Insights for Restaurant Owners: Keeping Good Employees, Profits

 

Jan. 26, 2012

If you, as a restaurant owner, have trouble keeping talented employees, consider insights from a report on a Sacramento, California TV station. It will also help you stay in business.

The headline, “Servers Say Groupon Leads to Smaller Tips,” on Jan. 25, 2012 is enlightening. The KXTL-TV report cites numerous comments on YCombinator.

It seems restaurant employees across the nation are unhappy about the small tips they get from customers who use discounted Groupon coupons. Groupon has about 150 million subscribers.

Consumers get coupons from Groupon for discounts. The rub is that restaurant customers are tipping on the 50 percent discounted price, not the regular menu price.

What’s worse, the article states: “The State Restaurant Association tells FOX40 that with the stressed economy, business owners are finding it hard to keep giving such big discounts.”

Indeed, the report confirms informaiton in a Biz Coach column last year: Daily Deal Sites and Pricing Principles – What’s Sustainable and What Isn’t.

The column cited research by Rice University that shows many restaurants find it impossible to be profitable by partnering with Groupon and other daily deal sites.

I wrote:

“The study caught my eye because this business portal has long maintained it’s dangerous to sell products at the cheapest price in the marketplace vis-à-vis focusing on value and customer service. (See What are the Secrets for Success from Advertising?)

“Companies that focus solely on price attract the smallest segment of consumers – 18 percent – the least-desirable customers who make buying decisions solely on price. Such consumers are not loyal. Additionally, they’re the biggest complainers and more likely to return products.”

The warning is still valid.

Listen to your employees – here’s how and why to partner with your employees. Consider eight simple strategies to give you pricing power.

From the Coach’s Corner, for business success in marketing, here are related resource links:

Fast-Food Restaurateur Shares Secrets for Success

Tips To Get Strong Results From Your Marketing Plan

Fast, Easy Ways to Create Buzz

Marketing Essentials on a Shoestring Budget 

“Incentives are not strategy, they are tactics. Defensive measures.”
-Carlos Ghosn 

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

Will State Lawmakers Heed New SBA Data, Small Business Concerns?

 

Jan. 26, 2012

There’s more evidence that small business plays a pivotal role in creating jobs in Washington and other states, according to the Office of Advocacy in the Small Business Administration (SBA). The Office of Advocacy released small business data for each of the 50 states.

SBA believes the new data is “an invaluable resource for small businesses, legislators, academics, government officials, and policymakers in each state.”

Why?

“Small businesses are the foundation of economic growth in Washington and in our nation” said Dr. Winslow Sargeant, Chief Counsel for Advocacy. “By supporting policies that promote innovation and entrepreneurship, we help small businesses tackle these challenging economic times. These statistics are a resource for a path to economic growth.”

As for Washington state, the report explains “small business employment; business starts and closings; bank lending; business ownership by minorities, women, and veterans; and firm and employment change by major industry and firm size.”

Salient data about small business:

• There were 532,162 small businesses in Washington in 2009. Of these, 142,854 were employers and they accounted for 53.3 percent of private sector jobs in the state. Small firms made up 98.1 percent of the state’s employers.
• Throughout 2010, the number of opening establishments was lower than closing establishments and the net employment change from this turnover was negative.
• Washington’s real gross state product increased 0.7 percent and private-sector employment decreased 1.8 percent in 2010. By comparison, real GDP in the United States decreased 1.3 percent and private sector employment declined by 0.8 percent.
• Self-employment in Washington surged over the last decade. Female self-employment fared the best compared with other demographic groups during the decade.

To promote entrepreneurship, this week the Washington Policy Center sent state lawmakers in the 2012 legislative session these recommendations:

1. Revisit the voluntary settlement agreement as passed by the state Senate in 2011 – $1.2 billion
2. Reform the displaced worker retraining program
3. Simplify sales taxes by using an ‘origin based’ tax (as opposed to a ‘destination based’ tax) and creating a flat rate for out-of-state businesses
4. Review regulations to ensure that Washington rules don’t exceed federal regulations
5. Enact Tort Reform
6. Do no harm in transportation policy – do not reduce road lane capacity
7. Do not follow Seattle in enacting statewide paid sick leave

In addition, Gov. Gregoire suggested her strategies to aid small business — business and occupation tax relief.

