Canadian Small Business Women

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3 things every small business should do before marketing

It can be tempting to “just get started” marketing your product because you “need to make money.” However, chances are, you aren’t going to be happy with the results you are getting because you haven’t taken the time to actually do the foundational work to set yourself up for success. If you are going to compete with the big guys, you need to do the work. And doing the foundational work will actually help you to stretch your marketing budget further and get the biggest return on your investment.

So how can you get started?

Here are 3 key things you need to do before you launch your marketing strategy.

Get your [brand] story straight

It will be pretty hard for you to market your business if you don’t really know who you are and what value you bring to the table. If you take a minute to create your value proposition, you will be forced to figure out what you specialize in, how you are different, who your target audience is, and what benefit you bring to them. Once you have your value proposition, you can create your brand messaging to help you identify more details about who you are as a business and brand, how you fit into the industry, and more specific things that make you stand out.

This will help you figure out the best ways to connect with your target audience and really make your customer the hero of your brand story. Remember, the most important thing is to ensure that all of your decisions are made based on what is best for your target audience. The type of content you create, the channels you choose to communicate, the benefits you focus on – all of it!

Write down your short and long-term goals

I have said it before, I will keep saying it…  You won’t know if you’re successful unless you identify what success is. You should have set goals for your business, but you also need to set marketing-specific goals for your campaigns. And those goals should tie into your overall business goals. For example, you may want to increase your revenues by 50% for the business. Your marketing goals could then be things like:

  • Increase traffic on product pages by 100%
  • Increase customer inquiries by 60%
  • Get 10 customer reviews every month
  • Book a new client every month

Your business will have specific goals that will make sense for your industry, current operating status, resources, target audience, etc. The important thing is to try to make sure your goals are measurable so you can track them along the way. A good reminder is to set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.

Once you have set your goals, you know what you are working towards, so create a timeline with milestones along the way. Basically you are giving yourself a chance to celebrate a bunch of little small wins until you reach your overall goals. It also helps you to figure out if what you are doing is working or not so you can tweak your strategy if necessary.

Identify direct and indirect competitors

I can’t tell you how many times we have spoken to small business owners who say they are the only ones offering a specific service only to do a quick search to find a bunch of companies offering the same or similar products/services. You don’t need an expensive market research firm to tell you if there are competitors out there. Use your search engine of choice or start listening on social media and following certain hashtags. Keep in mind that your indirect competitors (those selling to the same audience or who offer similar products/services) are also important to keep track of.

When it comes to your marketing strategy, looking at competitor strategy is a great way to see if there are certain things that are working and ones that aren’t. What are they doing to reach their customers? A great marketing strategy can sometimes be like a great jazz improv solo. It’s OK to riff off of something that is out there as long as you make it completely your own and you don’t copy it.

Figuring out who the major industry players are can also help you to identify how you are different. In business, different is great because it allows you to leverage those differences to make stronger connections with your target audience.

Small businesses don’t have to see their size as a disadvantage. If you do the foundational work, you will set yourself up for a marketing strategy success.

 

​​Candace Huntly is Founding 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

Sign up for our free 20-minute consultation and we’ll help you figure things out.

A version of this article was originally posted to the SongBird Marketing Communications blog.

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Leading Through Diversity And Inclusion

 

When I started to write this series for Canadian Business Women I thought I would be providing tips and strategies for leading and growing your business through people. That’s my thing, I had no idea at the time that we would be hit with a perfect storm that is still turning our world upside down. We are still dealing with COVID-19 as we start to open up our businesses and within the last month we have seen the growth of a world-wide movement that has (finally) brought everyone into the conversation about race, injustice and inequality in a way that we have never seen before.

For many of my small business owner clients and colleagues, this has lead them to take a closer look at their own business practices and personal leadership on diversity and inclusion.

Diversity helps all businesses, including small businesses, foster innovation. improve productivity and strengthen the bottom line through a wider and deeper range of ideas, approaches to problem solving, and perspective that comes from diversity in race, gender and other diverse backgrounds.

Diverse consumers also have tremendous purchasing power, according to a diversity study done by Deloitte. Many of those diverse clients and customers will make decisions regarding whether to do business with you based on the extent to which your business and products and services are attuned to their demands and desires.

Many small business owners don’t realize that they are not diverse in their offerings and practices for hiring or choosing suppliers or other business partners. We all have unconscious biases that affect how we see the world. This means that even when we don’t intend to discriminate, we are unconsciously drawn to people “like us” and as a result end up reinforcing the status quo in our business and personal relationships.

We can end up surrounding ourselves with people like us, thereby creating “mini-mes” on our team which doesn’t provide us with the bandwidth for problem solving and growth. While we are great at what we do, we actually need people with a variety of strengths and backgrounds in order to get the results and achieve the success we want for our business.

In order to foster that diversity, we need to consciously think about how we choose employees, suppliers, and business partners and how we engage with them. Rather than rely on our old methods of referral, and hiring within our network, we need to actively put measures in place to ensure diversity in the process and reach out to organizations and individuals who can bring a different perspective to our business.

