Go Viral – Publicity using Video
February 3, 2012
By Kerry McDuling, McDuling PR
As many, if not more, searches are conducted on YouTube than on the most popular search engine, Google. YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos. The launch and rise in popularity of YouTube has created so many additional opportunities for publicity and building profile, that are open to virtually everybody with a recording device.
Create a unique YouTube video for branding exposure
The options are endless and anybody with half a creative bone in their body can post something really unique that will give exposure to their message, company, brand or product. In fact, some videos that are really different, creative, interesting or humorous have gone viral; in other words, people have willingly shared them with friends, family and colleagues because they found the video interesting or entertaining.
When coming up with ideas on what can be created, options are literally only limited by your imagination and what sort of video/editing equipment and experience you have. The technology nowadays is not only inexpensive, but relatively simple to use.
Here is an example that a book publisher, Bright Light Multimedia, used to promote an anthology of love stories and poems in the lead-up to Valentines Day.
They uploaded two videos, each with a similar theme, but will a completely different take on the idea. The concepts are simple, but effective.
Top tips for creating a successful YouTube blog post:
Use these ideas to capture attention, build your profile and maybe even get people talking!
- Keep videos short and sweet and make sure you grab the attention of the viewer in the first ten seconds. People’s attention span online is vastly reduced than offline, so you need to grab them immediately.
- Include an element of entertainment, humour or interest. Remember that just because you think your idea is fabulous, others won’t necessarily, so get a second, third and fourth opinion.
- Steer clear of making it look and feel too much like an advertisement. That is generally not what will get the attention of YouTube viewers.
- However, that said, be sure to direct viewers back to you so they can buy from you. Your website at the end of the video clip is a good idea.
In future blog posts, I will share ideas on creating a brand and expert profile via regular YouTube videos.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY KERRY MCDULING
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Kerry McDuling – McDuling PRKerry McDuling is a publicist and Director of her own public relations and publicity consultancy McDuling PR and exposure speciality business, Stratosphere Me – building brands and developing profitable business opportunities for companies, authors, speakers and entrepreneurs.
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Have you checked-in lately? An introduction to location-based marketing for business
February 2, 2012
In March 2011, I heard one of the founders of location-based application, foursquare, speak at the South By South West Interactive festival in Austin, Texas. Up until that time, I’d not used location apps except for the occasional checkin through Facebook places.
Since then, however, I’ve been playing with foursquare to understand its application and how it can be used as a marketing tool for business.
Location-based applications work because they are available on mobile devices. Wherever I go, whatever I do, I can share with the world what I’m enjoying. And, if what I’m enjoying is a product or service that your business provides, then that’s good news for you.
The key part of using location-based applications is to CHECK IN.
By saying “I am here” at this location (restaurant, bar, show, place of interest, live event, playground) and (if I want to) posting comments and photos, I share what I like and dislike about this experience so that friends can take that information on board to make a better decision in the future.
And as the system gets to know what I like better, it’ll provide me recommendations — ’facilitate serendipity’ as co-founder Dennis Crowley explains in this video:
A newbies special – a great way to reward new clients
I had my first experience of foursquare as a business tool a few months back when I went to visit a local hair salon. When I checked-in (the application invites me to register my visit in order to accumulate points and to share with my social networks great places I’m visiting), a message popped up – a Newbies Special.
It offered me a free hand massage while I was waiting to have my hair done. I was chuffed. Who doesn’t like a freebie?
A few weeks later, I was traveling to Melbourne and while in the hotel bar grabbing a pre-dinner drink, checked in on my iPhone. Up popped a special from the restaurant. Free glass of wine with my meal. I was planning on having dinner there, so this extra little bonus was the source of a promotional message from me out to my friends to share my good fortune.
Both these instances are examples of how thousands of small businesses are harnessing the power of location-based applications like foursquare to connect with clients and to reward customer loyalty.
Who doesn’t want to be mayor?
Foursquare is acquiring over one million new users per month. Millions of people in every city, in every country, are checking in and playing the game of foursquare – vying to be mayor of their favourite establishment.
