Get Your Business Story Out To Customers.

Changes in the way Google works now mean that it is more important than ever that your website is well set-up to meet their standards to be seen by Google as a worthwhile site for people searching for what you do. Every business needs this as a priority so your business can be found online through search. 

What Google Values

• That means that it is comprehensive, that it is able to be viewed by mobile devices - Smartphones and tablets, as well as desktop computers.  
• That the content relates to the topic and it is valuable for the reader.  
• And that it is original.

It needs to be kept fresh - that is with new content added regularly.  Perhaps the easiest way to update information online for any business, is by using a blog to update and post articles and items of interest to your target customers.

Feeding Social Media

Social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter can be great – but you still need something to post to them. Your blog can help you have content on hand to share on social as well as being content for your website.  And it supports other advertising that you might be doing, such as radio – because not everyone is online all day.  So a mix of your own information and curating (collecting and posting quality material of others that is a fit for your collection of information) other material on social media makes it easier to share articles, photos and things that are of interest to your customers.

Boost Offline Methods Too

Radio ads can be creating interest that the website and your online content can back up when the listener wants to know more… and moves from listening to seeking out your business.  NOTE: Make sure you also have product available to buy while they are on your website. Even a free product to download and checkout helps. A shopping facility will help push you to get creative with making buyable products!

So a blog can be useful but it needs to be done with some consideration as to what you might write about – how the writing is going to happen – who is going to write it is one issue – because not everyone is good at writing and many successful in business, may have trouble when it comes to sitting down in front of a computer and putting their thoughts down in a useful way. This can be improved or there other ways to accomplish this, but the information still has to be valid, and useful and written in the ‘tone’ of the business. It will communicate your values so it should be in line with your way of doing business.

Many businesses still don’t have a website, or they have a website that is poorly presented, lacks essential information, is not styled to be visually appealing and modern to meet expectations of customers and a great many are not compatible with mobile devices.  This is the first way to search for many people so cannot be stressed how critical it is to get this right.

But what to write about?

Your business has a story.  It’s important to work out what that compelling story is that your business has to tell customers about the things that interest them in your story.   We like a story but we love a story that has a benefit for us.   If you don’t make us aware of how we can be better off by knowing your story who will? Nobody.


Here's a great example of a new business bringing innovative approach to a pretty ordinary product. Meet Johnny Cupcakes and his fabulous T-shirts that have people lining up around the block. See Johnny Cupcake's story

Every business has a range of topics that are valuable for customers.  It may take some teasing out to come up with a good mix of categories for your business but spending the time to understand what customers care about at this stage will be rewarding in the long term.

Customers are well informed about prices and the usual information about products, but your expertise may mean that you have much more insight into the products that customers can’t find out any other way.

They also like to see who else they know knows you, and sharing your blog posts on social media means that your information can be shared far beyond the people who you know – and on to friends of friends.

Even customers and clients who know us for one field may not know the full extent of ways that we can help them.  A fresh and content rich website or blog can help educate and reveal new areas that they want to buy from us


ACTION

Start An Ideas Book For Your Business 

Think about events that happened through the day and just make some notes about funny events, things you learned, problems that customers have that you see over and over again, and add these notes every day.

You just need to write enough so that you remember the point that you would share about these and these notes can act as a prompt for you when it comes to posting a new blog.

When it comes time to start blogging you will have good data to use, that comes from your own experience with customers that will help to inform the articles that you can write for your blog and publish online.





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What Do You Stand For?

Some years ago we had a news scandal about an unsavoury incident involving a football team on a tour to NZ  some years before which raised the topic of what is acceptable behaviour in sport, but more widely in the community. The reports have been revealed what is coyly described as ‘consensual sexual encounter’. Well so far as it was stated originally, the consent extended to the single man named and now paying some price for his now very  public infidelity, and his involvement in what turned out to be something other than a simple one night stand.

Specifically, it turned into something other than this, when eleven team mates and various hangers-on decided to get in on the act.

