SubscribeSMALL BUSINESS LEADER June 2005
SMALL BUSINESS LEADER
ISSUE # 72
June, 2005
What are you doing to get the visibility and credibility you want and deserve? In working with small business owners for almost 10 years one of the things I have learned is: you're always seeking new and more effective ways to gain visibility and credibility. Let's make June the month for increasing both.
"Visibility and Credibility: What Works Now" is the title of our Feature Article this month. Lots of new options have opened recently, so you may want to che.ck in just to see what's current. You're also invited to talk about it more in the June Lunchtime Telephone Roundtable on June 30th. This is where you can share your expertise and learn from the others in attendance. For even more visibility consider being the Guest Expert on a future Roundtable. See details below on how to find out if this is a good venue for you.
Our new Small Business Leaders Marketplace continues to grow as a way to increase visibility in the small business market. With enough interest we will continue to develop other venues for visibility and credibility.
Have you signed up yet for the new Save-Your-Business Tele-Boot Camp? This 9 session teleconference series is a high-action program with lots of support, designed to walk you through the steps to turn your business around...before it's too late. If your business is struggling and you're not sure what the future holds, take control n.ow and start making well-calculated strategic decisions. It's very affordable and I'm even offering monthly payment options designed for the cash-strapped small business. Don't miss out. For more details and to register, go to http://www.primestrategies.com/saveyourbusiness/sybbootcamp.
To your success,
Marian Banker
Publisher
Small Business Leader
marian@primestrategies.com
www.primestrategies.com
NOTE: We have had to disguise some words in order to keep them from getting caught in the sp.am filters. Please bear with us.
In This Issue:
Feature Article:
Visibility & Credibility: What Works Now
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Special Program
"Save-Your-Business Tele-Boot Camp "
June Lunchtime Telephone Roundtable
"Visibility and Credibility: What Works Now"
Articles:
SMALL BUSINESS BILL OF RIGHTS
21st CENTURY SELLING
HOLD THE CARDS
CA.SH FLOW
2005 SMALL BUSINESS SNAPSHOT
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About the Publisher
Feedback
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FEATURE ARTICLE:
Visibility & Credibility: What Works Now
By Marian Banker
You know there is a market for what you offer. One of your primary challenges is to increase the number of qualified prospects to whom your product or service is visible.
There have always been ways to get visibility and credibility. When the circus came to town at the beginning of the last century it paraded down Main Street to gain visibility. It worked. Today there are a lot more sophisticated ways to gain visibility. And they are evolving at a fairly rapid pace. Blogs have come on the scene and are growing in popularity for visibility and credibility. I haven't actually used one yet myself, but am seriously considering it.
If increasing visibility and credibility is part of your overall strategy, let's take a systematic look at how we might approach planning for it. Determining who you are trying to reach and where you will reach them is a good place to start.
Who are you trying to reach?
To help you be selective in how you will get in front of new prospects it might help to use a clearly defined description of your ideal client or customer. Consider age, education, gender, income and other factors that might make your target unique. Then ask the question: what kind of visibility will be most effective? In-person, telephone, web, email? And in what proportion should I try to divide my efforts? Of course, cost will always be a consideration.
Where will you reach them?
Because technology allows us to communicate and interact without personal presence, more and more communications are of a virtual nature. He,re are a few of the ways people are connecting with potential clients and referral sources today.
- Newsletter - The e-mail newsletter is a well established way to continue to have visibility and build credibility. Small Business Leader has helped me to build my credibility. Frequency of publication is a matter of choice and finding what works for your market. A hard copy newsletter still works best in some industries. It's just more expensive.
- Articles/Book - If you're a writer, or are willing to develop your writing skills, articles and books of all types will always be in demand. That's where you can really share your expertise. Archive your articles on your site and use search engine optimization to bring the robots to your site. Do a publicity campaign for your book.
- Speaking (guest expert) - In-person or virtual, being able to speak to groups is helpful. Whether you are the only speaker, part of a series, a member of a panel, or a guest expert interacting with a group, you will have visibility and the format to gain credibility.
- Web Site - For many who use the web as a primary source of research, your web site is a keystone in your foundation of credibility. It may also be a place to sell directly from the site, to fill the pipeline or increase your market size and range by capturing contact information.