The built-in gaming technology (you win points for multiple visits, you get crowned the mayor if you’re a regular – and many establishments reward mayors with extra love, attention, discounts) keeps fans using the application because loyalty and use is rewarded and because the built-in rewards system of acquiring points and beating your friends to a high score work.
(Quick aside: I’m the Mayor at my gym. Now, that’s not because I go there more often than anyone else who trains there, but I religiously check in to maintain my mayorship. When I’ve been ousted and de-crowned! — which foursquare takes joy in letting me know the minute it happens — I’m quick to get back on my game to redeem my position. Sounds silly, but for the business, it’s a good testament. And, because each time I check in I have foursquare post to my social networks, those that I’m connected to on those networks get to see that I like going to this gym – and that’s a powerful endorsement when your customers are posting your name all over the social-media-sphere.)
Recommendations and referrals from people you trust
Dennis Crowley - Co-founder of foursquare
The ability to know what someone whom I trust thought of a place is a shortcut for me. Should I spend time going to that show or visiting that exhibition? My friends recommendations matter and I can know them by seeing what they said when they ‘checked in’.
It’s very clever.
Location-based marketing and your business
Facebook, despite having it’s Places application recently bought foursquare’s major competitor – so you can bet they know the power of location and are looking to make bigger waves in this aspect of social media and social sharing.
Still relatively new to businesses in Australia, foursquare is a powerful tool that should be explored as part of an integrated marketing campaign.
But what is foursquare and why has it become the hottest customer magnet ever conceived?
Here’s what bestselling author, David Meerman-Scott has to say:
“The power to reach buyers at the exact time and the exact place they’re looking for what you offer has massive implications for all kinds of businesses worldwide. Carmine Gallo expertly shows you how to tap into the foursquare revolution, and he does it with a practical approach you can put to work in your business right now. There’s an epic swarm and it’s time for you to check in!”
—DAVID MEERMAN SCOTT, bestselling author of Real-Time Marketing & PR
Join the Australian Businesswomen’s Network on 8 February for a closer look at foursquare
International bestselling author Carmine Gallo not only has had unprecedented first-hand access to foursquare’s founders, he also has interviewed dozens of business owners and marketers who have revolutionised their businesses through The Power of foursquare.
He joins us on 8 February as our guest on BOOKED for Lunch, a free lunchtime webinar during which we’ll interview Carmine and ask him about his new book The Power of foursquare.
You can read more about this free upcoming webinar here.
11 Ways to Improve Your Search Engine Rank with Social Media
February 2, 2012
By Bianca Board, Web123
Are your social media profiles helping your business be found on search engines?
Yes that’s right – search engines now rank social media sites in their results. This means whatever words you are frequently using on social media pages will count towards your search rank.
Higher social media ranking equals more traffic to your website! It highlights how important it is now to research and use your specific keywords on all your business profiles.
To keep your business at the top of the Social SEO curve, here’s 11 tips on how you can improve your search engine rank using social media:
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Choose the right keywords – do your research!
Using keywords on your social media pages is similar to using keywords on your website. You need to find words that relate or are specific to your business. Do your research and find out how many people are searching these words – if you are undertaking SEO on your website, it may be worthwhile utilising those same keywords. WordTracker is a great tool to get started researching your keywords. For example, if you’re an accountant in Melbourne, you could post statuses about ‘Accountants Melbourne’.
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Make sure your usernames are concise.
When I say username, I mean the name that your social media profile is under: your business name! If your business name just by itself isn’t available, then add keywords to the end of your business name. For example with Web123, our extended Facebook username is Web123.Website.Builder – https://www.facebook.com/Web123.Website.Builder
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Let your keywords guide your content.
If you’re not sure what to talk about on your social media profiles, you should let your keywords guide you. An important aspect is to ensure you don’t sound unnatural when doing this; keep it fresh and impersonal so your audience doesn’t get suspicious. An example of a keyword might be “Web Design Melbourne,” then next time you’re posting about a local creative event happening in Melbourne, you could use this keyword in the update.
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Use your keywords in your images.
Utilise the images you post on your social media profiles as an SEO tool. For example, use keywords in the captions and titles of the photos. If you post a picture of your staff, you could, for example, say “The Melbourne Web Design Team.”
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Rename files!
