A few clients in the past week have asked me about Social Media Networking and mostly about Twitter and what it can do for their business. Commonly asked is “Do you Twitter?”
For those who do not have an understanding of Twitter, its basically the new micro-blogging technology that allows people to connect and share ideas, resources, knowledge in a few words…quick tidbits of information.

I came across this video by Common Craft that can explain in the most simplest of terms.

In this current economic downturn, small business owners face the huge task of trying to keep their business afloat. Making sales quotas, meeting payroll and earning enough capital to just run the business are some of the daily challenges. Survival tactics for business owners begin with making cut backs and tightening their spending, however the one thing you shouldn’t cut back on is your marketing!

In times of trouble, advertising and marketing budgets are usually the first casualties, however what business owner don’t realize is that marketing should be considered an investment rather than an expense. You need to key into the customer base you have now, you have to be able to drive your message directly to them and make a niche to your particular audience.

Laura Lake wrote on About.com, during a recession you need to implement SMART marketing which consists of:

• S – Strategize
• M – Maintain market spend
• A – Assess and allocate the budget
• R – Research your customer thoroughly
• T – Target and reach out to them

If you cut your advertising and marketing budget, how will people find you? How will people know your product or service exists? Cutting your marketing budget means basically cutting off the communication to your audience.

Smart marketing tactics are key in a downturned economy. Making sure your advertising dollars are well thought out and well spent will help in the survival of your business.

So your finishing up a sales meeting with a potential client, you are pulling out your best closing statement to give them every reason to use your services and they utter those dreaded words…”Let me think about it and get back to you”.

More often than not you will hear this phrase however don’t think of it in any negative way. It’s just another opportunity to market yourself again and here is a marketing tip to consider: Make sure your prospect is left with a “leave behind”. If your meeting with a client face to face, not only is a business card essential, but a leave behind is something that may sway the decision down the road.

A leave behind is exactly what it says, something you leave behind to make the customer remember you. It’s literature about your service and/or business. It should be a standout piece that will speak to your potential clients what you are all about.

Some great tips on creating a leave behind from Zan Jones, founder of SalesJaz:

• Make it juicy! Think of some great facts about your business and how you approach them. An insurance agent might leave behind an article on “7 Facts that Contribute to Auto Insurance Cost.”
• Go for functionality. Office supplies or business aids that your client will use on a daily basis will keep your name alive. Mouse pads, pens, or post-it notes with your logo are hard for people to throw away because they are usable.
• Know who you are. Make sure the leave behind accurately reflects your business and has obvious tie-in to the product or service you provide. For example, a carpet cleaning company might leave a calendar with monthly stain cleaning tips to help maintain a spot free carpet.
• Let your business card do the work. A car dealer’s business card might have “5 Things to Consider When Buying a Car” facts printed on the back. I worked with someone at Hershey Chocolate who taped a small Hershey bar on the back of her cards. Create a reason for your business card to be saved.
• Use pictures and market to the pain. Think about the pain your clients might experience without your product or service. An attorney might leave behind a brochure with a photo of a smiling family and list reasons to have a will in place.
• Wait until you actually leave. That’s the idea of the “leave behind.” You don’t want the client to be checking out your golden nuggets of information while you are still talking to them. It has to be enticing enough for them to look at it, read and save after you have left.

Chatting with a colleague today we got into the subject of color and how it affects branding. She was working on a new campaign and her client who was in the dental industry wanted to use red throughout their marketing collateral. Ironically, one of the key points in her clients marketing requests was to project a calming, soothing feel. Now I don’t know about you but the color red does not project calm nor does it give a soothing feeling!

Color can definitely have a positive or negative impact on your brand. Back in my art theory class 101, we were always tested with different projects that included evoking certain moods with the colors we chose. Blue was always a secure and trusting color. Banks and law offices tend to use blue. Greens has always been used for money, success. Light greens are associated with environmental. Reds are powerful, energetic lively color. It has been proven that certain bright colors actually activate your pituitary gland and a spectrum of colors have been identified and validate through research. In an article written by Susan Gunelius of Brandcurve, 7 Ways Research Show How Color Affect Your Brand, she highlights some of that research.

