Why are business cards one of our best selling products? I think it’s because of the quality of our cards quite simply. The quality for the value can’t be beat. Many businesses get their cards online from places like Vistaprint… and their cards aren’t terrible, but they’re also not professional. They look nice from a distance, but up close in your hand Vistaprint’s products are a little flimsy and cheap feeling. A lot of other small businesses opt to get their business cards printed from a local print shop. These are great for people who need gold stamping and specialty cards. But for the average Joe who just wants a nice looking branded card on high-quality durable paper stock the local print shops are usually a little pricey. Nice work, but expensive. Vistaprint… low quality and inexpensive. What Commonwealth Creative Marketing does, is take high-quality, durable card stock and print colorful high-end ink digitally onto a UV-coated semi-gloss or non-gloss paper stock. It’s affordable and it looks amazing. Is there any downside? Only that it may take up to a week to fulfill an order because quality takes time. So if you have a week to wait, we’ll save you money and deliver you a top-notch business card product you’ll keep coming back for. Count on CCM for the best business cards in Virginia Beach.

You can learn more about our business card options and pricing by visiting CCM’s business card page.

There are basically two reasons to blog. 1. You want people to read what you wrote about a topic. 2. You want to help increase your site’s SEO and traffic. Personally, I could almost care less if anyone read my blog. I blog for SEO purposes mainly. So how do you blog for SEO?

Well, the first step in blogging for SEO purposes is to write blog posts that people will want to read. That’s right… do the exact other reason for blogging I just mentioned. That’s the first step you can take. If you write on a topic that people will want to learn about, or read about, you’re much more likely that people will stay on your blog and read it. But most importantly, by writing something well about a topic, you’re thereby creating content on the web that is relevant to a specific topic. This builds credibility on the topic with search engines like Google, therefore making your blog post much more likely to be indexed as a relevant link for the keywords your blog is about.

Now that you’ve written a blog post about a topic that you want to rank for in the search engines there are other things you need to do to optimize it. I recommend using a WordPress Blog because they’re the easiest to optimize for SEO and they already come with features and plugins that can help you out. Start by giving your blog post a title that contains your keyword phrase. For example I want my site to rank for people searching on SEO blogging, so hence the name of this blog post.

Next, (and write this down… it’s an important one) be sure to create one keyword hyperlink somewhere in your post. Make it link to your homepage, or another page on your website as long as it’s a page that is relevant to the keyword. For example, right now as a web designer in the Virginia Beach area, I’m trying to increase my presence on search engines for the keyword phrase web design Virginia Beach, so I’ve made it a point to create a link in this blog for ‘web design Virginia Beach’. What does this do? When Google bot crawls the web it will crawl my blog post and see I’ve associated a link for web design Virginia Beach with my website. Google now deems my site a little more relevant for that search term because another link now exists pointing to it for that term. This is something you want to do for your own keyword term of focus just one time per blog post. Don’t put a ton of different links in a single post. Search engines are very wise and they’ll see this as being spammy. They don’t like that. You’ll be better off building up your internal blog link-building over time by making a relevant keyword link once per blog or so where it makes sense. Also, (a little tip)… Don’t just make the keyword phrase a link… also give it a title of the same keyword term.  For example your hyperlink code should look like this: <a href=”http://ccm-web.com” title=”web design virginia beach”>web design Virginia Beach</a>.

There are two more things you need to do. WordPress gives you the ability to categorize and add tags to your blog posts. Create a list of “Categories” to choose from. These should include the usual subjects that you blog about. I blog about Marketing, Web Design, SEO and Printing a lot… so those are some of my categories that I choose from. If you guessed that I categorized this post you’re reading now as an “SEO” blog, than you’re picking up quickly. Lastly there are tags. This is where you can add really specific keywords that you want your blog post to show up for. But similarly to the links… you definitely don’t want to go overboard with the amount of tags you use in a blog post. Use 1-4 tags. Preferably about 2 unless your blog honestly pertains to a bunch of things. You can create a new tag every time you blog, but WordPress is smart enough to remember the tags you use the most often and shows those to you to simply click on to tag. For another example, I’m going to create a tag called “Blogging for SEO” and a tag called “WordPress Blogs and SEO” for this particular post.

