Canadian Small Business Women

Connection, Synergy, Community

Are Networking Events a Waste of Time?

According to an article in the Harvard Business Review, “99% of any networking event is a waste of time”. In the article, the author – Richard Stromeback – claims that networking is about making a connection and being authentic. This made me realise that the value of networking must be in how well we spend the remaining 1%.

We have to make sure not to get distracted by the 99% but use it to our advantage. The way we build our relationship afterwards is very important. People are looking for real conversations and relationships. Not everyone and actually very few working people have time for endless glad-handing. That is because it rarely adds value.

Stop networking and start building your social capital

Focus your efforts on building strategic social capital and influence. Your strategic social capital is made up of trusted relationships that will serve your personal and professional goals.

Women are notoriously bad at it because we’ve never really been taught how to do this effectively whereas most men have been socialized to connect effectively. When it comes to our personal lives, women rarely leverage the key relationships in their network to serve career ambitions. It’s time we change that and start thinking strategically about our relationships, personal and professional, so we are better equipped to plot our leadership trajectories.

Building strategic social capital has nothing to do with networking in the traditional sense. When was the last time you went to a professional networking event and learned something, were inspired or had a good time? If networking gives you anxiety in any shape or form it’s time to stop wasting your time. You’d be far better served spending time and focusing on events and efforts where you are engaged, where your curiosity and learning are stimulated.

5 tips for getting the most from your networking activities

  1. Be selective: You don’t want to become a networking junkie, going to every event that presents itself. The best way to vet potential events is to use screening criteria. This may include things such as the location, the people in the attendance, comments from past participants, etc.
  2. Know what to avoid: Most people don’t like networking because they think it’s time intensive and distracting from their work. However, if you are extremely efficient and focus on what is truly essential, your time is not wasted but rather invested wisely.
  3. Vary your networking activities: There is a lot of places where you can actually meet people while learning new skills such as workshops, conferences, special events.
  4. Engage and assess: This is where your 30-second elevator pitch can make a big difference. It should be rehearsed and fluid. With the right elevator pitch, you can determine within seconds of meeting someone whether the conversation can go further. Politely exiting a conversation to pursue the next one is another skill you need to practice.
  5. Deepen existing relationships: Instead of going to networking events with the intention of meeting new people, consider checking in with some of your existing connections. Have you properly followed up with the promising contacts you have made over the past month? Have you maintained your relationships with strategic partners and centres of influence?

For those interested in making authentic connections with people and learning something about them, there is no better opportunity. The key is to stop networking and start connecting.

 

Women’s rights advocate and gender equality specialist, Darine BenAmara has dedicated her career to supporting other women. She is an international speaker, writer and advocate. Darine has significant international experience advancing women in leadership, leading global diversity and inclusion programs and advocating for women at work. Inspired by the many women she met, she designed “The Smart Woman”, an initiative helping women to overcome the challenges of networking and learn how to create smart connections to fulfill their career goals.

Visit The Smart Woman website and connect with Darine on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter .

Insider Threats And Data Breaches: They’re Not Always What You Think …

There’s something you should know before you invest your entire IT and information security budget on technical solutions – if a smart thief wanted to steal your intellectual property and/or your client’s confidential information (e.g., credit, financial, and contact information taken during the Equifax data breach), they’d act like a gangster and walk in the front door and take it.

Why? When it comes to protecting what’s worth stealing, it’s your employees, not your computers, that are the weakest link.

Employees are within the human resources (HR) wheelhouse, so this is a topic of great importance to me. Some years ago, I worked in an organization that invested a lot of effort to keep its intellectual property and confidential employee information protected. This was done in two ways: (1) careful hiring and HR processes and (2) technical measures including firewalls, information security protocols, etc. Both approaches were necessary. It hasn’t become a popular concept, as yet, but it’s easy to argue that cybersecurity alone is not enough.

Many of us have heard of Edward Snowdon, the former NSA Subcontractor who disclosed an immense volume of confidential information to journalists and online sources. After working in an organization that shares some similarities with the NSA, I think it’s safe to say that the presence of sophisticated technical measures was not enough to prevent the intentional disclosure of confidential information. In fact, this scenario is an example of an Insider Threat.

“Insider threats can be defined as risks posed by rogue employees who deliberately cause harm, or by those who may be negligent in the workplace.

Security Hinges on its People, FrontLine Security Magazine, October 2017).

 

 

If insider threats are a real problem why isn’t it better known?

 

analog insider threats

Not all data breaches are external or digital …

Most of us have heard about data breaches that have occurred in organizations that have much bigger security budgets than ours. For example, the NSA and Equifax breaches that I just mentioned. Plus, there have been big breaches at Yahoo, Home Depot, Target, and others. I’ve done extensive research on this topic and one thing is crystal clear: 75% of these data breaches originate inside organizations. Often, we don’t hear about the causes of those breaches because they make the organization look terrible. It has a negative impact on the public’s trust and confidence in the organization’s ability to protect corporate information, including clients’ and/or customers’ personal information. When an organization experiences a security breach, their current and future clients, strategic partners/affiliates, and members of the general public are likely to see the organization as irresponsible. Negative financial consequences usually follow. Approximately 60% of smaller companies are bankrupt within 6 months of a major security breach, so it’s no wonder this is kept quiet.

How can HR, based on I/O psychology help?

I’m addressing this topic because I understand that HR has an important role to play in preventing these insider threats. One problem is that most organizations don’t recognize that HR can make valuable contributions to the risk management process. Another problem is that the C-suite and the IT/information security folks don’t necessarily recognize the role that HR could be playing to keep confidential intellectual property and client information from leaking out of the organization. For example, many organizations don’t address workplace bullying as proactively or completely as they could. They haven’t understood the link between malicious insider threats that are inspired by anger or a desire for revenge that comes from being severely mistreated at work. The consequences of ongoing suffering in toxic workplaces are even more severe when essential government services and critical infrastructure are at risk. So, if the threat of lost productivity and lawsuits aren’t a big enough justification for improving HR policies and practices, the likelihood of insider threats should catch the attention of key decision-makers.

no wonder this is kept quiet.

 

How can HR, based on I/O psychology help?

