Business

  • When Should You Begin Outsourcing?

    More and more entrepreneurs are starting businesses as solopreneurs.  Many of them begin with no employees, leaving every aspect of the business on their own shoulders.  While this is certainly an inexpensive way to start a business, it’s not always the most efficient.

    young successful business woman working at home / office

     

    Fortunately, there is a way to get around hiring full-time employees.  It’s called outsourcing.  That simply means hiring a third party to perform work for you on a contractual basis, not as an employee.  By outsourcing, you get the benefits of not having to do everything yourself without hiring an employee you may not need all the time.

     

    How Do I Know When I Need to Outsource?

     

    As long as you have the means to pay an independent contractor to do the work you need done, it’s never too early to outsource.  But many business owners prefer to go it on their own until they absolutely have to let go of some of the work.  Here are some signs that you might do well to consider outsourcing:

     

    • You run into something that your business needs but you can’t provide.  Maybe your accounting has become more complicated than you’re comfortable with, or maybe you need a coder to work on your website.  If there’s something you’ve been doing without because you can’t do it yourself, outsourcing may be in order. 

    • Everyday tasks are becoming more than you can handle.  If your emails and phone calls are going unanswered, your customer service is suffering, and you can’t even make time to empty the trash, it’s time to get help.  Depending on your needs, you could hire a virtual assistant or a temporary in-house assistant. 

    • Your workload is getting overwhelming.  You might be taking on too much work.  Then again, if you had someone to handle certain aspects of your projects, you might be able to handle everything you have and more.  If you design websites, for example, you could outsource the content writing to a writer and the graphics to a graphic designer. 

    • You have no time to spend with family or participate in leisure activities.  Everyone has things they enjoy doing outside of work, and just because you own a small business doesn’t mean you should give that up.  Outsourcing can take some of the burden off of you and allow you to do more of the things you enjoy.

     

    Outsourcing is not a sign of weakness.  It is a sign that you know how to handle your workload efficiently.  It can allow you to take on more work than you could on your own, and that means greater profits.  Whether it’s everyday tasks or projects requiring great expertise, outsourcing as needed is good for your business.

    At Strategize Your Success we help entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session.

    Read more

  • Being a Business Owner Can Be Overwhelming

    Overwhelmed
    Starting a new business is fun.  It is exciting to think that you will be your own boss and make money.  These are all good things about business life.  On the flip side, being a company of one can get to be too much at times.  No one wants to admit when they are in over their heads, but if the business is to continue to thrive, knowing the warning signs and getting help is vital.

     

    Do you waste more and more time each day?  This is not a slight.  We all waste a fair amount of time, even with our businesses.  Wasting time could be spending too much time answering emails or looking something up on the Internet.  It could be taking thirty minutes to write up a “To Do” list and then only doing one or none of the things on it.

     

    This could be a sign that the business is overwhelming us.  Instead of jumping in and tackling the tasks that need to be done, we avoid the one job we know we need to address because we either don’t have the answers or don’t want to deal with it.  Either way, our business is going to suffer as long as we hide from the task.

     

    Look to fellow business owners for help.  This is why it is important to be a part of forums and organizations that deal with your area of business.  You are not the first business owner to feel this way and you won’t be the last.  Someone out there has practical tips that can help you to get over the hurdle and be successful in your business.

     

    Does it seem that you work and work each day but the pile of work never seems to get any smaller?  This is a sign that you need help.  Take a step back and look at your business as a whole.  What is consistently not getting done?  What is the nature of the majority of the work that is left each day?

     

    Consider your options.  If emails have you bogged down, find ways to organize things so that it doesn’t take five or more hours to answer them.  Set up your work day to include an hour for dealing with emails.  During this time, you can answer, organize, flag, create drafts, and whatever else you have to do to keep the emails from overwhelming you.

     

    Is it marketing that concerns you?  Choose one area to market your business.  This doesn’t mean that this is the only area to use.  Quite the contrary is true.  Once this area gets going, explore another part of the marketing strategy.  Diversifying is necessary but not all at once.