I remember working with one client to help build out his digital marketing team. He was very clear that he wanted a diverse group of people, that this was critical to the success of the team. I gave him an assessment to complete for each of the roles in order to create an objective range of success for hiring the team. When the results came back, almost every assessment result looked exactly like his. So even though he made a conscious decision to actively create a diverse team, his unconscious bias created role profiles that were just like him, and this was even before he began to recruit or interview candidates. This is how unconscious bias works.

So if we want to embrace diversity and inclusion we need to examine our own practices and decisions. If you have employees, review your existing systems such as hiring, performance evaluations, work assignments, promotions, and compensation systems. These are all potential areas for systemic bias. Look at other policies like holiday observance to see how inclusive they are. If you are hiring, review the role description and requirements and consider using unbiased assessment tools to help screen candidates.

Creating a more diverse and inclusive business requires more than just mission statements on a website. It requires active outreach to communities that are under-represented. Using your usual network to find employees, suppliers and partners will only reinforce the status quo. You can start with a small goal, like 10% of spend for diverse suppliers.

As you consider steps you want to take for diversity and inclusion in your business, do so in a way that genuinely reflects your values, your brand, and the work you do. Diversity starts with you as a leader, so it’s important to be aware that you, like all of us, have biases. We need to make deliberate choices to change how we make decisions about the people we surround ourselves with and how our practices and systems either reinforce the status quo or promote inclusion. Change, even in a small business, doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a process that will take time, dedication and consistency in your efforts. The payoff in financial and business success will be well worth it!

If you would like to talk with me directly about how to navigate your business through this time, I invite you to please email me to set up a complementary session.  Stay well everyone!

Catherine Meyer is CEO and Founder of Catalyst Leadership Solutions. She provides coaching and leadership solutions to a wide range of businesses and industries. Her focus is on helping business owners and entrepreneurs develop their leadership strengths so that they can build their capabilities, enhance growth, and maximize results for their business If you manage a team as part of your business or are in the process of creating a team, Catherine can help you develop your leadership strength to ensure the success of this phase of your growth.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinemeyer808/

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2019 Marketing Strategy Planning Checklist

It’s year end. While for many that means a bit of a holiday break between Christmas and New Year’s as well as an end to the fiscal year, not enough business owners think about what it means for their marketing strategy. Year end is a great time for you to figure out what worked and what didn’t so you can set yourself up for success in 2019.

Here is a planning checklist to help you get your marketing strategy in order for 2019:

  • Market analysis: Start by identifying any trends that are driving growth in your industry. This will ensure you are keeping up with how your industry is shifting. Once you have identified how the industry is shifting, figure out what your competitors are up to with their marketing strategies and how your audience is responding to them.
  • Audit your brand: While you don’t need to go through a rebrand every year, you do need to make sure that your brand message is still relevant to your audience. It could be that you have changed your focus since the beginning of last year to follow industry trends, or perhaps you shifted your focus to cater to your audience’s changing needs.
  • Define your marketing goals: Before setting your goals for 2019, you need to identify whether you achieved your goals from last year. It’s the idea that you need to look back before looking forward. If you didn’t achieve your goals, figure out why and set more achievable goals for the upcoming year. If you did achieve your goals, make sure you are pushing yourself to go further in 2019. And remember to make your goals measurable so you can figure out when you are successful.
  • Set metrics: Once you have defined your marketing goals, you need to figure out how you will measure your success. If your goals were measurable, it’s a matter of selecting the appropriate metrics to track along the way. You also need to figure out how often you will prepare reports to measure your progress. At the very least, you should track your metrics once per month. If you are running an important tactic or trying something new, it might be good to do weekly check-ins.
  • Choose your tactics: Figure out how you will reach your target audience in 2019. It could be through things that are already in place, but perhaps you want to try something new. At this stage, think beyond your budget. You can include things on here that might be out of your budget now, but could be considered as future options.
  • Set your budget: Were you on budget in 2018? Perhaps there were things that cost more than you thought they would? Now that you can figure out the answers to those questions you can set your budget for your 2019 marketing strategy. Knowing what your goals are you should be able to pinpoint if there are areas you want to increase your spending. It’s important to be realistic about your marketing budget so you don’t spread yourself too thin, but you also want to give yourself enough of a budget to invest so you can achieve results that will allow you to grow.
  • Set your timeline: Prioritize your chosen tactics and select those that you can both afford to do and have time to do this year. Then create a timeline for the year of when you will use your chosen tactics. Basically, this is a snapshot of your overall marketing plan for the year.
  • Set milestones: Now that you have your overall plan in place and the timing of your marketing tactics, set smaller checkpoints along the way. This will help to keep you on track throughout the year. It will also indicate the steps needed to help you achieve your marketing goals.
  • Create your content strategy: Before developing a content strategy, you need to figure out how much you can handle. The idea is that you want to be consistent with the content you are putting out there. Your audience will come to expect certain things from you. Create an editorial calendar for your blogging and set up scheduling for your social media content.
  • Update your website: Year end is a great time for a content refresh on your website, especially if you have tweaked your brand messaging at all. You can also review the design of your website to make sure it is not out of date. It might just be time for a redesign!