I’m addressing this topic because I understand that HR has an important role to play in preventing these insider threats. One problem is that most organizations don’t recognize that HR can make valuable contributions to the risk management process. Another problem is that the C-suite and the IT/information security folks don’t necessarily recognize the role that HR could be playing to keep confidential intellectual property and client information from leaking out of the organization. For example, many organizations don’t address workplace bullying as proactively or completely as they could. They haven’t understood the link between malicious insider threats that are inspired by anger or a desire for revenge that comes from being severely mistreated at work. The consequences of ongoing suffering in toxic workplaces are even more severe when essential government services and critical infrastructure are at risk. So, if the threat of lost productivity and lawsuits aren’t a big enough justification for improving HR policies and practices, the likelihood of insider threats should catch the attention of key decision-makers.

If you’d like to learn more about how psychology and HR can help prevent insider threats, listen to Episode 27 of The Insider Threat Podcast where I speak to host Steve Higdon about this topic. Note – since the time that this article was published, I was an invited guest on Scott Wright and Tom Eston’s Shared Security Podcast and we spoke about different aspects of this issue.

Have a sensitive career or HR-related concern? I invite you to contact me by email, phone, or via direct message on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn if you’d like to discuss any of these topics in more detail.

More than career coaching, it’s career psychology®.

I/O Advisory Services – Building Resilient Careers.

What To Do With Your Tax Refund?

It’s tax season again!

Do you usually get a refund? If so, it’s important to remember that it’s not “free money” you get from the government – it just means you overpaid last year and now you’re getting your money back.

The average refund is $1,620 and while it’s very tempting to use it to go on a vacation (especially with the weather outside), or splurge on that new big screen TV, using it towards your financial goals instead can pay huge returns in the long run.

Let’s look at a few ways you can maximize your refund.

PAY DOWN DEBT

Did you know that the average Canadian owes $1.71 for every $1.00 earned?

This means that a huge chunk of household income goes towards paying off debt each month. If you use your refund to pay down your highest interest debt first, you can reduce the amount of interest you owe and shorten the length of time you’ll be paying for.

Look at the difference even $10 a month makes:

INVEST IN YOUR RRSP

If you do contribute to an RRSP throughout the year to be able to get your tax refund, you can consider this a head start.

You will also be contributing more towards your retirement savings.

INVEST IN YOUR TFSA

As discussed in my last post, the TFSA is a great way to have your money grow tax-free while investing and be able to withdraw the money tax-free in the future.

You can build your emergency fund using a TFSA or also use it for retirement savings.

CONTRIBUTE TO AN RESP

If you have kids, this is one way you can ensure their education will be funded later on.

This allows you to maximize the government grants each child receives as well.

BUY LIFE OR DISABILITY INSURANCE

Life insurance gives your family peace of mind, knowing that they will not face financial difficulties if you are no longer around. Life insurance can also be used to build your own wealth and ensure this wealth is transferred to your children, grandchildren and future generations.

Disability insurance (which includes Critical Illness Insurance) gives you peace of mind, so that if you become ill or cannot work, your bills are taken care of.

Your tax refund can help pay for the cost of these insurance premiums and most companies have the option to pay once annually instead of monthly.

RE-INVEST IN YOUR BUSINESS

Most of us reading this post are business owners and I’m pretty sure you want your business to grow. We all need to invest into resources that can potentially expand our reach and profits.

Marketing tools, employees, software, infrastructure and office supplies are some of the things that you can allocate your refund towards.

What are your plans for your refund? I’d love to hear from you!

For more information on filing your 2017 taxes: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/campaigns/taxes-get-ready.html

 

—————

Kim Lowrie is an insurance agent and mutual fund representative with World Financial Group.

She and her husband have made it their lifelong mission to help families, individuals and business owners succeed financially.

To find a solution that best fits your needs and goals, connect with Kim:

647.231.9052

klowrie02unjc@wfgmail.ca

Website | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter

It all gets done!

What is the single most troublesome factor for almost any person, any where and at any time? It’s time, or more specifically Time Management. We all struggle with it and not one of us ever claims, emphatically, that we have a handle on it. We all want more time, need more time or wish we had more time. If time is something you struggle with, consider these tips:

Break your day into “Manageable Chunks.”

  • Tackling your “to do” list all at once can be overwhelming especially when there are 20+ (or more!) things that need to be done and all before the end of the week. So sort your list into “manageable chunks” of activities that can be performed at the same time. This is different from multi-tasking – this is about scheduling yourself blocks of time to complete like-minded tasks.
  • Do all the work for one client on one day. For me, as a content creator, I might chunk out both the social media posting and social media blogging for each of my clients for the same day and time each week.
  • When you are self-employed, chunk out a specific time of the week (or month) to do all of your dreaded accounting tasks. Don’t let anything else interrupt you.
  • Block out time for business related errands that can all be done in a “travel loop” starting at one end of town and finishing up back at home ready to take on your next chunk. Better to set aside one whole afternoon for trips to your local business supply chain store, the post office and banking then to do a little bit each day, risk getting stuck in traffic or sidetracked by a sale and lose three hours of time instead of your scheduled one hour errand.

Doing what makes sense when it makes sense.

  • Send emails when you can, even if that’s six in the morning or nine at night. Emails can be read by the recipient at any time and unless it’s something requiring urgent attention, focus your work efforts on WORK during the day and send emails before or after the day is over. You can always schedule a “manageable chunk” of time in the middle of your day to deal with urgent inbox items, just don’t get distracted by all the other mail you see sitting there.
  • Making phone calls DOES need to happen during the business day so make sure you have a chunk of time set aside for that. Mornings are better – before meetings begin, plus it ensures your client has the whole day to return your call.
  • While we’re at it – everyone needs a break so be sure to schedule time for time off. The self-employed are notorious for working odd hours and eating at their desk and sometimes you have to for sure. BUT, scheduling time for mini-breaks throughout the day will actually make you more productive. Knowing you have break time to look forward to creates laser-like focus on getting work done.

Planning and Goal Setting – it’s Spring….Do a calendar-clearing overhaul.

  • I get it. At the start of the new year, chances are you opened up that shiny new desk calendar and began writing neatly on each page, planning your month “oh so carefully.” Somewhere around mid-February with the winter blahs settling in and your busy schedule taking over, you suddenly start scribbling notes in the margins, scratching out one “to do” and replacing it with another “more important” one and then adding the original “to do” back onto your list, albeit farther down! Clients call you, priorities shift and before you know it your daily diary is a disaster. Add in family demands and the odd Doctor or Dentist appointment and suddenly your schedule is sketchy at best. Use spring as the excuse to do a calendar-clearing overhaul and re-prioritize your priorities.
  • You know what else spring is a good excuse for? Practising how to say “No.” As entrepreneurs our temptation is to treat everything as a potential opportunity and you never want to be seen as turning away business but sometimes the absolute best thing you can do for yourself, your family AND your business is just say “NO.”  You might also want to consider a family wall calendar where every activity for every member of the household is tracked so anyone can see where anyone else is supposed to be at any given time.
  • Technology is my Diary. If this is you and writing stuff down is dated and old-fashioned, make sure you are using technology properly. There are a number of planning tools available for both business and personal planning and some great ones like COZI that allows you to plan for the whole family. Every Android and Smartphone device have calendars on them – just be sure you are utilizing all their features to their maximum.  Use the notifications and alarms scheduling features frequently if that’s what it takes!