When you’re uploading or about to post any images or files (i.e. PDF’s, Word Docs), make sure you rename them to include a keyword or two. Never upload anything with generic titles such as image01.png.
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Utilise Links.
Regularly link to items on your website, such as blog posts or special offers. You should also cross-link between your website and your other social profiles, such as linking from Facebook to YouTube or Twitter to your Facebook or website!
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Link your website.
Include a link to your website in every online profile, bio, or directory listing you have – such as Twitter, Facebook, Squidoo, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, Yelp, Tumblr, Pinterest, Yellow Pages… the list goes on! Head on over to Google and do a search for your business name. A lot of people find they’re listed on a bunch of directory websites, but without a link. Make sure that all of your details are up-to-date, with a link through to your website.
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Utilise social bookmarking sites.
If you can get more links, you will improve your social media rank. Use sites like StumbleUpon, Digg, and Reddit to link back to content on your website and help improve your SEO coverage.
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Include keywords in your Headlines and About section.
Try and place your keywords in all your profiles or info sections. For example, on your Facebook ‘Info’ page, make sure you have utilised your essential keywords! Your keywords should relate strongly to your business, so tying them into your online bio should be a cinch.
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Use your competitors to your advantage.
Research your competitors’ social pages and see what keywords they’re using. You may be able to outdo them for certain keywords, or they may give you ideas for even better keywords to use instead. Now implement those high-ranking keywords to your strategy and beat them to the top of Google!
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Measure your success.
Regularly LOG OUT of Google and try searching for your keywords to see how you’re doing. Google remembers your searches so you might even try checking from a friend’s computer or your mobile phone. Keep a simple spreadsheet to see which terms are showing up where. (Tip: Try searching both “as a phrase” and just the words).
Learn to use social media to your business’ advantage. By implementing these 11 small steps to your everyday social media strategy, you will soon be ranking at the top of Google and attracting the right prospects through your social efforts!
If you’re unsure about SEO and how to utilise it on your website and on your social media sites, check out some SEO resources to help you improve your rank.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY BIANCA BOARD
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Bianca Board – Web123Bianca Board is a self-confessed perfectionist, but that’s a good thing, because as Web123′s chief designer and web strategist, she’s expert at helping small business achieve something that makes money and looks incredible without the designer price tag. With a creative streak that extends to sales, organic gardening, painting, decorating and generally making the world a more beautiful place, Bianca’s the person who will make sure that, along with functioning just as it should, your company’s website will look nothing short of amazing.
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Conquering the Facebook Frontier for Small Business
February 1, 2012
By Nerida Gill, Admin Bandit
If social networking is the new frontier of small business, then Facebook must surely be the wagon that gets us there. However, showing up and staking a claim isn’t enough; you’ve got to work that claim to unearth any riches.
I’ve been optimising my own Admin Bandit fan page over the last few months and here’s what I’m learning.
Use applications to make your page different
“Customisation” is the Facebook buzz word right now. What it means is that you can modify the look and functionality of your fan page… and you don’t need to be an IT geek to do it. All you need is one of the many templates available online (the basic ones are free, while the more advanced attract a monthly fee) — setting it up is like painting by numbers.
For example, I used Lujure to create my “welcome” tab, which is the first thing non-fans see when they go to my page. I’ve added a banner, photograph, Twitter feed, testimonials and a link to a 55-day free trial of my accounting software.
A friend who runs a small saddlery on Facebook used Pagemodo to create her “welcome” tab. Compare the two to see just how flexible customisation applications are; the same basic technology has created two “welcome” tabs that are chalk and cheese.
Of course, you don’t need to stick to a single application. Horse Feathers Saddlery used Payvment to create a Facebook store, complete with an inventory function and a check-out linked to Paypal.
Just as exciting is how easy customisation applications are to find. The best ways are to check out the fan pages of other businesses in your industry, especially your competitors or do a Google search.
How to attract fans
Ah, this is where the rubber hits the road for fan pages… getting people to “like” you.
Let me say upfront that attracting fans is not a popularity contest — all fans, whether they purchase or not, have the potential to share quality content and boost your social proof; that is, your credibility and influence.
