Okay, I’ll admit it – I have a (small) stack of business cards on my desk from a networking event I attended a week ago. I still need to go through them and send e-mails to follow up with everyone I met. On the flip side, everyone I met got my card too – and I’ve only heard from two people. I’d say those are very good numbers given my experience in networking. Typically, I don’t get a follow-up from anyone.

Why do you go out to network? I think most people would say it’s to build up a pipeline and create leads. Okay, so if that’s the whole goal, relationship development is at the crux of that effort. To build relationships, you have to initiate a conversation. That conversation ideally should have started at the place where you met, but it needs to continue. Whether you send an e-mail, note card, or call on the phone, some follow-up is required to begin a relationship.

The other thing you can do to continue that conversation is to put those folks’ names in your database and e-mail newsletter, adding them to your drip-marketing campaign. What I do is to send an e-mail with something personal followed by a blurb about me in case they’ve forgotten who I am, followed by a little “disclaimer” saying I’m going to add them to my monthly e-newsletter, and if the content doesn’t resonate, it only takes one click to unsubscribe. Most people never even respond, but many don’t remove themselves from my list either. That means I have plenty of time to connect with them!

So if you’re not following up now, start doing it! It’s why you’re out there anyway, so start leveraging your efforts!

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Okay, I’ll admit it, I’m on the dating scene – online. I’ve never had much luck with the venue, but I figure it’s just one more way to meet people, so no harm, no foul. Yesterday, I received an e-mail from a wannabe suitor who asked if I found him attractive. “You can be honest,” he said.

So I was.

I told him I am looking for someone fit since I’m at the gym pretty regularly and want someone who enjoys similar things (and can keep up). His knee-jerk reaction was to ask why women always judge on looks first. “Whatever happened to starting as friends?” Aha – but that wasn’t his question, was it? He wanted to know if I found him attractive, not if I thought we could be friends.

In your business, are you asking the right questions? Are you ready to accept the answers? Too many business owners are living in a bubble, assuming that the way in which they perceive things to be is the way they are – without asking for feedback.

When I met with a new strategic partner recently, he said he’d heard a lot about me in town. This person owns the #1 executive placement firm according to Ranking Arizona, and he’d heard of me. (Phoenix is a very small big city.) I was, of course, impressed, but the next thing I asked was, “Was it good?” If he’s heard bad things, I need to know because that feedback will help me to improve and take action. Thankfully, he’d heard great things about me (which is why he was sitting in my office), so my reputation is strong – for now.

I encourage you to start asking people in your circle – clients, prospects, and colleagues – what their perception is of your business. You may be surprised at the answers, and they can give you an opportunity to grow.

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Whether you call it a commercial, elevator speech, or presentation, if you’re a business owner, you know how important this little nugget of information is in creating excitement about your company, product, or service. Many folks stumble over what to say and how best to gain listeners’ rapt attention.

Here, a few simple pointers:

Remember the WIIFM Factor. What’s in it for me? is what listeners want to know. If you can’t catch their attention in a hurry, they’ll tune out. How many of us have heard someone say, “Hi, I’m Todd and I am a plumber. I fix stopped drains. I can help anyone with indoor plumbing. Call me if you have questions.” ZZZZZ! There are plenty of plumbers (bankers, Realtors, etc.); why should I give you a second glance?

You only have 30 seconds (or 60, 15, or whatever). Practice a few speeches to be sure you can include your key selling points – quickly. Sometimes you’re told to only say your name, company name, and tagline. If you don’t have a captivating tagline, you’ve just sold yourself short.

Remember your audience. I have two distinct business channels: entrepreneurs and job seekers. If I go to a networking event with fellow business owners, it would be foolhardy to just talk about résumés. Sure, people in the room may know someone who’s looking for a job, but my better approach is to lead with strategic communications and then drop the résumé thing at the end. Be sure that your presentation is targeted to the people who are listening.

