WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS - Blog

What's "Not Wanted on Voyage" in 2010?

Here's a blog post I originally wrote this time last year. Sometimes the more things we let go of, the more successful we can become! Let me know what you think.

"I love New Year! There's such a feeling of possibility in the air. I've had a great time planning for what I want to have in my life and business this year,and just as important, I've been saying goodbye to things that are not wanted on the voyage this year.

I've made some fairly radical decisions and not everyone may be happy with these decisions, but it's my life and my business so I'm really taking charge this year! I've done a major overhaul of all areas of my life and business and came up with an amazing list of what I decided to let go of or stop doing. This list included stepping down from any voluntary or leadership positions for this year. For most of my adult life I have been on various Boards and Committees. That was my choice and it was a fantastic experience. However,  I made the decision this year to carve out more time for me and more time for creative projects both business and personal.

One of my more radical decisions is to drop local face to face networking unless I am the keynote speaker. Don't get me wrong, I love networking some of the time and it's one of the main ways I built a successful business in the first few years. However, it doesn't fit with my new business model which is based on making my business even more "virtual" this year.

A few years ago I made a decision which has made a huge difference in the quality of my life - I decided to  see clients only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. This is simply taking the idea one step further. I want to fit my business into my life, not just fit my life into my business!

My "Not Wanted on Voyage" list includes lots of other things. When I look at this list of what I've let go of it feels immensely liberating! It's freeing up my time and energy for new projects. I am so excited about what I have planned for this year."

I followed through with these plans for 2009 and it made a huge difference to my business.

So my question for you is this: what do you want to leave behind  as "Not Wanted on Voyage" in 2010?

No cost ways to market your business - SPEAKING

Public speaking is one of the most effective ways you can build your visibility as an expert in your field. Many groups are looking for speakers and you may get a fee or your expenses paid too. Even if you don’t get paid, think of it as great free publicity for you and your business.

As the speaker at the front of the room you're going to be much more memorable than just one of a dozen business cards people pick up.

Read this earlier post on dealing with speaker's nerves

No cost ways to market your business - networking

There are still some free networking events out there if you look hard enough. Check out your local Business Link and other publicly funded organisations to see what's on offer. It’s also possible to visit many networking groups once or twice before they expect you to join. You will have to pay for the visit but not an expensive annual membership.

See an earlier blog post for more networking tips

Marketing 101 - Tip # 11 Do Some Public Speaking

One of the best ways to get your business noticed is to do some public speaking. In an ideal world you would get paid, but even if you don't get a fee, think of it as fantastic free publicity. Create a "signature" talk in an area you know a lot about. Think about the problems you solve in your business. What do your clients keep asking you about?

Being the person at the front of the room at a networking event makes you much more memorable than being just another name on a business card. Check out local groups and choose one to approach this month.

One of the best ways to get your business noticed is to do some public speaking. In an ideal world you would get paid, but even if you don't get a fee, think of it as fantastic free publicity. Create a "signature" talk in an area you know a lot about. Think about the problems you solve in your business. What do your clients keep asking you about?

Being the person at the front of the room at a networking event makes you much more memorable than being just another name on a business card. Check out local groups and choose one to approach this month.

Marketing 101 - Tip # 10 - Don't Label Yourself!

Most small business owners, when asked what they do, will respond with: "I'm a Life Coach" or "I'm an Accountant." The trouble with this kind of response is that you have immediately pigeon- holed yourself! Instead of being judged on what you can do for people, you've labeled yourself and this can set off a stream of snap judgements in the other person!

There's a really simple and effective way to avoid this. When you meet someone for the first time, talk about what you do and how you help people instead of using your "title."  For instance I usually say something like: "I teach self employed women and small business owners how to do their own marketing and PR so they can get more clients."  In one sentence you can identify your key area of expertise and the target market. See what you can come up with for your own business using this formula.

Marketing 101 - Tip # 9 Have a Clear Message

 You need to be able to clearly state what you do in one or two sentences. This is what's often called the "elevator speech" as it's supposed to be what you can say in the time it takes to go up a few floors in a lift. Unfortunately, crafting this message seems to "floor" a lot of small business owners!