Color is very crucial element in brand identity. Depending on your industry or service, your color palette should promote a certain emotion in your branding. Personally I am drawn to earth tones. It fosters in me, a sense of warmth, calm, sophisticated, yet casual – pretty much anything within the earth tone palette catches my eye and I notice I tend to remember the branding systems that have a collection of neutrals and interesting greens and earthy colors.

In searching for color and how it can make you feel I found this Color Personality Quiz. The quiz is meant for color selection of an interior home, a series of questions will give you a color profile based on the mood you are trying to create. I found it interesting that based on my answers, and the mood I wanted to portray…an earth tone pallet appeared for my profile. So make sure the color selection you pick sets the right tone for your marketing and branding efforts.

Wikipedia’s definition of a logo (ideogram), is an image embodying an organization. Logos are meant to represent companies’ brands or corporate identities and foster their immediate customer recognition. A logo is an integral part of building your business identity, it is the face of your business. With that being said, why are there a multitude of companies so unwilling to budget for their corporate identity?

There are countless websites out there offering logo design, some even offer logos as low as $50 dollars. However there is a BIG difference between paying for a logo and paying for a brand identity. Fortune 500 companies spend huge dollars developing a brand, why? Because when you are out there running around, busy as ever and forget its your Mother’s birthday – you will remember to “say it with flowers” and FTD will pop in your head. If you want to send her a card you will remember Hallmark because “you care enough to send the very best.” That’s the power of branding. These logos along with their ad slogans have grown into identities that create a sense of loyalty and trust.

Logo design is not just about having a good graphic and some type. It’s about appealing to the audience, a visual suggestion of your service. It should represent your company’s image, and should be instilled into your customers repeatedly — so that when and if your business services are needed, they will think of you first. Stay away from sites trying to sell you cheap logos, all you get is a bad logo as opposed to a well thought out look suited to fit your companies character.

This logo to the left is an example of a website offering cheap logos. The owner’s testimonial said “I don’t need to explain anything here. The crispyness of my logo explains it all.” I have stared at this a few times…I finally found out what kind of company they are.

Can you guess? I would love to hear your comments.

As a small business owner you learn to multi-task. Accounting, invoicing, filing, promoting in the beginning can be quite overwhelming. Through the years I have come to realize that being a good business owner is knowing when to let go of things, especially the things I am not good at.

I hate accounting, not my fort?. However by planning a small budget I was finally able to let go of that task and actually ended up saving money in the long run. Letting go of this task gave me more time to really concentrate on growing my business. Networking was something I wasn’t fond of either, however no one can sell me like me, so I decided to go do a bit of networking.

Most prospects at neworkers always have the same thing to say, “Wow I don’t really like these networking things, hate coming to all these functions”. However networking doesn’t necessarily always mean going to your local chamber function. Networking can be as simple as having your friends and family members refer your business or refer someone they know that can use your business or services. Take a good look at your client base. Tap into those long and prosperous relationships. Invite them for lunch, make a phone call to find out how they are doing. Don’t be afraid to ask if they can refer anyone to you. I often ask my own clients what other ways they are bringing in business. Your local favorite restaurants are also a great way to get business. I often meet my clients at a local restaurant and not to long ago, the owner approached me and asked what I do. Not only did I get his business, but he also referred me to someone else.

Another point to remember is encourage your networking members to attend the networking functions. A networking function is only as good as its attending members. Help grow your groups. I carry cards with me. Who ever I meet pay be a potential source of business. The more you network, the great your referral source grows.

Never fails… you have an idea for a mailer that hopefully will bring you business. You go to the local print shop, describe what you want, go back and forth with their graphic artist and before you know it you’re several hundred dollars in deep between art, print and mailings and no results!

Many business owners make this mistake. Uncertain of what they really need, undefined budgets and a lack of direction can be costly. Planning a print job is not a difficult task if the proper steps are taken and can help you save alot of money.