Start with the marketing basics:
- Add your Facebook address to your stationery, including your email signature, blog and website
- Regularly link to your fan page in electronic communications, especially blog posts and e-newsletters
- Give people reasons to “like” you. Make the benefits clear, such as special offers, free resources or sneak previews
- Ask. It sounds too good to be true, but “plugs” and requests through your personal Facebook page really work!
Apart from buying fans (yes, believe it or not, you can!), a competition or giveaway is the best way to get a sudden influx of fans, up to a couple of hundred at a time, especially the more elusive kind that you don’t personally know. However, Facebook has specific guidelines on hosting anything that comes under the “promotion” banner, so make sure you’re familiar with what you can and can’t do, and toe the line because I know people who have been unwittingly caught and temporarily suspended!
Viral marketing requires more work and doesn’t bring the same instant fix, but it does offer a sustained trickle for steady, long-term growth of fans genuinely interested in your business, not just the lure of a freebie.
In case you don’t know, viral marketing is about increasing awareness of your brand using pre-existing social networks. In the case of Facebook, it means regularly and actively participating in other fan pages, where you’ll meet and attract like-minded people. The really cool part is that every time you leave a comment or tag another user in a comment, you appear in at least one person’s news feeds, which puts you in view of that person’s entire network. Now, that offers possibilities!
So, which fan pages do you head to? The easy answer is to start with those related to your industry and expertise. For example, my business is part of the non-profit, accounting and IT industries, so you’ll see a stack of community, non-profit, philanthropy, IT and small business groups and peak bodies in my list of “likes”.
How to engage your fans
Getting conversations started is probably the biggest Facebook struggle for any small business. And it seems no expert or study has a fool-proof solution… yet.
Until anyone knows for sure, here are some ideas to try:
- Be human: share the bad with good, post photos of your office, life and day
- Don’t over-think your posts; say whatever pops into your head (within reason!)
- Ask for opinions and experiences, but make your questions quick and easy to answer
- Appeal to the emotions… people often respond to humour or injustice
- Thank people for simply being your fans
- Mix business and fun: I posted a photo of my dog at Christmas and my team at a convention with a spy theme
- Post regularly, BUT….
- Post quality over quantity: useful links, information, advice, famous quotes
- Tag people when you post about them or respond to comments
- Host Facebook events, such as sales, workshops, Q and A sessions
- Finally, look at super popular fan pages… what do they do?
MORE GREAT POSTS BY NERIDA GILL
- Energise Your Business with Easy New Year’s Resolutions
- Ho Ho Ho, A’ Christmas Networking We Go
- Entrepreneurial Qualities: Lessons from the Life of Steve Jobs
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Nerida Gill - Admin BanditNerida Gill is the creator of Admin Bandit, a web-based accounting package designed specifically to make keeping the books easy for volunteer treasurers in community groups. After winning numerous business awards, Admin Bandit is in a growth phase after recently attracting external investment.
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How to Create a Social Media Schedule – Part 1
January 31, 2012
By Michele Connolly, Get Organized Wizard
Everyone talks about the benefits of social media. You can get Google juice. You can build your reputation. You can position yourself as an expert in your field.
But the prospect of producing all that social media content can be daunting to many of us – especially if we already have busy business lives.
How do we get around to doing all that posting, tweeting and status-updating?
One smart solution is to create a social media schedule. This allows you to turn your social media activities into a habit. You slot the tasks into regular blocks in your business life.
Here’s how you can do it.
How To Create a Social Media Schedule
First, plan your social media output around frequency. There are certain tasks you’ll do daily, others weekly, some monthly, and maybe a few each year.
Daily
It’s very important to respond to people in your online social networks. Before you think about putting stuff out there, be sure to acknowledge anyone who’s taken the time to communicate with you.
So each day:
- Reply to comments on your blog – I have two blogs (52WeightLossMissions.com and GetOrganizedWizard.com), so I allow a little more time here
- Reply to comments on your Facebook page (here I’m talking about your professional page rather than your personal profile)
- Reply to tweets to your Twitter profile
- Thank people who have retweeted you
- Reply to comments on LinkedIn or other social media sites.
Once you’ve listened and responded to other people, you can think about what you want to say.
