|
|
| www.1001TopWords.com |
|
|
Blowing Your Own Horn ? A Key Marketing Strategy for Small Business
-- Building Credibility Through Success Stories -- Successful solo entrepreneurs spend quite a bit of time building and expanding their networks. These networks can cover a broad spectrum ? professional associations, community service, school or alumni networks, virtual communities, athletic groups, neighborhood associations. There are a variety of choices when creating our support system. What they all have in common is this: we engage in the same activity ? relationship building. We may meet face to face, over the telephone or online. We exchange pleasantries, information, referrals or resources and in doing so, strengthen the bonds with individuals and the whole organization. What is not quite as common in our exchanges is the use of a personal or business success story. A success story has a double message: it highlights a specific activity that we accomplished or service that we do AND it communicates a distinguishing level of achievement. Both messages serve to build credibility with the listener, which in turn builds trust. Success stories need not be complicated or lengthy. Here are a few considerations when preparing your own. Be Proud About It ? A good success story translates as truly genuine when you feel proud to share it. "I am so thrilled that I was able to save my client $5,000." ?a Financial Services Representative Be Prepared ? Think through your list of recent business achievements, honors, awards or professional certifications that represents something you are proud of and demonstrates an achievement. Then select one or two to share with your contacts at an appropriate time. Be Specific ? Describe exactly what product or service that you delivered or the type of honor or certification that you received. "I recently completed the requirements for the Master Certified Coach designation." ? a Business and Personal Coach Make It Current ? Be careful to use situations or events that occurred within the past six months. This keeps it in the category of "news" that your listener may be interested to know. Keep It Brief ? A few good sentences about the award or business achievement is all it takes. No need to dominate an exchange. The next time that you interact with a client, colleague, friend or family member, try blowing your own horn. Humorist Will Rogers said, "It ain't bragging if you done it." Copyright 2003, Charlotte Farrior ____________________________________________ Charlotte Farrior of Coaching Connection (http://www.corporatecoaching101.com) and Founder/Team Member of Solo-E (http://www.Solo-E.com) is a corporate and professional coach. She works with professionals, entrepreneurs, directors, and executives to define and achieve the personal and business goals they set for themselves. She coaches in the areas of goal setting, skill development, priority management and career transitions. ____________________________________________ *********** Find more articles like this at http://www.Solo-E.com ? Keeping Solo Entrepreneurs Juiced in Business and in Life. Our team of Solo Entrepreneurs are comprised of small business experts who support others in finding business success with the flexibility and freedom to have a life, too. Network with other freelancers, self-employed and Solo Entrepreneurs in our forums, enjoy our articles and newsletter, and find other online training opportunities. ***********
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Racing the Competition What is the Big Race all about when it comes to creating relationships? How the Crab Effect Obstructs Growth and How to Conquer It Some of the greatest words of wisdom for any man or woman seeking change or growth are, "Surround yourself with people who will support and believe in you." The Power of Why: Your Psychological Ally To Marketing Success! Here's why 'WHY' is such a profit-making marketing trigger. Why Do Franchisors have Exclusive Territories The reason we Franchisors call it an exclusive territory is because we will not sell that area again to another franchisee. That is your area to market and to conquer and to generally obtain as much market penetration as possible. If you are a home-based business or mobile franchise then this is a serious issue. You can put as many service units in your area can support and try to make the most reasonable profit you can per each service unit you put into your exclusive territory. Most franchisors charge a percentage of the gross income and probably make a little off every service unit you buy, so they want you to expand. Marketing - The Way To Make What Youre Really Worth You only have so much time in a day right? Do You Need Accounting Software for Your Small Business? If you're anything like me then you dislike with a vengeance doing your accounts and taxes. Real World Accounting for Small Business Owners If you're like me, you love accounting. It's so fascinating and such an ingenious system. Don't you just think that Double Entry Accounting is the most beautiful creation of all humankind? How to Prevent Home Business Burnout As a home business proprietor, you may already realize why avoiding "home business burnout" is so important. Even if you have only been working your home business venture for a relatively brief time, you