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Do you know Chris Brogan? He’s one of the current gurus of social media, and has some very entertaining and interesting observations about marketing. If you’re looking for practical marketing tips to permit you some online success, you might try subscribing to his e-newsletter here.
His latest newsletter includes a story that resonates with me, “Simple Goals on Paper.” (I couldn’t find this on his website, or I’d have provided the link here.) The story starts with Chris confessing to a less-then-productive yet very “busy” day. (Not that any of US have ever had one…) Then he tells how he turned things around to help keep himself focused. Here is his process:
Step 1: I looked at my bigger goals for the remainder of 2009, and what I plan to do for the first half of 2010.
Step 2: I wrote down three things to accomplish today that would move those goals forward, and I kept them in front of me ALL DAY. I took breaks, but I never deviated from the goals in front of me. Continue reading »
Social media -- those invitations to be a friend on Facebook, to connect via LInkedIn, Tweets on Twitter -- all those and many, many more comprise this new area of marketing communications. We are planning a workshop on this in Atlanta for next month geared to Small Business Owners, and including marketing strategies all the way through to blogging. Stay tuned for more info!
Meanwhile, here are two YouTube videos to view especially if you’re still sorting things out. One is about Web 2.0, the one after that is also about this new Web world and is a beautifully creative piece to boot!
Whatever you do, DON’T MISS this one! Takes less than 5 minutes.
If you are thinking about letting some of your team work from home, or adding some staff that will work remotely, this article in Entrepreneur.com may shed some light on your decision.
The author, David Javitch, presents a nice overview that rings true to me. I managed a team of 19 in NYC from Atlanta for over 3 years and learned many of these lessons the hard way!
Some questions to ask yourself might include:
How are you with technology? (You don’t have to be a chip-head, but it will make a difference if you’re comfortable with instant messaging, web conferencing programs, Continue reading »
So you read or heard the news the other day (and I use the term “news” loosely) – the US is in a recession and has been since December of ‘07. I’m so glad there’s a group of academics poised to tell us such things!
More helpful is the advice from Knowledge@Wharton via Forbes.com: Now is not the time to slash your ad budget! This harkens back to what I’ve preached for some time (see my Oct 15 post) but it is very hard for most small business owners to buy into. It takes particular intestinal fortitude this season, but this is precisely when it has the potential to pay off the Continue reading »
It is well established that concentrated attention and focused thought are more productive than the start-and-stop too many of our days are like. That working in dribs and drabs is also a common symptom of business owners who work IN their business more than they work ON their business, then wonder why they never make progress.
Try setting aside time regularly as you plan each day – or each week, minimally – when you Continue reading »
Have you heard the quote by our 34th President, Dwight Eisenhower while he was Supreme Allied Commander? Good advice for soldiers as well as business owners.
“The plan is useless, but planning is essential.”
And there couldn’t be a better time than right now. During a recession, pragmatic business planning is vital. Strategic plans are important but tactical operating plans might be your most valuable management tool during this recession. Here’s the perfect opportunity to focus in on Continue reading »
It’s tempting, to be sure. First, stop listening to the news hourly – it will only depress you and not offer any information useful to your business. Unless you’re an investment banker or needing credit to stay afloat, the economic situation oughtn’t to affect your business directly. And Wall Street’s woes don’t mean that you suspend your business. On the contrary! Now is not the time to allow the marketplace to forget you. Stay on track with those ad campaigns and initiatives. You’ll be glad you did.
One of the largest expenses you will find in any marketing budget is the line for trade shows. Often these are critical interludes to meet face-to-face with your customers and vendors. But do you prepare and plan to maximize the investment? Are you “too busy” to send invitations to their exhibit? Is your schedule “too full” upon returning to the office to follow up promptly? (And finally is it “too late,” so you never follow up at all – that’s an actual experience related by a client!)
Let’s see, what did it cost you to go to that last conference? Airfare, hotel, meals, taxis…if Continue reading »
At this time more than any other, having a clear, current and actionable plan for your business is of critical importance. This article is written by the head of Palo Alto Software, makers of the leading business planning software “Business Plan Pro.” They produce in-depth plans suitable for soliciting loans. Although he has an obvious bias, he is correct that challenging financial times are precisely the time to re-evaluate (or evaluate — or build) your plans, starting with Sales Plans and Marketing Plans.
A plan that functions effectively doesn’t have to be voluminous. But it does have to exist!