So far, the former player (the one with the consent  – from the 19 year old woman, if not his wife...) has taken the hit for the team. Well that’s the point is it not? Team bonding and all that means that the team is the thing and you don’t ‘rat’ on your mates. Where that fits insofar as the mates letting a team member take responsibility for their involvement to alone face the consequences, is however understandable it may be, cowardice. Were it the case that this man had in mind that the other members would enter the room then that would seriously compound his error and compromise his integrity even further. If he did not invite them in then it becomes even more shameful that they leave him alone to bear responsibility for their actions.

This specific case aside, it does beg the question ...What has happened to the standards that were once an easy measure for individuals to gauge their behaviour and actions? Where are the role models that will teach boys to be men of integrity? How does it come to pass that in this age of supposed enlightenment that women are still treated in this manner and more to the point, believe at some level that there is any reason to submit to such bullying? Consent? Really? Just supposing it were true the young woman did have poor judgement in this case, still yet that does not alter the fact that each and every man in that room had his own decision to make, and it would seem, each had little respect – or reason to have respect - for themselves, or anyone else in the team. Without question it is safe to assume that none of the men in that room would have been happy for their mother or sister to be treated the way that they treated that woman. So what possibly constituted the difference in their mind between she – and the women they would protect from such treatment in the normal course of events?

Beyond this sorry incident, is the broader question of what value we place on standing up and doing the right thing for the right reason. How different might this story have been had someone brought some positive leadership to the group.

In discussing this with a client this week, he related a story about travelling on an inter-city commuter train, packed with people just doing their best to endure the journey with as little friction as is possible in a train packed with commuters. A young man decided to inflict his loud opinions and blaring music on the rest of the passengers. One man requested that he be considerate and turn the music down. The youth returned the request with a hostile gesture. Minutes later the youth has moved down the aisle to where my client sat. He took this opportunity to upbraid him and let him know in no uncertain terms, that the passengers and he needed to be considerate one of the other and that his cooperation would make it a much better trip for all concerned. He motioned to the man who had asked for the music to be turned down, what he’d like to do with the music now. The man remained silent. Nobody on the train said a single thing to support him. Apparently then, all the passengers were consenting to being bullied.

In Australia we have had the notion of a fair go, and an expectation of reasonable behaviour as we live-and-let-live. Has that been a fantasy of the imagination? Has this really been worth nothing... or have we just turned our back on this concept as being worthy of keeping in our present age?

Does it really, not matter at all, how we behave to one another?

I for one, hope not.

As our society moves away from the two parent home, we see more and more children raised in homes without a male parent. The examples that the parents set, in what the children absorb about how relationships work, how people treat each other would seem to be changed now, compared to the past. Many things that would have been frowned upon, are now found to be commonplace. The old rules are thrown out, but what are the new rules?

We’re learning something now of what the former football team regards as reasonable behaviour. It isn’t pretty.

In America, many are fond of a question WWJD – What would Jesus Do.

My question to you, is What Would You Do?

What are the things for which you are prepared to stand up? Even when they are difficult.

Especially when they are difficult.

A quote to which I subscribe says:

“What I am is the result of all the choices I have made or allowed others to make for me. What I choose is what I am”

Choose well.

What do you think?

Lindy Asimus
Business Coach & Social Media Development
Design Business Engineering
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Passion Alone Is Not Enough

"Follow your passion"  "Make your passion your business"

Is common to see this suggested as a good thing to do.
But is it really good advice?

Some people like baking muffins so they think opening a restaurant might be a good move.
In reality, it could just be a good way to start to not like making muffins.

A better indicator for opening a restaurant might be if you can say –

• I love serving people and
• I’m good at finding ways to produce good quality food customers love
• and that makes me good profit.
• And - I am passionate about following budgets and know how to plan meals without waste.
• And - I like working long hours, 7 days a week and
• I don’t mind not making a lot of money.

If  you want your passion for muffins to be your business then you might test that out by working out...

