Escape from Cubicle Nation

Small business recession-proofing wisdom from John Jantsch

If anyone has a pulse on the small business market these days, it is John Jantsch from Duct Tape Marketing.  And I love this advice from a recent post on what to do in the current (dare we officially call it a) recession:

Some marketing experts may advise you to expand your marketing reach when times are tough, but I believe the opposite is true. (In fact, the only thing you should do in good times and bad is the right thing - bad times just seem to have a way of getting your attention.)

The most effective strategy you can adopt now and in the future is to think narrow.

• Narrow your target market focus - define who makes an ideal customer and who doesn’t - serve only one of them
• Narrow your core marketing message - find a way to stand out to be different and build all of your lead activities around owning that difference, that word
• Narrow the gap between you and your customer - build community around your current customers, bring them into your marketing mix, ask them what they think, give them something they didn’t expect, help them get more of what they want, call them for no reason at all - and build through their referrals

If you can become known by a very narrow target market for doing something very specifically unique in a way that your customers adore, you will no longer compete on price and no longer live at the mercies of the ups and downs beyond your control.

It is so common to panic in a tough economic climate.  But don't forget it also provides enormous opportunities for growth for those that are willing to see them.  And if things are slow, it is a great time to get back to refreshing your strategy, building your infrastructure, documenting your systems, organizing your workspace and, as John said, refining your marketing message.  Then, when the good times come again, you will be ready for them.

Read the whole article here.

See Presentation Zen in Action at Google Talk

I am an unabashed fan of both the person Garr Reynolds (a humble and very solid guy) and his work, the book and blog Presentation Zen.  I wrote a review of the book awhile ago, and have been happy to see it climb the bestselling ranks. 

Garr just spoke to the folks at Google about many of the concepts covered in the book.  It was fun to see him live, and to virtually experience the types of visuals that make a presentation engaging and interesting.

See for yourself.  I watched this late one evening and got inspired to spruce up my own presentations.  Thanks Google for sharing these talks through YouTube.

Your personal brand can run but it can't hide online

Two stories struck me funny when I put them together:

1. My friend Jason Alba from Jibber Jobber wrote a review of Bait and Switch:  The (Futile) Pursuit of the American Dream, a new book by Barbara Ehrenreich which follows her "inside investigation" of the job market, resume writers and career coaches.  I have not read the book yet, but Jason said that her experiences were not positive at all. She is the author of the best-selling "Nickel and Dimed," where she also went undercover to investigate minimum wage jobs. 
2. This gem of a 2-minute video by Gary Vaynerchuck (Thanks to Chris Brogan for the tip) which so clearly describes our inability to tell lies about ourselves anymore, due to information available on the internet.  I love Gary's enthusiasm and conclusion.  May the good guys win!  If you can't see the player on my blog, the direct link to YouTube is here.
   

No profession is immune from incompetence.  So Ms. Ehrenreich's stories could well be true.  I just found it kind of amusing that she had trouble getting career advice, networking and landing a good job when she was pretending to be someone she was not. 

Could there be a link?

I better read the book.

Clear flash of branding insight from Tom Asacker

Thanks to Chris Wilson from The Marketing Fresh Peel, I found this gem on branding from a clear eye:

Who am I?  What is my brand?
Me.
What is my promise, personality, and positioning?
Me. Me.
What do I want to say?  How should I say it?
Me. Me. Me.
If only I can get the details right.  If only I can discover my essence.
Me. Me. Me. Me.
.
BAM!
.
I wonder who they are.
Them.
I wonder what they’re doing.
Them. Them.
I wonder how they’re feeling.
Them. Them. Them.
I wonder how I can make life better for them and make them feel better about themselves.
Them. Them. Them. Them.

See the post in context at a clear eye blog. 

So true, so rarely understood.

Are you acting like a celebrity sheep with your marketing plans?

The business model for the young and glamorous has gotten very clear to me:

1.  Go somewhere to "be discovered" for your good looks and fabulous abs
2.  Become a famous model or dancer
3.  Start acting
4.  Have some really public, screwed up relationships and get married and divorced a few times
5.  Record a CD
6.  Start a clothing line
7.  Create a signature perfume

If your career is long enough, you can probably add:

8.  Get addicted to drugs
9.  Go to rehab
10.  Pitch beauty products on QVC

Can you say JLo, Usher, Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears?

Each day, the list of celebrities launching perfume lines gets longer. 

Frankly, it is boring. 

Because it has become the "thing to do," it doesn't stand out anymore. As I was doing a bit of poking around about this subject, I learned that I am not alone in my observations, since the perfume sector thinks there is celebrity overkill too.

Here is how this phenomenon relates to the rest of us non-glamorous mortals (maybe I should speak for myself - some of you may be busy launching perfume lines without me knowing it):

If you are new to business marketing, you will find that for many areas of specialty, especially in the services business, there is a prescribed path:

1. Identify your target market
2. Start an ezine so you can build a mailing list
3. Create a free report to entice people on your list
4. Write articles and submit them to directories
5. Start a blog
6. Create infoproducts
7. Write really long sales letters
8. Conduct teleclasses and group workshops
9. Connect up with important people for joint ventures
10. Implement SEO techniques on your website
11. Write a book
12. Hit the speaking circuit
13. Charge $5,000 a day for the same thing you used to charge $200 for
14. Create an exclusive weekend workshop where you hobnob with your starstruck clients at exotic locations

You've seen all this, right?

There is a good reason why these prescribed marketing techniques are so popular:  they work. 

But here is the important caveat:  They work for the right people in the right situations.

Two perfectly capable coaches could implement all these steps and come out with wildly different results.  The reason?

