HarkHerold Hotsheet

Downturn in Economy?

2010-09-14T21:08:00.002-05:00

As small business owners, we do not typically operate under the same constraints faced by major corporations. We don’t require Board approval to make changes to our marketing strategies, we have greater flexibility with the content and direction of our marketing programs and have the ability to efficiently and effectively market ourselves with minimal expenditure.

The economic downturn has caused many companies to downsize their non-revenue and ‘non-essential’ departments.

By taking time and seriously considering long term goals for my business, I have utilized my new-found free time to maximize efforts in expanding my offering and taking a long, hard look at how I have been marketing myself.
When employed full-time, my small business was more of a dream than an active reality. I ordered the supplies needed to have the ability to launch my business when the timing was right. My office is filled with fantastic marketing materials for, ironically, my online marketing business. I have a few clients that I work with on a regular basis, but did not have the time to take on new commitments.

Post-layoff, I took the time to beef up my website, order third-generation business cards that now present the image I want to sell to my clients. The businesses I worked with in my past professional life have now become clients and prospects – they know my ethics, they recognize my abilities, and we have a pre-established positive relationship.

For established small business owners, I encourage you to seek out new ways of building your business. If you have a website, but are not active on social media – now is the time! Most of the tools are free; establishing accounts, finding a preferred social network stream aggregator to monitor your business presence online, and getting involved in the newest trends.

Early adopters of internet ‘trends’ have the luxury of being among the first to get your brand name populating search engines, generating traffic through online gaming programs, and being involved in your area’s online community. It takes time, yes, but if you are experiencing a slowdown in traffic, the time is available – it’s how you choose to use it.

Seek out online communities in your area and become active. Share your personality first and product second with thousands of people in your area, for absolutely free.

If you are not internet savvy, or just simply don’t get it, that’s fine – there are plenty of former professional marketers with years of experience just starting their own companies to show you the way and assist you in your efforts. Think of how you began your business, how you wanted to share your product or your skills with the world and re-energize that dream.

Downturn is only that for those that stay below the wave. Grab your board and rise above it. The view is endless!

Ever just feel like you’re holding on, things are speeding by, and you’re not always sure where you’re going?

2010-06-11T15:43:00.003-05:00

I got in my car yesterday and there was a little green bug on my windshield. I started the car, backed out the drive, and headed to work. Stoplight after stoplight, the bug stayed put. I was sure that when we hit the highway, he’d be blown off by the sheer force.

Unwisely (don’t try this at home), I kept my eye on the bug as I sped down the I-94. It fascinated me, watching him adjust his little body and change his grip on when a gust pulled a leg or two up and he nearly blew off. He must have adjusted five or six times in the 25 minute 60mph highway commute, and yet he hung on.

At first, I wanted him to be blown off – being a bug and all. Then, as my speed increased and time went on, I began admiring his tenacity. I actually wanted him to hang on until it was ‘safe’ for him to fly off.

You can see the analogy coming from a mile away, but here we go. Life takes us quickly ahead, and sometimes, we don’t even know where we’re headed.

Some days, we feel the pressure of the world pushing down against us. Winds of change start blowing, and we don’t know where we’re going to end up. Then, just when we start losing our grip, we adjust our little legs and hold on.

What we tend to forget is that there is always someone ‘behind the windshield’ that we are not aware of, watching our progress, seeing how we react, and admiring our tenacity. People out there are pulling for us, and we may not even be aware of it.

The bug flew off when I stopped on the exit ramp, and headed straight for the median, which was dotted with bright yellow flowers (okay, weeds). His new place was not my yard, not even close to my yard, but it was nice. Pretty even.

When we feel that we are speeding out of control, it does not mean that the outcome will be negative. We simply need to adjust our little feet, hang on for dear life, and when we see a golden opportunity, we must let go of what we know and trust that our tenacity will be worth the ride.

How many "Georges" are you?

2010-05-07T12:03:00.003-05:00

GEORGE: Ah you have no idea of the magnitude of this thing. If she is allowed to infiltrate this world, then George Costanza as you know him,Ceases to Exist! You see, right now, I have Relationship George, but there is also Independent George. That's the George you know, the George you grew up with -- Movie George, Coffee shop George, LiarGeorge, Bawdy George.

JERRY: I, I love that George.

