What the Geese Teach Us

This is my last post as the Educational Coordinator for the BNI Point To Success. I was sitting in my car this week thinking about what I would like to say to wrap up my time here and a flock of geese flew overhead testing out their wings for the journey. I realized that since my mission was to inform, involve and inspire you to be the best that you could be at your respective businesses and as referral partners with BNI Point To Success, that the well-known story "Lessons fom Geese" would be appropriate.

This bit of prose has been around a long time. It has been attributed to many, but it actually was written by the Assistant Superintendent of Education for the Baltimore School District in 1972. Dr. Robert McNeisch, a one-time biology teacher, wrote this piece as a lay sermon for his church after observing a flock of geese.

{Photo credit: www.financialaidpodcast.com and www.christopherspenn.com}

Lessons From Geese



Fact 1

As each goose flaps its wings, it creates an "uplift" for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if eah bird flew alone.



Lesson:

People who share a common direction and sense of community, like BNI Point To Success, can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.



Fact 2:

When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.



Lesson:

If we have as much sense as a goose we stay in formation with our BNI Point to Success partners since we are all headed in the same direction. We should not only be willing to accept their help, but give our help to others in the group.



Fact 3:

When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies to the point position.



Lesson:

It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks an sharing leadership. Thank you to the entire outgoing leadership team and thank you to the incoming team as well. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities, unique gifts, talents and resources. Our BNI Point to Success 'flock' needs every single person to step up and be a leader. It is easy to think that someone else will do it, that it isn't for me, that I couldn't possibly do what they are doing. You would be wrong. I encourage you to bring your gifts to the table for the next leadership team. You might be surprised what you will learn about yourself in the process.



Fact 4:

The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.



Lesson:

We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups like BNI Point to Success where there is a lot of encouragement, the production is much greater. There are a thousand little ways that we support each other not just in BNI but in our daily lives. The power of encouragement is the quality of honking we seek.



Fact 5:

When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it to help and protect it. They stay with it until dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.



Lesson:

If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong. And that will be our Point to Success.



Working Words of Wisdom

Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love and something to hope for...

~Joseph Addison



Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve the BNI Point to Success chapter, to find more ways to love working with all of you, and for giving me hope that there is clear path to my success with the support of each of you.



Enjoy the day!

Maximize Your Strengths, Minimize Your Weaknesses

Are you an introvert? Or are you an extrovert?

Ivan Misner was having a conversation with his wife of 20 years and he classified himself as an extrovert. "No, really you're an introvert!" hie wife said. Ivan couldn't believe it. After all, how could the most successful business networker on the planet be an introvert? (But how could the woman who has been with him for so long be wrong?)

Ivan went in search of more information and came across an internet site that has a test to determine if you are an introvert or extrovert (like this one here). He discovered that he was a "situational extravert"...that he is a bit of a loner and reserved around strangers, but very outgoing in the right context. That was an "aha" moment for Ivan and really made sense.

Mr. Misner started BNI over 20 years ago because he was naturally uncomfortable meeting new people. As he says, "BNI created a 'system' that enabled me to meet people in an organized, structured networking environment that did not require that I actually 'talk to strangers.'"

Mr. Misner further states that when he is in a new place, as he is all the time traveling around the world promoting BNI, he makes sure to have someone from the area or group walk around with him to introduce him to new people. This way he is able to overcome his introvert tendencies and connect with as many new people as possible. That is a coping mechanism he uses to overcome his shyness around new people.

So what are the strengths and weaknesses of being either an introvert or extrovert as it relates to networking?

Introverts
+Great a listening
+Perceived as thoughtful and trustworthy
-Don't go out of their way to talk to people
-May be reserved in new social situations

Extraverts
+Not afraid to meet new people
+Actively initiate conversations
-Can come on too strong
-Might scare the introverts away!

These are just general observations that our members made in the meeting this morning and while they might not be true for all people, they highlight a point: we each have strengths and weaknesses in our character that will help or hinder us in a social networking situation. The key is working to maximize your strengths and minimize, or convert, your weaknesses to a positive that will help you be a great network no matter what type of character you have.

Working Words of Wisdom
"Personality has the power to open many doors, but character must keep them open."

Go and take that test at PersonalityType.com and report the findings back here. (I am an ENFP, Extraverted-Intuitive-Feeling-Perceiver). What strengths do you have that help you be a great networker? What weaknesses do you need to compensate for? Do tell!

Are You On time?

This article was taken from a eNewsletter from Jeff Mowatt entitled Influence With Ease. If you are interested in more of what Jeff has to say about building great customer service, check out his website www.jeffmowatt.com.

What time should you arrive for a 10 o'clock business meeting?

9:50 - you're bright and early
9:55 - you're early; but not so early you look like you're wasting time
9:59 - you're there in the nick of time
10:00 - you're exactly on-time
10:05 - meetings don't get going for the first 5 minutes anyway

I learned the answer years ago as a first year business student at the University of Calgary. An HR manager from Trimac Trucking came in to speak to us about the real world of business, making a positive impression, and getting hired.

He explained that if you show up for a meeting late, you're disrespectful to others.

Showing up 10 minutes early indicates you haven't got enough to do.

Arriving exactly on time or 1 minute early makes you look rushed and disorganized.

Hence, the correct answer to convey courtesy and competence is b) 9:55.

Here's to professionals who are 'on-time'.

Today's chuckle
If you find a four-leaf clover, it means you have entirely too much time on your hands.

Working Words of Wisdom
"The bad news is time flies.
The good news is you're the pilot."
~Michael Altshuler

Go Guerrilla!

This article is adapted from an article on Entrepreneur.com by Jay Levinson and Al Lautenslager.
http://www.entrepreneur.com/marketing/guerrillamarketing/article203248.html

Coupons

The name "guerrilla marketing" is a relatively new invention from the 1980s, but the very first guerrilla marketing tactic is attributed to C.W. Post. In 1895, this cereal manufacturer did something unheard of...he offered the first ever money-off coupon for one-cent off the purchase price of Grape Nuts® cereal. This was a lot of money at the turn of the century, but this little penny coupon revolutionized the way we look at marketing.

Since the invention of the coupon, users have saved over $4 billion. The bottom line is that people use coupons to save money, but a coupon will bring a customer to a business to spend more than the incentive cost of the coupon. The lifetime value of a new customer coming in from a coupon is well worth the coupon cost if the customer returns to buy more product. That's guerrilla marketing.

Rick Oppermann doesn't use coupons with a cents-off. That doesn't work for a high-end chocolate product. But he has used a postcard for a free truffle. He told of a client who brought one in that was handed out by another BNI member. That new client got her free truffle, and then proceeded to spend $30. That's a fine example of guerrilla marketing.

Speaking

Who here dislikes public speaking?

Have you ever noticed that people who enjoy their jobs have no trouble at all talking about it? Think of public speaking as a one-to-one conversation with a whole group at once. That's not only guerrilla marketing, that's great multi-tasking!

BNI is a perfect place to hone your message, increase your confidence and set yourself up as an expert.

You are your best marketing vehicle.

A number of dynamics happen when you are speaking to a large group. First, you are the center of attention (like I am now). Your audience feels as if you are speaking directly to them. You are not an envelope that goes unopened. You are not a telemarketing call that gets screened. You are not a t.v. commercial that gets TiVo'd over. Usually when you are public speaking you have a captive audience and their undivided attention is focused on you. Use that to your advantage.

When you position yourself as an expert you are also establishing credibility. People like buying from experts. If you have chosen your venue correctly, there will be paying customers there. If the audience doesn't contain potential clients, then you are wasting your time speaking to them.

But the most important thing about public speaking is that it is marketing, not selling. Your speaking should offer something of value, not a sales pitch.

Sample speaking topics...
Top ten mistakes made when buying....
Seven insider secrets of...
Three points to consider when...

Where can you practice your public speaking other than at BNI meetings?

