Moxieworks Talks About:

Are you listening or are you Chicken Little?

How good are you at listening to your clients? I have been wondering lately if we are all running around like Chicken Little saying that the sky is falling are we really listening to our clients? How can we if we are all caught up in our misery over the economy?

I propose an experiment for one week - let's listen. Listen to our critics, our customers, our clients, our business partners, our mentors and even our children. Let's take it all in, the good and the bad. For one week we will take notes on what they are saying, we will hear them. We won't get defensive, we won't offer up a million new solutions, we will gather up the information.

Then after the one week we will start to make connections about what we are hearing. But let's save that till next week. This week just listen and take notes.

Help! I am wearing too many hats!

This week I got an email from a friend and entrepreneur who was feeling under the gun to do too many things at once. You know what it is like, you have to do your marketing plan, sales, customer service, and provide a great product. Not to mention accounting, office work, and running errands. Sometimes there just doesn't seem like enough hours in the day. Plus, you know that something is missing.

Let's start with the first step - planning. I know that I say this over and over, but a plan will keep you on track. If you have a plan you can easily say no to the many offers that come in that don't fit your plan for the year and yes to those that are right on target.

Your marketing plan doesn't need to be a three ring binder with 30 tabs and an index. It can be as easy as a calendar where you mark out your budget for that month, what your goals are, and three initiatives that you want to accomplish to reach your target market.

Now, for my friend I am going to work one on one with her to develop a plan to attack all the areas of her business with ease and efficiency. And for a limited time I am offering marketing plans to new customers. Contact me for details if you feel you need someone to help you focus your energy and help you get on track for 2009! - Really, you can do this.

Building Relationships for your Small Business One Campaign at a Time

One common problem that I see small businesses make over and over is being consistent (and I am right there with you folks). You start with great energy, but then work or life takes over and you don't have the energy to keep up with all the cute ideas that you had in the beginning. My suggestion is to choose one. Choose one thing that you know you can do consistently to continue to spread your message to your current and future customers.

Some ideas might be:

• Sending cards for the holidays (or pick your own holiday that is unique to your business - nothing wrong with sending a celebratory Irish Good Luck message rather then a Christmas card)
• Write a regular column for a local publication
• Keep up with your blog and post regularly (2-4 times a week)
• Stay up to date with Twitter or Facebook fans
• Send a monthly e-newsletter
• Give a small promotional gift with each order or purchase
• Host a spring open house

Whatever you do, stick with it for at least one year. Keeping yourself tied to your one idea will help you learn the discipline of sticking to your choices and hopefully you will see results with continuing and new customers. You can't do EVERYTHING, but you (and I) can commit to doing ONE THING to continue to build our brand.

Are you living your mission?

Last night President Obama asked Congress to keep the American people in mind when they are making their decisions - to remember that we are here to work for them and to build up America. This brings to mind the idea of living your mission.

What is your mission or vision for your company? Do you have one? Is it simple and direct. Do you want to create great service? Be the best widget maker? Provide answers to difficult questions? Be a hero to your clients? Whatever it is you need to live it every day.

Every decision needs to fit your mission.

Every action needs to fit your mission.

Every ad, direct mail piece, conversation, or sales call - this is not the time to start doing things "just because they might make a dime". This is the time to do GREAT work.

So, what is your mission? If you don't have one I recommend spending 20 minutes today making a list of what you do and how you want to do it. It is that simple. Once you have that list narrow it down to one sentence. Something that could be put on a coffee mug or banner. This is the statement that you are going to go back to time and again.

When you have your mission, make a small reminder on a post-it on your monitor, next to your phone, or where ever you need to be reminded of what you are supposed to be doing.

Live your mission and your thinking and your direction will become MUCH clearer.

I would LOVE it if you would share your mission! What is it that you do and how do you do it?

Doom or Opportunity

Yesterday I met with a potential client and we talked about the recession and how we could be creative to get through the hurdle when it occurred to me that there are two responses to the current economic news: doom or opportunity. Today, commit yourself to opportunity. If you sincerely believe in what you are doing and can even just tweak it a bit to sustain, move towards opportunity. You will survive this current crisis and perhaps even grow a little more.

Are you being promised the moon? How to walk away from a scam!

We have all seen the emails that come in promising to take your business to 120% or more from where you are now. They are usually long and filled with lots of bold type to grab our attention. BEWARE! This is NOISE marketing - or just another scam.

There are a few things that I believe right down to my socks and one of those is that to be successful you have to work. Most of us are going to work really hard. The bonus is when you get to do work that you really love - we will talk about that at another time. Working really hard isn't a bad thing. Really.

I know that we all get tired from time to time and we might even get discouraged, but I am concerned in this time of economic struggle that we are going to fall prey to Get Rich Quick Scams. Here is some advice:

• If the offer seems to good to be true it probably is
• If the offer is scrunched together with lots of type and bold headings it is just noise and you should just walk/click away
• If you don't PERSONALLY know someone that it has worked for in the past do not get involved
• If it has promises that seem unrealistic they probably are

I know that we are all trying to figure it our economically, but this is not the time to sink a dime into someone elses pocket that promises you the moon - you have worked too hard to lose it to some slime ball.

