Successful Blog

Find out where your ideal client is hiding

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My parents used to live near a famous fishing stream, the Yellow Breeches. Over the years, I noticed that on certain days, there would be a lot more fisherman out there in the water, decked out in their waders, waiting hopefully.

Turns out it wasn’t coincidence. They stock the stream periodically, and the fishermen know when that happens, so they show up to fish when there is a newly stocked stream.

(This seems like cheating to me, but whatever.)

fisherman in stream

The point is, fish where the fish are biting.

It’s so important to find out where your ideal client likes to hang out.

Once you have established a strong picture of the person or business that will absolutely love and benefit from your service, go out and find where that person spends time.

How to find out where your ideal client hangs out

1. Ask Them

This seems obvious, but many business people forget to actually talk to their customers.

Either do a formal survey of your existing customers, or do it more casually. Next time you’re in conversation with a prospect who you think fits your ideal profile, ask them what their go-to social network is, what magazines they read, what association they belong to, what conferences they attend.

2. Look at Available Data

There are resources online that will help you sort through the demographics and composition of most of the social networks. Check out the Pew Research Internet Project for yearly updates on social network usage. Edison Research has a wealth of information on social habits.

3. They Gather in Pools

If your ideal customer’s industry has a trade association or magazine, this is a good place to find them congregating.

Look for the association website and see if they have an online community. If it’s open, you can join the community and be helpful (no promoting, just be useful). See if they accept guest posts on their association blog.

Don’t ignore print magazines–many associations have print materials that present an opportunity for articles or advertising.

Another offline opportunity is the time-honored trade show. You don’t have to drag an exhibit with you, just attend and form some relationships. Seek out the chance to be a presenter if the show includes sessions or workshops. Just keep your “knowledgeable expert” hat on and leave the “sneaky marketer” hip waders at home. The more helpful you are, the more leads will naturally flow in your direction.

And then maybe you’ll land the “big one!”

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

Photo Credit: Chris | christopherharrison.net via Compfight cc

Five Lessons Small Businesses Can Learn From Liz Strauss

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By Shonali Burke

Like many bloggers in the PR and marketing realm, I’ve been in awe of Liz Strauss ever since I became aware of the “name bloggers” in my professional world. When I started my own blogging journey, four years ago, Successful Blog was one of the first to become a regular stop; always for inspiration, and sometimes as I asked myself the question, “Will I ever be able tolike that?”

I met Liz fleetingly a few years ago, when she spoke at a DC-area event. Our meeting was brief. She was standing outside the event venue and, spying her in a rare moment of solitude, I couldn’t help but go up to her and tell her how much I admired her. She didn’t know me from Eve (probably still doesn’t), but that didn’t stop her from graciously thanking me. Later, she was kind enough to connect with me on various social platforms, even though the benefit was certainly skewed towards me.

As Liz recuperates from her illness, I couldn’t help but think of five lessons small businesses could learn from Liz Strauss.

1. You’re only a stranger once.

This is the tagline of Successful Blog, but is applicable to your business if you approach your customers as people first. Sure, customers come and go. But a successful business will convert first-timers into repeat buyers, and repeat buyers into evangelists. I don’t care how large or small your business is, this is possible and applicable…if you treat them as people first.

How do you start doing this? By using today’s myriad two- and multi-way communication channels to build relationships instead of email lists.

2. Building relationships takes time.

Especially with the number of (how many? I don’t know! Too many to count!) social media/self-help/gurus shilling their wares, I am not surprised at how many small businesses that think the way to use social media is this:

The path to social media failure

After all, once you have a presence, the rest will fall into place, right?

Wrong.

Connecting – i.e. following/being followed back – on a social network does not automatically translate into a relationship. All that that first connection means is that a door has been (slightly) opened to you; how you now conduct yourself will determine whether that door opens more fully or slams shut in your face.

How do you start doing this? Be a human super-collider. Find out what makes the people you meet, whether they are customers, or prospects, or business professionals you come across at networking events, tick.

