expertise.
If you don’t, it’s virtually impossible to move forward with clear, compelling marketing tools, including your website and speaker one-sheet.
So, are you an expert? Here’s a quick quiz:
- Are you a professional speaker, corporate consultant, business coach, or other solopreneur/infopreneur?
- Do you have many years – or many decades – of experience?
- Have you developed your own, unique approach, philosophy, or system based on your experience? (This could be to solve a problem, improve a situation, address an industry challenge, advise clients, or inspire audiences to take action.)
If you answered “yes,” congratulations! You’re an expert.
“I agree that I’m an expert; now what?”
Now it’s time to clarify your specific area of expertise – your niche – and proclaim it to the world. I encourage you to tightly define your topic and your target market to claim a narrow (but deep) niche. For example, my niche is branding for solopreneurs, because I truly believe I have “cracked the code” for this specific type of business owner.
Claim your niche, and be the best at it.
Here’s a way to visualize your niche
You are standing at the edge of a gorge; it’s quite narrow yet incredibly deep. And it’s YOURS.
Now get your message out there in a big way, and tell the world you have staked your claim.
Your expertise will shine, and you alone will own that specific niche.
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VALUE versus BENEFIT: The “secret” to thinking like a marketer
If you own a business, you have to think like a marketing person. Thankfully, this doesn’t mean acting (or dressing) like the stereotypical used-car salesman!
The secret? Just use the word “YOU.”
Throughout your marketing toolkit – your website, speaker one-sheet/brochure, blog posts, and articles – it’s vital to speak directly to “you” (your client) and emphasize the benefits and results “you” get.
Your prospective clients (and audience members) are not focused on you and your company – they are focused on finding the right solution to their problem. Your job is to ensure “what you get” is crystal clear.
How can you do this? Simply restructure sentences in your marketing materials.
Instead of emphasizing “I” or “we” and the value you deliver, use the word “YOU” and clearly state the benefit (“what you get”).
Example #1
- VALUE STATEMENT:
“First, we work with our clients to clarify their challenges, then we create unique programs for them.” [To what end? What is the end goal?] - RESTRUCTURED AS A BENEFIT STATEMENT:
“Prior to your event, we consult with you to understand your specific challenges. This ensures your unique program meets the mark and your desired outcomes.”
Example #2
- VALUE STATEMENT:
“We train sales teams on our trademarked process, so they can hit their quota, month after month.” [To what end? What is the end goal?] - RESTRUCTURED AS A BENEFIT STATEMENT:
“Sales director: Your team will learn a proven process to hit their quota, month after month. You can increase your company’s revenue while driving consistency from quarter to quarter, so you can end the revenue roller-coaster ride.”
Get your red pen – it’s your turn!
VALUE STATEMENT:
“We offer a wide variety of workshops where our expert facilitators lead teams through interactive activities to improve communication.” [To what end? What is the end goal?]
Now, restructure it into a BENEFIT STATEMENT:
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Keep your red pen handy! Take a whack at your Home page copy.
Is your website’s Home page copy chock-full of “I” or “we”? If so, invest a few minutes to restructure value statements into benefit statements. Get in the habit of writing “YOU” to clearly state “what you get”!
BTW, here’s one possible solution to the above exercise:
“In your customized workshop, our expert facilitator will lead your team through interactive – and strategic – activities to improve your team’s communication skills. The goal is to forge a highly productive team built on trust, open communication, and true teamwork.”
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“Friday the 13th flight to HEL” (and a writing tip)
The Associated Press reported:
“Would you board flight 666 to HEL on Friday the 13th? Finnair passengers on AY666 to Helsinki didn’t seem bothered: Friday’s flight was almost full. Pilot Juha-Pekka Keidasto said, “It has been quite a joke among the pilots.” Friday the 13th is considered bad luck in many countries and the number 666 has negative biblical associations.”
It’s a quirky, humorous article – with a hidden writing tip
As a small business owner, chances are, you do a lot of writing. And you probably self-edit your articles, blog posts, workbooks, and so forth. When you put on your editor’s hat to chase down typos, punctuation errors and the like, also think about denotations and connotations.
A word or expression’s denotation is the explicit dictionary definition – its literal meaning. The connotation is any suggested or associated meanings.
A great example is the word witch. From “Halloween witch costume” to “Salem witch trials,” this word packs a lot of punch, with a wide variety of positive and negative connotations!
In the “Flight to HEL” article, the reporter spelled out that Friday the 13th is considered bad luck in many countries and that 666 conveys negative biblical associations. Yet this is not universally known. If this hadn’t been spelled out – and if the reader wasn’t aware of these connotations – the point (and the quirky humor) would have been lost.
When writing, be alert for words’ and expressions’ undertones, implications, or secondary meanings, especially when writing for other cultures. And especially if you’re attempting quirky humor!
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Nail your brand. Get clear. Get moving. Feed your family.
Patrice presents at NSA Convention in Philadelphia, 2013
At this year’s NSA Convention in Philadelphia, one theme truly resonated: As business owners, we need to get energized, get clear, and get moving to take our business to the next level.
In fact, I stressed this point in my “Nail Your Brand” presentation at the NSA Convention: “Clarify your brand, and get your business moving forward. You have a family to feed.”
I didn’t rehearse this phrase; I say it naturally, because I thoroughly believe it.
Remarkably, the presenter who stepped onto the stage immediately after me emphasized this exact point as well! He spoke on marketing activities that get speakers booked. He underscored that you need to focus on what works, adding: You have a family to feed.
Whether it’s clarifying your brand, updating or revamping your website, polishing your speaker one-sheet, identifying specific marketing strategies to pursue, or other activities for your small business, it always comes down to this:
Gain clarity. Move forward. Feed your family.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I believe when you clarify your brand, you build the foundation — or launchpad! — to create a strategic website and marketing toolkit. Armed with this hardworking toolkit, you can implement key promotion/outreach strategies. You can literally REACH OUT to your ideal clients.
You will move forward, grow your business, and feed your family.
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How to improve your writing: My top 2 tips
I just got off the phone with a client; we are teaming on an exciting branding and website project. She truly is an expert in her business-consulting niche. Soon, she will be poised to step up as a thought leader.
We chatted about the importance of blogging, and how her regular blog posts will:
- Support her from a search-engine optimization (SEO) standpoint and help her get found by prospective clients
- Enable her to expound on her topic, educate clients and prospects, and reveal her passion, commitment, and personality
She asked: “How can I improve my writing?”
As a professional writer for 30+ years, I shared my favorite tips:
- Write a short blog post every day or every week. Gone are the days of writing long, daunting, full-length articles for your blog or guest blogs. Instead, write short blog posts (200-300 words). Focus on a key point that is useful or insightful for your readers. Stay on point, and make sure your point is clear.
- Take out your red pen! I firmly believe editing your writing is the best way to improve your writing. Print your draft, then use a red pen (or color of your choice) to edit your content. Read through your copy several times and edit for brevity, spelling, punctuation, grammar and, of course, clarity. Your goal? Copy that is crisp, clear, and compelling!
Speaking of keeping it short…
We have a rollicking thunder-and-lightning storm at my office. Time to turn off and unplug the computer. I hope there are no typos that will undermine my editing advice. :>