How has the Legislature responded? Lawmakers have ignored their $1.5 budget-deficit crisis.

Instead, lawmakers are considering other matters – mandating paid sick leave and safe leave, banning plastic bags, abolishing the death penalty and gay marriage.

When will Washington’s Legislature demonstrate wisdom?

From the Coach’s Corner, also read:

WPC Hits Target, but Will Washington State Legislature?

Washington: A Balanced Budget Is No Longer Enough

Does the Federal Reserve Understand Small Business?

Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit.  Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad. 

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

CES: Best Business Strategies to Get Tech Funding

 

Jan. 24, 2012

If you have a tech startup looking for funds, you already know the competition is intense. But there are strategies that will help you to get funded. Investors revealed their preferences for funding technology firms at the 2012 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

On her blog, the chair of the CES venture capital panel, Joey Tamer, writes “each early stage fund planned to invest in a Series A for four or five new early stage companies during this year.”

When she’s not chairing venture panels, Ms. Tamer is an outstanding Los Angeles-based strategic consultant to technology and media (www.joeytamer.com).

“In the case of Jerusalem Venture Partners, Yoav Tzruya reported that this number represents no more than 1 percent of the 600 companies JVP reviews each year for its early stage fund,” says Ms. Tamer.

“Kevin Spain of Emergence Capital which has a focus on B2B applications, and Chris Petrovic of GameStop Digital which is a strategic investor/acquirer of game companies, as well as Habib Kairouz of Rho Capital agreed with the plan for four to five new deals this year,” she adds.

Improved environment

“We are in a boom period again, this time for the number of early stage companies in play in the market,” Ms. Tamer explains. “The continuing trend that allows for new technologies and applications to be built with many off-the-shelf tools, using world-wide technical expertise, for much less capital, has created many new companies competing for the funding resources available.

“The new trend of incubating companies in accelerators has added some seed capital to these concept-companies to get them through their initial product development,” she says. “But then these companies need to get some traction in the market, hopefully to significant revenue, before they can hope to move from seed capital to Series A.”

Optional strategies

Ms. Tamer indicates you have options to consider if you can’t get from seed to Series A or from Series A to Series B.

“Early stage companies not attracting that critical Series A or Series B funding should consider connecting strategically or through acquisition or merger with other similar-stage companies to create a stronger offering for funding,” she advises. “Aligning with other early companies that would enhance your market position or extend your product offerings or brand, you might attract that essential next stage of funding.”

She explains a developing trend.

“Kevin Spain added a new point, that he sees a strong emerging trend in B2B and enterprise applications using the new technologies that are mostly focused on the consumer market now,” she writes. “He advised companies to look for those B2B market opportunities for their current B2C products and applications. A doubling of your target markets, which rise and fall under different economic conditions, may present a strong offering to investors.”

She explains the motivation of two investors.

“Scott English from Hearst and Chris Petrovic of GameStop approach their investments as strategic additions to their portfolios, rather than as pure venture investments –even though each has a different priority for these investments,” she explains.

“The first point made was to conduct your due diligence about how strategic investors value their target companies,” Ms. Tamer says. “Hearst, for example, is a later stage investor focused on financial ROI to Hearst first, and strategic value to the portfolio second. GameStop, focused on early stage game companies, values its acquisition targets first as an operational addition to its portfolio plan (does the company add to GameStop’s infrastructure, product mix, learning about new markets, or strategy) before financial and ROI considerations.”

She explains some lessons:

1. Do your homework about your company’s “fit” with what an investment group might be seeking.
2. Talk with other companies in the investor’s portfolio.
3. Narrow down your list and your efforts to those investors that prefer your company’s stage, market sector, and your possible enhancement of their portfolio’s current companies.
4. Some strategic and corporate investors function very much like venture capitalists, and others have different priorities. So, after your due diligence, and as you enter discussions, read the deal’s restrictions and the detailed legal conditions before negotiating or accepting any investment.

Critical factors to help you win

“Norm Fogelsong of Institutional Venture Partners, a later-stage venture fund, insisted that your company’s vision must be big, very big, to attract the rounds of capital needed to become a major player,” she points out.

