Author: Mary Ann

  • Google + and Your Marketing Strategy

    From one of my recent posts you might think that I consider social media a time waster but for business owners.  It certainly may be if you do not stay focused and blur the lines between work and play.  But it is becoming increasingly important to become involved in social media if you are a small business owner.  Since social media can take up a considerable amount of time and resources, you need to plan accordingly.  One aspect of planning is to look into the demographics of each social network since there are many social networks and some may better fit your niche than others.

    Facebook is probably the best known, and it is the largest social network globally but to my surprise I discovered that based on overall users Google + is the largest US social medic network.  So I will start  a series of posts on the demographics of various social media starting with Google +.

    • Google + has 5 billion Active users (globally) and while not all are active on the network, their presence on the network personalizes their search experience.
    • 26.1% of women and 24.5% of men have a Google+ account.
    • By age globally (from the Dec 10, 2013 Global Web Index Study): 16-24 (20.7%), 25-34 (24.9%), 35-44 (24.9%), 45-54 (17.8%), 55-64 (11.7%)
    • 5 billion photos uploaded each week
    • Most importantly for business owners, Google Plus generates much more brand engagement than you might think. Recently Forrester studied more than 3 million user interactions with more than 2,500 brand posts on seven social networks. Brands Google Plus posts generated nearly as much engagement per follower as their Facebook posts — and almost twice as much engagement per follower as their Twitter posts.

    If you want to learn more or put your business on Google Plus, here are two videos to get you started.

    Easy to Follow Google + for Business Guide

     

    How To Set up Your Google + Business Page

     

  • Social Media: The Great Time Waster

    While it’s true that social marketing is a powerful technique that all online (and offline) business owners should explore, it’s also true that much of what we do on these sites is most definitely not work.  But when you make your living online, it’s far too easy to justify time spent on social media as being “work.”

    Yes, you may have to market your business on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, but you are wasting time when you just can’t pull yourself away from that Facebook game that has your attention, or the beautiful photos of yummy desserts you want to make.  Even agonizing over the special access to some marketing guru’s new product (that has no relationship to your business) that will be at a special price but only until midnight, is a time waster.

    Schedule Your Day

    Not all social media is bad. It’s a great way to stay in touch with far-flung family and friends, and yes, it’s an important business-building tool as well. So rather than try to eliminate it all together,  make it a regular, scheduled part of your day.

    For example, catch up on your Facebook feed over coffee, then log out and get to work. Or browse Pinterest while you eat lunch. For actual work-related social media tasks, schedule a time during the work day to log in, update your status, respond to questions, and check up on your competitors. The key here is to actually schedule this as you would any other business-related task, and not to let this “work time” turn into a chat with a friend or relative..

    Segregate Your Tools

    One way successful entrepreneurs separate work from play is by the tools they use. When on the computer in the office, they avoid Facebook and other social media sites because they’re working. Instead, they limit their use of social media to off hours by only visiting the sites on their mobile phones or tablets.

    By adopting this type of policy, you create a boundary in your own mind. After a few weeks of practice, you’d no more think of hopping on Facebook from the office computer than you would consider wearing your bathrobe to the grocery store. The two activities just don’t go together.

    Let Someone Else Handle It

    If you really can’t stay focused on work once you’ve logged into Pinterest or Facebook (they’re just so distracting!) consider letting someone else handle your social media accounts. You can create updates ahead of time, then simply turn them over to a virtual assistant to schedule. Then once a day or so (maybe from your iPad rather than your office) you can log in and respond to your followers.

    Take a Sabbatical

    Finally, if you’re not using social media as a marketing tool, consider taking a sabbatical. Simply make a deal with yourself that you will not log in or check any social media site for a month or a week or even just for a day. You might just be surprised to see how much time you really do waste playing Candy Crush.

    If you eventually decide that you should be using social media as a marketing tool (and you probably should be), adopt the “Schedule Your Day” model or the “Segregate Your Tools” model  right from the start.

