Here’s a short article to get you thinking along the lines of what social media can and can’t do for you, and what you need to do to start getting results on Twitter. 

http://ow.ly/2gCbH

What social media strategies are working for you?

by
Kim Castle, Co-creator BrandU™

Last week I was exercising near my home in Southern California by climbing hundreds of stairs along the canyon wall. It’s a way for me to break away from my business, so that I’m free to expand for an hour or so.

Out of the blue an idea for a completely new product came into my mind and I couldn’t get it out.  It grew so strong that it drowned out the Black Eyed Peas blaring from my IPod.

It started out soft like a “tickle” and before I knew it, my thoughts weren’t my own anymore.

I started seeing the product and how it would be constructed; all the way down to what color the stitching was and where the logo would go.

I got excited knowing that there wasn’t a product like this on the market and began thinking about how it would radically change the way people did things.

When I thought about the charity that would benefit from the overflow of the millions of dollars it would generate, my heart soared.  In fact I could already see myself contacting people who could connect me to manufacturers in China.

Before I knew it, I wasn’t climbing stairs anymore… I was soaring.  I was high off an idea — like the fumes of a gas.

If you’re an entrepreneur, you know the high I’m talking about. You may even be what I call an “idea junkie.” You know who you are.  It’s okay — awareness is the first step.

You also know the pain that often comes with it; especially the pain of not turning your idea into a real product fast enough and getting people to buy it as quickly as possible before the next idea comes.

When speaking to entrepreneurs around the world about branding, I often compare the “idea” of a business to a “gas” — like air.  It’s “there” in feeling, but it doesn’t have form.  It’s the translation from the idea into tangible form that traps so many and prevents them from ever getting beyond the high.

Is the “idea” of your business costing you everything? Here are four ways to tell, and what you can do about it.

• It’s not real — until you make it real.  Without getting your idea out of your head and into a tangible form, it’s still just a possibility—only serving you in the moments when you think of it.  There are many ways to make it tangible even at the beginning.

Example:  One client of mine, prior to working with me, paid thousands of dollars to have her book jackets designed BEFORE she even wrote the book.  Just beware that while this does get the idea out of your head and into a form you can touch, it’s done so with great risk.  Without first establishing the core of your idea from the inside, the outside influence could take you away from what the business or product really is.  That’s why the way we approach branding is so vital in the beginning of a business or product development.

• It’s so flexible — there’s nothing there.  Without putting up walls (or mental blinders) by establishing what an idea for a business really is and what it is not, you are at the mercy of the hundreds of potential business ideas that your brain is feeding you daily (each one is more exciting than the last). Trust that each idea carries with it a great potential.  But each is just an idea until it’s impacting a customer’s life. 

This is why the entire first half of our branding process doesn’t even involve the customer.  We focus on creating the house and the door that your potential customer will walk through and want to stay. Your idea is a solid half of the relationship you have with your customer.

• It’s worth nothing — until you add interest.  While you have experienced the idea, just having the idea is not unique.  At the same exact time, someone else could be having the same exact thought.  After all, we all feed from the same pond. 

What makes it unique is what drives your need to create it.  People don’t just buy because they have nothing else to do. They need a reason to choose one thing over another.  It’s the very same reason that drives you to take action on just a thought. 

• It means nothing — until it means something to someone else.  People can’t buy your idea unless they can connect to it in a way that impacts their life. 

Think about what it would be like trying to sell someone air.  It’s the same as selling them your idea.  If you truly want to move beyond the feeling it gives you, it needs to be clearly translated into a tangible and emotional experience.

That said; your ideas do have great value at the start of a business.  Without ideas, you’d have nothing to act on.  But ideas are just the spark to get you started.  They feel so great because it takes a lot of fuel to create something out of nothing.  That fuel is excitement.

By harnessing that excitement with form, foundation, reason and connection, you’ll have what it takes to share your idea “high” with the world.  And they’ll gladly pay for it.

© Castle Montone, Limited

A powerful example of this concept is a new online tool created to make it easier for credit card holders and borrowers to manage their money. Zendough.com was created by the credit reporting agency, Transunion to help people see the big picture of their finances. It offers three ways for you to monitor your money. My Credit keeps you updated on your credit score and lets you easily see any inaccuracies and make corrections. My Identify gives you an indication of your risk of identity fraud. My Accounts provides a detailed listing of your credit accounts and debts in graph format.