A new year is a chance for you to start fresh for your marketing strategy, but you want to make sure you are starting off on the right foot.

Candace Huntly is Founder and Partner at SongBird Marketing Communications, an award-winning agency working to take company and expert 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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As A Business Owner, Your Personal Profile Matters

As a business owner, your personal profile matters more than you might think. When it comes down to

it, as a small business owner, you are your brand. Like it or not, what you say even when you’re not speaking on behalf of your company will reflect on your business reputation.

You likely already have a presence online that you are building (hello,it’s 2018, this should be a no brainer!) or maybe you want to expand your current network through events and other face-to-face meetings. Regardless, here are a two things to take into account as you build your profile.

Always be aware of potential connections

You never know who knows who or the quality of their relationship if they are a mutual acquaintance. So, if you are thinking of badmouthing someone, one of three things could happen:

  1. The person you are speaking to actually likes this acquaintance and you have just offended them.

      2. The person you are speaking to really doesn’t like this acquaintance either and you have just bonded over                      something really negative.

      3. The person you are speaking to feels very uncomfortable and thinks,͞ “if you can so easily talk about them, are                 you badmouthing me as well to others?”

͟In all three cases, you have just opened your mouth (or let your fingers fly over the keyboard) without knowing what the response will be, and in all three cases you get a negative out come. Even though you bonded in #2, do you really want to get a reputation like that?

Your values should align with how you want others to see your business.

Put out what you want to get back

The way you interact with others says a lot about your personality. We have all heard about employers or clients who like to see how someone treats serving staff before making a final decision on whether to work together.

Consider also that having a politically charged, intelligent discussion is very different than ranting about our disgust of a specific political leader. It could make you seem like one of those conspiracy theorists who is a little unstable. Or how about that time when you unleashed your anger via a 10-tweet rant directed at a company because they treated you poorly?

If you focus on negativity, you’ll find that people will stop wanting to work with you because of it. When it comes to social media, customers have direct access to your online activity–and they will check you out before buying from you. This doesn’t mean you can’t be authentic when building your personal profile, but when it comes to  inappropriate messaging that could be seen as offensive or hurtful, think about whether it will give the right impression.

We all wish that our personal and professional lives could be kept separate. While it can be possible to do so, with the professional world increasingly moving digital, it makes it quite difficult. The solution is to be more self-aware and think twice about what you say before you say it.

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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Press Release: Peel Region Small Business Seminar 2018

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

C.S.B.W. HOSTS EXCITING SMALL BUSINESS SEMINAR

THEME: Leadership – The Art of Effectively Leading a Team and Running a Successful Business

Canadian Small Business Women, is proud to host our 12th Small Business Seminar.  This time around, we will be in coming back to home to Mississauga. The Leadership Edition will offer hands-on business building workshops delivered by industry experts with 30+ vendors showcasing their business!

The event is being held on August 22nd, 2018 at the Mississauga Grand Banquet & Event Centre, 35 Brunel Road, Mississauga Ontario from 9am – 5pm.  Admission Tickets are $40.00CDN and entitles you to full entrance of workshops, exhibitor hall and a hot buffet lunch.

 

Who should attend?

  • All entrepreneurs (men and women)
  • Start-ups
  • People seeking advice on how to grow their businesses

Why should you attend?

  • Receive business building tips from our experts
  • Attend workshops to help propel your business
  • Network with industry leaders
  • 30+ Vendors, showcasing local businesses.
  • Featured workshops by local experts!

 

The featured Keynote Speaker is Yvonne Ruke-Akpoveta of OliveBlue Inc and the workshops will feature Adele Spraggon, Peninsula Employment Services Inc, and BDC.  Guests will receive full access to all workshops, swag bags (for the first 100), access to door prizes, unforgettable networking opportunities and a hot buffet lunch.  Only 150 advance tickets will be sold for this event.

Canadian Small Business Women understands the challenges women entrepreneurs encounter when starting and growing a business.  Gaps in access to financing and services for women entrepreneurs have been identified, and Canadian Small Business Women wants to help.  We are committed to helping women find the necessary resources to take their businesses from the planning stage to a reality.

 “If you cannot reach 100%, start with 10% and build on it until your original dream is realized.” – Dwania Peele, Owner & Executive Director of Canadian Small Business Women.

Established in 2013, Canadian Small Business Women, is a network that aims to provide aspiring small businesswomen a place to find all the resources required to start a business.  We provide women with on-line support and advice from industry experts at our seminars and workshops. Our vision is to provide women with the tools and confidence to successfully start and grow their business.

To learn more visit www.canadiansmallwomen.ca , info@canadiansmallbusinesswomen.ca or call us at 1-888-526-9366

 

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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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How can entrepreneurs break through the media barrier?