“The panelists agreed that they are very focused on execution, in particular execution on market penetration,” Ms. Tamer advises. “After you have been funded on your product’s unique value, it is time to turn your attention to your market, especially your customer acquisition and retention strategies, tactics and results.”

She provides another insight: “Yoav related that he looked for CEOs with deep market savvy, a founder who knows his or her product and its market realities, and has a strong go-to-market strategy.”

Ms. Tamer shares the insights of Sharon Wienbar of Scale Venture Partners, a later stage investor, who wants to minimize risk three ways:

• Proof of market responsiveness: Does your customer commit to your vision of your product’s value, price and use?
• A business model that prioritizes customer acquisition and retention: Do you have a plan that acquires each new customer quickly and for less and less cost of acquisition?
• Compelling metrics: are your projections for market penetration, growth and profitability backed up by proven metrics?

“So, amid the growing competition for capital we are seeing this year, particularly in the consumer market, investors’ focus seems to move quickly from unique technologies and applications to strong execution,” concludes Ms. Tamer. “Early stage companies need strategies to present compelling offerings to investors, and an increasing focus on market execution that leads to growing a big company and taking significant market share.”

Hope you enjoyed these insights. As usual, Ms. Tamer speaks and writes with authority.

(Note: I’m very familiar with Ms. Tamer’s expertise. She is a fellow member of Consultants West, www.consultantswest.com, a roundtable of veteran consultants in the Los Angeles area.)

From the Coach’s Corner, here are more of Ms. Tamer’s valuable insights:

How To Get More Opportunities As A Guest Speaker

How To Obtain The Most Profit From Speaking Opportunities

6 Values for Financial Protection

Options to Navigate This Marketplace Bedlam

What Should You Divulge When Asking for Investment Capital?

Downturn Survival

Leadership

Eight Strategies to Consider Before Starting A Tech Business

What No One Tells You about Raising Investment Capital

“If you can dream it, you can do it.”

-Walt Disney

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

RIM Provides 9 Lessons in Best Turnaround Strategies

 

Jan. 23, 2012

RIM, Research in Motion, needs more than just advertising and marketing strategies. Companies – from big to small – can learn business turnaround lessons from RIM’s predicament. RIM has failed to respond to marketplace changes. Despite installing a new CEO, Thorsten Heins, and hiring a vaunted crisis management firm, Sitrick and Company, RIM’s comeback attempt is already off to a poor start.

Analysts, investors and customers are troubled by the headline: “New RIM CEO says drastic change not needed.”

Numerous published reports quoted Mr. Heins: “I don’t think that there is some drastic change needed. We are evolving … but this is not a seismic change.”

To the contrary, my sense is that drastic changes are needed – externally and internally. Unless the company can upgrade its products, solve its product delays, and fix its reputation, the company will go under unless it’s sold. (Note: To be clear, I’m a long-time Blackberry user.)

Yes, RIM has marketing challenges. But as any savvy salesperson knows, it’s difficult to sell a product that’s considered inferior to competitors. Apple’s iPhone and iPad, and Google’s Android operating system have taken market share from RIM, which is why the once-proud company has also lost market value.

So, RIM needs to develop a strategic plan and wisely invest its $1.5 billion in cash. It only has until May 2012 to win applause from Wall Street analysts who sway investor opinions. And telling the world that drastic change isn’t needed is the wrong approach.

RIM’s demise provides these turnaround lessons:

