CoffeeWithUs.com

Adding a page for “Fans” of your business

Kevin (Project manager for our Site Brand Builder web site business) and I did a web site presentation yesterday at PTAC (Procurement Technical Assistance Center – doing business with the government). We asked our audience of 50 or so “How many of you have a personal Facebook page?”     Most of the room raised their hands.   And then we asked them “How many of you have a BUSINESS Facebook page?  We went from almost everyone to 30 % of the room.  So a new way for all of us to connect with customers. Facebook is about sharing, informing and connecting more than it is about selling or promoting. At least that seems to be the way it is going now. Stayed tuned in as we know it will change and/or grow.

Here are some basics for Facebook if you are thinking about using it for business but not sure how it works.

facebook

1. STATUS – Also known as “What’s on your mind?”. When you first open the page, you will see the “WALL” tab is selected (see below for more information). Right below the tabs at the top is a white box that says “What’s on your mind?” This is your STATUS box. You can type short bits of content in this box (generally a few sentences at most) and then click the SHARE button. Doing this will create a new entry on your WALL and send what you typed out to all of your Fans’ news feeds. Also, you’ll see little icons next to the “Attach:” area below the status box. When posting your status, you can choose to post a picture, link, event or video along with your status. Many people use the picture icon — but seldom use the others.

1. WALL – Your wall is a dumping ground for all the activity happening on your page. Think of it as a bulletin board with information. As you (or others) post information to the page, it will appear chronologically on the WALL.

1. INFO – Click the INFO tab at the top. This area just lists your website URL and some basic information. If you need to change it, click the “edit information” link in the upper-right. Be sure to hit SAVE after making any changes.

1. PHOTOS – Click the PHOTOS tab at the top. You’ll see that a few different photo albums have already been created. If you want to upload more photos, you can either:
   • Click on an album and then add more pictures to it. Click “Add more photos” then choose the images from your computer, caption them as needed and upload.
   • Click “Create a Photo Album” in the upper-right and then go from there.

1. NOTES – Click the NOTES tab at the top. Then click “WRITE A NEW NOTE” in the upper right. Notes are meant to be longer pieces of content. Articles. Detailed information about something, sort of a longer version of a “status”.

Whenever you publish information to the page (any of the items above), it will automatically and immediately be sent out to all Fans’ news feeds.

BrabonJustice.com

What Would You Say?

A very creative artist named Heather Layton is working on a project at Cornell University as an artist-in-residence. It is titled “Letters to a Future Generation”. Here is her blog if you would like to know more about it.  www.pocketsfortheteeth.blogspot.com.  I added to her collection of 500 letters and this is what I wrote.

“If given the chance, what would you say to a future generation?”

Please;

Be aware that our Earth is alive and needs us to appreciate that.

Be comfortable and confident in yourself.

Understand your own, personal magnetic energy and how it flows and effects others.

Know that your imagination and passionate creativity are very powerful tools .

Also know that diversity stirs creativity and changes create opportunity.

Be grateful for who you are, what your uniqueness is about, so that you can share it where needed.

Practice being present and aware of what your senses are telling you is going on right now.

Find a connection that you will naturally have when with others.

Be curious and wonder.

Explore and share what you find, don’t take anything for granted. What can you teach?

Lead the way by being aware, compassionate, tuned in, kind and helpful.

Always keep your word and deal honestly with others.

Know that plenty of clean water, healthy foods, exercise, good sleep and thoughts that feel peaceful and freeing will keep your energy up.

Much can be found in your own stillness and the eyes of others, take time to really sense and feel it.

. . . and with all of this responsibility, because of who you are, be excited about the future
and what you can add to it.

With appreciation for how you will be.

ray justice
October, 2009
Rochester New York
rayjustice.com

What is your return on investment (ROI)?

Solution-selling is “the only way to sell” these days; but, what does selling a solution actually mean? For me, solution-selling is being a trusted partner and great listener with your customer.  As their trusted partner, you must be straightforward and truthful and offer what is only in your customer’s best interest.  This means forgoing pushy approaches that are often associated with being a salesperson.
My experience in this field starts back in the late 80’s. I had rented a record by Dale Carnegie’s called “How to Improve Your Social Skills.” At that time I found myself bored in my career and also rather shy; I had two small children at the time and I worked in the engineering department at Siemens, an occupation requiring little interaction with other people. I desperately wanted to move my career up and onward into the Sales.
However, I couldn’t conform to the fast-talking, always-smiling, always-taking-you-out-to-lunch stereotype of the 80’s salesperson. That brand of “smooth” salesmanship was not suited to my character at all.  So, I settled down and began to listen to this record and planned on reinventing myself.
I didn’t have to go far to do that.
I remember hearing: “You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.” It went on to say: “Becoming a good conversationalist was all about being a good listener.”
A light bulb went off while listening to this record: my first memorable “Ah hah” moment. I could do this; I could be a good listener. In fact, I already was a good listener.  I figured out by concentrating on my own innate strengths rather than trying to cover up for some sort of perceived “weakness,” I could easily accomplish this goal.
And that’s about the time I kicked off a new career in the art (and sometimes science) of selling. I went into real estate and sold $3 million my first year in a city where I knew few people, however I was even more proud of winning a “Customer Service Award” for a large, well-known firm in North Carolina. It was simple: i diligently followed up every lead, listened intently and showed my clients what THEY wanted to see (not what I wanted them to buy.)  And, of course, I was always friendly.
Currently, my career is back in technology. And in the competitive coliseum of Software and Web development, I still retain my natural qualities of sincere listening and trustworthy advising. Most importantly, I know it’s essential to show our customers their Return on Investment.
Why should they buy our products, what incentive do they have? How will SiteBrandBuilder help them save money, improve process time or service/market their products better? These questions need to be answered based on their metrics for example; what did they spend on maintaining their website to date; how much paper are they printing out and re-enter information because they don’t have forms online; how can they reduce the sales process by having asking for key information; what can they save on product returns by having good descriptive content on their website?
Consider the field you are in…. As entrepreneurs ask your self why should a customer buy my product or service? What is their Return on Investment?