There are 400 million entrepreneurs in the world. That’s a lot of people competing for attention, especially from the media. Whether you’re in the beginning launch stages of your small business, or you have been operating for some time and you’re looking for a brand awareness boost, getting media coverage in the right places can build some serious buzz around your brand. But how do you get the media to notice you among the sea of entrepreneurs?

The answer is simple: Give them something to be interested in.

The three areas to focus on to make sure you stand out among the thousands of media pitches from entrepreneurs are story, strategy, and execution.

1: Story

You need to be about so much more than just your business and what you have to offer. Look beyond the features of your business to see all of the benefits. Once you have identified the benefits, create a human-interest story that relates. Then you can have fun with showcasing the story.

A few ways to showcase your story are:

  • Social Media: Easily the most accessible means to tell your story to a wide-reaching audience, social media is something you generally have control over when it comes to the messaging. Create a content campaign and engage your audience on each platform.
  • Public Stunt: While public stunts often require a higher budget and a creative mind to plan something unique, they are meant to be memorable and shareable. Remember, anything that happens in real time can be shared on social media.
  • VIP Event: A great VIP event can double as a connector with your consumer audience as well as a targeted list of media. When planning your event, make sure the objectives are in line with the story you want to tell. For example, a circus theme might not necessarily create the best atmosphere for a sombre story.

2: Strategy

After your story has been developed, you need to figure out how to get in front of the media and to make yourself heard. Remember that depending on your media contact, they get hundreds of pitches daily. So, before you send that email, make sure you are ready to fight for your story.

Here are three things to consider:

  • Targeting: Build a smart media list. Your story won’t appeal to every outlet/reporter. Figure out what the best media targets are for you and focus on those. This will be the most important thing you can do to work towards media coverage success.
  • Timing: It’s always best to start early. You will have to work around their editorial requirements. For some print magazines, that means 6 months in advance! Do your research on individual outlet requirements.
  • Availability: Don’t pitch the media if you won’t be available for an interview. If you are planning a vacation in a couple of days, wait until you get back. You might be quite upset if your favourite morning show called to have you on air, but you weren’t available!

3: Execution

A great strategy can fall flat if you don’t follow through on it 100%. It might take some time. Keep in mind that the media hasn’t ever heard of you or your business before, so they will need to do some research before getting back to you. That means learning patience and knowing when to pressure and when to back off.

These three things will help you carry through on your strategic media objectives:

  • The Pitch: It’s important to get your pitch right the first time. Keep it short and to the point, focusing only on important details. And always find a way to tie your story into your contact’s work – that means reading articles they have done previously! If building a targeted list is the most important thing you can do, then this is the second-most important thing you can do. The media wants to know that you are paying attention to what they have to say.
  • Following up: Don’t be too aggressive with your follow ups, and unless you have a great relationship with your media contact (or you know they prefer otherwise), stick to email. After the initial pitch wait a couple of days before following up, then about a week if you still haven’t heard.
  • Moving on: While some media will respond to you either way, you may not hear back at all. It can be understandably frustrating, but there are a number of unknown factors you’re up against. You could have just pitched on a really busy day. It’s time to move on. You can regroup and try again with another story angle at a later date.

 

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

 

Why Start-ups Should NOT focus on Cash Flows

 

The first thing I usually hear when a new client comes on board, especially a new client in the start-up phase, is “I want to work on my cash flow statement”. And while I am happy to help create one, there is an inherent road block in a start-up focusing on cash flow – you have no idea where your sales are coming from!

For some reason cash flow seems to be the creditor favourite for lending. In lieu of historical financial statements for start-ups, they’ll often ask for cash flow projections and future sales growth etc. before approving any lending applications. And then you are held accountable to meet those projections because that was the basis of the loan.

A cash flow projection is supposed to help you manage when money is coming in and when money is going out; but this assumes that you have a consistent stream of money in/out to be able to make this work! If you’re a start-up then you don’t have a steady sales stream yet. Not to mention, you’re probably still experimenting with your costs so you’re expenses are fluctuating as you play around with things. This means you can project a sales of $10,000 and expenses of $8000 for September… but you don’t have enough historical data to really see if this is a reasonable projection. And now you’re being held accountable to something that maybe should not have been set in the first place.

Instead, a break-even analysis is a much more useful tool for entrepreneurs to use in the start-up phase. What this analysis shows is how much sales you would need to just cover your fixed costs. This, for most entrepreneurs, is the goal in the beginning – just to break even and maybe show a little profit. To calculate this you take your average sales price divided by your fixed costs. This will give you the number of sales you need to cover your costs.

This, for a start-up, provides a more reasonable goal to work towards. Once you’re consistently covering your costs you can start focusing on bigger sales targets. When you have consistent monthly revenues and expenses, then a cash flow projection can be made!