GEORGE: Me Too! And he's Dying Jerry! If Relationship George walks
through this door, he will Kill Independent George! A George, divided
against itself, Cannot Stand!

http://www.seinfeldscripts.com/ThePoolGuy.html

As a small business owner – with a life – we know that unlike megalo-corporations with many departments and divisions, it is our persona and our actions and inactions that speak directly to the nature of the business we own and operate.

Confession: In the early days of my professional life, I had ‘work’ me and ‘party’ me. The work me was replete with articulate work voice, meticulous appearance, and all of the apropos brands festooned about my person. I was a rainmaker, and the high-rolling investors I worked with expected nothing but the best. They got the very best, personal, respectful, and thorough service from me. …Then there was the party me. A nightlife animal – a-hootin’ and a-hollerin’ a-whoopin’ and a-wailin’ - the things-get-going-around-12:30am life of the party. Goodness help me if those worlds collided.

Inevitably, as George and I ultimately learned, worlds always collide. If you’re not yourself when you’re being yourself – when are you? Rather – which ‘you’ is the real you?

Like it or not, your ‘you’ is your business. If you’re reading this blog, you have likely have chosen to venture out and do our own thing – and in doing so, there are two key things that small business owners must accept: consistency and transparency.

We cannot be separate people living separate lives based on our location or time of day. In the eyes of our customers, we are our business.

Much as I’m not interested in seeing my doctor or teacher out at the bar pounding shooters or ‘faced on Facebook, our customers don’t want to see us acting in a manner inconsistent with the trust we have built with them through our business persona.

It takes time, money and substantial effort to build a customer base. We all know the stats regarding cost of keeping customers v. finding new ones. Why take a chance jeopardizing the business you have worked so hard to build?

This doesn’t mean that we can’t have fun, it just means that if you don’t want your worlds to collide, live in one world! Inject your awesome, unique personality into daily business life and make the choice to simmer down the things you wouldn't want your best client/customer to see.

World-meld into your favorite you - trust me, it's much easier this way.

But it's ME!

2010-03-30T20:21:00.001-05:00

I am a raving fan of my family doctor. He is thorough, attentive and patient, the staff is knowledgeable and efficient, and even the lab does their work with little to no discomfort. Yet, at the four minute mark on hold listening to how “important” my call is, I begin to feel a wee bit put-off.

I know the wonderful receptionists give the very best service to all of their guests, yet I am experiencing a frustration that many of us have felt when things aren’t as personalized, as timely, or as efficient as we believe we deserve. It’s what I term the “but it’s ME” factor.

The soothing hold music is on its second loop at the six-minute mark. Six minutes and ten seconds after I dialed – a 2010 eternity – my call was answered. Of course, I got great service.

So what happens when your guests call or email you? Your raving fans no doubt have a very strong, “but it’s ME” factor, occasional users are having their suspicions confirmed either positively or negatively about their decision to use your company, and new guests have nearly as strong of a feeling of “but it’s ME” as your raving fans. We all want answers NOW, simply because it’s me.

We have a company-wide standard that all emails are personally acknowledged within 20minutes of receipt, and have a year-end goal to reduce the wait time to six minutes. After two unanswered rings, phone calls roll to another sales consultant and in-house guests are greeted between 10-20 seconds of entering the building.

Standards have been set in order to improve the quality of the customer experience. As with goal setting, if an organization is without a guideline for the speed at which we acknowledge our raving fans or newest customers (both should be the same by the way), we tend to get lost in the moment – a very dangerous place. Being lost in the moment can lead to customers seemingly getting in the way of us doing our jobs.

“Ugh – another phone call. Sheesh, when am I going to get this paperwork done?”
“My emails just won’t stop coming today!”
“It’s one thing after another!”

Sound familiar? Customers can’t get in the way of us doing business – they ARE our business. When we’re the ones providing the product or service, we need to adopt the “of course I can, because it’s YOU” attitude toward each of our customers.

When guests feel that we place the same importance on their questions, needs or concerns that they have - and they know that we understand and we care - we can leave everyone with their, “but factor” feeling really good about us and the way we do business.

By the way, the doc’s office just personally called to let me know that my concern was taken care of, I’m sure they did that just because it’s me.

Feeling adrift in the ocean of Web 2.0?

2010-02-17T16:05:00.005-06:00

Social media is kind of like an ocean’s wave: vast beyond comprehension, powerful and deep, yet gentle enough for anyone to dip their toes; it can transport information (and ultimately product) across the globe, and it can destroy those passively taking in the scenery in record time.