- E-mail - Still a powerful way to get and stay visible. Online or e-mail chats, strategically placed classified type ads (see the Marketplace in this issue), and link exchanges can be very effective also, if selectively made.
- Blogs/SEOs - This is the newest and fastest growing way to increase visibility as the size of the internet continues to grow exponentially. Doing either of these will force you to concentrate on keywords and will keep bringing your information to the virtual masses.
- Publicity - This is a huge topic and one we can't dig into he,re, but part of your strategy will probably include communication to the media in an organized campaign when you have news to report. Knowing the media your target market uses, is the first step.
- Products - Many service providers have products to sell. They may be information products, support materials, training or accessories around a lar.ger body of knowledge. The concept of tangibility and finite quality can go a long way to increasing credibility. My Save-Your-Business Tele-Boot Camp is a product I have created with a clearly defined syllabus and a specified timeframe. Even if people do not choose to participate, I have gained visibility and credibility.
- Networking (formal & informal) - There are trade and professional organizations and other formal networking organizations such as BNI, LeTip and the many chambers of commerce in communities around the world. Becoming active in these will up your visibility and credibility within that community. Lots of people have gained recognition for their service and made valuable business connections at the same time. Informal networking happens anytime people get together around business. It has become a way of life for almost all small business owners. I just met a woman at a seminar who said she had seen me speak on a recent panel. She receives my material and considers herself part of my network. I had not met the woman up to that point, but she knew me. That's what you're looking to accomplish.
- Strategic Alliances - Finally, I have found that other small business owners who market to the same population are eager to enter into strategic alliances that offer cross- promotion oppor.tunities. They agree to introduce you through their communications and you do the same for them. This, of course, would include affiliations, and is another area that is growing.
Remember, consistency reinforces credibility. It's helpful to select "keywords" that you will use again and again in your web content, in your communications and your conversations. I continue to introduce myself as Business Leadership Coach, with the emphasis on the leadership because that's my focus with clients and makes me different from other business coaches.
Consider which of these options work for you and give them a try. It still boils down to eventually opening a dialogue and building a relationship, but you need to gain visibility within your target market in order to start the process. Be proactive in getting good visibility so you can continue to build your credibility.
NOTE: You probably already know part of my mission is to provide visibility and credibility for small business owners. You are cordially invited to attend the June Lunchtime Telephone Roundtable, http://primestrategies.com/roundtable_jun05, where we will share experiences and learn from each other on this important topic.
Additional online articles on visibility and credibility.
Visibility, Credibility and Position Through Articles and Celebrity Testimonials
http://www.sbmag.org/kathleengageVisibilityCredibilityandPosition.html
Visibility, Credibility and Relationships
http://www.gmarketing.com/articles/read/172/Visibility,_Credibility_and_Relationships.html
Client Magnets Newsletter
http://www.clientmagnets.com/Newsletters/NL0019VisibilityCredibilityAccessibilty.htm
Business Blogs Increase Visibility and Credibility
http://entrepreneurs.about.com/cs/marketing/a/blogvisibility.htm
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QUESTION:
Which comes first: visibility or credibility?
Answer below.
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Does it feel like your business is out of control and the future looks uncertain?
Just-in-time Prime Strategies offers:
The Save-Your-Business Tele-Boot Camp
- a 9-session crash course to turn your business around.
Begins Thursday, June 9, 2005, 1 - 2:30 p.m. EDT (only a few spots left)
The Save-Your-Business Tele-Boot Camp brings together business owners, just like you, all of whom are working to save their business. In 9 intensive teleconference sessions, you'll be led through the steps to change the course of your business. Stop struggling and take back control! Find out how... http://www.primestrategies.com/saveyourbusiness/sybbootcamp.
Save your business - before it's too late!
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June Lunchtime Telephone Roundtable
Moderator and Discussion Leader: Marian Banker, MBA, Business Leadership Coach
Topic:
"Visibility and Credibility: What Works Now"
Date: Thursday, June 30, 2005, 1 to 2 p.m. EDT
Guest Expert: Marian Banker is known for providing entrepreneurs with formats and occasions to gain visibility and credibility. Using the Telephone Roundtable format, over the past two years she has provided a forum for small business leaders to showcase their expertise and interact with a virtual group of peers. The more recent Brain Exchange Roundtables are in-person events where everyone present gets to share from their knowledge and expertise.