• For Coach #1, this process fits with her natural interests and abilities, she enjoys doing it, she has something unique and important to share and her enthusiasm is genuine. My friend Philippa Kennealy is a good example of this with her business The Entrepreneurial MD.  A former MD-turned-coach, she has built her business step by step, doing all the "right things" from a marketing perspective.  As she puts in each new piece of infrastructure, she learns from expert mentors and is disciplined and rigorous in her testing, implementation and delivery. The right clients find her, and love her, because she does excellent work.  Frankly, she makes me sick she is so productive, but that is just jealousy talking. :)
  
  
• For Coach #2, this process feels awkward, uncomfortable and disingenuous.  She does it because she thinks she "has to," and hates every minute of it.  I have certainly seen examples of this, but I don't think it would be kind to call them out to all my readers (Can you imagine being the person who gets an incoming link based on your site sucking so bad?). Let me just say you know who you are. And I want to help put you out of your misery, because doing a bunch of stuff that you hate because it is what you think you should do is worse than being an opressed cube dweller.

So what is the alternative if you are repelled by the thought of doing the "right things?"

1. Before rejecting any model, you must learn it.  Do not mix up discomfort at doing something new with aversion to doing it at all.  Remember the conscious competence learning model,and how you have to "stumble the mumble" before you "walk the talk." I will put my list of recommended marketing reading at the end of this post.
   
   It is like someone inviting you to an Ethiopian restaurant for dinner. You have never had the food before, but you know you have to eat with your hands, and that kind of freaks you out.  Instead of just refusing to go, try it once.  Then try it again, at a different restaurant with a different friend.  You may find that Ethiopian food cooked by anyone anywhere isn't for you. Or, you could be like Sam I Am's friend and find that once you finally try it, you actually like Green Eggs and Ham.
   
   
2. Choose a couple of marketing methods and really work them. Your criteria for selection should be A) has the greatest likelihood of getting you the results you want and B) is the most fun and energizing to do.
   
   A great example is Hello, My Name is Scott, known as "That Nametag Guy."  He took a simple marketing technique, wearing a nametag, and worked and worked and worked it into a mini-marketing empire.  The mainstream press ate it up, and now he has a much broader platform as a personal branding expert with books and big-time speaking engagements.
   
   My one-trick pony is blogging, and I have found that it is a perfect way to stay energized when marketing my business while sharing information with the people I care most about.  Sure I need to do some more marketing activities, and I will.  But for now, blogging works for me.
3. Don't be afraid to do something different. If every coach or software developer or financial adviser on your block is utilizing the same marketing technique and it is bland and boring, cook up something new.
   
   Angelina Jolie, although checking off a few points on the celebrity business model list (multiple screwed up relationships, anyone?), took a left turn when instead of launching a perfume line, became an honorary U.N.Ambassador.  I get the feeling that she did this not as a buzz-building technique, but because she really cares.
   
   In the same vein, goth rocker Marilyn Manson is launching a perfume and cosmetics line.  I know, I know, it is a perfume and cosmetics  line.  But it is kind of interesting because Marilyn Manson is doing it.  Aren't you simultaneously repulsed and fascinated by what he will come up with?  (As an example, I was going to link to his site, but it is so totally horrifying that I couldn't bring myself to do it.  View at your own risk)

Just remember, there is nothing wrong with following a well-established formula if it feels genuine and works for you.  If it doesn't, go with your gut and choose a way of getting the word out about yourself that is real, exciting and sustaining.  By doing so, you just may find yourself miles ahead of the herd.

Finally, here are the marketing books and resources I have gotten great value from.  Read them, take what you like and toss the rest.

Duct Tape Marketing by John Jantsch
Permission Marketing by Seth Godin
Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port
Made to Stick by Chip and Dan Heath
Multiple Streams of Coaching Income by Andrea Lee
Robert Middleton's Infoguru Marketing Manual

There are more, but this is a good start.  (I used affiliate links)

Great marketing tips from Small Business Trends

John Jantsch tipped me off to a great resource over at Anita Campbell's Small Business Trends:  Top Experts Dish with their Best Kept Marketing Secrets.

My tip:  Be yourself.  Lying takes too much energy.

Last call for meatball ... sundae that is with Seth Godin

For Saturday Night Live fans out there, you remember "Coffee Talk with Linda Richman,"played by Mike Meyers?

As I wrote last week, tomorrow is your opportunity to hear some "Meatball Talk" with me, Andy Wibbels, Tim Sanders and Seth Godin.  We're discussing Seth's new book, Meatball Sundae, which has great perspectives on how you can manage the incredible options for marketing your business this year.  Even if you participated in some of the other calls with John Jantsch, Chris Anderson, Michael Port or Tim Ferris, this will be different!

Details:

• Tuesday, January 29
• 1pm Eastern
• FREE!
• If you can't make it, no prob -- you get the recording

To sign up for the call, go here:  www.sethgodinbooktour.com

I am not too proud to admit that I will feel great knowing you all are on the call.  :)

And as Linda says in Coffee Talk:  ""Give a call, we'll talk, no big whoop."

---

Update 2/2:  Here is the link to the recording, in case you missed the opportunity to sign up.

Ten laws for better email from Bad Language

I love Matthew Stibbe's blog Bad Language because it is so crisp and clean and useful.

He has an excellent post on writing emails that you should all check out.  It does not contain earth-shattering information that you have never heard, but it is crisp, clean and useful.  Kind of like your emails should be but aren't.

A favorite line:

"Don’t drunk-mail. Don’t email when angry. Don’t argue by email."

Ten laws for better email.

The world is getting more global every day

I always crack up when I hear the expression "the world is getting more global every day," since it brings me back 12 years ago to a presentation by a very senior investment adviser at my last "real" corporate job:

"People keep saying the world is getting more global.  The world has ALWAYS been global."