Seminars: show your expertise and teach prospects how to do something you are an expert at
Demonstrations: show rather than tell how to make what you make best
Panel Discussions: choose a public event, like the Farmshed where Sarah Raikowski was a panel member and be perceived as a resident expert
Present an Award: this is a form of public speaking that can hone your skills
Sponsorships: take advantage of a few moments in the limelight by sponsoring an event

Now that's good guerrilla marketing.

Contests

There is no free lunch...unless you dropped your business card in the fishbowl at Subway®!

Why are restuarants always giving away a free lunch? Because they are savvy guerrilla marketers and know that the value of the free lunch will be in the leads that are generated.

Like a coupon, the free lunch contest is worth a lot more than the cost of that lunch. The value is in word of mouth marketing and growing that mailing list. This is a small price to pay for a permission-based list with a potentially greater return. That's the way all guerrilla marketing should be.

Contests are great at trade shows, but also at related businesses. I did a fishbowl technique at Randy's UPS store when I was the business of the month. The prize was to win a free piece of jewelry. People love the chance at free...no matter what it is. And my mailing list sign up indicated that I would not use this for anything other than communication about me and my jewelry. (Actually, I have not done a thing with that mailing list generated...but that is a story for another time.) I also host a giveaway each month on my blog Treasures Found and that has generated a lot of buzz and new prospects for me. Check it out!

Tip: Always have more than one winner. The more people who win the prizes, the more they will share that with their friends and the more followers you will have. Sometimes it doesn't hurt to "pick" an extra winner if you see a key entry in your fishbowl. You need to grab at those hot prospects if you see them swimming in your fishbowl.

Working Words of Wisdom
"The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."
~Marcel Proust

Believe in Your Worth

Legend has it that Pablo Picasso was sketching in the park when a bold woman approached him.

“It’s you — Picasso, the great artist! Oh, you must sketch my portrait! I insist.”

So Picasso agreed to sketch her. After studying her for a moment, he used a single pencil stroke to create her portrait. He handed the women his work of art.

“It’s perfect!” she gushed. “You managed to capture my essence with one stroke, in one moment. Thank you! How much do I owe you?”

“Five thousand dollars,” the artist replied.

“B-b-but, what?” the woman sputtered. “How could you want so much money for this picture? It only took you a second to draw it!”

To which Picasso responded, “Madame, it took me my entire life.”

What is the price of experience?

Recently, I have come up against people who are aghast at what I charge for my service. I have been told that they have seen and could buy the same piece of jewelry that I am wearing at Target or Kohl's. Once I was asked to outfit an entire army of bridesmaids with matching necklaces, bracelets and earrings for $30 each. But then I have also had several nice, unexpected sales from people who not only felt that my wearable art was worth it, but a bargain.

Do you ever find yourself having to go into great detail about the cost of a product or service that you provide? Coming up against those who don't believe in the value of your experience? Or do you ever find yourself second guessing your pricing structure in the face of all that negativity?

If so, then that person you trying to convince is not a member of your tribe. A member of your tribe is someone who will certainly understand the worth of your time, talent and treasures. You will not have to spew a lengthy explanation to try to get someone to buy into my version of reality. They will see the value of your educational background, on the job experience, and hold it in the highest regard. They will be the ones who believe in paying for expert service and a unique product and are not at all fazed by the price. It is not that money is no object, it is that they understand your worth and value it.

There is a value in the talent that you possess. Whether you went to school for years to learn your trade, like Doug Schlei or Sue Wille...or you keep on top of the most current trends in your field, like Dave Harvath or Mark Pinkalla...or perhaps you just have a GGA (*God Given Ability), like me and you are not afraid to use it. You are an expert and you should be treated like one.

I know for a fact that those of us in this room are not necessarily the cheapest in our respective fields. But we are certainly the best. Now you have to go out there and believe it.

Case in point...I was visiting with Melissa Kedrowicz at her successful store, the Pink Boutique, one day last year. While we were talking a woman walked in and looked around. She came over to ask Melissa if she carried any jeans that were under $150. Melissa said no. The woman eventually left the store without even trying something on. I was concerned that Melissa may have lost a sale because she was preoccupied with me. She said no and then told me something I have not forgotten. "That woman was never going to buy anything here today. I would have had to explain to her that the pricing on the jeans is set by the company and is out of my control. I could have told her about all the benefits people feel when wearing them. But chances are, she still wouldn't have bought them. What you don't know is that before you came in, I sold two pairs of those same jeans to one lady as a repeat customer. She understood the value of my products and services. And I was working smarter, not harder."

So how can you work smarter and not harder?

You need to differentiate yourself from the competition.
You need to position yourself as an expert.
You need to focus on providing the best customer service.

You need to believe in the power of your passion.

You need to trust in the value of your experience.

You neet to know that you earn more when you believe that what you’re giving in exchange is incredibly valuable. Feel it. Know it. Trust it. Believe it.

Working Words of Wisdom

A machine in a factory has malfunctioned, and the engineers on site can’t find the source of the problem.


So they call on a retired worker who had spent a long time working with the machine. He comes in, walks up to the machine, looks at it for a minute, pulls out a piece of chalk and draws a circle around the screw that needs to be tightened.

He then writes them a bill for $5’000.


“$5000?! that’s ridiculous, all you did was draw a circle around a screw!”

So he writes them a new bill:

• Drawing a circle around a screw: $1
• Knowing where to draw it: $4999

Building a Brand: Develop a Visual Identity

Can you read a picture? Is a picture really worth a thousand words? Could it have been 500 or 250 words instead? Who in their right mind would sit down and count how many words describes a picture? Where in the world did the phrase “A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words” come from?

The famous quote, "A picture is worth a thousand words," is one that we have all heard so often that it has truly become a cliché. Although it was originally attributed to Confucius, who lived over 2000 years ago, it was actually the work of a modern-day marketing genius.

First, the quotation was incorrectly translated as “One Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words.” Literally, the translation was “One Picture Is Worth Ten Thousand Words.” It is believed to be a Chinese proverb, which later turned out to be bogus. The phrase was coined by Fred R. Barnard, who promoted the use of images in advertisements appearing on the sides of streetcars. Apparently he called this quote a Chinese proverb, so that people would take it seriously. It’s not surprising that this proverb was immediately associated with and credited to Confucius. This was an interesting marketing ploy, but no doubt one that proved to be successful.

Business is a competitive sport. There can only be so many sales, so much profit, and only so many customers. That means that all businesses who want to have continued success have to focus their energy on creating a corporate image and identity that will attract customers. Think of those companies with the easy to recognize slogans...do you picture their logo when you hear their name? Nike's Just Do It and the swoosh...Allstate's "You're in good hands" and the drawing of the cupped hands...Your corporate identity is the first impression your customers will have on you. It can either make or break your company.

We all have mini-billboards in our pockets. Take a look at the cards in your card file. Which ones stand out from the rest? Usually it is the ones with a logo that makes sense as a match for the company along with well spaced contact information.

You have to start thinking of brochures and business cards as a personal ad you hand directly to customers. Think of a letter as an ad that comes to your potential clients in the mail. When you create marketing materials, make sure all letters, envelopes and business cards have your corporate logo on it. This consistency and professionalism will enhance your credibility. Plus, when a client sees your logo over and over, on your business card, flier and letterhead, they will be more likely to remember you in the long-run. So, a strong visual identity is an important building block for your overall corporate identity.

If you have yet to create your logo, get it done as soon as possible, and get it done by a professional, and it just so happens that we have a professional among us. An amateur logo can hurt your business as much as a good one might help. A corporate identity and logo designed especially for your business needs can attract great business to your company. As part of your overall company brand-building strategy, a good logo is a key piece of the puzzle.

Working Words of Wisdom

"A picture is worth ten thousand words." ~ Fred R. Barnard

Building a Brand: The Right Tagline

Keep reading for a challenge! I will pick a winner when I return and announce it at the August 26th meeting!

Rhonda Abrams is a columnist with USA Today and wrote an article called "The Right Tagline Can Go A Long Way" back in 2006. I thought that it had just the right message, so I have exerpted some of that here.