    Overcome Distractions; Stay Focused

    This is the third and last (for now) of my posts on overcoming distractions. To stay focused on your business be sure to read my two previous posts on Time Management and Taming the Email Monster.

  • Time Management Techniques for Small Business Productivity

    If you are looking for a better way of managing your time, colleagues, friends with a background in the business world,  and Google will suggest several techniques such as: Getting Things Done. The Pomodoro Technique. Time boxing. Stephen Covey’s urgent/important matrix.

    But which ones are best for cutting through the overwhelm and really managing your to-do list? Well, like most things, which system or technique works best is mostly a matter of personal choice. However, there are some things you should know about each one that might make choosing easier.

    Getting Things Done

    Developed by David Allen, Getting Things Done, or GTD, is a system designed to help you know at a glance exactly what you should be doing right now. The idea is simple: For every item that lands in your “inbox” (which might be email, a phone call, a letter, or just a passing comment from a spouse) you make an immediate decision to either do it, delegate it, file it, defer it, or trash it.

    Once you’ve made your decision (based on the task itself and the time it will take to complete) you either do the thing or note it in your “trusted system” for retrieval – and completion – later. Devotees of GTD spend hours developing their own trusted systems, which can consist of paper planners, expensive software, or just a few note cards and a pen. In GTD, the tools are entirely up to you, it’s the methodology that matters.

    The Pomodoro Technique

    This method is a boon to those who find themselves easily distracted. The principle is simple: Set a timer, and get to work. Typically, proponents of the Pomodoro Techniqe use a simple kitchen timer (often shaped like a tomato – or pomodoro, in Italian) set for 25 minutes. During that time, they focus only on the task at hand. When the timer goes off, they take a 5 minute break, then set the timer for another 25 minutes.

    Each 25-minute set is called a pomodoro. Once you’ve completed four pomodoros, you take a 20 minute break, before beginning the cycle again.

    Time Boxing

    Time boxing is a simple technique  that is often used in project management and software development for tracking  progress.  It can easily be adapted to a small business or to personal use.  Time boxing is about fixing the time we have available to work on a task and then doing the best we can within that time frame.  This method can help  you avoid procrastination, circumvent perfectionism, boost creativity, and better utilize gaps in your day.

    Since we often procrastinate when we have small tedious tasks to do or uninteresting projects to accomplish.  So set a specific amount of time and Time box all the tasks to get them done within that time period.   If your tendency is perfectionism, then setting a specific amount of time and making a decision not to exceed that amount of time means you do the best job you can do in that time period.

    On the other hand, if you have a project to do complete, but you don’t know where to start or how much time it will take and maybe you are overwhelmed, give yourself a time period of 30 – 120 minutes (or a time range that works for you) and commit to working on it for that entire time period.  This commitment is to work on the project, not to complete it or reach any milestones.  In this case if you become focused on the task, are making progress, and have the time, feel free to exceed the time range you originally intended.  Often we have gaps in our day between appointments and other commitments.  Use these gaps as time boxes to do tasks that realistically fit the allotted time.

    Urgent/Important

    Stephen Covey’s brainchild provides an easy way to prioritize your work. Begin by dividing a piece of paper into four sections (two rows by two columns) and assigning a level of urgency/importance to each quadrant. The upper left is important but not urgent, the upper right is urgent and important, the lower left is neither urgent nor important, and the lower right is urgent but not important.

    Now take your to-do list and assign each item to a quadrant. For example, grocery shopping might be important but it’s probably not urgent. Fixing your client’s broken website is both important and urgent. Answering the phone when your mother calls for the fourth time is urgent, but not important.

    By dividing up your task list according to these priorities, you can easily see what you need to be working on next, and what can wait until the urgent and important items are cleared from your schedule.

    Entrepreneurs who use these techniques or other available strategies to manage their time get more work done than many others do.   Of course, these methods can and should be tweaked to fit your own needs and lifestyle. The bottom line is this: you have to find a system that works for you, and that is compatible with your style.  An incompatible technique will become another distraction that will cause you to lose focus rather than become the productive business owner you know you can be.

