Posted By Amanda Collins on October 25, 2010

If your business relies on how many clients you secure, it can be pretty stressful. No clients mean no money, right? For most of us, we find prospects through our websites, social media, or in-person networking. They provide us with the possibility of at least one closed sale – and more if those clients send referrals. However, what if you changed the way you found your prospects?

There are two ways to grow your client base: find more clients (aka bunnies) or find more referral partners (aka bunny farmers). Herding bunnies can be exhausting and time consuming, whereas finding some strategic bunny farmers can mean a pipeline that carries you through the down times.

When looking for your farmers, consider those who go after the same target market as you do but don’t compete. As a writer, I  partner best with marketing strategists, Web designers, graphic designers, and business coaches. Even other writers with a different focus are great referral partners. All of these professions work with and know people in my target market. Remember that this is a two-way street: not only can they send me prospective clients, but I can send them prospects as well.

Once you’ve identified your farmers, you need to let them in on your plan. That may seem obvious, but there are some people who naturally share referrals and some who aren’t quite as familiar with the process. When I started this approach in my own business, I created a bit of a referral advisory board consisting of various professionals who share my target market. About 10 of us meet once monthly as a group, and we are encouraged to have one-on-one meetings in the interim. The other benefit of this partnership is that I have professionals on which to call when I have questions or need support in my business. My referrals have significantly increased because of this approach, and I feel as if I’m part of a team instead of going forward on my own.

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Posted By Amanda Collins on September 13, 2010

Whether you’re a little addicted to social media or just starting to dip your toe in the pool, you may wonder why you need to be on both Twitter and Facebook. It’s a valid question and one I hear often. Nowadays, you can even cross post to both through their respective sites or by using an outside application like TweetDeck or Ping. But, whether you put unique or the same content on both Twitter and Facebook, I believe you should have a presence on each. Here are some of my reasons why:

You Can Reach More People
Typically, you don’t have the same followers on Facebook as you do on Twitter. Most people I know have their personal Facebook pages closed down so only friends can see the information, whereas Twitter is an open network. You may have an open Facebook fan page (I do), but still it’s only seen by your followers. Twitter has hashtags and users can search by keywords, so you have the capacity to reach people around the globe, in addition to those in your network.

It’s the Start of a Conversation
Although people seem to have started using Twitter as an instant messenger, there are so many Tweets going out that you pretty much have to be online at the same time to connect. It’s great when you are, and you can have a conversation that others will see and in which they too can engage. Typically, though, Twitter is a bit of a radio delay in this realm. Facebook, on the other hand, sits for a bit. When you go to your homepage, you can look at posts from hours and days ago without having to go to each person’s page one by one. Also, when someone comments on your post, it stays with it and then others can comment on that. You can end up with a 15-person conversation—which is much more challenging on Twitter.

Different Strokes for Different Folks
There are Facebook people, Twitter people, and those who run in both circles. On Twitter, you can reach entrepreneurs and the Average Joe; Facebook puts you in touch with old friends, business associates, and family. Whom do you want to reach? If it’s just your clients and people you know, Facebook will be great. However, if you’d like to expand your horizons, Twitter allows you a bit broader reach. There will be a bit of overlap, but it’s more likely you’re going to have two completely different audiences.

So get out there and get social. You may be surprised at the results you see from Tweeting and Facebooking.

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Posted By Amanda Collins on September 4, 2010

If you’re not on Twitter, you definitely should be. The application I use, TweetDeck, just launched an upgrade that now allows me to post-date tweets. That means, even if I’m not on Twitter, I can still look like I am. But what do you tweet to be an effective communicator and not drown out everyone with inane non-information?

Some social media experts will suggest a breakdown of tweets, usually in the 60%, 30%, 10% range. The biggest number is always for starting conversations or retweeting, the mid number is for what you’re doing and daily updates, and the smallest number is for blatant self-promotion. It’s a good idea, if you need a launch point, but what if you’re already addicted to Twitter and wanting to say something to engage people?

Of course, you can always build a small cohort with whom you converse and share in the promotion of each other. In the Phoenix area, it’s almost incestuous how our Follow Fridays go; we nearly always mention the same people week after week. The good thing about that is that we all get increased followers each week as well. And there’s built-in conversation as well as listeners who’ll support our blog posts and comments with retweets.

If you don’t have that group, though, you might as well be tweeting to a wall. As I explain it to older folks, tweeting is like using a CB radio; you can talk, but you’re never quite sure who’s tuned in. So, instead of leaving it to chance, engage people. On TweetDeck, you can run keyword searches. Then you can comment on what those people are saying, thereby meeting new folks. You can also see what your circle is saying and comment or retweet them. Ask questions or feedback on issues in your business. People like to help. Also, say something funny or personal from time to time. I get a lot of comments back when I share a cute saying from my son; everyone likes to know a bit about you outside of business.

