MoxieWorks

Social Media Check List

Having a plan for social media for small businesses is probably the best way to feel in control of what you are doing. If you just start out by setting up your Facebook Fan Page, Twitter account, write a few articles, and then send out your newsletter you could quickly get overwhelmed by the time commitment. The reality is that you have a business to run.

Creating a simple check list, like the one featured on Small Biz Survival might be the answer to your prayers. "Daily goals could include updating your Facebook and LinkedIn status, responding to all comments on your blog, tweeting five interesting links (not counting any links to your own stuff) on Twitter, and engaging a few friends in conversation." Becky McCray advises.

Create an actual social media checklist that you have on a sticky note next to your computer. Take Becky's ideas and as you do each item everyday you can feel like you are making your way through this social media universe.

The key is: You don't have to do this for hours everyday. You don't have to be tied to your computer every moment. You can limit the time you spend and still make an impact.

Create your goals and the services you are going to use to reach them and slowly start getting your voice out there. Don't get overwhelmed. Here is a good article that features some of my thoughts at the bottom of the article - read, but don't feel overwhelmed.

If you want to see what all your social media possibilities are for your daily checklist you can see what Chris Brogan has to say, but don't feel you have to do all or any of these everyday. They are just ideas to help you see what is available with social media.

Photo Credit: counteract.

20 Years of Getting it Done

After working for over 20 years on various projects simultaneously I have tried to figure out the very best To Do system. I have done the hacked Get Things Done, Franklin Covey binders that were so stuffed that you couldn't close them, the Palm Pilot, Remember the Milk, and various other systems. Everyone of them had value, but none of them were just right. Kind of like Goldilocks!

What I needed was something I could write on, something that would remind me, and something I could carry around. I am a doodler by nature and being able to scribble notes is important to my thought process. It only took me 20 years to figure that out!

The Reminders: For things that have big deadlines, hard deadlines, or happen every month I use my Google Calendar. I set the To Do up as an all day event and just schedule it like I would a meeting with my team. This is great for paying bills, sending PR out on time, getting things to the printer. It translates to my phone, although that isn't totally necessary.

The Paper To Do: I created a To Do that has a section for Do, Go, Connect and a place to doodle. It also has the date, and three check boxes for things I would like to do daily (meditate, write and exercise). I fill out the To Do the day before with all the things I need to get done the next day. A typical list might have Send file to X, Finish edits on newsletter, design draft of promo, bathe Zeppelin, and find receipt.

I found it was critical to put my personal and my business life on the list. Although they may be segmented, they aren't separate. I am one person with a million things to do and keeping separate lists is impossible.

When I complete something I just cross it off. If I am not going to finish something or I am moving something I put an arrow next to it and write it on the next day's to do. It is that simple. Some days I get more done, but I am always hopeful.

This simple pdf form prints easily, is customizable, fits on a clipboard that I can carry to my meetings (I have a meeting one too that I'll talk about later) and is cheap enough that I can spill coffee on it and not feel terrible.

Most importantly it keeps me organized and gets things done! I included it here for you to download - enjoy. If you would like to know more about how I decide what is a To Do just ask!

Download Todo

To Do Ta Da

I have been working on project related work for 20 years and I juggle a lot of projects. Managing my time has been a process and I have finally found something that works perfectly for me, but there are many great tools for you on the market. Finding the right To Do tool is imperative.

For those of you who want to see it all online there are good options like Remember the Milk. It works with your desktop syncing right to your phone. It is a simple interface and allows you to have a long laundry list or a short daily to do. A smart option for linear thinkers. For someone like me though I found that it wasn't flexible enough and I still love the feel of a pen in my hand and the action of crossing off a list.

For those of you like that there is a fun new player in the field, LoboToMe. Attractive paper lists to manage every aspect of your daily to do. I love the fun graphics and if I was someone who needed to love my materials this would be a great addition to my work flow. Being happy with what you are working with is a big part of sticking to a to do mentality.

The stripped down GTD (Get Things Done) method uses 3x5" cards. This simple, portable method for tracking tasks within projects is a brilliant way to break down complex ideas into manageable tasks. Plus, what is cheaper than an index card!