     

    Are you overwhelmed?  Take time to discover the source and find solutions to alleviate the stress.

    At Strategize Your Success we help women entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session.

    Read more

  • 7 Great Ways to Market a Home Business

    Home Office

    One of the greatest challenges of any home based business is bringing in customers. Unlike a physical storefront, with a home based business nobody is going to just “walk by” and make a purchase. You have to be proactive. You have to get your message in front of your customers. You have to draw people in.

     

    Here are seven different ways to market a home business.

     

    ==> Method #1: Word of Mouth

     

    This is one of the most common ways of marketing a small business. Start with your social circle and anyone your social circle knows. Deliver great quality work and let people refer other people to you.

     

    This method works, but it’s slow. You don’t have much control over the speed at which you generate sales.

     

    ==> Method #2: Craigslist

     

    For many service-based businesses, Craigslist is a fantastic tool. If you’re a photographer, graphic designer, massage therapist, guitar teacher or any other kind of freelancer, Craigslist can send you a lot of traffic.

    Event

    ==> Method #3: Host Events

     

    Creating events is a great way to build your brand name and build your credibility. When you create an event and put yourself in front of a room, people automatically assume that you know what you’re talking about. As your event grows, so will your influence. Clients and buyers will come to you naturally.

     

    ==> Method #4: Search Engine Optimization

     

    Try to get your website(s) to rank in the search engines for specific key phrases. This takes a lot of work up front, but once you’re up in the rankings you’ll be getting tons of absolutely free traffic.

     

    ==> Method #5: Pay for Web Traffic

     

    You can make a lot of money if you’re willing to spend a bit of money. Paid web traffic can be a great way to bring in more customers.

     

    Popular avenues include Google AdWords, Facebook PPC, paid banner advertising and paid email marketing.

     

    ==> Method #6: PartnershipsPartnerships

     

    Look for other people in your industry who would want to partner with you. For example, say you teach a real estate investing course. You might look for real estate agents, estate planners and asset managers who deal with the same client base as you.

     

    Do joint projects, joint events, joint mailings and other such partnerships to share your customer and contact base. You all win as a result.

     

    ==> Method #7: Email and Newsletter Marketing

     

    Finally, start your own newsletter. Your newsletter can be in email format or it can be an actual printed newsletter.

     

    Newsletters allow you to build a relationship with people over time. They’ll come to trust you more and more as you consistently deliver quality content. People who would never otherwise become customers will eventually make the jump.

     

    These are seven different ways you can grow your home based business. Customers aren’t just going to come to you – you need to go out and get them. These seven tactics can help just about any home based business expand and grow their profits.

    At Strategize Your Success we help women entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session.

    Read more

  • How Does Google AdWords Work?

    Google AdWords is a pay-per-click advertising system that allows a web publisher to create an ad based on keywords and key phrases.  This type of advertising campaign can be an effective method for generating traffic to a website. 

     

    Creating an ad with AdWords is fairly easy and doesn’t take much time.  Google supplies the users of this service with quite a few tools to help them create the most effective ads possible.

     

    A person can choose to have their ad placed on specific websites or have their ad seen on the right side of the screen on a Google search results page. An ad that is seen on websites will be known as a placement specific ad and a search results ad is known as a keyword targeted ad.

     

    A placement specific ad can be billed in two ways, either for the number of impressions, which is the number of times it is seen by people, or through pay-per-click.  All keyword targeted ads are billed in the pay-per-click manner.  What this means is that Google only charges the advertiser when someone actually clicks on the ad. 

    This can really help stretch a small business owner’s advertising budget.  Google may display the ad quite a few times, but the advertiser is only charged when the ad catches the attention of someone who clicks on it, and is then directed to the advertiser’s site.

    Google allows people to pay up front for their AdWords campaign as well as the option of being billed later.  For someone who doesn’t want any unexpected surprises, paying up front and having each click or impression debited from the funds is a great way to stay on budget.