 

Finally – when all else fails: Take a deep breath and remember – in the end, despite our best efforts to sabotage ourselves – it all gets done!

 

As Owner and Principal partner of “Writing Right For You” Sheralyn is a Communications Strategist – working together with entrepreneurs to maximize profit through effective use of the written word. Looking for web content that works, blog articles that engage or communications strategies that help you get noticed?  Contact Sheralyn today. Sheralyn is also the mother of two children now entering the “terrible and terrific teens” and spends her free time volunteering for several non-profit organizations.

Sheralyn Roman B.A., B.Ed.

Writing Right For You

Communications Strategies that help you GET TO THE POINT!

416-420-9415 Cell/Business

writingrightforyou@gmail.com

#timemanagment, #COZI, #gettingthingsdone, #itallgetsdone, #entrepreneur, #self-employed, #scheduling, #planning, #familytime, “ContentCreator

Are you obsessed with time management?

I think we can all agree that time management is a very good thing, however, there are situations where people tend to take the whole idea of using their time wisely to the extreme. When this happens, the crucial goal of managing your time gets lost in “the busy” and the drive to cram too much into too little time. When it gets to this point, the process of managing your time ceases to be a help and becomes a burden instead. It may be that you can become obsessed with managing your time!

There are several early warning signs that you are may be on the edge of abusing time management rather than use it to your best advantage:

 

Multitasking is your thing

In today’s world, as women we tend to pride ourselves at being able to multitask our way through the day. It’s not unusual for us to handle more than two or more tasks at a time, and we start to do this without thinking. If the tasks in question can be conducted concurrently without causing a great deal of stress we tend to overlook what’s really going on and work on autopilot by dividing our focus and our talent to get through the day. How often, for example, do we participate on a webinar or conference call while also sending instant messages and email to keep things flowing? Ok, two activities can actually work together without any real difficulty.

Things can get tricky when you attempt to take on two or more labor-intensive tasks at the same time, however. This can lead to a great deal of inner conflict and possibly have a negative impact on the quality applied to each of the tasks involved. In other words, instead of ending up with one task done well, you have two (or more) tasks that may be completed but are barely acceptable.

Some people find they just can’t stop multitasking even when it is not necessary. The idea behind this approach is that the multitasking will make it easier to finish all the action items currently on the agenda and enjoy some well-earned downtime. Unfortunately, when you become obsessed with multitasking to manage your time you’ll never really get around to having any downtime. Instead, you’ll finish one set of projects and immediately start looking for another set to do.

Multitasking as part of time management is fine, provided it’s done wisely. When it becomes an end in and of itself rather than a means to reach a goal, it is time to step back and re-evaluate your approach.

 

You Feel Guilty If You Are Not Doing Something

Many of us live our lives from the edge of guilt. We worry about doing the right thing, for the right people, at the right time and we often find ourselves agonizing over the way we do things. Guilt can be an effective tool when it comes to keeping us on track, but guilty feelings when there is nothing to feel guilty about is another matter altogether (and we’re very good at finding those matters). When guilt creeps into the time management process, it is usually an indicator that you have begun to believe on some level that unless you’re are not actively engaged in some task, you’re are not managing your time well.

While it is important to take care of necessary tasks in a timely manner, you do need some time to simply relax and recharge. If you look at it from this perspective, failing to include time for rest and recreation is a breach of good time management policies. If you deny your mind and your body of what it needs to be healthy, you are defeating the purpose of time management, and setting yourself up for a fall at some future point.

 

You become annoyed with others who don’t do as you do

One of the ways people validate their actions is by comparing them with what other people do. After all, if others are using the same approaches and methods to time management that we are, that means we are on the right track. However, when you’re in your zone and people do things differently, we may assume they are wrong and we are right, something has gone wrong with our sense of time management.

We know that everyone brings different talents and abilities to a given task, so taking this to the next level means there are in fact more than one right approach when tackling the same tasks or projects. People who have a balanced view of time management realize this and even welcome the opportunity to learn something new. However, if you assume your way is the only right way you may be on the defensive and find fault with as many aspects of the alternative method as possible.

Again, this negative point of view isn’t really in keeping with true time management principles. Not only does this mindset make it impossible to be exposed to new ways of managing tasks and possibly saving time, it also can create a great deal of stress and friction for everyone concerned. If you are working with a team or delegating responsibilities, having this mindset can upset everyone’s ability to manage time effectively, meaning no one progresses as quickly as they would if all parties could learn from one another and respect individual working styles.

It may be time to check in with yourself and the way you manage your time! The bottom line is that you can become so obsessed with time management that the good you’ve created may start to unravel, putting you in a position where you are more likely to struggle and fail. When this happens, you’ll find your obsession with structured time management may be worse than when you didn’t attempt any time management practices at all.

 

Barbara Jemmott is the founder and business strategist at Your Entrepreneurial Spirit. Her 4-point YES to Customer Acquisition Program (C.A.P.) allows her to work her passion which is helping entrepreneurial women grow their audiences and income, online. She got here through her 20+ years of experience helping businesses understand and implement systems, strategies and procedures to increase productivity as well as implementing change and streamlining operations. With experience and responsibilities to design, develop and deliver training for small to large technology training initiatives for Fortune 100 companies, she brings “Big Business” expertise to the small business space. Learn more about Your Entrepreneurial Spirit and the YES to Customer Acquisition Program at www.yourentrepreneurialspirit.com

 

 

Sound Practices – Music and Your Online Presence

A number of months ago an article I wrote was posted on the CSBW blog, entitled Just ASK – Making Photo-Legal Groundwork Add Up. Today, I am going to address the use of music in your online content, e.g. in blogs and podcasts. While this post is focused on the copyright and related proprietary rights in musical works, there are other potential copyright and intellectual property issues that can affect what you do online, when you consider the sources of content used, how you adapt content and whether or not you are interviewing or using the image of other people in your podcast. If you need help applying sound legal practices in this area, get in touch with an intellectual property lawyer who can advise you on your specific circumstances.