So that’s it in a nutshell. Remember: Write a well-written post on a topic that you want to be known for. Give it a good title that includes the important keyword phrase. Add a text hyperlink to your main url from within your blog post’s content. Give that link a title=”" tag. Properly categorize your blog post with a Category that pertains to it. Tag your blog with the top 2 or 3 keywords that are relevant to your post that you want it to show up for.

Oh… and one more important bit of advice before I wrap this up. Please, Please, Please… Don’t forget to proof read your blogs. There’s nothing worse than trying to look credible on a topic while sounding like you can’t write using basic grammar. In fact, that can be pretty detrimental to your efforts. So please take a minute or two to read over what you wrote. If you’re not a good writer/speller and you know it, there’s nothing wrong with admitting that to yourself. Have a friend or coworker proofread your post for you before posting. A second set of eyes is always a good thing!

Good luck with your SEO blogging and blog away! These practices over time will help push your site up in the rankings for your keyword terms.

-Marc

The Commonwealth of Virginia is a great place to do business because it’s a fairly easy state to operate in with fair tax rates. Some states make it more difficult, a few may make it easier, but very few states offer the diverse demographics and geographical beauty, options and cultural diversity that Virginia does, making it an ideal grounds for clientele for any business. Whether you’re thinking of starting a new business in Virginia Beach, Richmond, Fairfax, Roanoke, Danville or Abington, it’s all basically the same. The following is a helpful list of things that you’ll need to do in order to succeed in your entrepreneurial endeavor.

1. Write a business plan.
2. Know your competition.
3. Develop a Marketing plan.
4. Identify what “kind” of business license you should have.
5. Come up with a budget.
6. Market your business.

1. Write a Business Plan

Why are you going into business? What will you sell? How will you sell it? What makes you different? Why are you special? How do you want to be seen in the marketplace? From whom will you get your supplies? What will you offer that will make people come back for more? What is your budget? (see budget below, later). Write out about a 3 pages business plan. Identify the basics and what’s important, but don’t get too in depth with it, spending weeks and months formulating it. The reason why you shouldn’t is because your business will naturally change and evolve every few months for about 3 years until it settles into what you will eventually become.

2. Know Your Competition

Who are your biggest competitors? Are you doing business locally or nationally? Regionally? Identify who the big cats are that are out there as well as some of the smaller players. Sometimes it’s the other small guys that are really the biggest poachers of your business to watch out for. What are they doing that you should and shouldn’t be doing? Know your enemy! But don’t think of competition as your enemy. Competition is what makes capitalism thrive. Competition drives us all. In fact, you’ll probably find that some of your competitors might actually send you a ton of business! Whether it’s the fact that they are so terrible at what they do that their customers come flocking to you because they’ve heard better things, or it’s that your competitor might not offer one of the things that you offer and vice versa, so you two end up referring business to each other. Both of those things happen to me on a regular basis and I’m grateful for it.

3. Develop a Marketing Plan

You’re going to need a name, a logo, a website, business cards, maybe shirts, promotional items and so on. But you’re going to need advertising too. Identifying a budget for advertising is usually very difficult for a start-up. You’ve just sunk all your money into getting the business going, now there’s not much to throw at advertising. The good news is there’s a secret. Networking. Get out there and meet people. Join your local chapter of BNI, or any referral group. You can even find a ton of local groups on Linkedin in your area such as Entrepreneurs of Southeast Virginia for example. Join associations and business-related clubs. This is a cost-effective way to meet people who will refer you business. You can also develop a program where you pay people for referrals if you want. Sometimes that works.

Set aside some money for a quality website, an SEO link-building campaign and the occasional media run. This is what’s important in the first year or two of your business. But plan it from the beginning. If you’re unsure of what types of marketing you should be doing for your type of business, call up a small business marketing consulting company such as Commonwealth Creative Marketing, located in Virginia. They’ll help you identify what you need to do.

4. What Kind of Business Should You Be?

You’ll need to identify and decide what type of business you want to be structured as. Should you be an LLC, an S-Corp, a proprietorship, Inc, etc? You should talk with an attorney that specializes in business law. Find one that you trust, or that a friend of yours recommends… They’ll know the pro’s and con’s and help steer you in the right direction. Usually they won’t even charge you to help give you some advice on this. What they want is for you to assign them to be the registered agent for your business, which essentially means that they would handle writing your operating agreement and handle the annual renewals to the Virginia State Corporations Commission. Usually this will cost most small businesses less than $300 per year and it is totally worth it. It’s worth it because your time is money and unless you were a business attorney in your prior life, you probably don’t know exactly how to word things and to whom they should be filed with the state and how. Having a solid business attorney as your registered agent is well worth it.