The thousands of groups, services, news and information gathering sites, social networking sites, video-sharing sites, etc. are like shells deep enough in the water to swirl around with each passing wave, but not too large to get swept out to sea and lost forever.

Carrying this forth, we are the sand – 1.6 Billion of us online at differing depths into the sea of Web 2.0. Each of us with different levels of interest in participation, each of us safe in our own shells with our own groups, sites, etc.

Just because we may not see the ocean for the sand, trust me - it’s out there. It can be very scary, but just like any other adventure, social media involvement begins with a few small steps:

1. Prepare yourself to let go of the old advertising paradigm. Devising a sale and plopping an ad in the paper isn’t going to cut it anymore, and gimmicks only work when they truly connect with customers. Most of us aren’t up for any unnecessary time-wasters and are looking for valuable information, not a schmaltzy sales pitch.
2. Prepare yourself to really listen to your customers. Gone are the days of being able to ignore customers, because someone new was just ready to walk in the door anyway… They’re not flocking anywhere, and if you get a customer, you’ve got to genuinely work to keep them.
3. Prepare yourself to really hear what your customers are saying. Yeah, see point 2 about that…
4. Dig in and listen to what’s being said about you, your business, your competitors, your industry, your area, etc. Pack up your ego and embrace the concept that you can’t get better until you get honest. Sometimes, that honesty will sting. But, like a flu shot, the sting only protects you from something more insidious. Learn from what’s being said.
5. Look and see who the ‘influencers’ are and see what they are saying and who is listening to them. The Web’s not a popularity contest although some might think that way…), it’s a valuable resource. Learn who gets heard in your market area and initiate conversation.
6. Do not do not do not hop into the Social Media ocean with a hearty hi-ho sales pitch. You will get pushed under. ‘Nuf said. Save the sale for later.
7. Here’s the toughie – begin interacting with influencers and groups – as YOU, not as your business. The old phrase that still is true online is that customers don’t care what you know, until they know that you care; that you’re listening, responding and being a part of something bigger than your business.
8. Have fun! Social media is about letting the world see you first, getting to like you second, and then listening to what you have to say.

Safe sailing!

The purpose of this blog is where I would like to talk to you for a few minutes about unnecessary or just words in general that are not really so much

2010-01-11T12:21:00.004-06:00

...needed in email communications that you send from day to day.

Brevity, folks. Short and sweet is the language of the internet. Save the grandiose flourishes for writing holiday thank you cards to your grandma.

The top 10 most annoying business email messes:

1. I would like to thank you for – Well then, thank them. “Thank you for…”
2. The purpose of this email is to let you know that your request was received and will be responded to promptly by one of our…Your request was received and is in process.
3. I just wanted to – Don’t downplay your actions. You are not “just” a salesperson, or “just” an anything who does “just” something – you are, and you are conducting business. Period.
4. I want to first start off by saying – just say it. It’s not the Constitution, there’s no need for a preamble.
5. Thank you for your inquiry!!!!! You chose to look at an AWESOME product!!! Where do I start… Always only one exclamation point or question mark in business communication, if any. If you want to add strength to your statement, use your words, don't artificially inflate them through obnoxious, yelling CAPITALIZATION and childish overuse of punctuation.
6. I m soooooooo :) that u can txt. biz is nt ur bff. No texting shortcuts or (goodness help us all) smiley faces, in business prospect or customer emails. Never. Ever. Ever.
7. There are less products… Fewer is used for plural items, less for a single item:
Fewer customers = less money
Fewer deer = less venison
Fewer quarters = less time on the parking meter
8. I have been working with customer’s for 2 years… Working with customers’ what? Making words plural in English is often as easy as adding an ‘s’ to the end of the word – no need for pesky apostrophes until you’re talking about something belonging to someone, or you are shortcutting a word:
Customers’ opinions
That man’s opinion / his opinions
That customer’s going to express his opinions
9. Cut and paste in emails. If you’re going to cut and paste text from other sources, at least take the time to make sure that the font code translates correctly.
10. Thanks, Erin. Use a complete signature. Overprovide information. If you make it difficult to find you, people will find someone else.
Erin who? What's her title? From what company? What’s the phone number? How about linking the web address so I can visit the site now? Perhaps I’m driving there – what’s the physical address? Can I find, follow or friend you online?