In this Roundtable you'll get to be the expert; not only to showcase your own skills and knowledge, but to learn what others are doing to gain visibility and credibility. We'll talk about what's working and what's not. You'll be able to share your resources and hear about new ones.
You are invited to participate if you...
- Want to use this event to gain some visibility and credibility for yourself
- Are seeking new avenues and approaches to consider
- Offer venues, products or services that provide visibility or credibility
- Have a case study or success story to share
- Are just curious and want to learn more about this hot topic.
We'll open discussion around the following topics:
- Speaking
- Articles/Books
- Blogs/Search Engine Optimization
- Newsletters
- Web & E-mail
- Publicity
- Networking (Formal & Informal)
- Strategic Alliance
- And more...
We'll also talk about converting your visibility and credibility to the ultimate goal...making the sale.
If you're looking for more ways and places to "show your stuff", join us for this timely and popular topic.
There is NO CHARGE for this Roundtable.
To register and receive the call-in number, send an e-mail to roundtable63005@primestrategies.com. Within minutes you will receive the call-in number and instructions by-email from our autoresponder.
Here¹s what's been said about our popular Roundtable.
"Thanks for a great Roundtable. I'll use what I gained in my dealings with colleagues, friends and foes alike".
Mitria DiGiacomo, Distinction
FLASH ! !
Would you like to be the Guest Expert on a future Telephone Roundtable?
Prime Strategies offers this excellent venue to give you visibility and credibility in the small business marketplace. Get the details. Send e-mail to marian@primestrategies.com with the Subject as Roundtable Guest Expert.
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ANSWER:
Of course you must have visibility in order to achieve credibility. Credibility means you have gained a level of confidence within your market. You knew that.
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Articles:
SMALL BUSINESS BILL OF RIGHTS
During National Small Business Week, April 25 -30, the U.S. House approved legislation calling for a Small Business Bill of Rights that gives America's small employers the tools they need to grow their businesses and create jobs. Read what's on the list.
http://wwwc.house.gov/smbiz/press/asp_display_press_releases.asp?pressReleaseId=84
21st CENTURY SELLING
Jeffrey Gitomer outlines the steps required for meeting your sa.les goals in this century. The sec.ret is "one bite at a time". Read the article and see what he means.
http://www.bizjournals.com/extraedge/consultants/sales_moves/2005/05/02/column448.html
HOLD THE CARDS
Maybe you're undermining your chance to sell today by giving out your business card or sa.les materials too soon. Laura Laaman suggests there's another alternative.
http://www.bizjournals.com/extraedge/consultants/sell_more/2005/05/16/column166.html
CA.SH FLOW
MasterCard International offers an easy to understand explanation of ca.sh flow and how it affects your business. If ca.sh flow is an issue for you, this 10 page treatise may offer new insight.
http://www.mastercardbusiness.com/assets/brochure/smallbiz/manage_cash_flow.pdf
2005 SMALL BUSINESS SNAPSHOT
Data from many sources are compiled to create a small-business snapshot, including an exclusive FSB-Zogby Interactive survey of more than 2,000 entrepreneurs nationwide.
http://www.fortune.com/fortune/smallbusiness/technology/articles/0,15114,1062904,00.html
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ABOUT THE PUBLISHER:
Marian Banker has been publishing Small Business Leader since January, 1999. Her focus is on bringing to the busy entrepreneur a quick look into the current world of small business from the perspective she's gained through coaching, consulting and training entrepreneurs in both service and product based businesses.
Marian offers individual coaching, business support groups, seminars and workshops on topics of critical interest to small business owners. Her monthly Lunchtime Telephone Roundtable has proven to be a popular way for business owners to come together around a specific business topic without leaving their office. See notice about this month's topic in the content above.
To learn more about her services, visit http://primestrategies.com.
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FEEDBACK:
Your feedback is always appreciated. Please write to marian@primestrategies.com.
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COPYRIGHT 2005 SMALL BUSINESS LEADER
A publication of Prime Strategies, 333 East 23rd St., New York, NY 10010
http://primestrategies.com
Notice and Disclaimer:
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Of course, I'm open to your including my content in your publication with proper credit. You must, however, obtain my written permission first. Thanks!
Content in the SBL is for information purposes only and should not be construed as specific advice.
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