     

    To further help stretch an advertiser’s budget, Google allows the advertiser to set a daily limit on how much money is used.  If a person has a budget of $50 for the month they can set those limits within their AdWords account and Google will not let them have more clicks or impressions than their budget allows for that day.  This will ensure that they get a small amount of advertising each day.

     

    There are many reports within AdWords that can be used to determine the effectiveness of the ad.  An advertiser can easily create a few versions of a similar ad and focus each one on specific keywords to see which ad and which keywords are the most effective for them.

     

    In this way, AdWords can be a very effective tool, as well as a great way to drive traffic to your site.  By taking some time to modify their ads and track their results, a business owner can find out exactly which ads bring in the most traffic and the highest profits.

    At Strategize Your Success we help women entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session.

    Read more

  • What’s “Client Attraction”?

    Do you know what client attraction is?  It’s about making the right client connection with everything you do in your business.  Targeting, positioning and figuring out your unique selling proposition are all about attracting the right clients.  When there is synergy in your business “client attraction” is like honey in a pot it will attract bees.  It happens because you have set up your business so that your ideal client knows exactly what you are conveying and that they are in the right place to get what they are looking for. Social engineering concept

     

    So who is your ideal client?  Do you know your demographics?  You hear people say that everyone is my client.  No way!  Not everyone wants what you have and not everyone will be attracted to your business or maybe even your personality. The more you can narrow down your “niche” the better it will be for your business.  After all what’s the point in advertising to potential clients who are not in your ideal “niche” or “market” it’s a waste of your money and time.

     

    Are you doing everything you can to get prospective clients to feel as if they know you?  It’s the old adage of the” know, like and trust” approach in marketing.  People feel more comfortable spending their hard earned money with people that they have gotten to know even if it’s through that a company’s marketing efforts.  Think about how you buy.  Would you prefer to trust a business that has been advertising in your local market since you were a kid or the person that you never heard of?  Sometimes creditability comes from something like a media presents or longevity.  They can hold a lot of weight with the market.

     

    How about blogging or social media?  If you see someone who is consistent in their marketing approach do you feel a certain connection?  What if they have lots of followers?  Does that provide you with social proof that they must know what they are talking
    about? So the same is true for you and your business. 

    Internet chart with red marker

    Here’s an example. Recently on Facebook, I asked for a reference for someone who does weed control in my area.  I had about 12 suggestions in under an hour.  What was I looking for?  Someone who was referred to over and over again. Those were the companies I narrowed my inquiries to.  There is an old saying “cream rises to the top” and I was looking for the “cream”.

     

    If you put a conscious thought into your client attraction efforts your marketing whether it’s in print or on the web will become a fine tuned selling machine of whatever your company sells or services it provides. If you haven’t a clue as to what you should be doing or you’ve put forth effort without a return then maybe it’s time to get some help. Check out the “Success Blueprint to Client Attraction”  course.

    At Strategize Your Success we help women entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session.

    Read more

  • 5 Ways to Combine Your Email Marketing with Social Media

    Social media presents an opportunity to build your subscriber base with a wide range of different people and cross-promote your business from different traffic sources. If you integrate your social media marketing with your email list, you can harness the power of both of these sources for even more traffic and engagement.
    Social Media Sphere
    Let Your Social Networks Know

    On all of your social networks, let everyone know about your email sign-up page and tell them about the exclusive promotions you’re offering there. Your social media profiles work as a great entry point into your sales funnel. Absolutely any social network can be used to qualify prospects and get them to your sign-up page.

    On social networking sites, there are tools that allow users to share content they like. Features such as Facebook’s ‘likes’, Twitter’s ‘re-tweets’, and Pinterest’s ‘repins’ allow people to help spread the word for you. Encourage visitors to share and consider creating a reward system for those who share the most.