Here's a quiz. Can you name the companies associated with the following taglines?
• "Just do it!"
• "The world on time."
• "Breakfast of champions."
• "Melts in your mouth, not in your hands."

Congratulations! You probably guessed all four. That's because an effective tagline or advertising slogan becomes so closely identified with a business, you typically don't need to mention the company's name. Of course, these companies — Nike, FedEx, Wheaties, M&M's — spent tens of millions of dollars advertising these slogans.

But it doesn't take a multimillion-dollar advertising budget for you to create an effective tagline. In fact, a good tagline is one of the least expensive forms of marketing you can develop and use.

If you don't have a tagline for your company or products — and most of us don't — it's time to sit down and come up with one. That's because a well-conceived tagline makes it easier for customers both to remember your company's name and to think positively about why they should use your products or services.

Of course, if you've got a big budget, you could hire an advertising agency to devise a tagline, but few of us have that kind of money. Instead, get some of your creative employees, friends or family members to help you devise a one.

The keys to an effective tagline are:

• It's short and easy to remember.
Keeping a tagline short seems like an obvious step, but trust me, it's not. A tagline must say something about your company but not everything. If it's too long, people can't remember it. It will be a challenge, but boil your tagline down to its essential core message.

• It conveys what's special about you.
This is perhaps the most important element of a good tagline — it helps customers know how to distinguish you from competitors. Avis' "We Try Harder" tagline was effective because it turned one of the company's disadvantages (the fact Avis was not the market leader) into an advantage. The Avis slogan made it seem as if competitors were slacking off on the job.
If you serve a specific or niche market, you can focus your tagline on that. "Legal services for the real estate industry" may seem boring, but it can be an effective tagline if you're an attorney specializing in real estate deals. Remember, a tagline doesn't have to be memorable to everyone to be effective — just those you want as customers.

• It conveys something you want potential customers to remember or feel.
Why is "Just Do It" such an effective tagline for Nike that it's lasted for nearly 20 years? Because it conveys an attitude that Nike wants associated with its products. It both empowers and encourages customers' athletic aspirations. When a tagline succeeds in conveying a feeling, it strengthens the emotional bond between you and your customers.

• You use it repeatedly and prominently.
Once you've chosen a tagline, use it all the time. Naturally, you should use your tagline on all your marketing materials, throughout your website, and in every bit of advertising you do. Don't forget to put it on your business cards and use it as a tagline at the bottom of every e-mail in your "signature."

A tagline is an easy and inexpensive tool to enhance the image and message of your company. Every company should have one. So today, instead of merely thinking about developing a tagline, go ahead, eat your Wheaties, try harder, and just do it.

Rhonda Abrams is author of The Successful Business Plan: Secrets & Strategies and president of The Planning Shop, publishers of books and other tools for business plans. Register for Rhonda's free business planning newsletter at www.PlanningShop.com. Copyright Rhonda Abrams 2006.

The Don'ts of Tagline Creation

• Don't brag or engage in chest-beating. Talk to the customer and not yourself.
• Don't participate in tagline fads. Avoid formulas and plays on words based on popular sayings
• Don't use one-word taglines.
  

The Do's of Tagline Creation

• Start with a creative brief: a one page document that identifies:- Your goal- Your target- Your most compelling attribute
• Translate your brand promise into a tagline filtered through your brand personality.
• Decide on a voice, face, personality, and attitude of your brand.
• Find a professional to help you develop a good tagline
• Once you get a tagline, commit to it and put it on everything you do.

And an easy way to think about it? Focus on your TARGET audience, your position. What is their PROBLEM? What is your SOLUTION? You only have 7 words or less to define both the PROBLEM and the SOLUTION. Go.

Working Words of Wisdom

"It is an immutable law in business that words are words, explanations are explanations, promises are promises but only performance is reality." ~Harold Geneen

BNI POINT TO SUCCESS CHALLENGE!

Write a comment in response to one of the following:

1) What is your current tagline? What do you like or dislike about it?

or

2) If you could create a tagline for anyone in our group (you or someone else), what would it be?

Have fun with it!

Building Your Brand: Determine Position

(adapted from an article by Amy Kennel entitled Step By Step Marketing: 5 Steps for Building Your Brand)

Some of the most well-known companies in the world owe their success to building strong brands. They have accomplished this by working to create a brand that consistently defines who they are and what value they provide their customers. A brand is more than just a swoosh and a "Just do it"...branding defines who you are, what value you communicate, how you're different from others offering similar products and services, and why people should choose you over your competition. Your brand is important to your business because it is:

• the verbal and visual expression of your business;


• the shortest and quickest way to communicate with existing and potential clients;


• the easiest way to create and increase awareness about your business; and


• memorable, meaningful, differentiated, sustainable and valuable.

Each of the BNI members in this room has a distinct BRAND whether you realize it our not. And strengthening your brand with the other members, your BNI sales staff, can lead you to even greater success. Following are the first of 5 steps to building a better brand.

Step 1: Determine your position.

Answer this question...who are you and how are you uniquely suited to serve the needs of your clients? The answer to that question is your position. Your position is the place you wish to occupy in the mind of your defined target audience.

Each week the most successful among us at getting referrals passed are the ones who have a target audience in mind. Not just a 'somebody' or 'anybody' but a specific person. The same is true for determining your position. It's important to identify a target audience versus marketing to the masses.

Think of your business in terms of your unique value to a specific target audience. Then examine your strengths, evaluate your target market's needs and study your competion for ways to do it better.

Case in point...I used to think that every woman walking down the street should be wearing my jewelry. And shortly after joining BNI I realized that the men in the group sought out my servies far more than the women did. I satisfied a need that they had to get it right with their significant other. And then I came to the realization that my jewelry is not for everyone. I believe that the ideal audience for my jewelry is an upwardly mobile, double income woman or man who appreciates art, values individuality and is expressive with their personal style. But I also believe that my business appeals to those who have a specific budget in mind and want something to express their unique style without breaking the bank. And recently I have been studying my competition and I can safely say that my jewelry is created with more heart and vision and is finished with a great attention to detail and finishing techniques that my competition just doesn't take the time to do.

That is the position of Tesori Trovati Jewelry.

What is your position? This week I challenge you to clarify your position on the path to your branding. Do tell what you have learned about defining your postion in the comments.

Working Words of Wisdom

A person who aims at nothing is sure to hit it.

Making Testimonials Work for You

Why Testimonials Increase Business

(text taken from an article entitled Get the Most From Your Written Testimonials by Dr. Ivan Misner on Entrepreneur.com)



Testimonials carry a level of credibility because they come from someone who has direct experience with your product or service. Consumers generally place more trust in testimonials than they do in a business's marketing message. They believe that the average person is unbiased and has nothing to gain from providing a testimonial. The business stands to gain--or lose--everything, so its own words are seen as less trustworthy.


Recognizing consumers' skepticism, some businesses make a practice of asking for customer testimonials. Ditto for businesses that serve other businesses. If anything, a business can be an even more demanding customer than an individual consumer because it has its own reputation and ability to function at stake. Thus, a written testimonial on professional letterhead from one business to another is a powerful word in your favor, especially if the business represented on that letterhead is highly credible.


Asking for Testimonials
Make it standard practice to ask clients (or other contacts) for testimonials. At what point in the sales cycle should you ask? This is a tricky question, but in general, don't ask for any testimonial before it's time--which may be before, during, or after the completion of a sale or project, depending on your client, your product or service, and your own needs.Let's say that one month before finishing a project, you call your client to ask how things are going. The client tells you she's very happy with the results and that her life or business has changed for the better because of your product or service. At this point, your testimonial detector should be pinging loudly. It's the right time to make your pitch: "That would be a great thing for other people to know about my company. Would you be willing to write me a testimonial on your company letterhead by the end of the week?" If the answer is yes, the next step is to coach your client in writing a testimonial that fits your needs.