The answer is to get really clear on what you do. And I mean really clear! If necessary, practice your words till the phrases are fixed firmly in your memory. Don't be caught off guard and end up waffling about what you do!

You can have a few variations depending on who you're talking to and depending on what product or programme you want to emphasise. Remember tip #8 - Ask Questions first!

 You need to be able to clearly state what you do in one or two sentences. This is what's often called the "elevator speech" as it's supposed to be what you can say in the time it takes to go up a few floors in a lift. Unfortunately, crafting this message seems to "floor" a lot of small business owners!

The answer is to get really clear on what you do. And I mean really clear! If necessary, practice your words till the phrases are fixed firmly in your memory. Don't be caught off guard and end up waffling about what you do!

You can have a few variations depending on who you're talking to and depending on what product or programme you want to emphasise. Remember tip #8 - Ask Questions first!

Marketing 101 - Tip # 8 Ask Questions First

It always pays to ask questions first - whether you're networking or you have a prospect on the phone.

Ask pertinent questions and really listen to the answers. So few people feel truly  heard these days. The temptation may be to jump in with ideas and solutions, but be patient until you have a clear picture of what your prospect  needs. By asking follow up questions and not making assumptions it won't even feel like "selling."

Think about the last time you were networking. Did most people jump into their pitch when they met you, or did anyone take the time to find out more about you and your requirements. Treat prospects the way you'd like to be treated! You'll be remembered for the right reasons

Marketing 101 - Tip # 7 Have a Networking Plan

Networking is the life blood of many small business marketing plans. In fact - in some small businesses it's the only marketing they do. Don't get me wrong - I love networking and it's one of the ways I built  my own business in the early days.

Make networking part of your marketing plan, but not the whole effort you put in! When you've picked your niche, check out which groups are available  locally  for your target clients. It's better to attend a small number of networking groups regularly than to go to lots of different ones only now and again.

When you're at events ask questions first so you can find out what the person you're talking to really needs. Be a good listener and don't talk about you and your business unless it's specifically focused on the person you're talking to.

I'll talk more about networking  in future posts.

Are you on Facebook yet?

I'm a huge Facebook fan and have had a personal account for nearly a year. It's a great way to keep in touch and to re-connect with people. But you can also use Facebook for your business. For a few months I've been telling myself it was time to start a Facebook page for Women Mean Business. However, unlike a personal Facebook account, it wasn't the easiest thing to get to grips with so I put it on the back burner.

On Saturday, however I decided that I was not going to bed until I had mastered creating my Facebook fan page. And at 11.30pm (before the clocks changed!) it went live. So it took me about 5 hours altogether, most of which was trying to figure out one particular application. Sometimes you have to try things that don't work so you can figure out what does. In the end I found a staggeringly simple solution that wasn't in any of the "how to do facebook" websites and chat rooms I tried. Perseverance does pay off!

Setting up a personal account in your own name is quick and easy though, and if Facebook was a country it would have around the fifth largest population in the world. That's a lot of people! It's free to join and you can stream your blog posts and Twitter posts automatically. I highly recommend adding it to your marketing mix. Why not open an account this week and start finding your way around? And do connect with me at Shona Partridge and the Women Mean Business fan page.

This blog post is being streamed through to my new Facebook fanpage blog -  so if you're reading it there rather than on my main blog - welcome! You're obviously on Facebook already and know its value!.

Marketing 101 - Tip # 10 Don't "label" yourself

Most small business owners, when asked what they do, will respond with: "I'm a Life Coach" or "I'm an Accountant." The trouble with this kind of response is that you have immediately pigeon- holed yourself! Instead of being judged on what you can do for people, you've labeled yourself and this can set off a stream of snap judgements in the other person!

There's a really simple and effective way to avoid this. When you meet someone for the first time, talk about what you do and how you help people instead of using your "title."  For instance I usually say something like: "I teach self employed women and small business owners how to do their own marketing and PR so they can get more clients."  In one sentence you can identify your key area of expertise and the target market. See what you can come up with for your own business using this formula.

I'd love to hear how you get on with this strategy.