If There Were No Time, Everything Would Happen at Once

Everyday we juggle what we commit to and what we actually get done. If our goals were static it would be easy to check them off and move on. It would be like shampooing your hair: Wash, Rinse, Repeat.

Our days are not static and that is both a blessing and a curse. New ideas, acquaintances, and opportunities present themselves with regularity, if we are willing to acknowledge them. And except for those of us with a crystal ball, few can predict how those new insertions to our experience will play out. The person you strike up a conversation with at the next lunch table could become a friend, a client or a drain on your resources.

How or if we react to that new idea, acquaintance or opportunity can become the curse.

New ideas are exciting. They strike an entrepreneurial chord in all of us. They are full of possibility but ideas without planning, commitment, and capital can quickly become disillusionment. New acquaintances can become new friends, but friends like plants are a responsibility. They require attention, watering and empathy. New opportunities are the lifeblood of life and business. To take advantage of them the trinity of recognition, timing and drive is essential. The cost of each is certainly worth the possible value of each.

The common curse is time and how we manage it. We struggle for balance in everything we do. We particularly struggle with the balance between work and personal time. But, is it a curse or do we make it one? Do you over commit? Do you honor the time of others more than your own? Do you give equal weight to the things you want to do and the things you have to do?

These are easy questions to ask, but not easy to answer with introspection and honesty. They are however important questions to answer for your self. If you don’t find the answers to the questions of how you commit your time, your days will be filled with frustration and anxiety. You will always be torn between what you commit to and what you deliver.

2011 – Looking Ahead or Looking Back?

While most of us think of resolutions at this time of year - to have or to have not - it may be more important to take the time to review your online presence. In today’s world of social media we are out there 24/7 and it is important to take stock of that online presence, business or personal. It may include Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogs, and much, much more.

So ask yourself two important questions: What have you done in the last year? What do you plan to do in this next year?


It may not be enough to just answer the questions. Know the answers and keep them in mind. Now go to your public profiles and evaluate the content in the context of your answers. Update accordingly. Remember you want the content to reflect what you have accomplished and how you want to be perceived as you achieve your goals for 2011.

While this is a great time of year to take stock of one’s life, is a once a year update enough? Probably not, but it is the maximum amount of time you should allow your profiles to remain stagnant. And while you may think you are “on Facebook all the time” that is to post and share, not necessarily to update profile information or business fan page information. (Facebook may have given us all a gift with new personal profile formats toward 2010 year end. It was a great time to review and update as more of the information is immediately present to our friends.)

One last tip for the year - set a Google Alert for yourself and your business. This is an incredibly valuable way to be informed of an online presence you may not have been aware of. One can never be too careful…

What’s your Brand?

Often small business owners think branding is for national or international businesses like those represented above. It is a short hand symbol that defies language differences and facilitates market recognition in places as far flung as Kazakhstan or the Maldives. We forget that Playboy started with $500 in the dining room of a rented apartment, that Coca Cola was a home remedy sold from the back of a wagon and that Microsoft was started by a college drop-out in a garage in Bellevue, Washington.

Small businesses become big business everyday. Those that succeed understand who they are; who their market is and the need they serve. To have a successful brand you need three things:

• An image or logo that represents your identity;
• A recognizable style, notice the distinct font style of each logo above;
• A tag line, sometimes called an elevator speech. http://www.taglineguru.com/sloganlist.html

Every Coca-Cola label is red and white. You can see Coca-Cola printed in other languages and know that it says Coca-Cola because of the font and if you hear someone say “the pause that refreshes” you know it is a reference to Coca-Cola.

Today we think of Harley Davidson as the premiere motorcycle manufacturer in the United States. Not so long ago they almost closed their doors and with it a significant portion of the economy in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Instead they regrouped and redefined their image and their message. The easily recognizable orange and black logo with the crisp, graphic fonts was both masculine and safely edgy. Their tagline: American by birth. Rebel by choice, states clearly their identity and stirs the emotions of their ideal audience.

A business that is unclear about who it is sends mixed messages to the public and by doing so creates confusion. Often entrepreneurs think branding is something they can do later. We argue that is a mistake. A business plan defines and shapes the internal and limited external definition of a business and its goals; branding is a public manifestation of what you bring to the market. When you convey your offering in a clear and consistent manor you build confidence and recognition. Dream big. Create the brand that reflects that you envision your business to be then live it!

10 Things Your Mother Taught You

We have all heard those famous sayings such as “because I said so” or “go ask your father!” But what about the motherly advice that actually taught us something? Keeping with the social media theme here are some tips that your mother should take credit for.

1. Everything has a home. On one of her many cleaning rants my mother would always pull a shoe out of the couch or a toy out of the Tupperware drawer and tell me, “Everything in this house has a home, put it there!” The same is true of your social media sites. Potential clients and business partners do not want to see pictures of last weekend’s bachelorette party any more than your mother likes to pick up dirty socks off of the living room floor. In the social media world, there is a place for everything. Keep your personal life and your business life separate.