Guiding the Content

Ask your client to tell why she chose to work with you, how she benefited from your products or services, how you solved a problem for her, and what other people should know about your business. What things are most people concerned about when using a business like yours? Ask her to address those issues. Don't be afraid to offer suggestions; you'll make it easier for her to write an appropriate testimonial, and the result will be more valuable for you.



Displaying Testimonials

Written testimonials can be used in many ways to enhance your credibility and set you above your competition--on your business's website, for example. Some websites have them strategically sprinkled throughout so there's at least one testimonial on each page. Others have a dedicated page where a browser can view several testimonials at once. Either way, scan each testimonial to keep it with its letterhead. This will enhance its credibility--and yours.


If your business attracts a lot of walk-in clients, it's helpful to display your written testimonials, each encased in a plastic sheet protector, in a three-ring binder labeled "What our customers say about us" or "Client Testimonials." Keep this binder on a table in your reception area, where your customers can browse through it while they're waiting for services. It's a good way to connect with your prospects and enhance your relationship with clients.
Another way to stand out from the competition is to include testimonials with your business proposals. This strategy works best if you have a wide variety to choose from; you can include a section of testimonials that are most relevant to a specific proposal.

Updating Your Testimonials

Finally, review your testimonial file or binder at least every two to three years to identify testimonials that are no longer valid or credible. Specifically, you may want to discard or re-file a testimonial that:
Is from a company that's no longer in business
Is/was written by someone who has left the company
Represents a product or service that you no longer offer
Has begun to turn yellow with age
Needs to be updated with new statistics from the customer
Now that you understand what testimonials can do for your business, try asking for three written testimonials on company letterhead this week. Make it easy for your advocates--specify what you would like their testimonials to cover, based on what you know of their satisfaction or successes from using your product or service. Ask for them to be typed on company letterhead, signed and submitted by a certain date.


One more thing: Remember the law of reciprocity. If you want to truly motivate someone to write you a testimonial, write one for him or her first.



Working Words of Wisdom

"The only way to know how customers see your business is to look at it through their eyes."

~Daniel Scroggin

A Procrastination Inoculation

Is anyone here suffering from the procrastination syndrome? You have so much to do and there are so many beautiful fluffy clouds rolling by outside the window you find yourself just staring? (Oh. Then it is only me?)

Wouldn't it be great if you could get an immunization against the age-old syndrome of waiting until the last minute? Putting off 'til tomorrow what you should do today? A procrastination inoculation?

This article was posted on a blog that I like to frequent called ZenHabits.net. Chock full of inspiring and useful tips for your life, ZenHabits always has something profound to say. I have a measly 126 followers. ZenHabits boasts well over 127,000. So I kind of think that when this author speaks (i.e., writes), I should listen (i.e., read). Following is a guest article that was written by Karen Leland author of Time Management In An Instant.


10 Ways to Give Yourself a Procrastination Inoculation

You know what you need to do. You know why you need to do it. You even know what steps you must take to get it done. But there’s one small problem: you can’t seem to get moving. It’s a common problem. Maybe it’s chronic procrastination or maybe you’re just so overwhelmed that you feel paralyzed. Either way, the task you must complete is just sitting there, gathering metaphorical (or perhaps literal) dust, and growing more ominous by the day.

A recently study by Dr. Piers Steel, a professor at the University of Calgary concluded that procrastination is on the rise. According to Steel’s research, in 1978 about 15 percent of the population were considered moderate procrastinators. Today that number is up to 60 percent, a four-fold increase. While procrastination is to some degree a natural phenomenon and can’t be completely eradicated, you can use the following ten strategies to to get in the habit of getting things done.

1. Take advantage of your power hours. Are you an early riser who tackles your morning to-do list with all the gusto of a bear eating honey? Perhaps you’re a night-owl and crank through your most pressing projects at 11:00 p.m.?

Either way, knowing and taking advantage of your natural energy patterns will help you steer clear of procrastination by using your power times to tackle the projects you find most challenging.

2. Focus for five minutes. The hardest part of overcoming procrastination is often just getting started. For a tedious task that you have been putting off try setting a timer for five-minutes and get to work. When the alarm sounds, if you feel like stopping – don’t be surprised if that first five minutes turns into 10, 15 and 20.

3. Create cues. Write down the item you need to do and place it somewhere where you can see it – your refrigerator door, car dashboard, calender, iphone, bathroom mirror. Posting prompts on items you are procrastinating about in a highly visible place, helps remind you to get them done.

4. Use the clout of your calendar: Do you have a task that has been lingering on your to-do list for days, weeks or even (gulp) months? If so, use the clout of your calendar to move from inertia to action. Open your planner or PDA and schedule a specific date and time period when you promise yourself that you will work on that item – and that item only.

5. Decide on the next action: One reason people procrastinate is they feel intimidated by the task as it is currently stated and can’t figure out what to do next. To overcome overwhelm, figure out the next smallest, easiest and most comfortable action you could take to move forward. By breaking down the bigger less defined item into smaller more specific chunks, you tell your mind “I can do this”!

6. Give yourself credit all along the way: The moment you take any action (no matter how small) – give yourself credit. Don’t wait until the entire to-do is complete before experiencing at least some degree of satisfaction and accomplishment.


7. Tackle the hard ones first: Almost everyone has more focus, energy and attention available at the beginning of their workday than at the end. When you have to do a hard task, get it out of the way and do it first thing in the morning. This way it won’t nag at you all day long.
8. Be decisive: Putting off a decision on what to do with that piece of paper won’t be any easier tomorrow than it is today. Train yourself to categorize every item that comes across your desk as something to do now, delegate, dump, or defer. Defer does not mean placing it back in the pile and pretending it does not exist. That is the pathway to procrastination. It means putting it in a dated tickler file, scheduling a time to do it, or moving it to a someday to-do list – where the guilt and stress of procrastination don’t apply.


9. Enlist encouragement. Tell a close friend what you’re going to accomplish by when and ask them to check in on your progress. Going public can create a self-imposed pressure to shun procrastination and perform. Having a buddy who can celebrate your successes, and help you maintain perspective when you procrastinate is invaluable.


10. Play let’s make a deal. To get yourself moving on a hard to do activity, try a bribe. Make a promise to yourself that when you stop procrastinating and take some action on the item, you get a reward. This can be a piece of chocolate, watching a favorite tv show, spending time with your family - anything that you value and will motivate you to get moving.


Karen leland is the bestselling author of the new book Time Management In an Instant: 60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day. Feel free to excerpt any or all of this article but please give credit to Karen Leland and the book. You can read more at her blog, or order a copy of the book and receive a free bonus of The Essential Email online program.

Working Words of Wisdom (BONUS! Two for the price of one today ;-)



Procrastination is opportunity's assassin. ~Victor Kiam

A year from now you may wish you had started today. ~Karen Lamb

Natural Networking

Ivan Misner has a weekly podcast that you can find here that might be just the thing if you are looking for some inspiration. You can listen to it, or download it, or simply read the transcript (which is what I did). His most recent podcast on July 8th, 2009 was titled, "Episode 112: Networking Lessons from Nature." It is from this podcast that I took my Motivational Minutes today.

What do vineyards and redwoods have in common?

Aside from the obvious fact that they are both found in California, they are the subject of Dr. Ivan Misner's latest podcast related to networking.

Dr. Misner and his wife recently visited Napa Valley and toured some vineyards, most notably the Chateau Montelana, which was immortalized in the movie Bottle Shock (which I highly recommend as an engaging and well-crafted film). He found out that there is a particular way of farming the grapes to ensure that they produce quality product throughout the growing season, no matter what occurs in the climate. This became a metaphor for the type of networking that we are each called to do through the BNI model.

Vintners use "dry farming" to produce consistently quality grapes. Dry farming is accomplished through no irrigation. Dry or rainy season, they are not irrigated. That sounds counter-intuitive to producing strong crops, but they do this for a reason. As a result of this type of conditions, the plants are forced to grow deep roots in order to get at the year-round underground supply of water, no matter the climate up above.

