Canadian Small Business Women

Connection, Synergy, Community

Set it and forget it? Social Media and your business

I’m not sure who coined the phrase “set it and forget it” but it wasn’t me so I can’t take any credit. It’s an apt description however, for social media and how we use it.  Many are taking advantage of social media posting tools to schedule posts and that’s a good thing. Or, at least it can be, when used effectively. Certainly it keeps me busy in my business which involves working in communications and blogging and posting content for various businesses on a regular basis.  I am grateful for the work. What I am finding however, is that most of us are either spending too much, or too little, of our time on social media. In fact, very few of us are getting it “just right.” Of course, “just right” is also a debatable term since everyone has an opinion of what “just right” means. As a result, when it comes to social media, some of us forget all about it and have no online presence, or perhaps even worse, we unknowingly take the “set it and forget it” approach and have no social media presence at all.

Specifically, I refer to those amongst us, myself included, (not for clients of course, but my own business for sure!) who have adopted some of the technology around scheduling for social media but who are not using it properly. Perhaps you’re using Hootsuite, hootlet or buffer. Maybe you are even using the facebook scheduling tool. It might be that you have just enough knowledge to make you “dangerous” on social media because you start your work week by prescheduling a series of posts but then step away from the computer, never to return again. That’s the “set and forget” mindset and here’s why it’s worse than if you were never on social media at all.

  • You are setting up false expectations amongst your customer base.
  • You’ve built an online presence based on “interactions” but you never interact…leading to customer frustration.
  • Your customers come to expect your posts and possibly, they also actively seek to engage you but you never respond, frustration then leads to distrust.
  • Based on your social media behavior customers assume you won’t follow through, don’t care about your business or are lazy.
  • Customers may start to actively engage other potential customers on social media, ranking your business poorly.
  • Now you have missed sales opportunities and a bad reputation.
  • Reputation is everything and arguably, online is where it matters most.

That last point is particularly relevant. Social media moves at the speed of light, possibly faster. As soon as you hear about a new app and download it, another bigger, better, shinier app has taken its place. The same will be true for your online reputation. If you don’t work hard to engage your customers online and respond to queries quickly and efficiently, your online reputation will plummet and a different supplier will take your place.  It won’t matter how friendly you are at the “storefront” level – a bad reputation online can ruin your business.

The moral of the story is make good use of the social media tools that are available.  By all means, schedule your posts, deals of the week, blogs (or whatever it is you post) using one of the many scheduling tools available.  Just be sure you also schedule some follow up time, at various time throughout the week, to engage and interact with your online customer base because your online reputation is vital to supporting your real world 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

 

Trade Shows, Booths and your Business

Have you ever attended a trade show? Set up a booth at one of those events where there are 30, 40, 50 or more small business owners just like you, all jockeying for the attention of show visitors? Do you, like me, not particularly enjoy this experience because it feels to “salesy?” If so, how do you set yourself apart from the crowd and what do you do to promote your business and still enjoy a positive trade show experience? Here are some thoughts on how you can promote your business and get “face” time with potential customers – all without being “in their face.”

October is National Small Business month so chances are you will be at, host or attend a trade show event at some point during the month. Designed to celebrate and promote small business, many local Chambers and / or Boards of Trade will be helping community business owners to share and promote their business to the larger community by hosting an event. Along with promoting your own business they are a perfect opportunity to liaise with government services to find out what’s available to the small business owner to help their business thrive.  Look for booths hosted by the following:

  • CBO   –  Canada Business Ontario
  • BDC    –   Business Development Bank of Canada
  • SBEC’s – Small Business Enterprise Centres / Entrepreneur Centres
  • OSME – Office of Small and Medium Enterprises

As for your own booth – what are you doing to stand out in the crowd? In these days of social media we are all rapidly becoming professional at maximizing our social media presence or we hire someone to do it for us. But what happens in person, when “facetime” becomes actual face time? Here are just a few suggestions (especially if you don’t have a big, splashy budget) and we know our audience will have many more:

  • If giving something away, ensure it’s branded and consider things like a hat or a coffee mug where your logo can’t be hidden away.
  • Make sure your giveaway is actually useful. Thermal coffee mugs are always welcome, a small portable flashlight that gets lost in the bottom of a purse – perhaps not so much.
  • When setting up your booth make sure your table is not something you hide behind but rather, encourages people to come “into your space” thereby interacting with you. Use it as a point of entry not a barrier.
  • Host a game to encourage people to actually stop and talk. Given that I am in the business of words, I invite attendees to play Scrabble and win a prize. Longest word, highest scoring word, it’s old-fashioned but it gets people talking and they need to come back at the end of the day to see who won. As well, a bit of friendly competition starts to occur as I regularly post updates on what the current high score is and people come back to try and beat it!
  • Speaking of posting scores – stay active on social media throughout the trade show so people know you’re there.
  • Signage is nice but make sure it fits appropriately into the space and doesn’t overwhelm you. Photos should be current. There is nothing worse than standing in front of your banner and the people don’t realize that the person in the picture is you!