3. When you build relationships, your community steps up when you most need it to.

Look at the way this blog has been running for the past several months. Liz’ health situation was announced at the beginning of 2013. The last post I read, as I drafted my own, was dated May 10, 2013. That’s a full five months later.

Had Liz not spent several years genuinely building her community via real relationships, do you think she would have had people like Rosemary O’Neill step up to manage the blog in her absence?

No way, Don Juan.

How do you start doing this? Part of the answer is in #2 above, so first I will say, “Read above, lather, rinse, and repeat.”

4. Educate and empower your community.

The second part of the answer is to educate and empower your community. Tell them, as you engage with them over time, what’s important to you… and why (and if your business is community-centric, chances are it’s what’s important to them too).

How do you start doing this? As you continue to engage with them, find people who can become your de facto or de jure community managers, and empower them with enough know-how – such as your engagement goals and guidelines, and your content needs – so that they can step into the breach if and when they need to.

The great thing about this approach is that you may never need them to fill a void in your absence… but if you do, they are ready and willing to do so.

5. Focus on what works.

A recent Constant Contact survey reported that 66% of small business owners use mobile technology. Continue reading, though, and you’ll see: “… it’s important to note that, of the 34 percent not using any mobile device or solution for their business, a resounding 65 percent have no plans to do so in the future, mainly citing a lack of customer demand.”

I don’t think this 65% of the 34% is necessarily behind the times. Being a small business owner myself, I know the conflicting demands placed on small businesses.

What will you pay attention to? When? How? Who’s going to do it?

It isn’t a question of never paying attention to technological advances, it’s a question of being attuned to the technologies your customers are using or expect, and providing the appropriate platforms, while planning for the future. Just as Liz does here on Successful Blog, by maintaining a framework visitors are familiar with, but by keeping an eye on what’s to come.

How do you start doing this? Stay on top of technological and industry developments. But don’t jump on the bandwagon until your business can sustain and recoup the additional investment… and don’t let anyone pressure you into doing so either.

I’m sure there are many other lessons you have gleaned, on a business level, from Liz’ incredible contribution to the blogosphere and our time. Would you share what you have learned, so that we can salute her collectively?

Author’s Bio: Shonali Burke takes your business communications from corporate codswallop to community cool™. She also blogs, teaches, and cooks. You can find her on Twitter as @shonali.

Thanks for the shout-out, Shonali! I was honored to be able to give back a tiny bit to Liz, who has shown her generosity and kindness to so many over the years. She is the nougaty goodness at the center of this amazing community.

Rosemary

How Real-Life Local David Turned Tables on Large Chain Goliath

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By Nimish Thakkar

New York could easily be one of the most competitive marketplaces for restaurants. From small operations to large franchises, the food industry is clamoring for a share of the pie in what appears to be a “war for consumer appetites.” A large food franchise recently established its presence near our office. When the chain made a splash in the local media many business pundits were under the impression that a local Italian restaurant could soon be working on its exit strategy.

Their predictions were on the mark for a few months but were subsequently falsified. Since the past few months, lines at the local restaurant have been much longer than the franchise and their phone order pipeline appears to be expanding exponentially.

I have always been a netpreneur and the restaurant business is as alien to me as space exploration but when one keeps the knowledge radar tuned to the “sponge dimension,” surprising strategy lessons can be uncovered from the least expected sources. As an entrepreneur, I was naturally curious to understand how this real-life David overpowered a much larger and formidable Goliath.

My research provided some insights that are equally applicable to any business operation (online or offline):

Relationships are still the best marketing investment

When I visited the larger franchise, I was greeted by college students who were only too eager to ring the register as opposed to understanding my preferences or winning my long-term repeat business. At the restaurant, the scenario was just the opposite. The staff was keen on accommodating my needs and providing me with the best service and the most memorable experience possible.