     The Facebook Sign-up Tab

    On your Facebook page, you can create a custom tab with a sign-up form so that your fans can sign up directly on your page. The best place to put this tab is on one of the visible ‘squares’ just below your cover photo. This is a prime area of Internet real estate that is visible as soon as people arrive on your main cover page.Happy group of finger smileys with speech bubbles

    Promoting on Your Blog

    Your blog is also part of your social profile. Make sure you’re promoting your email list there prominently. Put something on your blog’s sidebar that’s visible on each post and page so that it gets as much exposure as possible. Consider placing forms at the bottom of each post, or even in your header. Just like in your social networks, make sure that your offer or freebie is mentioned on your blog’s opt-in form.

    Getting Subscribers to Social Media

    Integrating social media and your email list means sending traffic both ways, so get your list members to connect with you on social media. One way to do this is to add social media buttons to your emails. These are buttons like Facebook’s ‘Like This’ and Twitter’s ‘Tweet This.’ Using these buttons, your readers can share your content or comment on it without leaving the email message.

    Some email services, such as AWeber, have social icons for networks like Facebook and Twitter that you can simply drag and drop into your emails. Then people can click on the icon to connect with you on those networks.

    One of the best ways to encourage list members to connect with you on social media is by offering exclusive content there. Offer something different in each place so they have a reason to visit you there.

    Going Mobile

     An increasing number of people read their emails and socialize online using mobile devices, so make sure that everything is mobile-friendly. Send emails in both text and HTML. Test any templates that you’re using. Make text large and images easy to view with short loading times. Typing on mobiles is difficult so make your opt-in form easy to fill out. Also make sure that your landing pages are optimized for mobile.

    The more touch points you have with your audience, the more valuable a relationship you can build with them. This is why it’s essential to communicate with them on as many channels as possible, and to not rely primarily on one platform. It also helps to find out what social networking and other sites your target market is using so that you can focus your email integration and interaction in those places. You should be online wherever your prospects and customers are.

    At Strategize Your Success we help women entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. Contact us today for a FREE 30 minute Discovery Session.

    [category_specific_rss_menu] 

    Read more

  • Knowing What to Share in Social Networking

    Understanding your target audience and finding your unique positioning are crucial first steps to become a social media success and once you have those items a bit clearer in your mind, you’re ready to start experimenting with how you’ll participate in social media.

    The nice thing about working online and in social media is that you can reshape your plan as you go along. So don’t worry about having your target market and unique positioning engraved in stone. It’s not necessary as you will find that even if you have it figured out now, your audience and their needs change over time. And since your smart, I know that you will want to evolve with your audience.

    So with all that in mind, let’s look at our big 5 networks to see how you can fit in.

    Facebook

    7-a-fb-analytics

    This is a pretty visual social network with a lot of possibilities for sharing. Images and video do well, and while you can share text, you might find that if you add an image to your text, you’ll get more views and responses to your status update.

    Facebook also offers the ability to poll your audience which can be a lot of fun for participants and insightful for you. You can also share your company history through the Milestones feature, keeping in mind what would interest your audience most.

    Facebook offers pretty in-depth analytics and gives you plenty of clues on which content does well and which type of content doesn’t. Use these analytics to figure out how to hone your presence.

    7-b-twitter-repliesTwitter

    Twitter is a more text-based social network that requires you to be brief in your sharing, as you only have 140 characters to make your point. You can post images and link to videos, but users will generally need to click through to view them.

    One of the biggest opportunities with Twitter is to use their @ replies and RT (Retweet feature). Place an @ before a username, allows you to communicate directly with users on Twitter and can pave the way to new connections. RT allows you to share someone else’s useful update with your audience, which is another way to foster goodwill among like minded users.


    Google+

    7-c-hangoutGoogle+ is another visual network with a lot of images and, in particular, videos being shared.

    While using Google+, definitely take advantage of their Circles feature, which allows you to categorize your contacts in any number of ways. This allows you to keep friends and family separate from business contacts. It also allows you to categorize your business contacts as well. For example, you can make circles for your customers, affiliates, mastermind groups and more.

    One of the most unique opportunities at Google+ is Hangouts, which offer a group video and/or audio chat. It’s perfect for brainstorming groups, planning and getting to know your audience better…so take advantage.