Project Strategy – Whatever category your print job falls into – direct mail, stationery, product information brochure – the first challenge is to define the goal of your print project. Ask yourself – what are you trying to accomplish with this piece and what is the most effective way to present this message, in other words will be effective as a brochure, or a postcard or some other format. Other points to address are also: Who is your audience. What image do you want the piece to project. How will this piece tie in with other marketing materials or campaigns. How will it support the branding you have done so far.

PreDesign Planning – Find an seasoned graphic designer with marketing experience. Your local printer may have a artist on staff, however they normally are production artists. Their experience is usually to set up artwork for print. The graphic designer with marketing knowledge can help you define the goals of your project and create a piece that will communicate a message to your audience. A qualified designer should have experience with printing and press setups to help you develope a printing budget. Establish your delivery date – make sure everyone is aware when you need your printed project completed. From the designer, down to the printer and make sure you include shipping time.

Get Estimates – Make sure you are aware of the designers cost including any images they use. Stock image purchases are usually not included in a designers estimate. Scanning of images may also be a separate charge. Make sure your estimate includes all these costs. Printing estimate vary on your paper selection, quantity, textures and weight. Your designer and printer can both help in the selection process and find the right paper suitable for your print project and your pocket.

Define your Budget – Combining the steps above should give you a ballpark of what you are about to spend on your print project. If doing a mailer, make sure you get an estimate on postage and mailing. Avoiding extra costs is the point of setting up the budget.

My rule of thumb is for every sale I make, I usually save 40% of my profit and put it towards my own marketing budget. Combining the mediums of printing, advertising, marketing and internet are the ways to communicate to your audience that your business exists. Setting up preliminary budgets with a defined direction will assure getting better results for any marketing campaign.

While perusing the web today, I came across an interesting article written by Nick Rice over at Small Business Branding. The article has 9 Branding Tips for Small Business and some are excellent points. I do have to totally disagree with Tip #1 that states “The design of your logo really doesn’t matter”. What are your thoughts on this? I would love to hear all your comments….

I was contacted recently by one of my clients inquiring about a banner for a tradeshow. I asked her what kind of space she was going to get and exactly what she needed. Her answer was the same answer I have heard several times before. “I will be getting a table that is 6 feet wide, thats all I know, I think the banner will work if I stick it on the edge of the table.” Now being that I have helped many clients time and time again with tradeshows throughout the years I have been able to compile some ideas and techniques for tradeshow events. One of them is please don’t settle for hanging a banner off the edge of a table.

Tradeshow are the place to exhibit your product or service and if you put together a budget for a tradeshow the return can be rewarding. You don’t have to break the bank or have an elaborate set up, however the more experience you get attending an event, the more “visual” practice you get. Most spaces will generally provide just a table, however there are some many things you can do. Tabletop displays are perfect for a 6ft table and will provide you with years of use. Here are some things you can do to make your trade show booth work harder for you, and a few of our favorite sales tips for increasing success.

If you’ve exhibited at a trade show or convention before, you know how hectic it can be, how anything that could go wrong may, and how important it is to plan ahead and consider all the factors that make for a successful trade show experience. These tips are for trade show novices, yet also may be helpful to convention veterans as well.

1. Get to the exhibit hall, convention center, or exhibit location early. Even though you have most likely been given the dimensions of your exhibit space, and know the location on the floor, and filled out all the paperwork, it’s a great idea to survey the hall before you set up your tradeshow display. Check into your hotel room early, be sure to bring your cell phone (and that it works in the exhibit hall), and get to the exhibit hall or location as quickly as possible. If your exhibit requires electric or phones, or has other unique requirements, confirm that these are installed and/or are scheduled to be installed.

2. Know the convention center and any trade show union rules. Various convention centers and various cities have various rules, regulations, and policies regarding set up, tear down, what union workers must do, and what you can do on your own. Many portable displays can pop-up or snap together without tools. Also, there are almost always very specific set up and tear down days and times and schedules that you must be aware of. Portable displays set up quickly, making it easier to work within the set up and breakdown schedule, and get into and out of the exhibit hall or convention center quickly and easily.

3. Survey your exhibiting neighbors in adjacent booths. Look around your area at the types of tradeshow displays others are setting up. Will yours be lost in the crowd? If so, make adjustments to bring more attention to your booth. Be aware that there are typically rules about not blocking your trade show neighbors, however, there may be additional attention-getting things you can do to make your exhibit stand out and stop passing traffic.

