Simplify systems for solo businesses to be purposeful, productive, profitable, promotable.
The word for the day is “congruency”. Are you making promises you can’t keep with your branding & marketing? When you promote yourself, you are promoting a promise to deliver on quality, excellence, and follow-through with your audience.
Listen up as I share a recent experience & what doesn’t work.
I am not a huge candy lover but I do enjoy a bit of dark chocolate every now and then. So I had a bag of the dark chocolate M & M’s the other day and I was thinking about how long they’ve been around. M & M candy as we know it originated in the U.S. in 1941 according to Wikipedia. It has had a pretty consistent look over many years, although there are nuances that have changed based on market changes and creative genius.
Think about it – a few color experiments over the years and a few new flavors (like coconut chocolate — yum) but still consistently convenient, colorful, practical in size.
While I was sitting there reading the packet and lamenting a little over the fact mine was almost empty, I thought about how this little candy relates back to branding. I came up with 4 m’s that can generate great questions for small business owners who are developing branding strategies.
When you think about the candy, the company obviously knows what works. Their specialty is tiny, color coated, hard-shelled chocolate candies. What is your area of expertise? What is the topic you love to talk about? What topic kingdom will you rule?
In the marketplace, M & M will have a much broader target audience, but remember they probably have a significantly larger budget than you do in your small or solo business. What is the makeup of your main audience? Who are you talking to and what do they want to know? What solutions are they seeking out and what are their biggest challenges?
What is the “walk-away” message people are left with when they leave you at a networking event? When they read your article or see you as a presenter, what is the big idea they can carry with them long after it’s over? What do they need to learn or know that will help them have a better life? improved results? Your message is at the core of your entire brand. For example, mine is “using affordable internet resources and simple, powerful business strategies can help you free up more time to enjoy your business”. M & M’s are known for having a “flavor for everyone” so in all they do, they speak to variety, diversity, vibrancy. What does your brand say?
How do you get people to the same, or similar results each time? What is your “signature system”? What approach do you use consistently to get to the best solution without the guesswork? This is the place where you probably have your greatest chance to distinguish yourself. In the process, in the name, in the delivery – all of these make up your unique and remarkable difference from other competitors who offer similar services or products. I’m sure M & M’s has a consistent process to making their candy. What process do people experience when they work with you?
Well, I hope you enjoyed my 4 M’s. How do you see using these in your business branding strategy?
I love writing about tools and systems and branding and such. But sometimes it’s about getting back to the basics. There have been times in my life and in my business I have compromised boundaries for simply the possibility of making more money or being more successful. More often than not, when the choice is not grounded and aligned with my core values, something goes awry.
One thing I have learned over time is that I will never regret choices that keep me moving towards what is most important. For me, it’s my family. For you, it may be something or someone else.
How you operate your business is largely determined by what policies you’ve set in place. What’s that saying?…something like, “If you don’t know what you stand for, you’ll fall for anything”.
This post is a step-by-step process I’ve used to write my very own “personal policies manual”. This is a collection of principles I’ve set in place for myself and my business to create better boundaries and to promote results in my business AND personal life.
My Super Short Guide to Writing a Personal Policies Manual
A quick peek at Tanya’s list…
[content_box_grey width="75%"]I will honor my family by not scheduling appointments during designated family time – this includes most weekends, homework time, birthdays, and special school events.
I honor others most when I accept speaking invitations where the topic and the venue clearly fit within my expertise and gifts of service.
I honor myself when I set aside time for exercise, prayer, and reading each day no matter what else needs to be done. [/content_box_grey]
This is just a short sample, but do you get the point? Take your lists and put them into a binder, a small journal, or something you carry with you daily until you know them by heart. You may choose to add different sections depending on your needs, but I like having all principles fit on one page.
The next time you feel that little pull that tells you, “no, this is not right for me” you can double check it in your manual. I have found this to be a simple way to stay in balance with my values and enjoy my business more. 
There is a lot of buzz out there right now about automation. I’m one of those supporters and have spoken, written, and even shared others posts about using technology to leverage your time.
I write about this because automation has created gateways into whole new worlds for me professionally, and for many of my colleagues. With a full-time corporate job, small children, and so many responsibilities, there is no way I could successfully develop my entrepreneurial dream without it.
I will add this…there are some who believe that automation is evil in its purest form. I suspect this has to do with the assumption that it creates gaps in more personal communication. There may be other reasons and you are welcome to share yours if you think automation is not a positive thing, but I’d like to share some points about keeping it “real – and personal”.
First, I use automation as a an entry point, not the end all. It allows me to effectively be in more than one place at a time, which is something every mother (supreme multitaskers in their own right) I know has always dreamed of. For example, if I am attending a soccer game I want to be able to continue to deliver service to an entrepreneur in need who has inquired about solutions I have that may help them. Instead of them having to wait until I finally load up the car with all our gear, get the kids fed, and take a drink of water to counter that heat I was just exposed to for hours, that person immediately receives a reply that sends them to my calendar so they can book an appointment where we have dedicated time to talk.