Transunion offers this service for $14.95 per month, or $179.40 a year, and offers a free seven-day trial. In these economic times when many people are in the process of rebuilding their credit, this continuity program is a stroke of genius. It is just one example of how you can turn your product and/or service into ongoing monthly income, and provide a much needed service to your choice clients at the same time.

Some may think the owners of this hotel have gone off the deep end.  I beg to differ…  Instead I believe they have looked this economy straight in the proverbial eye and said, ” I know what I need to do to survive, and I’m doing it!” 

In the construction industry, there are many contractors who have given up and moved on to other careers.  In our small, home-based construction company, we have chosen to not only survive, but thrive, by stepping up our marketing, advertising, and getting our mindset straight. 

There is a lesson to be learned from the economic state we are in right now, and those who choose to learn it will be set to become stronger and more profitable now and in the future.  The lesson is, don’t ever up.  Learn what you need to do to become better, stronger, and to set yourself apart from your competitors.  Think out-of-the-box, and in time you’ll reap the reward as only us “heretics” do.

“Never give up, for that is just the place and time the tide will turn.”

- Harriett Beecher Stowe, Author of  Uncle Tom’s Cabin

CLICK HERE to see all the valuable benefits of joining the IAWIFE Community.

Do you have shelves of books, maybe even from college days, covered in dust from lack of active use? Are there drawers of papers filed away but never accessed? Or worse yet, piles of paper and “stuff”?

Do you keep things because you “might need this someday” or because you fear not knowing enough or being good enough in your own right? Truth is that your brain is so powerful and amazing that it’s pretty hard to even comprehend.

You have already learned, internalized and benefited already from the books, magazines and papers you are hoarding and have the ability to use it at will. We keep “stuff” mainly out of fear of scarcity. In this information age, to fear lack of information is really pretty ridiculous, isn’t it?

The reality is that you can replace most information (often on line) with more current info than what you are storing. You’ll save time searching and valuable space by keeping less and you’ll give the Law of Attraction room to bring you abundance (cash that is, not stuff)!

So look around and see what you are hoarding, and have a good laugh at how long you’ve held on to that useless clutter!

About Debbye Cannon

Debbye is a nationally recognized mentor of creative women who are juggling the “simultaneous action” of building their business without sacrificing their family priorities.  She is a sought after guest expert on radio programs and teleseminars.  Author, organizer and mentor, Debbye specializes in “outside-the-box” ways to organize and re-design home offices using the Law of Attraction and individual personality styles.  Her passion is to get “your life simplified”, so you and your business will enjoy financial freedom.  Visit Debbye’s website at www.BusinessMomMentor.com.   

During the times I was so exhausted I didn’t see how I could keep going, I was given the gift of insight. These insights relate not only to my recent move, but to life and business in general. I hope they help you in your next big move, whether it’s a move of your home, career, or just a move from one way of thinking to another.

Here are 5 things you can do to survive the stress of moving, or whatever life is throwing your way…

1. Believe you can do it, even when you can’t see how. Trust there is something bigger than you are holding you up and moving you right along to the next step you need to take to get the job done. You don’t have to, nor do you want to, know all the steps to get where you’re going. If I had known what I’d have to do to be where I am today, I probably would have stayed in the corporate prison, where I worked for 24 years. I’m so glad I couldn’t see that far ahead. I have loved every minute of my freedom the last 13 years. The personal growth I have experienced is, as the American Express commercial states, priceless.

2. Have faith. When you’re exhausted doubts creep in and you’ll wonder why you wanted to do this thing in the first place. When these doubts pop up, stay focused on why you decided to go this direction and know that it must be the way to the next best thing in your life. You may not know how it will get here, but you can trust that it will. I still have many ups and downs in my ability to overcome the negative thinking I grew up with, but now I know how to deal with those thoughts. You don’t banish them from your mind, you just learn what tools to use to move into better feeling thoughts and move on.

3. Get help from someone who has been where you are. In the start-up phase of our construction business, we had no experience in marketing ourselves. We hired a coach who had experience in the construction industry to help us get over the learning curve. It took time for our marketing efforts to pay off, but today we are still serving customers who called us 10 years ago as a result of that initial marketing campaign.