How prolific you are on social media sites depends on your network.
I tweet anytime I have something interesting to share because Twitter is about real-time communication. I share links, post observations, reply to other people, retweet interesting stuff, link to my own blogs – anything that might interest or amuse my followers can go into my stream.
I post less often on Facebook because it’s less real-time and easier to overwhelm people. I vary the frequency, but typically post three times a week. Aim for a combination of links to your own blog posts, links to other sites that may interest your network, and general comments, ideas or observations.
I’ve linked my LinkedIn account to Twitter, so my tweets automatically show up there. I’ve done this because Linked In has been a lower priority network for me so far. If you’re involved in HR, LinkedIn may be a higher priority for you.
I allow about an hour each day to do these tasks. Some days I get away with less, other days it’s much more.
Next time: How to Create a Social Media Schedule – Part 2
MORE GREAT POSTS BY MICHELE CONNOLLY:
- Making A Good Impression: 7 Keys To A More Professional Image
- How To Boost Productivity at Work
- Get Organised for Better Productivity: Design a Productivity Ritual
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Michele Connolly – Get Organized WizardMichele Connolly helps people move from procrastination to action. She believes you can be happier if you take action on your priorities. Michele’s programs cover business, goals, home, personal organisation, writing and weight-loss, and are used by tens of thousands of people worldwide. Michele is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and the International Positive Psychology Association (IPPA). She has been interviewed on Sydney radio, spoken at conferences, and won awards for her psychology studies, including original research and a thesis on happiness. Michele is interested in writing, books, simplicity, love, TV, productivity, and staying thin in a world of chocolate.
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Is there a needle in this haystack?
January 30, 2012
By Kristy-Lee Johnston, Footprint Recruitment
I found myself watching one of those ‘property search’ style shows the other day and was reminded just how similar the search for employees can be to that search for the elusive, ideal property.
I think, particularly for small businesses, the similarities are even more clear and here’s why:
- You, the purchaser/employer start out with a lengthy and perhaps not all that realistic ‘wish list’.
- You quickly learn that you will need to compromise, but in what area, by how much and at what cost?
- It’s personal – typically you’re recruiting a new staff member for your own business, your brand, your ‘baby’. Just like typically when you purchase a house, it’s your money and you’re spending it for you.
- The risks are high if the decision is wrong.
- You are ultimately the one who deals with the consequences of a wrong choice, or wrong compromise.
- At the end of the day, you’ve worked your backside off to get to this point, and you want to have your cake and eat it to, you don’t want to compromise – you want it all!
So how do you know whether you are looking for a rare needle in a haystack, or in fact you are looking for an impossible dream and need to compromise and move on?
Walk into the process with a clear understanding of what you are looking for and why.
It sounds odd, but understanding why you need or want certain skills will help you to further drill down and understand which skills, experiences and competencies are essential and which others would be great to have, but you could ultimately live without
Write yourself a values document for the new hire.
This is something I never learned in my years as a recruiter, but a rather clever business advisor shared this with me and having used it myself in my own small business, I think it’s fantastic!
What you do is make up a list of the values, beliefs, experiences, skills, qualifications, etc that your ideal new hire would have. What this does is allows you to clarify in your mind those ‘warm and fuzzy’ traits which will be most important to the individuals success within your business and your role, and gives you a great framework to assess all your applicants against.
Let’s face it, you will often find yourself saying that you liked a number of applicants, but each of them holds different strengths and weaknesses in terms of their experience. This is where this sort of document can make all the difference. If their values and beliefs don’t align, no matter how good their experience is, it would be destined for disaster.
Know where your target market is – and where to find them there.
What I mean is, know where your ideal applicant looks for work, which websites they trawl, which publications they read and what networking meetings and groups they’re likely to be at. But timing can also be everything; advertising for a role targeted at a ‘mum wanting school hours who used to have a high end corporate career’ in the middle of school holidays is probably not ideal – they’re busy!
Allow a realistic amount of time.
Of course, we all always want everything immediately, but sometimes it can take days, and possibly even months to find the right person. Perhaps a temp or contractor can help you get through the urgent stuff in the meantime.
Be open to change and think outside the box!