Secondly, I use automation to help deliver what I promise 24/7. I once worked with a busy coach trying to make ends meet by taking on a part-time job during the week. She could never make a live call from the programs I offered, but she wanted and needed the training to grow her business. Instead of missing the valuable information, this coach was able to view the video replays at her convenience whenever she had available time. All she had to do was register for the program, and she was instantly subscribed to receive the replays in her inbox.
Third, automation provides a marketing option many business owners would not have today. Sure it can be a nuisance at times, but it also is a blessing for entrepreneurs who may not have a limitless budget. We can now promote our business through social media, on affordable websites, and more with the help of resources like Hootsuite and WordPress. I have made connections with people in other countries, places I may never get to see but real live personal relationships I will treasure forever – all because I first connected with a person through a tweeted quote that was just what they needed at the time.
The main point I would like to offer is that while there have been abuses as the tool of automation becomes more prevalent, there are ways to use it as a gift and a way to broaden your personal horizons. My belief is that it all starts with approach. When you come from a place of giving and authenticity in your application of automated tools – a “how can I help you right now until we can connect directly?” sort of way, the results may be astronomically different than using the “let me beat down your door with my stuff until you cry uncle and buy” approach.
Automation itself is not a bad thing; it’s in the way it is used that you enhance connection.
WANT TO RE-POST THIS ARTICLE ON YOUR BLOG OR USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:
About the Author: Tanya Smith is a creative business strategist specializing in showing service based entrepreneurs like coaches, consultants and freelancers how to spend more time making money with simple, yet profitable marketing systems. Her company Be Promotable provides clients with fresh actionable strategies and virtual resources to promote their businesses as power players in their market. Claim your instant access to a free 10 part e-course, 10 Ways To Spice Up Your List at: www.bepromotable.com.
There are 4 Ps to help you get real clarity around your entrepreneurial brand. This video will share more but here is the list:
1. Know your “people” and their demographics
2. Know your “position” and how you want to strategically message
3. Know your “product” offerings
4. Know your “process” and how you deliver solutions
Enjoy this short video for a little deeper dive and find out more about our upcoming Personal Branding for Coaches hosted by Workplace Coach Institute at http://workplacecoachinstitute.com/courses/personal-branding-for-coaches/
Choosing a niche is one of the very first steps to a successful business, and it is especially effective if you are marketing online. The key to choosing a perfectly viable niche is to do your homework by researching your niche options based on key factors.
Let’s discuss five factors that when researched well, will offer you the best choice.
Step 1 – Review your background
When you think about your past experiences – professional and personal, what are some of the key things that stand out? What is your educational history? For what have you always been complimented? Are there certain talents you have demonstrated that others envy? Did you acquire a special skill through volunteering or in an unstructured environment not related to your “real” career?
Step 2 – Choose a niche group to market to
Remember, it is important for you to know who you will be sending your marketing messages to. There are several broad topical categories outlined here that you can use as a starting point:
Ideally, you should focus on a specific segment within the group you select. For example, you may decide to work with business owners who sell financial services, or relationship experts who work with single parents and their teens. The more targeted the group, the easier it will be to streamline your marketing dollars.
Step 3 – Define your group’s biggest problem(s) they are actively seeking to resolve
This is an important distinction – just because your group has a problem, it does not mean they are seeking to pay someone to bring resolution to the problem. Choosing a problem that your market either has on their periphery or they want to ignore creates more work for you. In these cases, you will have to invest time and money in educating the group as to why they need your services.
Consider how much easier it would be to develop your offerings around a service your market is already looking to invest in.
Step 4 – Develop your solution(s)
Taking into account the work you’ve done in Steps 1 through 3, now pinpoint the ideal solutions you can apply with both expertise and passion. What do you have to offer and how will you deliver it? Can you create a series of presentations around the solution? Would you develop a set of articles?
Start with your own preferred learning style then branch out. If you enjoy hearing audio CDs for learning, perhaps you can create a set of podcasts talking about your solutions. In another article, I will delve further into developing your signature system, or step-by-step process to the solution(s).
Step 5 – Research to find out if your niche is viable
Viability is determined by whether there is potential profit in the niche you’ve chosen. It also references the levels of supply (competition) and demand (remember, who is “actively seeking”). These days, it is much easier to do this type of research using Google, Amazon.com, keyword tools, and more. What you’re looking for is how others are competing for attention in the niche you have chosen, and what number of times you see people searching for answers in this niche. The ideal situation is a high demand for solutions, and low competition – so that you can stand out. If you’ve taken the time to identify a more targeted group, you will have a better chance at differentiating yourself.
It is important not to miss this step. Just because you fall in love with a niche, it does not mean you will generate an income you can live off of. Do the research to make an educated, knowledgeable decision about your target and what you would like to offer.
You will never regret taking these 5 steps to finding your perfect niche. Taking these measured steps to a niche will distinguish you from many other competitors and position you for greater opportunity and growth.
