Successful Blog

Pay Attention to the Tomato

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There’s an amazing little burger joint near me, called Poe’s Tavern. It’s a warm, friendly, local place with great food, but there’s one special thing they do that makes me a maniacal fan—they pay attention to their tomato.

Tomatoes should be ripe, red, and full of flavor. They should add to the hamburger, not detract from it. But the “tomato bar” is set so low at most restaurants. Often it’s semi-ripe, mealy, or green in the center. Thrown on top because the burger is supposed to come with tomato on it. That makes me sad.

Poe’s tomatoes are so consistently beautiful that I steal my husband’s, add a little salt, and eat it like a side dish.

good tomato customer service

What’s your tomato like?

Are you paying attention to the little extras that come along with your product or service?

If parts of your offering are unripe, don’t include them until they’re ready. Wait until they’re so good, they could almost stand on their own, bursting with flavor and beautiful color.

This one little shift in thinking can change your customers/clients into fans/evangelists. It might even make you…in the words of Liz…irresistible!

Now don’t get me started on shredded lettuce that tastes like the walk-in.

What’s your tomato, and how does it taste?

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for social strata — a top ten company to work for on the Internet . Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

Image: Flickr CC, Ajith_chatie

Pinterest for Business: The Secret to a Picture Perfect Social Media Marketing Strategy

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By Brittany Thorley

Launched in early 2010, Pinterest has fast become an essential tool for social media enthusiasts and creative businesses to share the images they admire, but many businesses still don’t include this picture perfect platform into their social media marketing strategy. However, this online scrapbooking site could be your key to marketing your business, boosting online presence and tapping into a brand new customer base – with great results!

Why Pinterest?

Pinterest is unlike any social network, and may be a confusing place for people who are unfamiliar with the format. The Pinterest network is built on a series of pinboards, which are used to collect, organise and share the images people love and the things that inspire them. Pinners set up themed boards and pin their own images from websites and blogs as well as share other pinners’ favourites. Pinterest is essentially a great way to exchange links, increase you website’s popularity and generally spread the word about your business through images. You can also target pinners with specific interests by selecting the theme of your own boards carefully to ensure you attract the right user and interacting, favouriting and liking images and boards from pinners with similar tastes as you.

Getting Started

It’s free and easy to sign up for a Pinterest account but doing it the right way is tricky for many newbies, especially when keeping their business interests at the heart of their campaign.

Make sure you join as a business. Start by using your company name as your account name, add your company logo and provide a thorough description of what your company is all about in the bio. It may also be worth linking in your Facebook and Twitter accounts, giving fellow pinners more opportunities to follow your company, as well as visit your website. Now it’s time to create your boards– focus on themes that embody your ethos as a company; for example, if you are a plumber, focus on boards centered around home improvement or interior inspiration to enthuse the pinners who could turn into potential customers.

Top Tips for Pinning Success

When pinning to promote your business, drive traffic to your website and gain the interactions you need to make your company profitable, these tips may just come in handy to ensure your Pinterest campaign is not only business-driven but customer-focused, interesting and fun.

  • Promote products and services in moderation: no one likes a selfish pinner, share other people’s images first before promoting your own to ensure your boards aren’t just full of your own images from your company website. Avoid over-promotion at all costs.
  • Pin your blog posts: If you update your on-site blog every day or week, create a board for industry news and pin your blog posts using their images. It’s a great way to share useful information, establish yourself as an industry leader and drive traffic to your website, but again moderation is the key.
  • Interact regularly: As with any social media marketing, keep your posts useful and frequent to maintain your online presence. Interact with Pinterest users and re-pin their posts to build relationships, and in return they will share the images on your boards.
  • Pin to Win: You can also run competitions and giveaways using Pinterest, everyone loves a freebie so indulge this with a ‘pin to win’ campaign, where re-pinning means prizes.
  • Always complete your profile for maximum business exposure: An incomplete profile could just mean the difference between getting the interaction you need to grow your business and not. Invest some time and effort in creating the perfect Pinterest profile before you start your pinning mission!
Author’s Bio: Brittany Thorley specialises in business-focused social media management at Forsyth Offices. You can find her on Twitter as @forsythbusiness.

Starting an Online Business When You’re in Debt

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By Julian Hills

So you want to start an online business?

Startups have a positive effect on the economy. A recent article from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that each new startup added about 5.3 new jobs over the past decade.

That’s a good thing, but financial fears may be putting a drag on that statistic.

In the period between 2007 and 2010 — the height of the recession — the number of startups fell by 23 percent. The economic climate caused many would-be entrepreneurs in the technology sector to defer their dreams, specifically because of rising student loan debt. Student loan borrowers have lower credit scores than peers with no student debt.