I know, harsh words, but I want to be very clear that work is hard - it is great and rewarding but it isn't easy. So, walk away from the person promising to make you famous or your company zoom overnight because that isn't how it works.

This is the time for all of us to do GREAT work and to be HONEST and TRUE to ourselves and our customers and that is what will get us ahead.

I offer to you this: If you have an offer from a company or person that you are not sure about, but you would like to have another set of eyes on it I will for the year of 2009 talk to you about it, take a quick peek and give you my honest and direct opinion if it is something that you should do. Seriously - this is the time that we need to take care of one another.  Let me know if I can help.

6 Ways To Make A Good Offer - Direct Mail, Advertising, You Name It -

With all of this talk about internet marketing, email marketing, direct mail and social media there seems to be one piece missing - What are you offering? If it isn't compelling people aren't going to respond. Then it won't matter if you were cost effective or cutting edge!

1. Give them something they want. This seems like a simple idea, but do you really know what your customers want? If you are in the service industry they want great service and perhaps something special that only they will get if they respond to your offer. If you are in retail they want the best prices and great quality. They also want to know that you will offer ongoing reliable service. So, think about what you have and what you can offer that is truly special.
2. They want to be treated well. I believe that people want to belong to groups and if you can create a special group culture around your product they will become interested. This happens in a variety of ways; brand building, secret things just for them, and letting them know that they are part of that special club. "Respond now and be part of our Product Review Panel", is one way that you could approach people being part of a new club - that is part of your business.
3. Are you offering something that no one else is? If you are offering the same discount as your competitors you better have something else that sets you apart. Do you donate a percentage to charity? Are you involved in your community? Do you only offer products made in America - these are all things that might set you apart from your competition.
4. Is your offer out of this world? Are you promising the moon? Do you think you can move mountains? Don't offer outrageous claims - these just make you look foolish.
5. Is it easy to redeem your offer? If you are offering a free widget do I have to fill out three page of forms to get it? Trust me, that is not easy. Are you sending them on a wild goose chase through your site to find the redemption key? You want to make the offer easy to understand and easy to redeem. It is a turn off to be to tricky with your words - there can be restrictions, but make them clear and easy to understand.
6. Is it something that people want? If your offer doesn't reflect what people want in your company then you are missing a mark. Don't give dog leashes if you are a car company - seriously, you would be surprised what people THINK that people want. Match the offer with what you sell and you will have a match made in... well one that works!

So, to wrap up, be honest, be exclusive, be clear and give something that people really want and you will have written an effective offer. Need help? Just ask!

Should my Small Business Buy a mailing List?

To buy or not to buy - that is the question. Many small businesses wonder if it is worthwhile to purchase a list and there are three rules that make buying valuable. Remember, permission based marketing is always better then noise in the mailbox, but sometimes it makes sense to reach a broader audience in their in box.

I advise small businesses to consider three things before purchasing a list:

First - Are you trying to reach a targeted region (neighborhood, community, city, zip-code area) with your direct mail piece? If you are already doing business in an area but would like to expand that business it is often a good idea to purchase the list. Your marketing will be regional in scope and personal in nature because you are already engaged with one of their neighbors - a good way to market to new clients is to share that you are working with someone that they know.

Second - Do you know something special about your customers and you can market directly to them with that secret? If the majority of our clients are Lutheran then purchasing a list of Lutherans makes sense, if they are preschool teachers buy that list, and if they are interested in yoga purchase a list targeted to their interests. That special - targeted information is valuable in helping you get that next client.

Third - are you launching a brand new product, idea, or concept and need to branch out to a particular region or business - then buying the list is valuable.

The idea is that you have to know what you have, who you are currently serving and purchase lists that are targeted directly to that information. Granted, I am talking about lists that are small in nature and manageable in scope. Don't just by every homeowner, business, or address in your state! You will waste your money and your great mailing will end up in the round file - so buy smart.

More next time on what makes a good offer - now that you have targeted your mailing make sure that they are getting back to you!

21 Professions and Simple Presentations to Get Started Speaking

A tried and true method for marketing your business has been to speak about it. When you are able to show that you are knowledgeable and passionate it spreads like wild fire in a crowd. To get started you could look at local organizations like your Chamber of Commerce, service organizations such as Rotary, or membership groups. If they hold monthly or weekly meetings they are often looking for speakers.

You don't want to give just a giant sales pitch from the front of the room. You need to share an aspect of what you do and how it can relate to a number of people. Take your position or company and see an aspect that can be shared across careers.