Other things to keep in mind include looking up. Don’t get caught with your face in your phone. Stay engaged and in the moment and resist the urge to check emails. Even when using your phone for social media to promote your presence avoid the pitfalls of tweeting so often you lose the potential to have a personal impact with the people right in front of you. Consider bringing a friend or business associate, both to help keep you company and help when things get busy. Make sure they are as up to date on your product or service as you and work together to encourage people into your booth.  They are there to share the workload of promoting your business not for a coffee and chat so avoid getting engrossed in personal time. Having someone who has your back also allows you to duck out to take an important call or use the facilities if you need to! Don’t forget the follow up opportunity. Have something to collect business cards so you can then spend time after the show on the all-important follow up. You’d be surprised how often this step is overlooked.

Here’s hoping that National Small Business Month is good for your business.  If a trade show is in your future, get creative and play a game, create an inviting space and oh yes, when all else fails and you’re hoping to generate good leads, good conversation and great face time – feed people! To paraphrase something we once heard in the baseball movie Field of Dreams, “if you feed them, they will come!”  A little chocolate never hurts.

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

SOS!

 

I’ve written similarly on this topic before, for other media, in a lighthearted kind of way. However, now more than ever, I believe the message bears repeating.  What’s the topic? What does “SOS” really stand for? In my world – it stands for “Shiny Object Syndrome” and I have it bad – particularly at this time of year. In the summertime, more than any other time of year, I find just about everything can become a distraction from my business.

If you are like me, and finding it hard to focus, I’ve done a bit of research that might just prove helpful.  Sure some of this might seem to be just good “old-fashioned” common sense but we couldn’t we all use a little reminding sometimes? After all, with the kids off school and clamoring to be driven here, there, and everywhere or to be supervised while they swim in the pool (and gosh, it looks inviting out there and it is hot outside) distractions are everywhere. The problem is, you’ve got a business to run! You are self-employed, you are super women and you are successful – so c’mon, just FOCUS!

Sure – easier said than done. So here, without further ado, is a “Top Ten” list on how to conquer distractions:

  • If social media is your enemy, turn it off! Sounds simple right? Just turn it off, yet so many of us find it hard and with addictive algorithms built right in what’s a girl to do? The answer is turn off your notifications. Without this feature on your phone or computer, you will have to make a more conscious choice to log in to your social media accounts.
  • Schedule breaks. If you worked in a “real” place of employment vs. your home, you would be entitled to breaks and a lunch.  Sure we don’t take them all the time but make a point to take a break at least some of the time. Stepping away from your home office occasionally will actually make you more productive while you are working because you know you have set time limits within which to get work done. You will also feel less guilty about taking a break because it is scheduled.
  • Start your morning off on the right foot. Many self-employed entrepreneurs turn on the computer or cell phone almost as soon as they wake up and then begin working right away. Next thing you know it’s already 10am, you’re still in your PJ’s and you haven’t even showered.  Yes, occasionally that’s the advantage to working from home but the reality is, we are often not nearly as productive as we think we are. Attitude is everything. Treat yourself like the star employee you are. Would you show up to work in your PJ’s? Nope. So don’t sell yourself short.  Get up, get dressed then “go” to work.
  • Consider this mental trick if coffee is your thing: treat yourself to a coffee a day. Leave the house in the morning, go and get yourself that coffee you so richly deserve, then come home and start work. It will provide a sense of separation from home as you leave and a psychological sense of starting work when you return. Plus – who wouldn’t want a cup of “Joe” from their favorite place each day!
  • Along the same idea – work regularly scheduled hours. Again, some of us enjoy the flexibility of working from home because we DON’T have to work a regular 9-5 job.  However, consistently working a wide variety of times throughout the day often results in working throughout the night too. You take time off to drive Junior to a friends place and that becomes a 2 hr distraction as you just “pop in to the grocery store for a few things.” Later, when trying to catch up on the work you missed during the day, you are distracted by the sounds of family having fun or missing your favorite TV show.
  • Make sure your office has a window if at all possible.  Nothing feels worse than feeling you are missing out on what’s going on in the world. Is it sunny, raining? Is a Tornado headed your way and you risk being caught unaware? While having a window might seem counter-intuitive to avoiding distraction think of it this way; if you do have access to the outdoors you don’t have to get up from your desk quite so often just to see what’s going on! Some of this is discipline of course but it’s true that just being able to see outside has actually been proven to help improve mental outlook.
  • Turn your phone off occasionally, particularly your text message feature and let calls go to voice mail.  Nowadays we are all pretty much “glued” to our phones.  They sit on our desks while we work and for those of us working at home, they ARE our work. That said, they still don’t need to be on 24/7 and taking a break from them is a good thing. If you are concerned about missing an important text in-between all the frivolous distracting ones from your mother in law or the kids, use one of the auto-answer features for text and/or voicemail to let clients know you will get back to them shortly.
  • Schedule appointments and phone calls for regular business hours.  Again, sometimes the budding entrepreneur feels as though they have to take calls at any hour of the day or night. Maybe occasionally you really do. Most times however, the people you are dealing with are also working in a regularly scheduled environment and you should too. This is not so much a distraction issue as it is a respect for your time issue. You work hard, very hard but it doesn’t mean you have to be “on” 24/7.
  • Pets! If you have one, you know that a pet can be an even bigger distraction than a child or a client who harangues you constantly. Unless your pet is particularly well behaved, blocking them from your office workspace might be the best policy.  Not only are they occasionally very distracting, a misplaced paw on your keyboard could cause a world of grief when it accidentally deletes a project you’ve been working on!

