Lately, I have been putting my money where my mouth is and getting out and networking.  It has been both fun and rewarding for me.  I met a few key business people and engaged on a number of consulting projects as a result of live networking.  I am not saying that a few of these budding relationships did not sprout on social media, but they did take meeting in person to bloom.

You see social media is like the match.com of networking.  Nothing can happen if you just keep looking at profiles online, you must get out there an meet.

So I say to you…Get out and Network!  Find ONE event in your area that you can attend and take the plunge.

However, avoid a few dating, I mean networking pitfalls.

1. Do not expect to go back to ‘your place’ later. Bring what you need to the event.  Make sure to have business cards and any other promotional items about your business with you because this is your chance to connect.  Save an office visit for the 2nd or 3rd date.
2. Stay clear - headed. Many evening networking events happen over happy hour or cocktails.  Be smart and stay on top of your game with a clear head.  Beer Goggles can be just as BAD when involved in business decisions.
3. Remember to follow up in or around 3 days. No reason to rush right home and write an email or add all your new contacts to your newsletter (remember that should be opt-in), but do make a point to connect with a few key people that you met within a few days.  You still want the meeting to be fresh in their mind.  A quick email works great!

Here is to you finding the connection of your dreams. Happy Networking.

Rachel http://backngroovemom.com

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This week marked the beginning of the 3rd annual StartUpNation Leading Moms in Biz Competition.  Yes, I do realize that you are on the StartUpNation site, but I really want to call your attention to this unique opportunity.

First of all, huge thanks to StartUpNation for holding this competition.  It is an extraordinary feeling for moms in business to be recognized for the momentous effort behind running a business and growing a family at the same time.  For someone who manages a family and business along with spending a good part of my days helping moms realize their potential, I am so proud of ALL moms in business.

Secondly, there is the obvious amazing amount of publicity and attention that Leading Moms in Business can achieve through participating in the contest.  This goes without being said, but there is no price tag that anyone can put on this.  With tight budgets, P.R. is something that moms in business are often left to do by themselves (and it is not easy).

Finally, the MAIN reason why I am so excited by the Leading Moms in Business contest is something a bit deeper.  As moms in small start-up businesses, I find it essential that we SUPPORT one another.  What a better way to increase your mom network than participating in this contest.  There are so many awesome mom-run businesses out there, and if you are one of them — YOU should enter this contest.  Once you enter, take a good look at all the other amazing businesses entered and connect.

When I need a birthday gift for a friend, a delicious dessert sent somewhere, legal services, organizational help, or just want to find a funky new product for myself, I look to moms in business.  Where better to start than the fabulous group that StartupNation honors.  By supporting one another, referring each other, and collaborating, it is truly a WIN-WIN for all moms.

The national publicity that goes along with this contest is absolutely the priceless, but making a commitment to support one another in this contest is the icing on the cake.

If you are on Pinterest, check out my Board of moms in biz (another fun way to show off mom business products and services).

For more of a view into moms in business and all the is involved in making it happen, visit me at http://backngroovemom.com

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If you’re like me, you’ve probably said this statement many times: “If I had only known then what I know now.” I understand that mistakes are part of the process, but do I have to make so many of them!?! Experience has made me a fast learner and now, more than ever, I pay attention to those who have gone ahead of me so I can learn from their mistakes and hopefully not make so many on my own. Maybe you do too.

To gain some more insight, I asked business owners who have been in business five years or more the same question, “If you would have known then what you know now, what would you have done differently and why?” Their answers were not only insightful, but inspiring and I think you will really appreciate what they had to say.

So here you go; 29 (plus one) insights from business owners like us on what they would have done differently had they known.

We would love to hear your answers too, please leave a comment and let us know, “What would you have done differently in your business if you would have known then what you know now.”

Enjoy!

1. Hire Slowly, Fire Quickly

Oh man, I wish I would have remembered this one every day when I woke up. There is little of greater importance than having the right people on your team(s) and when you find out an apple has gone bad or you have found a worm in a seemingly perfect apple, get rid of it ASAP! The old adage is often true, ’some dogs can’t hunt’.

Thanks to Ben Sayers, VoIP Supply, LLC.,VoIP phone systems, in business 8 years

2. Be More Open to ChangeTechnology and trends are constantly evolving: one day you are set in your Facebook ways and the next day Pinterest is the new phenomenon. Social media has changed the way we do business and how startups utilize it is integral to your success. However, if someone told me this during social media’s infancy, I would have called them crazy. I let all my years in business bias my first impression of social media and thought it was simply a fad. I couldn’t have been more wrong! Social media has changed the way we do business and has set the bar for the way we measure success. If companies are not willing to adapt, they will never become an industry leader or experience great successes.

Thanks to Jim Joyal,, SHIFT Communications, PR and social media agency, in business 9 years

3. Be the Boss Not the Buddy

Don’t be friends with employees. When you try to be too nice it makes it easy for others to take advantage of you, and that’s been true of about 80 percent of everyone I hired in the past. There was a time when I would give a job to almost anyone who asked, regardless if they were qualified or not, because back then I had the capital and I did not want to be the person who turned them down. Most of the money I lost when I started out was due to being overly tolerant of inefficient employees. It’s fine to be friendly with your staff, but you have to set boundaries and be willing to be a firm boss — whether you have three or 300 people working for you.

Thanks to Cathy Ward, BridesVillage.com, wedding accessories e-commerce retailer, 11 years in business

4. Lock in Your Location

Had I known then what I know now, I would have done everything possible to purchase my own business property. Last year, the rent for my original office, located in the Prospect Heights section of Brooklyn doubled, necessitating my having to move during my income tax preparation season.  If I had to rent a property, the lease would have included a “lease to own” clause and have a termination date during my slow season.

Thanks to Eustace L. Greaves Jr., Greaves Financial Services, Insurance and Income Tax Preparation Services, 17 years in business

5.  Start with Sustainably in Mind

In hind sight I would have focused much more deeply on a sustainable way to generate deal flow and new leads. No matter how large you think your network is (mine is large) it is not large enough and although power networking/word of mouth is the best source of leads of all the advisor/coach /consultant/soloprenuers I know almost none are reaching their personal income goals. What I am doing differently is focusing on the internet. I have just launched an e-commerce site and hope to launch a content site in the next 90 days. Historically my advisory services were delivered on site at companies located regional. I will continue with my advisory work with about 1/3 of my time, but focus on national and to a lesser extent international clientele via phone or Skype.