1. Understand first things first. It’s important to move current product inventory, but simultaneously make long-term product development a priority. The company needs effective decisions. There are nine dos and don’ts for best decision-making. RIM will earn praise if it can unveil a strategic plan to publicize successful development of software for its Blackberry 10. So strategically plan and implement management strategies for a successful turnaround.
2. Develop a strategic marketing plan and align it with sales. Notably, RIM is looking for a new marketing director. Hopefully, innovation will result. Consider tips to get strong marketing plan results, and the 14 reasons why major marketing campaigns fail. And for profits, don’t forget to align marketing with sales.
3. Attract visionary product-creation relationships. It’s important to stay atop marketplace volatility. Hire or partner with visionary innovators. RIM lost ground because it didn’t have enough developer support, which opened the door for competitors. Think about nine key questions before you form a partnership and here the nine steps for strategic alliance success.
4. Create an iconic product. Innovation is key to be a Ninja innovator. In RIM’s case, the company should create excitement by intensifying its research and development for a blockbuster smartphone – bigger screen, 4G, and better camera.
5. In view of the economy, remember Henry Ford’s success. A salient reason Mr. Ford was successful: He manufactured an everyday car – the Model A – a car the average American could afford. Think 1930s for business success. Consumer attitudes are changing. RIM used to own the corporate market and didn’t create a consumer niche. It needs regain corporate market share and its own version of the Model A for the digital phone age.
6. Restructure the team. If Mr. Heins really believes drastic change isn’t necessary, he better wake up quickly and reverse course. He should make certain he employs a lot of thought leaders who serve as devils’ advocates. RIM needs to earn marketplace confidence by exploring and communicating all its strategic options. Unfortunately, it appears RIM needs to take the six steps to implement a cultural change for profits.
7. Operate profitably. Develop a laser focus on profitability. Understand in any economy, what drives your profit. Here are 10 basic tips — leadership for business profit.
8. Continue to focus and promote security. Daily, the media is filled with headlines about identity theft and security. Blackberry is known for its security, but the message has been diluted. Android is successful despite its security weaknesses. After all, who profits from Android’s security issues? Not users.
9. Manage your reputation. The key is to create positive images. But RIM is suffering in reputation management.  Here are the best practices to optimize your brand and manage your Web reputation. It’s also vital to know how to leverage the news media for publicity, and to implement PR  crisis management tips.

From the Coach’s Corner, here are developing trends and solutions for manufacturing success.

“The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it, and exploits it as an opportunity.”

– Peter F. Drucker

 

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

Nervous About Your New Boss? Here’s How to Deal with It

 

Whether you just got a new job or whether your company just assigned a new boss for you, it might seem hard to deal with it. But deal with it you must. Learn to develop poise and to manage your boss.

First, recognize two things: 1. Fear is common. 2. Throughout your career and personal life, you will face adversity.

Second, consider fear to be an acronym, FEAR: “Frantic Effort to Avoid Responsibility.”

Getting a new boss does not constitute a problem. Facing fear actually makes you stronger. It’s an opportunity for growth.

If you have apprehension, you need to understand why. In such situations, the most-common questions to consider: Do you fear change? Do you have authority-figure issues?

The solution to such personal and professional issues is to conduct a personal assessment. On a sheet of paper, create two columns – your strengths and weaknesses. Analyze your attitude and behavior in similar situations whether you had friction, were laid off or fired.

For negative situations, here’s a hint: You’ll learn fear was a factor – a frantic effort to avoid responsibility – to yourself. Understand your role, but don’t focus on the other person’s. Don’t give away your personal power by focusing on the possible motives or behavior of others – even if you feel you were dealing with the reincarnation of Attila the Hun.

At the bottom of the sheet, develop a strategic game plan – strategize how and why you’ll be successful.

You might also develop a list of positive affirmations, such as: “I’m a great employee,” and “I welcome this new boss as an opportunity for growth.” Keep this list handy. Recite these affirmations in front of a mirror. With enough practice and by facing fearful situations, you’ll get stronger and someday will feel compelled to share these tips with someone who will benefit.

Then, implement your strategic plan. Research your new boss. Learn all you can. If you have questions for your boss, create a written list. Include questions about possible likes and dislikes about preferred employee performance. Don’t procrastinate. When you’re ready, ask your boss for a time to chat.

Once you’re working with your new boss, there will be opportunities to contribute to the welfare of the team. The team is only as strong as its weakest member. Don’t be afraid to speak up to solve problems.

But it’s important to remember this concept: It’s not what you say, but it’s how you say it. Even unpopular viewpoints serve as catalysts for your professional and organization success.

Don’t speak with finality with an accusing tone, for example: “This is a problem.”

Instead, ask a non-threatening question, such as: “Is it possible that the problem is…?” In this way, you’ll help open the door to a team discussion.

Oh, and by the way, by doing this you’re on your way to becoming a leader among your peers. Then, you’ll be ready for the eight tips on how to ask your boss for a pay raise. And if you want, you might become management material, too.

So, the place to jumpstart your career development: It’s all about poise in managing your boss.