     

     

     

  • Tame Your Email Monster

    Email Monster
    Email Monster

    Is the Email Monster one of your business problems?  How much time do you spend reading and responding to – or simply deleting – emails? How much unread email currently clutters your inbox? If you’re like most entrepreneurs, the answer (in both cases) is far too much!

    In fact, if you were brave enough to actually time yourself, you’d very likely find you spend two or even three hours each and every day just dealing with email. No wonder you feel like you don’t get anything done. You need some strategies for building an email system that will tame the monster.

    Auto-File Your “To Read” Emails

    We all do it. We open an email, realize it’s a newsletter we love, an important announcement, or information about an upcoming event, and we close it with a well-intentioned, “I’ll read that later.” The trouble is, when later comes, we either can’t find the email, or don’t even remember that we wanted to read it.

    What if you had a folder on your computer where all your “to be read” emails waited just for you to come by and discover them again? How empty would your inbox be then? Through the power of filters and folders, just about any email client can take care of this task for you.

    Simply set up a folder called “To Read” or something else equally clever, then create an email rule or filter (as Gmail calls them) to deliver certain messages to that folder when they come in. Make a rule for your favorite online newsletter, email from your college alumni association, your local chamber of commerce, or even your sister.

    But here’s the trick to it: You have to actually schedule time to go and read these emails. Don’t let them just pile up in there, because all that does is move the problem from your inbox to your “to read” folder. Make time to read them, then respond, file, or trash accordingly.

    Turn off Notifications

    Are you easily distracted by email? You’re not alone. That little red number declaring the number of unread emails, or the pretty little chime that announces the arrival of a new message is an invitation to click over and see what’s new.

    Turn it off. In fact, turn off the automatic checking for email if you can. That way you can purposefully decide when to go read your email, rather than being notified of a new message every 5 minutes.

    Unsubscribe

    Chances are you’re on multiple mailing lists – and most of them you probably never read.

    Click the unsubscribe button. Be ruthless. You can always sign up again if you miss the content, but for now, eliminating those emails from your inbox will save you a lot of time and trouble.

    Email Ninja
    Email Ninja

    Getting a handle on email is one of the toughest things for busy small business owners, but with a little planning and some self-discipline, you can start using email as the powerful tool it is.  As a email ninja your old monster will no longer be stealing much of your time.

  • Happy Labor Day

    1880's

    By the 1880’s life in the United States was changing from agrarian and small town to industrial and urban.   Some farmers were the original “halfpreneurs” doing both farming and running a small business (making carriage wheels, barrels, rope, from their barn or house.  In the small towns and cities, most business were run by one person or a family, things were changing.    With the growth of the industrial revolution came factories, and  a need for workers to run the machines, fix the machines, build the factories, build the roads for workers and materials to get to and from the factories.  Manufactured goods meant for the first time ever the ordinary person might buy all the premade clothes or shoes they could afford.  The day when only the self-employed tailor or shoe-makers could outfit you had come to an end.  Of course the need for a skilled tailor or cobbler never went away, but if you need one today, they might be difficult to find.  In the 1880s organized labor began to call for a holiday to celebrate the work of U.S. workers.  In 1894, Congress declared Labor Day, a national holiday.

    Consultant, picture image

    But if you are reading this blog, you probably have some type of small business of your own or want to start one.  The U.S. laborer working for organized labor certainly contributed to the building of this country, but so didn’t the village shop owner or crafts person .  So if you are one of their successors (or want to be) with your online goods or services  or a craft or service you provide from home or “office”  don’t forget to celebrate your labors as well for you may have discovered what the “employed” have never considered or taken seriously.