    Pinterest

    7-d-pinAs you probably know, Pinterest is the most visual network of all because it is simply a collection of images. Videos can also be shared, but aren’t in as much abundance.

    Images that you share on Pinterest should be categorized appropriately and include a description that adds to the user experience. Choose images that are visually striking that make people feel like the item in the picture is in the same room as them.

    LinkedIn

    7-e-ln-groupsYour approach to LinkedIn should be that of an information sharer and connector. Connect people who should know each other and offer help through groups and answering questions. For LinkedIn, the key isn’t in the number of connections you make, but the quality of those connections so put your focus there.

    As you can see, each network is a little bit different. A lot of people attempt to use social media integration tools that simply broadcast their updates across all networks, but this is a short sighted approach. While I do encourage the use of social media integration tools, it’s important to use them wisely. Take the time to deliver the right information to the right audience on the right social network and you’ll have much better results.

    At Strategize Your Success we help women entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE.  

    Read more

  • Know Your Uniqueness and Score Big on Social Media

    6-a-uniqueSocial media marketing requires unique positioning just like the rest of your marketing. In fact, it might be even more crucial in social media because you’re competing with hundreds or even thousands of other voices vying for attention at the exact same time. 

    When someone comes to your website, you still need to grab their attention, but there aren’t a bunch of other people shouting their latest tweet or status update all over your page. Unfortunately, that’s how it is on social media. Whether it’s your personality that shines through or the type of information you provide, there needs to be a reason your audience looks forward to your social media updates. 

    Start by thinking about why your readers are drawn to you. Why do they like and share your stuff? How are you fulfilling their wishes, helping them achieve their goals or how are you easing their worries? If you don’t know why, simply ask them. 

    If you’re still not sure what makes you different, take a look at your competition or other companies that you follow on social media. What do they do that makes them unique? Write a list of about 10 companies and determine their unique social positioning. That doesn’t mean you have to copy what they do, but by exploring it and being able to recognize uniqueness, you can find your own too.

    Some of the things that might make you and others unique include the ability:

    6-b-questions– to make people laugh
    – to inspire people
    – to make people ask themselves tough questions

    …and just about anything else that evokes a strong emotion or thought. How can you get your audience feeling and thinking about something?

    Your uniqueness can also be found by the type of media you are known for sharing, whether it’s:

    – Video
    – Images

    …but there needs to be something unique about those videos, images or other media. After all, everyone and their dog has their own YouTube channel, but what makes your production different than everyone else?

    Well, one way to ensure your content is different is to understand that uniqueness requires some self-development as well. It sounds airy-fairy, but it’s absolutely true. Offering something deeper doesn’t come because you want it to, it comes from being deeper yourself. That includes:

    – Sharing an opinion: Don’t be afraid to say what you think, even if it’s not conventional wisdom. It doesn’t matter if people think you’re wrong, you’re getting people to think and you’re showing yourself as someone who is able to think for themselves.

    – Look at things from different perspectives: In addition to having an opinion, take the time to understand different perspectives. The more you understand the opinions that oppose yours, the stronger your opinion will be.

    – Avoid simply copying what everyone else is doing: Just because ABC Company is doing a series of videos on gardening tips, doesn’t mean you have to follow suit. The more you can pay attention to your own audience’s needs and disregard your competition (unless you’re in a one on one battle of some type), the more likely you’re to find your uniqueness.

    – Experience things: Don’t just talk about stuff on social media, get out and do it. By doing more, you have more valuable content to share with your audience. Whether it’s opinions based on your experiences, photos, videos or something else, by getting out and experiencing life, you bring more to the table for your audience. 

    If you look at all this again, you’ll see that being unique really comes from bringing your best self forward.

    If you want to stand out from the crowd, dig deep to find your best self and serve your audience faithfully. The benefits will be worth it.…and just about anything else that evokes a strong emotion or thought.

    At Strategize Your Success we help women entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE. 