From the Coach’s Corner, related readings:

Do You Have A Toxic Relationship With Your Boss?

How To Deal With An Oppressive Employer

Top 11 Tips for a Great Elevator Pitch

“If the world operates as one big market, every employee will compete with every person anywhere in the world who is capable of doing the same job. There are lots of them and many of them are hungry.” 

-Andy Grove

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Terry Corbell is a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

Washington: A Balanced Budget Is No Longer Enough

 

Updated Jan. 11, 2012

A Seattle Times headline is perplexing. True, the headline –“Lawmakers open session, try to close $1B gap” – is a fairly accurate assessment of Washington state’s budget. Not to be laboriously repetitive, but the headline is worrisome. Once again the Legislature faces a budget crisis.

“The economy is the focal point of this year’s legislature as state lawmakers attempt to close a $1.5 billion shortfall in a $34 billion budget at the state capitol in Olympia,” blogged Don Brunell, president of the Association of Washington Business (AWB).

Mr. Brunell is known for his pragmatic reasoning.

“As they deliberate, they must be mindful that Washington is in the midst of an anemic economic recovery which is very fragile,” the AWB president added. “New costs to employers, especially those along Main Street, have a dampening effect on our ability to increase consumer confidence and bring people back to work.”

That’s my sense, too. But the Legislature routinely fails to prioritize first things first. The short-term priority is to balance the 2011-2013 budget. But as a priority, it’s secondary to a bigger quandary – government and budgeting reform, which are needed immediately, as well.

Instead, all budget discussions are about the short-term and relatively insignificant issues grab a disproportionate amount of attention.

Gov. Gregoire wants to focus on a new $3.6 billion transportation package, gay marriage, shorten the school year, abolish social services, release some prisoners before the sentences expire, and increase the state’s sales tax. House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, also says same-sex marriage is a top priority.

A significant number of citizens wants to legalize marijuana. Some lawmakers want a statewide ban on plastic grocery bags.

Most of us in business agree education is a priority. But increasing taxes even for education isn’t productive as long as government/budgeting reform is ignored as a priority.

In addition to Mr. Brunell, another thoughtful pragmatist is Jason Mercier. Mr. Mercier is director of the Center for Government Reform of the Washington Policy Center.

Worth consideration is Mr. Mercier’s list of recommended reforms:

• Enact a constitutional tax and spending limit (with two-thirds requirement to raise taxes) modeled after the original 1993 I-601 formula.

• Remove as many of the restrictions on lawmakers’ ability to set spending priorities as possible (collective bargaining restrictions on compensation, federal mandates, assumption of auto-pilot budgeting on programs).

• Reform competitive contracting. Allow agencies to make performance-based contracting more proactive (create a Competitive Contracting Council).

• Provide the governor discretionary authority to cut spending.

• Repeal unaffordable programs instead of suspending them.

• Require at least a 5 percent reserve when adopting the next biennial budget.

• Require updated four-year budget outlooks to be published after each state revenue forecast or budget adoption.

• Require completed fiscal notes before bills can be acted on.

• Phase in a defined-contribution retirement plan that gives state workers benefits that can never be taken away.

Amen. Yes, the Legislature should soberly balance the budget. However, unless the Legislature concomitantly reforms government and the budgeting process, uncertainty will never be alleviated for the state’s businesses and consumers.

From the Coach’s Corner, you might want to consider other public policy columns.

“There is an important sense in which government is distinctive from administration. One is perpetual, the other is temporary and changeable. A man may be loyal to his government and yet oppose the particular principles and methods of administration.”

-Abraham Lincoln

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

How To Obtain The Most Profit From Speaking Opportunities

 

Jan. 9, 2012

It’s one thing to be invited to speak at your industry’s major event. But it’s another to create the right impression for your hosts, your audience and prospective customers or clients.

There’s more to it than you might think.

Widely acclaimed as a speaker and based in Los Angeles, Joey Tamer made her stellar reputation as a strategic consultant to technology and media.

Graciously, she’s sharing her secrets to making the most of your opportunities from a speaking event.