 

 

“Behind Every Great Business is a Great Accountant”

For more information on how to keep your business tax efficient, or to get a consultation on whether you are making all the right tax choices for your business, contact Dharna CPA. www.dharnacpa.ca. Info@dharnacpa.ca

 

North Aware Founder Jamil Khan Gives Inside Look at Kickstarter Crowdfunding

north aware - jamil kahn - kickstarter - smartparka

People who live in cold climates need outerwear to protect them from often harsh elements. Jamil Khan lives in Canada and has experienced his share of frigid winters. That was the driving force behind his idea to found North Aware, an apparel company that came out last year with the Smart Parka – the first winter coat to include built-in gloves, a removable liner, length extension and separate pockets for your hat, glasses, and technology.

“People who live in cold weather understand a good coat is a necessity, not a luxury,” Jamil Khan explains. “You need to know your winter coat will protect you.”

Taking his idea from concept to reality, however, was challenging to say the least. The first hurdle he had to cross was to secure start up capital, and for this reason, he turned to Kickstarter, a popular crowdfunding platform.

“Our product was really well-suited for the platform,” Khan says. “The Kickstarter community is very supportive of new products.”

North Aware’s Kickstarter campaign, which was launched in January of 2016 and ran until late March, raised over $3.25 million, more money than any other crowdfunding campaign in Canadian history, in fact. With an original goal of generating $30,000 in start up capital, it’s safe to say the results of the campaign exceeded Khan and North Aware’s wildest expectations.

However, North Aware’s story is far from typical and the vast majority of Kickstarter campaigns fail to reach their initial funding goals. While Khan was genuinely amazed by the positive response, he is quick to acknowledge a host of factors that contributed to the campaign’s success.

“Prior to launching our campaign, we advertised on different platforms to build momentum,” Khan said. After building a base of interested subscribers, the North Aware team contacted them to promote the campaign launch. Once the campaign launched, word spread rapidly, with people sharing it with their friends and social networks at an unprecedented rate.

“We reached our goal on the second day. It felt great, but it was a mixture of joy and responsibility. We immediately got busy taking the campaign to the next level,” he explains. “We really didn’t have time to celebrate.”

The campaign continued to raise funds at record breaking speed, but there were some pitfalls along the way.

Launching a successful Kickstarter campaign is “a learning process, all along the way,” Khan adds. “Whatever you do, the first time you will do it wrong. Don’t be afraid of mistakes.”

Khan says that the majority of backers pledged their support in the last ten days, with the bulk of supporters hailing from Toronto and New York.

“If you look at our photos and videos on the site, they’re all set in metropolitan areas,” Khan says, a marketing decision he explained was intentional. Additionally, all of the photography and videography used as part of the Kickstarter campaign was professional in nature, another conscious choice.

“With Kickstarter, it’s really important how you present photos and videos. Do it professionally. Spend time on how you display your products.”.

Obviously pleased by the overwhelming success of North Aware’s campaign, Khan would “absolutely recommend Kickstarter for people starting out” trying to market a new product.

“Kickstarter is great for publicity. You can start playing with the big boys right away,” he says, which isn’t necessarily true of other funding sources.

Khan’s advice to those considering a Kickstarter campaign is “to create a really good product people need and want,” and then “get the word out anyway you can, as quickly as you can. If you have 100 ways to get the word out, you do all of them.”

 

Immigrant Women’s Small Business Expo returns to Toronto, September 17, 2017

 

In light of current undertones towards immigrants in Canada, the expo promotes peace, hope and success for all business women

 

Toronto…Now in its fifth year, the one-day, experiential Immigrant Women’s Small Business Expo (IWSM Expo) celebrates the aspirations and achievements of immigrant women, taking place in Toronto on Sunday, September 17th, at Daniels Spectrum. Under the theme “The Changing Face of the Immigrant Community,” IWSBE offers women an opportunity to get informed, empowered and enlightened, while providing access to business building services, networking opportunities and entrepreneur workshops.

Expos are a crucial factor in helping new businesses acquire the leads, networks, information and polish they need to succeed in the business world.

This is according to Dwania Peele, founder of Canadian Small Business Women (CSBW) and the IWSB expo who notes that women owned small and mid-sized businesses generate around $117 billion to the Canadian economy annually.

“We’ve always championed the fact that women matter, and we’ve sought to celebrate all the roles they fill in their family, career and community,” said Peele. “Immigrants, specifically, struggle in Canada’s labour market despite their many skills, and we are more than excited to be in Toronto with this rallying cry of support for immigrant women entrepreneurs across Ontario.”

Another advantage of a business-focused event is that it presents practically unlimited opportunities for information-sharing, says Peele. “We have found there is significant demand for practical advice and insights that help would-be immigrant entrepreneurs and small businesses to run their businesses effectively. Expos bring together stakeholders from across a niche spectrum and present an ideal platform for workshops, demonstrations and seminars that help participants grow their businesses.”

ISWB expo offers a rich experience with informative seminars and panel discussions presented by notable speakers including the Honorable Gagan Sikand, MP for Mississauga-Streetsville,  and entrepreneur Julie Suen, President and CEO of Chinese Canadian Voice. Throughout the day attendees can view educational exhibits and corporate displays from Canada Business Ontario and the Government of Canada. The seminars and workshops will be far ranging and engaging, featuring topics that impact women’s daily lives addressing such issues as health & wellness, marketing and social media tips, career advancement, business/entrepreneurship, the welfare of our children and much more. While IWSB expo targets immigrant women, there are elements for all women business owners.