Short and sweet does not translate to sloppy and incorrect. Use proper English, and ‘talk’ to your customers with the same respect as you would face-to-face. Finally, if you wouldn’t want to share each and every one of your emails with your boss's-boss's-boss, don’t send it. Considering the available corporate HR software, they’re probably already aware of your online communication skills. Make them (and you) proud.

“Never invite a customer in, only to disappoint them.” – Leonard Rydell

2010-01-06T13:25:00.002-06:00

Eighty years ago (or even twenty) inviting customers into a business was primarily advertising-driven; businesses were local and customers knew their shopkeepers. Businesses advertised in local newspapers, fliers, through interesting signage (think the famous Burma-Shave promotions), and in-store posters. Word of mouth played a part, but an individual’s sphere of influence was limited both in size and in geographic scope.

Interaction took place physically at the place of business, and was typically limited to two individuals - buyer and seller. When things went awry and unhappy customers emerged, damage control was done on an individual basis.

The expectation was, that advertised items would be in stock and there would be an adequate number of knowledgeable staff available to help customers. Phones were answered promptly and politely, questions were answered, and when it was time to commit to purchase, the customer would pay the advertised price.

Never invite the customer in, only to disappoint them. It’s pretty simple business.

In the digital age, the rules of interaction have changed. A growing amount of business is conducted without any interpersonal contact, and even major-ticket items may now be purchased online. The internet (and specifically Social Media) is the fastest, least expensive, most immediate, and potentially the most effective means of interacting with customers today.

The potential for great success exists, and with it, the potential for customer-service nightmares exist as well…

Earlier this month, I was enjoying a lunch of a brand-name prepare-in-the-microwave noodle product when I bit into something that made my teeth zing. I felt a tiny chip in the enamel on my front tooth, found the bit of glass that had come pre-packaged in the lunch. No larger than a peppercorn, it certainly is not enough to kill someone, yet not many enjoy the concept of ingesting glass.

I dug the wrappings from the trash and saved them, thinking the subsidiary of a major food company would want to know about the issue and investigate, then emailed the lot numbers to their online customer service email address. Two days later, I sent the same email to their larger parent company. Two more days later, I sent the email to the major brand name parent company. It’s now been a week and a half since I found glass in their product, yet no one from any of their companies has contacted me.

My sphere of influence here in Minnesota may not be huge, but after nearly two weeks of no response, I tweeted my small little group of global followers (a few over 1000) with the name of the product and my experience. I also posted it to my Facebook page, and encouraged my friends and Twitter followers to share my experience. Now, I’m sharing the experience with you.

I will not be contacting a lawyer, nor do I want free noodles rotting in my garage – I simply wanted acknowledgement that my issue had been noticed. Instead, what could have been resolved with a very simple apology and a promise to look into it so that no one else was eating Kung Pao Noodles-n-Glass, has been shared across the internet. A negative customer-service experience extending far beyond just co-workers and family was disseminated with the push of a single button.

The digital age has dramatically changed the way we conduct business. We shop online, buy from chain stores and if we choose to use the self-scan lane, we can avoid all human contact. Yet increasingly, when things are wonderful (or awful), we turn to our global network of friends, fans and followers to share our experiences.

What are customers finding when they visit your online place of business?
Do you have current blogs, specials and ‘news,’ or is it information several months old?
Do your links work and direct people to the correct page?
Is your contact information easily accessible and in multiple spots?
Are your customer service emails being answered within an hour?
Are you monitoring what’s being said about you and your competition on Twitter?

The internet is an open invitation to the 1.6Billion people on Earth with internet access. Set aside time each day to focus your 2010 marketing efforts to ensure that when you’re extending an online invitation, you’re not disappointing your guests.

Mr. Woods Deserves a Little Privacy, Right?

2009-12-02T16:06:00.002-06:00

I understand both sides of the privacy coin, but sheesh - if Mr. Megalosuperstar hadn't crashed his rig at 2:30am, lied about why, vehemently denied wrongdoing, then days later, put the Social Media machine in reverse, changed his story and begged that no one say anything, this fiasco wouldn't be a trending topic for the last several days!