That’s not such a good thing.

Knowing how to manage your resources and using a little creativity could be the key of starting a business while mired in debt.

  • Choose Your Startup Wisely: Select a business that does not require a lot of startup capital. Use equipment, software and supplies you already have. Avoid spending money on new business investments as much as possible.
  • Manage Student Loan Debt: If most of your debt is from student loans you should see if you can lower your payments. Young business owners can often lower their federal loan payments by Income-Based Repayment (IBR.) More information about IBR is available at the U.S. Department of Education’s National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) website at www.nslds.ed.gov.

Private loan borrowers can see if refinancing at a lower interest rate is an option.

  • Use Free Resources: Go to the library and use their media and business resources. There is also free online software, blog sites and other services that you can take advantage of, and cost you nothing.
  • Find Investors, not Banks: If your business plan is good enough, you may not have to go to banks for investors. There are grants, community programs that help people with limited resources. Crowdfunding is becoming more popular. That involves getting regular people to invest in your company through social networking sites.

The Small Business Association has an entrepreneurial help program called Startup America. It’s a partnership between the public and private sectors aimed at expanding access to startup capital, increasing education, encouraging collaboration between big companies and startups and reducing red-tape. Find out more about the program at their website: http://www.sba.gov/startupamerica.

  • Find Cheap Ways to Market Yourself: Getting out the word about your business is important. You can get business cards printed at relatively inexpensive cost. Using social media, blogging and email to market your startup is free.
  • Don’t Pile on More Debt: The temptation to use credit cards (if you have them) or trying to get more loans or lines of credit is going to be there. It might be wise to raise money by considering selling things you can live without online or at a good old-fashioned yard sale.

Sometimes it takes loads of money to start a business, other times it may just take a laptop. Figuring out what you need or don’t need can trump what you see as limitations caused by debt.

Author’s Bio: Julian Hills is a content writer and blogger for Debt.org. His journalism career has taken him from newspapers to local television news stations and even a 24-hour cable network in the Southeast. Julian is a graduate of Florida State University who enjoys finding new ways of saving money for football season tickets.
Sources:
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/blog/starting-a-small-business-when-you-have-student-debt/
http://smallbusiness.chron.com/start-business-one-debt-2061.html

What if you want to move?

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By Barbara Fowler

What if you are in the right business but in the wrong location??

Two years ago, I took an early retirement package from Prudential and looked around for a new career opportunity. I had been working for 30 years and had loved it. I had moved around a fair amount, been given the opportunity to be the Chief Marketing Officer in both Europe and South America and had spent the prior four years, based in Newark, New Jersey, in charge of International Field Training.

When I left Prudential, I was interested in finding a company that could utilize my marketing expertise and help me continue to develop my skills. I soon found Chief Outsiders, a company that specializes in providing part-time and fractional CMO services to mid-size companies and I got to work.

It was an entirely different experience, working with a small start-up, developing my own clients and investing my own money. I loved it, except that I didn’t want to live in New Jersey the rest of my life. I had nothing against the people and the opportunities there but the weather, the taxes and the congestion made me long for another location.

What to do?

I remembered a letter someone once wrote to Ann Landers. I know that dates me but the gist of the letter was a woman, asking if it was worth it to go back to college and complete her degree. She shared with Ann that it would mean less time for her family, her housework and her friends. It would take three or so years to complete. Would it be worth it?

Ann responded by writing two letters, dated three years in the future. In one, the woman was three years older and asking the same questions. Should she go back to school? Would it be worth it?

In the other, the woman wrote that the last three years had been tough, she had lost sleep and had to ask her husband and family for more support. But she had completed her degree and she was so happy. Her kids were so proud. I think it was an analogy to my situation. I knew it would be harder to start in a new location, to begin again.

After much reflection on this, I decided to go for it, to start-over, in a location of my choice, a location that I wanted to remain in for many years to come. After looking at a couple of places, my husband and I decided on the Charleston, South Carolina area. But I knew no one. I had no contacts, no business possibilities. Many of you have probably been in this situation or contemplated it so I would like to share some tips.

These are my five best ones:

Linkedin:

  • Send a note to all of your Linkedin contacts, telling them about your move. Request help in getting new contacts in the new location. You will be amazed at who responds. Some people who you are extremely close to who you know have contacts don’t respond at all while others who you can’t entirely remember give you great contacts. Don’t judge anyone, just appreciate those who reached out and remember this in the future. Pay it forward.
  • Join local Linkedin Groups. For example, in this area, there are several local Linkedin groups like Charleston, South Carolina Professionals and The LowCountry Business Network. Reach out to them to ask for advice and recommendations. Remember to give as well as receive. Offer some of your advice and services.
  • Do a search of your target market in the local area. My target is CMOs of mid-sized companies so you can check out these on Linkedin and seek them out. You can’t get everyone’s name on Linkedin unless you have connections in common but if they are in one of your Linkedin groups, (see above) you can reach out and ask to connect. Again, ask for advice and recommendations, don’t ask for business.
  • Look for Alumni from your University. I happen to have gone to a couple of universities: Wittenberg, Wake Forest and NYU and I looked up local graduates and reached out. Many responded and were willing to meet.

