#FastFriends w/ Cheryl Harrison

I have been following lots of people from central Ohio on twitter.
I began following @CherylHarrison - she tweets often and I find her interesting to follow because she's funny, honest (as far as I can tell) and always giving her opinion on some topic or another. For me, twitter is a place to connect with others, especially those I might not otherwise meet or talk to and it is working out great so far!

A little over a week ago, Cheryl decided she'd like to meet a new person every day for 2 weeks. 14 new people over coffee or lunch or whenever. Great idea don't you think? Check out the schedule she posted. She's since extended it to another week or 2 because she's so popular and had such a great response. Genius idea.

I meet with Cheryl this Thursday. I'm looking forward to it.
Here's where I'd like your help. This whole idea has me thinking about doing my own #FastFriends, but with a twist.
I want to meet at least one new person every week of 2009.
I meet people through business all the time so that really won't be to tough, but this also has me inspired to put a list together.
I'm not planning on stalking anyone (at least not yet) but I like the idea of thinking of people outside my normal circle of influence that I'd like to meet.

What about you?
What would your list look like?

I promise to share my list along with an update after meeting with Cheryl.

Can you help? Volunteers Needed.

I started volunteering for the Memorial Tournament several years ago. I enjoyed it so much I now serve on the women’s committee that organizes the volunteer efforts.
Here are a few facts you may not know.

1. Almost everyone who works at the tournament is a volunteer except for those specifically responsible for the actual golf part.
2. The tournament pays a paper credit for all of the hours worked by the volunteers.
3. Nationwide Children’s Hospital receives the financial benefit of those credited hours.
4. If you work 12 hours total, you receive an all tournament badge for the week.
5. If you work less than 12 hours, you receive a pass for the day of your choice to attend the tournament.
6. There are parking areas for volunteers so you can get where you need to be without having to park and ride or walk 2 miles!
7. There are all sorts of things you can do, you don’t have to know about golf to be able to contribute.
8. 2009 Tournament dates are: June 1-7.


Here’s a list of the areas you where you can volunteer. For more details about what each area does and requires, you can go to the volunteer section of the website.

Bears for Children’s
Concessions
Courtesy Cars
Cub Care
Hospitality
Leader Boards
Sandwich Factory
Scoring and Data Control
Spectator Relations
Status Boards/Press Room
VIP Courtesy Center *

* I am responsible for the VIP Courtesy Center – the best volunteer gig there is IMO. We are off course (across Muirfield Dr. at Memorial, think near Dr. Fanning’s office if that helps) We are inside which can be a bonus depending on the weather. We don’t get to see golfers during our shifts, but do have a TV so we can watch the coverage.

We pass out press credentials to the media at the beginning of the week along with Muirfield resident passes for parking in certain parts of the neighborhood. We also serve as the location for volunteers to pick up a shirt, hat or passes if they need to during the week before they work their shift.
As the week progresses, we are the location for last minute pass purchase/pick up for corporate clients and also for PGA members. We are also the pick up location for friends and family of golfers who leave passes for those coming later in the week.

Online registration starts February 2, 2009. You can also email me at vipcourtesycenter@thememorialtournament.com if you have other questions.

I hope you’ll participate. You can have fun, see one of the premier tournaments on the tour and help Nationwide Children’s Hospital all at the same time.

Business Networking - My Strategy

Definition
Business networking: the process of establishing a mutually beneficial relationship with other business people and potential clients and/or customers

To many, this evokes less than pleasant memories of evenings (or early mornings) spent passing out business cards and hoping that the time and energy spent are worthwhile. I’ve done my share of these events. Some have been fun and I met people that made me glad I took the time to attend. Others have been horrible and I regretted pretty much every minute there.

And still I attend and hope for the best. The Woody Allen quote “80% of success is showing up” rattles around in my head when I’m heading out to another event.

I have decided to put together a networking strategy vs. the random approach I’ve been using. I want to be open to all types of opportunities, but maximize the benefits and make sure when I’m there I feel great about the time and effort spent. Having a little fun wouldn’t hurt either.

Here’s my list I now use when evaluating events.

1. Diversity – There must be different types of people and businesses represented (not all events are business related - like a book club or community group but diversity of ideas & people are a must)

2. Convenience – The day/time has to work with my other commitments and not require a radical change to my schedule/lifestyle

3. Benefit – Beyond meeting other people, will there be any other advantage to attending?

4. Ease of Participation – I’d like to feel welcome (at least as a guest) before having to pass a test for admission, pay dues or feel like I must learn the secret handshake to be part of the club (okay no one really has a test but some meetings can be pretty intimidating to newbies)

If an event fits all 4 of these I will put it on my calendar. If one is missing, I will investigate and get more info to see if it’s right for me. More than 1 missing – not for me.