• How many muffins you need to make to cover the rent and the expenses and your wages and start making profit. And you know  
• How  you can sell that number of muffins to make enough money to pay those expenses and make you lots of profit.  
• And that you are content to make muffins, market muffins, sell muffins and live and breathe muffins and little else.

Even the things we like to do, can get old when we have to do them every day all day.

Sometimes if you like making muffins, it is a good idea to just make muffins when you feel like it.

Jim Collins, in his business book Good to Great suggests what he called his:

Hedgehog Principle

The question that we need to ask when we are considering turning our passion into a business, are our Hedgehog questions. There are three.

What are you passionate about?
What can you be the best at?
What can actually make you a living?

And the answer must meet all three criteria.

This exercise can also be used by young people trying to sort their way in life, their personal hedgehog, as much as a business trying to figure out what purpose they serve.

So if the answer to all  3 questions is Yes – following your Passion might be  a good idea.

If:

1. ·        You’re passionate about it
2. ·        You can be the best in the world at it
3. ·        You can make money doing it.  – And you know how.

Remember - And the answer must meet all three criteria. When you refine your thinking in this way – that clarity helps you to focus.

But be clear that this is the beginning  and in business your time will be spent on many things that  need to be done that don’t involve that element about which you are passionate. 

It’s said that:

“Successful people do those things that unsuccessful people are unwilling to do.”

Some people are unwilling to be uncomfortable. Learn to be uncomfortable and see it as a sign of potential personal growth.  That's a marker as a Good Thing.

A lot of things that the business needs doing, is stuff that we really won’t want to do. But must.


But what if I have a business that is not my passion?

Here’s what nobody tells you.

You can become passionate about anything.  

Your attitude will dictate how well that passion lasts.

Passion is the start point. Alone it won’t do anything.
Passion needs to be supported with good habits that get you the results that you need.

If you have a business that is not your passion you may still have good habits that let you make it successful.

Now … time to get passionate about it.

And it is not just the thing the business does – get passionate about how well you do what you do and how well you serve your customers and how valuable your business is – or will be – to the clients you serve.  Notice that you can do the same thing to enhance passion in all your relationships. 

If you are not already valuable to them – then that’s a sign that there are improvements to be made to bring your value up higher for them – and make your business one that you can truly be proud to own and to represent and to promote.

More important perhaps is to consider how well your habits are helping you to achieve the outcomes you want.

It's not discipline you need. 

We sometimes think we have a discipline problem. When in truth we have no problem with discipline. We can do habits that are not supporting our interests, easily and on cue every time! We just have the wrong habits for the results we want.  When you swap those for habits that go with the results you want – then you really have something.


Check your passion levels.

Are you feeling passionate about what you do?

If not –

• What element of what you do can you ramp up feeling good about? 
• Where can you push yourself to be the best at what you do now?
• How much more of yourself can you bring to whatever it is that you do?

When we bring more attention to what we do – we change the way that we feel about it. We can focus on feeling proud of getting even better at what we do, and we can learn to love the strangest things, just because we can do it well and it has value for someone.  That’s a good start on passion.

If you are not passionate about what you are doing – you have two choices. You can do something you are passionate about – but that might not work.

Or you can get passionate about what it is that you are doing successfully now. 


And you can make those muffins in your time off... any time it pleases you.


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Make Your Retail Store Irresistible To Customers

We see a lot of concern and grumbling from retail store owners and other business operators complaining about business being slow and yet in many countries we also see those same business owners doing little in the way of enticing customers to come into their store and attract their attention with charming and alluring displays to pique their interest.

Here are some I love.  They are creative, they are fun and they hold promise to the customer of abundance and satisfaction for the person who walks into their space. Here are some that just call you in to see more...

Restaurant - Paris, France

Here is a restaurant that just screams that they use traditional methods of cooking and fresh ingredients. No frozen stuff whacked in the microwave here! 

High end handbag store in Rome, Italy

This life size child's antique horse is just a splendid thing to see and speaks to a time long gone, of hand made quality and artisan products that will last forever and be worth any amount of money you spend on it.