I was reminded of this by a lovely visit to my home this weekend by a talented and down-to-earth blog reader named Sherri Garrity.  Sherri hails from the province of Manitoba, Canada and recently left the corporate world to launch her communications business, Make it Count Communications.  She also writes a blog targeted to non-profit organizations called Ready, Aim, Inspire.

Sherri's parents escape the frigid winters of Canada by staying right down the road from me in Apache Junction, Arizona.  Sherri and her family were visiting over the holidays, so she came over to my house for a cup of coffee.  We took a stroll down to the playground to watch our kids play and talked about our lives and businesses. 

We both were amazed at how much a blog can open up your business, especially if you offer services like writing that do not require you to be physically in front of your client.  We also found that starting a blog rekindles the passion for writing that gets extinguished after many years crafting internal communications for large corporations.  It is so refreshing to say what is really on your mind, and not have it mucked up by 13 levels of committee reviews.  That is my feeling anyway!

Sherri has the kind of quiet confidence that will make her very successful as an independent  person.  That is my hunch, and I can't wait to see how her business plays out this coming year.

I am glad to have met one of my "peeps" in person.  It has made my small world here in Mesa, Arizona a lot more global.  :)

Pictured in my backyard from left to right:  My son Josh, Sherri, her daughter Kiera, me, my  mother-in-law Angela, my husband Darryl and my daughter Angela (yes, she is named after her grandma!)  Our son Jeffery took the picture. 

Don't fence me in: branding advice for the multi-talented

Through a wonderful series of events including the recent Personal Branding Summit, I exchanged emails with Marci Alboher, columnist and blogger for the New York Times.  Marci wrote a book called One Person/Multiple Careers: How the Slash Effect Can Work for You.  She chronicles the careers of people who are multi-talented, such as a school teacher/model and psychotherapist/violin maker. 

I know that this "slash" phenomenon affects many of my readers and clients who squirm, protest and outright rebel when asked choose a primary focus for their business.  Through my work with branding expert Suzanne Falter-Barns, I have spent many hours on the phone and in online forums pleading with multi-talented people to narrow their focus.

Marci asked if I would write a guest post on this topic for her New York Times blog Shifting Careers.  And it is live today  - check it out!

While researching for this post, I looked up the most prominent "slasher" of the moment, 4-Hour Workweek's Tim Ferris.  Much to my surprise, his site turned up a video of a Google Talk with him and Marci, discussing their respective books.  I really enjoyed their conversation.

Thanks Marci for the opportunity to guest write your column!  I had to pinch myself this morning when I saw my mug smiling under the New York Times masthead. :) 

Do you have to have an interesting life to use Twitter?

I try to stay on top of social media trends since they affect a lot of my clients and blog readers.

One that I have been trying to wrap my mind around is Twitter, which in their words is "a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?"

I have seen a lot of prominent bloggers tout the benefits of Twitter, like Guy Kawasaki, Robert Scoble and Hugh McLeod.  They have thousands of people who follow their "tweets," which are short bursts of information throughout the day regarding their where- and what-abouts.

My question  for home-based entrepreneurs like me and perhaps you is:

Would Twitter be a good addition to your social media repertoire of ways to connect with your audience?

Here is my train of thought as I attempt to answer this question myself:

Example of Hugh's tweet:

"Thinking of making my advertising space on gapingvoid.com exclusive to Microsoft."

Example of my tweet:

"Found a parking space near the cart return at Safeway, yeah!"

Example of Guy's tweet:

"Tonight I started my next book. Mark your calendars. :-)"

Example of my tweet:

"Changed diaper.  Fed.  Burped.  Put to sleep.  10 minutes later:  Repeat."

Example of Amanda Congdon's tweet:

"Getting ready to head down to the studio to shoot this week's video for abc. Should I walk there today?"

Example of my tweet:

"Law and Order marathon today, rock on!"

Robert Scoble tweeted about the following WSJ article which elaborates some of my concerns with Twitter:  Friends Swap Twitter, and Frustration.

If making your fans' cellphones beep all day isn't bad enough, I think sharing the mundane reality of your home-based business may do your brand more harm than good.

Maybe I should just speak for myself.  I am sure all of your daily lives are much more interesting than mine.

What do you think, is Tweeting and Twittering worth the effort?

(Although I have to admit that few of you could say that Amanda Congdon interviewed you in your backyard or a group of four cute 20-something men parked in front of your house in a gigantic tour bus, but I swear, this is the exception, not the rule :)

Expert networking techniques from a playground-savvy 9-year old

Most new entrepreneurs dread networking.  The thought conjures up sweaty palms and overcooked chicken, awkward pauses and a pounding heart.

But it doesn't have to be that way!  The other day, I learned some simple and powerful networking techniques from 9-year old Austin on the playground in my suburban community.

The story:

I was standing in the sand with my new baby in a snuggle pack, watching my 2-year old Josh play on the slide.  He looked over to the basketball courts and noticed there was a new kid on a scooter. 

Never one to be shy, Josh shouted "Hi Kid!  Want to come and play?"

9-year old Austin made his way over, and started talking to Josh.  He was gentle and kind, and really paid attention to what Josh was saying.  This is markedly different from most kids his age, who blatantly ignore him as he stands by their side, begging to play.

Since I had never seen Austin before, I asked him if he was new in the neighborhood.  He said he was, and lived with his Mom, dog and 2 cats just down the road.

As he was talking to me, he noticed Angela in the snuggle pack and said "Can I see your baby?"  I said sure and he came close to look at her.  "She is so cute!" he said, again defying the typical 9-year old boy who can hardly distinguish a new baby from a watermelon.

He told me about his cats, and suggested I get one for Josh, since "he gets really excited when I talk about cats."