Thanks to Ajax Greene, On Belay Business Advisors Inc., business advising, 7 years in business

6. Know the Value of Vision

I would have placed an earlier emphasis to define the vision, mission and values of our company. It is important for the value of our employees to be aligned with my vision for our Company.

Thanks to Jason Maxwell, MassPay Payroll Services, payroll services company, in business for 8 years

7. Eliminate Distractions

Having owned several companies, I would have eliminated my distractions sooner than I did, e.g. real estate investments (rentals), buying and selling a laundromat, renovating homes, etc. While all the ventures were profitable they took away from focusing on building a brand that ultimately would have had more value than the combined profits of each transaction not related to directly building that brand.

Thanks to Joseph Carvelli, Retail Ingenuity, retail inventory and sales forecasting, in business for 12 years

8. Set Aside Significant Saving

I assumed if I built a good product, they would come! I had no idea how costly being in business would be, the amount of money I needed to succeed, or the toll the financial strain would take.

I am blessed that I had the tenacity and the strength to succeed despite overwhelming odds. If I could go back to the beginning, I would make sure I had significant savings set aside, or capital from another source. I cannot overstate the importance of being properly funded!

Thanks to Regina McRae, Grandma’s Secrets, dessert delivery, in business for 18 years

9. Put More Emphasis on Processes

If I had known then what I did now I would have put a lot more time into creating processes.  I find that with the majority of businesses these fundamentals often get overlooked and sometimes ignored completely. To me this is utter madness! A company can succeed or fail just by their processes. We find that we avoid 99% of mistakes because we process them out. This not only avoids unnecessary errors and client issues, but actually makes the company as a whole more efficient.

Thanks to Ben Norman, Koozai Ltd., UK based digital marketing agency , in business for 6 years

10. Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

I would have delegated more and not tried to do everything myself. Although it does take time to build relationships with your staff, I waited too long to delegate certain responsibilities that could have been done by someone else. Giving responsibilities does much to validate a staff member’s gifts and also demonstrates a deeper level of trust in the employer / employee relationship. Letting go of certain tasks has been difficult for me but I have come to realize that the more responsibilities I entrust to others in their areas of expertise, the lighter I feel, the more confident a staff member becomes and greater things are achieved by their efforts than could have been done otherwise.

Thanks to Stephanie Ciccarelli, Voices.com, online voiceover talent marketplace, in business for 8 years

11. Let Go and Let it Grow

For many years I had to know everything and do everything. I have discovered that other people and organizations can do things better and at a lower cost than doing it myself.  Letting go has enabled my business to grow and prosper and made my life much easier.

Thanks to Bob Shirilla, Keepsakes Etc. and Simply Bags in business for 30 years

12. Avoid Delaying Difficult Decisions

My biggest lesson over the years was learning that sometimes decisions had to be made for the good of the company, which sometimes meant disciplining or dismissing employees. In particular, when the economy started going into recession, I had to fire one of my closest friends in order to keep the company going. I should have done it sooner. As a result of my delay, it took a while to regain the company’s financial stability. Making difficult decisions is part of owning a business. Owners have to be willing to do it.

Thanks to Susan Southerland, Just Marry, Just Right DM and The Susan Southerland Secret, event planning, destination management, and small business consulting, in business for 20 years

13. Start with a Solid Team

I would have started with a solid business plan, hired an account, and started with a solid team around me.  There are not many businesses that are successful with one person wearing so many hats. Do what you do best and allow others to contribute what they do best to help your business grow.

Thanks to Amore Leighton Black, Apples & Oranges Public Relations, public relations and marketing, in business 7 years

14. Charge What I am Worth

I would have charged more! I was so excited to be working for myself doing something I loved. I’ve never been a person who chased profits -that’s not why I do what I do. But I didn’t do my homework and when I started, I charged pretty close to what I was making hourly at the jobs I’d left behind. That was all fine dandy except when working for myself, that wasn’t enough to cover things like taxes, health insurance, and so on. And also, I was definitely undervaluing my services. I was booked ALL the time, yet I could never seem to get ahead. Even though my clients all loved me and thanked me for my work, I doubted my value, and that was definitely reflected in my pricing.

Thanks to Alaia Williams, One Organized Business, professional organizing and small business systems consulting, in business 5 years

15. Focus on Building Relationships

We spent a fortune of money on advertising when we started out (with unimpressive results). We then changed our focus on relationship building with existing clients and organic search maximization vs. paid ads.  Now we see incredible returns in the form of referrals, and new business at a cost that is a fraction of what we used to spend. We needed to learn the hard way but if I knew then…

Thanks to Ben Schusterman, ElJet Aviation Services - private jet charter service, in business for 5 years

16. Start with More Money, Less Friends

I would start with about three-times as much cash as I thought I needed. I’d also be cautious around hiring friends/family.

Thanks to Heidi Ganahl, Camp Bow Wow, doggy day & overnight care, in business for 12 years

17. Use a Better Business Model

If we knew then what we know now, we would have started with the business model that we changed to about two years ago. Before the recession hit, we charged $39.95 for an annual membership with no free trial, and no automatic rebilling at the end of their membership term. During the recession, the rate in which we generated new members waned and we reached a growth plateau. To combat our stagnation we decided to change our revenue model to a free trial and a monthly rebilling combination. We implemented a three-day free trial and then a recurring $18.95 monthly fee after the three days expired. We are doing very well as a company now, but in retrospect, we should have thought about rebilling from the get go.

Thanks to Ian Aronovich, GovernmentAuctions.org, providing information about government auctions of seized and surplus merchandise

18. Hire Employees Sooner

One thing I would do differently if I were starting my training business today would be to make my first hire sooner. Operating on shoestring (and a broken one at that), I originally had to do everything myself. The thrift that made it possible for me to survive and then thrive in the beginning quickly became a hindrance when I delayed hiring people who could do any number of specific tasks easier, cheaper and far better than I could.