Stay focused. Too many people hear that they’re given two minutes and start telling stories and things that are completely irrelevant. If you have something of value to contribute, go for it! However, in my experience, most people “um” and “ah” their way through 30 seconds talking about nothing, so hone that first before moving on to a bigger sharing time.

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There is a lot of power in a résumé – well, at least there is potential. So many times, I review résumés that lack a focus and strategy. Essentially, they are a brain dump of everything the person has done across his or her career. Typically, there are many areas for potential improvement, but it all starts with the top. Whether you call it an objective, title, or headline, how you present yourself starts with your first words.

When I first started writing résumés (in 1996), an objective was something like:
To obtain a position in which I can apply my experiences in child development and education.

Now, however, titles / headlines have replaced that long, not very to-the-point statement:
Preschool Teacher

Just like a newspaper headline draws readers to learn more, a résumé headline should do the same. To expand on the newspaper similarities, in journalism “above the fold” is where all writers want to be – because it’s the first part readers see when the paper is delivered. On your résumé, your “above the fold” section is the first third of your document, where you will have your contact information, headline, summary, and keywords. Employers have a lot of choices in résumés these days, so attract their attention immediately!

Even if you include a headline, it can be poorly written. At an event I attended yesterday, a hiring manager said he’d received a résumé that said “Banking Executive.” His first response? “Huh?” That basically meant nothing to him, so he didn’t bother to read further. His suggestion? Your headline should match the position for which you’re applying.

So be specific, succinct, and definitely include a headline on your résumé so employers are sure who you are for them. Questions on a résumé are never good.

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I just received a résumé from a client who asked if I have experience in brand management. It seems like my life is about brand management, as should your life be. After all, branding is essentially your reputation, and whether you are a business owner, professional, or job seeker, you should have your reputation at the front of your mind.

If you’re as old as I am, you likely remember the Clairol commercial about one woman telling two friends, she tells two friends, and so on, and so on. Although great news can spread fast, negative news will spread like wildfire. At a BNI meeting this week, the educational coordinators were relaying a story about how a man refunded a client’s full price paid on an automotive repair because he’d rather lose a few hundreds of dollars immediately than the potential thousands he could lose on the bad publicity for years to come.

You don’t need to be McDonald’s or Pepsi to be a “brand.” Susan Smith or ABC Marketing are just as powerful brands to the people you’re trying to cultivate and influence. So how are you managing your brand? Are you seeing what people are saying about you on Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter? Are you conscientious about the things you share in person and through social media? In the digital age, everything about you can be shared – quickly. Everyone is a member of the paparazzi, it seems, and YouTube submission is just a click away.

I encourage you to consider what your brand is, no matter if you’re looking to land a client, a job, or a date, and start to create a strategy around managing it. Unless you hire a PR firm, no one else is going to do it for you.

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Acclaimed media strategists discuss the pros and cons of DIY media strategy vs. hiring a professional firm

Phoenix, Ariz. (Feb. 5, 2010) — As a business owner, you know you need to let people know about your company, but you may be stumped on which components are the most important and how to best achieve your goals. What’s a reasonable cost for an advertising strategy? Should you advertise on television and radio? Where is your target audience and how do you reach them? Business owners need to balance working “on” their businesses with working “in” their businesses, and it’s impossible to be an expert at everything, so where do you begin?

Alma Steger and Chris Pollack, partners in Untitled Advertising and Public Relations, have been successfully placing clients in media outlets both in Phoenix, Ariz., where the firm is based, and across the country. As small business owners themselves, they understand the challenges others are facing in driving traffic while maintaining a manageable budget in the process. As Ms. Steger shares, “You truly need a strategy in media relations; you can’t write one press release and call it good. It’s an ongoing process to keep yourself in front of press contacts to become the go-to expert in your field.” In fact, Ms. Steger cautions potential clients that a firm that offers ala carte services may not be the best approach. “The first promotional piece may not catch anyone’s attention, but after they’ve heard from you a few times, editors get curious. You have to maintain interest.”