4. Assign a greeter to stand in front of your exhibit space. Have someone standing in front of your area to greet visitors – instead of behind a counter. If you’ve been to a trade show before, you realize that you don’t want to be too overwhelming, however, you also want to be sure to welcome traffic into your booth or exhibit space. Think of your exhibit space as a store. If the store help is too pushy, you may be turned off. If the store help seems friendly and attentive, smiling, happy and excited about the products and services shown, yet respectful and polite, you are more apt to go inside.

5. Offer free samples, or have a trade show or convention drawing or contest. If possible, offer free samples of your products in your trade show exhibit booth. Free samples always draw a crowd, plus help sell. A trade show drawing or contest is another option. If you’ve been to trade shows and conventions before, you’ve seen how exhibitors ask that people have their credentials scanned, or drop business cards into a bowl or container for a trade show exhibit drawing or contest. Sometimes the trade show contest or drawing requires the contestants to be at your trade show booth at the time of the drawing. This causes trade show attendees to visit your booth twice – once to enter your trade show exhibit or contest, and again to be present at the time of the drawing for your trade show exhibit or contest. The more often you can get trade show attendees to your trade show booth, the better.

6. Add some excitement and a festive atmosphere to your trade show booth. Visit a nearby store and buy lots of colorful, helium balloons to use in your booth, or flowers, or other decorative items that will make your booth look exciting, festive, and stand out. Be sure anything you bring into the hall is fire retardant.

7. Give away items that promote your business within the convention hall. You might also consider giving away balloons, bags or other items. If you’ve been to a trade show or convention before, you’ve seen how trade show attendees walking around with items from various trade show exhibitors help promote that company as the trade attendees walk throughout the convention hall – and even outside the convention hall.

8. Give away trade show specialty items in your trade show booth. Trade show giveaways – like pens, pencils, flashlights, business card holders, buttons, pins, and other items – are known as ‘Specialty Items’. If you’ve been to a convention before, you know how some specialty items are unique and ‘keepers’ while others you take yet later discard. Try to find the most unique specialty items and think carefully about how these might remind trade show attendees of your products and/or services. Be sure that your phone number or web Site address is clearly printed on these trade show and convention specialty items and giveaways.

9. Have people sign up and ship them specialty items. Specialty items can be costly, and some do get discarded when trade show attendees get back to their hotel rooms, weed through all the literature and specialty items they picked up, and pack to go home. The alternative to in-booth specialty items and providing better specialty items that are ‘keepers’ is to have trade show attendees sign up – or give you their business cards. By shipping items to trade show attendees ‘post-show’, you have the opportunity to capture names and addresses, make a second impression after the trade show or convention – ship better specialty items – like coffee mugs, t-shirts, caps, business card holders, candles, chocolates, and whatever else you wish – even product samples if too costly to give away – to their home or office – along with your literature and other promotional items and marketing materials. A portable banner can be set up near the front of your booth to promote the sign up. This often works more effectively than giving things away during the actual show or convention, plus it gives you the opportunity to phone or email the trade show attendee again to see if they received your gift – and begin a sales dialog.

10. Have a backup plan – and even a backup booth – in case of logistics problems. If you’ve exhibited before, no doubt you’ve seen the ‘other guy’ (hopefully it wasn’t you) with an empty exhibit space and nothing to fill it with! Just the sign on the back curtain. Nothing strikes fear in the heart of an exhibitor like hearing, “I’m sorry… the shipper must have lost your boxes.” Now what?! Portable tradeshow displays are lightweight, easy to transport, and affordable. There are many styles available. You can carry an extra display in your car, or check it as baggage when you fly to your new destination. This way you can be sure your event will go off without a hitch – even if your primary exhibit is lost or arrives late. If you have a large orbital truss or other display that must be shipped in crates, having a backup portable display will assure you that your trade show convention will be a success, and give you peace of mind.

