Blog

How Mantras Can Help Improve Your Business

Mantras were originally meant to be repeated in a meditative manner for the purpose of finding serenity and focus. They can also be used in the business world to motivate and concentrate your efforts. Here are some ways that implementing a mantra can improve your business.

Stay focused on goals and values. A mantra is brief and memorable. As such, it is an easy phrase for you to reflect upon and repeat in many day-to-day operations. For example, auto rental giant Avis has adopted the mantra, “We try harder,” which clear, concise, and fully encompasses the company’s main objective. By repeating this mantra and keeping it at the forefront of daily business dealings, you are sure to satisfy customers and keep them coming back.

Develop, implement, and maintain a business strategy. Let the mantra guide such important decisions from idea to finished product. When taking on or creating anything new, the number one question should be, “Is this consistent with my business mantra?” The answer should be yes, so that you know that this idea matches the core of what the business is all about.

Manage your stress levels. Owning a business is overwhelming to say the least, mostly because the buck stops with you. Use your mantra to keep your goals in mind and guide your decisions for the benefit of the company. Always come back to it for problem solving and conflict resolution, two other high stressors of business ownership.

Communicate with your customers. Use your mantra as a liaison between your business and the outside world. A good mantra makes it easy for others to understand what the company is all about. By using it as a tagline in advertising and promotional materials, you make yourself memorable and edge out your competitors. This of course can lead to increased clientele and improved sales.

Here are some examples:

Move your feet to get it complete
Make one more goal to go for gold
More No means more Yes
A day’s work brings pay
Focus on task so you can bask
Ready, Set and get ahead
No pain no gain.

Remember, to keep your mantra short and memorable. Repetition of your mantra will help you focus, reduce negative self-talk and help you accomplish your task. It can also remind you of your core business goals and its very reason for existing. A well-written mantra can be a valuable tool that leads your business to success. Do you use mantras? Please share your mantra with us in the comments.

Blog

How to Become an Expert

How to Become an Expert

Being recognized as an expert in your field can bring many opportunities to edge out your competitors and grow your business. Once you have devoted yourself to becoming an expert, you will need to take the appropriate steps. Read on for some ways to get started.

Get focused. Even if you consider yourself an expert in several fields, especially if they are unrelated, choose one on which to focus. You may know a great deal about scrap-booking and fashion, but the two aren’t closely enough related to tie together in your search for expert status. Choose one area of your business (marketing, customer service, social media, etc.), and make it your job to know everything there is to know about it. Tip – Find a mentor or an individual you want to emulate. Copy what they did. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel.

Get learning. Even the most respected folks in their fields are continually seeking professional development to further their education. Read up on your subject, interview other experienced people, attend workshops, and take some classes. You might even want to get yourself a mentor. Tip – Consider taking a certificate course to add to your credentials and experience.

Get writing. After doing the appropriate amount of research required to share your expertise, publish as much quality literature on your subject as you can. Ideally, you will want to publish in several different media, such as blogs, newsletters, articles, and mailers. Having some published material will demonstrate your knowledge of the subject matter and act as a “pre-sell” of your information. Tip – Partner with bloggers and offer a weekly article/post or join their staff.

Get talking. Begin setting up speaking engagements; there’s nothing wrong with starting small. Begin by reaching out to your local library, community center, senior center, or chamber of commerce. Design your talk to highlight your accomplishments and background as well what you have to offer that makes you unique. Of course, bring some literature to distribute and use the time before and after to network and book further speaking engagements. Word of mouth can go a long way, and if you are good at what you do, people will notice and seek you out. Tip – Promote and offer your availability to do interviews.

Get promoting. You should already be used to doing this as an entrepreneur, but in order for others to recognize you as an expert, you need to promote yourself in a different way. Contact local newspapers and cable news networks to get attention put on you and your subject matter. Find some way that your expertise can benefit them as well. Tip – Present workshops, participate on internet radio, create your own YouTube videos, and submit to article websites, and present on community TV channels.