    ” Your real security is yourself.  You know you can do it, and they can’t ever take that away from you.”   — Mae West

    “People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are.  The people who get on in this world are those who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and, if they can’t find them, make them.”     — George Bernard Shaw

    “No amount of money, no matter how much it is, will ever compensate you sufficiently for remaining in a job that is drudgery and robs you of your spirit, or one that prevents you from fulfilling a dream.”     — John Kehoe

    “You miss 100% of the shots you never take.”     —  Wayne Gretzky

     “A musician must make music, and an artist must paint, and a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself.”    — Abraham Maslow

     “There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way.”     — Christopher Morley

     

                                    So ……………………….

    labor day 14

  • Three Reasons Why a Halfpreneur Should Write a Book

    You have looked at the books on Kindle or on the shelves of a book store and think  ” I should be able to write a book about that.”  Well you probably can and should.  If you are a halfpreneur there are three good reasons to consider writing that book.

    1)   A book can generate income for you.  New clients will come from those who read your book and decide that they want to work with you.  Your e-book can contain an offer for free additional information;  at the cost, of course, of their having to give you a valid email address.  Your book becomes a way of list building.  Ever wonder why there are so many low priced and even free e-books out there?  The book is not what will make money; it is the list or the potential source of clients/customers that is of value.

    2)  A book can launch your business or a new business. Once you publish your book, digitally or traditionally, your readership  may want more information from you, or the opportunity  to talk to you.  A book is a powerful statement of your authority in your niche.

    3)  A book is a source of passive income. If you are working hard in your full-time job and as a halfpreneur, but income is not as regular or as consistent as you would like,  a book is means of passive income.

  • Is Your Niche New Age?

    Just spent some time scanning the ads in a free monthly “New  Age” magazine.   Besides the usual ads for massage, Reiki, and Yoga classes , creative entrepreneurs have created a variety of trainings and certifications.  Is your next career Ayurveda,  Bodywork,  Holotrophic Breathwork, Therapeutic Sound Healing or Vibrational Light Healing?  There are Herbal apprenticeships and certifications to do Angel Readings and Angel Therapy or become an Akashic Record Practitioner.

    new age

    Looking for more creative, spiritual ideas. There are practitioners offering Hope and Healing Counseling,  Aroma Therapy, Herbal Medicine, Thermography, Equine Massage, Spiritual Guidance,  Psychic Intuitive Life Coaching, Past Life Regression,  Angel Readings, Angel Therapy, Hypnotherapy,  Soul Clearing, Chakra Clearing, Tarot Card reading,  Soul Retrieval,  Acupuncture, EFT, Pranic Healing,  Shamanic Energy Healing, Plant Spirit Medicine, Astrological readings, Intuitive Spiritual Counseling, Pet Reiki, Animal Communicator, Relocation Astrology, Dowsing , Aura Photography, Ghost Removal, Financial Consulting, Money Coaching, and Psychic mediumship.   Some of these practices do require specific training but others have “no entrance requirements;” only the confidence that you can do the work.

    For the holistic or “spiritual” halfpreneur there are many paths to part-time or full-time income.

    This New Age niche not only pays for services but apparently buys  Nature and Fantasy paintings, Herbs, Medicinal mushrooms,  gem stones, jewelry, incense, soy candles, and Rejuvenizers (I don’t know what they are made of but they protect you from EMFs, the damaging frequencies from your computer, cell phone, TV, and wireless internet, as well as from other people’s negative energy!)

  • When I Finally Grow Up, I Will Be a Consultant!

    If you are an over 50 “industry-expert” who is downsized or forced into “retirement” you may be able to turn your knowledge into dollars.  Consultants make money from selling what they know.   Oh yes, there are plenty of jokes about the increase in the number of consultants when the economy is poor, and yes almost anyone can claim to be a consultant.  A good consultant, however, not only knows his or her subject but also has passion and a drive for excellence.   Other characteristics a good consultant will possess are:

    Business Acumen  – understanding how a business operates, what drives decisions, and what make the industry unique.

    Pragmatism –  looking at solutions from all angles before designing, recommending, or implementing a solution.