Locksmith

Ancient village shopping precinct - France

No acres of glass here. No turnstiles and no automatic doors. That sign though, says "we're here for you and this is what we do." Nothing more, nothing less. No "SALE! SALE! SALE!" signs here.

Florist beckons with a charming floral entrance 

Like a walk in a garden this florist shop even smells of freshness and beauty you can take home to make your house come alive.

Menswear Store - Rome Italy

This clothing store leaves no doubt that the winter stock is in and they have wonderful products to keep you toasty warm in the chilly months.

Supermarket peach from Sorrento, Italy

This peach, the size of a cricket ball was selected from a box of the ugliest, misshapen and odd assortment of sizes imaginable. It was delicious! A real peach. Not the perfectly standard size and shape peaches that I see in every Australian supermarket - that are hard as rock when you buy them and bruised beyond use when they ripen, and even then are flavour-less.

This peach ... I would go back to the store every day to buy more just like it. The others with no flavour but perfect in form? No thanks. See how our expectations drive our purchases. If my experience leads me to expect disappointment, I stop buying.

Produce store Sorrento Italy

Some shopkeepers don't even wait for you to come into the store - they bring the store out to you. Local produce, fresh, not kept in cold storage, turned over from the farm every day.

Shoppers want to visit stores that are interesting. That look welcoming and that provide the items to purchase that they expect to be able to get from such a store, and to have interesting things to find that are unexpected.  They want to pay a fair price for it - not more than the shop next door and they want to feel like their patronage is appreciated.

The same applies to online shopping. That old website that you had made in 2001 with the shadow text and the animated buttons? No that just won't do. Your website needs to work for customers to use the way they shop in 2013. That means that it renders easily and cleanly on smartphones and tablets as well as computers.

Action:

Look around at other businesses - not just in the same industry as yours. Which shops do you find appealing and draw you in... and what are they doing that is causing you to want to go in there? Identify that.


Take an objective look at your business as it looks through the eyes of a customer.

Get feedback on how your store is presenting.

Is it enticing to customers?
Is the footpath dirty and littered?
Are the windows clean and well laid out?
Is there anything interesting to see and pull people into the shop to look more closely?

And remember to do the same for your online website, your blog and your social media platforms.


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Pursuit Of The Idea

Can you sit down and actually bring those ideas into production? That's the skill to build.




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Developing A Social Media Strategy

Update: Good strategy doesn't change just because other things in the environment change. A good social media strategy will be flexible, dynamic and fit new information into the responding appropriately as the context changes. For example, as smartphones and tablets become the favourite way to view content online, this needs to be incorporated into the strategy.


A question this week on Quora was a good one and one that deserves some attention from us all, in conducting our business activities. Here's my response.

"My company is a B2B company and we are trying to come up with a strategy around social media. I find it tough to figure out what to include and what to avoid. Are there any factors I should take in to consideration while devising a strategy?" 

I would suggest you start with a clear understanding of the social media environment and a well defined purpose (and expectation) that is realistic and achievable in the first instance.

For those who want to use social media, and those who vehemently don't want to - they need to understand enough to make an informed choice either way and to deal with the consequences of that choice. Whether one is 'using social media' or not they can be the subject of discussion on social media and managing one's reputation online is just one element of this new world.

Basics

Get these right the first time. Know what kind of Facebook page is the wrong kind to use for business. Use the right kind. Don't set up a Twitter page then fail to keep updated regularly.

Remember Your Website!

Make sure your website is optimized for search - and for the people who
will use it! - Most that I see are very poor - on both counts. (Never
mind they may have cost a lot of money from an expensive web designer).

Never, never let a stranger be in control of your business online. Get informed and get interested.


Not Just What, But How

It is important to understand the etiquette of online interaction and also the ways to leverage time and effort without putting those to whom we are connected offside. (Easy to do!)

Putting up a Facebook or Twitter Page ( and with the correct configuration and naming protocols) all need to be considered and that is just the beginning, the strategy behind this needs to support the objectives and while platforms are free to use there is always a cost in time and resources and budget need to be allocated for this purpose. Expect this and include it in your plan.