Thanks to Barry Maher, Barry Maher & Associates, motivational speaker, leadership trainer

19. Dream Bigger

I would have dreamed bigger from the start. In the beginning, my focus was on serving clients in my own Puget Sound backyard, even though successful people who were familiar with my publicity expertise and storytelling gifts were telling me to think nationally or globally. If I had it to do over again, I would have put more emphasis on national and global reach of my message right from the start.  Lead with juicier, higher value, and leveraged offerings first. When I was just starting out, I put a lot of emphasis on creating the absolute best $10 product about do-it-yourself publicity that I could create. Yes, the Media-Savvy-to-Go Publicity Tips Booklets have sold by the thousands since debuting in August of 2006. However, it is so much easier to make a bigger impact for more people and my own balance sheet by leading with a juicer, higher value offering. Today, the Broadcast Your Brilliance Webinar Series and Bye-Bye Boring Bio PLUS! Programs deliver great value for many around the nation and the world at price points that make it a whole lot easier to make a good living. Whether you create an entry level product or something much more, you still have to create all the systems to support those offerings. By leading with a deeper offering, the rewards are greater for all.

Thanks to Nancy Juetten, Authentic Visibility, PR tools and training, in business 11 years

20. Approach Additional Services More Cautiously

I’ve been in business as a web designer for 18 years. The main thing I would have done differently knowing then what I’ve learned along the way is I would approach any add-on services very cautiously. I used to briefly check out add-on services such as hosting, domain name management, and others, and then I would jump in whole-heartedly. Most of the time, it worked out fine for me. However, the occasional missteps cost me dearly.  As I learned more about running a business, I also learned through hard knocks that it is much better to approach additional services methodically and cautiously. I don’t put a lot of funding and energy into them until I’m sure it is the right thing to offer. I’ve learned it is easier to resist the urge to jump at opportunities than it is to extract myself from the occasional quagmire!

Thanks to Jim Smith, Blarneystone, LLC web design, in business for 18 years

21. Give More Away Sooner and Speak More

Network a lot more in person (the Internet was in its commercial infancy) and hunt for in-person speaking engagements, even if they are not paid.  Good writing alone is not enough to convince clients to hire you. They want to hear you speak on your topic of expertise, and when you help business owners with their problems or concerns, they are more likely to hire you and/or to recommend you to others who hire you. I once helped a business owner write something for his church at no charge, and with another small assignment that paid very little. That led to a long-term writing assignment that exceeded $40,000 in fees. Sow seeds of good will and interest through your networking, speaking, and help. Continue to do this even after your business is successful because it leads to more success.

Thanks to Candace Talmadge, Talmadge Writing Services, writing services, in business for 29 years

22. Been More Focused on This Business

I wouldn’t have started it out of my apt.  I would have “cleared the decks better” by parsing other interests that I was juggling at the same time. I would have learned more about guarding a business (legal, insurance, LLC/Scorp/Inc).  I would not have spent so much money on a business plan.

Thanks to Todd Greene, HeadBlade men’s grooming, in business 12 years

23. Don’t Do It All Yourself

I would have gotten an assistant, accountant and web coder much earlier. I did it all myself for 8 years in my business and have only been hiring assistance for the last two years. I knew it would free up my time to hire people - and what I didn’t know was how much it would free up my mind and let me do better, more powerful work along the way. I’ve been able to create more products and do more thought leadership since getting those little tasks off my plate… and if I’d done it earlier, I can only imagine how amazing things would be.

Thanks to Erin Ferree, BrandStyle Design, branding for small businesses, in business for 10 years

24. Look Before Leaping

What I know now is the huge cost of marketing and promotion required to build demand. We started out expecting to sell retailers and distributors and attend trade shows and travel to customers and sell and spent two years on that path. Then we took a hard right and for past two years we have evolved into an Internet retailer running DRTV (Direct Response TV) infomercials with 85% of our business now direct to the consumer. Social media was never in the business plan either now it’s vital.

What would I do differently knowing what I know now? (1) Keep my old job as long as possible and not leapt off the cliff (but it was a nice feeling) (2) Anticipate 5 years to break-even, and set aside “don’t touch” money.

Do I regret jumping off the cliff? No way. As I tell my wife- don’t look down, keep looking up!

Thanks to Brad Barrett, GrillGrate, LLC, grill surface for better food, in business 5 years

25. Pick More Profitable Partnerships

I would have used deeper discernment in picking partners/vendors/joint ventures, even markets. I picked some doozey’s AND after the fact, saw all the red flags.

Thanks to Shawne Duperon, ShawneTV, media coach and production company, in business 11 years

26. Focus on Face to Face Interactions and New Technology

We learned a lot of lessons in starting our company. For example, we would never produce four-color mailers that are sent to mass prospective clients. We’ve learned that face-to-face interaction and building the business relationship is key. (This was pre-Internet). We also learned that a lot of mailing lists are not updated. This endeavor was expensive and resulted in a poor ROI. When the Internet came around, we certainly would have jumped on this new technology much earlier — developing a website much sooner. It’s an amazing tool to get your message out to the world to sell products and services with visuals. We try to make it much easier for clients to find us rather than we search for a ‘needle in a haystack’ to find prospective clients.

Thanks to Greg Jenkins, Bravo Productions, event planning and production company, in business 25 years

27. Plan For Growth, Be More Discerning in Following Advice

As the owner of a driving school in New York City, my first big regret is that I did not get all other licenses (Motorcycle, Bus, Truck license) earlier in life. I just pass my truck road test Tuesday January 17 2012.  Now I have to wait two more years before I can expand to teach Truck Lessons thanks to NYS requirement. Secondly, I was too naive and trusted many so called experts that convince me how to run my business only to find out they were wrong.  I wasted a lot of money trying ideas that did not work. 3.  In the real estate boom time I should have purchase commercial real estate to accommodate my growing business.  Now it’s impossible to get a loan.  I would have preferred to spend a bit more money to secure a property.

Thanks to Rajendra Hariprashad, Ena’s Driving School, in business for 8 years

28. Leverage People, Build a System

If I knew then what I know now I would have invested in two areas. One, I would have developed other people and brought them into the business sooner. No one is good at everything. Even Michael Jordon had a coach and team mates. One of my friends started a business five years ago and has 700 people working for him today. The more you can leverage other people and create a ladder for them to achieve what they want to then the more successful you will be. Find people you can trust and learn to work effectively with them. My business is much stronger today because I have a strong team.