2. Practice makes perfect. How many times did we hear this as children? Practice is the key to any success, large or small, in the social media world. As we try to figure out this new virtual marketplace, it is clear that there is no single “win-win” strategy for all of social media marketing. Instead there are smaller strategies combined with personalized business practices and trial and error to come up with a customized plan that works for both you and your business. There is no right and wrong way to market yourself on social media and it is up to you to find what fits best with your business’ mission and values. So in the words of your mother, “Try, try, try again!”

3. What is your plan? You always had to inform your mother what your plans were so why should it be any different on social media? Many businesses make the mistake of throwing themselves into social media marketing and pulling themselves in any route the keyboard takes them. Always have a plan. Without a plan a business can push itself in so many directions that all impact and effect on consumers is lost. Decide who your target market is, how you would like to reach them and with what source, and build from there.

4. Eat your vegetables. “Eat your vegetables, they are good for you!” Yes, well so is social media marketing, even if you don’t think so at first. Many people are skeptical to enter the ever evolving, fast paced world of social media, and because of this they give up before they even begin. The truth is that you may not like it, but it is good for you. So take a bite out of social media marketing like you did with your vegetables: one forkful at a time. Begin with a smaller portion until you can handle its taste, and gradually you will get used to its flavor and can pile more on your plate the next time. And just as your mother says, how do you know you don’t like it if you have never tried it?

5. Don’t talk with your mouth full, no one can understand you. Just as you learned to make a plan for social media marketing, you must also learn to market in moderation. Many businesses jump on the social media wagon and begin shooting millions of posts, ideas, campaigns, and promotions at consumers, hoping that one of them sticks. Slow down. Take smaller bites. Speak clearly. Think about what it is you are really trying to say and focus on getting this message out effectively. When we talk with our mouths full we lose influence and effect on potentially wonderful followers.

6. Treat everyone the way you want to be treated. Ah yes, the Golden Rule. It is easy to forget that we are dealing with real people on the other end of the screen, people that want to be treated with kindness and respect (just as you do). Without face to face interaction it is easy to be bold and to say things that you would not normally express in a live conversation. Yes it is ok to push the envelope, but remember that you are dealing with potential followers who may eventually turn into potential clients. Always follow the Golden Rule.

7. Use your manners. “Now, what do you say?” These were the words I would hear every Christmas Eve after frantically tearing through presents from aunts and uncles at our annual Christmas party. “Thanks!” Never forget to use your manners in social media. Make sure to thank your followers and show your appreciation for their support. Followers like to feel that they are valued (with good reason) so make sure you show them this by replying to their comments, thanking them for their support, and writing posts specifically tailored to their interests. Your followers should be a priority as they are the ones to share and recommend your business to others.

8. Don’t sit so close to the screen! Your mother always told you that sitting too close to the television or computer screen was harmful, so take a step back. Many times a business struggles with social media because they are too close to the action and they can’t seem to step away and view the work for what it is instead of what they want it to be. They get too caught up in all of the clutter and hype that their strategy becomes muddied and their influence lost. So bring in a fresh pair of eyes that can give an unbiased opinion. Distance yourself from the project and take the time to remind yourself of your mission, plan, and goals.

9. Don’t cry over spilt milk. The goal of social media is to get followers talking, but you might not like what all of them have to say. Criticism is a constant in the business world and is something that pushes us to work harder. Do not be upset if you receive a couple bad comments; instead use this as motivation to keep up the good work. Your presence online is being noticed and all of the commotion will only bring more traffic to your site and more followers to your business.

10. Be yourself. While struggling through adolescence and the perils of growing up you mother always told you one thing: be yourself. Social media is all about getting to know and trust the organizations we do business with. Consumers now like to become attached to not only the product but to the brand as well, and will not be easily fooled by advertising schemes. So don’t try to change who you are online. Talk as you would in a face to face conversation, and don’t be afraid to discuss things other than business. Being yourself is what got you this far, so why stop now?

Email Dead? Not Quite!

The COO of Facebook recently announced that email is dead. Why, because only eleven percent of teen-agers use email on a daily basis. They prefer Facebook and Twitter. Today’s teens have been conditioned to over share. Their every thought, every picture and every experience is on the internet in seconds of the occurrence. With youth often comes indiscretion and subsequent regret. In our teens we have yet to filter what is appropriate, maybe not appropriate, but what can be shared with trust. Items shared with a few friends can soon become viral and instead of a joint laugh or romantic exchange can become a huge embarrassment. Social media is in many ways the high school of the internet. Is anyone volunteering for a do-over of those four years?

Forget what is exchanged on Social media but remember who controls it. As an example Facebook can drop you from its rolls at any time without warning or reason. It currently only allows personal profiles though savvy business owners have learned to use it to their limited advantage.