Steger and Pollack will be providing their guidance at The Grammar Doctors‘ monthly brown bag series in February, discussing the pros and cons of building your own media strategy vs. hiring a professional firm. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about all of the components involved in creating a successful media strategy, leaving with valuable information on how to get started achieving more exposure immediately.

Untitled Advertising and Public Relations and The Grammar Doctors are strategic partners, providing marketing communications and media relations support for businesses and corporations to enhance outreach efforts. Untitled also has a strong presence in the local Hispanic market.

Business owners and entrepreneurs are invited to attend this free workshop on Tuesday, February 16, 12 pm – 1 pm at the office of The Grammar Doctors, 3420 E Shea Blvd, Ste 200, Phoenix, Ariz. Sign up online or call 602-953-5278 for more information.

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Phoenix, Ariz. — According to Arizona’s Workforce, the unemployment rate for Arizona was 9.3% in October 2009 – and keeps increasing each month. Most job seekers are using a variety of tools to find that next opportunity, a résumé generally being the “calling card” of that search. But what does that a great résumé include? And what are the components that shouldn’t be included?

One local business owner has the answer. Amanda Collins, chief of staff with The Grammar Doctors, has been writing interview-getting résumés for more than a decade and explains that, at their core, résumés are marketing documents. “If you think of yourself as the product you’re trying to sell, you get the idea. A résumé’s primary goal is to get you an interview, so it needs to market you well to the reader.” Ms. Collins has been featured on various local news and radio programs, sharing information with viewers and listeners about résumé design.

Starting this month, The Grammar Doctors will be hosting a brown bag series for job seekers. Each month, speakers will help job seekers navigate the path back to gainful employment, particularly in this competitive market. The first in the series will take place Thursday, December 17, 12 pm – 1 pm, at the Corporate Office Centers, 7047 E Greenway Pkwy, Ste 250, Scottsdale, Ariz. The topic will be “What is a résumé?” Attendees will learn the key points employers are looking for on résumés and how to help theirs stand out. Guests are invited to bring a lunch and learn some tools to aid their job search. The presentations will be free of charge, and attendees will have the opportunity to win a door prize at each session.

For more information, please contact info@grammardocs.com or 602-482-3495. Register online.

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Phoenix, AZ — In a down economy, unemployment may lead many former employees to become their own boss. According to an article in The New York Times, “necessity” entrepreneurship is increasing while “opportunity” entrepreneurship is decreasing. Add that to the fact that Phoenix is ranked among one of the best American cities in which to start a new business (according to CNNMoney.com), and the need for training for new business owners skyrockets.

One local business owner understands this need – and is making an effort to help new entrepreneurs in the community get started on the right foot. Amanda Collins started in The Grammar Doctors, a boutique firm designing and implementing communications strategies for businesses and individuals, in 2005 when it was still an option to put up one’s own shingle. Since then, she has learned through trial and error and now wants to share her acquired knowledge with those new to the thought of having to rely on themselves for a paycheck.

“I made a lot of mistakes in the beginning, and I think people can learn from how I’ve turned potential roadblocks into wins,” says Ms. Collins. To get those tidbits of advice to the public, Ms. Collins is starting a series of informational seminars each month. Topics will be presented not only by Collins: “I have a lot of information to share, but I certainly can’t be the expert in everything. My goal is to bring in local business experts to cover topics related to business development.” Scheduled seminars will cover a wide variety of topics including communications strategies, blogging, social media, and networking.

The first in the brown bag series for entrepreneurs will take place Tuesday, December 15, 12 pm – 1 pm, at the Corporate Office Centers, 7047 E Greenway Pkwy, Scottsdale, Ariz. The topic will cover how to turn leads into clients and referral partners using a communications strategy. Guests are invited to bring a lunch and learn something to grow their businesses. The presentations will be free of charge, and attendees will have the opportunity to win a door prize at each session.

To register or learn more, please contact Amanda Collins with The Grammar Doctors: amanda@grammardocs.com or 602-482-3495.