11. Have professionally designed displays – and make the best impression. Trade shows and conventions are interesting in that the impression your booth or exhibit makes on attendees can be equivalent to how large, stable, and reliable you and your company appears to be. Sad but true, in nearly all cases, the larger and more impressive your trade show exhibit is, the more confident customers feel about you and your products and services. Trade show and convention exhibit space is typically expensive, and going ‘all out’ with a professional and well designed trade show display will meet your exhibiting goals and objectives. This is not to say that you must forego the 10 foot space for the larger 20 foot space. Even in a small space, you can make the most of that space with a professionally designed tradeshow display, the finest and most eye-catching graphics, various components like tables, banner stands and round and square towers, dramatic lighting and other effects, and more. It’s all dependent on your budget and how much of an impression you want to make.

12. Use a variety of sizes and components to create the most intriguing space. To create an eye-catching booth or convention exhibit, choose several sizes of trade show displays and display components. Use one for a backdrop; add pop-up displays on tabletops; and create an entranceway or border for your booth with banner stands. The more creativity and imagination you put into your displays and exhibit, the more traffic you’ll stop. If you’ve attended trade shows or conventions before, no doubt you’ve seen one booth with no one in it, while across the way a crowd has gathered. With years of experience in trade show exhibit design and engineering, and from attending hundreds of shows and conventions, we can help you create a booth that will draw the crowds.

Call us if you are planning on exhibiting your business at a tradeshow or conference, we would be glad to help you with the right materials to get an audience to your booth.

We all know (and some of us dread) the idea of business networking. It conjures up an image of stuffing ourselves into a suit or pantyhose, going to events, wearing a sticker with our name scrawled on it, approaching and introducing ourselves to strangers, and trying to remember to keep our cold drinks in the hand we don’t shake with.

Aaaah so fun to be a business owner, isn’t it?

When I tell people offline that I do much of my business networking online, they usually look puzzled. As I explain to the uninitiated, networking online is the same as networking offline, in many ways. You want to make contacts, build relationships, generate leads and meet prospects, and spread the word about your business. Relationship building and networking takes time offline, and it is no different online. So, here are some pointers…

Depending on how you wish to network, you can find networks to join in a number of ways. The most effective would be to ask people you know on or off the web if they recommend any good networks. For example, if you’re a web designer in Manhattan, your colleagues might tell you about the World Wide Web Artists Consortium mailing list – an industry related network that has been in existence for many years, based in NYC. If you know another business person who operates online, they might tell you to check out Ryze.

Get on Google and do some searches for keywords like “online networker” or “discussion boards” and include your industry or interests in the search. For example, if you are a freelance writer, you might search Google for “freelance business forum” or “writers mailing list.” It really depends on what you want to accomplish, who you want to network with (colleagues? prospective clients?).

Now just because you find a network doesn’t mean you will necessarily want to join it. Search the discussion forums, look at participation. How much traffic does the site seem to get? Is it well organized? And how many, and how recent, were the posts? Don’t waste your time joining if it doesn’t seem like anyone ever comes there. Once you join one make sure you fill out the personal profile. The profile is your chance to explain your business or service. It’s a good idea to add a photo of yourself. A photo that looks professional, even if you need to get one professionally done its well worth it. Describe your service in detail and add the most important elements such as blog or website address, contact numbers and email. If using instant messaging services is your choice of contact, add your Messenger ID or IRC Chat name.

Networking online, by its very nature, takes some time. If you decide to pursue this avenue for building your business, you will find that it is easy to become overwhelmed with emails to read, or have difficulty finding time to browse the forums. There are some things you can do to make this simpler and easier to do on a regular basis. I myself like to get a cup of joe, sit down first thing before i start my day and peruse my favorite networking sites. I update info, look at new members, send them a quick introduction, welcome them and introduce my business. Virtual volunteering is also a great way to get your business name out there. Contact the admin of the site and see if they could use your services and volunteer yourself a few hours a week in exchange for advertising or sponsorship. You will be surprised at how many businesses are willing to trade services.

Below are some online business networking sites to check into and remember the best thing about online networking is you can do at your convenience, 24 hours a day, from the comfort of your home and best of all no stuffy suit to endure!

Linked in

Ryze

Women Business Owners

Meetup

Konnects