Business Organizations:

  • Look at the organizations you are currently in. Determine if they have a chapter in the new location. If so, reach out. If not, see if one is needed and think about starting it. I belonged to several groups in New Jersey: ACG (Association for Corporate Growth), MENG (Marketing Executives Networking Group), and Vistage (an organization designed to help CEOs of mid-size companies grow their businesses). There wasn’t a local ACG or MENG chapter, but Vistage has been especially helpful in getting me started here. The local Vistage chair, Dan Wertenberg, asked me to join his group and has given me a lot of valuable counsel.

Community Organizations:

  • Look at the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary. Lions Club and groups like that. Do members of your target market belong? If so, join and become active. If not, look for other groups where your target market is active. These could be church groups, volunteer groups, neighborhood groups. Do not join the group unless you are interested. No one wants to meet someone who has only joined a group like this to get business. But when you have interests in common, you can make good friends and connections over time.

Events and Publications:

  • Subscribe to the local business journal and local newspapers. Check their websites for events and activities. Oftentimes people make the mistake of going to events for people just like them and hoping for business. Go to different events targeted for your potential clients. I went to Knoxville and attended Social Slam and met Rosemary O’Neill, who sat down with me, shared her experiences and asked me to write a blog post on the topic. Charleston has a harbor and so had a world trade event recently. There was a technology event last weekend. Go, check out the booths, see if you can volunteer, be there, meet people.
  • When you read the periodicals, check for people you want to meet. Keep a list of them and ask others you meet if they can introduce you. For example, if one of your target markets is professional service companies and you are meeting a lawyer, have a list of several accountants, lawyers and other professionals. When you meet your lawyer, share the list, tell him or her you are planning to contact them and ask who they might be able to introduce you to-then ask for people similar who aren’t on your list yet.

People I Met During Move:

  • You meet a lot of people when you move, including mortgage brokers, real estate agents, real estate repair people, home inspectors etc. make sure everyone knows what business you are in. My real estate agent, Mary Carson helped. My mortgage broker, Lorcan Lucey added his support. The man renovating our house, Phil Bennett, gave his advice. Also, ask them for advice on who is a good professional for services you need-like a new furniture store, home decorator, hair salon, Veterinarian and dog sitter. When you get recommendations from them, they are more apt to help you.

Has it all been successful? Was it worth it? These are two different questions. Right now, success is not guaranteed. This is a work in progress. I am meeting people and working hard. But there are no results yet. Was it worth it? My husband and I love our new community in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, The weather has been great. The people are special.

I took a risk. Sometimes we are not in the position to take these kinds of risks. Sometimes we have to stay where we are, we don’t have the option or money to change locations. However, if you do find yourself in the right business, but the wrong location, I urge you to at least examine the possibilities. Even if you cannot afford to move right away, once you decide on the plan, you can do many of the things mentioned above to prepare you for the future. And if you choose Charleston and need some help, reach out to me.

Author’s Bio: Barbara Fowler is a CMO and Partner with Chief Outsiders in the Charleston, S. C. area. Follow her on twitter at @barbfow50 or contact Barbara at 908-956-4529 or email at bfowler@chiefoutsiders.com.

 

Thank you, Barbara!

It’s been such a pleasure welcoming you to the Lowcountry!

Rosemary

Your Brand Voice – Which Social Networking Site is the Best For You?

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By Ryan Connors

The first step in deciding which social networking sites are best for promoting your blog is really learning more about who your ideal readers are. If you don’t know who you’re talking to, how can you know where to find them? By identifying your blog’s “brand” identity before you start any type of marketing regimen you’re saving yourself tons of time and effort in wasted research.

Whether you write a food blog, a tech blog, or even a parenting blog, there’s a social outlet perfectly suited to your customer base. Below we take a look at some of the most popular social networking sites and break down which sites are best for which types of blog.

So, which social networking site is best for you?

FACEBOOK

Facebook is the granddaddy of social networking and it’s still a great place to be. If you’re going to engage in only one type of social networking, Facebook should likely be it. The site provides the most opportunities for marketing and a diverse array of ways to promote your blog. Odds are, your customers are on Facebook if nowhere else.