 

Experts will weigh in on all kinds of other methods for limiting distractions including mindfulness techniques, meditation and yes, perhaps even using some version of the latest fad, a fidget-spinner, to help keep you focused. The bottom line is to employ techniques that you know will work well for you.  Working in my PJ’s was never going to be successful for me and I definitely get distracted too easily in the morning. It was becoming a real issue. By implementing just some of these “get up and go out” to work techniques my productivity improved almost overnight.  Maybe you don’t have shiny object syndrome but these tips are just good work habits for everyone. If you do have SOS – I understand your pain! It can be hard to overcome – particularly in summer when the shiny object in question is the gorgeous, hot summer sun!

 

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

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

What’s your fairy tale ending?

 

Fairy tales abound with messages of hope, retribution, restitution, redemption and more. As children, a fairy tale can scare us into good behaviour, provide fodder for nightmares, or give us hope for a better, brighter future. But what of such stories and their “happily ever after” endings when we are adults? Launching a business is a scary proposition and the concept of a “pot of gold at the end of every rainbow” might seem unbelievable when the bills are mounting but the clients aren’t knocking. Does “everything really look better after a good nights sleep?” Is there ever a time in business like when Goldilocks decided a certain bowl of porridge was “just right?”  As in the classic fairy tale we believed in whole-heartedly as children, in business, we absolutely must have faith, both in our abilities and in the possibilities of the “happily ever after” ending.

If you’ve launched a business and are perhaps currently sitting in year one or year two, you might be questioning just how much longer you should pour your heart and sole into this seemingly endless money pit. Maybe you didn’t quit your day job and you’re finding that balancing both just seems a herculean task that isn’t showing any pay off. Are there generally accepted standards around how long you should keep at it? Certainly desire and conviction play a huge role but so does having the common sense to know when to bail out. Here are what some business experts have to say.

First and foremost, the type of business you’ve launched will play a critical role in how quickly you turn a profit and how much money you need to both sustain it, and earn income from it. A commonly cited example is the restaurateur vs. the web site designer. Start up costs differ significantly and will affect how quickly your earnings show on the “plus” side of the page. “The actual time frame to company profitability is entirely dependent upon how much start-up capital is needed to create the products and services, and how much money is drawn from the company for compensation and investor servicing.” (1) That said, as a general rule of thumb you can rely on earning less in your first year of business than whatever salary you enjoyed prior to launch. Any profits should be reinvested in the business. In your second year, generally you are on the road to success if you are able to draw your previous “regular” salary and finally, experts agree that if in the third and subsequent years you can draw a larger salary, or perhaps even sell shares in the company, you are well on the road to profitability.

