Social Networking: Must or Time-Drain?

For most people, the answer might be both.

As a small business owner, you probably read about the importance of social media networking in Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc. You might even have a Facebook Fan Page for your business.

All these networks are wonderful to generate more contacts, to gain more visibility for your business and expand your contacts. However, many small business owners also realize that once they have all their profiles set up, participating becomes an incredible time-draining activity with no specific or direct or measurable benefit for their business.

Here are THREE key points to help you make the most out of this important social marketing activity. Make sure you:

Plan it! As with any marketing activity you perform for your business, make a plan that includes not only objectives but also an action plan. Set specific goals to ensure your social networking happens for a reason and will help you get more leads and/or clients.

Schedule it! Allocate time for your social networking activity. You don't need to be available all the time. If you participate you must realize social media implies a two-way communications channel. You will have to respond and be active, but organizing this will ensure you make the most out of your time on these social networking sites.

Automatize it! There are many great online tools to systematize several parts of your social networking communications. Familiarize yourself with the tools available and implement the necessary ones to make your time on these networks a productive one. Better yet--hand this task over to your Virtual Assistant!

Written by:Owner of The Bilingual VA, Victoria Miles for Virtual Assistant Networking.com

Business Card Tips

I ran across this great article about business cards and what to put on them. This search was prompted by a discussion over at the Virtual Assistant Forums about what title to put on your business card. Many struggle with this aspect of marketing - especially small business owners. Hopefully you will find this helpful.

Business Card Tips
Networking is an invaluable opportunity, and one that should not be wasted. In order to maximize networking, it is strongly suggested that all business professionals carry business cards. The business cards can be exchanged during introductions, both as a convenience and as a memory aid. In other words, business cards allow networkers to further the relationship through future contact.

Business cards may include one or more aspects of striking visual design, but should also contain important contact information. Use this guide to make the most of your business cards:

1. What to IncludeAll of this information should be included on a professional business card:
Name - This does not have to be your given name, but should be what you expect people in business to refer to you as.
Position - This is really optional; many small business owners find themselves wearing many hats, and may find it beneficial and/or less confusing to leave their official title off the cards.
Address - Physical office location and/or mailing address.
Website - Adding a website address to business cards is now very common and expected.
Email - Email is also now a very common and popular communication channel.
Phone - Include your business phone number.
Instant Messaging/ICQ Address - Internet chat address.

2. Double Sided CardsIf your company is global, or your sales territory focus is in a region where your spoken language is not the predominant language, you might wish to consider using the backside of your business card to include your information in an alternate language. You can also use the back of the card to provide more extensive information and details about your products and services. Or, if you do a lot of local business, you might want to include a small street map to your office on the back of your card. There are lots of things you might be able to do with all that blank space on the back of your cards.

3. Conversation Starters- Savvy sales people often use their business cards as a conversation starter. Of course, the card needs to be unique or unusual in order to generate a dialogue. Some of the more interesting cards I've seen recently were printed on micro-CDs, on magnets, on translucent plastic, etc.

4. Standard Size - Even if you are aiming for something unique, you should still not diverge from the "standard" business card size. For managing their contacts, many people will create a business card rolodex, or may have a hand scanner specifically sized for business cards. So stick with the standard size -- otherwise you may be excluded from their contact databases simply because your card didn't fit!

5. Order Quantity- Quantity discounts apply to business cards. When pricing printed business cards, check to see where the price breaks occur; sometimes you can significantly increase the quantity of business cards for very little additional cost.

6. Quality Matters - Flimsy cards that are paper thin, and cards with ragged perforated edges, just scream "amateur". If you are going to print cards yourself, be sure to use heavy business card stock, and use stock that has "clean-edge" micro-perforations. And "glossy" finished stock can also help boost the quality perception of self-printed cards, especially if lots of color is used in the card design.

7. Brand Cards - Your business cards should be similar to all of your other printed promotional material. Business cards should contain your business or product logo. Double-check the colors with the printer to make sure the correct pantone colors are used. This will ensure that the logo is printed using the correct and matching color scheme.

8. Keep CurrentInformation contained on the business card should always be kept current. Business cards with obsolete information crossed out are very unprofessional. If any information on the card changes or becomes obsolete, have new cards printed to reflect the change, and throw the old ones away.

9. Change It Up - Textured business cards, or cards with scalloped edges, stand out. Consider a wide variety of ways to make your card jump out of the pack. The texture or color of the card can also be utilized to ensure your card stands out.

10. Legible - Use a legible font that makes the text on the business card easy to read. Avoid making the fonts too small. Use contrasting colors, and avoid using porous paper that will allow the ink to bleed and the text to blend into the card.

11. Spelling - There is little more embarrassing than business cards that contain typographical errors. Proofread the cards multiple times. Let me say that again -- proofread your business cards! And have other people proofread them too, as they will often be able to spot mistakes that you've overlooked.

Maximize the power of your business cards. Whether you are networking, or just being personable, business cards are a must in the professional world, and crucial to business marketing.

Building Confidence in Selling Yourself and Your Products/Services

Confidence to exceed in business cannot be faked. Therefore, it is important to build a core level of confidence so that even in times of nervousness or uncertainty, you will not be moved.

1. Continuous preparation and action assure unshakable confidence.

Everything thing that you do contributes to how people view you and your business. Do you follow up after meetings and sales? Do you stop and think during the day “What is the most productive use of my time right now?” Do you pour your heart and your mind into everything that you do?

