SHIFT Business Conference Cancelled

After ten months of intensive work, my committee and I made the heartbreaking decision to halt work on our SHIFT Business Conference.

What was remarkable was how three professionals with completely different backgrounds, skill sets and personalities managed to find a way to work together in a constructive manner.  We had to learn about each other's communication styles and thought processes and find a way to move forward together.  Which we did...successfully.

The powerful dynamics within the group led to some mind stretching conversations and sharing of information.  Over countless cups of tea, coffee and of course snacks, we learned about each other and our various connections, communities and businesses.  We found out what was important to each other in how we helped others achieve their goals and contribute towards community sustainability.  It was in helping others build that we found our common ground and were able to move forward to build the structure of our offering.

Although we decided not to proceed, much of what was needed was in place with countless reports and written structured plans with detailed steps, albeit with a few gaps which we proceeded to fill.  What was interesting were the reactions when we 'went public' outside the inner circle to fill those gaps.  It's amazing how many people had an opinion based on little information or understanding outside their areas of expertise.  If it scared them they were negative.

I wish I could sit down with those people and show them exactly what had been built thus far.  I wish I could show people who have a specific skill set that other skill sets come into play in solving problems and an appreciation and willingness to collaborate can move mountains.

Increase Your Success

As an Entrepreneur, what can you do to increase your chances of success?

The first and most important thing you can do is stay in touch, be connected, know what you have to find out and what is coming down the pipe in the future, so you can have the tools to be ready for opportunity.

If you try to stay up with what is happening now, you are already losing ground....look ahead and be ready.

Stay connected...in person...get out and network.  Social media and internet connections are easier for an introvert, but if you are in business, you actually have to talk to people, and that takes practise. 

A good way to practise is to attend networking events.  Scary though it may be for an introvert to walk into a room full of people, you become immune to it....and it becomes fun...rather like the lunchroom or the water fountain at your old job.  In any community, the same people show up at all the events!

Here's a good one to try:
Guelph B2B Network Meeting
www.guelphb2bnetwork.wordpress.com

Info onthe meeting:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/events/103631093179177/

To register - email consulting@marketingstrategiesnetwork.com

More About Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are in business to solve a problem within a window of opportunity.  But what happens when that window of opportunity SHIFTS, which is what is happening right now?  This is a question that should be asked by 95% of businesses in Wellington and 66% in Waterloo Regions.
 
Both Regions brag about a relatively low unemployment rate, but if you examine those small businesses more closely, you will find some interesting facts.
 
Entrepreneurs start a business because they have been downsized, they get fed up with a corporate environment and figure they can do it better them selves (and they can), or they are serial entrepreneurs and love starting businesses.
 
Entrepreneurs are great technicians and technologists, but they are not very good at actually operating the business nor they are not good at selling.  Of course not: it's a different skill set.  Introvert technician v.s. extrovert communicator and problem solver.
 
Being in business for yourself is hard work with long days, risk and struggle, and the income is not always that great.  Marginalized, EI starts to look good, but you have dropped off the radar.
 
So think long and hard about starting your own business.  Make sure you love what you do enough that it is its own reward.  Chances are, it's the only reward.

June Garden Observations

My garden is a mass of green with a bit of purple here and there. I think it's amazing- as the snow edged further away each day, leaving a mass of brown - mud and dead stuff, it didn't seem as if anything was there at all and the inactivity seemed to say there was nothing underneath. Last fall I marked the location of perennials like the purple coneflower, bee balm, rudbekia, hostas, soloman's seal, and the purple geraniums with craft sticks, but over the winter they must have been food for the critters; except for a few chewed half pieces, I couldn't find them this spring .

Bee Balm is growing well

This spring, a few weeds popped up (and were pulled) and a bit of green began to emerge. Now it's a mass of green, and some purple. The tall and short siberian irises are budding and blooming, the purple geranium has taken over (digging some up later) and the rudbekia and purple coneflower have come up enmass. I think. Their leaves are so close I can't tell the difference; I really hope I get some purple coneflower this year.  I did find a spot for the new dahlia tubers, and the glads that didn't do anything last year are doing something this year!

