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Business Ownership
Oh, Look! There Goes My Goal
I don’t need to tell you how hard it is to stay focused. And that’s why it’s so important to have goals that we can refer to that will keep us on track. Goals are sometimes quite removed from our daily activities. Once they’re determined, … Keep reading…
Brainstorming by Email
Long ago and far away, when I worked for a multinational, sometimes I brainstormed with my team by email. I was working in Georgetown ON and had staff in Toronto, Regina and Abbotsford. Email was fairly new back then, and a welcome alternative to scheduling group … Keep reading…
Online Marketing Faux Pas
Online marketing provides an ample playground for errors, such as typos, broken links, and incorrect dates. We’ve gotten used to little boo-boos – they happen to everyone and we’re mostly forgiving. Then there are those biggies – the things that can cause a total disconnect … Keep reading…
Please Don’t Use Email For This
Have you ever sent an email you regretted as soon as you hit Send? There can’t be many who haven’t felt that in their gut at some time or other, including me. Facts are perfect for email communication; feelings are not. This is particularly important … Keep reading…
No Bricks Between Friends
Sometimes it’s hard to give honest feedback, especially if it’s negative. After all, the other person worked hard to create something and their feelings might be hurt. But the work is just not ‘right’, and may even be horribly wrong. What do you do? Be … Keep reading…
13 Simple, Direct Ideas for Client Relationship Building
(guest post by Natasha Marchewka) Do you need help with keeping in touch with past clients without “bugging them”? When working as an isolated freelancer or small business (and where building your business is all on you) there are ways to efficiently and effectively build, … Keep reading…
Does Your Mother Know What You Do? (Part 2)
It’s hard to believe it’s been over 4 years since I took my mother to her first (and only) business networking event and wrote about it here. I’m a big fan of the “Mom test” for simplifying our small business marketing messages but I didn’t fully … Keep reading…
Little Things Can Have a Big Impact on Your Business Success
Seth Godin’s post today – We’re still clueless about lifetime value – got me thinking, as his posts usually do. (Take a minute to read it.) I love his line, “Torrents are made of drips.” He’s referring to the long-term impact of small, seemingly inconsequential, actions – … Keep reading…
How To Give and Get Great Referrals
How about that feeling when a colleague sends you a new referral? Great, eh? Referrals are so much more than new business; they’re also a sign of trust. That’s why we need to treat our referrals with such care. But what happens when you discover … Keep reading…
Where to Get a Haircut in a New Town
A small business owner, let’s call him Bob, arrives in a small town for a meeting with a potential new client. Before his afternoon meeting, Bob decides he needs a haircut to get all spiffy. The receptionist at his hotel tells him there are only … Keep reading…
Is Planning Becoming Passé?
“Plans are nothing; planning is everything.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower Planning is a noble task, full of focus and good intention. It’s always been one of my favourite things to do. Now I hear about the newest trend: the ‘anti business plan’ entrepreneur. Here’s a … Keep reading…
Trust and Your Reputation
Your reputation is what people are saying about you behind your back. Shouldn’t you have some control over what is being said? Reputation and trust are two words that are often intermingled. There is a big difference though. Your reputation is a backward view of … Keep reading…
Resetting Expectations and Owning a Moment
I recently had the pleasure once again of hearing Toni Newman speak about innovation and being different. If you haven’t attended an event featuring Toni, you won’t hear the energy and conviction behind her message, but an important message it is. Below is my attempt … Keep reading…
It’s Easy to Market to Yourself
“People tell us who they are, but we ignore it because we want them to be who we want them to be.” – Donald Draper If my target market consisted of 1000 of me, my marketing efforts would be so much easier. After all, I … Keep reading…
Audit your Reputation
I know, I know! Doesn’t it sound dreadful? The Audit. Conjuring up images of spreadsheets, accountants and bad hair days. But wait… this isn’t about that kind of audit. This is much less stressful, yet just as important. We have talked about auditing your website … Keep reading…
Your Business Personality
I discovered that my business has a personality! It had never occurred to me to think about my business this way until I attended a presentation by Frances Leary recently. As an exercise, Frances had us describe our businesses with characteristics like describing a person. … Keep reading…
10 Reasons to Love Being a Small Business Owner
photo: Michael Lokner There’s nothing like a vivid reminder of your past life to cause you to take stock of your current situation and do a little comparison. That happened to me recently after having a catch up phone chat with someone I worked with 15 … Keep reading…
Finding Your Ideal Client is Like Finding a Mate
Do you remember being single? Perhaps you are now. How do/did you find your soulmate? As business owners, I think we can use some of the same strategies to build strong work relationships, too. Hang out where they hang out If you’re looking for a … Keep reading…
Be the Customer You Want to Have
We all have those favourite customers – the ones we’d bend over backwards for when they really need our help. Think about those things you most appreciate about your best customers and make a list. Draw a ‘picture’ of what your ideal customer ‘looks’ like. … Keep reading…
Make the Most of Masterminding
If you’ve been in business for any length of time, you’ve probably been a member of a mastermind group (although you might not have called it that). If you’re new to self-employment, start or find a mastermind group… fast! I’ve written about mastermind groups before … Keep reading…
You Reap What You Sow
My garden was on the Gardens Galore tour in support of the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada last weekend, so I have been spending a lot of time getting it ready for company. It was all very exciting and, while preparing, I decided my … Keep reading…
Avoiding False Assumptions
I am not my own ideal client. Certainly, I fit within the target market I have so clearly defined. Being a small business owner, I can identify with all of my ideal clients – we share many of the same needs and desires. But there … Keep reading…
Getting a Reputation
“Reputation is the currency of networking and referrals.” – Scott Allen A positive reputation is one of our most valuable business assets and is built mostly on one thing: happy customers. What if you don’t have happy customers yet? What if you’re new in business … Keep reading…
Get Your Own Board of Directors
Mastermind groups can take many forms. I have been fortunate to be a member of several wonderful groups. In some cases, we didn’t call them mastermind groups… but that’s what they were. The concept comes from Napoleon Hill in Think and Grow Rich. He defines … Keep reading…