Her tips for being supportive:

1. Once accepted as a speaker, be as low-maintenance as possible. Send in everything you are asked for as soon as you can – blurbs, bios, photos, and equipment requests. Do not make the administrators chase you. A reputation as a cooperative speaker, combined with good evaluations from the audience, tend to ensure repeat offers to present.
2. Arrive at least 15 minutes early to your presentation room to make sure you understand the physical conditions and can test the equipment and confer with the tech support and administrative support handling the room. This early time allows trouble to be detected and fixed.
3. If there is nothing to prepare, you will have time to personally greet the early arrivals in the audience, which they will appreciate, especially if you ask them about their specific interest in the topic, or any question they might like you to address. Many of the audience are shy in front of presenters, and would not speak with you afterwards. These are particularly appreciative of being welcomed before the presentation.
4. When presenting, follow the requests of the organization: make sure audience questions are repeated or are asked into a microphone, so that the recordings are valuable. If you are asked to make announcements (for example, to fill in evaluation forms), comply graciously.

Follow up and marketing outreach:

1. Write a thank-you email to the host of the conference, reporting on the success of the presentation, your enjoyment of the event, and your interest in presenting at future events. This should be sent no more than two days following your presentation.
2. Send a follow up email to your other panel speakers, appreciating their insights. (If you chaired the panel, then thank them for their expertise).
3. Send a follow up email to anyone from the audience who gave you his/her card and/or spoke to you afterwards. This email must be sent individually to each person, and you must reference what issues they shared with you, which you should have noted on the card during or after your conversation with each one of them.
4. Although you can use standard paragraphs in this email, at least one paragraph must reference that you remember the conversation. Do not send a mass-mail, form email except to those who may have taken your card, left theirs, and did not speak to you. This email must speak to your regret in not having a chance to speak to them directly.
5. In the email’s content: Reference access to your website. Engage them in further conversation about your product or service or consultancy without selling. Send a “trinket” – some blog article of yours, or others’, which extends the conversation and will be of use to them. If you plan ahead, you will offer your audience access to this trinket if they will give you their card after your presentation. The trinket can be delivered via email or via a link in the email, which drives the audience to your site to access it there with a password, created for this audience.

She acknowledges her tips are simple etiquette techniques, “but it goes far in making your way into new relationships and in creating new loyalties.”

Here are her tips on how to get more opportunities as a guest speaker. 

For more of Ms. Tamer’s insights, visit JoeyTamer.com. 

(Note: I’m very familiar with Ms. Tamer’s expertise. She is a fellow member of Consultants West, www.consultantswest.com, a roundtable of veteran consultants in the Los Angeles area.) 

From the Coach’s Corner, here are tips to get strong results from your marketing plan. 

“The best way to sound like you know what you’re talking about is to know what you’re talking about.”

 

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

How To Get More Opportunities As A Guest Speaker

 

Jan. 8, 2012

If you’re successful in generating speaking opportunities, you’ll create opportunities for your career. At the least, you’ll be in a position to raise your business profile.

Ideally, prospective clients or customers will be in the audience. Count on opportunities to develop centers of influence — people who can refer business to you. You can expand your comfort zone. Also, you can learn a lot by teaching or speaking. By elevating your profile, it’s easier to keep your clients. At the very least, public speaking will help to keep your skills sharp.

Joey Tamer is in demand as a public speaker and moderator. Based in Los Angeles with an outstanding record of success, Ms. Tamer is a strategic consultant to technology and media.

She’s graciously shares her recommendations on how to be invited to speak at events for your niche industry.

Key first four steps:

1. List of all the conferences special to your industry.
2. List the events and conferences at which your competitors present (search your competitors’ websites).
3. Select the ones that put that targeted decision maker in the audience.
4. Refine your selection to prefer events that allow you a solo presentation. Panel participation is fine, but often is not as effective due to the limited time to show your expertise, bad moderators, and other conditions beyond your control. Another high priority includes events that allow either solo or panel presentation, but add on a breakout session or workshop as well.

Due diligence:

1. Explore each event or conference website to determine if it attracts your target market in its audience. There will be a list titled “Who should attend.”
2. Contact the conference (use an email address not associated with you or your company) to send you the promo package for sponsors or exhibitors. This should give you a much more detailed demographic and psychographic description of the attendees, by percentage (10% CxO, 25% VP, etc.) of rank.