I’d love to know what you think.
Do you participate in a group that you’d recommend?
How do you select which events to attend?
Do you bother at all?
What works for you?

WNGCO Gets Shot!

Kathy Thomas, one of our members arranged for a photo shoot for all of us. Kathy is a project manager and webdsigner and a wonderfully creative person. She did some work with a couple amazing photographers and wanted to give us all the chance to have professional photos taken.

Janene Jaroscak owner of Trending Solutions was nice enough to let us use her beautiful home for the photo shoot. Our usual meeting place at Panera just wasn't going to work. So we all came over ready for our closeups!

Cory Piehowicz and Rainer Zeihm of Hello PZ were just amazing. Not only do they take beautiful photos, they are genuinely nice and fun. In no time they had even the most camera shy among us smiling, laughing and enjoying ourselves.

Thanks Kathy, Janene, Rainer and Cory for a fun night. I can't wait to post some of the pictures!

MeetUp + Twitter = TweetUp in Columbus

This past Wednesday Twitter came to life! I attended the Central Ohio Tweet Up. I was a little nervous since I was going by myself. I walked into the room and was greeted by a group of 5 or 6 guys who were friendly (thank goodness) and knew each other a little from Start Up Weekend.

A fellow twitterer described it as the Columbus developer/programmer crowd plus the public relations/marketing folks. The group was diverse but everyone I met was friendly, super smart and genuinely interested in finding out about others.

Lara Kretler is the “unofficial” organizer with Rocky VanBrimmer as acting MC and all around great guy. I’m glad they got the ball rolling. I’m looking forward to more meetings and of course getting to know the cool people I met there.

This group is also all about doing things, not just talking! There’s a site that tracks Columbus topics and events from Tweets – how cool is that? There's already talk about the next event so if you weren't aware, stay tuned into Twitter for the next announcement.

Neat Tool For Creative Minds!

This website lets you make word clouds quickly and easily. It's a little addictive too. I found myself thinking how cool it would be to see a favorite quote, verse or speech entered.
Check it out and let me know what you come up with. I'd love to see it!

USP Is Yours Any Good?

This topic came up when I was discussing cold calls at the WNGCO network meeting this week. The USP, Unique Selling Proposition. I didn’t invent the term; you might have heard it before. I first learned it from Dan Kennedy, the famed copywriter and business guru. I’m giving him credit for it, but it has been around since the beginning of time.

It’s your “elevator” pitch, your hook or the interesting answer to the cocktail party question “What do you do?

It got me thinking about my answers and if they are any good. So a little work is in order for me! The best USP will almost always get people to say “Really, how do you do that?” or some version of that. The best thing is you get a follow up question to tell more about who you are and what your business/product/service offers.

Let’s say you sell property and casualty insurance. Your answer may be “I show people how to protect their assets for pennies a day.”

Perhaps I’m in the dog grooming/daycare business. “I help people have happier, healthier pets.”

How about radio ad sales? “I show companies how to grow their profits and get noticed in any market.”

Hopefully you get the idea. The USP should be compelling, short and easy for anyone to understand even if they aren’t familiar with you, your company or your industry. The whole point here is to generate interest in your product or services and get the opportunity to provide additional information.

Your USP must be from the point of view of your customer.

I work for ABC corp. selling insurance. Not very compelling is it? I groom dogs. Um, okay. I sell radio advertising. So what? That doesn’t tell your prospective customer what you do for them.

When developing your USP, phrases like:
save time
save money
increase efficiency
improve process
increase sales
maximize profits
generate revenue
are golden. I urge you to work on your USP and keep it fresh and up to date. You may have more than one depending on your offering and audience.

I suggest having a compelling USP for people who you may meet randomly. Your neighbors, the other parents at the soccer field, people at your church etc. They may be in the market for your services now, or in the future, or may know someone who is. It’s just as easy to have a compelling answer to the “What do you do?” question so why not?

You may want to have a slightly more specific answer if you know you are speaking to someone who in the market for your services right now. People who answer your add, or call your business for information. This is your shot to make an impression and get to the next step in your selling process.

Use your USP in all your advertising. It should be on your business cards and your web site. Use it in your VM recording. If you advertise in the yellow pages or a professional directory or your local Chamber of Commerce it should be there. This will clearly identify what your prospective customer can expect from you in the terms of a BENEFIT for them.