21 Professions and Simple Presentations to Get Started Speaking

1. Car Sales - Customer Relationships
2. Realtor - Marketing Online
3. Nurse Practitioner - Dealing with a crisis
4. Musician - Teaching a novice something new
5. Writer - Communicating you message - simply and effectively
6. Web Developer - Smart ways to use your blog as a marketing tool
7. Publisher - How to design great ads
8. Funeral Director - Learning to listen
9. Marketing - Just what is Social Media
10. Retail Sales - Customer service matters
11. Photographer - How to take that great shot during the holidays
12. Landscape Designer - Choosing perennials
13. Therapist - Creating goals that work
14. Teacher - Using play to unleash your passions
15. Ebay Seller - What value does this junk have
16. B&B Operator - How to become a guide to your city
17. Librarian - Top 10 book of 2008 and what you should be reading
18. Craftsman/Artist - The day in the life of an Artist
19. Small Business Owner - How to build relationships one customer at a time
20. Veterinarian - Picking the perfect pet
21. Elder Care Provider - Signs of care giving burnout and where to get help
22. Lawyer - What to have ready in a disaster or emergency

What do you do and what can you speak about? There are hundreds of topics that any one professional can share. The added bonus is that you can sell what you do without selling. I gave a talk last month and I was amazed at the response - I forgot the power of speaking. Share what you do - it will build your relationships and your customers!

4 Ways to Get and Maintain New Clients in 2009

Now that we are solidly in the New Year let me wish you the best - in your planning, marketing and execution!

We talked about who your best clients were, what they like about your business, and what you can offer them to build your relationship. Now let's use this goldmine of information to get new clients:

1. You know what your current customers like do you think that your future or potential customers might like the same things? Let them know by sharing Customer Satisfaction Stories or Experiences. You can do this in a number of ways: sales letters, website, blog, posters, counter signs, signs next to merchandise (Aunt Betty Loves these Beans), or direct mail/email. There are a number of ways to let people know what people love about you - it may seem like tooting your own horn, but it is a great way to help people feel comfortable with you.
2. You know WHO your current customers are: age, gender, maybe neighborhood or other industry specific demographic (income, religion, marital status, etc.). Now you can take that information and market to people like them. You can even buy lists with that information helping you to target your market.
3. Customers have LOTS of choices now. You need to create good experiences to keep them coming back. If a first time customer purchases from you this is an opportunity to connect - give them a satisfaction card to send back, give them a card with your website or let them know that you send special deals through Twitter and they should connect. Customer service has to be perfect, but you can also use this time to start building that relationship.
4. Going after Who You Know is always smart because it is known component - so track those things! That extra work will help you be smarter about your marketing. If you have a small widget shop selling online and you are trying to figure these things out ask them at check out and make it mandatory to tell you. Don't get to personal, but find out some vital information that will help you continue to target and refine your marketing plan.

A lot to chew on as you start the new year! Remember I am here to bounce your marketing ideas around. Need help? Drop me a line (jacqueline at moxieworks dot net)  and I will be glad to brainstorm with you - I am offering a FREE 30 minute consultation to help you create down to earth marketing strategies for the New Year. Ends January 30, 2009 - Let the Smartest Girl in the Room save you money and move to the top of your market.

Now that we are solidly in the New Year let me wish you the best - in your planning, marketing and execution!

We talked about who your best clients were, what they like about your business, and what you can offer them to build your relationship. Now let's use this goldmine of information to get new clients:

1. You know what your current customers like do you think that your future or potential customers might like the same things? Let them know by sharing Customer Satisfaction Stories or Experiences. You can do this in a number of ways: sales letters, website, blog, posters, counter signs, signs next to merchandise (Aunt Betty Loves these Beans), or direct mail/email. There are a number of ways to let people know what people love about you - it may seem like tooting your own horn, but it is a great way to help people feel comfortable with you.
2. You know WHO your current customers are: age, gender, maybe neighborhood or other industry specific demographic (income, religion, marital status, etc.). Now you can take that information and market to people like them. You can even buy lists with that information helping you to target your market.
3. Customers have LOTS of choices now. You need to create good experiences to keep them coming back. If a first time customer purchases from you this is an opportunity to connect - give them a satisfaction card to send back, give them a card with your website or let them know that you send special deals through Twitter and they should connect. Customer service has to be perfect, but you can also use this time to start building that relationship.
4. Going after Who You Know is always smart because it is known component - so track those things! That extra work will help you be smarter about your marketing. If you have a small widget shop selling online and you are trying to figure these things out ask them at check out and make it mandatory to tell you. Don't get to personal, but find out some vital information that will help you continue to target and refine your marketing plan.

A lot to chew on as you start the new year! Remember I am here to bounce your marketing ideas around. Need help? Drop me a line (jacqueline at moxieworks dot net)  and I will be glad to brainstorm with you - I am offering a FREE 30 minute consultation to help you create down to earth marketing strategies for the New Year. Ends January 30, 2009 - Let the Smartest Girl in the Room save you money and move to the top of your market.