He could have played this game he created much, much better:

a) No cheatsies.... much less multiple cheatsies. Keep the Tiger caged there, big fella.
b) Don't lie to the media. Someone will notice you - especially when you're the world's highest paid athlete and gosh-durned recognizable.
c) Don't hide from the cops. This isn't some hick frat party that you can run out the back door and it's like you were never there! This is your wife and children, your marriage, your personal affairs - ahem - whatevs - hiding only allows for people to make up stories. And salacious ones at that.
d) Once you've realized that turtling up into a gated shell isn't working, to come out and let everyone know that yup, after all the denials previous, you actually HAVE lied, then subsequently asking for a little privacy will not work. You've piqued the interest of all of your adoring golf public, the hoardes of reality TV watchers, and your sponsors - and yes, my dear - your conduct DOES reflect on those around you.

For a master strategician on the links, Tiger shanked this one. Pun intended.

Neuromarketing Is the Future, But... : MarketingProfs

2009-12-02T10:48:00.000-06:00

Neuromarketing Is the Future, But... : MarketingProfs

Motivate this.

2009-11-18T16:08:00.004-06:00

One of my favorite websites has always been www.despair.com. The name alone is inspiring enough to want to click just to see what such a site could possibly have to offer...

What visitors find is a glorious culmination of every poor customer service event, failed sales call, or negative fear-based emotion all rolled into one-sentence witticisms to which everyone can relate.

So as business professionals, how do we prevent ourselves from becoming poster children for regretful service and outright sales failure?

The Boy Scouts said it, and it's critical: Be prepared. But beyond that, quit sabotaging yourself and be prepared to succeed.

Be prepared for questions - questions are good! It's the silence you've got to worry about. Questions are often not contrary, but rather a crystal-clear look into the visceral purchase motivators for your guest.
Be prepared to involve your customer. It sounds so simple, but many veteran salespeople go into an auto-piloted spiel and forget to pause and let the customer participate in the presentation. If we learn to interact and ask our guests pertinent questions, they listen more closely to what we are saying, and will formulate invaluable questions to help them begin visualizing themselves using your product or service.
Be prepared to write the sale - then stop selling. If we've been hearing a few 'no' responses in a row, an enthusiastic 'YES!' can be unnerving. We naturally start to second guess what we've said and reiterate, and ultimately talk ourselves out of a sale. After a hearty, 'Let's do this!' Excitedly answer, 'OK!' and get out the necessary tools to complete the sale. Don't try to show more features and confuse the issue. Don't offer things in a different colors or levels or anything. They bought what you're showing them. So let them buy already!
Be prepared to be challenged. Some people will only buy from people that can provide intelligent, informed answers and show grace under fire. It's easy to sell to the person who says yes all the time; it takes moxy to sell to a grouch. Confidence grows from knowing your business inside and out. Hey, you chose it as a profession, now dig in and do your homework!
Be prepared when things go wrong. Working with a car dealer, it was always the most painful, awkward situation when we gathered the whole team - sales, service, office - around an excited new owner and their shiny new car, showcased front and center on the showfloor for all to see. We would say a little cheer for them, hoot and holler a little, and swing wide the doors for the proud new owner to drive off into the sunset... And every once in a while, all anyone would hear would be a faint little 'click' from under the hood. Managing those shattered customer expectations was a challenge, but when handled correctly, those disappointed owners became raving fans.

A very wise man named Leonard Rydell once said, "Don't invite the customers in, just to disappoint them."

Consider your personal experiences with both superior and dismal customer service. Then consider how you treat both your favorite customer, and your worst living nightmare of a curmudgeonly guest. If they differ, visit that website. One of those posters could be about you.

Top 10 Reasons Small Business Should Venture into Social Media

2009-10-28T11:02:00.005-05:00

Twitter has over 50 million visits each month. In January of 2009, in the US alone, over 14.8 billion online videos were watched. (http://www.kenburbary.com) Data from istrategylabs.com indicates that the 35-54 year old demographic on Facebook is the fastest growing group of new users, with a growth rate of over 276% in the last six months. During the same time, the 55+ demographic has seen nearly a 195% increase, and the 25-34 year old demographic is doubling every six months. (http://www.istrategylabs.com/2009-facebook-demographs-and-statistics-report-276-growth-in-35-54-year/old/users)

So, why should you, as a small business owner care about the Twits and Facebookers?

The power of the internet is amazing and is growing exponentially - in the blink of an eye.

