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Organic Networking with Finesse

2010
08.24

Before there was television, radio, print advertising, bumper stickers, electronic billboards or the Internet, advertising was more organic: face-to-face networking.

Just as everything else that is “green,” Organic Networking is making a comeback (although successful professionals know that it never really went anywhere).

Unlike more modern advertising methods, Organic Networking cannot be done by a paid professional, glossed over by a flashy logo or slick text. No, the success of Organic Networking lies within following the rules and applying good, old-fashioned honesty and finesse.

Whether your Organic Networking arises from organized meetings, referrals and introductions from friends (or fans), or the sheer luck of bumping into someone who asks what you do, follow these basic rules, and you’ll see your success rate at Organic Networking soar:

  • Be On Time – better yet, be early. Most of the true people-meeting comes before the actual meeting starts, which means that’s when impressions are being made and relationships are being built.
  • Be Consistent – know what product or service you’re representing and stick with it. Don’t be a DJ one week and an SEO specialist the next – it confuses people, and they’ll be less likely to want to refer you.
  • Be Sincere – I’m a copywriter, not a resume writer. People ask me all the time if I’ll write their resume, and I tell them that’s not my strong suit. But if they want me to write their bio, press release or website copy, I’m their girl.
  • Ask, Don’t Tell – it’s not about how many business cards you can hand out or collect; it’s about the quality of the relationships you’re building. People will refer you more often if you ask about their business than if you continually dominate the conversation, talking about your own. True communication is give-and-take.
  • Be Prepared – have business cards, your name tag, any coupons or flyers, and your elevator speech ready to go before you arrive. Scrawling your name and email address on a torn-off piece of notebook paper is not the impression you want to leave with people.
  • Follow Up – carry a calendar (or an electronic calendar device) and make an appointment. Send an email when you return to your office, telling the other person how much you enjoyed learning about what they do, and that you look forward to hearing more at your meeting on Thursday at the coffee shop. Then actually show up – on-time and prepared.
  • Repeat – Organic Networking is about quality, not quantity. You can attend 50 networking events in a single month, but if you don’t go back, you’ll be forgotten. Choose the ones that best suit your business potential and make a commitment to go for at least several months consistently.

There’s no magic rule to Organic Networking, although “being sincere” is magical, since business people often feel the need to perform when they network. Look back at some of your more successful business relationships and note the patterns. You’re likely to find that the traits shared among your best clients is how you met, or the honest, comfortable, give-and-take relationship that has developed through face-to-face Organic Networking.

Tags: , , , , , Category Organic Networking, marketing, networking, success |

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Meaningful Words & Political Spam

2010
08.09

Thanks to runoff elections and the impending general election in November, politicians are still flooding email in-boxes (as well as traditional mailboxes, street corners and many clothing surfaces) with ads, campaign promises and rhetoric about how they’ll do a better job than their competitor. It’s gotten to the point that I just click “delete” for all but that handful of politicians who also happen to be personal friends.

Since I put my telephone on the “Do Not Call” registry a few years ago, I guess folks have to figure some way to invade my private space – as if getting my dander up is going to make me remember their names favorably at the ballot booth!

I really must thank them for inspiring this week’s blog-posting lesson. If it weren’t for the political spam, I’d have been hard-pressed to deliver a valuable topic this week. (Not really, but let’s give the folks some credit for their persistence, shall we?)

When I’m teaching a blog-writing workshop, I’m often asked how often I recommend posting a blog. My answer is frustrating: “It depends.” Do you have a valuable lesson to teach? Do you have something to say that will help your readers? Will your post be deleted if it hits subscribers’ in-boxes? Or will they take the time to read it, knowing your posts are notoriously chock-full of interesting anecdotes and fascinating tidbits?

If the answer to three out of four of these questions is “YES,” then post away! (Hint: you should have answered “NO” to the third question). But be sure that you answer these questions from your READERS’ point-of-view, not your own. (Of course, YOU think the information is valuable, but is it valuable to YOUR READERS?)

When you create a new post, treat your post to the same principles the Rotarians use: First, is it the Truth? Second, is it FAIR to all concerned? (I might stretch a bit here and ask if it is FAIR to take up valuable time by delivering the information); Third, Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS? (Okay, perhaps a better RELATIONSHIP with your reader); and Fourth, Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned? http://www.rotary.org/en/AboutUs/RotaryInternational/GuidingPrinciples/Pages/ridefault.aspx.