Types of Businesses

There are a lot of options for how you can structure your business, but most SMALL BUSINESSES IN VIRGINIA will opt to form as one of these three:

• LLC (limited liability company) or; LLC-P (limited liability partnership)
• S-Corp (small corporation)

The similarities:
LLCs and S corps have much in common:

• • Limited liability protection. With both, owners are typically not personally responsible for business debts and liabilities.
• • Separate entities. Both are separate legal entities created by a state filing.
• • Pass-through taxation. Both are typically pass-through tax entities, and while S corps must file a business tax return, LLCs only file business tax returns if the LLC has more than one owner. With pass-through taxation, no income taxes are paid at the business level. Business profit or loss is passed-through to owners’ personal tax returns. Any necessary tax is reported and paid at the individual level.
• • Ongoing state requirements. Both are subject to state-mandated formalities, such as filing annual reports and paying the necessary fees.

Differences in ownership and formalities:

Ownership. The IRS restricts S corporation ownership, but not that of limited liability companies. IRS restrictions include the following:

• • LLCs can have an unlimited number of members; S corps can have no more than 100 shareholders (owners).
• • Non-U.S. citizens/residents can be members of LLCs; S corps may not have non-U.S. citizens/residents as shareholders.
• • S corporations cannot be owned by C corporations, other S corporations, LLCs, partnerships or many trusts. This is not the case for LLCs.
• • LLCs are allowed to have subsidiaries without restriction.
  Ongoing formalities. S corporations face more extensive internal formalities. LLCs are recommended, but not required, to follow internal formalities.
• • Required formalities for S corporations include: Adopting bylaws, issuing stock, holding initial and annual director and shareholder meetings, and keeping meeting minutes with corporate records.
• • Recommended formalities for LLCs include: Adopting an operating agreement, issuing membership shares, holding and documenting annual member meetings (and manager meetings, if the LLC is manager-managed), and documenting all major company decisions.

Differences in management:

• • Owners of an LLC can choose to have members (owners) or managers manage the LLC. When members manage an LLC, the LLC is much like a partnership. If run by managers, the LLC more closely resembles a corporation; members will not be involved in the daily business decisions.
• • S corps have directors and officers. The board of directors oversees corporate affairs and handles major decisions but not daily operations. Instead, directors elect officers who manage daily business affairs.

Other differences:
Other differences between S corps and LLCs include:

• • Existence. An S corporation’s existence is perpetual, but some states require LLCs to list a dissolution date in the formation documents. Certain events, such as death or withdrawal of a member, can cause the LLC to dissolve.
• • Transferability of ownership. S corporation stock is freely transferable, as long as IRS ownership restrictions are met. LLC membership interest (ownership) typically is not freely transferable—approval from other members is often required.
• • Self-employment taxes. S corporations may have preferable self-employment taxes compared to the LLC because the owner can be treated as an employee and paid a reasonable salary. FICA taxes are withheld and paid on that amount. Corporate earnings after payment of the salary may be able to be treated as unearned income that is not subject to self-employment taxes. For more information and whether this might apply to your particular situation, please contact your accountant or tax adviser.

Key Advice:

Partnerships with little to no employees:

If you’re a partnership that will not be immediately hiring a bunch of employees but rather paying subcontractors with 1099’s for the forseeable future, you should become a LLC, but elect to be taxed as an S-Corp. This is actually an option that you have. The key advantage to this is that you won’t have to pay any social security tax as a business. If you don’t have a payroll, you don’t need to be paying social security tax as a business. But you’ll still be set up as an LLC in this circumstance which best meets your needs as a partnership with no “actual” employees.

Partnerships with employees:

Become an LLC or an S-Corp. As an LLC, the owners are not considered employees. LLC’s do not pay income tax on earnings as a company. Instead, income is reported to the IRS and each owner or partner is given a From 1065-K which indicate your personal earnings for the year. This form 1065-K is what YOU pay your yearly income tax based on. So as an LLC you’re only responsible for paying taxes on what you earned as an individual whatever that amount may be. As an S-Corp, you have to file your business income taxes yearly.