We are encouraged in our BNI model to have deep reserves for when the going gets tough. The economic climate right now is decidedly dry. This means that we may have to dig deeper to produce quality referrals. But by workin on our deep-water relationships, we will support growth in our businesses no matter what the economic climate is doing and we will be more successful than the average business owner who doesn't have the BNI network on their side.

The giant redwood tree averages a height of 250 feet. At that towering height, you would assume that they have a deep root system to anchor them to withstand whatever winds may blow. Quite the contrary, they have a very shallow root system. So how do they manage to grow so massive and stand for so long?

The giant redwoods harbor a secret under their soil as well to remain upright even in the windiest of times. Their roots are actually intertwined with the roots of their neighboring trees. They support each other with the winds come to blow them over. When one is under the direct pressure of the wind, the system of the interlocking roots serves to hold them all in place.

Our relationships in BNI are like that intertwining root system. We serve to hold each other up and spur growth in our respective businesses. There are many times when I feel like giving up, but my BNI friends, particularly those that I have most closely linked myself to, have served to not only prop me up but surround me with their love and support and encourage me to grow.

And Dr. Misner said it best..."That's why networking and relationship marketing are so important, especially in a tough economy. These two metaphors, I think, really sit well that you can have your roots go deep through this dry farming concept, and by going deep you are more stable. But at the same time, if you can interconnect with other business people, you can help one another."

Working Words of Wisdom
"The miracle is this - the more we share, the more we have."

Why Your Reputation is on the line

We have passed 4,947 referrals since we have started our BNI Point to Success Chapter in the fall of 2008. That is incredible!



But how much of that actually turns into closed business?



It all depends on the quality of the referral.



I would rather receive one quality referral than a dozen that simply state that they gave out my card. So when is a good time to give a referral?



I would suggest that a good time to give a referral is when you have a person with a specific problem who needs a solution.



We all know that the philosophy of Givers Gain really does work....if you give referrals then you will get them in return. It is just that simple.



Referrals v. Leads



Referrals involve three people and a bit of work.

Leads involve only two people and little work.



Referrals involve the Donor (giver of the referral), Recipient (receiver of the referral) and Client.

Leads involve the Recipient and the Client only.



Referrals happen when the Donor has mutual respect and friendship with the Recipient, believes in the credibility of the service offered and has absolute trust in the outcome of the referral.

Leads are blind faith that a sale will be made. Throwing a dart and hoping it will stick.



When you give quality referrals you refer more than just the business. Your reputation with the Client is too important to risk on someone who won't deliver on their promises. That is why you need to get to know the members as well as you can. How can you know whom to refer if you don't know what they do?



How to give a Qualified Referral



First, know who the potential Client is. It is not enough to simply hand a business card to someone. You need to take the time to find out from that person what their problem is in order to offer a solution and to direct your referral to the right member.


Second, know that when you make a referral you refer more than just the business. You are not only representing the skills and experience of your BNI referral partners but your own reputation. The Client will hold the you the Donor responsible for the outcome of the referral as much as the Recipient.



Third, referrals demand a lot of effort to be successful. But the benefits outweigh the costs. As a Donor you need to not only identify the potential Client, but you have a duty to properly qualify them and then selling the Recipient so well that they seem like the only show in town. That effort, if done well, will make the whole process a no brainer.



When you give a properly qualified referral it is a win-win-win situation. You will win a reputation as someone who can be trusted to help find solutions....your Client will win by having a great service or product that will serve to make their life easier....your Recipient wins by building their business and building trust in you.



Working Words of Wisdom

"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that you will do things differently." ~ Warren Buffet

Referral Slips - Not Just A Door Prize Drawing

Adapted from Kevin S. Taylor "Referral Slips - BNI Tools of the Trade"

Is there such a thing as a BAD REFERRAL?

Of course there is!

A referral is bad when it is not complete, not focused and not qualified.

We need to do a little getting back to basics. And the most basic of all components in the world of BNI is the referral slip.

Over time, even the most seasoned BNI groups can lose sight of the fundamentals. Obviously, one of the most important concepts in referral marketing is the referral itself. So, today I am focusing on what constitutes a referral and reviewing the proper way to fill out a BNI referral slip.

A referral slip is perhaps the most important BNI ‘tool of the trade’. It is why members spend hundreds of hours each year networking in BNI. So, it is one of the most critical concepts to understand. But what happens when you receive a referral slip that is only half-heartedly filled out? You may lose out on some business from someone, but more importantly, if you passed a poor referral, you may risk your relationship with the group.

Our Vice President, Doug Omernick, will agree with me that for a referral slip to be counted, it must be completed properly. This means that contact information must be included. Sometimes it is not opportune to have all the information filled out, but the more the better. It is not enough to label the to as "Rick" and the from as "Tom" since we have several of them in the group. And writing legibly and clearly is important. The pink copy is the one that our Vice President uses to enter the information, and we need to be kind to him and make it easy for him to do that.

A referral slip with the words, “I will get back to you with the information” is simply not yet a referral and should not be counted as such. I actually have a referral slip from early on in my time in BNI that simply says that a customer stopped in the store and that my card was given. I have no contact information, I do not know the nature of their needs and I don't even know if the person who gave this to me actually spoke to the person. For all I know the member may have only witnessed the person taking my card. That is not a referral that I want. I keep this referral slip to remind me that I do not wish to have that sort of referral given to me, so I need to make sure that I am not giving referrals like that.

Next, we need to make sure we are using the thermometer properly. Consider the referral thermometer as a measure of the level of introduction. For instance, If I mention a name in passing and the person is expecting a call, the level is a one. If I follow-up with a testimonial and strong recommendation, it may be a 2 or 3. If I continue with a telephone introduction, that may be a 3 or 4. If I go with someone on a sales call to the referral, that would be a five.
Knowing the level of introduction is important for someone being referred. No one wants to call on a referral and have the person at the other end of the phone say, “Who are you?” In BNI, we try to give referrals at level 3 or above. Anything less than a one is simply a lead … and we do not give leads in BNI. We give bona fide, qualified referrals.

Finally, if you are receiving referral slips that are not up to your standards for referrals, please take that matter up directly with the person who gave the referral. There have been some instances where conerned parties have come to our Vice President or one of the other board positions to complain. But it is up to you to make sure that you are educating the group effectively on the aspects of your business that are most important so that they can make an informed referral for you. You owe it to each other and yourselves to make the most out of that little referral slip.

Working Words of Wisdom

"Today I will do what others won't so tomorrow I cn accomplish what others can't."
~Jerry Rice

What's that you say? The Three C's of Effective Communication

{This post is inspired by an article on Entrepreneur.com by Gail Goodwin, CEO of Constant Contact}

With the way the world is today, there is a certain sense of desperation among business in trying to do too much. If you try to be all things to all people you will not be anything useful to anyone at anytime! Casting a wider net in the hopes of landing the big fish will not net you what you seek. You need to focus and your communications will help you do that.

Gail Goodman, CEO of Constant Contact, had an article on Entrepreneur.com that addressed the Three C's of Effective Communication. I would like to synthesize those for you.

We all know that with the dwindling pool of resources that consumers are being pickier than ever with where they choose to spend their money. That's right. I said choose. They have the power in their hands and it is not enough anymore to simply assume that consumers will need whatever widget you are selling. You have to communicate the benefits of your widget to make them choose you.

Let's take a look at 3 C's of Effective Communication (thanks to Gail Goodman):

Crisp and Clear

If you were stuck in an elevator with a potential client (and aren't they all potential clients?) could you descrive what you do in your particular field in 30 seconds or less? Our weekly Sales Manager Moments should help you hone that skill, but it is still a good thing to practice. When you are "communicating" your brand, are you doing it in a way that makes the potential client want to run away from sheer boredom? We all know that if you are excited about your brand you can go on and on and on...but that is not necessarily a good thing. According to Gail Goodwin, "Being crisp is about telling people what you do in as few words as possible--and using that same crisp message in written marketing materials."