Decide how often your readers truly need to hear from you. Be realistic – they truly don’t want to hear from you every single day. Sit down with a calendar and mark off a date every two weeks, preferably the same day of the week for consistency, and make a point to post on those days. If you find an article or item worthy of sharing in between regular posts, apply the principles above and create another post, if it passes the test. (I generally recommend every two weeks as a guide. For CPAs during Tax Season, for example, maybe every week or twice a week, but those posts will likely have been prepared ahead of time).

Don’t just post to post. Create a plan that is part of your overall marketing plan, and follow through. Your blog posts allow you to develop a relationship with your readers, and a relationship can fail quickly and miserably if one side abuses it.

Time is valuable, and your subscribers don’t want to waste their precious time scrolling through their in-boxes, frantically mashing the “delete” key. You’ve entered their private space, filled their screen and assumed that they want to hear what you want to tell them. Borrow their time wisely and they’ll appreciate you for it; abuse it and you’ll likely end up in the “SPAM” folder!

Thank you for spending your time with me today. I hope I shared something you found valuable!

Tags: , , , , Category blog-writing, classes, marketing, success, writing |

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Do You Know Where Your Money Comes From?

2010
07.30

I sat down with a colleague recently as we prepared the outline for a presentation we will be giving to a business networking organization later this fall, frustrated that our presentation will only allow us about a half-hour of time in which to offer advice for marketing strategy. We had to decide what would be the most important thing for people to take away from that meeting: identifying their ideal clients in a changing market? strategies for gaining a new customer? strategies for retaining an existing customer? budget?

Ah – that was it! Budget! Everyone is interested in the bottom line. “What’s it going to cost me?” “How much should I be spending on ___?” In a time when many business owners are scaling back their marketing departments, or cutting them out altogether, determining the best use of marketing dollars is paramount to the success – the viability – of one’s business. And a key component of figuring out where your marketing dollars should be spent must be determined by where the money is generated to begin with.

If you find most of your business is a result of walk-in traffic, then it would not make sense to remove your sign, for example. In fact, it might be helpful to erect another sign at a busy nearby intersection to drive even more walk-in business your way.

As networking comprises the bulk of my marketing budget, I actually sat down last week and crunched the numbers – something I advise my clients to do regularly – to find out which networking meetings were best for my business. Like most business owners or sole proprietors, I had an idea in the back of my mind what the numbers would reveal, but a few of the items actually surprised me:

One of the networking groups where I generate a lot of leads for others has actually resulted in very little growth for my own business – strictly from a numbers perspective. And another group which I have enjoyed but have not held as a top priority turned out to be my best revenue-generating and referral-generating source! I also discovered that there are a handful of individuals who refer me time and again to their clients and colleagues – and I sat down to pen about a dozen Thank-You notes as a result of my findings.

Do you know where your money comes from? Is it walk-in business? Direct-mail? Internet? Maybe, like me, it’s face-to-face networking and referrals.

Whatever it is, it would be well worth your time to figure out where your clients are coming from today. By digging a little deeper, you may be able to generate more business from an existing source – generating revenue while saving marketing dollars.

Tags: , Category marketing, networking, success |

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Gratitude & Abundance (and Lilies!)

2010
07.19

For the past decade we’ve lived in a house whose property is a challenge to maintain. It is what attracted me to the house in the first place, as I saw the possibilities of flower-filled gardens, vines climbing over the wall, a retreat in the backyard with a stone-paver patio and a couple of brightly colored Adirondack chairs where I could sip my coffee and enjoy my Sunday paper.

Fast-forward ten years, and I have flower-filled gardens and vines covering the wall in the side yard. I have successfully divided my dozen little hostas and now have 50 of the beautiful things edging out the grass – the mow-zone gets narrower with each passing year!

What I always yearned for but never had were Lily of the Nile (agapanthus, for you Latin-minded gardeners). While I will buy some things for myself, the Adirondack chairs and Lily of the Nile were two of the “hint” items I dropped regularly on my husband as potential surprises for my summer birthday – to no avail.

It became a joke. We’d travel and see Adirondack chairs on a porch and he would say, “too bad we don’t have room in the car for those!” I settled for a nice teak deck set with an oversized patio umbrella and called it a day.

But the Lilies! A neighbor who had a few in her front yard didn’t appreciate their beauty – she dug them up and threw them away, replacing them with plain-old Stella d’Oro daylilies. The horror!

Recently, I began referring to the plants as “Lily of Denial,” and my husband just laughed. They’re harder to find in traditional garden centers than, say, impatiens or mums, so he did have an excuse.