 My project over the past couple of years has been to stabilize the slope and populate the woods with plants. Hostas, solomon's seal, and a patch of lamb's ears are all doing well. The wild cranesbill I dug/separated and replanted are flowering, and the wild pink geranium is too...into the garden as well.



Solomon Seal in the woods



Wild Geranium invasion!



One advantage of a garden crammed with plants is that the weeds have no room to grow, so perhaps my work will be minimal later on with no weeding.

 

Next job - pots for the front, the back, the patio, the deck.  Annuals anyone?

Actionable Steps: Entrepreneurs Are A Peculiar Lot.

Actionable Steps: Entrepreneurs Are A Peculiar Lot.: They come from 3 sources: 1.     People who think they can do a better job on their own than working in a company – they’re right, but ...

Entrepreneurs Are A Peculiar Lot.

They come from 3 sources:

1.    People who think they can do a better job on their own than working in a company – they’re right, but they don’t know anything about running a business or telling the world about it.  They are great technicians or technologists, and need to be careful of the ‘Field of Dreams Syndrome’ (If I build it, they will come). By the way, they are also likely to be introverts.

2.    People who have been right-sized or down-sized, and are not likely to get another job, or have decided not to look for another job because they have found themselves in the same situation before.  “If I work for myself I can’t be downsized”. The ‘Reluctant Entrepreneur’.  May lack one or both of the above.

3.    People who always wanted their own business and strive to build or buy one. 

Entrepreneurs have a few traits in common:

·         Single minded about their business, they want to do it their way.

·         They often miss opportunities to find more business for various reasons, often because they are ‘too busy’ doing something they should delegate.

·         They want to do it all themselves, because delegating means paying someone and that will cost money (don’t understand it will free up their time for higher value activity).

·         They focus on the problem at hand (and there is one crisis right after another)

·         They think that if they Market, they don’t have to Sell.

·         An entrepreneurial business solves a problem that usually exists within a window of opportunity. Times change or the window moves or closes. Entrepreneurs often forget this. They often don’t change with the times and seek new opportunities.

The solution?  Entrepreneurs should take time to work on their business, take a long term view and a short term view.  They need a business plan and a marketing plan, and they should get professional help to do it so there is an objective and realistic look at the situation.

 Margaret C. Pennyfather has worked with hundreds of small businesses to create business plans and marketing plans with immediate dramatic positive effect.  She identifies the strengths and the gaps, formulates  and actions the solutions.  There are many small businesses enjoying success and entrepreneurs looking forward to a prosperous retirement.  consulting@marketingstrategiesnetwork.com.

 

Who is running your life? Is it you, or…..the events in it?

Are you missing major events because you are ‘busy”?  Real events in your community that you really want to attend, or ‘should’ attend because of the significance to your life or business.  Too many times I hear people say they wanted to go to something but were too busy, or by the time they got around to it, it was too late to make arrangements.

Do you find yourself working on customer emergencies at a cost to your own business or plans?  Do you have a soft heart for others’ problems - or a need to please – people pleasing, so are known as a nice guy and you are getting lots of enquiries, but there are no real customers and your business is not moving forward?

Are you a coward?  You think you can’t or won’t state your needs to your customers and negotiate something realistic for both schedules because you don’t want to anger them, or for them to think badly of you.

Here are some comments that might help you get control of your business so you can participate in the events that are necessary for the development of your skills and business.

Policies

Too many small businesses don’t have policies, not even small ones to decide how to make some decisions.  These could be about when and how to pay for your services, or a 5 day turn around (keeps you on top of work, and customers know they don’t have to pressure for completion because their work will be done in turn, and there are others before them).  Your emergencies are not necessarily our priority!  Another policy could be that you take time to ‘sharpen your saw’ per Stephen Covey and attend seminars and trade shows relevant to your business.

Priorities

You are entitled to set your own priorities based on your needs, whether they are business needs, health and safety (not driving in a blizzard), family, rest, or a badly needed vacation.   Others have a vacation, you should too!