Remember that social media is very much a conversation. Don’t act like a speaker; be a listener. You’ll definitely see your interactions—and followers—grow.

Category: Business Development, Communications, networking | No Comments »
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Posted By Amanda Collins on August 5, 2010

When you walk through the mall, you’ll find greeters at the door of the best-managed stores. WalMart is known for its greeters. While you might think it’s just a job for retirees, the greeter serves a vital purpose in the retail world: to reduce theft and build the customer experience. Small business owners can learn a great deal from these greeters.

While most entrepreneurs don’t need to consider loss prevention (unless you have a storefront, of course), customer relations are at the core of repeat and referral business. From the moment a potential client interacts with the company, he is making a series of decisions on what the future will hold. Think about the many ways clients can first learn about you: in person, through word of mouth, advertising, Web site, or telephone. In each of these, you should be saying, “Welcome to [company]; how are you today?” Are you welcoming potential customers?

The other key component of a greeter is to thank the customer for coming and ask them to return. Too many people miss this step. While the initial contact seems like a no-brainer, the post-sale communication seems to fall by the wayside. Are you thanking your customers for doing business with you? I don’t mean implying; I mean literally thanking them. I send a thank-you card and, of course, add them to my drip-marketing campaign.

Remember that your first impression sets the tone while your last impression lingers. Make sure that you’re focusing on both—and everything in between—and you may be surprised at the results.

Category: Business Development, Communications | No Comments »
Tags: business communications

Posted By Amanda Collins on July 9, 2010

Did you happen to read Liz Ryan’s article this week in The Huffington Post, “That’s Definitely Not Networking”? She shared some wonderful comments on what activities should not be construed as networking; unfortunately, some people still count them as part of their business-building efforts. Some examples include connecting with colleagues on Facebook or sending a monthly e-newsletter to your database. That’s not to say those ideas are bad ones, of course; it’s more a matter of definition.

Whether you’re a very extroverted entrepreneur who is energized by going out to events, or a more reserved personality who dreads those business lunches, here are some great ways that you can enhance and maximize your networking efforts.

1. Have a plan
Just going to events willy nilly isn’t a plan. How many will you attend each week? Will you always do one type of event (breakfast, seminar, mixer), or will you pick a variety? How many people do you want to meet? What kinds of people? Having a strategy will give you a way to measure if you’re meeting your goals and help you stay more focused while you’re out and about.

2. Follow up
I’ve been as guilty as the next person in this category, putting the business cards I’ve received in a pile and then forgetting about them for a week – or more. By then, I’ve typically forgotten anything about the people I met that long ago. Strive to follow up within 48 hours, either by phone or email. If you want to really stand out, you can mail a card. Your method isn’t quite as important as the fact that you’re reaching out beyond the event. Remember that your goal is to cultivate and build relationships.

3. Go back
I’ve heard a few people say, “Yeah, I went to that event before, but I didn’t make any connections.” The likelihood that you’ll score a client or referral partner after attending anything once is pretty low. You need to continue making an appearance, connecting with people, and being consistent. Be patient. It may take a number of weeks or months to create relationships and generate sales.

Networking is a vital component of being a successful entrepreneur, and you can make it work for you if you take the time to make a plan, follow up, and stay connected. Then you may find that you’re not only enjoying networking but effectively building your client base.

Category: Business Development, networking | 2 Comments »
Tags: networking

Posted By Amanda Collins on July 2, 2010

Sometimes we forget that not everyone knows the same things we do – or maybe that’s just me. Recently, while sitting down for a one-on-one with a web designer, we were talking about the benefits of great content in boosting SEO. I was telling him about how he should be blogging on a regular basis to add more content to his site, and that he should follow up with notices on social media about his blogs.

“Can I just lift blogs from other people if I give them credit?”

It’s a good question—with an easy answer. Ideally, you should contact the writer and ask for permission. Short of that, giving full credit to the author on your blog, along with a link to the original post, is sufficient.

However, the question about cross-posting brought up another topic of SEO: commenting on others’ blogs. If you run a Google alert on certain keywords significant to your business (résumé, job search, etc.), you will learn of all kinds of blogs from colleagues. What a great way to make connections and drive traffic to your site by adding supportive, thought-provoking comments to those blogs!

Determine who the industry and thought leaders are in your profession. Follow them. Comment on what they have to say. Readers will link back to your site if you offer noteworthy comments that capture their attention and provide information. It’s a simple, effective trick to improve your SEO and continue to position yourself as an expert in your field.

Category: Business Development, seo | No Comments »
Tags: building relationships, Business Development

Posted By Amanda Collins on June 18, 2010

I’m a member of BNI (Business Networking International), and at this week’s meeting, the educational moment was about the 80/20 rule: how, for most entrepreneurs, 20% of our tasks take up 80% of our time. In actuality, it should be the reverse.