Pitch:

1. If the conference or the Call for Speakers lists its agenda of panels or speaking sessions, select the one or two that fit your expertise.
2. Draft an introductory email (or fill in a Call for Speakers form) pitching the topic(s) you can offer for those items on the agenda. If there is space allowed, drop the names of at least two major conferences where you have presented this topic (or something similar) previously.
3. If the Call for Speakers is open-ended, and no agenda is offered, then study the audience and mission statement of the conference and pitch a series of topics that they might be interested in considering.
4. When offering to present, offer a list of two or three topics that might fit. Attach the Speaking page of your website as a PDF attachment.
5. In your email, add a link to your speaking page and a link to the home page of your website.
6. Your speaking testimonials should be included, usually on the Speaking page of your site. If they are on a separate page of your website, add a link to that page as well. Of course, if you know someone inside the organization that is hosting the conference, connect with that person to get any inside information you might use, or ask him/her to get your pitch letter to the best decision maker inside.

So now you know how to garner invitations to speak. But your job is only half-done. Here are Ms. Tamer’s tips on how to obtain the most profit from speaking opportunities.

For more of Ms. Tamer’s insights, visit JoeyTamer.com. You might also want to read her six-part series for a downturn survival, as well as her 10-part series on the 10 characteristics of a successful CEO.

(Note: I’m very familiar with Ms. Tamer’s expertise. She is a fellow member of Consultants West, www.consultantswest.com, a roundtable of veteran consultants in the Los Angeles area.)

From the Coach’s Corner, here are public speaking tips – for speeches in accepting awards and honors.

“Speech is power: Speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

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 Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

 

Internet Marketing Lessons Via Rick Santorum’s Campaign

 

Jan. 5, 2012

Unintentionally, Rick Santorum’s presidential campaign — with inadequate branding — is providing business with Internet marketing lessons.

Perhaps you’ve noticed the inflammatory results in searching the Web for him. When you search for “Santorum,” the deprecating site of “spreadingsantorum.com” is first on Google, Bing and Yahoo. For curious voters interested in the campaign, it’s an especially disappointing search.

The derogatory site was created in 2003 by a part owner of The Stranger publication in Seattle, who was annoyed by then-Sen. Santorum’s comment about a U.S. Supreme court ruling that was favored by the gay community.

Understandably, Mr. Santorum complained to Google about the rankings – after all there are precedents. Indeed, it can be argued that Google could do something about it.

You might recall Google penalized the derogatory monkey-face depictions of Michelle Obama. There are countless security examples from when Google and the other search engines have issued a warning about a Web site when it believes a site is a security risk to users.

Until and unless Google and the other search engines take corrective measures, the Santorum campaign must focus on what it can control.

However, the campaign fails to use best practices in Internet marketing.

Its salient shortcomings:

1. Failure to use SEO techniques
2. A call to action without giving the right incentives – branding and value propositions
3. Poor organization – lack of preparedness

Failure to use SEO

As a result of his strong showing from largely grass roots efforts, Mr. Santorum’s campaign is attracting an unprecedented number of voters who are now curious about him. They can find the right site easier when they search using the key words, “Rick Santorum.” But if they search using “Santorum,” they get the derogatory site.

In effect, however, the campaign has allowed Mr. Santorum to become a victim of political sabotage sans common SEO procedures.

Yes, the Santorum campaign has options to effectively to eliminate the adverse impact of the sarcastic site. Curiously, “spreadingsantorum.com” only has a Google page rank of 5. That’s not insurmountable for the Santorum campaign, if it employs proper SEO techniques, and understands how to win on Google.

Hint: If you can win on Google, you will on the other search engines, too. So start with how Google details its new reasoning for best Web site rankings, and successfully understand the 23 key questions Google has about your Web site.

As for the Santorum campaign, it needs to develop and focus on one site – just one site dedicated to the candidate. But it mistakenly directs Internet users to a donation form – one of two duplicate content sites (supportricksantorum.com and ricksantorum.com).

Premature call to action

The Santorum donation site sets a poor example. It only asks for money. There are no stellar branding and value propositions. Visitors aren’t readily able to learn anything about him – neither his policy positions nor his background.

All of this means the right sites show up twice – but they’re below the fold on Google.