Whatever method you choose, the key is to keep up with it. Tomorrow I will talk about the To Do I use and how it came to be. Then later in the week I'll share how I manage my to do list, what the benefits are, and why this all matters.

Photo Credit: Koalazymonkey

Tweet Tweet Twitter Distraction Part 3

Now you know about how I feel about my relationship with Email and Facebook, but today we tackle Twitter.

As a marketing person I see the value of instantly connecting with people. Being able to be on the front lines of customer service issues, interacting with people who have similar passions as you, and networking to find your next customer. These are brilliant ways to use Twitter.

The question for small business is how much time do we need to be spending on this tool - and remember it is just a tool. My real assessment is that for work related twittering 15 minutes 3-5 times a week is fine.

So, what do you do during that 15 minutes? 

• Add Value - what does that mean? Tim Ferris brilliantly says that, "Some self-indulgent tweets are fine, but make sure 90%+ help or entertain your readers somehow. Information empty calories are parasitic." I take that to mean that you want to connect people to ideas, information or simply be yourself. Don't use it as a platform to sell your product constantly, see it as the giant cocktail party it is and jump in with something that might be helpful to someone else.
  
• Be Authentic - that is probably the most important piece of advice. Mashable has a great Twitter Guidebook and their advice is, "Authenticity is the golden rule in social media. We’ve known this for years, but there is another, related rule that is just as important: you and your brand need to be believable."  Being YOU is what people are looking for. This is a platform that lets you share who you are, not a random robot!
  
• Find Folks - one of the best things you can do on Twitter is find people who you would want to connect with. First, find people that you are currently working with, people you know in real life, and companies that you love. You can do this with a Twitter Search right in Twitter. It isn't the best tool, but it is a good place to start. The other is Tweepz. It takes the Twitter search to the next level. (I'll share more on building followers in a more detailed post later.)

Here is the thing though about Twitter, what I have noticed is that it takes the verve out of life experiences. On Sunday we watched the Super Bowl - something I have never done (I know, how un-American). I wanted to see the underdog Saints win one for that ravaged town and see the commercials.

For the first part of the game I was on Twitter talking to a friend of mine across town about the silly ads undermining men and their masculinity. I was also watching the smart ass comments that everyone had about everything. Everyone a) thinks they are brilliant and b) that they are the next Whoopie Goldberg. Sorry to disappoint, but I don't always care and I don't think you are always funny.

And then it hit me.... Twitter was taking MY experience of the event and coloring it with the mostly negative comments (why is humor so often negative) of my followers. So, I shut it down. I just put the phone down and watched the game with my husband. He was right in the room, could explain what was happening, and enjoy the digitally enhanced scream of the Who with me. Real people are more important than 140 character moments with people I have never met.

That doesn't mean that I don't want to connect, I just want to do it with clarity. So, I am imposing a 3 tweets a day for the rest of February rule to see how that feels. Really, I'm not that funny either!

What is your relationship with Twitter? How are you using it and do you think it is a boon to your business? Personally, in moderation - like EVERYTHING else - I think it has value, but don't let it lessen your real life moments! Who Dat?

Tomorrow TV and that dreaded idiot box takes over our lives - even if it is "research" for my job!

Photo Credit: S. Son

Facebook the Tool or Distraction Part 2

Yesterday I talked about how email often runs my life and drives every moment of my day. Now we are onto the ultimate of time wasters: Facebook!

I manage multiple Facebook accounts for clients, my own, and my personal stuff. I have to be on often, but probably not everyday.

What I find is that because I work alone at home most of the time it is my water cooler moment. A chance to check in with friends, see what it up, and share a brief snippet of what is going on with me. Again, not a bad thing, but I find that I am commenting a bit like an overzealous lonely freak. Seriously, do I really have to "like" everything? No, I don't think so.

I think I need a read only rule for a bit on my personal page. Just to wean my self and nothing after 5:00pm. I'll be concentrating on my fan page and my clients fan pages - which I do already, but without the extra time looking at everyone's photo, how they hate the "new Facebook" and quiz results I'll have more personal time. And seriously, If I don't impose some rules I am going to be really guilty of sharing too much information.