After some more small talk, Austin said "I am kind of lonely around here since I don't know any kids in the neighborhood.  I heard that a boy my age lives in that house on the corner."  "Yes, Zach lives there," I said.  "Would you mind introducing me?" said Austin.

Impressed by his polite demeanor, I agreed and we all walked over to Zach's house.

Zach's parents answered the door, and I explained why I was there.  Zach came running to the door to join them.  Smiling and extending his hand, Austin said "Hi, my name is Austin.  Do you like Pokeman?"  Zach's face lit up and he said an enthusiastic "Yes!"

Within 10 seconds, Zach grabbed his book of Pokeman cards and the two were off to the playground, looking like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. (link provided for those of you too young to know what I am talking about)

I was floored at the grace and ease with which Austin broke the ice and made a new friend.  Here is what I learned from his natural networking ability:

• Be interested.  Whomever Austin talked to, he looked them in the eye and immediately listened for what they were interested in.  He answered questions about himself when asked, but kept the focus on his new friend.  Ninety percent of new networkers focus on their own elevator pitch and sounding important.  Instead, follow the sage advice I heard from Jim Collins a number of years ago:  Be an interested person, not an interesting person.
  
• Be real. Most people, well past 9-years old, would be totally embarrassed to admit that they were lonely and in need of companionship.  But this authenticity is exactly what endears you to people.  Instead of puffing out your chest and trying to sound important as you connect with new people, be down-to-earth and let them know what you are feeling.  Don't be afraid to say things like "I am really terrified of starting a new business.  Did you feel that way when you started yours?" or "These networking events always make me feel slightly queasy.  Do you want to go grab a drink?" 
  
• Notice what is important to the person you are networking with.  What new Mom is not thrilled with a compliment to her baby?  Zach was immediately excited when Austin mentioned Pokemon.  And I don't think it was a coincidence that Austin opened with this example, as I have a feeling that he had observed Zach playing with his cards before.  So if you are communicating with someone in person or online, pay attention to what is important to them.  Read their blog, their books, and note their interests. We are all creatures of ego, and it is hard to resist someone who really notices what we like. (Note to the single among you ... this is good dating advice too!)
• Ask for an introduction.  Austin could have spent a miserable couple of weeks cooped up at home, waiting to make some friends.  Or he could ask for an introduction, reducing anxiety and speeding up his integration into the neighborhood. Don't be so polite that you miss the opportunity to shortcut a connection to an interesting person.  The worst that can happen is that someone refuses to make the introduction, and you can gracefully move on to another way of connecting.
  
• Be nice to everyone.  I am sure that Austin would rather play with someone his own age than talk to a two-year old or a 41-year old Mom.  But because he was so nice to us, he opened the door to meet his target:  a Pokeman-addicted 9-year old boy who loves to ride bikes, spray water guns and play video games.  Too often, I see people brush anyone off who doesn't fit their "target profile."  What they don't realize is that the receptionist, waiter, college student or elderly woman at the grocery store that they treat rudely could hold a golden key of introduction to someone they desire.  Not to mention that it is just bad karma. In my corporate days, I would always get nauseated when watching a job candidate or salesperson act condescending to a receptionist, then lay on the honey when they met a senior executive.  What they didn't realize is that receptionists and administrative assistants rule the world, and their rudeness forever doomed their efforts to get in with the "big people." 

I look forward to seeing Austin again, and don't doubt that with his natural networking abilities he will have a full and exciting life.

There is no "and" in "brand"

Well, technically there is, but this catchy phrase quoted by Andy Sernovitz in today's Evangelizing Evangelists to Build Your Business and Build Your Brand talk was a great takeaway.  (sign up today to receive access to the recording)  Guy Kawasaki and John Jantsch immediately grabbed on to the phrase, which Andy reminded them was copywritten.  :)

I feel like I have been harping on this theme ever since I started this blog, but the concept is worth repeating over and over again:

Do not convolute your brand, and your business, by trying to be all things to all people.

• Bill, the Cleveland plumbing specialist AND acupuncturist to the stars
• Juan, the executive coach  AND expert iguana tamer
• Linda, the financial planner for growing restaurant businesses AND sunblock consultant to nudist colonies

Andy said on the call that the hardest thing for entrepreneurs to do is to let go of portions of their identity so that they can focus on one specific, targeted brand.

But this is exactly what you have to do if you want to catch the attention of customers, press and web surfers.  Most people think that targeting a specific market niche is limiting and restricts opportunity.  In fact, the opposite is true:  the more specifically you define who you serve, the better chance you have at finding them, and they you.

So while you may be tempted to let the market know that you can organize closets like a pro AND do the quickest manicure in the western hemisphere AND translate legal documents from English to Swahili, please don't.

Keep your brand specific and targeted.  And, according to the world's most "practical" marketer John Jantsch, diligently and consistently promote it for the long haul to see good results.

For those on the call, Guy also reminded us that there is a "bra" in "brand," which only proves that you are never too old to resist pithy 12-year-old male humor.

Reduce your dread of marketing and sales

Most new entrepreneurs are freaked out by the prospect of marketing and selling themselves to prospective clients, because they believe that the whole field is slimy, pushy and disingenuous.  Michael Port, author of Book Yourself Solid:  The Fastest, Easiest and Most Reliable System for Getting More Clients, Even if You Hate Marketing and Selling, debunks these myths and shares how you can create a strong marketing platform built on being yourself, clearly defining who you want to work with, and establishing a (true!)reputation of trust and credibility.

Michael also has some good wisdom to share about creating information products, which can be a great passive revenue booster for anyone in the professional service sector.

Listen to my interview with Michael on Friday, August 24 on the VoiceAmerica Escape from Cubicle Nation Radio Show.