Not a Partnership:

Become an LLC (not an LLC-P). This way you won’t have to file business taxes with the IRS. You will only have to report your earnings on your personal taxes in most instances. *Consult your CPA and/or business attorney as this is not guaranteed legal advice.

How Do I Pay My Virginia State Tax?

If you are selling tangible goods in the state of Virginia, you must pay the State a 5% tax rate on all items sold (as of 2/1/2013) to the state on a monthly basis. It’s as easy as signing up your business at http://www.tax.virginia.gov and paying by eform ST-9 with a secure online payment from your business bank account each month.
What is sales and use tax exempt in the Virginia? Anything such as website design, graphic design, consulting, advice, repairs, maintenance, and anything that is not a physical good. Physical goods such as business cards, batteries, tires, food, candles and any type of product is subject to 5% Virginia State Sales Tax.

5. What’s Your Budget?

What will your expenses be? What will each sale cost you? How much overhead do you have? What’s the hard cost of a product or service you offer before you sell it? This will determine your profit margins. If your margins are bad, you won’t be in business very long at all. When figuring out your profit margins, always consider the hard cost upfront, taxes and how this fits into your monthly expenses as well such as rent, bills, marketing etc. As long as there’s still some significant profit left over, you’ll be sitting well.

6. Marketing Your Business in Virginia

Marketing may easily be the single most important part of your business. Businesses who develop their branding from the beginning or their existence always tend to do better from a sales and marketing standpoint. Having a nice logo and branding is where it all starts. These days you can’t just think of a name for your business and go from there… You need to consider a few other things when coming up with a name. Is there a domain name available for this name? You probably want a .com domain and those hard to come by nowadays. You don’t want a website that has a neverendingongoingdomainnamewithtonsofwordslikethis.com. You want something that’s short and easy to remember and something that preferably has your name in it as well as what you offer. Think “Daniels Heating & Air” for example. That’s a good name because you can have the domain name www.danielsheatandair.com. But if all the good domains are taken you could be stuck with www.danielsheat-and-airconditioning.com which no one will remember, and radio ads are completely out of the question at that point. So go to www.1and1.com or any popular domain registrar’s website and start looking up domains that would be good for potential business names for your business. Think ahead. It will be worth it!

The next step is coming up with a great logo. You want something that fits your business that will be recognizeable to people. Your logo should contain colors that you like but not too many. You don’t want something too busy or with too much detail. You want a simple, clear, clean, sharp logo that will translate well to shirts, letterhead, signs, business cards, your website, Facebook, pens, you name it. Not just any design will do.

Once you have a logo designed, the rest can fall into place pretty easily. Get yourself some business cards printed from a local Virginia printer like Commonwealth Creative Marketing that does quality work for affordable rates.

No one uses the Yellow Pages anymore, so you’ll need a good website. Your competition already has a strong website with good SEO (search engine optimization), so you’ve immediately got some catching up to do on the web. Start thinking about what you want your site to say about you, what you want your customers to be able to see and do on your website. Plan it out with a web design company in Virginia like Commonwealth Creative Marketing. They can do great design work and build you a site that is makes you look outstanding on the web. Make sure you’re trusting a web designer that knows how to build a site with quality SEO practices. Otherwise you’ll end up with a nice site, but what good is it if no one can find it. Commonwealth Creative Marketing is your best bet for SEO website design in Virginia.

If you are an entrepreneur looking to start a business in Virginia and you have questions or just want to talk to someone who has done it themselves and works with new businesses everyday helping them, please give me a call anytime during the week. I’d love to offer any advice that I have and help you with marketing your new business.

-Marc Bethel,
Owner, Commonwealth Creative Marketing
(757)858-2020

I finally gathered up enough “business experience” in my field that a real, respected Ad Agency deemed me acceptable to hire.  It was a great feeling and I finally felt like I was doing what I’d always wanted to do, working in the environment I’d always wanted to and with the types of people I dreamed about.  What I learned next was that the “Ad Agency World” had problems of its own.  That problem is that when one or two clients go away, so to do employees… practically overnight.  Stability was a problem, and although I felt like I was making a name and a lot of friends and advocates, I still found myself bouncing around from agency to agency for a few years.