Remember, I believe that a Facebook Fan page is integral to many businesses and managing them by offering current information is important. The problem lies in what is too much information and how much time do you really need to spend on your page. If you are a small business managing every facet of your company how much time is enough time? What feels balanced for you and what is getting the results that you are looking for? The big question is: What is your relationship with social media? How is it running your life and your business? The key is to manage the tool, not let it manage you!

For a nice look at what your Facebook fan page should/might include (granted, this is all for mega businesses and later we will talk about goals for small businesses) check out Mashable's article.

Tomorrow Twitter and how it sucks to not be super pithy at every moment.

Evil Email Distractions

It seems that there is always something to distract me from what I really want/need/should be doing. I am no different than a crow - the shiny things seem to always win out. That said, I am working to create more space in my life to feel and experience rather than just filling up time with stuff. My biggest time wasters are email, Facebook, Twitter, and TV. All electronic toys that used right can be extremely beneficial, but how I find myself using them is to avoid doing other things. Let's break them down one by one:

Email - I use email extensively for my work as a nonprofit executive director and marketing consultant. It is my primary communication tool. That said, is it healthy to be on it 8 hours a day? Can I really get all of the work done that I need to do if I am compulsively checking email throughout the day? Are the instant responses really necessary or can people wait while other work is being done? Gwen Bell talks about her new plan of 2010 to only check email once a day. She, like me, is a consultant. Unfortunately, I do not think I can be that extreme, but I can be less compulsive about it and turn it off in the evening.

What is your relationship with email? Do you think your business would suffer if you went on a bit of a break? Do you schedule non-email times? I'd love to hear your email strategies.

Tomorrow - Facebook and how it sucks me in and makes me post like a crazy woman.

Photo Credit: Biscotte

Goodbye Feels Great

Today I did something I don't normally do. I told a client goodbye. This is probably the hardest thing that service professionals do, especially small business providers. I am a natural people pleaser. I WANT to make you happy. I want to make your business work. I even want to see you be successful. Often I have sacrificed my own happiness and even more of my time to make that happen. This year though I have chosen to take a different path with unprofitable, high maintenance clients - they are getting a polite, but firm heave ho.

There are three obvious things that come up with clients that put them on my watch list for letting go:

• Energy Vampires: These clients want to talk all of the time, go over things relentlessly, send you hundreds of email, complain constantly - about everything. This type of client tends to not like anything, runs hot and cold, and after a conversation with them you feel drained. You can tell you have this kind of client when you dread talking with them. After a while (or in my case this time, one project) it is time to let them go.
  
• Low Paying Bastards: This seems harsh, but there are some clients who consistently cry poor. If you are like me you chose to give them a break because you felt that a) you could help them or b) you felt sorry for them. The problem with this kind of client is that they usually end up being the most work. Lesson here, don't give in on your prices - you will feel better about your work and you will not feel like they are taking advantage of you.
  
  DuctTape has a great piece on this - they suggest to get rid of problem clients actually let them know that you are raising your rates. That may do the trick to getting this client off your back.
  
• Unclear User: This client seems to not know what they want. They don't have the time to share it with you and they don't seem to know how to communicate anything. You feel like you aren't meeting their needs, which is frustrating. You may not need to fire this client; instead you can put them on a tight schedule with project outlines. See how that works and if the time managing them is worth it. If it isn't profitable to spend that extra time it may be time to give them the axe.

It isn't fun to let a client go, but it can be liberating. Instead of never pleasing them, running after them, or trying to understand what they wanted in the first place you can move onto clients that you connect with from the start. That will help your bottom line and your success rate. Be brave - give them the heave ho!

Photo Credit: Valentin.Ottone

Chef Ramsay Sears the Situation

What is wrong with people? That is my common refrain after watching a mindless hour of Kitchen Nightmares. Because of my work with small businesses I consider it a bit of research into the minds of the restaurant owner. And EVERY week I sit there wondering what is wrong with these people.