Show details:

Date:  Friday, August 24
Time:  11am-12pm Pacific Standard Time
Topic:  Reduce your dread of marketing and selling
To listen:  Click here

If you miss the live show, you can always listen later, through the link above.  To download as an Mp3, you will have to click on the title of the show, which will bring up the "download as Mp3" option.

How to build a strong and creative brand

Marilyn Scott-Waters has been an artist all her life, but found that her corporate role as Art Director at Nike was pinching her soul. So she ventured into the world of freelance, and as part of her business built a gigantic following with her whimsical paper toy site thetoymaker.com. On today's radio show, hear her perspective on building a strong and creative brand, integrating the best of her training as corporate artist with the hard won knowledge of an in-the-trenches entrepreneur.

Show details:

Date:  Friday, July 27 (Today!)
Time:  11am-12pm Pacific Standard Time
Topic:  How to build a strong and creative brand
To listen:  Click here

If you miss the live show, you can always listen later, through the link above.  To download as an Mp3, you will have to click on the title of the show, which will bring up the "download as Mp3" option.

---
And a note of apology to Feedblitz subscribers to this blog, who often express annoyance that my notices are sometimes short for radio shows. (Feedblitz sends summaries of blog posts via email, and they are usually delivered the day after they are posted) I can only plead busy, pregnant woman these days, and I am racing as fast as I can to get everything done before the baby comes.  Between scheduling guests, preparing for interviews, creating a product, writing a book and blog posts, I am stretched pretty thin.

I appreciate your interest and dedication.  Please note that the show airs every Friday at the same time (11am Pacific) so you can always go to the link I reference above under "show details" to see what is playing live.  Thanks for your patience with me!

Think you have what it takes to win the "StartupNation's Home-based 100" Contest?

StartupNation just launched a very fun and attractive competition for home-based entrepreneurs:  The StartupNation's Home-based 100.

Aiming to shed glory and exposure on the oft-neglected sector of home-based entrepreneurs, it is the first annual ranking of the best-performing home-based businesses in the U.S.

The categories include:

• Greenest
  Home-based businesses that have a positive environment and social impact.
• Dorm-Based
  Some of the greatest business successes in existence today were born in the college dormitory - here's a watch list of who's next in line!
• Boomers back in Business
  Living longer and with greater vitality than ever, these 50+'s have taken up the yoke of entrepreneurship at home.
• Yummiest
  Your mouth waters just at the thought of their edibles (and drinkables).
• Wackiest
  The zaniest, most outrageous home-based businesses that actually work.
• Grungiest
  If grease, grime, dirt, oil, tar, goop, soot or any combination thereof is a reality in your daily home-business life, this one's for you.
• Worldliest
  Home-Based businesses now serve a worldwide customer base - these entrepreneurs are living proof.
• Most Slacker-Friendly
  Does your business offer a day-to-day existence that's the envy of all? If you've beaten the system with a “lifestyle” business, this one’s for you!

I think that home-based entrepreneurs are the unsung heroes of mainstream media.  While many publications quantify small businesses as those with annual sales of $10M, some of the happiest, most creative and well-balanced people I know earn a modest but content living traipsing to their home office in bare feet.

There are some cool features of the contest which include a virtual "Sun City" where you can post information about your business, videos, etc.

Preregistration is available here - the contest officially opens on August 1, 2007.

Remember, winning contests are a great way to garner free publicity for your business.

Good luck, and I hope that many EfCN readers win their category!!!

Facebook, MySpace and Linkedin Conundrums: Are there any rules for social/business networking?

Unless you have been hiding under a rock, as a person who deals with the business of networking on the internet, you are aware that Linkedin, Facebook and MySpace are important places to see and be seen.  If you are growing a business and want exposure and connection with your target audience, it is critical to explore these online communities.

The question is, how in the world do you know how or where to be seen, and most importantly, with whom?

I was drawn into these networks quite haphazardly.  I had been reading around the web for a long time (from people like Guy Kawasaki) that it was a "good thing" to get a profile up on Linkedin and Facebook, so I spent a few minutes slapping together a basic profile.  Soon, known acquaintances and business contacts sent requests to be connected, so I accepted.

Recently, I have been getting lots of requests for connections from unknown people.  What is particularly confusing are email messages that say:

Hi Pam:

I would like to add you to my network in Linkedin.

-John Doe

I rack my brain trying to figure out who John Doe is, thinking:

• Do I know him from somewhere?
• Is he a cyber stalker or a genuinely nice guy?
• Is he good at what he does, creative, ethical and hardworking, characteristics of people that would seem logical to link to on a business networking site?

The closest I have come to in-depth John Doe research is looking at his online profile, specifically recommendations and friends.  So far, my rigorous criteria for acceptance are:

• Seems like a nice person
• Has some cool friends
• Doesn't appear to do any harm in the work he performs
• What the heck, press "Accept"

Somehow, I think I am missing the boat on using these tools, and would love to  get some guidance from those that are "power users."

So for those of you more experienced with these environments:

• What criteria do you use for evaluating whether to link to or "friend" someone or not?
• Should you worry excessively about the values, skills and qualifications of those you link to, or is the idea to build bridges with a big, happy diverse online family?
• What are good ways to ASK for a link from someone else? I am totally convinced that the generic "I would like to add you to my network" is a bad idea if you don't know the person you are requesting the link from.  At a minimum, it seems like "I have read your blog for a year," or "I never forgave you for rejecting me after our first date," or "I sat next to you in the cafeteria once in grammar school" would at least provide a little bit of context to the person evaluating the connection.
• What are the specific benefits of Linkedin, MySpace and Facebook for small business owners and entrepreneurs? 

As for Facebook, I know that  it must be a good thing for small business owners, as John Jantsch jumped on recently and invited me to his Duct Tape Marketing group.  I am just not sure yet how I should be using it, so in the meantime, I am accepting friend invitations and assuming that I will see the light soon.