During this whirlwind time I had the pleasure of working with clients of all sizes.  Big ones like Wal-Mart, SunTrust, Popeyes and Troy University… and little ones like an MRI/CT Scan office, a local bank and local restaurants.  They were all fun and unique in their own ways, but after a while I found that I preferred the entrepreneurial spirit of the small business owners over the corporate guys who had to dodge mazes of red tape just to decide whether they could answer me honestly or not.

I think the turning point for me was when I was working on the Window World account in 2008.  Window World is a national company with franchisees all over every state in the U.S.  They have a corporate office in North Carolina that I worked with but they didn’t force all their employees to work with us.  They let it be known that the company I worked with was their “preferred” agency and that we had created a fine library of creative print, web, radio and tv spots for them to choose from, but they also left Johnny the entrepreneur in Tucson the freedom to make, and run his own terrible ads featuring him, his son and the family dog.  I kind of liked this philosophy.  Although it would’ve been nice for our pockets if their corporate office forced all their franchisees to spend all their advertising dollars with us, it was rewarding to be working with a company that was willing to let their owners (their livelihood), make their own decisions and succeed or fail on their own.

I really liked talking to these individual entrepreneurs from all over the country, discussing how each of their markets differ and what “would and wouldn’t” work in certain places even when the product was the same in every place.  It was unique.  It was fun.  And the people spoke and breathed with the true American spirit.  They wanted to build their business into a success so that they and their families and children could live a good life.  They were grateful of their opportunities and wanted to make money.  That was it.  They weren’t in it to impress share holders, or to afford 3^rd homes for all the titles that begin with the letter C.  They were normal, hard working people like you and me.  They were small business owners.

Right after I left that job, I started working with Matt, Sarah and company, whom I started my first company with about a year later.  We all shared the same philosophy that small businesses were the ideal client for us to work with.  Small businesses deserved nice marketing, quality websites, and “ad agency” creative, but at a fair price.  Small business website design quickly became a staple of our company, followed by discount printing and search engine optimization for small business.  Every client I talk with is different, but they all have the same entrepreneurial spirit that we share.  And that makes doing business an easy and special thing. Oh, and I get to wear flip flops 9 months out of the year.

-Marc

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Wikipedia defines Public Relations thusly:

public relations plural of pub·lic re·la·tions (Noun)

That said, does Social Media, in particular Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, etc as used for business or non-profit marketing fit that definition?  We think so.  We at Commonwealth Creative Marketing have been utilizing a public relations component in our SEO campaigns for clients for quite some time in the form of reviews as well as social media, and we tend to market social media outsourcing as PR, not as marketing.  Public Relations are supposed to build your positive reputation in the public sphere, build top-of-mind consciousness, and help you retain the customers you already have.  Social Media does all of that very well, through engagement and online conversation, as well as the inevitable sharing that occurs with engaging content.

When you have data that can be fuzzy, that is not Internet marketing, per se; Most marketing avenues have tracking mechanisms in place.  Even billboards have a count of how many cars drive by on any given day!  But it is almost impossible to track whether someone saw your Facebook posting 17 times in their newsfeed, then heard a good word of mouth from a friend, then checked out your website, before they finally called and then purchased.  If you have social media well integrated with your other marketing components, however, you can demonstrate at least some benefit through engagement and feedback, even if you don’t have a hard number of conversions.

So consider taking a PR look at your marketing campaigns, and also consider how social media can best serve you as a public relations piece.

What I keep hearing myself say in response is “the Field of Dreams approach to websites no longer works.  You can build it; it does not mean they will come.”  

I use the Field of Dreams analogy because for a long time I think that is largely what worked, at least for many sites.  Not that SEO did not exist or that quality design and solid keywords did not matter, but 10 years ago, or even 5 years ago, the Internet was not so FULL.  According to DOMO, there are 571 new websites created every minute of every day, and there are over 2 million searches initiated on Google in that same minute.  So yeah, the space is crowded and busy.

Given those types of numbers there are a few things for every business owner of every site to consider, especially my clientele, locally owned small businesses:

1. Search Engine Optimization is no longer a luxury item, it is a must.  You need to have ongoing SEO practices engaged to stay relevant and competitive.  That means actually using analytics to track what is bringing people to your site, what is keeping them on your site, and having specific conversion goals.

2. Content is still king: adding relevant content through blogs, photos, products, comments, etc., must happen on a regular basis.  A static website is a lower ranked website.