Experts in business have many doors open for them once they become established and respected. With hard work and dedication, two qualities you undoubtedly possess already, you can position yourself as an expert and reap the benefits that go along with it. What do you think it takes to become an expert? Share your ideas in the comments below!

Free e-book “Business Owner’s Road Map to Success.” It has over 50 pages of techniques for everything a small business owner needs to master, from business planning and ethical selling to a success mindset. It’s all there and it’s free for you. To get it, just “Like” our Facebook Page here: http://on.fb.me/KsIN6P Pass it on!

Blog

A Sales Pitch that Doesn’t Sound Like a Sales Pitch

In the past, sales pitches were intrusive and created to reach a wide population. Now, with the dominance of the internet, effective sales pitches cater to individual customers’ needs. They are not canned or contrived because the modern consumer can see right through it and has a wide variety of alternatives right at his or her fingertips. Here are a few ways to frame your sales pitches in such a way that it allows you to promote your products/services without sounding like a pushy sales pitch, and even encourage others to market your products/services for you.

Scavenger Hunt – This can be used to draw in new customers. Use promotional items (electronic or paper) to start a scavenger hunt for a special first-time customer gift. As an added convenience, you can create one totally online by taking your prospective clients on a guided tour of some relevant websites. Start by creating a theme that works with your business, like food, jewelry, or health & beauty products. Make sure the questions are easy to answer and that each item only takes a short time to find. At the end of the hunt, your would-be customer is rewarded with a special gift! You’ve now drawn them in to try your product, made it fun for them to share it with their friends, and you’ve promoted your business without the traditional sales pitch.
Giveaways – Many businesses offer free products or services for first-time customers, but usually some sort of purchase is necessary. Consider a giveaway that stands out from the rest: one that literally gives something away totally for free. Offer it for free for first-timers, and wow them with your quality and customer service. By doing so, you create a risk-free situation and promote your products/services through the giveaway without sounding like a sales pitch. You have now started a relationship and given them a reason to share it with their friends.
Referrals & Rewards – Not only do you want to draw in new customers, but you want to reward your loyal ones as well. Create and use a reward system for referrals that promotes your products/services. Whenever a new customer makes a purchase, all they have to do is mention the name of the person who referred them. That referrer then gets a special discount or promotional item. Word of mouth is an effective method for bringing in new customers, so motivate your current ones by showing them how much you appreciate their patronage and recommendations.

When creating a non-sales pitch sales pitch, remember to frame it in such a way that the promotion includes marketing your products/services. If done correctly, people should feel like you are talking about the promotion and not delivering a sales pitch. Make them simple and direct, but most importantly, be genuine in your interactions with prospective clients. They will appreciate your sincerity and your creative approach.

Please share your own ideas for a creative sales pitch in the comments below!

Blog

DSEF & CBBB: New Website Provides Health Insurance Price Details

Today’s highlighted blog post from the Council on Better Business Bureaus (CBBB)

VERONICA BROWN

– OCTOBER 11, 2011POSTED IN: HEALTH CARE SERVICES, INSURANCE

As the price of health insurance continues to climb, many consumers are wondering why the changes occur. A new website aims to provide this information for every state beginning Thursday, reports USA Today.

With the passage of last year’s health care law, insurance companies are now required to provide this information to customers. The website, http://companyprofiles.healthcare.gov/, offers information regarding raises in price, as well as the company’s reasons for doing so.

Users simply click on their state, and are directed to a list of all health insurance companies in the area. The site also includes a section for customers to leave comments.

To read the full article, visit http://www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/insurance/story/2011-10-07/health-insurance-rate-hike-website/50682044/1

DSEF and Council on Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) fosters honest and responsive relationships between businesses and consumers—instilling consumer confidence and advancing a trustworthy marketplace for all.

About the Better Business Bureaus
As the leader in advancing marketplace trust, Better Business Bureau is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews® and BBB Wise Giving Reports® to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. Visitwww.bbb.org/us for more information.