I hope that helps you get started. Once you starting thinking about your product/service or business from you client’s point of view, it gets easier. I’d love to find out what you’ve come up with! I’ll post more of mine after my mini-brainstorming today!


www.wngco.com
www.dankennedy.com

How to Develop your Cold Call Script

In my last post, I talked about the need for a regular methodical approach to cold calling. In order to be most effective AND to greatly enhance the process of cold calling I highly recommend you use a script or "go to" notes. This will help you keep on track and aid in making sure you let the potential client really hear the best you have to offer.

Now, most of us don't like the idea of a script and hate when someone calls and is blatantly reading over the phone. I am not suggesting you do this at all. Your "script" is going to be more like talking points. Things that are worded well, covey your message in a creative but succinct way and prompt the other person to ask for more info... that kind of script sounds good doesn't it?

Here's how to get started. Work on 2 or 3 statements that describe who you are. Here's an example: "Hi, I'm Phyllis Nichols and I provide financial education that works money magic, allowing you to eliminate all debt - even your mortgage on your current monthly budget." Have a couple statements that you can tailor to your contact and prevent your from being stale. Also, practice them a bit so your timing and delivery sounds energetic, not stiff or rehearsed. The goal here is to be interesting and conversational.

Next develop 4-5 go to statements about your product or service. You might want to use this formula - state the benefit (what the buyer gains) then the feature (what it is). This takes a little practice, but will become natural. Most of us do this already when talking about something we like or find helpful.
Here's an example: Eliminate the stress of household finances (what the buyer gains) and allow us to put together a game plan to reach your goals. (What we do)

When you have your statements ready, practice them a bit so you can work them into the natural flow of your conversations. I highly recommend practicing cold calls with a friend - try out your new statements, ask for feedback. The goal is to be confident when you are on your calls.

Keep track of what works – is there a benefit that everyone is looking for? Saving money and/or time is a big one of course, but there are others. “Green”, recycling, natural or organic products and services are really popular so if you are able, integrate that benefit into your conversations. Every industry has hot buttons that resonate with your potential clients. Don’t be afraid to use them, just make sure you have a cool, creative twist that helps you stand out from the crowd!

Secrets to Cold Call Success

Talking with other business owners and entrepreneurs, the topic of cold calling comes up often. Many owners or inventors just don’t like to make cold calls. Some feel that it requires a “sales” personality or mentality – whatever that is. Others fall into the “I know I should do it, but I hate it” category. Regardless of your opinion or past experience with cold calls, they are essential to marketing your small business. And you should do them yourself if you want to maximize the benefits.

Here are a few tips that will help make this process easier and more effective. After all, selling something is the whole point right?

* Mindset. You have to decide that your efforts with cold calling will pay off. Embrace the opportunity for what it is – a chance to connect with someone who is in a position to purchase your products or services. Isn’t that great? Isn’t that what you want – to talk to someone who will buy?

* Prepare. Have a list of people/businesses and do a little homework. Now, I didn’t say make this a 30 day project. Some people love this step because they feel like they are making progress without ever making a call. Your calls will be more effective if you know a few facts about your prospect. For example, if you know the florist has 2 locations and is family owned ask about that. You can incorporate what you learned as part of your conversation. For example: I called you specifically as the owner of the ABC auto shop since my company specializes in accounting for sole proprietors.
Have 2 or 3 facts handy so the person you are talking to knows you took a few minutes to research them and their company and you aren’t randomly calling out of the phone book.

* Set aside time for cold calls. In the beginning, I suggest you call every work day. Putting it off is too easy and breaking it into manageable steps works. I set a number of calls or contacts I want to reach. If you are just starting, just use a clock or timer. Set it for 20 minutes and start calling. Every day. Eventually, this will be a normal part of your routine and will seem as natural as checking your email or sending out an invoice.

* Practice – call a friend or business associate and ask them to act as the client. I know this seems silly but it works. I have practiced cold calls with my husband, family members and good friends. It takes the fear right out of you and the actual call will seem easier than the practice call!

* Now, the call itself. First, relax and smile. Really. People can tell if you are smiling over the phone. Have a short text ready with your “go to” lines. That way, if you get a little stuck or nervous you’ll have a few pointers to get you back on track. Introduce yourself and start asking questions. Get your prospect to open up a bit. This will allow you a few minutes to get to know them and it will help make the call more conversational which is what you want.

In my next post, I’ll talk about your “script” or notes that will help your calls stay on track and increase your effectiveness.

Independence Day For Real?

I was just looking at some photos from the Red White and Boom fireworks we had here in Columbus on July 3rd. This was our first year watching from the roof of our condo downtown. It was pretty amazing and loads of fun.