You have your wish list, but does it all have to be done by one person? Or can the tasks be broken up and completed by two or more part time, casual or contract staff? Sometimes it can be better to have people working in their areas of expertise, rather than trying to do all the tasks you want, some of them not always that well.
MORE GREAT POSTS BY KRISTY-LEE JOHNSTON:
- Top Tips to Set Your Team Up for New Year Success!
- New Year. New Career?
- Thinking Outside the Box: How to Prosper in a Candidate-Short Market
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Kristy-Lee Johnston - Footprint RecruitmentKristy-Lee Johnston is the Director of Footprint Recruitment, a Central Coast based Recruitment and HR agency which is run by locals, for locals. Kristy’s background includes 10 years in Recruitment, as well as 10+ years in a broad range of other customer facing sectors. She possesses Post Graduate qualifications in Psychology, as well as a Masters in Human Resource Management. Kristy is passionate about bringing something unique to the recruitment sector in her local area and wants to see all businesses make the most successful staffing decisions they can.
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If your business came to life as a person, what would your customers think?
January 27, 2012
By Vivienne Kane, Minuteman Press Prahran
When you think Virgin, you think Richard Branson. McDonalds – Ronald McDonald. Victoria Bitter – a tradie in a singlet and stubbies.
Have you ever thought what your business would be if it came to life in human form?
What are the values and impressions you’d like to project?
Would you be a cool Gen Y with a couple of tasteful tatts and slightly out there dress sense? Or possibly a well groomed corporate type in a pinstripe suit? Or maybe a grey haired lady with a nana trolley? Would you be old or young, conservative or cutting edge, middle income or poor, an innovator or a follower?
If your business is an expression of who you are, and you think that’s important, it’s a very worthwhile exercise to think about this.
Is your brand personality someone your customers would buy from?
It’s particularly pertinent when you’re growing from a one woman band to an enterprise with multiple staff, some or all of whom have contact with your customers.
Imagine if your “business personality” is a smartly dressed forty something with a quirky sense of humour , but your front-line staff are all Gen Y’s with little training and no spark or interest in conversation. Perhaps your customers might be a bit confused.
Don’t assume everyone will understand your approach by osmosis. It needs to be explained as well as modelled. Role plays are a great tool. Of course, you don’t want the “business personality” to be a straight jacket – but your core values, approach to solving problems and conversational tone should all be clear, consistent and reflected by everyone in the business.
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY VIVIENNE KANE
- Do you make these 5 Online Customer Service Mistakes?
- Why You Should Guarantee Your Service – and Brag About It
- Are you making champagne promises – and delivering beer?
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Vivienne Kane – Minuteman Press PrahranAs the owner and operations manager of Minuteman Press Prahran, a franchise print supplier, Vivienne works with small business customers every day. She runs the business, and their online specialty division CalendarPrint, with her husband Nicholas and their talented staff. With a customer base which often has little experience in buying print, Minuteman Prahran’s point of difference is making the process as painless as possible. Vivienne is a strong advocate of clear and reliable communication as a key tool in winning and keeping customers. She started her professional life as a Speech Pathologist, and enjoyed a variety of roles in administration and community groups before establishing Minuteman Press in 2000. She has three Gen-Y adult children, is an almost an empty nester, loves travel and is a member of two book clubs.
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CEO and celebrity chef cookoff to feed people in need
January 26, 2012
On 6 February, 200 CEOs will cook with 30 celebrity chefs and feed 1000 people in need.
The CEO CookOff is a joint initiative of OzHarvest and Qantas and hopes to raise awareness around food security and one of Australia’s major social issues, homelessness and to raise significant funds for Australia’s food rescue charities, OzHarvest and Mission Australia.
Four female entrepreneurs, whom the Australian Businesswomen’s Network has interviewed for either our herBusiness podcast or In Her Shoes video series form the list of 114 CEOs who have already raised over $346,395 in donations for the event.
- Ronni Kahn, Founding Director, OzHarvest – Interview: Rescuing Good Food, Rescuing People in Need
- Rachel Argaman, CEO, Toga Hospitality – Interview: Why Culture Beats Leadership Strategy
- Lisa Messenger, Founder and Managing Director, The Messenger Group – Interview 1: Innovative Marketing. How Custom Publishing Can Boost Your Brand., Interview 2: Be Open to Opportunities. Take Risks and Jump Quickly.