We build confidence by planting seed for future opportunities and not by being complacent or unproductive. Once we stop and coast along, our skills decay. Success breeds success; that because we come to a point in our actions where our enthusiasm is the culmination of all the hard work that went before.

2. You must solidly believe in who you are and the value of what you are selling.

Do not second guess yourself and what you believe in; improve who you are rather than try and be like someone else. Are you operating from your core belief system and taking the actions your gut tells you to take. Most people don’t realize how powerful they become when they don’t have to think through their actions.

We become unsure when we don’t prepare enough, read enough study enough or work hard enough. Our confidence comes from knowing we have put the work in and prepared for success.

So here’s to success in business.

Taken from Entrepreneur magazine Sept 2008 – Solid to the Core by Barry Farber

What do you do in your “slow periods”?

Although none of us are happy about it, all business owners go through "slow periods" in their business. It's all about what you do to benefit your business in other ways during those periods. Even in busy times there are challenges with using time wisely; this is even more important in slow times. According to Peggy Duncan a personal productivity expert, "The biggest time-management mistake people make is not knowing how much time they waste." When there is a slow day, it needs to be approached differently in order to make it a productive use of time. During the busy times it might be a good idea to start a file of projects that you can do when times slow down. For example, promotions or marketing strategies, new contacts that would be beneficial to your business, or new business processes to implement. In a recent Entrepreneur (August 2008) magazine articles, it was suggested that multitasking when doing tasks such as developing relationships, organizing or designing new systems could hurt efficiency. By systematically approaching these during an inevitable downtown turn those times into ones of productivity.

Starting a Business?

As many of us begin in business, we contemplate what we need to do NOW to get up and running; thinking we will worry about the other things later. In most cases, these basic THREE pieces are of great importance to providing a clean professional look for your business.

1. A logo: This brands you as an actual company. When you name is not attached, it should still be clear what type of company you have. Is this true of your logo? Perhaps it is time for a redesign.
   
2. 
   A Business card: Since we all know how important networking is, a business card is key for these types of social gatherings. These new contacts, must be able to get in contact with you regarding either a direct connection with you or someone that you know. This business card must also have your logo on it so that the marketing strategy of "branding your business" is further manifested.
   
3. A website: Who would have thought years ago that web presence would be so important to commerce in general – not just e-commerce? If you do not have a website, you can best believe potential clients will question the legitimacy of your business. Obviously a website has many benefits.
   
   1. It is available 24 hours/7 days a week (times when you aren't)
      
   2. Has the potential to provide general information about your business.
      
   3. Increased your chances of branding your business.
      

      
      

Many of these aspects of starting a business may take some time to develop, but ultimately they will make a huge difference in how progressive and profitable your business becomes.

Understanding Communication Styles

Recently I attended a workshop by Jonath & DiMeo Incorporated. Its objective was to foster effective working relationships. One of the key drivers of relationships is communication style. Understanding our own communication style and the style of those whom we work will help communicate more successfully.

In this training they highlighted four communication styles: Expressive, Amiable, Analytical and Driver. We explored each in detail, but here are the traits and perceived strengths and liabilities in a nutshell.

Expressive Style: primary motivation is affiliation

• Comfortable with close personal space
• Prefers lots of eye contact
• Gesture actively
• Speak in a conversational manner
• Use a lot of tentative language
• Are talkative about personal things
• Organize their message using recency

Perceived Strengths and Liabilities:

They are perceived to be likable. They’re quick to establish rapport and to make other feel included and comfortable. They are respectful of all members of a group or team and what to ensure that everyone is heard. On the downside, in their desire to affiliate they may be perceived as being disorganized by those who want to get straight to the task at hand.

Amicable Style: primary motivation is acceptance

• Are comfortable with large personal space
• Make little eye contact
• Make few gestures
• Speak slowly and softly
• Use a lot of tentative language and fillers
• Think before they act
• Are interested in the fact and/or ideas behind the work
• Organize their message using recency

Perceived Strengths and Liabilities:

Amicables are perceived to be thoughtful, reflective and non-threatening and good listeners. In groups, when called on they contribute real value. However, they tend not to assert in group setting or bring ideas to the table.

Analytical Style: primary motivation is achievement of task

• Comfortable in large space
• Focus their eye contact on the task
• Make few gestures
• Speak loudly and quickly
• Use precise language
• Organize their message using primacy – main point supported by details

Perceived Strengths and Liabilities:

Analyticals are perceived to be very organized, logical and careful. To be careful, they put up a few more testing barriers, asking the “what’s that based on?” questions. Analyticals may be perceived as closed and aloof.

Driver style: primary motivation control

• Are comfortable with large personal space to size up the situation
• Make frequent and intense eye contact
• Make large illustrative gestures
• Speak quickly and loudly
• Use prescriptive language : “you should”, “we have to”
• Make quick decisions based on little information
• Organize their message using primacy

Perceived Strengths and Liabilities:

Divers are perceived to be dynamic and decisive. On the downside, they are perceived as aggressive and impatient for action.

What style best describes you and the people you work with? Your clients? Your employees? I was dominantly express, but then scored equal across the board in the other three. No doubt you can see a little of yourself in each of these. But how do you think other people see you.

The moral of the story was that you have to understand other people’s style of communication in order to have a better way of reaching them. For example, if your dominant style is expressive and you need to effectively communicate with someone’s whose style is a driver, there are certain characteristics of your communication style that you need to change so as to adapt to the other person’s style. For instance, you may be less talkative and chatty and get down to the points at hand – almost in a bulleted form.

Understanding communication style is something that we all can use in all aspects of our lives – both personal and business.