Wendy Brabon

SiteBrandBuilder.com

Who’s steering the ship

– guiding your business

I had lunch with a friend the other day who was telling me about a new position she had taken. As my friend told me about her new position, I was reminded of her great communication skills, her ability to ask the right questions, and her clear sense of focus.

A year ago she was telling me about an exciting technology venture she was taking on; she was optimistic and excited about her challenges ahead. Her strategy to run the sales department was well planned out and ready to implement. Instead, she consistently found herself taking on responsibilities outside of her jurisdiction. After a year she left feeling disappointed in the company as well as herself. The CEO who was steering the ship could not see the forest for the trees. Wasting time, He did not support his management team, his ego got in the way of progress. This is common in business today, inexperienced managers with a lack of consistency, and a “…lets wait and see…” approach can take a business down fairly quickly.

When I first started my business a consultant told me do two things; “1. have a good accounting and legal structure in place. And 2. Spend at least one day a week on your business plan, or strategy.” We’ve grown a lot since then, I’ve learned the hard way to stay focused and be consistent to our plan.  For me changes are part of the landscape, staying a couple steps ahead of the curve is essential. To streamline decision-making and foster creative thinking in our company we work together as a team.  It’s always important to understand that the CEO is probably the only one that sees the big picture—what decisions will impact the next.

As I mentioned in my last article a great business plan will be your blueprint to creating profitable growth in the future. Be ready to steer your own ship and keep a few steps ahead.

Wendy Brabon

CEO

Brabon Justice International

Ignite WorldWide, Inc.

Four mistakes entrepreneurs make

in any economy…

I found myself pondering over a question a customer recently asked “What have you learned as a business owner?”  I wondered where I would be now if I was just starting out and making the same mistakes vs. eight years ago in a more forgiving market. In today’s economy we have little room for waste and a big need for innovation. I thought I’d identify some mistakes that many entrepreneurs make in any economic climate.
1. Stay focused and trust your instincts – as a small business owner many opportunities come your way that seem lucrative and exciting. Be cautious– they can derail your focus, take up a lot of time and often go no-where. The advantage of being small is it’s easier to steer your business in a different direction, that’s also your disadvantage. Do your homework and be sure new ideas fit your overall business goals.
2. Know your customer and always be prepared – It amazes me how unprepared people are when they are selling. Before meeting with a potential customer research everything you can about the company and person you are meeting. Take the time to Google your clients; review their website and their competition. Credibility such as testimonials, statistics, marketing collaterals, and work samples go along way when the conversation points in that direction.  Personally, I want customers to see my company as a partner, as part of their team; we often supply industry-specific knowledge that is thoughtfully prepared. Keep in mind you are influencing change.
3. You are always responsible for your actions and how you handle situations. That’s your power and that’s your brand! “Your reputation is what you perceive it to be, your character is what your reputation is” Coach John Wooden.  Even the best plans don’t flow as you may have hoped; I always tell my son’s the one thing you can control is how you resolve or handle a situation. If you do this without anger and judgment you can resolve an issue much quicker and be open to your contribution in the problem and therefore feel better about the end result.

4. A willingness to collaborate equals innovation.  Be open up to new ideas and think outside the box. We found we do our best work when we are truly transparent both inside our company and with our business partners.  During a recent product release we asked everyone in our company to participate in the product development and launch of our new portal product. Each person brought a unique perspective whether it was usability, marketing, or product capabilities. Our overall result was a better product, less time to the market and a feeling of comradely across the company. It really comes down to good business planning!

Wendy Brabon
CEO
Brabon Justice International

Well, do you really need

. . . . a business plan?

That’s a question I’ve considered since I started my business nine years ago. I’ve read many articles on the importance of needing a business plan. The truth is, I’ve written many plans, never quite complete or realistic — but I did it because I was told it’s important. I seldom referred back to it—I was simply glad to have completed the process.

It finally dawned on me as I sat in my first day of boot camp with The Entrepreneur’s Network (TEN) and Derby Management. I asked myself: “Where am I really going without a good plan?” Jack Derby writes: “At the end of the day, your business plan needs to be about success, and success needs to be defined as you and your managers see the future”.  My current business plan lacks both clarity and is cluttered with too much nonsense!.

When I travel, I plan my flight, where I will sit, what I will bring, what I hope to accomplish and when I will return. Why has it taken me nine years to realize a good solid business plan will give me the focus I need today to help me make decisions, build a good management team, look at our roadblocks, understand our opportunities and what it will take to create profitable growth!

Up to now in building our business – its been about constantly improving the business by; receiving my black belt in Lean Six Sigma, having all our employees trained in LSS so we can be more efficient, I’ve read countless books on management, marketing and technology – in my mind that’s where my focus really needed to be—sales and quality products. However, with my big Ah ha moment one week ago – where are we going without a good clear plan? Probably nowhere fast!

In the next few weeks, I’m planning a weekend to complete my business plan. I will keep it simple, precise, meaningful and well thought out.  I’m contemplating the tactical issues of managing our business, rather than having the business or today’s market manage us. I’m looking forward to where this will take us, stay tuned.
“Choice, not chance determines human destiny.”
-Anonymous
Wendy Brabon

SiteBrandBuilder.com

IgniteWorldwide.com