*****

1. Now is the time to position yourself as an online resource.

Traditional advertising is becoming passé, and people are looking not to be ‘sold’ as much as have their problems solved. Becoming a well of information for your customers positions your business as an entity there to help, not just sell.

Consider this example: As most product information can be found on the internet, by the time people enter a retailer to make a major purchase, they have typically done at least 3 months of research and already know the bottom-line-price, warranty information, safety statistics, comparable products and service needs.

Companies should position themselves as a resource by not only providing price and product information, but becoming a proactive assistant to their buyers. For example, an auto dealer could perhaps offer an online tutorial of how to change a flat tire, or a checklist of winter safety items to pack for kids heading off to college; an appliance store could have an online stain-removal guide or free downloadable college kids cookbook of simple recipes that require minimal ingredients and short preparation times. Possibilities are endless!

2. Position yourself as a leader in your industry and your community.

Social Media is still a relatively new phenomenon in the Midwest. We have let our friends on each coast set the trend and this one stuck and is only growing. By becoming involved early, your business looks like a trendsetter, and when your demographic starts joining Twitter, or searches you on Facebook, and you’re there and already established, it shows that you are forward-thinking. Imagine the frustration of scouring the phone book for your business number, and not finding it listed! The internet is already the phone book for generations X, Y and next – make sure you’re listed in their ‘phonebook.’

3. Early players have access to the most desirable ‘names,’ so the earlier claim your web space, the better!

If you own Zyskowski-Johnstone Feed-n-Bait, you may be able to wait a while before someone else scoops up your business name. However, if you are in Minnesota, and you market social media (for example) SocialMediaMN or any combination thereof, may be scarce these days. Get in early and claim your space! Even if you aren’t ready to jump into the Social Media pool just yet, that’s okay. Get your name registered until you’re ready to roll – that way it’s there, it’s yours and it’s unique!

4. Social Media is accessible.

How-to articles and books abound both online and at your local bookseller. Most are written in layman’s terms and are free of the scary techie speak that was so prevalent in the early years of the internet. Most of the applications used are on a WYSIWYG format, or (What You See Is What You Get) and as easy to use as a Windows or Apple program.

5. Social Media is :::wait for it::: FREE!

Well, mostly free, as you will need to make a time investment into your Social Media program. However the majority of the platforms that you could choose for your business Social Media are delivered to your customer’s homes, offices, favorite coffee shops, libraries, at no cost to you. Imagine! You can target market your customers – hand pick them by the thousands – for free.

6. Social Media is global.

A specialty business in Des Moines my have just the exact piece needed to round out the perfect collection, but no one in Tulsa carries that model. By becoming involved in Social Media (and the key word here is involved) you are able to reach niche markets previously unattainable, in seconds. One retailer I work with was able to help a customer halfway across the country, by connecting her with someone to answer her specific questions when her local resources were unavailable.

7. Social Media is immediate.

We all know how customers share their experiences with their circles of influence. Customer Service 101 stuff. But in the Twitter era, even standing in line at Starbucks can become newsworthy (or at least tweet-worthy). What does this mean for your business? Everything! A customer with an issue can and will spread the word about your service throughout their social networks, and those people can all respond, comment and add their experiences as well. All, in a matter of seconds. On the flipside, a customer such as the woman mentioned above will share her positive experiences likewise. What we learned about happy vs. unhappy customers no longer holds true – happy, neutral or unhappy, it’s all shared. So capitalize on positives.

8. Capitalize on positives and have your customers spread the word.

What if your business offered a special for every customer that mentioned your name or your specific product on Social Media? That is very possible and often accomplished quite successfully on Twitter. As we speak, customers are “Re-Tweeting” a link to some savvy business’s special offer. Each “RT” spreads from one social network to another like wildfire. If the right offer is made, the results will be extraordinary.

9. You will know if your efforts are successful or not, where, when, and to whom.
Unlike hit-or-miss mass mailers of the past with the traditional 1-10% response rate, coupons, messages, etc. can be targeted to specific demographic groups with the ease of a button click. One client has a Facebook ad targeted to both males and females, single and married, with a high school education or more, aged 25+ and that are not already connected to the business on Facebook. Micro-target your business to the people that are already listening and already interested. Then make great use of the multitudes of analytics (also FREE) that are already out there to determine the best approach for your business.