    Professionalism –  committing to the highest standards of ethics, integrity, and confidentiality.

    One can consult in almost any subject but the areas in current demand are:  Accounting, Advertising, Auditing, Business, Business Writing, Career Counseling, Communications,  Computer Consulting, Editorial Services, Executive Search,  Gardening, Grant Writing, Human Resources, Insurance, Marketing, Payroll Management, Public Relations, Publishing, Taxes, Writing Services.

    consultant sign

    If you are indeed qualified by your experience and expertise to be a consultant, some other things to consider before getting out your Rolodex and hanging your sign include asking yourself…..

    Are there any certifications or special licensing I will need?  In some states professional fund raisers must be registered with the state before beginning your business.  The National Society of Fund  Raising Executives offers a certification, however it is not required for consultants to have this certification.  If you thinking about becoming a computer consultant, regardless of your skills, some potential clients may want to see a collection of Microsoft certifications.

    Do I like to network ?  Networking is essential to the success of any type of consultant business.  Begin building your network of contacts immediately.

    Am I organized enough to be a consultant?  Not only must you organize the data you collect or are given, you must have excellent time management skills, and an ability to organize your day.

    If being the expert and solving a client’s problems is appealing, here are some steps to help you get started.

    1.   Renew old acquaintances and refresh your recent contacts in your chosen industry.  This might even include contacting the company that downsized or “retired” you to see if they use former employees as consultants.

    2.   Write out your mission statement of what you intend to help your customers achieve with your consulting help.  Keep it under 25 words!

    3.   Go through your files and look for letters of commendation, awards, etc.  Contact friendly outsiders who have expressed a willingness to write testimonials in your behalf.

    4.   Examine any special insurance, bonding, etc. you will need in your chosen field, such as errors and omissions insurance.  Find vendors and get cost quotes.

    5.   Decide on a business name and get a professionally-designed logo.  If you are on a tight budget, you can get matching business cards, letterhead, and envelopes through online sites. Consider:  Zazzle.com,  vistaprint, US.moo.com.

    6.   Create a website that is simple in construction and professional in appearance.  You can customize a template offered by a web hosting company, use software such as Dreamweaver or MS FrontPage,  or find a local developer to work with.

    7.   Decide if you will need a one-page Letter of Agreement or will need an extensive contract to conduct your business.  If you will need a formal contract, find a local business attorney to work with.

    Share Your Knowledge and Expertise.
    Share Your Knowledge and Expertise.

  • A Few Tips for Those Who Are Reluctantly Considering Becoming Entrepreneurs

    Are you a Reluctant Halfpreneur?  You’ve  never wanted to start your own business.  You like working for someone else.   There are benefits, a stable paycheck, and people who you enjoy working with.  Start your own business!  No way!

    Then ……  Management changed and your position changed too, and not for the better.  Perhaps you are a parent and you have lost the flexibility to come in early so you can leave early for your children’s sporting events.  Or, the handwriting is on the wall – your job or your whole company is at risk and local opportunities for someone with your skill set are nil.  Or you thought that your career was secure for the next 5, 10, 15 years, but now you are over 55 and out of work.  The odds of finding another comparable position in your field are slim.  Not impossible, but all the government and business statistics warn that it will take you much longer to find a job than it will for a 40 year old.  Part-time at fast food service or retail sales is not what you have in mind when your unemployment compensation runs out.

    If your experience does not immediately translate into  something you can start your own business in and it is important to you that you work at something professional, with a potential for good pay, and offers the opportunity to interact with interesting people, where do you look for ideas.   There are some career and life coaches that specialize in working with individuals in the position that you find yourself and be able to help you find your passion.   Before going the coaching route, here are two more reasonably priced options.

    Look over the catalogs for your local colleges, especially community colleges.  Take a look at what is being offered in certificate programs and in their noncredit programs.  These offerings will indicate what may be in demand in your community.  You may want to earn a certificate or take a course or maybe you have the background to make the transition into this new field.  Employment or self-employment in this new field may be possible.