In addition, ISWB expo offers ample opportunity for shopping and sampling from local artists and artisans showcasing their handmade wares at the Craftadian pavilion, formerly the Made by Hand Show.

 

IWSB expo offers a one-stop business platform to gather information, exchange ideas and network for anyone considering starting their own business, and for those already in business and looking to expand.

Admission runs for $5 / person including access to seminars, panel discussions and the handmade market.

What:                                   Immigrant Women’s Small Business Expo

 

Where: Daniels Spectrum, 585 Dundas St E, Toronto, ON M5A 2B7

When: Sunday, September 17, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Cost: Admission: $5 (Under 16 years of age free)

Website: http://toronto.immigrantsmallbizexpo.ca

 Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/immigrant-womens-small-business-expo-toronto-2017-tickets-31623796627

Tell your story and grow your business but don’t make it personal!

 

Operating your own small business is a daily challenge. Writing about it, for some people, is even more so. My advice to small business owners who are looking to start their own blog is to star in their own blog. That statement however, comes with a couple of caveats: Don’t do it to often and don’t get too personal when you do.

If you own and operate a small business you know what goes into it. Often it’s a herculean effort involving long days (and nights!) and plenty of weekends too. You are passionate about what you do otherwise you wouldn’t do it. So why not share some of that passion with the world? The easiest place to start a blog (and we’ve talked about this before) is with you. Spend your first few blogs addressing the “who, what, where, why and how” of what you do. It’s ok to share your personal story. Perhaps you were motivated to start your business from a deeply personal place or as the result of an experience you had. For example, I recently wrote and published a children’s book about allergies that was a direct result of the experiences we have had with my own daughter. You can bet that in my blogs I will be sharing some of those experiences to create a relatable story for my intended target audience.

You don’t have to share the specifics but you can talk about why you do what you do and why you are passionate about it. Adding a personal touch or two to your blogs humanizes your product or service and helps people to understand your motivation. Even incorporating a “stock” kind of sentence or phrase that opens or closes each blog, one that is written from the heart (but which also relates to your business) is a great way to create continuity between blogs and to connect with customers on a more meaningful level.

The trick to this whole process is finding a balance.  Like Momma used to say “all things in moderation.” Sharing your story and “starring” in your blog is about including some relevant facts about yourself, or sharing insightful & humorous stories about your experiences, while still making sure that everything you do links back to the product or service you offer. The blogs are about you but not ALL about you. Share your story while making sure to leave out the really gory and personal bits. Unless you’re a divorce mediation specialist for example, we don’t need to hear your bitter divorce story. So find a way to get personal, without getting too personal! Finding an audience that can relate to you on a personal level can help grow your business!

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

Assiatou Diallo of TAAB Cleaning

assiatou-diallo

Assiatou Diallo was born in Guinea, a small country in West Africa, into a polygamous family of 11 children.  Assi was the last and only girl born with 6 brothers from her father’s side and second born with 4 children (2 girls and 2 Boys) on her mother’s side. She never new her dad, because he passed away when Assiatou was 9 months old.

Assiatou endured many hardships growing up, including being raped at the age of 11 and twice more at the age of 16.  It was clear that the fighting spirit inside her would be required to survive.  Assi did more than just survive…In 1998, she worked in a gas station to support herself while going to school.  When she finished College, she always dreamed of getting out of Guinea and going to Europe, but destiny chose a different path for this young dreamer.

In 2000 she got hired by a German company called Hydroplan, who had a project to build 250 water pumps in rural communities, to access clean water.  This opportunity changed her life. For the next 2 years she started travelling out of the city and country through her work. Her first time to take an airplane was in February 2001, at the age of 25. She got so stressed before getting on the plane, but once again her fighting spirit took control and she went to Gambia for work.

She performed so well that Hydroplan decided to pay for her to take a vacation to Paris (visa, pocket money and so on).  She went to Paris in August 2001 for 3 weeks. She was so culture shocked, when she arrived, that she decided to go back to Guinea after 2 weeks and decided not to be so adventurous, because her experiences did not match the expectations she had for this dream trip.

After her contract with Hydroplan ended, Assi got married in November 2002.  She was excited to start a family with her new husband, but destiny stepped in, once again. After 5 miscarriages and extremely poor health, she decided to go to Germany to study the language and seek medical advice about the difficulties she was experiencing trying to conceive a child.

After living for 1 year in Germany, she went back to Guinea and started all over again. She opened Nayleen Drugstore, where she sold cosmetics and fragrances (Lancome, Chanel, etc). Before moving to Germany, in 2000, she had also registered a cleaning, childcare and security company and was actively networking to develop the business.

In 2003 she went back to Germany, as an au pair, where she lived with a German family for 1 year, taking care of their 2 children, while at the same time acquiring her German Language Certificate.  In 2004, she went back to Paris, where she lived for 1 year.