Customer-Centric

Your business is not about you, it is about your customers and finding solutions to their problems. Tell them that. Show them that they are the focus of your business. When they know that you are focused on their needs and not your own sales goals, they will be more likely to buy from you. Of course you have experience and knowledge, but what is that going to do for them?

Gail Goodwin says, "People need convincing as to why they should spend their limited dollars with you. Your story should focus on how your products or services benefit customers--written from a "what's in it for them?" perspective. When you make your story your customer's story, your marketing materials practically write themselves." Exactly!

Consistent

Okay...so you have crafted a 30 second crisp and clear statement and focused on the customers, now what? One of the biggest mistakes that I have seen companies make is that they are not consistent with their message (the company I work for is one such beast). This in turn sends mixed signals to your clients. And if they are getting mixed signals they won't know who to trust and they may move on.

Gail Goodman says, "[Make] sure you tell it consistently in your e-mails, on your website, in print materials, via the internet and in any other advertising and marketing media."

Every single piece to your puzzle should reinforce your position as a problem-solver for your clients. Grab every opportunity you get to make your message clear.

"Communications that are crisp, clear, customer-centric and consistent are more likely to bring in and keep customers during tough times and in the better days ahead," Gail concludes.

Here are a few parting tips on effective communication from Gail Goodman:

• Communicate more frequently, but make a direct sales pitch less often.
• Offer things of value for free. For example, offer hints and tips in your e-mail newsletter or a downloadable report when customers subscribe to your mailing list from your website. When you give expertise away for free, business usually follows.
• Communicate from the heart. Use e-mail and surveys to ask customers about how the economy is affecting their purchasing decisions and anything else that's on their minds. Tell them you're in this together and ask them to write about their positive success stories. Then share those in your newsletter.

Working Words of Wisdom:

"The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place." ~George Bernard Shaw

Make a Difference

sponsor \ˈspän(t)-sər\ n.
1: one who assumes responsibility for some other person or thing
2: a person or an organization that pays for or plans and carries out a project or activity


What is the best way to make a difference and help yourself get ahead at the same time?


I got my start in designing jewelry by donating items to silent auctions of charities that I supported. I reasoned that they could get more from my donation than I would give them as cash. And I reasoned that I would be able to show my work to a wider audience and have them remember me when they might be in need of something that I could help them with.


I have actually had people tell me that they would never give away their services or product as much as I do. And people who have told me that they get too many requests for donations. But I have not been disappointed by my choice. On the contrary, I have great name recognition in this community and a perception that I am willing to help.


This past weekend we had several of our own BNI Point To Success members hosting events and so that got me thinking about how that is a great way to not only network but market. By either hosting an event or sponsoring an event you increase the potential exposure for your business, if it is done well.

It doesn't make sense to sponsor an event that you have no ties to. If you are interested in sponsoring an event, choose carefully what that event might be and how much time, talent and treasure you are willing to put into it. Consider the following:

• What is the target market for the event? How closely do they represent the target market that you are attracting?


• What kind of exposure can you get for your investment? Can you get that same exposure without the investment?


• Do you need to be at the event? Or can your name be enough?


• Are there any other sponsors? If so, are any of them a competitor?


• Do you have a goal for being there?


• Why wouldn't you do it?

Case in point....

When Rick Oppermann of Sugar Cubed indicated that he wanted to hold an event to celebrate his two years in business, the members of our Mastermind Power Team jumped on board. We all brainstormed various possibilities. Ultimately, Rick chose to involve many of the downtown businesses that have been so supportive of his business in a treasure hunt that would benefit them all, culminating in free chocolate (who doesn't love that?). He was practicing the Giver's Gain philosophy by encouraging patrons to visit those businesses during the event.

For my part, his event made sense to me and attracted the same sort of people who could be my potential clients. I jumped in to offer a custom piece of jewelry aptly titled "Moonstruck" to the event. In essence, I became a sponsor of his event. My only request was that he raffle off the piece with the proceeds going to a charity of his choice. Now we are helping the Central Wisconsin Children's Museum by raising money, Rick's clients have the opportunity to win a piece of original jewelry, and my name is on all the flyers. It is a win-win-win situation.

Helping to sponsor Rick's event enhances our relationship because I am helping Rick meet a goal. And someday when I am sponsoring my own event, Rick might be inclined to help me out. It is like putting a "deposit" in a "relationship bank account" and that generous donation could certainly come back to grow my own business in time. That is the giver's gain way.

Working Words of Wisdom:

"What you do makes a difference and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make."

Toot! Toot!

Hello, Tom. How's it going?

Uh, okay, I guess.

What's new?

Not much really.

How's business?

Things are great!

If you are like most people, when you are asked these questions, you give these very pat answers. The problem is that you are sending a disastrous message to the questioner that will prohibit them from passing quality referrals to you.

Take a minute to think about these responses above. They usually mean one of two things. Either you are (a) doing really great, or (b) everything is lousy, but you want people to believe that things are great.

But if you could read the mind of the person who asked the questions, you might find that they believe that you are too busy for a referral and promptly take their business elsewhere. And it all stems from the impression you give through the answers to these very standard questions.

In his book The 29% Solution, Dr. Misner advocates the practice of "horn tooting." Do not confuse horn tooting with bragging. When you brag you are boastful and pompous and arrogant without any regard for anyone but yourself. But horn tooting is an art that you should well practice. According to Dr. Misner, "Horn tooting is simply making positive, factual statements about your business in a way that highlights your successes while leaving the door open for new clients."

Consider these more positive horn tooting statements for my own business, Tesori Trovati:

How's it going?

Things are picking up for me now that I have been in six straight months of Bead Trends magazine.

What's new?

I just came back from three days at the world's largest bead expo and took four classes in 48 hours. I'm excited to try new techniques in my jewelry.

How's business?

I was just invited to be one of the core group of 25 artists at Gallery Q artists' cooperative in downtown Stevens Point, and I expect that opportunity will open new avenues to sell my work.

These alternate responses can help me grow my business in three ways:
(1) Informing the questioner of my accomplishments in a positive, not bragging, manner.
(2) Providing information that can be repeated easily by the questioner on my behalf.
(3) Letting the questioner know how they can help me grow my business.

This week, try to come up with two answers to these three questions:

(1) How's it going?
(2) What's new?
(3) How's business?

Now commit them to memory. Be prepared to represent your business positively while still inviting opportunities. Remember, it is all in the delivery.

After all, if you don't toot your own horn, who will?

Working Words of Wisdom:
"I like thinking big. If you're going to be thinking anything, you might as well think big."
~ Donald Trump

Take a Walk on the Blog Side, Part III

Remember when I said that a blog is a dialogue? Not only do I encourage you to read other blogs out there in your industry or for your personal development, but I would encourage you to take the time to comment.

If you were reading here last week, you would have seen a call to action... a Point To Success challenge. The only one who took me up on the challenge was Troy Aeby of Duralum. Congratulations Troy! Your comment earned you a ticket into a drawing of one...and a pair of pearl earrings from Tesori Trovati...and two truffles from Sugar Cubed!

Bloggers thrive on the comments from their readers. We are all hoping that the readers will not only come to visit our little corner in the blog-dom, but we hope that what we have said will resonate with them enough to inspire a comment. When I write a post I have a plan....all my posts begin with a title to entice the reader, a quote to intrigue the reader and a post that ends with a call to action. Specifically, I will ask the reader a question related to the post so that I can ensure that there is a thoughtful answer. While I am happy that people stop by, I am happier when I receive a comment that tells me the reader is paying attention and stirred to action by what I have to say. Leaving comments like, "Hey, nice post today!" are really not effective.

There are some benefits from taking the time to write insightful comments. Most of my 67 followers on Treasures Found have leapfrogged to my blog from other seemingly unrelated blogs that I have taken the time to post an intriguing comment on.

Just yesterday I received a comment from Dr. Liara Covert from New Zealand. How did she find me? By clicking on my name in the comments of a daily inspirational blog called "The Jungle of Life." So now I have started an email conversation with Dr. Covert halfway around the world. And she is not the only one who has reached out to me from across the globe...I have regular readers/commenters from New Zealand, Australia, Poland, Nigeria, UK/Wales, France and Germany...and that doesn't include the North American reach that I have. And each time that I write I use it as an opportunity to further my brand. They may never buy something from me, but then again, they might.