On my second visit, the owner instantly recognized me and followed-up on a conversation from our previous meeting. What happened next surprised me even further. After the order, I gave him my credit card. Unfortunately, their credit card terminal was not working that evening. I offered to drive to the local ATM and pay cash but the owner graciously smiled and asked me not to bother. “You can come and pay me tomorrow. It is raining outside,” he said. I thanked him and returned the following day.

I shared the story with friends on my social network and won him some word-of-mouth publicity. Almost every customer that walks into that restaurant has something positive to say. Passionate customer orientation has enabled this mom-and-pop operation to transform customers into “walking PR machines,” a task that even the largest ad budget cannot replicate.

Lesson #1: Build a customer-centric business, focus on providing value, and go as far as you possibly can to build long-term relationships.

Showcase clear “differentiators”

During my first MBA class, one of my favorite marketing professors taught me a great mantra: “To be successful, be different.” I still implement his advice in all my personal and professional branding campaigns. It works.

Are you the best at delivering widgets within a 24-hour timeframe? Do your widgets offer something your competitors don’t? Are you at the cutting-edge of technology in a way your competition does not touch? Don’t keep this knowledge to yourself. Let your customers know how you stand out from the competition.

Reverting to the protagonist case study, the local restaurant had posters all over the place explaining how their food choices were different. They identified how their ingredients were healthier and sans any form of harmful chemical additives or preservatives. As a client, I would have never known this fact had it not been brought to my attention. Perhaps the franchise doesn’t use these ingredients either but their marketing literature doesn’t promote this information.

Lesson #2: Clients may not often be able to differentiate you from the competition. Instead of allowing them to draw negative conclusions, make the task easier by clearly demonstrating how your business is “different.”

Focus on generating positive reviews

“As millions of customers check online reviews before purchasing from any business, having a strong group of fervent customer advocates can go a long way toward building your business reputation and revenues,” says Vijay Kakkar, Small Business Owner and CEO of SaiTravel.com, a company that specializes in providing discounted travel fares.

The converse can be true as well. Dissatisfied clients can wreak havoc by writing vengeful reviews, posting bad experiences, and tarnishing your business image on social media.

Lesson #3: Turning your customers into “viral advocates” can do wonders for a small business.

Many local businesses host events, develop special contests, and leverage a myriad of viral marketing strategies to push their business success to the next level. A local non-profit organization hosts an annual charity event. In addition to the routine paraphernalia associated with these events, they have a sweepstakes contest where the first winner could claim an enviable portfolio of prizes. From blogs to social media, the prize descriptions invariably go viral.

Small businesses thrive on personal relationships and creativity. Transforming customers into passionate fans is the key to surviving in a hyper-competitive economic landscape.

Author’s Bio: Nimish Thakkar is the CEO of DontSpendMore.com, a site that helps consumers save hundreds of dollars every month. He is also the owner of ResumeCorner.com and SaiCareers.com.

Invest Energy in Your Business Relationships

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Rosemary O’Neill

Relationships take work

Strong relationships, both personal and business, take a consistent investment of energy over a long period of time. Anyone who is selling you “likes,” or Twitter followers, or other nonsense like that is not helping you build your business.

The Tickler File

I love to entertain. Part of the fun is making sure that each person who visits always gets their favorite things. My dad loves blueberries, but not ever baked into anything. My sister-in-law has a particular affection for those little white Russian tea cookies. But I could never hold all of that information in my brain, so I cheat a little. In my Evernote system, I have a “dossier” on each person who visits. It’s my relationship tickler file.

Invest Energy in Your Business Relationships

The most successful business owners and entrepreneurs have a strong network of relationships that they can call on when the chips are down. Liz refers to these as “the people who won’t let you fail.”

But these people don’t just appear out of nowhere. You must slowly build those ties over time, maintaining contact, learning about each other, having face-to-face conversations, and providing support to each others’ causes.

The quick hit of buying followers or making fake reviews will never cut the mustard in the long run. The random stranger who was paid to like your Facebook page won’t be there for you when you launch your new product.