If you’re a procrastinator, you may choose to do those more menial tasks first, the ones that don’t earn you any money. You know what I mean: heading on to Twitter or Facebook, checking email and phone messages, or doing office tasks. However, you know you have a project that needs to be completed – and you’re putting it off in lieu of those other non-revenue-producing items.

In a past blog, I discussed keeping track of your time, budgeting 45 minutes of each hour for important things to do and the remaining 15 minutes for the daily time wasters. I suggest an addendum to that calendaring system: schedule the more challenging items for the earlier part of your day.

Some motivational speakers refer to the concept of doing the more difficult and less exciting tasks first as “eating the frog.” If you eat the frog first, everything else is better – and easier.

Usually, you’re more motivated to complete tasks right out of the gate, and then, if the phone rings, a client stops by, or a last-minute requirement pops up, you’ll feel less stressed in attending to them right then. Also, if you know you have to “eat the frog” before moving on to other tasks, you’ll be more eager to actually finish it – meaning you’ll succeed in spending 20% of your time completing 80% of your work, instead of the reverse.

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Tags: Business Development, time management

Posted By Amanda Collins on June 1, 2010

I don’t know about you, but I’m a horrible procrastinator. I have a daily to-do list, but I usually find myself surfing Facebook or Twitter, checking e-mail, or basically wasting time until I realize I’m falling behind on my to-do list and have to scramble to catch up. However, I recently discovered that a little planning and a simple cooking timer can do wonders for even the most obstinate procrastinator.

Balancing working ON the business and working IN the business seems to be one of the biggest challenges of entrepreneurs. I have current clients who need attention, and I also have to keep the pipeline full for the future. This is where having a thorough calendaring system is imperative. I don’t take on more than two events per day – and I prefer only one. That way I’m out of the office no longer than a couple of hours, and I can complete my projects on time. I block out the week in advance so I know exactly what’s due and what I’ll be working on throughout the day. Of course, life happens, but having a plan to tackle that to-do list is really important for me to stay on task.

Once I have my daily tasks lined up, I assign a time limit to each project. For me, I’ve found that I can’t concentrate for longer than 30-45 minutes at a time, so I don’t block more than 45 minutes for each project. (It may take two or three 45-minute blocks to complete the project, but I stay focused on it for that long at a time.) In the remaining 15 minutes of each hour, I give myself time to play, doing all of those time-waster activities I enjoy. It’s kind of like dieting: without an occasional slice of chocolate cake, carrots get a little monotonous.

With a timer and my iPhone, I am much more focused and deliberate with my time. If I think of something not work-related during my 45 minutes “on,” I jot it down on the notepad that’s always next to my laptop. That way, I remember it and can stay on target with the task at hand.

Even though some of my résumé clients will say one of their strengths is multitasking, I’ve learned that the real talent is not being able to do multiple things simultaneously. It’s the ability to stay focused and complete one task, while having the flexibility to jump around as needed when the phone rings, a client walks in, or my son needs my attention. Only then will I master my mind and meet the goals I’ve set.

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Tags: Business Development, time management

Posted By Amanda Collins on May 28, 2010

Category: Business Development, reputation management | 1 Comment »
Tags: money-back guarantee, refunds

Posted By Amanda Collins on May 21, 2010

As a successful business owner, you should have a clear understanding of the differences between the terms customers, clients, and guests. In fact, your view of these words should define your business model.

Customers
A customer is simply someone who buys something from another person or organization. This is the base of sales interactions. Customers don’t typically develop a relationship with the company. You may consider yourself a customer of your local grocery store, for example. You won’t differentiate your business or yourself by relating to people as customers.

Clients
A client has a relationship with an organization with whom s/he is doing business. You will cultivate clients and remain in touch with them through drip-marketing campaigns that may include phone, email, and direct mail interactions. Clients are those people who come back to you again and again – and refer their friends and family because they trust your services. Most small business owners refer to those they serve as clients.

Guests
A guest is a person who is invited to do business with you. S/he feels valued and welcomed to your office (whether brick-and-mortar or virtual), and is engaged in the process. This is what you should aspire to have in your business. Think of each interaction as building a long-term relationship. You may notice that many larger businesses are transitioning to this term in their quest to provide the highest level of customer service. Walt Disney mastered this approach, and it is what turned the Disney name into an empire.

I encourage you to consider how you’re relating to those with whom you do business. Are they customers who just give you money in exchange for a service? Are they clients with whom you are developing a relationship? Or are they guests who feel warmly greeted and cared for throughout the process? The answer to those questions will define your interactions – and have a profound effect on how you do business.

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Tags: Business Development, client relations