TWITTER

Twitter is a terrific platform if your blog industry is fast-changing. When you have a constant need to put out new content (“Check out this cool new product!” or “New blog post!”), Twitter is the place to be. It’s also a good network to use if you plan on interacting with other bloggers a lot. If you’re going to be on Twitter, however, be sure you can commit to updating daily at the very least.

LINKEDIN

Is your blog more professionally-focused than personal? If the information you put out pertains to businesses more than individuals (or perhaps to individuals engaged in business) then LinkedIn may be a great spot to invest in. LinkedIn allows you to post content, start discussions, and even endorse other members for certain skills. More than that, though, it can be a great data mine to come up with your next blog topic or to find out what people in certain industries are talking about.

PINTEREST/INSTAGRAM

Pinterest and Instagram are similar enough that they can be grouped together, although you should probably focus your efforts on one or the other to avoid repeat content on two sites. If your blog features lots and lots of photos, whether of hair, houses, or ham sandwiches, a photo-sharing platform is a smart choice. Be sure you can update regularly and that you’ve got the conditions (and a good enough camera phone) to take sharable photos. And learn the power of hashtags before you begin.

YOUTUBE

Many people don’t consider YouTube a “social networking” site but it absolutely is. If you’re not consistently producing videos, YouTube is not the place for you; however, it’s worth considering if you write about a subject matter that’s video-friendly. For example, if you run a craft blog, why not post informational videos on how to best use certain products? The great thing about YouTube is that production quality doesn’t have to be high – as long as the quality of your content is.

Deciding which social networking site is right for your blog promotion is up to you, but it’s always smart to research before you spread yourself too thin. In general, choose two to three sites to focus all your effort on and ignore the rest. It’s better to be a big presence on one or two sites than a tiny presence on ten.

Author’s Bio: Ryan Connors is a product manager at BizShark.com, with 5 years experience in online marketing and product development. In addition to web related businesses, he also enjoys the latest news and information on emerging technologies and open source projects.

How Will Your Social Media Situation Look in One Year?

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By Jennifer Dunn

Between all the other activities you must do every day as a business owner, keeping up with new and exciting trends probably isn’t the highest on your list. This can be especially true with latest social media bandwagons – you’re already on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. What else are you supposed to do?

Not keeping up with these trends, though, may actually be hurting your bottom line. While it may be a little obnoxious that web users bounce from social media site to social media site, you have to follow your customers. This involves learning what they’re both currently using and what’s up next.

Want a little help? Here are a few services to check out.

New Trends

Think video would work well with your business but don’t have a camera nor the time to spend editing something for YouTube? Then Vine is perfect for you. You may have seen these micro-videos around the web already as the Twitter owned service blew up pretty quickly after it was launched.

Vine works because it is super simple to use. After you download the app, you simply hold the screen to record video or just tap it to record a frame/picture. Your limit is 7 seconds, so be brief! Although it doesn’t seem like you can really get much in during that short amount of time, businesses have made some amazing things with Vine.

Another social media bandwagon you should hop on is Google Plus. “But wait,” you might ask. “I thought that ship had sailed?” Sure, that’s what the general consensus was…up until Google Plus passed Twitter as the #2 social media site. Now it’s apparent Plus is here to stay.

What’s there for your business? Besides yet another profile for you to fill out, make sure to take advantage of Hangouts. These video-based interactions are an amazing way to engage with your customers and fans in many different ways. For an example, look at what Major League Soccer has done with it.

Up and Comers

How often have you or someone you know used Facebook and exclaimed how annoyed you are with how complicated it’s become? You might use the service a little more if it wasn’t just so “busy” all the time. Between all the games, ads, and constant updates about what people ate for dinner it’s hard to actually do anything of substance.

This is why simplicity is going to be a factor in the future when it comes to social media. One service, Potluck, reduces social media to sharing cool stuff with your friends. You find a neat link, post it, and your friends (and their friends, their friends’ friends, etc.) can talk about it. That’s the extent of the site.

Even cooler, it’s a website now, but it’s actually designed to be a smartphone app. This means people waiting in line for coffee, bored at work, or taking a trip to the bathroom will be able to see the stuff your business account shares.

Also on the horizon is Ghost, a true blogging site. The creators used to work at WordPress and felt like the site was moving towards making websites rather than letting people blog. That’s why Ghost is designed to let writers hop on and go to town rather than spending hours making their blog look fabulous. If you’ve ever had trouble getting your great content out there because WordPress or BlogSpot left you feeling like a website designer, then a platform like Ghost could be the way of the blog future.

What social media trends have you spotted recently?

Author’s Bio: Jennifer Escalona Dunn is the owner of Social Street Media where she writes about small business, tech and finance for sites like WePay and Outright. You can find her on Twitter @jennescalona.