Whilst all customers are important, some are more so than others.  I once had to let a customer find his own solution.  I was responsible for a multi-million dollar account, and another prospect had called in out of the blue and needed someone out there right away.  So I wiggled a bit of time and went on site.  It was a small job and would be time consuming and expensive to do.  He proceeded to tell me how to do it, and I had to sharpen my pencil because he had other prices.  I discussed my current priorities and said I couldn’t drop what I was doing, I needed some time to clear my desk so I could concentrate on getting him a proper proposal and a good price, so give me a few days and I could make some calls to suppliers and get a proper quote for him.  He had already called before I got back to the office wanting the price, and called 3 times 15 minutes apart that afternoon.  Each time I explained we had discussed the timing, and I would get him a price as soon as I had this one job off my desk and he had to stop interrupting me. In the end, he said he could do it faster himself, so I said to go ahead.  The priority was the big account which was our bread and butter, and not someone with a high PITA factor who was trying to bully me and would cause a problem with my main account.

Policies and Priorities make it easy to deal with Squirrels and Shiny things (unexpected distractions and opportunities).  You can decide if you should use them now, put them in your parking lot, or toss them.

Planning 

Build in the time to attend events, and deal with unexpected problems.  Evaluate the past few weeks – in 40 hours (more or less), were a few hours – like 12 or 20 dealing with emergency walk-ins?  Do you run an emergency clinic or a business?  Is this the way it is?  Then plan what you can plan, and leave room in the schedule for walk-ins.  This worked quite well for one of my clients.  She found she had 2 days worth of emergencies a week, so she put her ‘shoulds’ into the calendar, then planned about 3 days, so had room and time for the other 2.  She also stated her time constraints and negotiated for a more realistic customer deadline, taking her needs into account.

Knowing what she had on her plate and the time available gave her a more solid footing and was key to her success.

Mind you, a snow storm can wreak all sorts of havoc on plans, but most people understand if you communicate about it.

The opposite example would be a knee jerk reaction without thought of priority or planning.  This is what happens when your decisions cause you to cancel something: a customer calls you with a problem that has to be fixed ‘right away’!  You had an appointment with a colleague or another customer.  You cancel it, and have to reschedule.  Your schedule is messed up and you screw up the schedule for that colleague or customer and perhaps others around them and put them behind by however long it takes to get it back into your schedule.

Planning is key in any business.  If you take some time on a regular basis and evaluate priorities and opportunities, you won’t miss important events.  You won’t scramble because you know ‘what you have to do next’ and can make decisions based on your Policies and Priorities.

So do look at your year, put those trade shows and seminars back on the schedule.  Connecting and ‘sharpening your saw’ per Stephen Covey are a very important priority.  Figure out your lead time for longer projects and schedule it.  Plan around it.  If something comes up, maybe you can do it if you get up a bit earlier and still make that event you wanted to attend.

Remember: Policy-Priority-Plan!

Thinking About Canada and Canadians

Thoughts on November 11:

While watching the CBC broadcast from Ottawa, I was impressed by the participation and inclusion of  embassies from around the world, from America to Zimbabwe.  I wondered if the War Memorial would run out of space for the wreaths deposited.

For some reason this was the biggest observation of November 11 across Canada.  Perhaps the recent involvement in Afghanistan contributed to the national outpouring of thanks and appreciation of those who put their lives on the line.

I was further impressed by the gracious treatment of the Governer General's grandaughters in the reception line, as though Canada's inclusion had rubbed off on our visitors.

Hurricane Sandy and the subsequent storm caused such problems with the utilities, Canadian Municipalities dispatched their own crews and equipment to the US east coast to assist in bringing order and service to stricken municipalities.  They no sooner got things up and running from Sandy, when the nor'easter hit, and Canadian crews had to rescue the US crews because they couldn't deal with the snow, and restore operation, again!

Remembered the words of an American grateful for Canadian crews in the US because of the storms: "Who would have thought it would take the Canucks to know what to do and arrive equipped to bail us out."

Capable, inclusive and accepting.  In his acceptance speech, Obama said that in this term of office, he would work so Americans have more of these qualities.  On November 11 we exhibited the qualities of graciousnous and we were gentle.

Do you think we get something very important 'right' and could be considered world leaders in emotional quotient?

Marketing Tips for Success

Success is not gained by one big overwhelming thing, but by a succession of small, consistent, regular efforts.