may have already been aware of the need to maintain your energy levels and reduce your stress levels while you were involved in your other employment. Many people learn from their life experience to pace themselves, consume vitamin-rich foods, exercise and get sufficient sleep(at least 6-7 hours in every 24 hr. period). But while these steps are vital at every stage of life, they are even more crucial you first launch your business because the mental and physical strains are most severe during this time frame. When you were an employee, you may have been accustomed to a specific job and therefore left other details to others. But a work-from-home business will generally demand a broader spectrum of responsibilities than that. Much like a movie actor who decides to direct the film as well, the home-based business entrepreneur must rise to the occasion, and often with their life savings on the line and very few benefits. 11 MONSTROUS Small Business Marketing Mistakes and How To Avoid Them Increase your profit potential by identifying ? and avoiding ? these 11 marketing mistakes. 5 Steps To Success for Small Business Owners Everyone wants to succeed in life. Most people want to succeed in business. And no one starts a business of any sort wanting to fail. Bad Regulators Cost Small Businesses When a regulator finds a target to go after to collect fees to insure next years budget, often it is a small business. In fact the definition of a small business includes what normal people might even think of as a medium sized business. Often a Federal Regulator might be a 26-year old kid fresh out of college being supervised by an older regulator. The younger regulator often wishes to secure his or her case in the name of Justice and wants to change the world being fresh out of college. But they know they must win the case. Temporary Staffing Agency: How to Start The temporary staffing industry continues to expand, with yearly double-digit growth being commonplace. Companies find it convenient and cost-effective to work with a temporary staffing agency to fulfill unforeseen demand, fill short-term vacancies, and assist with changing workloads due to restructuring or mergers. Additionally, employers are enticed by the idea of "test driving" new employees to minimize risk and ensure a good match for permanent positions. How to Find A Group that Needs Speakers How do you find groups that are in need of speakers(at no charge)? Six Sigma for Small Business It is not surprising that some people may perceive Six Sigma as being only for large corporations. Major corporations such as Allied Signal, Black & Decker, Dow Chemical, Dupont, Federal Express, General Electric, Johnson and Johnson, Kodak, Motorola, Sony, and Toshiba have all rolled out Six Sigma efforts and achieved outstanding results. Yet, it is incorrect to think that Six Sigma process improvement results can only be achieved by huge organizations. Small businesses can also succeed in implementing Six Sigma and reap the process improvement benefits that Six Sigma provides. The Greatest Challenges the Internet Consultant Faces! While there are few career paths that some would call perfect, being a consultant comes pretty close to having it all. Yet while it is one of the best ways to earn a living, there are challenges and pitfalls that are sometimes overwhelming and unexpected. Freelance Tips: How to Cope with Spring Fever When Theres Work to Be Done We all know how glorious those first warm days of spring feel. The trees are blooming, the birds are singing... boy, it's sure hard to keep your head out of the clouds when the skies are blue and the sun's shining brightly. Create a Win Win for Your Small Business Discover How Specialized Cost Containment Creates A New Win-Win Position For Property Owner's And You Employee Relations Manual Sample Outline Most smart entrepreneurs and all large corporations have Employee Relations Manuals. Nearly all businesses with over five or more employees have some sort of employee manuals but not all have Employee Relations Manuals for their managers. It is important in today's litigious lawyer trap to have a good policy in place to protect you from a bad decision or improper handling of an employee situation by a manager. All too often a minor incident can lead to a problematic situation and end up in court, union arbitration or a hefty fine from a government regulatory agency which often tend to side with the employee, regardless of fact. Small Business And The Ability To Find Market Place Opportunities Marketing is one of the four corner-posts of a solid business. Knowing a few marketing tricks is great, but to be really successful you must be able to assess market place opportunities. Here's 13 points you should look at?It is necessary to understand the prevailing economic and industry conditions. Analyze the demographics of your customer base The Joy and Hazards Of Finding Your First Office Q: I have outgrown my home office and need to find office space for me and two part time employees. I am really excited about opening my first official office, but never having rented commercial space before I don't know anything about how this process works. What are some things I should consider before signing a lease? I'm really eager to get started!-- Jay P.
|
| © Athifea Distribution LLC - 2013 |