    Visit http://www.entrepreneurbookstore.com.  They sell two types of books: kits to help you start your own business that  generally cost $69 and start-up books that retail around $18 – $22.  The kits have business forms and worksheets and walk you through the entire planning process.  The start-up books have plenty of information about the business and how to start it, but not the forms.  If you are exploring your possibilities, the books are helpful.  I purchased one recently thinking that it represented an area I could expand my current business into.  Well, I could go that route, but I discovered that there were many aspects of this new business venture that would not be a good fit with my current life style.  I got some ideas I might use so it was $19.99 well spent.

    Since Entrepreneur Press is the publisher (my only affiliation with Entrepreneur magazine is that I subscribe to it) many of the kits and start-up books are appropriate for those with a professional or administrative background.  Title include:  Public Relations, Event Planning, Consulting, Freight Brokerage, Tutoring and Test Preparation, Executive Recruiting, Staffing,  Online education,  Import- Export, Home Inspection, College Planning Consultant.

    Event Planning
    Event Planning

    If more than one idea interests you, research it further – interview someone who does this type of work; research your local market; talk to the former executives who staff your local SCORE office or visit or agencies (at colleges, Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Bureau) that assist those starting new businesses.   Can’t narrow down your choices –  a career coach or Profiting from Your Passions coach can help.  Need guidance in setting up a business – consider a new business coach.

     

     

  • Don’t Sabotage the New Year Resolutions for Your Business

    resolutionYou probably have some great New Year resolutions for your business.  Increase your income, develop a product to sell, create a source of passive income, write an e-book or special report to draw in new clients, add a new income stream,  gain more productive time for yourself by hiring a virtual assistant. Great ideas but they will not come to fruition if you are engaging in any of the five Deadly No No’s.

    So……

    1. Stop making excuses: We come up with excuses because they are easier than doing the work that will help us accomplish our goals. Even in the short run, excuses are a waste of time.

    Instead of growing our business or working on our skills or improving ourselves and our lives, we get stuck, lying to ourselves, using all kinds of excuses – excuses that 99.9% of the time are not even real.

    2. Stop the blame game: When you blame others for what you don’t have or for what happens to you, you actually give your power away. Life is not about what happens to you, rather how you handle the situations in your life. Making the transition to entrepreneur or halfpreneur is a challenge;  keep your power and learn how to handle new situations.

    3. Stop your resistance to change: Change is good. Change will help you make improvements in your life, the lives of those around you, and your business. Follow your passions and embrace change.  There is a wonderful book called Who Moved my Cheese – read it!

    4. Stop trying to impress others – be authentic: Stop trying so hard to be something that you’re not. The moment you stop trying to be something that you’re not, the moment you take off all your masks, the moment you accept and embrace the real you; you will find that people will be drawn to you, effortlessly.

    5. Stop trying to live your life or run your business in accordance with other people’s expectations:  Don’t live your life or run your business according to what others think is best.  Other people, the media, the internet constantly project how we should live and run our businesses.  We ignore our intuitions, that inner voice or calling and forget what we want and need. Listen to others but do not let their opinions mislead you.

    Way too many of us are living a life that is not theirs to live. Some people live their lives according to what others think is best for them, they live their lives according to what their parents think is best for them, or to what their friends and even their enemies think is best for them! In many working mom’s cases it’s the life the media has projected. We ignore the inner voice, that inner calling. We are so busy with pleasing everybody, with living up to other people’s expectations, that we lose control over our lives and forget what makes us happy, what we want, what we need.  We all have just one life to live; we own it and not let other people’s opinions mislead us.

    new year resolutionWe cannot change, fix or improve what we have not yet acknowledged.  The more aware you are of your thoughts and actions, the easier and faster you can improve them.   So, this year before you commit to your New Year resolutions, make sure you are not sabotaging yourself with any of the Deadly No No’s.