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This is the second chapter and continuation of my initial article in which I listed ten tips for entrepreneurial success. The first chapter was written and published the last week in August. By now, my hope is that many of the members of the Redmond business community have had an opportunity to read and digest that first chapter.
I will continue with my first tip: consider marketing yourself primarily and the business secondarily. This does not in any way mean to ignore focusing on one’s business. The general public often makes an assumption that the businessperson knows what he or she is doing or they would not be in business. If one accepts this premise, the choice to hire a plumber for example, often rests on whether the person is liked or disliked.
When I began my business consulting practice 14 years ago in Ashland, I had lived in the community for many years. I had sold my business as a distributor of organic and specialty foods that I created and managed for 18 years. I was known as being ethical, honest, and likable.
It was the likability factor that made it easier for me to attract clients. My focus was primarily on developing a personal relationship with my clients. My marketing efforts were about gaining exposure and presence. I made many presentations and never advertised. My business was strictly a referral based business. I would credit my 14 years in Toastmasters as giving me the confidence to present with brevity.
I would always ask my clients if they received value from my work and did I meet their expectations. If the answer was in any way negative, I would not end the consulting session until they were satisfied. In essence, I was offering a guarantee that value would be given and received.
When I had my distribution business, I would begin any attempt to sell my products by asking first how the customer was doing and what their needs were. The attempt to sell was the last effort on my part. I developed a reputation as the master of the “soft hard sell”. Until I received a definitive no, I would persevere with tenacity. This is mantric and essential for success as an entrepreneur.
It is important to consider exposure, presence, perseverance and tenacity as vital ingredients for business success.
It is important to take every opportunity to promote yourself. I cannot emphasize this enough.
A professional website and business card is a representation of who you are. It should have appealing colors, with yellow being a color that is most attractive and recognized positively by the human eye. I like the idea of having one’s professional photo on the card. It can make a difference with regard to the likability factor.
Copy is important and should be presented with the understanding that we live in a culture with a short attention span. Brevity and conciseness is vital. I believe in the importance of doing a blog monthly or bimonthly. It aids in the pursuit of search optimization and presence. One must also focus on search optimization as a goal.
Social media representation is still important in these challenging economic times. A business Facebook page is helpful if well designed.
Testimonials are important. It is appropriate to ask if your customers or clients are happy with your work and to ask them if they would be willing to write a review. They can in fact be considered your “sales force” and advertising department.
Joining the Redmond Chamber of Commerce is a most worthwhile investment. You will receive exposure and presence and have an opportunity to receive a testimonial now and then. You can also write a short article for their monthly business news.
Joining an organization such as the Rotary or Kiwanis can further your intention and desire for exposure and presence.
There are also business groups one can consider such as Opportunity Knocks (which began in Bend) or BN! (Business Network International).
Lastly, I cannot stress enough how Toastmasters has helped me become a confident businessperson and given me the skills to give a 30 second elevator speech or a longer presentation. There is a Toastmasters club in Redmond that meets weekly on Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. at the Church of Christ behind Les Schwab. I belong to that club.
I hope this has been valuable to your success as an entrepreneur.
If you have questions or comments feel free to email me at garyae@gmail.com or call 541-292-6177. I am very open to your feedback and welcome it.
In closing, I wish to thank the editor of the Redmond Spokesman for the opportunity to share my experiences monthly and for his sincere support of the local Redmond entrepreneurial community.
garyae@gmail.com • 541-292-6177