4. Keep learning – ask what has worked for other people. In something as generic as moving, this advice works well. In business, however, you may find challenges. Your competition will most likely not be too keen on giving away their secrets to success. In this case, utilizing online sources and surveying your customers are your best bets. We participate in group calls and receive newsletters from our original coach who interacts with contractors across the country. A contractor who lives 2,000 miles away is happy to share their secrets to success, unlike one who lives 2 miles away and is in direct competition with you. You can also approach your previous customers and ask them to respond to a short survey of what they need. Offer them a gift certificate or a discount on your services for responding.

5. Never give up. If you’re doing what you love to do, find someone to help you be successful and, take the time to listen to your inner guidance. Many of the changes we have implemented came to me as ideas out of the blue. If you wake up with an idea at 4am, don’t go back to sleep. Keep a pen with a built in light and a pad of paper by your bed and jot down those ideas when you receive them. If you honor ideas when they come to you, they will begin to show up on a regular basis.

These 5 insights can help you stay on track with whatever project you happen to be working on at the moment. But the most important thing you can do is always, always, always keep your focus on the good things you will experience as a result of what you’re doing, whether it’s in your life or in your business. As long as you stay in that place of enjoying life, all else will work out for your highest good, whether that looks like what you expected – or not…

© 2008   Sandy Reed – All rights reserved

Want to use my articles in your ezine or website?

You’re welcome to, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

“Sandy Reed is the President and Founder of the International Association of Women in Family Enterprises (IAWIFE).  She is a professional business coach, writer, and co-owns her own successful family business.  If you’re ready to take your family business to the next level of success; receive support, education, and connect with like-minded women, join her members at www.iawife.com.  Sandy’s business building articles have been published in True Wealth and Simply Home magazines.”

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same

1. The first time a man looks at an advertisement, he does not see it.
2. The second time, he does not notice it.
3. The third time, he is conscious of its existence.
4. The fourth time, he faintly remembers having seen it before.
5. The fifth time, he reads it.
6. The sixth time, he turns up his nose at it.
7. The seventh time, he reads it through and says, "Oh brother!"
8. The eighth time, he says, "Here’s that confounded thing again!"
9. The ninth time, he wonders if it amounts to anything.
10. The tenth time, he asks his neighbor if he has tried it.
11. The eleventh time, he wonders how the advertiser makes it pay.
12. The twelfth time, he thinks it must be a good thing.
13. The thirteenth time, he thinks perhaps it might be worth something.
14. The fourteenth time, he remembers wanting such a thing a long time.
15. The fifteenth time, he is tantalized because he cannot afford to buy it.
16. The sixteenth time, he thinks he will buy it some day.
17. The seventeenth time, he makes a memorandum to buy it.
18. The eighteenth time, he swears at his poverty.
19. The nineteenth time, he counts his money carefully.
20. The twentieth time he sees the ad, he buys what it is offering.

Written in 1885 by Thomas Smith, London, England

The moral of this story is, if you’re going to advertise  be persistent!

You are invited to a FREE preview call introducing my Get Clients Now!™ Teleclass Workshop, which begins July 15, 2008.   Ready to register for the preview teleseminar now?  CLICK HERE

If the very idea of marketing your business makes you want to take an extended vacation, even though you know it needs to be done to make you successful, this workshop is for you. 

If you’re tired of implementing marketing strategies that don’t work, this workshop is for you.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and not sure what steps to take to get your business off the ground, this workshop is for you.

If you feel like you’re in business with no help or support to make it work, this workshop is for you.

By finally taking charge of your business marketing and attending this Get Clients
Now!™ Teleclass Workshop, which you attend from the comfort of your own home, you can see results like these.

• Have a specific plan to follow to get more clients than you do with regular advertising.
• Use a proven system that guides you through a menu of possible marketing options, so you can pick the ones that are right for you.
• Help overcoming the fear and resistance of marketing your business
• Help staying motivated with team support and loving accountability.
• Get clear and focused on your business goals, so they become more achieveable.
• Have a feeling of confidence and peace of mind about the direction of your business, because you know what to do to reach your financial goals.

Ready to sign-up for one of the two FREE preview calls coming up on June 24 and July 1, 2008?    CLICK HERE  to get all the details and register!

It’s all too easy, however, to lose sight of this creativity when your business is in a slump and the phone isn’t ringing.  Here are 3 tips to stimulate your creative thinking, so you can get back on the track to higher profits and peace of mind.

1.       Keep your creative juices flowing by looking for the TV, magazine, newspaper, and direct mail advertising that motivates you.  Notice what entices you to buy someone else’s product or service.  If you like it, you are probably not alone.  Use the same concept behind those ads in your own advertising.