It Takes a Village to Make Music

Unlike photographs which are generally the result of one person’s creative efforts, the music we listen to is the culmination of a number of creative contributions recognized under copyright laws.

There are composers (e.g. songwriters) for the lyrics and musical compositions; performers including singers and musicians, and sound recorders who produce what ends up being the final version of a musical work, ready for publication and distribution. Each of these contributors has certain rights in a musical piece, namely copyrights and related proprietary (‘neighboring’) rights.  Composers have legal interests in downstream efforts to perform, record and distribute their music. Performers and sound recorders have rights in the actual performances and recorded versions of musical works. Even when the copyrights in the composition of a musical piece have expired, new rights can persist and be created in new performances and recordings of the musical piece. Bottom line, there are typically a number of interests that have to be considered when selecting a musical piece to integrate into your online content.

The High Road – Music Licensing

One of the primary ways creative contributors and rights holders are compensated in connection with their copyrights and related proprietary interests, is with the payment of royalties under copyright license agreements. Unless you are confident that your use of a musical work falls within one of the exceptions to infringement prescribed under copyright laws, you need to familiarize yourself with the options available to get the license(s) you need. You can either go directly to the source (rights holder) or you can work with organizations established to issue licenses for the benefit of creative professionals and rights holders.

There are copyright licensing bodies which administer licenses, collect royalties (when applicable) and distribute proceeds to various stakeholders. This makes life easier for everyone. Creative professionals and businesses (e.g. publishers) have someone else monitoring the play time and distribution of musical works and someone else dealing with transactional processes which take away from creating new music. Users of works (businesses primarily) can go to one or two organizations to get the permissions needed to legally copy and play a tune. These organizations may also take care of the onerous task of connecting with their counterparts in other countries to coordinate efforts since similar copyright regimes operate in basically all countries around the world.

In Canada, there are several licensing bodies for musical works, but two that you will come across often are SOCAN and Re:Sound. Announced recently is a collaborative project by these two organizations to offer a joint portal for users to further streamline the licensing process (http://www.socan.ca/news/socan-and-resound-working-together-make-licensing-process-easier).

Alternatively, you could seek to select a musical piece that has been tagged with a Creative Commons license (https://creativecommons.org/about/program-areas/arts-culture/arts-culture-resources/legalmusicforvideos/). So long as you the follow the terms of the license, you can have some piece of mind that your use of a musical piece is legally approved, without having to pay royalties.

When the commercial exploitation of a particular musical piece is not within the authority of a licensing body to manage, or not otherwise pre-approved (licensed) for certain kinds of uses, you still have to get permission. It can be a long and winding road to track down rights holders, which may include authors, performers, and their estates, or employers and third party assignees. If you find this pursuit too cumbersome, there may be value in paying a modest fee to get the permissions you need and focus on creating engagement with your audience.

Remember, just ASK

In summary, if you want to legally use musical works as part of your online content:

Approach, get consent and acknowledge those who contributed to making the music you use.

Substitute with other musical pieces, if in doubt about using your first choice ‘tune’.

Know your options because today there are many, and there is really no reason you can’t be efficient finding the music you want without jeopardizing the integrity of your enterprise.

Ariadni Athanassiadis

Kyma Professional Corporation

T: 613-327-7245

E: ariadni@kymalaw.com

W: www.kymalaw.com

Network and Thrive

Even though it’s 2018 and much progress has been made, it’s no secret that professional women are still at a disadvantage in the workplace. The same is true of entrepreneurs.

 

The glass ceiling is holding strong

While progress has been made over the last decades and even more over the past few years, the glass ceiling is still stubbornly holding strong.

This is why networking, an important component of any professional’s career, is even more important when it comes to women – whether they want to climb the ladder to the C-suite or start their own business.

Networking is the most influential and efficient way to raise your profile in the business and corporate world. However, networking will only help you if done strategically.

At this point in history, men entrepreneurs (on average) are more successful than women entrepreneurs (on average) at growing their businesses. To be as successful as the men, you do have to do something you can do but that many women don’t: Build a strategic network

 

Top 8 networking tips for women

 

  1. Be Yourself: If you are guarded, people will not get a sense of who you really are and it will be difficult to connect with you. Bring your smartness and uniqueness to light.
  2. Be passionate about what you do: if your personal values don’t line up with the product or service that your company sells, you need to leave the organization or to do something else. How can you passionately talk about your business when networking if you are not excited about it. If you are not enthusiastic about what you offer, others won’t be interested in what you stand for.
  3. Take it one step at a time:You won’t amass a huge network of contacts overnight. Researches have found that just ten minutes a day is all it takes to make a big impact on the size and quality of your network.
  4. Do your research:The internet is a mine of information, and finding you have something in common with people you’re about to meet is gold. A quick online search can tell you that you went to the same university or have a connection in common.
  5. Don’t avoid men: Many women have a tendency to go to functions that only other women will attend, which limits the benefits of networking. You need to think strategically and make as many valuable connections as possible to further your success. And the best way to do so is with women and men.
  6. Help them to help you:It’s as important to be found as to find others. Having an up-to-date LinkedIn profile (including a professional headshot) makes you much more likely to be approached by new connections.
  7. End as you mean to go on:You may only have one chance to make a good first impression, but you can undo all your good work if you make a bad exit. Say a proper “goodbye” and follow up the next day to make sure your new contact remembers you for the right reasons.
  8. Follow-up: We know that the follow-up is key to cashing in on your networking efforts, but this is one of the greatest areas of missed opportunity because people don’t make time for it and then wonder why they didn’t get the deal.

Don’t just limit yourself to local, in-person networking gatherings if you want to see the best options and most opportunities in the field you’re playing in. Consider newer, more effective alternatives to networking that can take you and your business to unprecedented territories.

 

Women’s rights advocate and gender equality specialist, Darine BenAmara has dedicated her career to supporting other women. She is an international speaker, writer and advocate. Darine has significant international experience advancing women in leadership, leading global diversity and inclusion programs and advocating for women at work. Inspired by the many women she met, she designed “The Smart Woman”, an initiative helping women to overcome the challenges of networking and learn how to create smart connections to fulfill their career goals.

Connect with Darine on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Visit The Smart Woman website.