Marketing expert Seth Godin has said it can take as long as “six years of hard work to become an overnight success” and points to examples like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg as examples. (2) Microsoft for example, was founded in 1975 but it wasn’t until 1986 that it went public and made its founder so very wealthy. Similarly, Steve Jobs and his company Apple experienced an up and down relationship from its inception in the mid 70’s until the late 80’s and the original MacIntosh was introduced onto the market. It actually took the better part of two decades for the Apple founder to be considered a “dot.com” success and we shouldn’t forget that at one time he even left the company! (3) In other words – success takes time, sometimes, a very, very long time.

For me, I believe the other key consideration in all of this is this: What do you define as success? The answer is unique to each of us. For some individuals success is having workplace flexibility, not having a “boss” to answer to and earning enough income to take the family on vacation a couple of times per year. Maybe being able to work in your pajamas for a good part of the day is motivation enough! For others, the satisfaction of providing a much-needed service to others and creating a career around something that you truly believe in, is satisfaction enough. If a living wage is earned in the meantime – well that’s a bonus. Still others of course are looking to achieve that “overnight success” and become wealthy. What’s your motivation? What do you define as success?  Your fairy tale ending is as individual as you are. Know that, as in the classic fairy tale, you might have to undergo some trial or hardships along the way but from these experiences we learn and grow, adapt and change. The bottom line remains the same however, if you believe…..you will succeed…..at whatever success means for you!

 

(1) http://smallbusiness.chron.com/average-time-reach-profitability-start-up-company-2318.html

(2) http://www.businesspundit.com/12-pervasive-myths-about-starting-a-small-business/

(3) http://www.businessinsider.com/guess-how-long-overnight-success-really-takes-2011-3

 

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 your word is your bond, practice “PC.”

My job is to put words to work for my customers. To research, create and assemble the best possible combination of letters to tell their story and tell it well. I love the challenge, I love the creativity required of me and I love interviewing new people and finding out what motivates them to do what they do. Getting your business noticed with words that work is what I do but here is the bigger question – what should you do with words? If you’re not writing them and have hired someone like me to do your blogging, what do words have to do with you? Simply this: be the kind of person who gives their word and then lives up to the promises they contain.

The main message in this blog is to be a person of integrity. Your word is your bond.  I’m sure you’ve even heard the expression “put your money where your mouth is.” Essentially, this is reminding us to be the kind of person who both speaks and takes action, action that is true to our word. Yes we sign contracts and enter into agreements with one another and yes, we shake hands to “seal the deal.” Ultimately however, it’s our word that matters most. It’s how you speak to one another. The specific words, the language you choose. It’s the consistency between what you say, what you write and what you actually do.  These are the things that matter most. If you say you are going to do something (and I mean anything from agreeing to connect two people on LinkedIn to completing a 6 month long contract of service) giving your word is all that you have to both earn, then stake, your reputation on.

When words matter this much and social media has taken the world by storm, putting words to work (and working well) is more critical than ever before. The point about consistency, referenced above, is so important when it comes to social media in particular. Saying one thing, while posting another (even on your personal page) is a perfect example of being mindful and conscious of your words and where and how they appear. There has never been a more appropriate time to practice what I like to call “PC.” No, not being “politically correct” although of course that’s important but to “Pause and Consider.”  That is, take the time to pause, whether writing or speaking, sending an email or even dashing off a quick text, to consider the impact of your words. If we all just took the time to incorporate a little more “PC” into our lives perhaps the world would be a better place entirely. When words matter this much – will you pause and consider? Will you take the time to put words to work well for you?

 

When you give your word, keep your word, live your word.

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

Understanding Frame of Reference

Marshall McLuhan is famous for the saying “the medium is the message.” This is essentially the concept that the chosen method of conveying a message, in fact influences how that message is received.  As an example, an artist, in choosing to either talk or write about their art, potentially influences how others then perceive it.  Also on the topic of communication, Tony Robbins once said “to effectively communicate, we must realize that we are all different in the way we perceive the world and use this understanding as a guide to our communications with others.” Finally, in considering effective communications techniques, Libby Larsen suggests; “The great myth of our times is that technology is communication.” So, what does each of these quotes have to do with communications from a business perspective? I believe that as entrepreneurs, it is imperative that we understand the Frame of Reference of our intended audience and are respectful of it at all times. Understanding F.O.R. ensures that:

  • You choose appropriate communication mediums to convey your message.
  • You have a clear understanding of your customer in order to address them in a manner that reflects their experiences with the world.
  • You recognize that while technology is important, you also understand that it’s not the only way of communicating with your target audience.