Blog

How To Find a Mentor and Be a Mentor To Others

The mentor-protégé relationship is one that has a great deal of value in the small business world. It should be a mutually beneficial relationship, so both finding a mentor and becoming one require knowledge and responsibility. Here is a how-to guide for finding a mentor who can help you succeed in your business, as well as what it takes to become an effective mentor to someone just starting out.

Finding a Mentor

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) offers a variety of resources, which are readily available on its website. Additionally, the SBA also partners with SCORE, a “nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed nationwide.” Their website is also chock full of information to help you get started.
Decide what you want. Identify what exactly you wish to be the result of the relationship. Do you want an expert in marketing? Someone well-connected who can help you network with others in the field? A good listener who has been where you are in business? Figuring out the qualities you want in a mentor will help you narrow your search tremendously.
Look in the right places. There’s nothing wrong with starting your search with your family and friends who may have the expertise you’re looking for. Outside of that circle, you may find an effective mentor in a former boss, at a professional development workshop, or trade show. Your extended network of contacts may contain just the person you need.
Reach out to your industry. If you haven’t found a mentor in your immediate or extended network, consider contacting your local chamber of commerce or the business editor of the local newspaper. Chances are that you will find a large group of knowledgeable people right in your own backyard.
Seek recommendations. Just as if you were hiring a landscaper or finding a good dentist, ask others in your field for recommendations about potential mentors. Get some information about the person’s business background and experience, and come up with a list of questions you would ask about what he or she can offer. You may even arrange a phone interview to see if this person would fit your needs.

Being a Mentor

Ask questions. When taking on a protégé, it must be clear to both parties what is expected of each other. The protégé should be asking questions, but as a potential mentor, you should come to the table with questions as well, such as those about the person’s business education, relevant experience in the field, and long-term goals. This will help you focus your efforts and create a plan of action for your protégé.
Be a coach. Help your protégé create a positive and supportive environment. Instead of pointing out faults teach your protégé to identify problems and to develop a plan to overcome them. Coach your protégé to be self-reliant and goal oriented.
Set a timeline. As the mentor, you may have a better idea as to how long it might take to reach whatever goals have been agreed upon. Will you be mentoring this person for six months? A year? How often will you meet over the course of the relationship? Make sure that you both are comfortable with the time parameters of the arrangement and decide whether or not you are flexible should someone’s needs change.
Make yourself accessible. If you are making the commitment to mentor someone, you should be available to them in a reasonable fashion. Aside from meeting at regular intervals and perhaps touching base via email or phone in between, your protégé should feel comfortable contacting you at other times if necessary.

Tell us about your own mentoring relationships in the comments section below.

Blog

Small Business Easy Low Cost Marketing

Although marketing is essential to your business, it’s easy to spend too much of your hard-earned money on strategies that return very little. In order to get the most bang for your marketing buck, you should find low-cost or even free ways to reach your local demographic. Here are some suggestions to get you started.

Sponsoring story time at a local library and other community workshops. Most libraries have at least one, if not several, story groups for children of varying ages. Offer to sponsor one by providing the refreshments, or even by being a guest reader. In doing so, you will be able to network with potential customers, the children’s parents. You could base your time at the library around a theme that is relevant to your business and provide samples that include your business card. For example, a private children’s instrumental music instructor would read a book about a certain instrument, bring some different mouthpieces or small instruments for children to try out, and talk about what is offered at his or her studio with parents.
Form connections to local businesses. By teaming up with local businesses, you can pool your resources together to draw in customers that would be able to use both of your services. The owner of a hair salon could team up with the dress shop down the street. Come prom season, each business could recommend the other and offer discounts if a customer uses both services. To go even further, connecting to a local business would allow you to sponsor joint marketing events, like sidewalk sales or craft fairs.
Create an e-newsletter or start a blog. To make the ever-increasing cost of postage and mailing supplies a non-issue, you may want to develop a monthly newsletter to send out via email. Collect the email addresses of your past customers, and with their permission, send out a newsletter that highlights information about products or services they have recently purchased, and introduce new products as well. You can even make it more relevant by choosing some frequently asked questions to answer in each issue. As an extra incentive for subscribing to the e-newsletter, consider offering a coupon or voucher in each issue.
Use your vehicle as a promotional tool. Decals for your car that contain your business’s name, phone number, website URL, and slogan can be found at affordable prices, especially online. Think of how many people see your vehicle, especially if you live in a congested area where there is a good deal of traffic. That level of exposure is constant after the initial cost, which doesn’t have to be much.
Ask customers how they found you. Keep track of how new customers are hearing about you. This will give you accurate information about which of your marketing tools is most effective. From here, you can decide where to focus your efforts and your money.