There are many key areas of marketing for which one could write numerous tips, but to narrow it down, I would have to put them under the following categories:

·         Image

·         Planning and Organization

·         Activity

Businesses find they have a problem defining Marketing and separating it from Sales.  Actually you can’t separate them.  They are a continuum.  If you have a business, you have to ask for the order…eventually.  That’s sales.

Image

This all encompassing title includes what your company stands for, and bores right down to your belief system.  If you don’t believe in what you are selling, you can’t sell it with any integrity, and people won’t believe in you either, nor will they buy from you. 

1.     Have a Vision, and a Mission, and write them down. 

2.     Be able to articulate why you are in business and what you want to achieve. 

3.     Have a clear, concise and consistent message so people will know exactly what you are selling and your brand is readily identifiable. 

4.     Protect your brand.

Planning and Organization

There is one very good reason to have a plan and that is so you don’t get caught up in the details of your business, and miss opportunities.  Your plan is your roadmap. 

1.     Have a Business Plan including a Marketing Plan and a Financial Plan.

2.     Work your plan.  Give it a chance to work for you.  Use a ‘parking lot’ for opportunities that come at you out of left field, and re-visit them when you review your plan.

3.     Use a Marketing Planner notebook.  You need to have one place for all your ideas and the information.  It’s a good tool for keeping everything together.

Activity

It’s activity that will put you where your customer can trip over you. 

1.     Define your target market. 

2.     Know your customers’ hot buttons (so you can solve their problems). 

3.     Where do your customers live-work-play?  That’s where you can connect with them.

4.     It’s a numbers game.  Know your ratios.

Finally

Don’t try to do everything: you don’t know how, and there are only 24 hours in a day.  Do what you do best and delegate the rest.

What Do You Do To Relax and Control Stress?

Statistics show that Small Business Owners just don't take care of themselves.  Whether the excuse is lack of time, or the pressure of so many tasks (typically it's a one person show), taking care of ourselves is low on the priority list.  Actually it should be first on the list because a well maintained engine operates more efficiently and has a longer life span.  I find I think more clearly and focus better if I am well rested and my stress level is under control. 

There are so many things you can do ( a lot of them free) that give you a break and help you control your stress level.

What do you do?

One way to control your stress level is to learn some relaxation techniques from Renate Donnovan of Emergence Hypnotherapy & Coaching. renate@emergencehypnotherapy.com

Renate will be showing us some techniques at the Guelph B2B Network Meeting on July 12.

If this is of interest to you, contact me at consulting@marketingstrategiesnetwork.com

Referrals Need Time

A funny thing happened this weekend. I often mention the large number of people on my database, some of whom I connect with on a regular basis and many I connected with once...a few years ago.

A current connection emailed requesting a referral to "someone who..." and I was able to draw on a connection from a few years ago. It worked!

Again in conversation today I remembered someone who would make a great referral partner/alliance for someone and made the referral. It so happened we only ever had a couple of telephone conversations and exchanged emails, but I kept the contact information on my data base...just in case.

You never know!

Annual Activity

This is another comment on the subject of "How Much Work"
How many times have you heard about an event you wanted to attend or participate in as an exhibitor, but found you had missed the deadline, or it is too short notice?
Plan Ahead! 
Annually, look at "Hallmark Dates", Community events, Business events, and your networking groups, and schedule them  in.  Decide what you want to do with them, and time line them and schedule the timeline.
You can assess the big picture for maximum effect, you will experience fewer missed deadlines and avoid the last minute scramble and better assess your effctiveness.
This gives you the opportunity to schedule more appropriate activities and increase your bottom line.

How Much Work...

Blogging seems to get away on me.  Between helping clients and planning the next Guelph Business to Business Network Meeting, Blogging about my business takes a back seat.
Balance, and how much work do I have to do?
On of the ways of gauging how much work is to look at your ratios.  Marketing and Sales are a continuum, and there is a definite sales process as you move people you meet from suspects to prospects to clients.  Think of it as a funnel, with lots being tossed into the top and a select few dropping out of the bottom as clients.
Where do you find these people to begin with and what exactly do you have to do?  Action gets reaction or clients.  There is an analysis that can be applied and it determines just how much work you have to do...depending on the ratios!
As for me - I'm off to the TableTop Trade Show: I usually get a good reaction - see you there!