4 steps to changing up your marketing strategy for the better

Have you hit a plateau in your marketing efforts? You’re definitely not growing your business. Or maybe your business is falling short of your competitors and they are squeezing you out of the market. Whatever the case, it’s time for a marketing strategy change. Changing things up shouldn’t happen on a whim, and it should be a slow and steady process that you work through, otherwise you will likely find yourself in the same place six months from now, needing another big change.

The need for a marketing strategy change can be triggered by a number of different factors such as industry developments, audience needs, market trends, a change in service offerings, etc. As a business owner, you should be reviewing your marketing strategy at least on a quarterly basis to make sure you are staying on top of things.

Step 1: Identify gaps

Gaps are where there is a need that is not being met. You might be surprised at what you are missing if you aren’t listening intently to your audience. Here are some common gaps:

  • Lack of customer engagement
  • Slow customer service response times
  • Lack of product education
  • Missing skill set on your team to get the job done
  • Misaligned strategy and goals

Be honest with yourself about what is working and what isn’t. It makes it easier to identify these areas if you look at the data related to all aspects of your marketing. These are some common data touch points:

  • Social media engagement
  • Website traffic
  • Conversion rate (those who go from browsing to a sale)

Once you have identified where your marketing gaps are, figure out the solutions necessary to fill those gaps and let that be the foundation of your new marketing strategy.

Step 2: Set objectives

Your marketing strategy should fit within the bigger picture of your overall business strategy. Set your marketing objectives with this in mind so your marketing strategy will help you achieve your overall business objectives.

As you are setting your marketing strategy objectives, make sure that they are quantifiable, so you can measure your progress. You should also identify both short-term and long-term objectives.

Step 3: Set milestones

After setting both short-term and long-term objectives as well as identifying your tactical changes to your marketing strategy, build out a timeline to help you implement and track your success. You can always tweak the timeline as necessary, but it will keep you and your team on track. Be sure to include things like major deliverables, growth targets, and strategic decision deadlines.

Step 4: Execute and let it breathe

The hardest part about starting something new is waiting to see if it will work after you set it in motion. Depending on your goals (short-term vs. long-term), your strategy can take up to 6 months to see full results. Adjust your expectations and don’t start messing with your new strategy unless you know something isn’t working. In these cases, make sure you figure out why it isn’t working before creating a solution.

If you are ready to change up your marketing strategy, it’s important to realize that you likely have a good base to work from already. Don’t throw out your current marketing strategy, figure out how you can tweak it or build on it to make it better.

Candace Huntly is Founder and Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

Facebook/Twitter/LinkedIn/email/Website

What’s a TFSA and how can you get one?

In my last post, I discussed RRSPs. This time, I want to introduce you to the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) since many people I speak to aren’t taking advantage of this product.

Why aren’t people using a TFSA, you ask? Well, from feedback I’ve gotten, it’s simply because many of us don’t know how it works.

Let’s fix that! Read on…

 

WHAT IS A TFSA?

A TFSA (Tax Free Savings Account), like the name suggests, is a program we can use to save and invest money, all tax-free. We can use a TFSA for any type of savings goal.

It was introduced in 2009 as a registered plan so all contributions and growth are monitored by the federal government based on our Social Insurance Number.

Note that the TFSA itself is not an investment, it’s simply a “container” that holds investments and these investments must adhere to the rules of the program.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The idea behind the TFSA is that we invest our money in a tax-free environment, so our money can compound faster while it’s in the plan.

If you’re wondering why tax-free growth is such a big deal, take a look at the example on the right.

  • How can I open a TFSA?

To be eligible for an TFSA, you must be a Canadian resident for tax purposes, be over 18 and must have contribution room.

  • How much can I put into my TFSA?

Here are the contribution limits for each year since 2009:

Year(s) Annual limit Cumulative total
2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 $5,000 $20,000
2013, 2014 $5,500 $31,000
2015 $10,000 $41,000
2016, 2017, 2018 $5,500 $57,500

Unused contribution room from previous years are carried forward, so as an example, someone who was eligible for a TFSA in 2009 but never had one, can contribute up to $57,500 in 2018.

Withdrawals also affect your contribution room for that calendar year – you may have to wait until the following year for your contribution room to increase.

  • What can I invest in?

Similar to investing in an RRSP, GICs (Guaranteed Investment Certificates) and Mutual Funds are used by many Canadians. Stocks and real estate can also be used.

It’s important to note that your investments should be based on your personal risk tolerance and investment objectives and speaking to an advisor is a great way to make sure you are using a strategy that works for you.

  • How long can I contribute for?

There are no age limits for contributing to a TFSA, so you can continue as long as the program is available, and you are eligible.

WHO IS IT RIGHT FOR?

A TFSA is a great way to save money for short term goals (vacations, cars, emergency fund etc.), but it’s becoming a more popular way to save for retirement because of the tax-free benefits.

As business owners, one advantage of using a TFSA is that the contribution room isn’t based on earned income like an RRSP. We usually declare less income when filing taxes, so our calculated RRSP room can be restrictive. A TFSA would be a good option for increasing retirement savings.

Also, since many business owners are in a higher tax bracket during retirement, using a TFSA as the first option for retirement savings may be more tax-effective than an RRSP when it comes to withdrawing the money.

Another thing to keep in mind (especially if you are thinking of running your business abroad) is that the growth on your money in a TFSA is tax free while you are a resident of Canada, so if you move outside of the country, you may have to pay applicable taxes.

Depending on your goals, a TFSA may make more sense for you, or using both a TFSA and RRSP may be best. It’s about knowing the pros and cons of each and making sure your money works for you!

To learn more about TFSAs: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/tax-free-savings-account.html

 

—————

Kim Lowrie is an insurance agent and mutual fund representative with World Financial Group.

She and her husband have made it their lifelong mission to help families, individuals and business owners succeed financially.

To find a solution that best fits your needs and goals, connect with Kim:

647.231.9052

klowrie02unjc@wfgmail.ca

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What’s at your C.O.R.E.?

We’ve talked about this before, the importance of clearly communicating your message. What is your message? What is at the very heart, the very “C.O.R.E” of your business? I think it’s a topic that bears repeating because by taking the time to really understand what your main purpose is, you will then be better able to communicate it to the world.  If, as I believe, “content is everything” then you must take the time to create good content, whether for your website, for blogging purposes, for advertising and for all of your social media accounts. Be clear about your message, only share great content and then you’ll generate the type of business you desire.