In 2006, Assi was blessed with a pregnancy that would finally lead to her first child; a beautiful baby boy.  She arrived in Montreal, Canada, in October 2006,

6 months pregnant and looking to start a new life. She knew this was the place for her, because she fell in love with Canada the moment she stepped off the plane.  You can only imagine how difficult it was to be alone and pregnant in a new Country, trying to navigate the bureaucracy of immigration, but she kept fighting and received her Permanent Residency in just 5 months.

Assiatou Diallo was still fighting to make her life better and help others.  A single mother, with a 1 year old son, she got involved in volunteering and went back to school at H.E.C. (an affiliate with the University of Montreal) to study Human Resources. Although she went through depression and stress, she never gave up and decided to move to Toronto.

She came to Toronto and lived in a shelter (transitional housing, Beatrice House) for 2 years. When she arrived in Ontario, she could not speak a single word of English. She decided to go to school for ESL classes at College Boreal and, in just 5 months, got her ESL level 6.  Next, Assi went to do her upgrading with Woodgreen through the Boundless Possibilities for Women Program.

Assi had aspirations of working in the banking industry in Canada and it seemed that her hope was going to become reality when she was promised a position with BMO.  She planned to move out of the shelter, got an apartment and began making plans for her new career, when the job was pulled out from under her due to personnel changes and poor internal communication at the bank.  Another obstacle that would test Assi the fighter.

She was undeterred by this latest disappointment and bounced right back by securing a position at the Centre Francophone de Toronto.  She worked at the non-profit for 4 years as an HR Assistant, Receptionist, Executive Assistant to the Executive Director and Settlement Worker in the schools. Although the work was fulfilling, Assi decided to go on her own, be her own boss, focus on her business and go back to school part time to study Business Management.

Assiatou Diallo is an entrepreneur, mother and avowed feminist. From a young age she has actively participated in initiatives supporting women’s issues. Her current interest is to promote the emancipation and financial independence of women in general and especially women who are victims of domestic and family violence.  She is dedicated to helping others and is very involved in her community. In 2013, she was recognized by the YWCA for her success and delivered a keynote speech at the YWCA Women of Distinctions Awards, in recognition of her positivity and incredible perseverance.

Assiatou is currently the president and CEO of TAAB Cleaning Inc., a commercial and residential cleaning business, which also offers nanny and home babysitting services. She plans to dedicate a part of this community enterprise to support the elderly.

Assiatou Diallo will make it to the top, because she is a fighter, positive, and strongly believes in herself and her own future success.

‘’My vision of entrepreneurship is to inspire others.”

taab-cleaning

TAAB Cleaning Inc. offers various services for many different needs. Whether you are a company or an individual, we can assure you that we will offer the utmost care and professionalism to bring that sparkle and beauty to your space. All of our equipment is highly specialized, making us the perfect solution for any project or circumstance!

Our services:

  • Office cleaning
  • Condominium cleaning
  • Industrial Plant
  • Day porter custodial services
  • Warehouse cleaning
  • Construction clean-up
  • Carpet steaming cleaning
  • Strip and wax
  • Green cleaning

TAAB Cleaning Inc. is confident in its ability to offer the best service anywhere. With that claim we can offer a Service Guarantee to our customers!

“If your request has not been handled adequately, during the next service day you will be entitled to receive the next service for free”

TAAB Cleaning Inc. is the only cleaning company to offer what the competition will not and cannot! Your satisfaction is our motivation!

Contact Assiatou

PHONE: 647 458-7789
E-MAIL: INFO@TAABCLEANING.CA

Are you spending your time effectively on Facebook?

 

Kelly Farrell - Teach Me Social -headshot (2)

Are you spending time looking at the right parts of your Facebook business page? It’s so easy to get distracted by “shiny things” on Facebook, but as a business owner it’s important to stay focused on your goal to connect with your followers. Having a strategy for your social media marketing should also include regular maintenance on your Facebook page to ensure that what you are posting and sharing is actually connecting with the right followers.

  1. Update the “About” tab on your Facebook Business Page regularly. Take a few minutes at least once a month to revisit and revise the fields with important information about your business. In particular, ensure that the Short Description, Long Description and all contact details are up-to-date and accurate.
  2. Review the Insights for your Facebook Business Page often to analyze what posts are reaching your audience and are engaging your followers. The Insights can help you identify the best time to post and can provide you with more demographic information about the people who engage with your Page.
  3. Monitor the interaction on your posts and be sure to reply to all comments quickly! The average social media user expects a reply within 1 hour to a comment that they make on social media. Be considerate of the time someone took to make a comment, and respond in kind, even if just to say Thank You!
  4. Share your involvement in local or online events and be sure to create event listing for events that your business is hosting. Invite your friends and contacts to join your event page for updates and event information. If you are participating in someone else’s event, you can add that event to your page’s event listing without creating a new event. This helps to connect your business page with others, thus increasing your visibility!
  5. Know when to spend money on boosted posts and promotions on Facebook and allocate an appropriate budget for this purpose. Keep in mind that you should first set up target audiences in Facebook Ad Manager before spending any money on promotions. The more time you spend to target the right demographic, the more return you will see on your ad spend.