Moreover, duplicate content hurts the cause. Two different domain names containing similar content defeat the purpose. The two sites effectively insure his Web presence is diluted – the search engines don’t know which is paramount for users.

Poor organization – lack of preparedness

With such a confusing marketing approach, the campaign inadvertently sends two unintended signals.

Firstly, it shows poor organization and lack of preparedness — note the verbiage in this Santorum tweet:

“Your great support has caused some unexpected downtime on our website! You can still support us at our temp page: ricksantorum.com”

Because the campaign instituted some redirects – the tweet sent people to the donation site. That’s a violation of best practices in marketing – never assume the voter has enough incentives before you ask for a vote or beg for donations.

Secondly, such strategies — unbranded donation page and desperate-looking tweets — leave users with the impression that he’ll fail because he’s desperate for donations.

Further, as an example of over-reaching, the campaign constantly changes the tag line that appears on the search engines. The candidate needs to be consistently repetitive with his branding and Web presence. Aside from the duplication issue and failure to imbed the donation page in one site, he needs to attract thousands of new links from good Web sites.

Whether he realizes or not, failure to take such precautions adversely impacts his credibility as a viable candidate. After all, even if he could win his party’s nomination, he’d be facing a Democrat who long ago demonstrated extraordinary Internet expertise.

Good Internet marketing lessons for business from Mr. Santorum.

From the Coach’s Corner, here’s a checklist: 14 strategies to rock on Google.

Additionally, for more resources see this portal’s marketing and tech archives, which are packed with solutions.

“Don’t blame the marketing department. The buck stops with the chief executive.”

-John D. Rockefeller

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

Tips To Get Strong Results From Your Marketing Plan

 

Why do seemingly great marketing plans fail to yield the desired results?

Well, one reason: Such plans don’t turn the ideas into reality because they’re not action-oriented. What counts is the scheduled specific footwork, and then tracking the results.

There’s a second reason, quality of execution, but more on that later.

Four action-oriented keys to success

Action key No. 1: Develop specific action items for each key piece of your plan with specific target dates to take action. In other words, if 12 big customers will largely solve your revenue issues, set a goal for each monthly interval. For example, write: “We will get one major client each month.”

Action key No. 2: List specific footwork to achieve your monthly goal of one new client. For example, write: “To get a major new client each month, we’ll have to look for new opportunities to network with our existing Centers of Influence and to create new Centers of Influence.”

If you belong to your local chamber of commerce or Rotary Club, ask your friendly chamber peers or Rotarians for two referrals: “What are the names of two people with your qualities who might need our product?” Then, while dropping the name of your friend, make the contact.

Consider other ways to enlarge your prospect list, and write something like this: “We will also get a list of business leads via…”

Action key No. 3: Benchmark your action items that can lead to the desired results. For example, write: “From our list of prospects, we will meet with three new prospects each week.”

It’s a numbers game, but rest assured referrals are usually the strongest leads – especially, if you use the right networking strategies.

So don’t worry about the results. Focus on taking steps. The results will take care of themselves.

Action key No. 4: Define your list of specific actions to meet your targets. For example, write: “I will telephone or visit 15 prospects a day asking for an appointment.”

Focus on making the contacts, but again, don’t worry about which doors will open. It might be a lost art, but here’s how and why to use cold-calling for higher sales. Here are eight tips for cold calling by e-mail and telephone.

Quality of execution

Despite all the hype about the benefits of social media, face time works best. If you have good branding, elevator pitch, and use the right sales steps, you will be successful.

Here’s more:

Branding: Here’s a checklist to build your brand on a budget.

Elevator pitch: Here are the top 11 tips for a great elevator pitch.

Sales Steps: Here are the seven steps to higher sales.

You might also want to review the eight best practices in small business marketing.

From the Coach’s Corner, here are two advertising resource links:

What are the Secrets for Success from Advertising?

Checklist for Branding, Selling Your Biz as Green

“A clear vision, backed by definite plans, gives you a tremendous feeling of confidence and personal power.”

-Brian Tracy

 

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Columnist Terry Corbell is also a business-performance consultant and profit professional. Click here to see his management services (many are available online). For a complimentary chat about your business situation or to schedule Terry Corbell as a speaker, why don’t you contact him today?

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