The Wall St. Journal Online folks alerted me to this humorous insight on "friending" your boss in a cube environment, created by WSJ Cubicle Culture columnist Jared Sandberg.   He says:

"Like email and "buddy lists" before them, social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace provide a definition of the word "friend" so expansive that it includes perfect strangers.  They assist existing social relationships, letting people easily plan events, share pictures and keep up-to-date with far-flung friends. Once they penetrate the office, however, such sites can create awkward moments, particularly with colleagues who commit the social felony of attempted hipness."

I welcome your thoughts on any or all of the questions I posed above.

How do you know when it is safe to call yourself an expert?

It is often tricky to know when it is safe to call yourself an expert in your field.   If you have done any research on marketing and PR, you know the benefits of "expert" designation:  free press and the trust and credibility of potential customers, which lead to more sales.

But it can feel presumptuous to call yourself an expert, right?

This week's podcast episode (found here, just about 5 minutes long) explores questions you can ask yourself to test your expertise beyond the traditional formula of years of experience + number of academic degrees + number of books published = level of expertise.

Those of you familiar with my background know that I only have an undergraduate degree from a no-name school, so evaluate my perspective from that open bias!  I welcome challenge, as I think this is an issue that many businesspeople struggle with.

Subscribe to the podcast feed here. 

What to do when your work dries up, key client disappears or industry grinds to a halt

Most entrepreneurs who have been in business for any length of time have experienced a heart-stopping phone call or email that changes their mood from easy-going confidence to sheer panic and desperation.

If the moment came with a soundtrack, it would yell SCREEEEEEEEEEEECH!

And despite the fact that you know that you should always be prepared for a turbulent market or unstable client, it always catches you by surprise.

I know that I have always been shocked when what I perceive was a "sure thing" dries up before my eyes.  Like when:

• I invested about $15,000 worth of time designing a training program for a longtime and stable client.  The night before I was to get on the plane to deliver the 2-day workshop, I got an email: "The training is canceled.  We just learned today that we are being acquired by Computer Associates and have stopped all programs in process."
• My husband's formerly supportive client (who had promised "years of work" on a big construction project) declared bankruptcy after having him work one month straight of overtime, on a job site 95 miles from our home.  A year and a $26,000 outstanding invoice later, we are still wrestling with the developer for payment.

The only good thing about these moments are that they give you lots of experience and character.  I would even venture that how you react defines your success as an entrepreneur. 

So how do you recover in the moment?

1. Don't panic - surrender.  This sounds wildly naive and simplistic, but I am a changed woman since I adopted this philosophy.  After yet another unanticipated stop to one of my husband's projects, I decided that I was not going to worry or stress about the loss of income.  Because, really, it would just cause me to feel uncomfortable and worried, which I would transmit to the little baby in my belly.  So instead, I smiled, and honestly said to my husband "Honey -- everything is going to work out!  I know we can make it happen, so go out there and shake some trees."  And guess what?  It worked out, and his business has doubled each year for the past 3 years, all in a tight and rapidly changing construction market.
   
2. Work your network of trusted allies and supporters.  As soon as you can, get on the phone to your trusted cohorts and see if they know of available work.  You don't need to beg or appear desperate.  Just let them know specifically what you are looking for, and see if they know of anyone who needs help.  And it doesn't hurt to outline your strengths or services in an email, since sometimes those who know you well don't realize all the skills you have or all the services you offer.
   
3. Ask yourself "of all the things I could do, what is the quickest path to money?"  It is logical to want to run in five directions when you are desperate to bring in some income.  But this will only serve to frazzle and fragment your efforts.  Instead, do what my friend Andrea Lee preaches which is to look for the "quickest path to money."  If you are a coach or consultant, how could you quickly make a couple of thousand dollars?  Could you create and promote a hot teleclass?  Finish a long-languishing product and launch it?  Propose an all-day workshop?  Pitch a paid presentation?  Often, you have financial opportunities right under your nose that you don't take advantage of. 
   

Given the nature of disasters, the best antidote is prevention.  So before a nail-biting situation occurs like I described above, how can you plan for unanticipated calamity?

1. Be extremely generous with your time, resources and referrals to your professional network.  This will ensure that when the time comes that you need a favor, people will reach out and help you without hesitation.  So as much as you can, offer guidance and mentoring, pass on interesting articles or posts, refer clients, act as a reference to help people get jobs, share work opportunities freely, and act as "matchmaker" with symbiotic contacts in your network.  Mind you, you should only have trusted, kick-butt people in your "inner circle" network so that you feel good referring them and they can really help you when you need it.
2. Secure financing and lines of credit before you need it.  Banks or credit unions are much more likely to extend favorable terms and sums of credit while your business is flush with cash.  Secure a couple of good backup sources of cash, just in case you need it, so if you hit a rough patch, you will still be able to pay your bills and employees.
3. Never get in a rut in your business.  Always be working on the next phase of your development which can include new products, programs, services or markets.  That way if one opportunity dries up and you have a window of time to give birth to a new product, you can take advantage of it. 
   
4. Diversify your client base.  I had a rule in my old consulting business that I had to have a minimum of three different clients at one time in order to feel secure.  Most were large corporations with high dollar projects, but I still wanted to make sure that I was not reliant on one client for all my cash flow. 
   
5. Keep your fixed expenses to a minimum.  When times are good, it can be tempting to hire a whole bunch of people to help, buy a more expensive vehicle or upgrade your home.  While there is nothing wrong with wanting a better life for you and your family, make sure you don't upgrade your lifestyle quicker than is sustainable.
6. Keep your eyes wide open about your market.  When I worked in Silicon Valley as a consultant where everyone was "smoking web crack," as I heard one speaker say, I knew it was only a matter of time before the market would shift and my goldmine of rich technology companies would run into trouble.  So I cultivated new relationships in the financial services and insurance industries, and when the inevitable technology crash occurred, my business fared well.  Study your industry and make sure that you are aware of the risks and have a backup plan if disaster strikes them.
   