How the 3 Levels Of Networking Can Help Your Business

3 Levels Of Networking

This Blog Post was the talk delivered to the Centre Wellington Chamber of Commerce Networking Breakfast  on February 29, 2012

Good Morning,

Thank you for inviting me  to speak here this morning.  I am excited about being in front of the businesses in Centre Wellington so we can get to know each other better. 

I find it’s a ‘face time’ community and people really want to know what kind of person I am and do I really know what I am talking about, and then they talk with me. 

I would like to expand on the 3 Levels Of Networking and how it can work for you, and throw in some marketing theory so you have a reason and a basis on which to make decisions when you are networking.

You know, I didn’t set out to be an expert in networking.  In fact, when I was doing it originally it wasn’t called that.

When I was growing up in Richmond Hill and the community was about the size Fergus and Elora are now, we used to have a family joke that we couldn’t go out and do the usual family Saturday stuff – the library, groceries, shopping at the Canadian Tire – we didn’t have a mall – without Dad bumping into someone he knew from School Board or Parks Board or related to work, and talking about something happening or an issue that needed seeing to. 

Sound familiar?

Did you know that was networking? 

We called it politicking! 

After a lifetime in business on the Yonge St. Corridor, moving here was a huge change. 

I had worked for a National Broadcast Company with tons of people; I had national responsibility for blue chip accounts, and was well known in my industry internationally.

On the social side, I was a member of tennis clubs, a health club, and the Toronto Junior Board of Trade; all great networking opportunities – but I just saw it as getting to know people and pursuing my hobbies and interests and finding people to play with.  More Networking – establishing relationships!

Now I was up here, in a new career in a new community, in business all by myself (originally as a Financial Planner), and I didn’t know a soul, except my parents, and they were here only 18 months ahead of me!

SHOCK!

So what did I do?

I started out trying to meet as many people as I could – through Chambers of Commerce from Orangeville to Cambridge, and other network groups as well.  I tried to meet the Councillors and Mayors because they know a lot of people and were a shorter route to who I needed to know.

Centres of Influence

I networked and found centres of influence who knew a lot of people and could introduce me to people I needed to know and take me to networking events with them.

Alliances

 I set up some Alliances with people who had complementary businesses and were working the same areas of business as I was so we could work together to help our clients.

That is something you could do that would save you a lot of time and energy.   Alliances mean that you are working as a team, and in effect selling for each other.  Real estate people do it all the time.

Let’s look at some Marketing Theory

PUSH VS. PULL MARKETING and COLD VS. WARM TOUCHES

PUSH is where you put stuff out there, and have no idea if/when/how it will come back.  Advertising!  Direct Marketing – you have no control.  This is a “cold touch”. 

It takes 7-10 warm touches to get ppl to come to you to BUY.  People buy from people they Know Like and Trust.

It can take over 18 cold touches!  They don’t know you!

I takes 24-30 months for people to come to you when you start up a business.  Warm touches can shorten that time period – a lot!

Warm touch is when you have control.  You actually make face to face contact and start a relationship. It’s PULL Marketing.  Do you know how to take just one warm touch and turn it into 4 or 5?  That’s close to 7 – a sale!

Level 1

How many of you have shared your sugar, or borrowed flour, and swapped school pick up duties with a neighbour?  Your neighbour solved your problem and you solved theirs– that’s Level 1 Networking. 

In business networking – networkers attend events with the idea of finding customers.  It’s a small market limited to the attendees.  It’s PUSH Marketing.   It’s also selfish.

It’s the most common form because people don’t look beyond that 1 on 1 connection.  I think it’s because of time and there is just so much going on. People don’t want to get involved or feel it’s not their job if it’s nothing to do with them.  It is your job!  It actually doesn’t take much more to go to the next levels.

You know – people really do want to help and appreciate being helped.  So please, go beyond the familiar!  Go ahead and offer to help, and accept it!  It makes everyone feel good.  Studies have proven it!