Secondly, every business needs a system to build a pipeline that is consistent and measurable. I have depended too much in my business on my farming method which is delivering exceptional value to people I meet and eventually they and their friends become clients. I wish I would have understood how to build visibility for my business in my target market like I do today. I am beginning to develop a hybrid model that is both farming and hunting which I believe in the long run will deliver greater growth to my business. My approach that involves taking a prospect from visibility, credibility, and trust is proving to be highly effective. When people work with me they become more than clients they become friends because I am invested in their success. Everyday owning a business is a learning experience. I am very happy it is what I have chosen to pursue in my life.

Thanks to John Paul Engle, Knowledge Capital Consulting in business 10 years

29. Focus on Building Relationships with Customers

When I first started out, like most new veterinarians, my prime concern was my patients and their care. What I failed to fully appreciate was that each patient had an owner (aka client) attached to it! Often I would not address the needs and concerns of the client as well as I was trying to practice medicine and over time, I likely lost clients who, if I had better built my relationship with them, would still be a client today.

Thanks to Dr. James Day, Glendale Animal Hospital, veterinary practice in Glendale, Arizona, in business for 27 years

Bonus Tip:

30. Establish Boundaries With Employees

I would certainly separate “church and state” and I would have been more of a leader than a friend. As an owner and an active President& CEO of a small business- I’m in constant contact with my employees. When hiring new employees, certain requirements and credentials are necessary including: experience, expertise, and industry knowledge. Additionally, I look for multiple interpersonal skills and qualifications. That said, I’ve managed to find and retain wonderful employees who work well and who work well with one another. Formulating good friendships with my employees is nice but maintaining and stepping up as more of a leader at times, has been challenging. Establishing boundaries early on with employees is key and I wish I had known the importance of this, earlier on.

Thanks to Georgette Pascale, Pascale Communications, LLC. a healthcare specific PR firm, in business 7 years

Want to get more inexpensive and practical small business marketing ideas, grab a free e-book called “Build Buzz for Your Biz, 23 Creative and Inexpensive Marketing Strategies That Will Get You Noticed” at http://23kazoos.com.

Wendy Kenney is the bestselling author of How to Build Buzz for Your Business available on Amazon.com, and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Newsday.

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Are you Pinterest-ed yet?

Pinterest is basically a visual bulletin board of what ‘pinners’ like… Users create ‘boards’ for individual categories (ex: home storage, yummy foods, books, cool products, funky restaurants) and ‘pin’ pictures of related items to the board.  The pin then links to the original site where the photo was pinned from, so anyone interested can find the item/place/recipe/etc on the web.  The possibilities are limitless.

Think of a virtual thumbtack holding a picture of that latest and greatest item you adore to a web page so everyone that follows you can see that you give this item 2 thumbs up.

Other users and followers can ‘repin’ your photos to their boards creating a snowball effect.  Heavy influencers, who share their pins, which in turn results in their pins getting repinned and repinned, creating a spiraling effect and rush for particular items on the web.

Are you getting the picture, here?  Yes, Pinterest is wildly fun, but the larger picture is that if products/places of business are being pinned/promoted/repinned, this can have a huge effect on start up businesses and products!

I asked, Rieva Lesonsky, former Editorial Director at Entrepreneur Magazine and current CEO of Grow Biz Media (and who recently followed me on Pinterest) for her take on Pinterest and Start Up Businesses.  Rieva just started exploring Pinterest, and her thoughts are:

Retailers (both online and store owners) and restaurant owners could really benefit from Pinterest. Retailers should create boards featuring new products, sale items, special promotions and trends. Make sure you embed a link to your store’s location. Restaurant owners can pin specials, new menu items, and even share recipes.

The key though (which I truthfully have not conquered) is to remember this is social media. Don’t just pin your own goods, feature products from other places. You don’t want to promote a competitor, but a retailer could pin from a store in another state or country. Both retailers and restaurant owners could pin like-minded items from magazines.

Thanks to Rieva, and I agree with her last thought very strongly.  Social media is about engaging, so do not make your pinning all about ME, ME, ME…but, promote someone in your referral network, another business in another state, or complementary products.  For example, if you produce golf balls, endorsing gold clubs would be a natural choice.

Just like other social media networks have evolved from something very social and fun to a viable business tool, Pinterest lends itself really well to this.

If you want to learn more about actually using Pinterest, and the ins and outs of ‘pinning’ and ‘repinning,’ watch this.

Want to find me on Pinterest? Here you go - Rachel

http://backngroovemom.com

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I think about my dad, an entrepreneur himself, and when he formed a start-up business many decades ago in New York.  First, my dad had to grow his business locally in New York, and when it came time to expand to other parts of the country, it required an actual presence where he wanted to go.  At this point, my dad had to make sure his original office was running smoothly AND then move himself to a new city to start-up and so forth and so on….He eventually had 5 offices running in 5 different cities that served their respective local area.

By the time the Internet arrived, others figured out how they could successfully sell what my dad was selling through the web all over the country with one office (more than likely a home office).  It worked out well for my dad, he sold his name, rock solid reputation, and list of current clients to the right guy to move the business forward into the current state of the business world.

Start-up Businesses of today can claim a national presence and following in no time by staking their place on the web.  This involves a website, strong SEO, blogging, keeping up with fresh content, and positioning themselves in all social media sites.  I love this!  As a parent, it is comforting to know that I can expand my business to other locations right from my home office.  We also have amazing tools like Skype, GoTo Meeting, and who can forget, Email, that allow us to conduct business far and wide.

Obviously, there is an ongoing love affair with the happenings of the Internet and start-up business, which is why I like to stay up to date and so should you……

Here is what is top of mind for me this week:

- Google is changing their search feature again to provide anyone logged into Google, results that reflect that person (as in YOU).  That is right!  Starting this week, Google is rolling out ‘Search Plus Your World.’ Basically, if you are logged into Google and search a term, your results will direct you to where Google believes your personal preferences lie.  I have not surfed this feature yet because it is slowly rolling out this week (and I did not get not yet), but you can read about it here.