Social Media Policy

Some things to consider on creating a social media strategy:

Your social media policy - needs to be fair, realistic and training done with employees so that everyone is clear. Also needs to be in line with employment legistation so that you are not overstepping and writing in clauses that you have no right to demand. Suggest your policy begin with an intention to be open to the opportunities of social media, as well as the potential downside.

Hoary Old Myths

On the matter of Control - some employers think they can dictate all manner of things to employees and restrict their access to social media during work hours and this will keep them in control of their staff members. This is quite a silly assumption. Firstly, because you have no control now, secondly, because such an environment may just guarantee that good candidates won't want to work for you. Lastly - they can access anything they wish to via their smartphones and a combative attitude is not going to deliver a harmonious outcome that leverages the best available opportunities that new media can deliver.

Your Social Media Stategy:

• A social media policy
• A Clearly articulated purpose and vision
• Select appropriate platforms
• Allocate a budget
• Who will manage it?
• Time and resources that need to be allocated
• Which KPIs you are going to measure
• How you will measure your results
• How you will manage (an enhance) your reputation online
• How you will integrate your social media with your conventional marketing
• How thoroughly your social media activities should permeate throughout the operations of the business (Which department will handle this? Will all departments be involved?)
• Ways you can adapt social media to help you improve how customers interact with the business
• Ways that you can use social media to improve communications within the business and strengthen the team
• Managing and monitoring the plan
• Reporting - how often in what way
• Integrating platforms to allow transfer of content seamlessly, but in a regulated way (not spamming)
• Understanding that social media is not a broadcast medium! It can't be all just about YOU!
• Design for the type and quality of the content to be delivered by social media
• Who will create the content?
• What amount of content should be (can be) generated and by what frequency?
• Modes of content that can be made available - articles, blogs, ebooks, video, podcasts etc
• Integration with website

Engagement

People follow people so it is important to remember that there needs to be engagement and if multiple people contributing to the social media for the company, there is merit in these being tagged to the individual who is posting at any time. Be interesting. Be interested.


Not Just For Christmas

There is often a thought that a social media strategy is a one-off, trial kind of activity that we do. It is not set and forget and it not even a funky thing to do any more. It is become expected. If you are not visible online, for an increasing many, you just don't exist. So get accustomed to this being a new marketplace. Devise a plan that brings your existing customers along with you and if you are really smart - introduce them to those who can help you help them develop their own online presence. This is where the magic is, and this is where most fail to connect the dots.


See Also:
Check Your Website For Roadworthiness

Think Social Media Is No Use For Your Business? Think Again.

How To Get Your Local Business Noticed Online

Purpose Then Strategy - Case Study Starting Your Website


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Tying Shoe Laces Masterclass

Things are easy when you know how - but sometimes it can be tricky to get to the stage where we are able to do things automatically.

When you have children you discover there are quite a few things that present some new experiences which can take a while to be mastered. Tying shoe laces is one. Now you don't want your kids growing up to be adults who are forced into confining their footwear to just velcro fasteners or slip-on loafers so here are some ideas to help you help them get started on the right foot.

Both of these videos share a common element. They help address that issue of keeping the loops available while the rest of the process is undertaken.

This first video makes the role of the loops prominent... a good start. Maybe you can improvise something for holding the loops in place.



This second video is a bit more basic but does the job.


Test them out. These are two different strategies to accomplish the same end result.
How does your strategy that you've been using for this compare?

Action:

The real take-away lesson from this is that there are all kinds of strategies that people use for doing common tasks. Sometimes we have a great strategy that works a treat. If you have one of those for something, share it. But if you have been using strategies that aren't working so well for some things, it is great to know that you just need to find a better strategy. Maybe one that someone else might be using already, and try that. See if that gives you better results and know that you can get better at doing most anything, if you find a good strategy to use.

What's something that you wish you could do better or more elegantly?

Test yourself out and see how you can use a new strategy to master that skill at last.

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