What is F.O.R.? Specifically, frame of reference has to do with how each of us experiences the world around us and how that influences both our understanding and our perspective of it. Our frame of reference is influenced by any number of things including:

  • Upbringing
  • Cultural background
  • Access to education
  • Gender
  • Religious affiliation and more….

 

All of these factors influence how we both give and receive information and therefore it’s imperative that you know and understand your target audience F.O.R. when considering how you will communicate with them.  Whether you are talking to a customer in person, communicating through email, creating website content or even planning a presentation, understanding their F.O.R. will help you tailor your message appropriately. Therefore, conducting research into your ideal client/target audience and how to share information with them just makes good business sense.

In addition, you must consider these other contributing factors when you will be communicating with your customer in person. They are:

  • Body language (open/closed)
  • Posture
  • Personal space
  • Eye contact

Each of these will also impact your chosen communication style. How? As just one example, consider this: In North America it is generally perceived that looking someone directly in the eye is a sign of telling the truth. In many other countries this action would be perceived as disrespectful and instead, downcast eyes are viewed as a sign of respect. Knowing your audience F.O.R. will prevent a potentially business ending gaffe.

Finally, when crafting your main message to customers you might also want to think about whether there are any language barriers and be wary of using too much industry specific jargon. It’s great that you are a subject matter expert but sometimes tossing around those big fancy words is neither necessary nor helpful to your target audience. Use these cautions even when considering how and when you use technology and when determining what methods of technology you might employ. Sometimes, technology can get in the way of effective communication because nuance, tone and facial/body language cues are all missing. To that end, consider whether your message makes more sense delivered in person vs. electronically.

Understanding the F.O.R. of your audience will contribute significantly to the successful communication of your message. It’s a lot to consider. Make sure your communications are carefully crafted, not from your perspective but from that of your audience. If you’ve done the research and taken the time to determine your ideal client, tailoring a message specifically to them shouldn’t then require a great deal of additional effort.

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

Start the New Year off Write

Does grammar matter? You bet it does! Start your new year off on the write foot. Did you catch the mistake in the title and first sentence? Think that most people won’t? Well they do. Multiple studies have shown that your potential customer is a discerning consumer and will notice spelling and grammatical errors on your website, blogs or in your promotional materials.  More importantly, for many, that error could be the deciding factor in whether they choose your services over those of another. It turns out your Grade 10 English teacher was correct. Grammar matters and accuracy counts.

We’ve talked before about the importance of precision and clarity when it comes to language use.  We’ve also addressed how much of a challenge that can be. English is an oft times confusing shambles of a language with many words (say root and route for example) sounding exactly the same but having different meanings. These are called homonyms.  Still others, called synonyms, offer a plethora of choice to portray pretty much the exact same thing. A great example might be the variety of words used to describe being “tired” including: weary, exhausted, fatigued and lethargic. With all this to consider, plus spelling and sentence structure rules, it can be overwhelming.

  • To provide perspective, numerous studies have found that on average, better than 60% of your customers will notice if you have a spelling or grammatical error on your website.
  • Of those that notice errors, an almost equal number, 59%, state they would not use that company because of the errors.
  • Over 70% of potential customers report that spelling and grammar errors demonstrate “an obvious lack of care” meaning consumers consider the company to be “unprofessional.”

As I report in seminars I offer on Communications Strategies for Entrepreneurs, industry averages suggest varyingly that people spend a total of between 10 and 30 seconds on a webpage. Jacob Nielsen states: “unless your writing is extraordinarily clear and focused, little of what you say on your website will get through to customers.” As a business, you need to consider that if that 30 seconds was spent noticing spelling errors or the improper use of grammar you will be memorable but for all the wrong reasons!

Start your new year on the right note. Book some time to review all of your promotional materials, your website and blogs. Have someone else do it for you. A second set of eyes often catches what you might have missed. Always be sure to run your words through spell-check. It’s amazing how many don’t and yet, this simple step alone would save many a poor speller from the future expense of having to re-edit website content or reprint promotional materials. Running a business is expensive enough. Doing the same thing twice because of a spelling or grammatical error is a costly error that can be avoided easily. Write it right – because grammar matters.

 

*”www.realbusiness.ca.uk”

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

Confidence = “Business is booming!”