7. Save for a rainy day.  Your financial adviser and grandpa were right ... you should have a healthy cushion of savings set aside in case of emergencies.  This is the hardest advice for me to follow, but it is very, very wise.  Set up an automatic monthly deposit to an account that is NOT tied to your regular personal or business checking account.  I heard someone suggest that it be a bank or financial institution that is inconvenient to get to and has few ATMs.
8. Cultivate a mindset of "disaster = opportunity."  It really is true that great things can come from really difficult situations.  When disaster hits, ask yourself questions like "How might this motivate me to do something I have been avoiding?" or "How can I take a radically new direction in my business that will be more energizing than what I am currently doing?"  or "What can I learn from this experience that will benefit me and others in the future?"  Questions like these will radically shift your emotional reactions, and could turn a slasher scream movie into an action adventure.
   

I always knew there was a link between good blogging and good kissing

My buddy Andy Wibbels just distracted me from a post I have been trying to write all morning by his "Asking for Link Exchanges is Tacky."  In his no b.s. way, he says:

"I hate hate hate when I get emailed out of the blue by somebody I’ve never met and they want me to add their link to my site OH GOODY they are going to add mine to theirs.

Link farms are so 1997. Jesus, people.

Only thing worse is: HEY ANDY I FOUND THIS GREAT NEW SERVICE  and then they link to it and it is a frigging affiliate link."

I got a little riled up when I thought about it, because I too get  bewildered by  "link  exchange requests" that come with no warning, out of the blue, from people I have never met.

Some of Andy's commenters were a bit frustrated by the post, saying (me paraphrasing) "OK, so we know what NOT to do, but what SHOULD we do to get more incoming links and increase our Technorati ranking?"

Where I think we get tripped up is in separating typical "online" networking protocol from "offline" protocol. 

What I said in a comment to Andy is: "Would you really walk up to someone that you had never met at a networking function, stick out your hand, introduce yourself and say "Hi Andy -- I'm Pam, and I was wondering if you could include information about MY business in your next newsletter?  Better yet, could you put my picture on a big slide in your next presentation?"

Of course you would not do that.  Just as you would not go up to someone you had never met and plant a big, wet kiss square on his (or her) lips. 

A kiss is intimate and personal, for heaven's sake.  And built on getting to know each other.  And like and trust each other.  All this takes time and conversation.  And as any pained teenager can tell you (having been one myself), the best kind of kiss to get is when the kisser does it spontaneously because they WANT to kiss you, not because you ask for it.

Blogs are personal.  You can get to know a lot about people by what they write, the look and feel of their site, their picture (or lack thereof), who they link to and what kind of things they promote.  You should be thoughtful and, yes, picky about what you put on your site, not to be arrogant or shut anyone out, but because a big part of what people will find valuable about your blog is thoughtfully screened content and resources.

If you set a table up in a mall and offer a kiss to anyone willing to pay a dollar for it, it loses its precious value and appeal.

So maintain your honor and don't fling yourself at unknown suitors until you are sure you know they have your best interests in mind.  Take the time to gently introduce yourself, get to know people who interest you, and if you have a real, mutual "attraction"  that stands the test of time, links and pings and bookmarks will happen naturally.

Finally, a last bit of advice that you can take with a grain of salt, since I realize it is my own pet peeve:  Never ask for a link.  Seduce it.

For a bit more information, I hammered on this topic last Halloween with some more networking tips on How to Avoid Fright-Inducing Link Sharing Techniques.

Obsession with the competition is a luxury of the over-funded

Any business-minded consultant or entrepreneur will tell you that you need to know about your competition.  It is an important part of understanding your market and differentiating yourself from the rest of the herd. 

But some business owners get so focused on every move a competitor makes that they completely lose focus on their own business.  At the extreme, it is not only distracting, it is downright self-destructive.

I lived through an example of this working with a very talented artist and dance instructor in the 1990s.  He was creatively brilliant and a gifted teacher. But he was completely obsessed with other instructors in the area and would fly into a rage if a student from his school left to join another school.  At a certain point, he was as focused on studying, subverting and badmouthing the competition as he was on creating new art and building his own school.

I learned a number of lessons from this experience, and many others like it, working with entrepreneurs:

• When you shift focus from understanding who your competitors are to spending half your time thinking about them, you have ceded your own power.  In essence, you are choosing the role of follower and not leader.  Instead of obsessing over what they are doing, focus on what is exciting, special, unique and revolutionary about your own business.
• No matter how much expertise and experience you have, if your market is worth operating in, there will always be a worthy competitor.  Rather than fight it, constantly look for ways that you can reshape and refine your business to match your greatest strengths and better serve your customers.  If you find that there is nowhere to grow or innovate, maybe you are operating in an overripe market and should look for a new one to play in.
• No matter how secure you feel, a competitor will come along that pushes a personal button because they are smarter, younger, richer, better looking or more charismatic than you are.  This is where you have a chance to put into practice what they say about the best lovers:  They are most often  not the suave and good-looking sports all-stars, they are the quiet, unassuming, average looking people who develop their "skills" based on reading and responding to the needs of their object of affection.  Don't let your own insecurities run away from you and cloud your business judgment.  Celebrate your unique strengths and know that you are perfect just the way you are.
  
• Coercing customers to stay with you based on badmouthing competitors will always backfire.  People like to feel they are free to make a choice about where to spend their time and money.  And like a first date with a man that spews venom about his ex-wife, they will wonder how long it will take before you start spewing your venom at them.  The more open and secure you are about your own business, the more secure your customers will feel with you and more likely they will stick around.  Remember, if you truly want to serve your customers, you have to realize that at certain times your competitors may be a better fit.  As Sting  says, "When you love someone, set them free."
  