Another benefit I have found is that all the comments I have made, if I sign them as Tesori Trovati, land me on search engines. Ever Googled yourself? I have found links to all sorts of comments I have made on other blogs. This exposure helps my company to grow in the search engine rankings as well.


If done correctly, a blog can attract a dedicated audience to your brand. How many of you wouldn't want that on a regular basis? So how can you boost your business with a blog and accelerate your online success?

1. Humanize your brand.
We all want people to be our clients. But blogs create a familiarity with a company and the author that borders on friendship. And that connection is what turns consumers into friend-sumers. Blogs should be written in your unique voice and give your brand a human face, this in turn assures your readers that there is a real person who cares about their needs. Promoting your company, product or service by creating a blog that features how-to advice, news and other information of interest to customers makes them want to follow you in turn they can post testimonials, feedback, questions and comments, plus participate in surveys. By taking an informal, non-sales approach, you can interact with customers, gain useful feedback and build an online audience that can ultimately be directed to your company's main website. And that blog allows you to put your personality into your brand much more personally than any website will do.

2. Provide exceptional customer service.
Think of your blog as an interactive FAQ as your customers can submit questions and you can answer them. Each post can share information of relevance to your customers through how-to articles and behind the scenes facts. And by showing that you have a commitment to carrying on a dialogue with your customers, prospective clients will be encouraged that you are providing good customer service.

3. Increase your credibility.
A blog is an ideal tool to position yourself as an expert in you field by sharing your thoughts, knowledge, experience and insight. Obtaining expert status can increase your earning potential, and help attract new customers. When you provide a well-written, regularly updated blog, you will build a following of loyal readers who will come to see you as a reliable source of good content. And with the built in archiving feature of blogs, by date and category, it will be easy for you to post new content on a regular basis and easy for your visitors to jump to the information that they want to find. And if they believe in you as an expert, they will feel more confident to buy from you.

4. Gain more exposure.
A website is essential to your company's image, but a blog can boost your traffic levels. When new visitors come to your blog, it is important to have your website prominently displayed so that they can hop over to check out the main sales website. You can entice the readers with links and even special offers. And it should work both ways. You should have a link on your website that takes visitors to your blog. Just as you should always sign emails and letters and even your business card with your name, company, website, email and blog. Never lose that opportunity to connect.

5. Promote your products or services...with a whisper.
There are some out there that use a blog as little more than a thinly veiled attempt to get you to buy something. I don't put much stock in those. I don't regularly follow the blogs that a just a steop up from a telemarketing call. Sure, I have come there voluntarily but I will just as surely leave when confronted by post after post touting the products or services as the best. And that is not positioning yourself as an expert and giving me something to think about. Rather, I prefer those that show the process behind the creation, the methods used in manufacturing, the thing that sets the raw materials apart from the rest....in other words, show don't tell. If you show me why your products are worth buying I will more likely buy from you. On my own blog I made a conscious decision that it would never be used to sell. Instead I prefer to focus on the inspiration behind a piece of jewelry or the technique that sets my work apart. I have driven customers to my website and more importantly engaged them in a personal conversation that has led to a custom creation. They want to buy from me when they see how I go about it and what makes me differnt. That is how I promote my products and services with a whisper.

6. Generate extra income.
A blog can be monetized using the advertising programs that are already in place in the blogosphere. Google AdSense is one such program, and each blogging platform will have another. I personally have chosen not to clutter up my blog with ads from other companies. I feel that my readers deserve that from me and I know they appreciate that sincerity that I am there for them not to make a buck.

Once you have decided to host a blog (and I hope that I have given you something to think about in that regard), you need to decide if you would like to host the blog in your own website environment or in an externally hosted server. Just pick whatever is best for your commitment level, talent with all things technical and corporate structure. Posting content to any blog platform is generally very easy, but maintaing it yourself can be a challenge, so choose a platform that fits your budget and level of technical experience.

Free developer-hosted platforms: Easy to use, low-cost or no-cost options that will have you setting up and launching a blog in as little as 5 minutes. Some even have features that allow you to customize aspects of your blog's appearance, address and functionality.

Try these:
Blogger.com
Wordpress.com
Blog.com
Vox.com
Typepad.com
Livejournal.com

Premium developer-hosted platforms: You will pay for premium features for a developer to host and maintain your company's blog. They will likely have online tools to customize the functionality and look of the blog. Those listed above will surely have options to pay for the premium features while still being hosted on these external sites.

Stand-alone platforms: The greatest degree of customization will be with stand-alone versions that you host on your website yourself, but this will also require the greatest degree of technical expertise. Usually, you will need to consult with a website developer to integrate this effectively into your blog, but there are platforms out there that allow you to use their software to host your blog yourself. You will need to manage your own domain name and troubleshoot on your own, but sometimes that might be worth that added cost.

Building that blog may take only a few minutes, but developing that blog into a living, breathing extension of your brand will take more time and thought. Isn’t that a risk that you are willing to take? Who here doesn't see the value in reaching out to your clients and connecting with them on a personal level all while positioning yourself as a subject matter expert and encouraging them to not only buy from you, but carry on a dialogue that will lead them to become your friend?

Take a walk on the blog side with me....and let me know by your comments how it works for you!

Working Words of Wisdom:

(in honor of my son hitting his very first out of the park homerun last week!)

“Progress always involves risks.
You can't steal second base and keep your foot on first.”
~Frederick B. Wilcox

Take a Walk on the Blog Side, Part II

If a website is your brand's face, a blog is like the intellect.

A good website is like the storefront...you can have the cleanest stoop and the most dazzling window displays and a clearly placed sign, but once that customer walks through the door, they are not likely to stay if you never speak to them, or tell them all about your goods, or show them that you have a unique passion for your product or service and convince them that they cannot leave without buying something.

Once you entice people in with your branded website, then what?

As mentioned before, a blog is less like a diary and more like a book. But one that can engage and encourage your clients in ways that you may never have thought.

That is why a blog can be called the intellect.

Since I started researching this topic a week and a half ago, there have been two more articles written on the Entrepreneur.com website alone. One just yesterday titled, "Recruit a Virtual Sales Force With Your Blog." Sounds intriguing, right?

Mark Stevens writes that "catching a virus can be the best thing you can do for your business." What?! (Don't get excited, Hugh!) He is talking about the phenomenon of viral messaging in the whole social networking craze. The kind that rolls out like a growing wave reaching tsunami heights. The kind that happens when one person tells two friends who each tell two more friends...and they all are talking about how great your blog is and posting links on their blog and writing about you and your products and...well...doing the viral marketing for you. That is gold. You don't have to know how they find you to know that it is great and it works. You just need to be ready to pan the prospects.

While the website you have created might entice someone in the virtual door, it is what you do for them while they are there that makes them want to stay and, more importantly, come back and bring friends. So think of a blog as a way to connect on a personal level with every one who comes to your virtual storefront.

To be effective, a blog needs to be these things:

Educational not Commercial. This is not the place to sell everything for $9.99 or posting obvious sales pitches like that guy who screams at you on t.v. about everything from insurance to laundry soap. Blogs are a conversation, not a commercial. You need to inform your clients and show them the reasons why they should buy from you. Remember that you are the Subject Matter Expert (SME) and you have a lot to say about your product or service to those who are listening. That being said, you need to stay on message and keep building that brand with every word you write. But there are plenty of ways to show and not tell that get your message across while taking advantage of that teachable moment when you have them reading.

Compelling. We are bombarded daily by things to read every where we turn. So keep that in mind when you write. I believe that people are seeking community and will come back time and again if you are seen as writing something worth reading. You will be surprised at how much you have to say. It doesn't have to be long, and it helps to have pictures to support your writing. But there are all sorts of industry-specific updates and even your own personal insights and customer testimonies that are important to your target audience and can give you a boost in keyword search engine rankings.