If you don't know, the premise is that world renowned chef and restaurateur, Gordon Ramsay, goes into a family owned establishment that is on the brink of closing and helps them turn their business around. It is like ER for the kitchen. Every week he deals with horrible food, disgusting decor and an obstinate owner/chef. Usually, the owner/chef does not want to change. The crazy part about that: THEY INVITED HIM TO COME.

The things I observe are that people are working, but they are focusing on the wrong things. So a LOT of time is spent doing something, but it isn't anything that moves their business forward. And they are resistant to change. Last night he said to a particularly awful woman, "change is hard, but you can't continue to be nostalgic for things that do not work." It is  perfect quote because all of us get stuck in our ruts and the act of changing - even for the better - can seem too difficult.

Now, I have never opened a restaurant, but I know that it is probably one of the toughest businesses to own and operate. That said, if it isn't working why do you keep doing it and why do you keep running in circles and not getting anything done.

Here is a good step by step look at how you can observe your business and make some movement towards changing - without calling in the somewhat abrasive Ramsay:

• Ask for customer feedback - sure we have all seen those cards on the table asking about our service, our food, etc. But any business can do that. Ask your customer to fill out a quick survey and if they do give them 10% of their ticket. That feedback is critical... and priceless.
• Gather your friends and critics - take all of the feedback for a month and read it to a group of friends, mentors and even those who aren't sure what you are doing is worthwhile. Have a brainstorming session on how those comments make sense and how you can change towards the better.
• Implement one change - you don't have to be as drastic as they are on the show and throw out everything, but take one change and implement it each month. Reward employees or yourself when you actively engage in the change without going back to your old run. Then, take those surveys again and see if there is any impact on your customers experience.

The GREAT thing about being in business is that you aren't working in a vacuum - you have an audience who is eating up your product - just take the time to ask them how it is going and be willing to hear the truth and act on it.

Photo Credit: Dave Pulig

Small Business Cause Marketing Tips

We have stated the case in my last post that cause marketing can be a good thing for small businesses, but now the question becomes how do I do it rather then just asking my customers for more cash?

Give and Receive: At the cash register you can easily do a gift with donation. This fun promotional gift can be given to each customer. It can serve as a reminder that they gave to the chosen cause and with your branding on it a reminder of your shop.

Keep the Change: Do a keep the change promotion where customers give the extra change to the cause. This is a simple way to engage customers into giving - they feel like it is a small way to help your given cause.

You be Yoplait: Yoplait yogurt has a popular send in the cap program and they donate ten cents to the Susan B. Komen foundation. You can target a product that you have and each time someone purchases it you give a percentage to the cause of your choice. This successful marketing campaign doesn't have to be just for the big boys. It is even better if you have a consumable product - they HAVE to buy more!

Cause marketing makes everyone feel good and your shop can be part of that! Pick your cause, set a goal, and engage your customers - it just feels right.

Photo Credit: Mr. Kris

Small Business Gives Back

With all of the talk about Haiti some small businesses may wonder what they could be doing to help out with that relief effort and all of the other causes that are dear to our hearts. Customers are already giving at a phenomenal rate, but here are some steps to get involved in cause marketing and feel good doing it.

Pick your Cause: There are so many causes to support that it is good to focus on just one. It also makes sense to choose one that is a fit for what you do. Clothing store - Soles4Souls, Builder - Habitat for Humanity, Children's Toys & Gifts - DonorsChoose.org. The tie in helps you focus your giving on what matters to you every day in your business.

Set a Goal: If you want to raise $5000 in a year for your cause put that out there. Having a goal helps your customers and clients know what you are working towards. When you are getting close you never know one person might just make the difference and put you over the top.

Get your Message Out: Now that you have chosen your cause and set your goal you are ready to start promoting. I suggest, with permission from the organization, putting their logo on your website with a link to donate in your name, on your print material, and on in store posters and point of sale displays.

Giving back feels great and you have a unique platform to get your cause out there. People are tremendously generous and next post we will talk about specific ways to raise that money!

Photo Credit: Ginnerobot