As a small business owner or direct seller, your marketing campaigns must reach the largest amount of potentially interested people at the lowest cost possible to you. What strategies have you used to market your business in affordable ways? Please leave a comment below!

Blog / Teleseminar

DSEF & Money Wise Women: What Pulls Your Trigger? Four Reasons You May Overspend

Today’s highlighted post from Money Wi$e Women Get Smart Teleseminar Series:

What Pulls Your Trigger? Four Reasons You May Overspend

Do you ever feel “triggered”? Do you ever find yourself spending money you didn’t intend to, but you do it anyways? Sometimes we feel almost defiant when we spend. Sometimes we feel numb. But often, there is a deeper trigger behind our less-than-conscious spending. When we know what triggers us, it helps us avoid overspending in the first place and we become better able to analyze our overspending when it does happen. Thinking about our spending triggers also helps us not beat ourselves up so bad. So join money coach and author Mikelann Valterra as she talks about four kinds of spending triggers. Because if you can think about WHY you spend the way you do, you’re less likely to fall into overspending traps. And yes, you can actually use overspending as a personal growth experience!

DSEF proudly sponsors the free Money Wi$e Women Get Smart Teleseminar Series hosted by Marcia Brixey, Founder and President of Money Wise Women Educational Services and author ofThe Money Therapist: A Woman’s Guide to Creating a Healthy Financial Life. The series covers topics related to business and finances and provides women the opportunity to learn from professional experts in a safe, comfortable environment.

To find out about upcoming teleseminars, visit http://www.moneywisewomengetsmart.com/

Teleseminar

DSEF & CBBB: Facebook to Start Charging for New Profile Changes?

Facebook to Start Charging for New Profile Changes?

Will Facebook start charging due to the new profile changes? The answer is NO!

There’s a chain letter spreading through social media saying that Facebook will begin charging due to the new profile changes. It’s false.

It says:

IT IS OFFICIAL. IT WAS EVEN ON THE NEWS. FACEBOOK WILL START CHARGING DUE TO THE NEW PROFILE CHANGES. IF YOU COPY THIS ON YOUR WALL YOUR ICON WILL TURN BLUE AND FACEBOOK WILL BE FREE FOR YOU. PLEASE PASS THIS MESSAGE ON, IF NOT YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELETED IF YOU DO NOT PAY

Blog

DSEF & CBBB: Should I Put My Social Security Number on a Job Application?

DSEF & CBBB: Should I Put My Social Security Number on a Job Application?

Today’s highlighted blog post from the Council on Better Business Bureaus (CBBB)

Should I Put My Social Security Number on a Job Application?

You’ve been laid off. Your full-time job now is looking for a full-time job. Naturally, you turn to the Internet.

Wow, there’s something in your field on Craigslist. It’s recent. The salary looks good. All you have to do is email them…and provide your social security number.

WAIT.

Blog

DSEF & CBBB How Responsible Are You?

DSEF & CBBB How Responsible Are You?

Today’s highlighted blog post from the Council on Better Business Bureaus (CBBB)

How Responsible Are You?

Many years ago, when I was growing up, my dad told me: “A man is only as good as his word.” (My dad is one of these old-fashioned Idaho guys who says “man” when he means “person.” But I got the message.) I didn’t get it from what he said though.