He works in a restaurant, and one of his regular customers is Lula, who owns Ladyslipper Rare Plant Nursery in Canton, GA. It’s a beautiful place and I often visit there just for inspiration or to see what’s new – I’ll leave with a little six-pack of annuals (the Ladyslipper folks grow all the flowers themselves). A week or so before my birthday, he asked her about the elusive agapanthus, and she said she had a few in stock and she’d hold one for me.

Lily of the Nile

The day before my birthday we were out running errands and he passed our street, turning instead into the Ladyslipper parking lot. Unfortunately, the gentleman working that afternoon said they were out of the Lilies for the season.

I thanked my husband for his efforts and we headed for the car. But the gentleman stopped us and said he had been to a major garden center just a few days ago and had seen a few Lilies of the Nile there – both blue and white. We thanked him and rushed right over.

My husband purchased my birthday plant – a blue one – and I carried it home and chose a spot for it in the same bed under the dining room window where my treasured Japanese maple has thrived for ten years.

Fast-forward two weeks. My husband calls from the restaurant and says he has a surprise for me. “What?” I ask.

“Lula just dropped off Lily of the Nile for you,” he said. I could hear the pleasure in his voice.

I think I’ll plant this one near my teak deck chairs so I can enjoy the beauty while I sip my coffee and enjoy my Sunday paper!

Tags: Category gratitude, success |

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Keep Your Eyes On the Prize

2010
07.07

One of my newest addictions is running in local races. Over the past 18 months, I’ve participated in a handful of 5ks and a 4-mile trail run, keeping in shape in between with a 3- or 4-mile run once or twice a week.

Let me be clear: I’m a writer, not a runner, so I’m not setting any time records here. I simply challenge myself to complete a run and I do whatever it takes to get to the finish line.

When I first started running, I’d run-walk a 5k, figuring I was doing well to get past the first mile at a run. But after awhile, “just good enough” wasn’t good enough anymore. I challenged myself to keep running. Imagine a 40-something female with a look of intense concentration on her face. Onlookers likely thought, “Wow! She’s focused!” Actually, I heard Ellen DeGeneres’ voice as the Dory fish from “Finding Nemo” playing in my head: “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming…”

I signed up for my first Peachtree Road Race in 2010. For those of you not from around these parts, it’s only the biggest 10k in the country, with 55,000 runners and three times that in spectators. For the seeded runners, it’s a race; for the rest of us, it’s Atlanta’s version of Mardi Gras – a great big party, complete with costumes and beer. What a rush!

I prepared myself by running more than six miles a few times over the last few weeks, so I knew I could complete the course. The scary parts were “Cardiac Hill” and the subsequent hills no one tells you about until you’re running them… But at the end there’s a T-shirt. And not just any T-shirt: a Peachtree Road Race T-shirt! I had to keep going.

Throughout the course, I set “mini-goals” for myself: “Make it to the first mile marker,” “Get to the next water checkpoint,” “Pass Marilyn Monroe one more time,” and so on. I paced myself and ran up Cardiac Hill (although “run” is a relative term here – suffice it to say, I wasn’t “walking”). As I turned onto 10th Street for the final stretch, my goals were a little different: “Smile for the camera,” “Don’t let the guy in the BP shirt beat you to the finish line,” and so on.

What does all of this have to do with marketing, you ask? It’s all about the mini-goals. Know what you want and keep striving for it until you reach it.

That first year in business is like the first mile in a 10k: “Just make it to the first month,” “Attend just one more networking meeting,” “Finish that last revision.”

eIRIS Marketing just celebrated its first anniversary of writing copy for clients and earning the reputation as a high-quality professional writing service, and for that I thank all of you who have worked with us and referred us to your friends and clients. As we start Year Two, I promise to continue to provide the written content you and your business deserve – smiling as I write your final revision!

-Beth

Tags: , , Category marketing, networking, professional writer, success, writing, writing professional, writing service |

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Writing is What I Love To Do

2010
06.20

I’ve always been told that if you do what you love, the money will follow. Well, I’m not so certain about that. I think that somewhere along the line the word “money” replaced the word “success,” because I truly believe that success follows doing what you love, and it’s not always about money.

During this past year I began writing full-time, choosing to follow the “doing what I love” strategy. And while I’ve been able to contribute financially to the family budget, the real success comes in the personal satisfaction gained in doing what I love to do. My husband has told friends that he’s never seen me happier; and while I’ve always had a close relationship with my children, I’ve seen an improvement in that area as well.

