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Tag Archive:   business-goals


bigstock-Green-field-at-sunset--24967112 smallerI know I haven’t blogged about my work in quite some time… it is one of those areas that I am really good at telling others how impactful it can be for their business but then when I turn and look at my business, I lack.  Ugh.  Then I just realized that the last time I posted was exactly 1 year ago today!  Wow!

I can tell you that that might have happened due to a huge increase in my business but I still don’t think it is a good excuse!  Last year was my biggest and busiest year yet and I certainly don’t have too much to complain about.  Now I just need to get my site updated and show you some of those things I worked on.  THAT is my goal for the next couple weeks!  Someone please hold me accountable…

The sun is shining and the temps are slowly climbing here in Iowa – that is such a good thing.  Isn’t it amazing how our environment affects our output!?!?

Cheers!

Jennifer

I feel like the summer just passed me by and I have no idea where it went!  With two kids home and tons of activities to get to, time just kind of passed with0ut me being present.  So, now that they are back in school, I am going to try and “get back” into my rhythm again.

First thing on my agenda is to get back into cardio shape!  While I have been doing Pilates and loving it, I need to still get in that cardio.  After much deliberation (over a few cocktails non the less…) my husband and I have decided to give our current fitness facility a rest and we are going to give the new place in town a run for it’s money!

Because I am a marketing freak and love to analyze people’s businesses just on how they react to a potential client, I decided to put this new place to the test!  I called and left a message one morning that I was interested in signing up and so was my husband and friend.  I thought if I mentioned more than just me it would be a little more bait on the hook for them.  And guess what… he never called me back.  I waited 24 hours and nothing.  Now, if I was starting a business like this, my #1 priority would be to get people in there to pay the bills!  I realize they are just opening and the place was still a vacant unfinished space at this point, but without customers, it is kind of hard to pay the bills.

So, in my own fashion, I stop by.  No one there but construction workers.  Then I try and see if I can find any info on the place to take a look at.  Nothing.  Ouch!  At this point, I am growing  a little weary of the whole place and frankly their management style!

But because I am so intrigued and want to know more, I stopped by later that afternoon and lucky for THEM the owner is there.  After my brief, kind of nice, kind of meaningful “Why didn’t you call me back?” conversation, the manager has managed to suck me into this place and showered me with apologies.  I am looking at this situation as maybe a place I can be of assistance.

Yesterday we had to meet and do all of our initial assessments.  Today is day 1 – plyometrics.  I am so scared.  Never done those before and they just sound painful.  But, I will be there with my bucket of water… and a business card.  These people need some marketing help, quick!!!

After my last post regarding my challenges in facing social media head on, I felt the need to educate everyone a little bit.  Many of us have a hard enough time developing and managing our own websites, right?  How can you dedicate even more time and effort towards other tools around the Internet, especially when it can be so overwhelming to even know which outlets to utilize?!  Well don’t worry, because there is hope.  I am going to help you better understand this.

Although a professional, easy-to-use, and friendly website to represent your company is the critical foundation that you must have in order, the rise of Social Media has opened new doors for you to connect directly with your customers online.  Using these unique tools to broaden your online presence and further connect with your market is a matter of doing a few simple things.

  • Develop A Plan – This may seem trivial, but establishing an objective-based plan for what you and your company plans to do within the Social Media world is critical to avoid wasting time and developing the most efficient use of your time.  Social Media is not difficult to get involved with, but it does take time, so having a plan in place will help you and your team use time wisely and allow for objectives to be met.
  • Establish A Few Social Media Websites To Engage – With so many options online, determine a few good websites that you feel there would be value in getting involved with.  This not only means that the user base is advantageous to your business, but that you enjoy the website and can work with the tools available on this website.
  • Update Your Website – Once you start establishing a base of websites you’re involved with, be sure to reconnect your own website to these accounts, so that current clients have the opportunity to further connect with your business in the environment that they’re also a part of.
  • Stay Current – Once you have the plan in place and start setting up your visibility within the Social Media world, don’t let things go stale.  Try and allot a small amount of time each day to update your accounts.
  • Reach Out – As you become more efficient within the social network or online community you’re engaging, do your best to reach out and make new connections within the online environment.  Along with broadening your reach within the networks you’re a part of, step out a bit further by trying to understand and use additional social media outlets.

Another option is to contact me and we can review your business needs.  I have seen firsthand how many of these tools have helped my business.

With the start of a new year, it is always a great time to rethink or adjust your business marketing plan based on your results from the previous year.  What do you have planned for 2010 to help increase your business?  Do you need to adjust your logo and give it a fresh new current look?  Maybe you need to create some marketing brochures or postcards that you can give to potential clients.  I know from my personal experience that when I hand a potential client a brochure on my work, they are more apt to do business with me.  Seeing a finished product or idea can help the customer visualize what they are going to be getting.  If I just tell them what I do and that I would love to help them out, the feeling is never the same.  It goes to show you, the power of vision is true!

What will you do differently from last year?  What will you do the same?  What do you need help with?  Let’s talk!