WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS - Blog

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!

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!.

Collect Client Testimonials

Collecting testimonials and developing case studies about your work are great confidence boosters. If you haven’t been asking for testimonials up to now, it’s time to get started!

When you’re working with new clients you don’t need to wait till the work is completed to ask for a testimonial. People will be full of enthusiasm as they start working with you and results can occur early on. So when your client says something is amazing, ask to write down what they’ve said. Get permission to use it on your website and in your marketing materials.

The best testimonials will have the real name, business and location of the person.

A great format for testimonials is: present the problem or issue that the client came to see you about, explain what has changed as a result – being very clear on what the new outcomes were. Maybe they have saved time or money, or they have learned a new skill, got new clients or are less stressed. It’s not enough to just say how great it’s been to work with you. Include some kind of measure or list of changes.

If you already have some testimonials gather them up and decide what you are going to do with them. Do you need to add more to your website? And here’s a useful tip – don’t just put up a page saying “testimonials” – scatter them throughout your website too. You never know which page people are going to land on first.

If you are starting from scratch do this exercise:

• List current clients who have had great results
• Write down a draft of what they might say based on feedback they’ve given you so far
• Ask permission to use it once they have had a chance to comment or edit what you’ve written. Ask if you can use their name
• With new clients ask for feedback early and whenever they have something great to say ask if you can use it
• List past clients who said really good things
• Get in touch again and ask if they would be happy to provide feedback
• Remind them of the results they got working with you
• Turn it into a testimonial and get approval
• Make it a habit to get and use positive feedback from your clients

It’s usually better to ask for “feedback” and “results” rather than for a “testimonial.” People can get stuck in the formality of a testimonial but are usually more than happy to chat on the phone and give you feedback that you can then turn into a testimonial for their approval.

The added bonus of doing this is that you get a huge confidence boost when you are reminded of the difference you have made for your clients. The testimonials are evidence of just how good you are!

Collecting testimonials and developing case studies about your work are great confidence boosters. If you haven’t been asking for testimonials up to now, it’s time to get started!

When you’re working with new clients you don’t need to wait till the work is completed to ask for a testimonial. People will be full of enthusiasm as they start working with you and results can occur early on. So when your client says something is amazing, ask to write down what they’ve said. Get permission to use it on your website and in your marketing materials.

The best testimonials will have the real name, business and location of the person.

A great format for testimonials is: present the problem or issue that the client came to see you about, explain what has changed as a result – being very clear on what the new outcomes were. Maybe they have saved time or money, or they have learned a new skill, got new clients or are less stressed. It’s not enough to just say how great it’s been to work with you. Include some kind of measure or list of changes.

If you already have some testimonials gather them up and decide what you are going to do with them. Do you need to add more to your website? And here’s a useful tip – don’t just put up a page saying “testimonials” – scatter them throughout your website too. You never know which page people are going to land on first.

If you are starting from scratch do this exercise:

• List current clients who have had great results
• Write down a draft of what they might say based on feedback they’ve given you so far
• Ask permission to use it once they have had a chance to comment or edit what you’ve written. Ask if you can use their name
• With new clients ask for feedback early and whenever they have something great to say ask if you can use it
• List past clients who said really good things
• Get in touch again and ask if they would be happy to provide feedback
• Remind them of the results they got working with you
• Turn it into a testimonial and get approval
• Make it a habit to get and use positive feedback from your clients

It’s usually better to ask for “feedback” and “results” rather than for a “testimonial.” People can get stuck in the formality of a testimonial but are usually more than happy to chat on the phone and give you feedback that you can then turn into a testimonial for their approval.

The added bonus of doing this is that you get a huge confidence boost when you are reminded of the difference you have made for your clients. The testimonials are evidence of just how good you are!

Your website "About" page - don't be anonymous!

If I went to your website, what kind of entry would I find on your "about" page? I'm continually astonished by the number of "About" pages out there that tell me almost nothing about the person behind the website. If you're expecting someone to engage your services, they need to make some kind of connection with you as a person, not just as a business .

OK - you may not want or need your CV on your about page, but please give me the edited highlights. Think about what qualifies you to offer the service you're offering? What makes you passionate about the problems you help your client solve? What makes you different from dozens of other people out there who have similar websites offering similar solutions? Why should I do business with you rather than someone else?

Make your "About"  page interesting, lively and about you! Another tip is to talk about why you want to work with your specialist niche. This is one page where it really pays to have a bit of your personality. People want to do business with other people, not with anonymous corporations. This is especially true when you are offering a personal service like coaching. And please do include a photograph of yourself - one where you are smiling and looking directly at the camera.

So are you happy with your current "About" page or are you ready to make some changes?

On being number one - or not!

In the current "celebrity" culture we could be forgiven for thinking that if we're not number one - not "famous" - then we don't make an impression. I don't hold with that thinking at all.