Sheralyn

I had a great conversation with someone recently. It was on the topic of “owning it.” We were each reflecting upon the fact that we operate a business that has more to do with creativity than any “perceived” solid, marketable skill. It’s easy for many of us to identify with what an accountant does or with the services a website designer can offer. For many of us, we also “know what we don’t know.” That is to say, I’m no good with numbers so I KNOW that I need an accountant to help me with that part of my business. But for those of us offering more creative type services, a typical response from many customers is; “I can probably take a stab at that myself,” or “I need to cut costs somewhere so I’ll (insert here – “get my friend to help” or “write my own blogs” or “take my own pictures.”) How is the budding entrepreneur in any of these creative type services supposed to market and sell to the “DIY” audience? By OWNING it! Own your skill set and service and most of all stop apologizing. Be loud and proud about the VALUE ADD that you bring to the table.

When you’re a writer for example, it can be hard to provide quantifiable evidence of your ability to add to a client’s bottom line. Is the increase in customer traffic due to great content or whizbang looking graphics or because the product or service is exceptional? If you’re a photographer, who wants to pay for your services when everyone has an iphone and thinks their shaky video is suitable for posting. The conversation with my fellow entrepreneur sparked an investigation into how creative people tend to sell their services and universally (from my admittedly unscientific research) it would appear that when we undergo the transformation from apologizing for our services to owning our strength and proudly speaking about our value to your business bottom line, that’s when people suddenly realize that YES they need you and YES, they should actually be paying you what your worth.

Owning your work is pretty simple. To “OWN it” means to be:

Out loud. To speak loudly and proudly about what you do and whom you do it for and that your fee is your fee. End of story. Project that you’re worth it and people will pay what you’re worth.

Original. Stand out from the crowd. Differentiate yourself from every one else.

Out in front of people. SPEAKING is important. Grab every chance you get to speak publicly about what you do. Seek out professional groups and opportunities to speak in front of others. Speaking lends credibility to what you do.

Own it also means:

Work hard. It’s true what your Momma told you. You get out what you put in and if you work hard and produce results for your clients word will get around.

Winning Attitude. Project confidence. Tell yourself every day “you’ve got this.” Confidence sells.

Write about what you do. Again, it’s about credibility. If people can see what you’ve had to say online you are positioning yourself as the expert and will be viewed as one.

Finally, own it means to:

Never underestimate your services and never undervalue what you do. You pay a contractor to complete a task in your home, why wouldn’t you expect to be paid for what you do? Content is valuable, artwork draws the eye to the page and a picture sometimes really is “worth a thousand words” so demand a fair rate and be open about what goes into the services you offer and why they cost what they do.

Network like your life depends on it. This doesn’t mean “selling” to folks, rather it simply means get out there and meet people, talk about what you do and treat everyone like a mutual referral source.

Without fail, the entrepreneurs I spoke with all said some variation of the same thing. The moment they stopped “justifying” their service and the price they charged and instead began proudly declaring: “Here is who I am, what I can do for you and the price you should expect to pay,” (in other words owning it) that’s when their business shifted. Change your mindset. Speak with confidence about what you do, project in your voice and actions that you are the “go to” expert and take on any opportunity to speak in front of groups.  Then sit back and watch your business grow!

“O.W.N. IT”

  • Out loud and out front
  • Original
  • Work hard
  • Winning Attitude
  • Write what you know
  • Never underestimate
  • Network!

 

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

Websites and the 5 W Principle

Sheralyn

Are you looking to do a refresh of your website? Is it time for an update or perhaps a wholesale change to your content? Today we talk tips on creating short, snappy website content that resonates! Similar in nature to when we looked at blogging for business, we’ll take a brief look at the “5 W Principle.”

To begin, keep this in mind:  Treat your website like your resume and engage in TARGETED MARKETING.  Like a resume, what do people most need to know about you? Do they need to know every job you’ve ever held, from that very first day working on the fry line at a fast food chain or do they only need to know that which is most relevant to the business you are engaged in now? Certainly you should talk about any relevant prior experience but brevity is key. No need to share your life story, just clearly talk about your product or service by answering the “5 W’s” – the who, what, where, when and why questions. In doing so, you’ll create an edited version of your skill set that still sells you and your product or service, just like a resume “sells” you to a potential employer.