2.      Research and listen for what people don’t like in your competitors products and services.  This is an ideal way to set your business apart from the competition.  Make sure you address any complaints you may hear by offering your own unique solutions.  Here’s an example.

In our construction business we’re heard many complaints that contractors don’t return phone calls.  We make sure our brochure and website lets prospective clients know that we return phone calls with 48 hours – and then we do it!

3.      Trust that you have all the creative solutions inside of you that you need.  I read many publications on a regular basis – spiritual, business, health, etc.  It never ceases to amaze me how ideas can pop into my head from articles that would appear to have nothing to do with business.  Here’s one technique I use to remain open to finding these ideas.

Write down on a sticky-back, post-it note pad the issue you need help resolving.    Put the note in a conspicuous place that you will see several times a day.  I put mine on the mirror in the bathroom.  Read it whenever you see it, and say, “thank you for the ideas and solutions that are coming to me right now!”

Look for evidence of the answer as you go through your day.  Answers may come from what people say, what you read, or what you watch on TV.  Be open to all possible avenues.  When you get an intuitive hit, take it seriously.  Write it down and take action!

I’ve noticed that if I get busy and ignore the ideas I get, they tend to stop coming.  If that happens, never fear!  Just start over and eventually you’ll learn to trust your intuition.  Let your subconscious mind do all the work while you focus on your To Do list.

As you use these three strategies this process will become the most valuable tool you have in your creativity toolbox, and will give you the insights to leave your competition in the dust!

© 2008   Sandy Reed – All rights reserved

Want to use my articles in your ezine or website?

You’re welcome to, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

“Sandy Reed is the President and Founder of the International Association of Women in Family Enterprises (IAWIFE).  She is a professional business coach, writer, and co-owns her own successful family business.  If you’re ready to take your family business to the next level of success; receive support, education, and connect with like-minded women, join her members at www.iawife.com.  Sandy’s business building articles have been published in True Wealth and Simply Home magazines.”

That’s what your business truly is.  It’s a love offering to the world.  It’s an expression of your soul in such a way that it brings value and happiness to your life and to all your clients, whose life it benefits.  It is your privilege, and responsibility, to find ways to let people know what you have to offer them.

What you have to offer will be unique and will express your gifts and talents, that come from expressing what is in your soul.

My definition of a successful business is – a business that provides a vehicle for you to express in the world what makes you happy, expresses your unique gifts and talents, and provides the means to create the lifestyle you long for in your heart and soul.

As I mentioned, in order for this lifestyle to come to fruition, the right people must know what you have to offer.  So, the question becomes, who are the right people?  Do you know who your ideal client is? 

You may ask, “why should I care about who my ideal client is?” 

Here are 3 reasons to take the time to discover the identity of your ideal, or preferred, client.  Choosing an ideal client will help you:

1.       Market your products and services.  If you don’t know who you’re serving, how do you know the right advertising venues to utilize?  For example, if your preferred client is 25 – 35 years old, you would choose a very different marketing approach than you would if your preferred client was 45 – 55.

If you decided to place an ad in a magazine or online publication with readers who are 25 – 35 years old, you might choose Cosmopolitan or Working Mother or New Lifestyle Magazine.

If you were targeting 45 – 55 year old readers, you might place an ad in AARP Magazine, Grandparents, or Slate Magazine. 

2.      Get a clear vision of where your company belongs in the market place.  Take home buyers for example.  New home buyers have very different needs than retirees looking to downsize.  You would use a different marketing strategy in both cases. 

3.      Helps you write your ad copy when you can address it to one person who represents your ideal client.  For example, the verbiage and images you use to reach a real estate agent is very different than the words you would use to communicate with corporate executives. 

If you know who your ideal client is, it will help you decide how your gifts and talents can best benefit them.  So, when it comes to the end of your days, you’ll have a feeling of satisfaction and completion knowing that you’ve expressed your talents and gifts to the people who needed it the most – your ideal client. 

© 2008   Sandy Reed – All rights reserved

Want to use my articles in your ezine or website?

You’re welcome to, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

“Sandy Reed is the President and Founder of the International Association of Women in Family Enterprises (IAWIFE).  She is a professional business coach, writer, and co-owns her own successful family business.  If you’re ready to take your family business to the next level of success; receive support, education, and connect with like-minded women, join her members at www.iawife.com.  Sandy’s business building articles have been published in True Wealth and Simply Home magazines.”