In the past year (and a little bit), I’ve written three novels and nearly completed a fourth, and have found myself in the Sisyphus-like world of trying to get an agent and/or publisher.

While pushing the publishing-world stone up the slope, I’ve continued freelance writing for business clients and magazines, and have taught writing classes. I have discovered immense joy in teaching the craft of writing to others, whether for business or creative purposes.

Sure, in this world of measuring success by the balance in the bank account, I’m probably in the “dirt-poor” department. But in the world where success is measured by personal satisfaction, I’ve won the lottery and I’m sitting on easy street!

Tags: , , , Category classes, professional writer, success, writing, writing professional, writing service |

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“Speak Softly” (It’s All About the Delivery)

2010
06.08

Threats. Scare tactics. “Expert” opinions.

These are the “big sticks” of marketing philosophy today, the muscle that twists your arm into making that buying decision. But how loyal are we to the “bully brands?”

We’ve all had buyer’s remorse from time to time, for purchases ranging from a pack of “mystery gum” whose flavor fell flat, to a car or a house in which the engineering or construction left much to be desired. And why did we buy these things? There’s a good chance that we were roped into the decision with false promises or the fear that if we didn’t buy it, something bad would happen.

Have you ever bought tires or brakes when you’ve taken your car in for “just an oil change” because the mechanic told you that your situation was “dangerous?” How about the home service technician who talks you into a brand-new air conditioner or heating unit because you were told your old one was “on its last legs” and would cost so much more to repair if it went out during the heat of summer/cold of winter. “Wouldn’t want to pay for an emergency call, now, would you?” You don’t even have to have a one-on-one conversation with these folks; their radio and television ads try to frighten you as well!

Advertising has become so much about the sticks that we’ve forgotten what the soft touch feels like – the buying decision that gives us “warm fuzzies,” makes us feel elated with our decisions and confident enough to recommend the product or service to our friends and family.

My hairdresser is a great example of the “speak softly” style of marketing. She doesn’t advertise in the traditional sense. She does go beyond the haircut; I have referred her often because of this practice – and my loyalty to her is off the charts!

Think for a moment about those stores or products or business people to whom you refer a lot of your friends or colleagues. What trait do they share that has engendered your loyalty?

If you are like most people, you aren’t referring those close to you to someone who shouts on the radio or sends you email messages in bold, all-capital letters. You’re referring the hairdresser who sees a cut that is “perfect for you” in a magazine and puts it in a file to show you the next time you visit the salon. (It was, by the way!)

A friend of mine recently took a parenting class that has changed her entire family structure. Rather than bribe, threaten or cajole her children into handling their responsibilities, she respectfully offers them choices and abides by their decisions (within reason, of course). The result is a happier family and children who are both happier and more confident – and who tell their friends about how wonderful their family is! What an incredible “referral!”

In everything that you do – whether writing a letter or an article, speaking to a customer on the phone, meeting someone at a networking event or simply checking out at the grocery store – smile, be sincere, believe in the “brand” that is you. Let people know what it is that you do best, why you are passionate about it and how you can help them – then let them make the decision.

And leave the sticks in the wood pile.

Tags: Category marketing, networking |

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Some Things Are Best Left to the Pros

2010
05.20

Ah, the wonderful age of the Internet! With the flip of a switch and the click of a mouse, information about any subject is available in an instant, making everyone a virtual expert – at least from a knowledge perspective.

What an Internet education won’t do for you, however, is provide the experience that comes to you via a veritable expert – someone who has studied for years, tried and tested different methods, honed their skills and is able to provide a finished product that is polished, professional and perfect.

I like to paint. I like to think I’m good at it, although my wonderfully honest spouse will tell you otherwise. When he comes home from work and smells fresh paint, he sighs resolutely and asks, “So, honey, what room, what color?”

You see, four walls the size of my powder room would take a professional painting crew about an hour to prep, paint and finish. The color would be crisp, and the trim and ceiling would be left spot-, smudge- and drip-free, unlike when I attempt it.

I know I should hire a professional. And when I’m ready to sell my house, that’s exactly what I’ll do. Until that time, I’m happy with the colors on my walls, in all of their imperfect glory. (I’m far-sighted. If I leave my glasses off, I’m blissfully unaware of the idiosyncrasies!)

The same is true of your writing projects. If it’s just for yourself and you enjoy the process of writing, then wield that pen and pour your heart out in ink!

