Canadian Small Business Women

Connection, Synergy, Community

Is Fear of Failure Holding You Back?

CHuntly

You have your fabulous business idea, you have your goals written out, and you have written a killer business plan. The next step can be the most daunting one when it comes to launching any business – you have to tell people about what it is you do.

Once you start marketing your business one of three things can happen:

  1. You are an “instant” hit – it looks like you are going to meet or surpass your goals.
  2. Nothing – no one seems interested in buying what you are selling, or perhaps you aren’t reaching them in the right ways.
  3. Your audience vocally doesn’t like what you are offering – this is pretty rare unless you have completely misread your audience.

Often, for an entrepreneur, the fear of failure can hold you back from putting together the best marketing strategy you can. You are afraid that if you put yourself out there completely you won’t be received well. The best way to get over your fears is strategic planning and focus.

I know what you are thinking…  I read this blog for THAT?! As simple as it might seem, the one thing that gets pushed aside is great planning. You may have a lot of great ideas for a marketing plan, but is it a full strategy? And do you have a plan to keep yourself on track?

Here are 5 things to consider to help get over the entrepreneurial fear hump and get your marketing strategy in order:

  1. Have you considered your target audience’s needs and behaviours? Your audience should always dictate how you market your business. For example, if you are targeting an audience that isn’t very tech-savvy, that Twitter Q&A you have planned is the wrong place to invest. You may want to consider more traditional tactics like direct mail or event-based marketing.
  2. Do your selected tactics fit within your overall business goals? It’s easy to get caught up with what your competitors are doing or the latest and greatest technology that is on the market, however you should take a step back and consider those goals and objectives in your business plan. If your goal is to become an industry leader in your field but you hadn’t considered a strong content marketing or PR plan, then you should reconsider your planning.
  3. Focus is your best friend. It is easy to look at all of the things you have to do and find smaller, less important tasks that you “just have to” complete first. While cleaning out your junk drawer in your desk can probably wait as well, I am talking about all of the things that can derail a great strategy. For example, you have set out to market your business on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, but you heard about how neat Snapchat is and you thought you would “just set up” an account. Before you know it, you have spent half a day on something that you hadn’t planned on.
  4. Are you evaluating your strategy on a regular basis? Changing your original strategy isn’t a bad thing as long as it comes from a strategic evaluation of what is working and what isn’t. If you aren’t getting the traction you expected from Facebook, maybe you should consider a different social channel or focusing your time and resources into a different strategy altogether. It’s important to track the success of your efforts so you can look at your success over time and tweak your strategy as necessary.
  5. Are you trying to be an island? This is a huge cause of entrepreneurial fear (and failure). You may be the biggest champion of your own idea, however, sometimes it’s good to bring a third party in to look at your strategy with an unbiased eye. You don’t have to hire someone to do your entire strategy and execution for you (your budget might not allow for that!) but you can work with a consultant or coach to make sure you are on the right track. Your hesitation in starting your marketing outreach could stem from not feeling confident in your strategy and this will help with that.

As a business owner you should always give yourself enough space to take a step back, take a deep breath, and get back to the basics of what makes your business a business – your idea, your goals and objectives, your brand story, and your target audience. As long as you have a good foundation in the basics, you can approach everything else with confidence.

Candace Huntly is the Founder and Principal 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.

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The Beauty in Business – 5 Reasons why looks matter

 Praveeni

Looks matter! We all know and have come to accept the fact that appearances, though sometimes deceiving do play a part in how successful we are in life in general. It may come as a surprise to some however that looks matter in business as well. Although this may be a tough pill to swallow for those who believe that clients choose you based on your knowledge, products and customer care, looks do play a large part in the business world. Here are five reasons why looks matter in the business world :

  1. The first impression is a lasting impression

You only get once chance to make a great first impression and it’s rather difficult to recover from a bad one. The initial part of a first impression is based solely on the way you look; when someone sees you for the first time they make a judgment about you before you even have the chance to speak. Thus it’s important to make sure your look represents the message you want to convey through your words.

  1. Potential clients are more likely to listen to people they find attractive

This may sound a little crazy and off-putting but research along with many hidden camera T.V. shows have proven that it is in fact true. If we find a person attractive we would like to spend more time speaking with them and listen to what they have to say. Although what each person finds attractive differs individually the overall package you present (i.e. yourself) should come across as well groomed, friendly and professional.

  1. A professional look helps establish trust

Trust is a key component of winning and retaining clients. In order to gain a client’s business you have to win their trust first. You can gain a client’s trust by looking the part – what would you like a client to think when they see you? Clients usually like to do business with people they cant relate to and those who offer a professional service. It’s important to portray an image of professionalism and approachability. Clients need to know that you have the skills required to provide them with top quality products and services, but they also need to know that they can come to you and speak with you directly if they have a concern.

  1. Looking healthy portrays energy and motivation

Clients ultimately want to do business with people who work hard for them and provide them with the best products/services. As we are now living in the health and fitness revolution maintaining a healthy lifestyle and being in shape is exceedingly important in business. If you look like you take time to look after yourself and make healthy choices clients will notice; looking healthy conveys the message that you are motivated and energized. You don’t have to be a body builder or a fitness model to portray this image but you do need to take time to evaluate your own health and fitness, an area that many entrepreneurs overlook. Make time for you and the results both physical and financial will show.

  1. Your look represents your brand

The way you look is a non-verbal advertisement for your brand. Whether you realize it or not you make a fashion statement everyday with the clothes you choose, the way you do your hair and make up and the manner in which you carry yourself. As an entrepreneur it’s important to make sure that statement accurately represents the brand you’re trying to establish.  People will judge your outfit, accessories, behavior etc. and try to draw parallels between them and the product/services you are trying to market. So before you step out each morning ask yourself – are you on brand? If not, it may be time to re-think that outfit or hairstyle.

Praveeni Perera is the CEO and co-founder of Professional Edge Consulting a corporate training company based in Ottawa offering training and coaching services to clients around the world.  She can be reached via Website, Twitter, Facebook or her Blog.