To learn more about how to maximise the effectiveness of your Facebook marketing efforts, schedule a complimentary consultation with Teach Me Social. Teach Me Social owner Kelly Farrell has been helping empower Canadian Small Business owners through social media for over four years. Teach Me Social offers effective social media services which include training sessions and consulting as well as full-service social media account management.

Listen to Hear not to Respond

 

Sheralyn

When I speak to groups of small business owners and entrepreneurs on the topic of communication, my message is consistent. Of the three elements needed for effective communication to take place; listening, writing and speaking, the most important of these is listening. Why? Because it is in the listening that we ensure there is understanding.

Listening isn’t just about opening our ears either.  It’s about being open and receptive, in principle, to new ideas, suggestions and considerations. Listening is ACTIVE. We must lean in, participate, nod our heads to encourage continued conversation and we need to ask questions to ensure clarity. Most of all however, we need to listen to HEAR not to RESPOND. What do we mean by this?

Listening to hear is about patience. It concerns the principle that we must be actively engaged in the conversation from the perspective of gaining understanding, not listening for the sole purpose of formulating our own arguments in response to what is being said. Listening to hear is about waiting for the “whole.” Waiting for the speaker to complete his / her thoughts, pausing to think about those words and then responding. Too often we are each of us poised and ready to pounce in response to something we heard at the beginning of a sentence, to the exclusion of all that came after it. That’s not listening, that’s debating. It’s a “point – counterpoint” approach to speaking that suggests a “Who will win this conversation” point of view.

Listening to respond is also about remaining IN the moment. Connected to the speaker and not connected to any of our many devices. Few of us can actually multi-task effectively and most of us are much better off to focus on one task at a time. Active listening means put your phone down. It’s time to be connected, to each other rather than our devices. Finally, from a customer service point of view it’s about listening to what your customer is actually asking for, rather than telling them what you think they need.

Active listening and listening to hear, not to respond, help bridge the gap between you and your intended audience. It is the key to effective communication. Let’s all put our devices down for just a few minutes and practice #beinthemoment. Make it your personal mission, starting today, to actively listen – whether to your kids, co-workers, spouse or customer. Drop the constant need to hashtag your conversations or to answer back in defensive mode.  Instead #GiveActiveListeningATry. (Oh the irony…..we just couldn’t resist!)

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

When to follow technology trends in social media

Kelly Farrell - Teach Me Social -headshot (2)

There is a big difference between jumping on the bandwagon just because “everyone else is doing it” and adding a new tech trend as part of your overall digital marketing strategy. The rate of change in the world of technology, especially for business, is extremely fast-paced and keeping up with the new apps, website trends and social media features can be a very daunting task. Despite the challenges that come with keeping up, it can be very beneficial to be an early adopter of new technologies and digital shifts.

 

First come, first serve

The first users on many new platforms, websites or apps are usually privy to special offers and features. On social media, the early arrivals are almost always the first to develop a large following of other early arrivals, who also tend to be more engaged and loyal than new followers later on.

 

Work out the kinks

Getting on board with a new feature or platform also give you ample time to work out the kinks, a time when making mistakes are part of the game and adds authenticity to your brand. Part of social media is the allure of being able to see behind the curtain of a logo and glimpse the authentic personality driving the message. Working out the kinks and figuring out a new platform with other early adopters also sets you up as a leader and expert when the rest of the crowd follows you.

 

Staying Current

If your brand stands for ingenuity, creativity or innovation in any way, then getting on board and being part of the initial phase could play a huge role in setting your brand up as a leader in forward thinking. When your brand shares their enthusiasm by joining in on trending topics on social media, it shows your followers that you are current, relevant and engaged.

 

Beware of shiny things

All that being said, the biggest danger with new technologies is the “shiny things syndrome”! It’s happened to the best of us – like children, we are easily attracted to new things and can get sucked into spending hours playing with new features and testing out new toys.

 

To avoid getting sucked into new technologies that are not going to see an overall benefit for your small business, you can ask yourself these questions:

  • Will using this tool attract new customers to my business?
  • Is my target demographic already using this tool?
  • Will my business benefit from being part of a trending conversation online?
  • How much time can I afford to spend daily using a new technology tool?

 

If you weigh the pros and cons of each new tool, it becomes easier to identify trends that will have a positive impact on your business and ones that may not be worth your time investment. In most cases, it is always a good idea to get advice from an expert or other small business owners. Attending networking events and joining online communities (like Canadian Small Business Women) are great ways to know what other entrepreneurs are doing online and where they are focusing their energy.

Teach Me Social owner Kelly Farrell has been helping empower Canadian Small Business owners through social media for over four years. Teach Me Social now offers services ranging from training sessions for small business owners and their teams to full-service social media account management. Visit teachmesocial.ca to learn more about our service offerings or to book a no obligation consultation, including an audit of your existing social media channels.

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