It started me thinking about Independence. For must of us I think it is about things we expect and maybe even take for granted. Things like living and working where we want, choosing the place and way we want to worship, the freedom to express our opinions about any topic.

But what about personal Independence? I once read a quote (I can't recall where/who said it, but if I find it I'll post) about living life on my personal terms. Independent. It went like this - "Doing what I want to do when I want to do it." Doesn't that sound great? It doesn't' mean no obligations or responsibilities. At least not to me.

What I take from that is that I get to CHOOSE - me - how I'm going to live my life. It's pretty exciting to realize that I don't have to follow someone else's notion of what is the right the to do, or the right way to do it.

So, take a chance.... decide from now on to live on your terms. Change the things that aren't working for you or at least make a plan to start change. Today is the only day we get guaranteed... make the best of it and enjoy it to the fullest!

Marketing Measurement

I recently attended a marketing seminar. The presenters were experts in small business marketing. I learned several new tactics that I plan to deploy in the next few days. I'll blog about those as implemented & I'd love your feedback!

I recieve informational emails and product offerings from Dan Kennedy.
Most of you may know of him. He's a legend in writing marketing copy and information marketing. His style isn't rah rah and sometimes he takes a pretty in your face approach. (His business partner even calls him grumpy!) Well, right after this seminar, I received an email from Dan about marketing effectiveness.

For all the flash and new ideas, not one of the speakers really pointed out the most important point in any marketing gameplan. Dan did. Here is it... so simple that I felt kind of lame for not making this the first part of my marketing plan.

Measure and Accountability = Sales/Revenue ONLY

Web hits don't count, phone calls or cool publicity in the paper, or great product reviews or subscribers to your blog - at the end of the day if you aren't coverting traffic into sales you HAVE to change what you are doing.

Of course, I'll take all the publicity I can get and would never turn down the chance for an interview or local coverage etc. because I think it will help bring in sales... but from now on, I'm going to MEASURE how an increase in traffic translates and work to improve conversions. Improving your web copy, offering referral discounts, asking for the sale...critical components that Dan hammers time and again in his material all help to make the people who check my website go from browsing to buying.

I encourage all of you to check out your current marketing efforts and see where the revenue comes from. Challenge yourself to increse your ratios and watch the profits rise!

Twitter - Is It For You?

Twitter is a free social network site that allows you to "micro-blog" and send updates called "tweets" to the Twitter web site. People can choose to follow your tweets online or thru mobile text messaging.

You can follow all sorts of people and find out what they are up to during the course of the day! I follow many other entrepreneurs to see how they spend their time, what's working, what's not.

A couple of my favorites are Peter Shankman's twitter - of Help A Reporter fame - and Mr. Fire Joe Vitale.

Check it out and let me know your "twitter" name so I can follow you too!

www.twitter.com/soundadvice4you

Carbon Copy Pro Event Delivers!

This was the first event designed to aid consultants specifially with their marketing efforts. Jay Kubassek and Aaron Parkinson are masters and have develped a program that others can utilize to receive the same results!

I should back up here a bit to explain. I first bet both Aaron and Jay in Janauary 2006. They were already master marketers and I was just starting out in the industry. At that event I saw the potential for myself and others, but left not knowing exactly HOW to get there.

Fast foward to today. Carbon Copy Pro was developed for just that reason. Jay and Aaron had figured it out, but realized not everyone needed to go through the huge learning curve they experienced. Carbon Copy Pro takes the guess work out of the equation. I know others have hyped an automated system, but this is the real deal. The event added the foundation. I learned specific strategies to apply RIGHT NOW that has seen a 91% increase in hits to my website! (In one week no less and only 1 of the many strategies did just that much!)

Now, I've been to a few of these types of events before and while the motivation factor is always high, the action items never seemed to materialize.
This event was different. Jay and Aaron made sure of that. They wanted people to get pumped up, excited and motivated. They also wanted everyone one to leave with a concrete game plan that could be put in motion the very next day!
"
Mission:Accomplished!
Check it out: Aaron, Myself and Jay!

Amazing Women Network Weekend

This past weekend, I was able to spend time with 22 amazing women. All of them were smart, funny, generous and entrepreneurs. We talked about business, shared successes, marketing tips and confided about our fears and disappointments too. I learned a ton of stuff but I'll highlight one tip today. Pat Cobe and Ellen Parlapiano from Mompreneurs(R) fame gave us tips for getting publicity in national publications.

* Select magazines that your target audience will likely read.
* Check publication deadlines so you can target your submissions.
* Email a short compelling message with your information.
* Follow up by phone a couple of days later.
* Do your homework, be familiar with the editor/authors.
* Help them "help you" by offering timely topical information.