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When I worked in college admissions, the underlying goal of all of our efforts was to push prospective students down the applicant funnel to become enrolled students. Then, as I moved into my own business, I applied the same principles, which are of course universal. Big companies recognize a sales (or marketing) funnel and have the same goal I had at colleges – to push people to the bottom. A huge part of that happens through a company’s communications strategies.

We want everyone who inquires about our businesses to become repeat clients and share with us referrals, right? Unfortunately, though, while big, multimillion-dollar conglomerates keep in touch with their customers through advertisements, direct mail, and e-mail campaigns, most small business owners and entrepreneurs seem to miss that step, either due to lack of money or knowledge about how to do so. I run into many solopreneurs who are out at networking events with the goal of acquiring business – yet 95% (or more) of them don’t even follow up with those contacts, much less begin a communications campaign.

The Sales Funnel
In the sales funnel, people can enter at any point. They can come in as a cold lead at the top, or somewhere in the middle as a sold inquiry, or even as a referral from a trusted source. Most business owners would love to have mostly referrals because those clients are easier to close, given that they received a strong endorsement before ever making contact with the business.

The disconnect in the small business world is that entrepreneurs are so harried they don’t have time or know-how to measure their numbers of inquiries and conversion rates to customers. And they rarely have time to build a strong, strategic marketing communications plan. Both of these aspects are essential in turning leads into clients and referral partners.

Communications Strategy
First and foremost, you need to follow up with people you meet. That sets a tone and starts to build a relationship – and we all know we do business with those we know, like, and trust. Then you need to stay in touch with your database. We all meet a lot of people in our daily lives, and we’ll forget them if they’re not top of mind. At least once a month you should be making some contact with your clients, inquiries, and prospects. If you get them all with a blanket approach, at least you’re making contact, but you’re not really pushing them to do anything. The better approach is to segment your list and market to them accordingly.

Keep track of your database in groups, such as prospects (you picked up their card), inquiries (they asked about what you do), and clients (they’ve made a purchase). That way you can push each group into the next level in the funnel. If you were on the receiving side, wouldn’t you feel funny if you got an e-mail asking you to buy when you just recently made a purchase? The same would hold true if you were asked for feedback on a purchase you hadn’t yet made. Customers feel more valued when you’re speaking the THEM rather than to the masses.

You’re certainly not going to push 100% of your database through the funnel to become clients, but your ratio will definitely increase when you open communications – with intent. Then remember to stay in touch with clients to ask them for referrals and additional business based on your industry. You’ll see a dramatic increase in business by staying top of mind and asking for what you want.

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How are you keeping in contact with your customers and potential clients? I recently sat down with a colleague who said she didn’t feel it was imperative to stay in touch with her clients since they were mostly one-shot transactions. However, what if situations change – or, better yet – they want to refer you?

When I worked in college admissions and marketing, I was in charge of creating the corporate communications strategy. I designed a whole comm flow of what we would do when we received an inquiry, following that person down the admissions funnel to enrollment (or not). There were many levels of “touch,” all with the intent of staying top of mind for applicants. Business owners and developers should be doing the same, creating a series of ways to stay in touch with their clients. Of course, it could take all day to develop a strategy, so let me give you a few hints:

Blog
Everyone knows they should be doing this, but too many are not. It’s pretty simple, and I outlined it in a previous blog. Get that blog up to drive traffic, gain more followers to your site and newsletter, and brand yourself as an expert.

Write a newsletter
Keep track of your clients and let them know what’s new with you in a monthly newsletter. It’s a great way to share your blogs with your readers and, again, drive traffic to your site.

Send out mailings
Occasionally it’s good to go above and beyond and really reach out to your clients. This could be an annual calendar, magnet with a special discount, postcard, newsletter, or “lumpy mail.” My promo guru helps me create all kinds of fun things to share with clients; I greet all in-person folks with medical-themed office supplies.

Have a different approach for different audiences
After you have siphoned off your different markets, approach them differently. Maybe loyalty rewards for current customers or incentives for those who’ve not yet signed up for your services. Remember the goal is to develop relationships, stay top of mind, and – ultimately – increase sales.

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