However, if you are creating written pieces for your business, for public consumption, then it pays to invest in the services of a professional. You don’t know what you don’t know – but you can bet that your clients (or potential clients) will notice the difference between “just good enough” and “WOW!”

So when you are ready to create written projects that will make an impression, spur excitement and keep ‘em coming back for more, call in the professional – no splatters… guaranteed!

Tags: , , Category marketing, professional writer, writing, writing professional, writing service |

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Understand Your Audience and Set Expectations

2010
05.04

Last week I had the pleasure of serving as a chaperone on a field trip to Savannah with my son’s 8th grade class. (That’s not a typo – I did say “I had the pleasure”).

As with anything, there was a bit of a learning curve involved to ensure that my wards were safe and that they learned a lot and enjoyed themselves. I was nervous, to say the least. Six boys, ages 13 and 14, can be intimidating! But the key to everything, as always, is learning to communicate on the wavelength of the intended recipient.

I was disappointed when, on Day One, I overheard one of the boys in my group remark, “I feel like I’m in third grade.” And we hadn’t even reached the hotel yet!

Certainly I did not want my group to feel as if I was treating them inappropriately, but the communication had to go both ways. We had to understand and respect one another. So, at the next stop, I gathered my group and let them know that, while I understood that they had friends with other chaperones, I did not want to “lose” anyone. Therefore, I would do my best to accommodate  their desire to mingle as long as they checked in with me as we exited the bus and returned to the bus, and made sure that they could see me throughout the trip.

For the remainder of the three-day trip, my six boys held up their end of the bargain (although one of them was consistently the last to check in, thus earning him the nickname, “Six”). We walked with other groups so they could socialize with their friends, but they stayed close enough to me to maintain eye contact. When we toured River Street, they shared their purchases with me and asked permission before purchasing gum and other school or bus-forbidden items.

When we arrived in the parking lot back at home, each of the boys checked in with me one last time and thanked me for being their chaperone – even Six. I appreciated their expressions of gratitude. They are teenage boys, after all – teenage boys with cell phones who had just spent six hours on a bus!

I will never claim to understand the mind of a teenage boy – nor do I want to. But understanding one another’s expectations was key to everyone’s enjoyment of the trip. Judging from the conversations we had and that they shared with one another, they also absorbed a lot of the history and environmental lessons from the trip, which will be helpful come test time.

Had I continued to speak to them as if they were third-grade boys rather than eighth-grade boys, none of us would have had any fun. Likewise, had I spent my time socializing with the other chaperones, ignoring my boys, I would not have earned their respect. By respecting one another and making the effort to “speak one another’s language,” we all enjoyed the trip and learned a lot.

Thanks, boys, for the lesson! (Even you, Six!)

Tags: , Category marketing, networking, writing |

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Shortcuts Not the Answer to Your Written Message

2010
04.12

This has the makings of another metaphor, but it comes from a real-life experience I had last week, so please bear with me…

My 30-year-old Quarter Horse mare is on special feed. She has a “tender tummy” and dietary restrictions, so I know better than to switch her food. But my feed guy was not available last week, and I was out, so I did some research online and found a local feed that had a similar make-up to that which I had been using and I picked up just one bag, figuring it was better to feed my mare something than nothing at all.

After just a few bites, my mare started choking. Horses have a one-way esophagus, so when they start choking it’s not coming back up without professional help. A frantic call to the emergency vet (of COURSE it was after-hours) resulted in nearly 3 hours of walking the old girl, waiting for the vet.

When the vet finally arrived, it took another hour-plus of tubes, buckets and sedatives (for the horse, not me – although I could have used one by then!) to finally get the offending piece of food dislodged.

Which brings us to our metaphor…

When you have worked with a professional writer to ensure that your ad materials and web site content are just what you’re looking for, why would you create a follow-up piece (like a blog or email) that’s second-rate, or at least not what your reader is used to?

Why send your reader material that does not live up to the high standards you’ve already set? Set a meeting with your writer, or have him or her edit the material that you have written, to ensure that its quality matches that in which you’ve already invested.

Remember that your customer, client or prospect has already seen the quality message you are capable of sending. Anything less will confuse him or her, and you lose credibility – and possibly a customer.

The moral of this week’s story is: Better to send a high-quality message that matches your overall marketing plan than to have your reader “choke” on something that’s not what they’re used to seeing from you.

Consider me your “emergency vet” in this situation.

For exceptional content at an affordable fee, trust the IRIS with an “e” – eIRIS Marketing.

Tags: , Category marketing, writing |

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