Level 2

When we moved here, our snow blower decided not to work, so Dad went to Home Hardware and asked for a referral to someone who could fix it for us – and got one!  That was level 2 Networking.  It worked because the snow blower mechanic had networked with the owner of the hardware store. The dealer was a Centre of Influence and he made a REFERRAL

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One of your networking colleagues is in a meeting with a client and mentions a problem he has to solve.  You say “I know someone who can help, let me introduce you.”

Do you see a tree branching thing starting, with more exposure for your business, and more opportunity?

What is the most famous question that signifies Level 2 networking?  Do you know someone who can__________________ fill in the blanks!    Or….. If you have a friend who has just said they need something and you meet someone and say: “I know someone who could use your service. “ Or the reverse: “You need to talk to­­­­­___________"

 

Level 3

The Goderich Tornado created a Level 3 Networking situation.  Those folks needed everything and the C W Chamber of Commerce helped the businesses by asking us for help and - Level 3 - we all asked our connections for donations.  The B2B network Group donated some office supplies.

More tree branching in a wider circle, involving more people and more networks with more people which implies more opportunity!

Example A

You want to get your services into a particular company.  So you put it out to your network and ask if anyone knows anyone there.  Al says – I have a contact there, his name is Bob, I will ask Bob who the best person to speak with is.  Al goes to Bob and asks for help.  Bob says “he needs to talk to ___________.”  If things work properly, Bob makes the introduction, or at least provides the phone number and email for you.  (4 ppl)

Example B

You are driving in the south end of Guelph and see a new building going up, and you know they will really need window film, or someone who can build counters!  You stop by the construction shack and talk to the site super and find out who to talk to.  This requires that you are well aware of your network’s businesses and can talk intelligently about them. You need to meet your connections on a regular basis to keep up to date on their business offerings. You say “I have a colleague who does that type of work.  Let me pass the contact info along and they will get in touch with you”.  Use email and pass along the contact info and a brief description of what you saw as the situation and opportunity. This is level 3 because in effect you are selling for your connections.  You are finding the need. (4 ppl)

You need COI and Alliances to make level 3 really work.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Social Media is an excellent networking tool particularly in a Rural Area with small business.  Like any automated media, in many ways it is PUSH Marketing, but you can also make it PULL Marketing.

I am on FaceBook, LinkedIn (which shows 7 distinct networks), and have 2 accounts on Twitter – one for my Business and one for my Network Group - The Guelph B2B Network Group.

If you use Social Media be very careful – what ever you put on there is there forever.  Make sure you are presenting the image you want associated with your business.  There is one business person who comes across as childish – I can’t recommend her.  So it does show people what kind of person you are as well as your expertise. 

Lisa Kember – Constant Contact person recommends 60/40 split – 60% personal, 40% business.  If you comment relating to who you are – in other words personal, it tells people what kind of person you are.

How to make it useful?

Someone gives a ‘shout out’ (it’s like a heads up) – they have a need, and all sorts of answers appear.  I have actually done this. 

Start a conversation.

Make announcements about events,

Make announcement about my business with a link to one of my websites.

Make comments about topics/events

I have used it to do a straw vote…got some feedback that counted.

Talk about the weather, things going on around town.

Do a Retweet

Comment on other Tweets

People do business with people they Know/Like and Trust, and Social Media helps people know you.

Quick Level Review!

If you had a networking situation that involved 2 ppl, which level would it be?  Level 1

Example?

If you had a networking situation that involved 3 ppl, which level would it be?  Level 2

Example?

If you had a networking situation that involved 4 ppl, which level would it be?  Level 3

Example?

POSSIBLE EXERCISES

1

Exercise - Right now everyone in the room think:

In your business, what do you need that you can’t source at the moment?

Can anyone help? 

2

Knowing who is here, who do you know who isn’t here who could use their help?

1.   We have talked about the 3 levels of networking, and how it expands your circles of solution providers, but it also expands your circle of potential business.

2.   We have touched on some marketing theory:

A.  Push and Pull Marketing

B.  Warm Touches and Cold Touches – do you see the warm touches working in networking and finding solutions?

C.  Centres of Influence

D.  Alliances

3.   We have also touched on Social Media as part of Networking

…and how it all contributes to getting the real you known so people will do business with you….after all, people do business with those they Know, Like and Trust!

I hope that now you know me a bit better, you will do business with me, or better yet – make some referrals to me!!