- Andrea Culligan, CEO and Managing Director, Unimail – Interview: Stand Out from the Competition. Tips to Negotiate a Fair Salary.
To learn more about the event, including how you can get involved, donate or even sign up as a CEO, visit www.ceocookoff.com.au.
Beyond Bold… What are the Infinite Possibilities?
January 25, 2012
By Lisa Murray, Revive Business Coaching
Setting targets for 2012 has been a focus for many business owners over the past few weeks. I’ve watched myself sitting on the fence, not getting caught up in the frenzy of activity, but still being totally willing for this year to be my boldest and most brilliant yet!
What has stopped me from making detailed plans is the sense of conclusion and limitation that comes with defining an outcome.
I have a sense that so much is possible beyond what I am aware of right now, and if I make plans and follow them blindly, I risk not allowing the true possibilities for boldness and brilliance to show up in my businesses.
So I’m experimenting… for the first six months, I am taking a totally different (and some would say bold!) approach to the standard goals and planning that most people do!! I am going to operate my businesses and my life from a space of asking questions and awareness. So what does that look like?
Questions to Play With…
- What could this be like if I didn’t have a fixed point of view?
- What future could I create here that is not defined, but is greater than what I currently know is possible?
- What do I desire to create today that will expand my future exponentially?
- What would be fun for me to have as my reality in business?
- What can I be, do, have, create or generate today that will make my businesses more successful right away?
- What could I do differently that would work for me?
- What choice do I have right now that will make me money today and in the future?
- Who or what can contribute to me to make my life and business easier today?
- What do I have the capacity to create and generate right now that I never had before? (And what would it take for me to be willing to choose that??)
- What question can I be, that if I would be it, would create more change and awareness for me?
Awareness of the Process (so far!)
- There are many more questions beyond those above… asking questions every ten seconds will allow new choices, possibilities and contributions to show up with ease.
- I’m not looking for answers; just awareness of what else I could choose that could expand my businesses exponentially.
- There are no lessons to learn… just the possibility for greater awareness and more joy and bliss!
- I am following the energy rather than following the plan.
- Rather than being stuck with a defined purpose that cannot create anything greater, I am creating the capacity for priorities which can shift boldly in the moment.
Using these tools, 2012 has started with a bang! Projects are getting finished, I have launched a new business in just under a month (from concept to launch!) and the choices for creating something greater in each of my businesses are flooding in effortlessly… and all without a definitive plan!!
So what else is possible? More boldness… more brilliance… and much beyond that! Wanna play??
MORE GREAT BLOG POSTS BY LISA MURRAY
- Grow Your Business: Exponentialise Your Vision!
- Change: Are You Resisting the Flow, Going with the Flow or Creating Flow?
- Business is changing… are you ready?
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Lisa Murray - Revive Business Coaching/Bliss TribeLisa Murray is an experienced business mentor who brings bliss back into your business. Her holistic, unconventional and creative strategies help small business owners design authentic, ease-filled and profitable businesses. Through her BlissTribe community, Lisa is a catalyst for business owners to choose a phenomenal, rich and joyful life without compromise! The sky is not the limit… there are no limits… unless you choose them! Lisa connects the dots for you… she is an idea generator, a sounding board, a skilled facilitator, a strategist, a problem solver and a contribution to the authenticity and potency of you creating the business you truly desire and deserve. What else is possible? Ask and you will receive!!
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Four Ways to Improve Your Business Pitch
January 24, 2012
By Suzi Dafnis, Australian Businesswomen’s Network
If you had to get up tomorrow, or a week from now, and pitch your idea to an audience, how would you go?
James Stevens, Roses Only, Lindley Edwards, AFG Venture Group and Suzi Dafnis, Australian Businesswomen's Network
Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) recently gave four women the opportunity to pitch in front of a panel of judges (Dragons’ Den style) and an audience of about 60 other business owners.
These four entrepreneurs weren’t pitching for money, but were none-the-less expected to do their best to convey their message and provide enough information (but not too much) about what they were offering. In exchange, they got some business advice to help them improve their pitch and further their ideas.