WANT TO RE-POST THIS ARTICLE ON YOUR BLOG OR USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:
About the Author: Tanya Smith is a creative business strategist specializing in showing service based entrepreneurs like coaches, consultants and freelancers how to spend more time making money with simple, yet profitable marketing systems. Her company Be Promotable provides clients with fresh actionable strategies and virtual resources to promote their businesses as power players in their market. Claim your instant access to a free 10 part e-course, 10 Ways To Spice Up Your List at: www.bepromotable.com.
Look at how much fun this is. The guys over at AppSumo.com said this “Infographics are 30 to 40 times more likely to be viewed and shared vs text”. They have a program where they are teaching how to use infographics here at http://t.co/iXiHIbF.
Meanwhile, get a good laugh at this one I had done for me over at Visual.ly! (It’s free – you can try it too) It changes each time you refresh the page.
I often tell my friends online that I’m not great, but I’m on the way – just like you. In the process of learning and growing my own business, I often share stories of my own personal experiences and things that happened that hopefully will help you grow your business and promote your brand in the right way.
Recently there was a program that I wanted to promote in a certain way and there were three things that caused me to not be successful. Maybe you can consider these in your own marketing strategies for your business events and programs.
The first thing that contributed to the failure of this particular launch is that I tried to follow someone else’s plan that was not right for where I am in my business now. I have to say something that is probably pretty unpopular — here goes: the thing is, often times we follow people because of their status and where they are. We are taught to think that if we just follow their plan step-by-step, we will get the same results. The problem is that this keeps us from using common sense and looking at how we may need to adjust for our own business. It is important to recognize where you are in your journey may be different from theirs.
I did not count in those things that were unique to my personal situation and my own list when diving into the million dollar strategy of the person I learned from. It doesn’t mean their plan can’t work; it just means small tweaks may be necessary.
For example – people who have a list of subscribers < 2,000 may need to take different steps to promote their program or product than a person who has a list of 10,000 +. You are in a different stage of growth in your business. Adjustments to things like pricing, positioning of the message, etc. may need to be made for the plan.
The second factor for failure is that the delivery of the information in the content I wanted to share was way too much for the market to bear. Here’s what we do a lot of times when were putting programs and events and things together — we’re just so excited about sharing we want to deliver a jam-packed course/event with everything we know.
So I had 30 day program that I wanted to deliver that would literally walk you from point A to point Z, but the problem is my message said this would be “easy” and “simple”. There is nothing simple about stuffing A through Z down your client’s throat in 30 days or less! Most people are already overwhelmed about what to do. I knew this intuitively but I just used the excuse that I wanted to “give them everything”.
A much better strategy is take your larger system or set of processes and break out one piece into a program or product. Make it easier for your market to digest in smaller bites, and easier on yourself to deliver what you promise.
Factor number three is that I didn’t do a really good job of mapping out the entire outcome that I wanted my clients to achieve from the program. Now I’ve often heard from a lot of experts out there that you can build the plane in the air while you’re flying and I do agree with that in some cases but delivering a solid program or product requires a plan where you start with the end in mind (just like you read in “7 Habits of Highly Effective People”).
You really have to understand the outcome you’re trying to get to and what you want your audience to glean from your delivery, then work backwards from there. The clearer your outcome, the clearer your messaging. People know exactly what to expect from you and from your program.
If you remember nothing else from this entire post, remember this - confusion does not equal cash. If you understand your desired outcome, your promotion messages will be much more attractive to the average buyer.
Well, I hope you have enjoyed this message and that you can learn from my mistakes. Get yourself ready for that next launch – whether it be an event, a program, or a product and remember: 1) make adjustments as necessary based on where you are in your business stage; 2) deliver content in smaller, digestible bites; and 3) plan your entire strategy with the ideal outcome in mind then work backwards.
WANT TO RE-POST THIS ARTICLE ON YOUR BLOG OR USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:
About the Author: Tanya Smith is a creative business strategist specializing in showing service based entrepreneurs like coaches, consultants and freelancers how to spend more time making money with simple, yet profitable marketing systems. Her company Be Promotable provides clients with fresh actionable strategies and virtual resources to promote their businesses as power players in their market. Claim your instant access to a free 10 part ecourse, 10 Ways To Spice Up Your List at: www.bepromotable.com.
I talk with my clients quite a bit about having a signature system. A signature system is the process you use to getting to the solution desired by your market or ideal client. I can cover that in more detail in another post. Here is just a partial list of ways you can take your system and break it apart for creation of new information products. One idea is to use this product as a giveaway on your website.
Take a peek (this is less than half of my actual list, but my clients would be mad at me if I gave them all away. LOL):
Hope you enjoy the list and can put it to good use!
WANT TO RE-POST THIS ARTICLE ON YOUR BLOG OR USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:
About the Author: Tanya Smith is a creative business strategist specializing in showing service based entrepreneurs like coaches, consultants and freelancers how to spend more time making money with simple, yet profitable marketing systems. Her company Be Promotable provides clients with fresh actionable strategies and virtual resources to promote their businesses as power players in their market. Claim your instant access to a free 10 part ecourse, 10 Ways To Spice Up Your List at: www.bepromotable.com.
What are the 5 best features to create a world class email strategy?
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