    Read more

  • 5 Reasons Marketing Should Be a Business Priority for the New Year

    HatsSmall business owners wear many hats.  They are often the accountant, receptionist, secretary, repairperson, and much more.  They multi-task like there’s no tomorrow, tackling administrative, sales, and all sorts of other functions.  Even if they hire employees or contractors to handle some of these things, they still have a lot to do.  So it’s easy to forget about marketing.

    But marketing is one of those things that it pays not to forget about.  It is essential to every business, no matter how large or small.  Here are five reasons that marketing should be one of our top business priorities for the New Year:

    • Marketing can bring us new customers.  Doing a great job is wonderful, but if you don’t have any customers in the first place, who’s going to know what great work your business does?  Marketing introduces your business to new people who may be interested in your products or services.
    • Marketing keeps current customers happy.  Customer loyalty promotions and sales keep those who have previously done business with you coming back for more.  Those happy customers are also a good source of referrals.
    • Putting forth the right image is crucial to our success.  Large companies often spend a huge portion of their budgets making sure that their image is just right.  Smaller businesses may not have the big budgets that larger ones do, but it’s just as important that they present themselves in a way that is pleasing to their target markets.
    • Marketing is not all about advertising and finding other ways to market effectively can lead to higher profits.  Word of mouth marketing is one of the most effective ways to get customers, and the costs associated with it are low in comparison to paid advertising.  Taking the time to examine customer service policies and other factors in customer satisfaction can pay big dividends in the long run.
    • Good marketing can keep you a step ahead of the competition.  If your competition is running large marketing campaigns and you’re not doing any marketing, you could be left in the dust.  That doesn’t mean that you should try to outspend the competition, it just means that you need to make sure that they’re not the only visible player in the game.

    time

    If you don’t have the time or inclination to deal with marketing, you could hire an assistant to handle it.  Having someone who can dedicate a fair amount of time to marketing efforts is more economical than letting it eat into your work time, and it can pay off generously in the long run.

    Marketing is an important part of any business and should always be a priority.  Without it, no one would know that we exist or what we do.  By making marketing one of our top priorities, we give our businesses the opportunity to grow and prosper.

    At Strategize Your Success we help women entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help
    make your business THRIVE.

     

    Read more

  • The New Years Game Plan for Business Success

    • Comments Off on The New Years Game Plan for Business Success
    • by

    It’s the start of a New Year and usually the time that business owners like to plan strategies for the year. They want to increase productivity and get things done which means having a good game-plan.

    This is a time of the year that I see a lot of people reaching out to coaches like myself to get the help or accountability they need in order to achieve success.  They may have determined that the year before did not work out as well as they hoped and need to seek support from someone who may have been down the road they have yet to travel.
    Game Plan

    So let’s take a look at what steps need to be taken in order to make life easier and flow better.  First, you need to know exactly what must be done.  Second, even if you do not have a specific deadline, you must also decide when it must be done.  The third step is putting yourself to the task of doing it.

    You want to accomplish your goals, whether they are short-term or long-term.  You also want to be proud of and satisfied with the results.  When you make up your mind to not “go with the flow,” but instead take your game-plan more seriously, you are nearly guarantying success, pride, and satisfaction. 

    Some people are more organized and are used to having structure and time-management as a regular part of their lives.  If you are not used to these concepts, now is the time to implement them into your everyday life.  Whether you are working a business of your own, working for someone else, or whether your work is taking care of your family you will gain many benefits from setting up a good game-plan. Any successful person will tell you this is the key to any sustainable success.

    planningIf you have ever felt that there are not enough hours in a day to do everything you need to do, this will be a very positive step for you.  You will be pleasantly surprised with how much you can accomplish.  With a game-plan, you may find yourself getting more done each day than you usually accomplish in a week.  Not only will you be more productive, but achieving each goal will come much easier.  You will soon appreciate this all-important factor in your success.

    At Strategize Your Success we help women entrepreneurs, coaches and small business owners with online strategic goal setting, marketing and planning.  We know what struggles you face and offer solutions to help make your business THRIVE.  

     

    Read more