My Question is…..How will this affect start-up businesses in coming up in a search if the results are no longer based on Google’s usual algorithms but rather one person’s perceived personal preferences?  Much remains to be seen…It can be turned off, but that is a user-based decision.

- Without getting crazy political with you all, I must mention SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act).  This Bill if passed will place heavy regulations and consequences on websites that are perceived to be pirating information and/or linked with such sites.  As a blogger, I obviously do not endorse stealing content and I enforce copyright policies, however, this particular legislation may impede small business with radical censorship and dramatic punishments.

To learn more about SOPA - watch this:

PROTECT IP / SOPA Breaks The Internet from Fight for the Future on Vimeo.

You should be aware of this and can contact your local congressman to DO something about this act here.

That’s it for now…if you have a chance to play around with the new Google Search - share your thoughts and experience!

Rachel

http://backngroovemom.com

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The recent introduction of Google+ for business into this mix has many of us wondering if there is a good business reason to add yet another platform to their already full social media plates.

Before you toss in the towel and decide not to jump on this particular bandwagon, consider the reasons outlined below that highlight why a Google+ page for your business may be the best social media investment you make in 2012.

1. It Helps You Hit Your Target

Since the internet became something available for everyday people to use, businesses and advertisers have looked for ways to target content, communications, and relevant messages to specific audiences.  The dream of being able to customize customer communications like offering a coupon for diapers to a new mom while highlighting snow blower sales only to homeowners in New England has had limited success.

The introduction of social media and the use of targeted ad spaces like those available on Facebook and LinkedIn offered a new way to target paid advertising, but until Google+ came along, the ability to easily target content to specific audiences has been out of reach for most small businesses.    Being able to assign followers to Circles and use those Circles to provide tailored messages to specific users are the most powerful differences Google+ offers to business owners.

2. It Gives New Meaning to +1

For many people, +1 is something you would find on a formal invitation indicating that you are free to invite another person to the event.  The Google +1 button is like being able to invite everyone you know to visit your world by allowing you to tag content you like, share content with specific Google+  Circles, and offer recommendations that show up in Google search results.

Although the +1 button has been compared to both the Facebook “Like” and “Share” functions, it is more like a combination of the two that is linked to everything Google you already use.   Add the ability to share +1’s with only specific groups through the use of Google+ Circles and you can begin to see why Google+ for business will be a must have in 2012.

3. It is Simple to Use.

One of the things that differentiated Google when it was the new search engine on the block was the simplicity of its interface.  The winning combination of functionality and white space is the trademark of all things Google and Google+ is no exception.   By creating a screen that is uncluttered and limited in how much information it presents, Google+ simplifies the social media experience.  .

4. It is Completely Integrated with Google.

If you only need one reason to invest in Google+ for your business in 2012, this is the one.  Unlike the other social media platforms, Google+ comes completely integrated with all things Google.  This means that the tools you may already be using in your business like Google Analytics, Google Places, Google Maps, etc. are already “in-house”.  And don’t forget Google Search, which has surpassed the 1 billion unique users per month mark, and the power of Google+ for business speaks for itself.  From using circles to let followers self-select which content they want to receive to leveraging Google+ Hangouts as sales funnels, Google+ can bring value to your business right out of the gate and they are just getting started.

If you’re using Google+ for your business, I’d love to hear your experience.  Let me know, and feel free to share your Google + page here.

Want to get more inexpensive and practical small business marketing ideas, grab a free ebook called “Build Buzz for Your Biz, 23 Creative and Inexpensive Marketing Strategies That Will Get You Noticed” at http://23kazoos.com.

Wendy Kenney is the bestselling author of How to Build Buzz for Your Business available onAmazon.com, and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Newsday.

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As I wrap up Week #1 of this fabulous brand new year, I thought I would check in with all of you….

Have you set your Main Goal(s) for 2012?

More important, How do you plan to hold yourself accountable to your Goal(s)?

That is the kicker with goals.  You can make as many goals as you want, but Accountability is what makes goals actually count.  A Goal is only as good as the plan for holding yourself accountable to it.

I have found a number of ways to infuse accountability into your plans and goals:

Incorporate a Mastermind Group. A Mastermind Group is a small group of other professionals that meets together (in person or virtually) and helps promote one another’s success.  If you are not in one, think about forming one!  Look at it as a circle of Business Best Friends.

Hang a Written Mantra or Vision Board. A mantra is your very own words or goals that you want to keep repeating to yourself.  If you are more visual, create a picture, drawing, or roadmap to hold you to your goals.  Tape this vision high above your workspace to keep you motivated.

Set Alarms in your calendar. Program your computer or phone to ding on particular days, times, etc when you WANT to remind yourself of checking your progress on goals.  This is useful when you get stuck daydreaming about the possibilities because it makes you get back to reality.

Engage a Business or Life Coach. If you find yourself really struggling with holding yourself accountable, hire someone to help you.  This will cost you some money, but if you match up with the right coach, he/she will certainly help you monitor progress.

……Still looking for some accountability inspiration?

Check out what some other amazing Entrepreneurs are doing in 2012!

Nicole Fende is a credentialed actuary with experience as a Chief Financial Officer, Investment Banker, and successful entrepreneur. Nicole (a.k.a. The Numbers Whisperer™) helps her clients learn how to effectively and enjoyably run the financial side of their business.

Main goal: Killer launch and sales of my first book, How to be a Finance Rock Star.

Plan for Accountability: As an entrepreneur, my bank account balance keeps me accountable.

David Shirey has been training, inspiring, and leading sales teams and workforces to incredible new heights for two decades, and now is the author of the new book, Rare Confidence.

Main goal: Spread the message to as many people as possible that the secret to attacking your dreams is CONFIDENCE!

Plan for Accountability: Doing the right thing is not a some of the time thing; it’s an all the time thing!

Heather Allard is a mother of three kids and the founder of The Mogul Mom, a free daily email for moms who run a business, raise a family and rock both.

Main goal: To grow The Mogul Mom’s free daily email for mom entrepreneurs to 25,000 subscribers.

Plan for Accountability: Through a small group of peers who know my goals and hold me to ‘em. I hold myself accountable by sharing my goals and actions taken with a couple of mentors who’ve accomplished what I’m trying to accomplish.

Haralee Weintraub is CEO of Haralee Sleepwear, ‘Cool Garments for Hot Women.’