I was on the panel, along with James Stevens of Roses Only and the delightful Lindley Edwards of AFG Venture Group.
Four courageous women took the stage:
- Nikki Hills, founder and managing director, Mouths of Mums
- Michelle Teague, entrepreneur looking for her next venture (Invisible ink name badges!)
- Angela Elliss, founder and managing director, Australian Home Design Directory Group
- Julie Ankers, founder and managing director, Statement Pieces
Overall, they all did a great job pitching their ideas.They (obviously) knew their business and were very passionate.
Some of the areas that they could have done better at were clarity of message, succinctness and being specific about what the outcome of the pitch was.
Despite the evening event being a great networking night for a bit of fun, the women did get some great advice from the panel, including these four areas below:
Four Ways to Improve Your Business Pitch
Length of Pitch. How Long Should Your Pitch Be?
Most presenters exceeded the suggested time limit. If you have an audience (whether with your bank manager, investors or a potential business client) and they have allocated a certain amount of time for a meeting – then stay within the boundaries. It shows you respect their time.
It’s easier to speak for a long time than to speak succinctly for a short time. So, practise, practise, practise.
Say what you need to say with the most punch and fewest words.
If you’re compelling, you can ask for extra time to expand, but don’t take it without checking in or you risk losing people’s focus.
A Clear Message Cuts Through
Nikki Hills, Mouths of Mums
It was not always clear what the intentions was behind the pitch each woman gave.
What do you want the audience/panel to do? be very clear in your outcome and state it.
For example:
Today I’d like to tell you enough about our 2012 plans to convince you to share our message with you clients.
or
I’m looking to raise $10,000 for marketing. Over the next 10 minutes, I’ll present our marketing plan and I’ll then ask for your input on our ideas.
Tell Your Story – Set the framework
Your personal story adds colour and life and allows us to see behind the person that is doing the pitch.
When I was a panelist on the Dragons Den TV show, we dragons signed up equally on the likability of the person as well as the message and numbers. People like to do business with those they know and trust, so let the audience know you.
Similar to the clarity of message point above, tell your story, but don’t get carried away. We don’t need to know your history and every detail – just enough to make a decision or follow a call to action.
Know your facts and study your competitors
If you’re going into a new market then learn about that market, your competitors and who your competition is. As much as we like to think sometimes that we have no competition, we always do. It just may not be obvious. If you’re bringing out a new telephone (I know – extreme example) then the iPhone is not your only competition – not is every other phone – it’s actually every other way that there is for people to connect with other people.
Also, the whole market is NOT your market. There’s usually a subset of the big group who you can effectively address. (This is your ‘addressable market’.)
When it comes to the numbers, get really crystal clear about what it will cost to implement a plan. If you’re not good with numbers then it’s difficult for investors to have confidence in you. Run the details past your accountant and, again, practise talking about them so that you’re comfortable if asked questions.
Remember, you may only have one opportunity to pitch in front of a particular person or group. Pitching is an art and a science, so look to improve your skills as a presenter, speaker and do your homework.
And, good luck.
Suzi
P.S. I recently interviewed Lindley Edwards about narrative in business storytelling. You can listen to the interview here on our website or tune in on iTunes.
About DWEN
The DWEN community is an invitation-only, global community established to bring together an influential group of female CEOs, presidents, founders and business leaders to share best practices within the unique and challenging world of running high-growth businesses.
With the Dell Women’s Entrepreneur Network (DWEN) and other related initiatives, Dell is spotlighting female entrepreneurial success and creating an atmosphere where women can connect with one another, share best practices, build business opportunities and recognise female influence in business and technology.
DWEN Annual Conference: Dehli, India
In 2012, Dell’s annual conference will be at the cultural mecca of Delhi, India from June 17-19. Attendance is by invitation-only.
To learn more join the DWEN “Women Powering Business” Linkedin Community: visit www.dell.com/dwen
Being part of the DWEN community creates unique opportunities to connect, share best practices, build business opportunities and recognise female influence in business and technology. In addition to the annual DWEN Conference, the community holds webinars, Tweetchats and face-to-face networking events throughout Australia.