• There will be times when a competitor does something that feels unethical or mean or just plain shifty.  If it directly impacts your business or reputation, you must address the issue quickly and appropriately.  But once it is handled, go back to focusing on the needs of your customers.  If it involves legal matters, you must weigh carefully the return on investment of your time, energy and money to resolve the issue in the courts.  Play out the two scenarios:  if you win, will it make your business stronger and better able to serve the needs of your customers?  If you lose, will you have a business to salvage?   I think we often engage in legal battle more to punish the offending person rather than to achieve a desired business outcome.  Don't worry about punishment ... karma takes care of that for you. 
• There is nothing wrong with competition -- it is all how you react to it.  A business building reaction to a strong competitor would be thinking "So you want to amp up this game?  Bring it on bucko, I can handle anything you throw my way."  A business destroying reaction to a strong competitor would be:  "No one does that to me and gets away with it.  I will crush you and everyone who supports you to prove that I am the best."

If you are Intel, you may have an army of lawyers and consultants to track and monitor every move AMD makes.  If you operate in a niche desired by Larry Ellison, you should watch your back, as you never know when he will feel like flattening your business by landing on it with one of his noisy jets.

But if you are Jane the Dog Walker with a small practice in Boise, Idaho, or Matthew the Marketing Genius in Boston, Massachusetts, your real focus should be on studying and understanding the feelings, aspirations, problems and desires of your target audience.  When you do this, you will naturally grow your business in the right direction, and serve your people in a way that makes them feel truly  special.  And you will enjoy your life a whole lot more.

The flying arse assessment and other great book promotion ideas

My friend and favorite professor Bob Sutton, author the very popular book The No Asshole Rule, just released another fun assessment to test your "arsehole-ness" when traveling as an air passenger called The Flying Arse.

The mainly humorous, but very telling questions point to whether or not you are the source of aggravation to fellow passengers.

As someone who has spent a lot of time flying (at one stretch, traveling for 50 out of 54 weeks), I have witnessed every single one of the scenarios described in the assessment. 

I caution, however, that sometimes things aren't exactly what they seem.  I once was very offended by a woman who elbowed her way out of the airplane, practically knocking someone in the head with her suitcase and stepping on a small child.  I assumed that she was a self-centered and arrogant "arsehole."  But when I got off the plane, I saw her sprinting to the women's restroom.  Taught me a lesson!

The Flying Arse follows Bob's very popular ARSE exam (stands for Asshole Self-Rating Exam), co-created with Guy Kawasaki, that has been filled out by a whopping 85,000 people, and continues at a rate of about 1,000 people a week.  He also has ArseMail, to "help someone deal with working with an asshole, or apologize for being one."

There is a lot we can learn about Bob's approach to marketing his book.  He included:

• Standard speaking engagements to associations and corporations around the world
• Mainstream press coverage 
• Updates on his blog about how people are reacting and responding to the book
• Outreach to other bloggers for book reviews
• Interactive and fun assessments to create buzz and get people talking about and sharing the work

I realize that Bob is already an established author with "platform," (name and brand recognition in the marketplace) so it makes it a lot easier to get mainstream press reviews and high profile blog reviews.  But I don't think that is the main reason the book has been so successful.  I think it has been successful because he has taken a fresh, honest and humorous look at an issue that creates tremendous pain and conflict in the workplace and has created multiple opportunities for people to talk about and react to it.

I think of the billions of dollars spent each year in corporations around the world on human resource directors, consultants, lawyers and trainers who gently and professionally try to goad workplace tyrants to change their behavior.  As one who has tried to goad people myself, I can tell you it doesn't often work.  But what a difference to have a respected colleague send a workplace tyrant a link to the "ARSE" exam, where s/he can see that well-known, successful and bright people around the world agree that this kind of behavior is unreasonable.  The impact of this is a lot more than selling books; it may create more civilized workplaces.  Now that is using your superpowers for good!

Here is my score on the Flying Arse exam.  I swear I was honest!:                                       

 

How about your score?

Have you used any fun and interesting means to spread the word about your book?

New freelance resources including useful articles and job boards

I recently became aware of some new resources for freelancers and consultants that I think you should check out!

I found the first, Freelanceswitch, as I was following an incoming link to my blog from someone else's (sorry - I forget whose).  They describe their site as:

"A Community & Resource for  freelancers of all varieties - designers, writers, programmers, illustrators, photographers ..."

In the month since they have launched, it looks like they have built up a good subscriber base, have useful articles and just started a freelance job section where companies can post projects that are looking for freelancers, and freelancers can look for work.  In their startup phase, it looks like posting jobs are free until July 1.

I like the look and feel of their site and the content of their articles, which seem to be very useful and applicable to the freelance community.  They also welcome outside authors for certain features, so if you serve a similar target market and have good stuff to share, this could be a good vehicle for you.

I hope they add an archive by month section, as it seems they only have recent posts and posts listed by category.  Besides a good search function, one of my favorite ways to look at the meat of a site is with a table of contents like my friend Ramit Sethi created for his blog iwillteachyoutoberich.com.  I don't know if I can do this in Typepad, my hosting platform, but I sure want to!

I have been aware of the second resource, Go Big Network, for quite awhile, but just received some info from their team that they launched a new projects service yesterday.  This is a job board for freelancers and consultants that includes work categories like business planning, marketing and sales, creative services and programming.

Since sales and marketing can overwhelm new freelancers, connecting with services such as these can really open up some opportunities and prevent you from begging for work from friends and family.

Please let me know what you think of these services if you use them, and suggest other good ones!