There is no point in denying that in time email will be replaced or will evolve into another medium but much must happen before that will take place. Email is a trusted and timely tool that allows businesses to set rules for use in their own environment. Until technology offers something that can be used with security and business driven, not personal, guidelines email will continue to be the workhorse of daily business.

Do not take this as a get out of jail free card. Watch what the kids are doing and how they communicate. You don’t have to be ahead of the technology curve but it pays to know what is on the horizon. The only certainty is that technology is driven by change and that change happens at a rapid pace. The technology writer for the Wall Street Journal said he expects a bold new technology announcement to occur at least every six months. Think about that. Human generations are timed at about twenty years but technology generations are timed at six month intervals. You can perhaps afford to be two or three generations behind but you will limit your business if you are more than six generations behind. This doesn’t mean you personally have to be technology savvy but you do need to have someone on your team who is. Isn’t it better to manage the curve than to have it manage you?

The Buzz is Social Media

Every business owner on the globe has been told social media is the answer to his marketing needs.  If you're not on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc the buzz says you and your business are dinosaurs.   But buzz is a funny thing.  It’s a lot like the Platte River a mile wide and an inch deep.  When you try to dig deep you find a muddy bottom rather than clarity or direction. 

Would you invest in a stock you know nothing about?  Would you give the guy around the corner hours of your business week because a stranger said he was a good guy?  The probable answer to both questions is no though the stock and or the nameless guy could prove to be valuable assets.

Buzz is also similar to stereotypes.  Though overplayed and under-thought there is usually a core kernel of truth.  So bottom line can social media become a tool in your marketing arsenal?  YES!  Is it the silver bullet?  NO!  It will not benefit your business or your customers if it is used passively.  It requires tending, like your garden.  There are also things social media are not.

Social media is not a replacement for a marketing strategy.  It is not a stand-alone substitute for a holistic consistent marketing plan.  An effective program should include social media elements, but the launch of a Facebook page or a Twitter account is not enough on their own.

You will not achieve instant success by setting up social media accounts.  If you set up a Twitter account and send a few tweets it is unrealistic to expect an immediate herd of followers. Social media is a marathon, not a sprint; it takes time, consistency and patience to cultivate a presence and following. Be patient with social media and work at it diligently.

You believe that your business, product or service has something special to offer your customer base.  You may be certain your offerings are far superior to your competitors.  It is your job to convince others that your beliefs are true.  Again, social media is a tool that can help communicate that message but not without that dreaded diligence mentioned above.

Social media is not a lifeline.  If your business is in trouble the implementation of a social media campaign will not make a valiant rescue.

Social media is not a monologue directed at potential customers.  It is a dialogue and you might not like some of the responses.   Honesty is key with social media. Your reputation can be tarnished in hours if you fail to be transparent. The good news is that in a dialogue you have a rebuttal stream but keep it professional not personal.

When your business is actively involved with social media, each employee becomes a potential ambassador.  It’s up to you to train everyone on your staff to promote your brand.     

Social media isn’t a miracle, a cure all, a silver bullet or the single pill that will allow you to lose twenty pounds without diet or exercise.  Is it worth the effort?  YES!  But like diets it’s the work that makes you succeed not the buzz about the latest fad.

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Challenges

As my intern and I enter into our final week of the grueling Body Quest Boot Camp, we are both anxious for the sweat and ache that is waiting for us on the field. Each morning we arrive at 6 o’clock to fight against the bugs, the mountain, the elements and ourselves in a battle for fitness. From the loud (sometimes tough) encouragement of our instructors and fellow boot campers we push our bodies past exhaustion to a brink that we did not realize we could reach. Just when we cease to believe that we can muscle through the last push up, sprint the last lap or hold the last plank something inside pushes us to the end -- a powerful determination from within. With our teammates cheering us through the last exercises, we find a second wind to battle on. By the end of the strenuous hour we stretch our sweat covered limbs with a smile, somehow energized and strengthened for the coming day.

We all face tough patches in life. Whether it is our health and wellness, our relationships, or our work it is inevitable that we feel frustrated at some point. Sometimes rough moments can be avoided and sometimes they can’t, but it is how we push through these difficult times that make us who we are.

Greek philosopher Epictetus once said, “the greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it.” We are measured by our ability to weather the storm and our resilience and focus to push towards the other side. Without difficult times to drive us forward how can we be challenged to grow? How can we become stronger as a friend, a parent, a co-worker, a business owner or as a person?

By facing these daily challenges both large and small, we fortify our core values to become stronger as individuals. Although it may take a large amount of effort and determination, the pride we feel for our accomplishments at the end is undeniable. From these testing experiences we learn from our mistakes, challenge ourselves and others, to flourish.

What is your rough patch? Maybe it is a difficult client, a hard decision, a scary opportunity or business venture. Face these challenges and know that the experience will provide for growth within your business and its surrounding marketplace. And remember that no matter how ominous a problem may seem there is always someone cheering you on from the sidelines.