3. Social Media is becoming more important when it comes to branding and public relations.  Using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Tumblr, Youtube, etc can help you grow your online footprint and provide links back to your site, which is always the goal.  I am leery of saying it can be a lead generator, although it can and has been for me personally.  But that took months of organic cultivation and a focus on engagement and a willingness to put in the time with no discernible immediate result.

So small business website design not only has to incorporate quality design from the cosmetic and sales and organic perspective, but needs to be adopted with the knowledge that if you build it, you better incorporate SEO and other forms of marketing into your plan if you want the people to come.  It is no longer enough to just be there.

See you on the web!

~Kim

1. Why do you want a new site? To be more specific… Why do you hate your current site? Does it not generate enough leads? Is it too difficult to navigate? Does it look old and boring? There are many, many reasons why someone could need a better site. It’s first understanding what you don’t like about what you have that can lead to finding out what you would rather have. If you don’t have a website there are more reasons to have a site than simply “because we need one”. The key is listing out the REASONS why you need one. Is it to provide information to the public? Is it to educate the public? Is it to capture leads? Is it to sell products? Is it to promote something?

2. Do you need a Content Management System? Since every site’s functionality needs are a little different, so then are the requirements of how the site should best be built. If a client wants a blog on their site, I’m definitely going to build their site in WordPress 9 times out of 10 because it’s easy to use and SEO-friendly for blogs. To be honest I’d probably build almost every site in WordPress if we could. eCommerce, blogging, commenting, logistics and more are all factors that need to be discussed with a designer before coming up with a plan. What is the future of this site? Who will manage it? These are also important questions.

3. What’s your domain name? Don’t have a domain name… well, let’s think of some ideas and find one that’s available. Already own a domain name… well, you should have your domain/DNS account access ready for your designer so that they can easily set the DNS for the new site and take your new site live without any delays. The same applies to your hosting account if your new designer won’t be hosting your new site for you. You’ll need to go and set up your own hosting account. Do this ahead of time so the designer isn’t stuck waiting on you. If you give a designer reasons for delays, they’ll move on to the next project and you’ll be stuck waiting for them. This can turn a 1 week delay into a potential 3 week delay.

4. How do you feel about colors and pictures? You have a logo, right? Is it always a certain color? Well then, that’s definitely going to be one of the main colors on your site. The question is… what other colors look good next to this color and which colors do you like and not like. A good designer can automatically figure this out and present it to you in a mock-up, however the earlier the input on this from a client, the better and smoother the design process will go. Color is something easy to think about when picturing your new website in your head. The same goes for images. Do you like the idea of pictures scrolling across the top or body of your site? Do the pictures have a message with them that you can click on? Or do you imagine a static page with little to no images or movement and a more clean look? Do you like a background that’s white, black, gray, something else? Knowing what you like will save a designer some time and headache from the beginning.

5. What’s your message? Any site can look pretty and artistically impressive, but within regards to its effectiveness the content is king. A site won’t show up in search engines without well-written copy, titles, tags and so much more. A site won’t persuade, entice and peak any interest if the content doesn’t have a clear message. Ask yourself this: If my new site could say one thing in one sentence, what would it say? The answer to this question is what is most important about your business. Sites can be complex and contain many messages, but this alone, this is your most important message. This is what will become the basis for all content to be written around. This is the heart of your message. Why You? Tell your designer what makes you different from others that do or sell the same things that you do. What makes you different or the best? The answer to this question will be your main call to action on your site. Knowing the answer to this question can be the difference in whether your phone rings or not.

I never did any charitable or political work until after I had kids.   I think it was all about me up until then; once my daughter came along I realized that if I wanted to see the world I wanted for her, I was going to have to be a part of making it happen.

I started donating to Samaritan House, a local charity that shelters victims of domestic violence. Once I had one in pre-school I wound up getting involved in PTA, ultimately winding up being PTA president, twice. I then was asked to work on Mark Warner’s campaign for governor. From there I was asked to chair and plan multiple charity events and auctions. And it just never stopped after that.
 I now serve as President of The Geekettes Club and on the Marketing committee for Hampton Roads Business OutReach.

And people ask WHY do I take on so much that does not make me money?   I have to tell you honestly, for all that it is about giving back to the community that gives so much to me and my children, there is a large portion of  self interest in it.