Main Goal: Have 2 National exposures on our company.

Accountability: Target the avenues where I think this goal can be achieved, and work on it every week.

Now, let’s hear your Goal and Plan for Accountability!

Looking forward to sharing your Goals and Accountability in 2012, Rachel

http://backngroovemom.com

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I noticed an interesting tweet.  It read something like ‘Retweet someone who you never interact with on Twitter because cliques are not cool.’ Almost instantly, I realized that this message would be a part of my overall business manifesto for 2012.  A resolution of sorts.

In the coming year, reaching out on a leap of faith and growing my network is a priority.

At the beginning of last year, I was fairly new in my business mission so I was engaged in CRAZY networking efforts.  I was continually putting myself out there to meet a multitude of new and different people.  It was an effort and required a lot of work.  Somewhere during the year, I became comfortable with my group of people and/or burned out, so I was not networking as much.

At this point, a clique naturally formed.  When I needed some vital information or advice or opinion, I turned to this group.  Although, I admire all of these people tremendously, it does me NO good to always turn to the same people.  Growing, changing, and evolving business requires constant introduction of fresh information and people.

Therefore, in 2012 I urge you (and ME) to up the ante and grow our sphere of influence.  I am going back to a grassroots approach to networking.

To help both of us as we approach 2012, here are

4 Leap of Faith Networking Tips:

1 - See your business through a different avenue.  Attend one event/month that you normally would NEVER attend.  For example, if you are an interior designer and you typically attend design related events, try an outing for life coaches - I bet you this is an awesome area to partner.  Life coaches help others make life changes, and with those changes may come changes in their clients’ interior design.  The referral possibilities are endless.

2 - Host an out of your realm event. Plan an event, a quick lunch or dinner with a speaker that is not YOU, but rather someone that would provide insight/discussion for others.  Choose a topic with widepsread importance, and make an awesome first impression on new people. This is a spectacular way to get people to remember YOU as the one who put this all together.

3 - Play the name game. Get your eyes off that name tag.  Rather than walk up to someone and immediately focus on their name tag to say hello, INTRODUCE yourself.  It goes something like this, ‘HI, I am Rachel, and you are?’  Hearing someone say their name makes it much easier to put it in your memory bank.

4 - Invest in the future with genuine follow-up. Do not just add this new contact to your mailing list and forget about them!  Make time to engage with them in some way (Twitter, Facebook, Linked-In, Coffee) over the coming weeks, and form something solid for the year(s) to come.

I wish all of you a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous 2012 full of Amazing Ideas and Powerful Networking.

Join me on my blog, http://backngroovemom.com for next year’s adventures.  Rachel

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Here are 28 Small Business Marketing Resolutions for the New Year that will inspire you to write your own.

1. Build Relationships With Customers

To create more opportunities for our end buyers to interact with the company. As a manufacturer it’s always difficult to have a dialog with customers because our primary “sale” is to the dealer and we don’t get many chances to communicate with customers directly.

Stephen Roberts, Marketing Manager, Timberwolf Manufacturing

2. Engage and Monitor

To be consistent and emotionally engaging in all marketing efforts. To continue to monitor and measure all results. (I know that in 3 years my unique visitor traffic has increased by 250% to just under 8,000 unique visitors per month.)  To convert more visitors specific to eproducts thus increasing monthly income.  To achieve Alexa.com ranking of under 100,000.  To have the blog recognized as one of the top business, leadership and sales blogs.

Leanne Hoagland-Smith, www.increase-sales-coach.com

3. Waste Less Time on Social Media

I resolve to waste less time on social media channels!

Tea Silvestre, www.theWordChef.com

4. Be More Visual

Don’t forget: All marketing is VISUAL.

David Langton, Principal, Langton Cherubino Group, Ltd. (http://www.langtoncherubino.com)

5. Consistency!

It is easy when we get busy to stop marketing ourselves, but we know that we need to do it consistently if we want to grow. So we have resolved to be more consistent in 2012 on doing our own marketing and PR.

Beth Walsh, Clearpoint Agency, Inc., (www.clearpointagency.com)

6. Update The Plan, Then Walk the Plan

Ann Siegle, Tria Marketing & Design, (http://www.triadesignfirm.com)

7. Discover Previously-Unidentified Markets

To find new ways to help customers obtain loans - financing is still a major issue.  To further expand our worldwide presence.

Catherine B. Ahles, APR, Fellow PRSA, Senior Vice President, Marketing and Business Development, Premier Aircraft Sales

8. No More Advertising

Our 2012 marketing resolution is we will no longer buy advertising. We will buy results. After spending a year and a half attempting to optimize click through conversion rates, design high quality marketing communications and locate appropriate advertising vehicles we have discovered that we are not advertising experts. We have also discovered
that the risk for advertising success lies entirely with us. If we buy media space in a publication that does not produce results we lose both time and money. The publication, however, gets to keep our money.

For 2012 we are completely converting our marketing efforts to shared risk. We will no longer pay for click through or brand exposure ads. We will only pay a percentage of sales actually produced by the ad. Our advertising budget had previously floated at about 9% of revenue. For 2012 we will be increasing this about 30% of revenue. Instead of paying $600 for a quarter page ad we will pay 25% of all sales produced by the ad. If the ad produces $10,000 in sales the advertiser will receive $2500. If the ad produces $100 in sales the advertiser will receive $25. This will be tracked through coupon codes for print. All web advertising will be converted to affiliate programs which pay by the sale. We can increase our media budget since all advertising will be paid for by additional sales.

This does not mean that we will stop brand awareness advertising. Our brand awareness strategy for 2012 however will be entirely based on shareable content and partnerships with publications that have a similar audience. We will be producing more free downloads and more shareable content on the assumption that if it is valuable - it will be shared and republished. This is a big risk since traditional paid advertising guarantees space in a publication. Shareable content, however, may or may not get reused in other publications.

Chris Tobias, Director of Educational Excitement, School Skills

9. Positioning

Our 2012 our resolution is to position ourselves as the Thought Leader in our industry and also to all lose 5% of our current body weight, eat right and exercise more.