Tips to Build Your Own Tickler File

  • Add notes to your contact system or CRM (e.g., “dog named Babs”)
  • Set up reminders either in Google calendar or in your CRM
  • Start noticing when people share preferences or details about their lives
  • Foster your sense of curiosity about other people, focus on them when they’re speaking, not on what you’re going to say next
  • Don’t just rely on the automated happy birthday status update; get creative and recognize people on days other

    • than their birthday

  • After you meet with someone, write down notes from the meeting for next time, so you can progress each time

How do you invest in your business relationships?

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

Thank you, Rosemary!

You’re irresistible!

ME “Liz” Strauss

Keep Time Working … For You

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Keeping Time

cooltext443809558_authenticity

I think my life has sped up in the last few years.
Do you feel the same way?

Things that need doing seem to pile up faster.
Things I want to do keep coming up more quickly too.
Are you having the same experience?

These days I think of time off as the luxury of time to do what I want to.
And I ease into Mondays with ideas of keeping time working for me.

Keep Time Working For You

Time is flexible. We can waste time, spend time, invest time, have a good time, even use time to plan how we’ll use it. We’ve been know to stretch time and cram things into it. Some people actually speak of killing time. Why would you do that? The only thing we can’t do is get more of it. Twenty-four hours in a day is what we get no matter what we do with it.

I’ve spent some time considering the time I spend when I’m feeling like I don’t have enough of it.

If you want to know what you value, look where you spend your time and who you spend it with.

We Make Time for Things Important to Us

Here are a few truths about time that I’ve become aware of. You should too if you want to keep time working for you.

  • We make time for the things we know are important.
  • We find time for the things we want to do.
  • We use time to find things that will save us time. Sometimes using up the time we had do it whatever we would have been doing.
  • If we can’t find time to do something, we don’t value it as much as what we’re already doing.
  • When we take time for ourselves, we’re not so tight on the time we spend on others.

Time is the only resource we can’t renew. We need to use it while we have the time to. Time well invested gets us closer to the people we care about. When we spend time focused on what the relationships, projects, and businesses we’re building, we build them better.

This week, before time gets away from you, take a few moments to choose one goal that’s important to you. Decide to focus your attention for a set amount of time each day on that important goal and see what happens. Quality time focused in that single direction will have an exponential effect. But you knew you.

Be aware of the things you’re doing and the time you’re spending doing it.
Are you spending your time on what you value?

How do you keep time working for you?

It’s irresistible to be generous with your time.
Be irresistible.
–ME “Liz” Strauss

Ask someone to dance

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by
Rosemary O’Neill

Ask Someone to Dance

There are so many small business owners and entrepreneurs out there, just plugging away, waiting for someone to reach out and invite them into the social media party. They’re excited, intrigued, and all dressed up, just waiting for someone to notice them.

The Gym is Crowded

The high school gym is sweaty, packed with breathless teenagers of all types. There is a gaggle of jock types over near the punch bowl, a gaggle of cool girls dancing as a group to Rock Lobster, and a slew of hopeful, terrified boys strung along the outer wall of bleachers. On the other side of the gym, against the wall, are clusters of shy girls, furtively glancing toward the other side.

Burning down the House


I have an idea. Let’s light this sucker on fire. Let’s run across the gym, grab one of those shy kids by the hand, and drag them out into the Soul Train line.

  • Pick one of your Twitter followers who has very few followers themselves and give them a FollowFriday this week.
  • Search for one of your customer’s blogs and comment on a post that had zero comments.
  • Know someone who’d be a great speaker? Email them the panel submission form for SXSW or another conference.
  • Ask to do a video interview with one of your colleagues who’s never done it before.
  • Find a way to shine a spotlight on someone who’s working behind the scenes (an IT person, a administrator, a great community manager).
  • Do you know a blogger who’s awesome, but just needs a little attention? Round up your Twitter friends and do a surprise “blog bomb” one day.

Report back, please…who did you ask to dance this week? Was it fun?

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

_____

Thank you, Rosemary!

You’re irresistible!

ME “Liz” Strauss