Through charity work I get to meet and develop relationships with people who would probably never take my business call in their office.  You get to really know folks when you are sweating side by side hanging up banners or selling cupcakes.  Those contacts can be invaluable when I need an introduction or a reference, or just more business.  In my case it has definitely lead to sales and other business opportunities I would never have come across otherwise.  From a reputation and public relations standpoint, there is a lot of good press to be had out of your company or your personal brand being thought of in the wider community as smart, helpful, resourceful, task-oriented, etc…all of which community involvement can bring.

And really, that type of involvement truly does make a community better.  It builds a sense of connection and literally can transform a dump into park, a crime zone into a peaceful street, a blight into a neighborhood full of opportunity.  This type of volunteer work is worth doing just to make your world and your children’s world a better place.

And if you get some business out of it, good for you!

~Kim

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We all have to do it, some hate to do it but fewer people know how to do it! It’s call networking and for some, it is the ultimate ‘dirty word’. Why? We are usually intimidated when we walk into a room of strangers with a hand full of business cards. We don’t know who to talk to first, we don’t have any idea of what we want out of the experience and most importantly, we don’t know what the other person is after. It boils down to knowing your audience and knowing how you can deliver what they REALLY want. Realistically, everybody has a need that they want filled. Here are a few points to remember as you go to your next ‘Networking Event’.

(1) As a rule of thumb, keep conversations to a minimum in the bathroom:  I don’t know about you, but I am usually not in the mood to discuss a sale as I exit a stall. I’m more concerned with washing my hands and getting out. But time after time, I have been approached by an eager networker to get the jump on me. No thanks, let’s chat over the buffet.

(2) Do not start off too ‘Joe’: This is so offensive. When someone walks up and begins joking and talking as if you guys were high school buddies. The real purpose of networking is not to make best friends. It is to provide an introduction to another level of service and resources. So take it slow and respectful.

(3) You have no ability to communicate your own business: You know the question is coming; “What do you do?” but really what they are asking is; “Why should I care?” When you open your mouth be prepared to answer the latter FIRST! People care less about your mission statement or projections; they only care about what you can do for their business. Since you know this is coming…why not practice your answer before you get there?

(4) Do not become cannibalistic: We’ve seen them at all kinds of events. The ‘man eater’ that has a pocket full of everyone’s cards and will stalk them until they refuse their phone calls. Do not enter the event licking your lips like it is dinner time. People avoid people who seem too hype. So relax and enjoy meeting new business people.

(5) Asking for referrals for no reason: Just like the above point, people are usually in business for profit. It’s called (WIIFM) or “What’s in it for me?” So when you connect with a person, show them the true value of know you and then you can with bold confidence ask them to refer you to their friends and family. You have to develop credibility FIRST!

(6) Do not always be the friend in need and never in deed: This is the ultimate turn-off! People will begin to recognize your number on caller id and avoid you like you have leprosy! So do not put people in that position. Instead of calling to ask for things, try calling with an offer, a gift or even just to let them know you got a hot tip from an email they may benefit from. Your reputation will grow as dependable ‘barter’ and then your phone will start to ring.

Enjoy these tips and remember, “you can do bad all by yourself or you can connect to a dream team and created wealth.” The choice is yours.

See you at the TOP!

Early Jackson

Chief Empowerment Officer and Founder, New Direction Coaching Associates

I get it.

It does not matter at all.  You still have to connect with your clients.

You have to stay connected, especially during the summer months when everyone goes in different directions and the routines established by schools and holidays is all awry.  It is very easy to lose touch with your clientele during the summer season, and if you can manage to stay connected with a sense of humor and fun, they will SO appreciate you and keep you at top of mind for their next piece of business.  The alternative is that while you are out of sight you are out of mind, and a competitor works the relationship that YOU let lag.  You know, because it’s so hot and all.

So find a way that does not make you grumpy, and try to find some fun in what you have to do anyway.  Show up at their office with popsicles or smoothies or iced coffees, anything that acknowledges the heat and makes you a source of RELIEF.   Give everyone at the front desk a coupon for frozen yogurt or ice-cream.  And then keep your visit brief and upbeat so that YOU become the highlight of the day at your client’s office, shop, or store.

Staying connected during the summer lag will reap you benefits in the cooler months.  And your clients are worth the extra effort!

~Kim