What is C.O.R.E. content? It’s material that is Current, Original, Relevant and Engaging. It’s content that you’ve taken time to carefully craft. Using my “ten words or less” approach, you’ve thought about how best to describe your business in ten words or less to create a business tagline and you are now engaged in creating all of your other business content around supporting your main message. By remaining current, you are actively engaged in updating your website and social media messaging regularly.  As much as possible, your material should be original, whether you write it yourself or hire a ghost-writer, it’s content that reflects your brand and your messaging, not that of someone else. Relevant content is important for obvious reasons but also because you don’t want to get “kicked to the SPAM filter” because people are fed up with seeing posts about babies and puppies from you when your business is actually selling pop sockets or home staging services. That said – it is still sometimes possible to make certain content engaging and relevant to your business by asking people to comment or reflect upon your postings in a way that links back to your business. As an example, I recently shared a post that was about babies and puppies but asked my followers to caption the picture (words are my business after all) and offered a coffee card gift prize for the best caption as an incentive.

You might have the best product or service in the world but if you don’t create great content to help share your message, it’s never going to sell. Spelling counts, grammar counts, and using just the right amount of words to describe your business or service really does matter. You have between 10 – 30 seconds on a website to make a good impression.  Be clear about your C.O.R.E. message because content really is everything!

As Owner and Principal partner of “Writing Right For You” Sheralyn is a Communications Strategist – working together with entrepreneurs to maximize profit through effective use of the written word. Looking for web content that works, blog articles that engage or communications strategies that help you get noticed?  Contact Sheralyn today. Sheralyn is also the mother of two children now entering the “terrible and terrific teens” and spends her free time volunteering for several non-profit organizations.

Sheralyn Roman B.A., B.Ed.

Writing Right For You

Communications Strategies that help you GET TO THE POINT!

416-420-9415 Cell/Business

writingrightforyou@gmail.com

Now’s the time to refresh your website

Now the weather is changing and we’re moving out of the gloom and cold of the winter season, we can feel the returning spring in our step and the sense of renewal that this new season brings. For most people it has us starting to refresh, renew and reset in many areas of our lives and spring cleaning is a right of passage at this time of year. An area that is often overlooked though (for several reasons) is your business website. What can you do to remove the stale and encourage the sale? You can take some time and refresh in a few of the areas shown here.

Start with a review: When was the last time you updated your website? It’s not a bad idea to refresh a couple of times a year to keep your content current and to keep things fresh. Take a walk through your site as a visitor, or a potential client. Is it easy to find the information you want to highlight? Does the content support your directive and speak to your ideal client’s pain points? With some focus here, you can improve the visitor experience, and that can really help.

Refresh your colour palette: If you have a branded colour palette have you been using it? You can freshen up the how visitors feel about your content by selecting images and photos that reflect your colour palette, when you update font colours for your headings, quotes, and pull-out text you can get a huge bang for your buck. Is it worth it? Yes. A simple change in this area can work wonders and give you a brand-new vibe within your chosen palette.

How’s your blog? If you’ve been a little lax about your blogging lately there’s great value in getting back in the swing. Your clients and potential clients can learn so much from what you have to offer, and blogging is a way to share that knowledge as you spread your word. As an entrepreneur or small business owner you will get love from search engines such as Google, Bing and others because they love fresh content. Remember, growing your blog doesn’t have to be about writing. There are different options to creating content for your blog – think video blogging, audio (podcasting), or having guest writers provide content for your blog.

Add a survey: You can encourage your visitors to interact with your site and you can learn from them at the same time! Choose a topic of interest and use one of the many survey tools out there to learn more. Looking for an easy to use survey tool? Consider Type Form for an elegant solution. There’s lots of options out there from the plain (Google forms) to the complicated and expensive. You can find a solution to meet your needs.

Set objectives for your website: Create your key objectives for your site, then work to meet them. For many website owners an important objective is to build your subscriber list. Make it easy to find and use your opt-in boxes by placing them strategically and make it valuable to the visitor to trade their email address for what you have to offer.

Ready for video (or audio)? Using either of these items on your website can make it so much more interesting, particularly in these days of mobile devices and short attention spans. It’s becoming easier and more affordable to use either or both options. You can do something as simple as adding a Facebook Live video to your website or add an audio file to your about page for better effect.

There are so many options you can bring to your website that can help clear the cobwebs and breathe fresh air into your content and your visitor experience and it doesn’t have to be expensive or time consuming as these examples demonstrate. If you haven’t refreshed your website in the last year, where will you start to bring it into the same realm as your business strategy right now? Pick as least two things to refresh because it will make a difference to you and your visitors, and now is a great time to start!

 

Barbara Jemmott is the founder and business strategist at Your Entrepreneurial Spirit. Her 4-point YES to Customer Acquisition Program (C.A.P.) allows her to work her passion which is helping entrepreneurial women grow their audiences and income, online. She got here through her 20+ years of experience helping businesses understand and implement systems, strategies and procedures to increase productivity as well implement change and streamline operations. With experience and responsibilities to design, develop and deliver training for small to large technology training initiatives for Fortune 100 companies, she brings “Big Business” expertise to the small business space. Learn more about Your Entrepreneurial Spirit and the YES to Customer Acquisition Program at www.yourentrepreneurialspirit.com

 

When to Hire a Second Set of Virtual Hands

 

Years ago, I worked for the Federal Government. One day our department announced it was unveiling a Vision Statement. It would be printed and laminated and every one of us would get a copy to hang on our office wall.

It was lovely. It really was very, very nice. It was also really long. And wordy. And kind of nebulous, and cumbersome.

Worst of all, it had taken the committee two years to create.

I looked at it, and, being somewhat young and full of vinegar and opinions, I blurted out (to the Big, Big Kahuna): “Really? I could have written you guys a vision statement in half an hour!”

I didn’t win myself any friends in high places that day, but, I was serious. And OK, maybe it would have taken me two hours – as a writer, we have to take into account time for researching and gathering information. Then there’s time it takes to go back and forth with the client — the drafts and copy changes can take more time that the actual writing sometimes.

In any case, this illustrates my point perfectly. Hiring a professional makes sense in so many situations. Whether you’re renovating your kitchen or writing a proposal — why labour away at something painfully, slowly (and in a committee, no less!) when you could spend a little bit of money to have it done quickly, with beautiful results?

VIRTUAL ASSISTANTS

The virtual assistant (VA) is one of the wonderful results of our digital world. You can hire a VA for a short-term projects, or on an ongoing, long-term basis, and that VA can be anywhere.