Here are your key considerations:

Be targeted (or very specific) in narrowing down your potential audience. You do this by answering the question “who x 2?” That is, who are you and who is your intended audience? It’s actually not limiting your business by weeding out potential customers before you even speak to them, rather, its good time-management. You’re preventing unwanted, time-wasting phone calls from people who will probably never do business with you anyway.  To help with the “who” question, you also need to clearly identify your “why?” Why do you do what you do? This is where your passion for what you do will come through. Use thoughtful, engaging language that helps others understand why you are so passionate about your business. Sharing your passion is what engages potential “right-brained” customers. By addressing the questions of WHAT and HOW (how do you do what you do) you will engage with potential left-brained customers who both need and want specifics in order to determine whether to do business with you. Providing some level of detail will appeal to them. Answering the where and when is easy and somewhat self-explanatory. Finally, I’ve said it before and I will probably say it again as it comes up in all of my seminars; always make sure that your website content is “CORI” content. That is create content that is:

  • Current
  • Original
  • Relevant
  • Interesting

By creating and maintaining content that’s fresh and relevant to your industry – you are demonstrating that you are “on top” of industry trends. Keep your website updated by blogging, posting specials, providing seasonal information and by sharing tips and tools that matter to your customers. Give information away for free to establish goodwill and credibility. But always remember, don’t be that annoying person who shares and posts constantly just to be heard because you risk being ignored or “unsubscribed” instead! So when it comes to websites, practice the “5 W Principle” for a wonderful website that works.

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

Six Degrees of Separation

Sheralyn

Many years ago Will Smith, prior to his Men in Black days, starred in a movie called “Six Degrees of Separation.” I remember at the time thinking it was a pretty good movie and memorable. In a pre social media world it was a social commentary on how small the world around us really is and how we are all connected. After two recent incidences involving people with whom I was interviewing or working with, it struck home once again how connected we are. In one, I interviewed a woman who it turned out, actually knew the publisher of the magazine for whom I was working. In the other, the mother of one of my daughter’s besties invited me to attend an event featuring her old high school buddy – whom it turned out I’d had the pleasure of meeting to discuss business with just one week prior.  In the words of a song “it’s a small world after all.”

What these experiences emphasized to me is the ongoing theme of the importance of networking. It seems to be something universally loved or hated.  For some it’s intimidating, others see it as too “salesy” and still others both love and embrace the challenge of walking into a room full of strangers and starting a conversation.  Regardless of where you stand on the issue, if it’s of any comfort to the haters, invariably I would argue that within just a few minutes at any event, chances are you will connect with someone who knows someone who knows you. It makes having a conversation easier as you discuss your mutual common interests. It also means we truly are all connected and that’s why the value of networking and a willingness to act as a referral source for one another, cannot be overstated.

What six degrees of separation also means to me is that more often than not, networking often doesn’t take place at a networking event at all. Rather, it is when you are “out and about” in the world at large, conducting business, working, or attending a charitable event. Heck, it even happens in hockey arenas and over the bleachers at your kids soccer game. Networking is about relationships. Period.

Here’s what I mean: In the example of the subject of my magazine article, not only did she know the publisher (helping cement our burgeoning business relationship) but the more I chatted with her, the more it became clear how we could be of service to one another.  I knew several people that might be in a position to help the organization with whom she was working and she in turn was able to put me in contact with a great potential opportunity for my future development. That’s networking in action and we weren’t even at a networking event, just having a coffee while she shared her story with me.

Networking isn’t about handing out as many cards as you possibly can – it’s about fostering a relationship with others, getting to know them on a personal level and even if you aren’t in a business that is mutually beneficial, you might know or be connected with someone who is. If you’ve taken the time to develop that one to one connection – your referral is guaranteed because you know, like and trust the person and in this world – that’s very valuable.  Not to mention, just like in the movie – you never know who might know whom! It’s a small world indeed. Business can come from anywhere and we are all just six degrees (at most) of separation away from one another. Make sure you are always acting with integrity and not just with your own, but with others best interests at heart too. Then you can sit back and watch how opportunity will come your way!

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

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

Let's Play A Game

Sheralyn

Sometimes in this space we talk about communication. Well, ok – usually in this space communication is ALL we talk about!  Occasionally it’s tips and tools, sometimes it is general open-ended advice applicable to any business and today, we would like to share something we do each week in an effort to engage both new and existing customers. It might seem a little self-indulgent but we hope you’ll go along with us and possibly pick up some helpful advice along the way.

There are two things we do each week to engage and interact with our audience. If you’ve never followed the links at the bottom of this post in order to view our business facebook page, I invite you to do so, in order to see what it’s all about. Once there, you might consider how you can adapt the concept to best suit your business.  Perhaps you are hoping to drive more traffic to your website. Maybe your facebook page needs more likes. Either way, we encourage you to consider “having a conversation” with your customer, as a means to potentially increasing your bottom line.  In today’s digital economy, communication often takes on a new and unique meaning. Conversations don’t necessarily take place face to face and in fact, you may never meet your customer or client in person. How do you have a “conversation” without ever speaking a word? Well one of things we do at Writing Right For You is play games and share information!