Is Susan Boyle less visible because she was runner up in "Britain's Got Talent"? Is Kate Walsh's career suffering because she didn't actually win The Apprentice? I don't think so!

So what does this have to do with you and your business? It illustrates that there's room for all levels of expertise and you don't have to be at the top of the tree to have a viable business, get clients and provide value. For instance - even if you've only been in your field for a year, you're a year ahead of a complete newbie. Maybe your ideal market is absolute beginners.

Or maybe you're ready to teach or coach an intermediate level. My reason for writing this blog post is to show there is room for lots of different levels of "fame" and expertise. You are unique, with a unique set of skills and experience. No-one else will approach things in quite the same way. So don't worry about being the next "......."  Just be yourself and see who shows up!

You won't get everyone to be your client - but then you don't want just any old client do you? You want the ideal clients for you! I'll be blogging more on this topic so do come back regularly and do post a comment.

Why you must have a website!

If you want to be taken seriously in business then you simply must have a website! Gone are the days when this was an optional extra. When you're new in business the thought of getting your website done can seem overwhelming. Don't worry - it sounds like a lot of work, but there are ways to simplify it. You really could have a basic five page website done in as little as a week!

And to give you more incentive to get started -  here are eight reasons you really need a website:

• Your prospects and clients will expect you to have your own website
• Your competitors who are on line could take business from you. If you don't have a web presence and a competitor does, then they have a built in advantage.
• Your website can be working for you and your business on line 24/7
• Creating your website forces you to clarify what you are offering and your marketing message
• A web presence means you're not limited to working just with local clients
• You do less "selling" with prospects because you can send them to your website to learn more
• It's a great confidence booster! Seeing yourself online makes your whole business feel more professional and more "real."
• You'll get more clients! It's a great feeling when someone you've never met makes contact and decides to do business with you because they found your website.

If you're feeling stuck or overwhelmed, check out Get it Done! my new programme to help you get your website or blog done.

More details on the website at http://www.womenmeanbusiness.co.uk

You're the expert!

Sometimes we forget that we really are experts at what we do. How many people do you know personally who know as much about your area of expertise as you? Too often we take our own skills and knowledge for granted.

How many years have you been doing what you are doing now? How many books have you read about the subject? How many training course have you attended? How many clients have you helped?

Are you starting to think - "Well, yes I really am an expert at this!" Why not make a list of all your credentials, qualifications  and experience with your specialist subjects. As well as giving you a confidence boost, you may find some fresh ideas for your marketing and your website.

Imagine someone else with this much experience in a different area - wouldn't you be impressed? Just because we've been doing something for years, it doesn't mean everyone knows how to do the same thing - far from it. You have a unique mix of skills and experience  and it's good to remind yourself of that every so often.

Choose your business name carefully

 I've been talking to clients and colleagues recently about how to name your business. This is something you want to get right because changing your business name too often is confusing for your potential clients.

Your business name is the first thing that represents you and your business. Sometimes using your own name as your business name can work really well. If you're a consultant, this can be the simplest and most effective way of creating your brand.

There are some questions you should ask yourself as you consider a name for your business:

• Does this name convey what your business is about or do you have to explain what it means every time? Sometimes a strap line will make things clearer, but test out the name on some trusted contacts before you make a final decision.
• Is there another business with the same name?
• If so, are they in the same line of work (it is possible to use a similar name if you are doing different things - but tread carefully with this one.)
• Is there a product out there with the same name and could it impact negatively on how your business is perceived? Would you want your business to have the same name as, say, a drain cleaning fluid!
• Is the name memorable?
• Is it easy to spell?
• Is the URL still available for your website and email?
• Does it feel "right?" Sometimes, intuitively, you will just know when you've hit on the right name!

(c) Shona Partridge, Women Mean Business 2009

    

www.womenmeanbusiness.co.uk

WHAT DOES YOUR BUSINESS CARD SAY ABOUT YOU?

I do a lot of networking so I also end up collecting a lot of business cards. Some people are making basic mistakes with their cards, so I thought I'd include a few tips here on how you can make your business card work harder for you.

• Make sure you have included all the ways you can be contacted. I've seen business cards with just a phone number and no e-mail

• Does your card actually say what you do? 

• Beware of perforated edges on "do it yourself " cards.

• Home made cards  can say home made business.

• Don't forget about the other side of your card... What does the other side of your card say about your business? This is wasted space on a lot of cards - how can you best use it to promote your business?

• On the other hand, don't cram too much information onto the card. Some white space in the design lets the information "breathe" and stand out.

• Depending on your line of business, don't be afraid to use colour. If you're not in a corporate field does your card need to be conservative?

• What about the weight of your card....?  Try closing you eyes and picking up a card....What do you really think about the business from just the feel of the card?....