You can hire a virtual assistant for literally anything, from the mundane and time-consuming such as addressing holiday cards, to the complex such as setting up your office or a filing system that actually works virtual assistants can also make travel arrangements, and do research.

A virtual assistant can come from almost any background. The right VA with the right experience can be a goldmine for you. Look for legal, financial, or government background, for example, when you need help navigating bureaucracy, or creating a proposal for a government tender.

Hire a VA to do those chores you dread. I used to think there was virtue in forcing myself to do the things I dread. It builds character, right? How about letting yourself off the hook and paying for someone else to do it? This professional virtual assistant, Lisa Jibson (http://www.rossstreetagency.com) for example, offers to “follow up on unpaid accounts receivable.” If the thought of calling people who owe you money makes your hair curl, this VA can help you get money you’re owed. You pay her to get them to pay you. That’s a great return on investment, wouldn’t you say?

WRITERS AND COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALISTS

If writing is a time-consuming chore for you, a writer can take that chore off your hands and free you up to do what you do best.

Do you struggle when it comes to writing? A professional writer can organize information quickly and clearly. I’ve met so many brilliant, articulate people who tell me they struggle to get their thoughts organized in writing; that it takes days or weeks to write up a report or proposal. What else would you do with that time — and more importantly, mental energy, if you paid someone else to do it?

When you should hire a writer:

  • Hire a professional writer when you need a polished and professional piece of writing, such as a media release. For a little investment you’ll get a media release gets results and doesn’t go into the Circular Filing Cabinet on the floor.
  • Hire professional help when you need a proposal, sales letter, or some other written item that could make you money.
  • Hire for help with a writing task or project that is weighing you down, mentally, or worse, holding you back in some way.
  • Hire a writer when you want a better, more polished online presence.

The long and the short of it is this: high-quality writing leads to improved online visibility, which leads to more clients.

More clients are always a good thing.

Stephanie Regan can make your content sing and sway and pop. See samples of her work at www.durhamwritingservices.com.

7 Tips To Turn Your Contacts Into Powerful Connections

Business and personal success is all about making the right connections and finding the people who will lead you to new opportunities. However, many believe that success in networking is defined by the volume of exchanges (how many cards can you collect) when in reality there is little to no value in the quantity.

A lot of us are going about connecting in the wrong way. The real objective should be to connect with, learn from, and build real relationships with fewer people who are different than us and could challenge us to stretch our thinking.

Of course friends, family and acquaintances are important, but in business they can only get us so far. To reach our full potential we need to create meaningful connections with people who see things differently than we do, ask very different questions, imagine different possibilities, and challenge us to rethink the way we do the things that matter most.

Success in expanding a valuable list of contacts is solely based on the power of the connection you make.

 

How do you go about making and building powerful connections?

 

  1. Ask yourself, who would be a valuable connection?

Challenge yourself to move beyond the questions “Who is my ideal client?” and “Who do I need to meet to pitch my product?” Instead, put the focus on why connecting with a certain person or group is important to all parties? How does meeting this person potentially impact everyone financially and socially? If this connection is made, what is the likelihood it can be maintained over the long term?

  1. Ask yourself, what is my value as a connection?

It is important to know and understand your role. What can you bring into the relationship? What can you give before you can think about getting?

  1. Ask for a strategic introduction.

If there’s a specific person you’re planning to connect with, do some Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn research to see if you have a contact who knows that individual directly, or at least knows someone who works for the same organization. If you can find it, a third-party endorsement will give you a powerful edge.

  1. Follow-up and put it on a calendar.

After clicking with a powerful new connection, don’t drop the ball. Never ever wait for everyone to email back and forth for a date. It won’t happen. Drive the date, suggest the time, and get it on the calendar. This provides value to your connections.

  1. Deepen the relationship.

Immediately following a conversation with a person of interest, dots down a number from one to ten on the back of their business card, indicating their potential to help you advance your business. For anyone who scores a six or above, adds a brief note about them, such as “three-year-old daughter, developing a new food services business, traveling to Montreal.”

The next day, send an email to the person, saying that you enjoyed the conversation, and reference one of your notes, like “Have a great time in Montreal!” You can also assist in some way, by sending a link to an interesting Montreal travel article or offering to introduce the person to a friend who works in the same field.

  1. Maintain the connection.

Create a schedule for keeping in touch, whether you reach out to X number of people each week, or set aside X amount of time each day to networking.

  1. Save your time and minimize connections that lack value.

If a connection isn’t of value and you cannot provide value, let it go. It’s best for both parties.

Finally, networking is like exercise and making powerful connections takes time and practice. You may fail a couple of times but don’t worry about it. In the end, you will find much better contacts and people who can benefit one another.

Women’s rights advocate and gender equality specialist, Darine BenAmara has dedicated her career to supporting other women. She is an international speaker, writer and advocate. Darine has significant international experience advancing women in leadership, leading global diversity and inclusion programs and advocating for women at work. Inspired by the many women she met, she designed “The Smart Woman”, an initiative helping women to overcome the challenges of networking and learn how to create smart connections to fulfill their career goals.

 

Connect with Darine on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn. Don’t forget to subscribe to The Smart Woman newsletter for more networking tips.

Do Experts Still Matter?

These are dangerous times. Never have so many people had so much access to so much knowledge and yet have been so resistant to learning anything. – Tom Nichols, Professor of National Security Affairs at the U.S. Naval War College, and five-time undefeated Jeopardy! Champion.

Lately, I’ve noticed increasing criticism of and disdain towards professionals regardless of their areas of specialization. It’s as if ‘experts’ are a now a silly myth. Are they really something to shrug at, or dismiss like an annoying opinion poll?  This growing mindset is disturbing in part because I invested almost 10 years to earn my doctorate in psychology and I have been equally dedicated while working in my chosen profession.

Definition of expertsIn the past, I used to chuckle at anecdotal arguments against facts that were 100% evidence-based. This was mainly because I assumed most people were informed or at the very least humble enough to recognize when they weren’t experts on a given topic. Moreover, when it mattered, they would seek advice from someone who really knows about the relevant subject area.

I’m no longer laughing.

Right before my eyes, I see too many instances where experts are ignored in favour of people who have a big audience regardless of their knowledge or credibility. For example, public figures and celebrities with zero medical or health-related education that declare vaccines are useless, or worse … dangerous … despite reams of scientific evidence that shows their true value. Similarly, powerful politicians and special interest groups have joined forces to ignore the science and knowledge around climate change. These folks are determined to deny that climate change is real. They argue that the scientific literature is fake.