John Fairclough, the r e s i c o m group (http://www.resicomonline.com)

10. Happy Shoppers

Our 2012 Marketing Resolution is to keep our shoppers happy. Our success is driven by word-of-mouth marketing from wonderful customers. When they like their experience with us - as in our jewelry quality, diverse selections, low prices and customer service - they come back and they tell their friends about us. And the cycle continues when those friends have a wonderful experience too! That’s why we always try to listen to the needs and wants of our shoppers and make their Joolwe.com shopping experience amazing.

Monique Bird, Marketing and PR Specialist, Joolwe.com

11. Regular Communication.

Contact our email list on a regular basis (no more being flaky!) and not worry every single time that I might lose subscribers. It’s better to have tried and lost, than to never have tried at all!

Chris Wise, Online Marketing Director,  Guideline Central

12. Systematic Marketing

For our own firm and for our clients, we are resolving to commit to a programmatic approach to marketing (strategy) instead of simply a project approach (tactics, often with no real plan behind them : “one offs”).

Charles J. Morris, Jr., Principal, Morris Creative Group, LLC

13. Community Centric, Mobile Friendly Website

For 2012, The Voice of Your Customer plans to revise our company website to be less content driven and more mobile friendly with a great focus on customer engagement and community involvement. Previously, our website as focused on flash and SEO heavy content that is no longer of interest to our visitors.

The Voice of Your Customer also plans to increase our visibility in the media by distributing more company press releases and applying for more industry, small business and community awards. In years past, we won several awards that generated quite a bit of exposure in the local, regional and niche media that resulted in more visits to our website and social media pages.

Additionally, The Voice of Your Customer plans to increase the activity on our LinkedIn and Facebook company pages, better utilize the engagement tools and more effectively use the visitor analytics. When the pages were launched, the focus was on increasing likes and daily posts. In the near future, we would like to use these pages for survey research, recruiting and content management.

Crystal L Kendrick, President, The Voice of Your Customer

14. Mobile Marketing

In 2012, our company, Leon Mege Inc. (custom made engagement rings and fine jewelry) will be doing a lot more mobile marketing. We will also be focusing more on Google+ and are allocating a smaller budget to print ads and Facebook ads. A lot more branding is also in store for the New Year for our company (we are currently in the early stages of developing a branding strategy).

Olga Topchaya, Director of Marketing,  Leon Megé Inc.

15. Increase Twitter Following

Our marketing resolution is to increase our twitter following, in order to control cost and to weed out the multiple offerings of Marketing Services that I am swamped with on a daily basis. If I can control advertising cost, I can hopefully make better use of time and money to hire help.

Lance Dzintars , Zaria & Bella’s LLC, www.zariaandbellas.com

16. More Online Engagement

Going to do more: Webinars, email campaigns with partners who send on our behalf, retargeting, startup daily deal sites, guest blogging.

Going to do less: sitting around twiddling our thumbs

Going to start: LinkedIn advertising to drive webinar signups

Joshua Krafchin, Clever Zebo (www.cleverzebo.com)

17. Have a Conversation

We’re going to be more conversational and ‘broadcast’ less. We’re going to bring true value to our customers as opposed to just marketing our products. We’re going to listen to our customers and ask them, instead of making guesses as to what they want from us.

Kendall Moyles, Green Surf Shop

18. Give More Value

My resolution is to contribute more ideas and expertise to social networks that are related to what I do within my company.

Christi Pemberton, Global Crest Productions

19. Invest in Advertising

In 2012 I am going to jump off the bridge and go for big advertising in a major wedding magazine THE KNOT…it is needed at this time and so for 2012 I am placing an ad in this national player in the wedding industry.

Kelly Marie Albert , The Perfect Card Box

20. Intentional Marketing

A.    Greater emphasis on social media. We want to expand our presence on Facebook by adding custom tabs/pages to help grow our fan base. In terms of audience interaction, we are committing ourselves to posting at least twice per day on both Facebook and Twitter. The significance of LinkedIn is also something we plan to utilize in the new year.

B.    Videos, videos, videos. In 2012 we are launching a YouTube channel to post things like customer testimonials and information videos about our products or services. The goal is to educate our existing and potential customers through the informational videos while building and reinforcing a sense of trust with videos such as client testimonials.

C.    Targeted mailings. When we first started our original business we worked out a deal with a local printer to create some post cards for us. We mailed them out to local businesses and the response was better than expected. It may be a new year but the world is still generally the same, so we’re going to get back to some basics with this one.

D.    Launch an email newsletter. It is important for us to stay in front of our customers and on their minds. We are committing to sending out an electronic newsletter each month to those customers who opt-in to receive it. The newsletter will give them a first look at upcoming specials and promotions, as well as offer subscriber-only opportunities.

E.    Advertise in local newspapers. This relates a bit to point three above. We ran a few ads early on and experienced some moderate returns, so we will return to this as an option for us in 2012. Online readership is growing and rates are more than reasonable at this time.

Daniel J. Spence, President, Big Bird Media, LLC

21. Develop Partnerships

I plan to develop some strategic partnerships with other business owners so that we can combine our efforts to host a Mini-Telesummit.

I will be attending the Diva Toolbox Conference in Boston, MA for the second year and also be connecting regularly with my local chapter members of NAWBO.

I enjoy blogging and will be sharing my ideas on my LinkedIn Profile and the new Facebook page I am creating for my Coaching Business: “Moving Forward Through Divorce.”

Nancy A. Kay, Divorce Management Coach,

22. Focused Marketing

Narrow our marketing focus by eliminating distracting products and services that don’t pay their way that we carried in the past to be a “full service” company for our clients. They are a distraction from our meat and potatoes offerings. Instead, we’re creating a group of complimentary partner companies to take over those duties using other area business people we’ve known and trusted over the years to take over those services. We’re referring to them as “trusted local partners”. We’ll refer business to them and in return they’re going to refer back to us based upon our defined competency. Members in this group must have a complimentary business product or service that enhances the group. This is different than a networking group like those formed by Chambers of Commerce that group non-competing businesses together without any regard to how well they complement each other as businesses.

We also plan to drop the less sophisticated parts of our previous offerings as they’ve become commoditized by the market. Offerings such as retail software, Internet Content filtering, computer repair services (we call it break/fix) and retail sales of computers and printers. We’re trying to move up the IT food-chain and focus on more sophisticated products and services that aren’t generally offered at the “shallow end” of the IT services pool. This is our effort to differentiate ourselves from the retail big-box “Geek Squad” type guys.