Each week we play “Wordplay Wednesday”™ and “Fun Fact Friday.”™ Wednesday is an opportunity to engage followers in a challenging exercise usually involving homonyms. We interact with our audience as they attempt to guess the word of the day. Occasionally, a Timmies gift card is the prize. Playing our Wordplay Wednesday challenge drives traffic to our facebook page and website too. We engage and interact with both existing and potential customers in a light-hearted and fun way that involves absolutely no sales pressure whatsoever.  This is followed up each Friday with our Fun Fact word of the day where we share the weird and wonderful world of the English language, explaining the meaning behind such unusual words as “quidnunc.” (Yup, it really is a word!)

Not everything in business needs to be about “the sale.” By engaging customers in new and unique ways however, a sale might just be the end result. Consider what you can do to engage, interact and have a “conversation” with both new and existing customers, without ever picking up the phone. Stop by our page first….increase your vocabulary, share your new found knowledge with your own customers and hey, you might win a coffee while you’re at it!

 

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

Life Lessons

Sheralyn

I learned a valuable lesson recently when life got in the way of business.  My mother had a saying when we were kids that went like this: “Never put off til tomorrow what you can get done today.” Seems I had been putting off a few to many things recently and as a result, when hit with an unexpected two day, all consuming event, I was left with nothing in reserve to help keep my business going, even during such a short absence. It turns out Mother was right after all.

As small business entrepreneurs and/or solopreneurs we tend to do a huge chunk (if not all!) of the work associated with our business by ourselves.  We try to be all things to all people: the bookkeeper, the sales team, the designer, the writer etc. This can result in things getting missed, particularly if they are not scheduled well ahead of time. Social Media posts are easy to book ahead but scheduling multiple deadlines and juggling several important deliverables requires skillful management of your calendar. Letting even one thing slide or thinking, “I can get this done tomorrow” can have a catastrophic effect if life gets in the way and makes other plans for you!

Don’t play catch-up. Use a time-management or even a project-management tool to stay on top of work demands and ahead of the game. That way, when a curveball comes your way, you’re prepared. By the way, this record-breaking “shortest post ever,” on a topic that has nothing to do with communications (considered my specialty) has been brought to you by “The Procrastinator”- me!

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

Perfectly Precise

Sheralyn

Precision.  It is such an important word and embodies a world of meaning. Depending on your industry, precision could be a technical term that relates to accuracy or, for your business purposes, might simply mean choosing the best words possible for your website content or next marketing campaign. Typically, we associate precision with the accounting industry more so than we might when thinking of those whose primary “tools” are words. Today however, I take this opportunity to remind you that being precise when it comes to words is not only nice, it’s necessary.

Our friends at Merriam-Webster define precision as this: “the quality or state of being precise: exactness or accuracy.” For my husband, as a Tool and Die Maker, exactness means working to tolerances that represent less than the width of a human hair, on molds that are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. If he makes a mistake, it could have huge and expensive ramifications. Given that one little piece of metal he once worked on is now actually orbiting in outer space, you can imagine how important precision is to his business. Any firm who has undergone an accounting audit will also be able to describe the importance of precise, accurate records.

Words, and the precision with which you choose them, may not make space exploration history but they are still critically important to your mission – that of making your business a success. When you go to a paint store, you don’t ask for “green” paint, you state the specific shade of green you seek. You ensure accuracy by being precise.  There is a world of difference between “forest” green and “lime” green and being precise will help ensure you only have to paint the room once!

What can be frustrating about the English language is that occasionally there are several appropriate words to choose from. How do you choose the best one?  For newcomers in particular this can be challenging. Simply deciphering the “their,” “there” and “they’re” conundrum can be frustrating. However, the very fact that there might be two or even three great words to select from simply highlights that you both CAN and SHOULD choose the best word possible. Clarity is the goal. Consider using a dictionary or a thesaurus when writing, ask a friend to review your content or poll your customers to ask what about your website attracted them and whether any particular word, logo, slogan or marketing material grabbed their attention. Ask a professional to create or edit content for you because statistics consistently show that you only have between 10 – 30 seconds to make a favourable impression on your website.  That’s not much time. If you want your message to resonate, attract customers and turn a website search into an actual sale, it’s imperative you make every word count.

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

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