It’s off-putting to watch someone disregard a genuine specialist, and then seek help or guidance from a source that has no skills or established credentials. For instance, Adam Frank noted in his recent article, whether it’s legal advice or car repairs, getting services from someone with relevant training and experience is usually what people want. Normally, these are decent, sought after qualities.

So what is happening? Why has the use of the word ‘expert’ significantly changed? 

In part, the problem stems from the evolution of social media. We live in an era where anyone who wants to share their thoughts, whether it’s a well-informed thought/opinion or it is based on biased and superficial opinions, can easily reach out to thousands if not millions. In today’s world, it’s easy to ‘publish’ whatever we want on websites, YouTube, or blogs without the obligation of going through an editor or a peer-review process.

Why are we so ready to make the experts irrelevant? In our professional and our personal lives, we must continually question the printed words that come from newspapers, social media, and magazines. This is a crucial time when we should reconsider our expectations of what an expert is, and reclaim the importance of finding the ‘real’ ones.

One advantage of this new reality is that it’s lowered the barriers to public self-expression. It’s made information sharing appear more democratic. Yet, one glaring disadvantage is that occasionally well-funded misinformation can get passed off as factual (e.g., the combined efforts of fossil fuel industry insiders and certain politicianswho reject the existence and threats of climate change).

Similarly, in unregulated fields and industries, any ‘coach’ or ‘consultant’ can publish a website and promote themselves as a service provider. When the marketing is effective, it is very difficult to distinguish between better and poorer quality services. This means that there is a lot of variety in the coaching and consulting industries.

Consumers deserve more

I won’t say that people need ‘big’ credentials to excel at what they are doing, but given what’s at stake for people’s businesses and careers, shouldn’t consumers demand and be given more? At a minimum, shouldn’t we all request a certain level of experience and training? When you’re paying an ‘expert’ to solve a problem that has you stumped is a few days of training enough?

In previous articles, I’ve discussed some of the complex challenges that recent graduates and moreexperienced workers are facing. The circumstances that both cohorts now experience leave many stuck and unsure of what to do to get unstuck and make gains in their careers. The changes that we can anticipate within many workplaces due to automation will add to those challenges.

Finally, when it comes to your career or your employees, the stakes are high. Count on credible experience and knowledge that you know you can trust.

If you’d like to discuss any career-related challenges that you’re experiencing – or you’d like to do some strategic planning to prevent these types of problems, I invite you to contact me by email, phone, or via direct message on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn  to discuss any of these topics in more detail.

More than career coaching, it’s career psychology®.

I/O Advisory Services – Building Resilient Careers.

5 Big Marketing Mistakes for Small Business

As a small business owner, you need to make sure that you are using your resources in the best way possible. It can be easy to let things fall through the cracks, but you need to make sure that your marketing strategy is on track otherwise, it will be hard for you to succeed.

Here are six big marketing mistakes many small business owners make, whether they are just starting out or they have been in a business for a while and have hit a plateau in growth.

Targeting too broad an audience

As a small business owner, if your audience is too broad you will find that you go through your budget quickly and you won’t see great results because you are trying to reach too many people. Instead, conquer your audiences one niche at a time and let your reputation spread organically. If you do it right, your loyal customers will do your marketing for you. Focus on more grassroots and targeted initiatives to stretch your budget while getting bigger results. For example, you could run an influencer campaign to reach a small group of bloggers or other “celebrity” type influencers who will share your brand story with their audience. This helps you to amplify your marketing message while only marketing directly to a smaller group.

Not knowing where you fit into the competitive landscape

I have run into countless business owners (or those at the idea stage) that truly believe that they are the only one out there selling their product or service. While that might be true, chances are, you’re not first to the market with a product or service that is similar. And just because a company isn’t offering the exact same thing as you doesn’t mean that their similar product doesn’t have some of the same benefits. They may not be a direct competitor, but they are a competitor. Do your research before launching your business to see what else is out there that is similar. To ensure that you stay on top of industry developments, you should be constantly looking for new players in your market to see where your product fits into the industry and why your customers and target audience should buy what you are selling over your competitors.

No big picture strategy

Your marketing strategy needs to be carefully planned out in advance so you can see how all of the elements fit together. You can set yourself up for success better if your marketing objectives tie directly into your business objectives. Develop detailed timelines for each tactic you are looking to implement over the next year and set milestones to measure your success by. Keep in mind that this doesn’t have to be a rigid planning document. You can adjust your timelines and the overall strategy as you go as needed. But it will act as a guide to keep your marketing strategy moving in the right direction.

Not starting early enough

A common mistake many small business owners make is not starting early enough. This has to do with both planning and marketing for specific initiatives. Unless you have an unlimited budget that will allow for you to create a massive spectacle that can’t be missed (ie. Public stunts in multiple cities, or one major public stunt that is larger than life) you want to make sure people know what’s coming so they can get excited for it and start helping you build buzz. For example, if you are planning your product launch for September, you need to start planning in detail in June (at least!) and start talking about it publicly – even as a teaser at least a month in advance. Another example would be if you plan to run a holiday gift guide campaign where you intend to be included in media gift guides. For certain media, you need to start that in August.

If you are bringing in a third party to execute your strategy (like an agency), bring them in at the beginning and figure out the best timeline for success. You might think you are saving money by bringing them in later, but in reality, you are just cutting your success short.

Starting out free gets your name out there

This is a highly discussed topic. Sometimes people think that giving away your products/services for free in the beginning will mean that you will gain more exposure. While you might get more exposure, it’s not generally the kind you should be looking for because you are severely undervaluing yourself. In many cases, once people get something for free, they will continue to expect free, which doesn’t help you in growing your revenues. The first thing I tell brands/experts is to stop working for free just for exposure.

The only time giving your product/services away for free is acceptable is if it is part of a larger media strategy where you will get third party reviews from credible sources. This type of exposure can be very helpful in amplifying your brand message because you are tapping into their networks and building trust. It is also ok to choose a small test group of customers at the beginning for market research to get feedback on your product/service, but it should end there. Giving severe discounts and freebies to everyone in the beginning is going to make it difficult to start charging what you’re actually worth.

 

Candace Huntly is Founder and Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take organizational and individual brands to the next level. With a passion for all things related to creativity and strategy, she specializes in business intelligence, marketing & branding, content strategy & development, media & influencer relations, and social media. Basically, if you need to put your brand, product, or cause in the public eye, she will find a way to do it, while making the approach unique to you.

Connect with Candace

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