11/30/2007
Seven essential components of a billion dollar company
| Courtesy of my client and friend, Alin Lozada. Even if you're not intent on becoming a billion dollar company, there are some good nuggets of advice here. If you know the original source of this list, let me know and I will properly attribute it: Here are the 7 essential components that make up a billion dollar company.
Labels: business, business advice, business tips |
11/27/2007
Sean Taylor # 21 R.I.P.
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11/25/2007
Just say "no" to time wasters and time stealers
| I received some great advice via Jack Canfield (of Chicken Soup for the Soul and The Secret fame) and his "Success Principles" e-mails. Here is what he says about saying "no" to the nonsense that keeps us from doing what we need to do (and these are directly quoted from Mr. Canfield's e-mail): 1.) Non-essential email such as poems, jokes and stories. Write a polite, "take-me-off-your-feel-good-list" response you can create as an email signature to reply whenever you receive these. If you are routinely copied on inner-office email that doesn't apply to you, ask to be taken off the list. 2.) Telemarketing calls. Log on to www.donotcall.gov to have your telephone number (including your cell phone number) removed from telemarketing lists. 3). Other people's busy work. Direct co-workers to readily available information they can locate, print and read on their own, once they know where to find it -- instead of asking you as an easier "go-to" source. 4.) Crisis deadlines. Ask to be notified well in advance of deadlines so you are more in control of the delivery of projects. Politely advise co-workers you cannot bail them out at the last minute when they miss THEIR deadlines. Always ask if the deadline is truly a high priority -- ultimately, many are not. Labels: business tips, entrepreneurs, productivity in business |
11/22/2007
What one thing can you do to jumpstart your marketing today?
| Do you often feel overwhelmed about marketing because there is so much you know you could and should be doing that you just don't know where to start? Would you feel any better if you knew that I often feel this way? For me, overwhelm is often the biggest factor in any delays or missteps I have or make in marketing. What I try to do to combat this and what actually works in my favor is the "baby step" method. Rome wasn't built in a day and neither does your marketing campaign(s) have to be! Make a list of 10 or 12 marketing tasks or efforts you wish you had the time and/or brain power to do right now. Just list them. These should be doable tasks like "write a blog entry" or "add an article to our website." Then pick your top 5 and tackle one every 2 or 3 days for the next few weeks. Don't let yourself go longer than one week between tasks. Don't even try to strategize, just get in a marketing can-do "action" mode. You'd be surprised at how much progress you make. (And let me know about it!) |
11/18/2007
Blogs, blogs, blogs
| Recently, I spoke at the Coral Springs' (Florida) chapter of the ABWA (American Business Women's Association) on blogging. Did you know that estimates put the number of blogs in existence at 106 million (and counting)?! There is so much to say about blogs and blogging, and I am currently developing an e-book entitled "The Anatomy of a Good Blog Entry" so that I can share my findings with all of the bloggers (and wanna-start-blogging-bloggers) out there. |
11/16/2007
Yes, but....No, but....But...But...But
| The word "but." It makes my skin crawl. It' s like when my kids or their friends start a sentence with "No offense, but...." Basically the "but" is saying that everything you or your conversation partner said or thought BUT whatever comes after the BUT is really what's important or true to key to the exchange. It's really saying that what I (or you) said or what I (or you) said is all well and good but not really important. What I say or write after the BUT is where you should be focusing your attention. I used to find myself justifying a price on a project by saying, "It is $xx BUT keep in mind that you also get X, Y and Z with that package." It indicates some fear, some timidness, some element of not being totally sure of yourself. Not a good sign in business or in life! So eliminate the BUT from your life today. Labels: business jargon, business writing, copywriting |
11/11/2007
What gift is underneath your wrapping paper?
| I have a client who came to me to rewrite his existing website. This is always a tough one because often it is more difficult and less effective to re-write something that wasn't so great in the first place (although people often, mistakenly, think this is an easier job just because something is already written) than it is to start from scratch...but that's another story. This client, whose new site is still in the works (it is also being re-designed in addition to the reworked and rewritten copy) recently recounted something his colleague told him: "Ed," my client's friend said, "You are a great gift that no one can see because of your improper packaging. No one sees you beyond the packaging." My client is a world-renowned speaker, trainer and all-around inspiring and impressive guy. But what this third person was saying was very true and very telling. It's not enough to be great at what you do. You need to look, sound and read (your words) the part as well. The existing website did not even come close to doing its job for this caliber of a guy. You may think your site or your brochure or your message is less important than what you actually do and deliver, but you know what? You'd be mistaken. The image, the impression, the credibility are as important IF NOT MORE IMPORTANT than the actual goods and services delivered. It may not be fair, but it's the truth. So how professional, clear, attractive and impressive is YOUR wrapping? Labels: marketing, small business marketing |
11/04/2007
What scares you about marketing?
| I'm sure you've heard or read that the majority of us, both personally, professionally and any other way, are afraid of success. We actually fear success more than we fear failure. How can that be, you ask? Why would anyone deliberately sabotage themselves or their success? Take your marketing, for instance. There are tried-and-true methods and approaches that we know work. We know that it's imperative to know who you are selling to inside and out. We know they're looking for solutions, for you to speak to their pain, to speak their language. We know how they read (they scan), how much they absorb (not too much, just the most important points, and not even all of those) and how many times you need to tell them the same thing (more than you think). Regardless of what we do know, however, many of us still do things, have ideas and write words that, well....don't work. But we still go with them, choose them, implement them much to the chagrin of our business partners, sales results and bottom lines. That's enough to make anyone scared of marketing, huh? So maybe it is actually the fear of doing what works that stops some of us in our tracks. Whatever it is, marketing should be the friendly ghost of your business world, never the wicked witch. |
11/02/2007
Wacky Web Writing (it's not really wacky, but we're trying to keep with the Halloween theme here)
| Consider this: It takes most people less than 15 seconds to decide whether or not they will stay on a website. So what is it that makes them want to stay, look around and buy? In short, it's ease-of-use, clear messaging and clearly-stated product benefits. They have a need. You have a solution. Tell them clearly what that solution is. Here are my three favorite "do's and don'ts" of writing copy for the Web to get you started. Less is more: Feel like waxing poetic about your product or service? Don't! It's a hard thing to hear, but the readers don't care. They want solutions. Cut the...jargon: Readers like upbeat copy. They want a personal experience. Keep it real. Think like a buyer: Shopping online is different than shopping in a store. Customers do not have the luxury of physically interacting with your product or asking live questions. Give them all of the details (even if you think they're obvious). |