And once you start making connections you might find that someone else is a great ambassador for your brand and can be called upon to write a guest post or regular column. Or how about switching perspectives with others in your company to keep the voices fresh? I am currently a contributing editor at the Watch Me Create blog and I will be doing four guest posts in the month of June for the Art Bead Scene blog. Each time I post to one of these blogs, I find that I get a spike in readership and new commenters. But the best part is that people like what they read and sign up to be a regular follower. Today I am at 63. Last week I had only 54. Pretty good for only posting once last week.

Frequent & Timely. I know people who write a blog post a day. Usually, they are really short posts that are fun to read, but that sort of pressure might just be too much for most. I personally have a Blogging Without Obligation button that basically frees me from feeling that it is necessary to stick to a hard schedule. I have an imaginary schedule, but it is pretty loose and based on the fact that something needs to spark my creativity for me to write about it. A blog is a periodical. If you only write once a month, why bother. You do have to keep to some sort of timeline, and I have found that once or twice a week is ideal. Too much and you are saturated. Too little and people won't let the door hit them on the way out as they seek inspiration elsewhere.

Exuding Your Distinct Voice. I asked several people why they haven't considered a blog. Several said that they don't have time (you don't have time to connect personally with your clients and potential customers?! Really!?), but most often I was told that they felt they couldn't write. You are the greatest ambassador of your brand, and your clients deserve to hear from you. It will personalize and humanize the experience of buying from you. From Derek Gehl at Entrepreneur.com, "You don't need to be a brilliant writer; you just need to be able to relate to your audience and give them good content."

For my own blog, I decided against making it merely a sales pitch for the latest creation that I made and instead focus on the mantra "inspiration is everywhere." I have found that there are a lot of people who are seeking connectivity on that very subject, and there is infinitely more to write about than just what beads I used in a piece. From there they see my creative process and a finished piece. I actually do get a lot of requests for purchase, and I try to connect with every regular follower through email as well, and some of the leads have turned into sales or sales-in-progress. All because I regularly share my passion and knowledge as a SME, and I have enticed people with my content and easy conversational style. They want to comment. They follow me. They come back. And they bring friends. And that is the sort of virus that I don't mind catching.

While you can start a blog in as little as five minutes, to truly be effective and to keep people coming back again and again takes a lot longer. But armed with a little thought and effort you can turn your blog into a strategic tool that drives traffic and sales to your online and in person business in a uniquely compelling manner.

I have heard it said that there are too many blogs in the world. I agree. Everyone with a soap box and a keyboard can have one. But really there aren't enough great blogs. If you keep those tips in mind, you cannot help but having one of the greats. (And I promise to be one of your first followers!)

Point to Success Challenge:

Let's start the dialogue!
I will give away a pair of Tesori Trovati pearl earrings to one lucky commenter this week.

Rules:

• Must be a member of the BNI Point To Success chapter.


• Must leave a comment on this post related to the challenge below.


• Must tell me what blog you found (just cut and paste a link in the comments).


• Must tell me why you like this blog that you found.


• The following blogs, while great examples, do not count since I have used them as examples in my article: Treasures Found, Watch Me Create, Art Bead Scene, Motivation Manager and Entrepreneur.com

Find at least one blog in the next week that you would enjoy reading regularly, whether for personal or professional reasons, and start reading their current and past posts. Make sure to add an insightful comment at least once on that particular blog. And leave a comment here to let me know that you are part of the conversation!

I will pick a winner on Tuesday, May 26th for our next meeting!

Working Words of Wisdom:

"I will prepare and someday my chance will come."
~ Abraham Lincoln

Take a Walk on the Blog Side, Part I

"In today’s environment, hoarding knowledge ultimately erodes your power. If you know something very important, the way to get power is by actually sharing it."
~Joseph Badaracco

Quick survey:

• Who here has a website?
• Who is on Facebook? Twitter? LinkedIn?
• Who here has a blog?

If you don’t have one, why not?

Everyone knows that you need to have a website. But websites are not that easy to set up, cost a lot in hosting and maintenance fees and are not that simple for the average user to update. However, they are as essential to business as the business card and I am not denying how important that they are. I don’t know about you, but I am a website snob. I see a lot of them every day and I know what I like and what I don’t like. And when a business doesn’t have at least some sort of web presence, I find myself not believing that they are at all real.

So why not start a blog?

On Entrepreneur.com I found dozens of articles written about harnessing the power of blogs to grow your business. In fact, one of them was published just today, May 11th and I will add that information to a future installment.

First, a little crash course..

BLOG is an abbreviation of “web log” since they started essentially as a diary. A diary is a monologue, never intended for others to read (and if you had an older sister, you know exactly what I am talking about if you ever happened to break the rickety lock and read her darkest secrets…you realized quickly that no one would really want to read it!) That is exactly what I thought a blog was about…self-centered, weepy losers with too much time on their hands ranting about whatever irks them the most or telling the most inane details of their daily life….

When people suggested that I should start a blog, I admit I was skeptical. Who would want to read what I have to say? Why would they care? What would I possibly have to write about on a regular basis that might be even remotely interesting? When I started, I didn’t even use the “b-word” as I felt there was that stigma attached to it and I wanted my writing to be more than just mindless chatter about what I had for dinner or even what the latest and greatest bead that I found to use. So I set out with a mission, a direction and a plan for how to get there.

A BLOG is actually more like a BOOK. If you were to write a book to promote your ideas, position yourself as a subject matter expert and share your unique expertise, you would find a way to take it on a book tour (like our friend Tom Girolamo). A blog can help you to connect with the thousands of people in the world who are seeking your ideas, your expert perspective and community with like-minded individuals. Blogs are all about building community and it is a great way to go on a virtual book tour without leaving home. And there are millions of people who are seeking what you have to say. Trust me. Now you just need to say it. And that goes back to having a mission, a direction and a plan for how to get there.

For my path to blogging, I started by seeking out blogs, and to my surprise they were everywhere! And they were good! I also ordered a great publication called Artful Blogging to which I now subscribe. This magazine is a primer on how to make your blog stand out from the crowd, and although it is targeted to creative types, the suggestions and examples would help anyone interested in starting their own blog.

There are some who will tell you that you shouldn’t waste your time blogging because it cannot be monetized and therefore is not helpful to growing your business. I will tell you that is dead wrong. How can it be wrong to connect with an ever-changing community of people who are carrying on a dialogue with you on the subject that you are most passionate and excited about? You never know where the next great opportunity will find you and I can tell you that they can come from all around the world with a blog. And they can actually be monetized to even make a little money on the side while you sit back and keep doing what you are doing. But more on that at a later time…..

So, why should you jump on the blog band wagon? In just a few short years, blogging has taken cyber-space by storm. According to Entrepreneur.com there are an estimated 175,000 new blogs and more than 1.6 million blog updates online every day. So, should your small business start a blog? I say yes, and over the next few installments I will tell you why. But here are a few good reasons why you should consider blogging….

• Blogs cost little, if any, money, are extremely easy to create and maintain and you can do this with virtually no training required.
• Blogs allow your business to appear more alive and approachable giving your company a personal voice which can boost customer loyalty.
• Blogs can help you gain insight into your customer’s needs and interests which you can use to develop products or services or simply fine-tune the ones you have.
• Blogs allow you to engage with current and potential customers in a direct, informal, no-pressure way.

Stay tuned for more tips on how to use a blogs and other social media to your advantage to be successful.

After all, you are a subject matter expert in your field and in our BNI Point to Success Chapter. You have something unique to say. Why not share it with the world?

And if you are a member of the BNI Point To Success chapter and you are reading this...please leave a comment on your thoughts so that we can continue the dialogue that this blog is meant to be....

Working Words Of Wisdom:

"Sharing knowledge is not about giving people something, or getting something from them…Sharing knowledge occurs when people are genuinely interested in helping one another develop new capacities for action; it is about creating learning processes."
~Peter Senge