Jeff Hoffman, President, ACT Network Solutions

23. Pick a Few Good Marketing Strategies

Narrow down social media to 2 - 3 tools that REALLY work in terms of responses. Narrow down my marketing hours. Make more effort to make human to human contact rather than just social media. Hire people to do some work for me. (PR, day to day tasks). I know it’s an investment but it will free me up to think of the big picture.

Sandra Mendoza-Daly, DebutanteClothing.com and VintageFindIt.com

24. Increase Local Exposure

We will continue to get involved in our community through various B2B channels, such as the local Chamber of Commerce, regional newspapers and their online versions, and traditional “small town” handshake efforts. The goal is to have every local business owner know who we are, and more importantly, understand what we do.

Leverage the Local / Mobile / Social aspects of technology. Being in a small town environment limits the effect of many social media efforts, however the growth in location based services such as Foursquare, Oink, Gowalla, and Facebook check-ins have allowed small businesses to focus on the people who are already around them. As smart phones continue to grow on older customers, these services and features will become more and more important on the local level. We plan on offering specials and contests that involve being physically close to our location.

Increase community involvement. We plan on sponsoring a local softball team, running a clothing drive, and taking part in our local Autumn festival in 2012. We plan on doing at least one major community campaign per quarter of 2012.

We are in the process of developing tools for local business owners to leverage technology that they simply don’t yet understand. We have found that the average local business owner still does not know how to properly use even their old outdated Web sites to their advantage. Add in Social Media, iPhone apps, and local search listings (Google Maps, Bing, Yahoo Local, Yelp, etc.) and it just spins their head. We are working to bring these tools to the average person through a series of free seminars, online tutorials, and even a local business app builder which will allow for our community businesses to take a giant leap ahead of even their larger corporate competitors.

I am really proud that the same efforts that we use to market our company are going to help our local community and our local business owners. Although it sometimes feels that technology drives us apart, we feel that it can be used to bring back the Mom & Pop way of doing business of yesterday.

Jon Berry, Berry Smart

25. Create More Local Partnerships

Our resolution is to find more local/regional partners in order to foster visible job growth right in our own backyard. Restoring hope locally is job one in this economy!

John Leschke, Green 3 Apparel

26. Get Involved

We are going to work with more websites that cater to our target market. This includes offering free valuable information to other relevant sites on how businesses can start implementing strategies of their own to start seeing results. Developing more relationships with experts in the industry. Giving away more free information to prospective clients. Also participating in more guest blog related public relations.

We plan to do less direct mail advertising and instead use email and other virtual mediums to maximize profit. We also plan to continue not participating in cold calls.

A major thing we plan to start doing in 2012 is to be involved with more charitable events and more offline activities that are in the public eye. We feel that in conjunction with our online promotions, this could create a synergy that is unmatched.

Mike Calloway, Trinity Marketing

27. Be More Personal

I hope to be more personal than ever in my marketing.  As a freelancer and now a small business owner with predominantly remote work, online content marketing is a stellar way to establish my expertise, inform potential clients about my methods, and get my name out. But blog posts, newsletters, tweets, and Facebook posts only go so far as information vehicles. I’m finding more than ever it’s the thoughtful notes, unexpected responses, and general accessibility that powerfully push my business relationships and my career forward. It’s easy to write these things off since they don’t have the same reach of our other efforts!

Stephanie Peterson, Fairground Media

28. Referral Marketing

We plan on giving a strong push to referral marketing through social media in 2012. We’ve played with it in the past, but it’s time to really see if we can make it work to help grow our business!

Sara Sutton Fell, CEO & Founder, FlexJobs.com

What are your small business marketing resolutions for 2012?  Share them here along with the link to your website.  We always love hearing from you!

Want to get more inexpensive and practical small business marketing ideas, grab a free ebook called “Build Buzz for Your Biz, 23 Creative and Inexpensive Marketing Strategies That Will Get You Noticed” at http://23kazoos.com.

Wendy Kenney is the bestselling author of How to Build Buzz for Your Business available onAmazon.com, and has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Newsday.

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Not sure if you remember, but last spring - I unplugged! That is right, I unplugged for a week with my family.  It was great!  I logged in to my computer once a day just to quickly go through emails in case of anything urgent, but for the remainder of the week, I was PRESENT for face-to-face time.

As winter break approaches and I am going to travel a little with my family, the question of unplugging boils up again.  Well, this time around, I cannot totally unplug because I have a few pressing projects, etc.  However, I only plan to attend to those specific tasks, and unplug for the rest of the time.

As a mom and an entrepreneur, I am not doing my job as a mom if I do not unplug and give full attention to my family when the opportunity presents itself.

So, this semi-unplugging begs the question:  To use an automated ‘out of the office’ message while traveling this holiday season. I say NO.

Don’t fret if you have a different opinion.  I am open to your thoughts, but for me, it is a BIG fat NO to the automated message.

Why? I think that the automated response has a place if you really are somewhere without internet access (where is that?) or ACTUALLY will not be checking email for an extended period of time.  My guess is that will not be the case for most of you.

Even with time off, most of you (and me) will be checking the iphone/berry/droid from time to time.  Isn’t it just easier to do what I did with my initial unplugging?  Simply respond to anything urgent, file away what can wait and needs a response when you are back to work, and delete the junk.

This crazy little unplugging system that I have may seem like a contradiction, but I think a quick daily check of email can really save valuable productive time when you return. With my way, the only emails left in your inbox are the ones that need your attention.

As for what all this has to do with the automated response:  they are annoying; make more junk mail for the recipient; and my guess is that if what your emailee needs is so pressing, they will go on an email frenzy with your inbox and everyone else associated with you.

If this snowball effect happens, it could mean more work for you to clean up in contrast to quickly attending to the matter in the first place.

If you check once a day and respond (currently 24 hours is the minimum courtesy expected to return an email), everything just flows more easily.

As I said, this is my opinion.

I say NO to automation.

If you say YES to automation, share your experiences…..

For more winter vacation survival tips as a mompreneur, click here

AND I do say YES to Merry Everything!

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