10. Know what’s being said about your business – and your competition’s!
Tools are available for you to log on – even with out an account – and see who is saying what about whom. On Twitter, on can literally, in a matter of seconds, target every single person that used a key word unique to your business. For example, one could read tweets from people within a 5 mile radius of Zip Code 55104 that used the word “quilting” from August 15, 2009 to October 27, 2009. You get the picture. It’s huge, it’s powerful, and it’s out there.

There is only one downside to becoming involved in web-based marketing. Outdated websites, dusty blogs and unanswered tweets just sitting out there in cyberspace for the world to see make your business look, well, not so good… So whether you choose to start out small or go whole hog, once you begin, make sure you continue your program.

The web is not getting any smaller and ignoring it won’t make it go away. It’s never to late to get involved in Social Media, but the sooner you choose to become a part of this amazing, powerful and free marketing resource, the sooner you’ll be ahead of the curve, and likely ahead of your competition as well. Happy Selling!

If you need assistance getting started, or just want some personal attention to decide the best Social Media forums for your business, the good news is that help is available! With the global (Reason #6) nature of the internet, help is just a click away, regardless of your geographic location. HarkHerold.com offers an array of Social Media services, including set up, maintenance and promotion of online accounts. ©HarkHerold.com, 2009

The Dead Horse that is Customer Service

2009-10-23T20:27:00.004-05:00

Apparently, customer service is indeed dead. I came home to find this. My lovely fall mums.

Smashed to smithereens.

I first thought it was Halloween pranksters, until the other one, the smashee's twin, was untouched on the other side of the step.

Apparently, the postperson was in a huge hurry to deliver in sleet, snow and rain today, and must have given Herculean effort to open the screen door hard enough to knock some delivered boxes over. Over, into several just-dropped off five gallon Culligan water bottles (each weighing nearly 42 lbs.), causing them to fall like dominos down the stairs - can you imagine this - and land on top of my fall mumms.

They then rolled around the yard until they settled on the sidewalk, where they lay until my husband arrived at home to find boxes and bottles tumbled about, and a crushed flower pot. No note, no attempt to set things back right. Just stuff strewn about the front yard.

Even people that you'll never see again, can't trace and don't interact with on a daily basis, leave notes when they ram your vehicle in the street (or at least in theory they do...) But this person, comes to our home at least 5 days each week. We trust them with our bills, our credit card statements, and our personal communications. The same person who just crushed my little fall display.

Needless to say, the mumms are completely destroyed, the pot shattered on the steps, and we really have little recourse - other than to share our experience. Yes, they were dumb fall flowers. Yes, it's already snowed. Yes, yes, yes. But still. Whatever happened to customer service and courtesy?

The Box

2009-10-16T13:24:00.000-05:00

My boss just walked into the office with his box. Torn and repaired with packing tape, this dirty, coffee-stained Talbots box is the equivalent of another man’s sumptuous leather briefcase. Instead of shiny brass combination locks, The Box has the impenetrable security seal of a single piece of paper tossed atop a rumpled tie. He’s using it as a doorstop today.

What we view as important in life is everything. It’s how we shape our lives. Do we need a supple leather case to carry our important documents, or will a dirty old box do just fine? David chooses a Talbots box, with the ironic tagline in traditional small caps, “It’s a classic.”

Ironically, there always seems to be an inverse relationship to the cost of the briefcase and the true net value of the person carrying it. Not just the monetary value naturally assigned to each of us by society, but the true net value that figures in things like family, the quality of your friendships, your health, your self esteem and your outlook on the world.

‘Back in the day,’ I had my Louis Vuitton case that I paraded with me everywhere. That bag was worth more than my savings account and IRAs combined. I needed that Louis to show the world I had arrived. No longer the redheaded Debate nerd, my bag told the world all that needed telling.

The problem was, the world wasn’t asking… and worse, the world didn’t care. I was so focused on ensuring that people knew that I wasn’t the ‘old me,’ when in reality, I was exactly the old me with really expensive stuff and an unwarranted attitude. At one point my goal was to show up at a class reunion in a limo – no wait – a helicopter – and stay just long enough to have ‘em asking in amazement, “Who is that jetsetter?”

Then I realized, much like the bag I carried, no one would care. Mostly, no one would care because they were too busy hoping the world would notice their bag, their new hair, their lovely wife or handsome husband, their cute kids, their weight loss, their business, their car, limo or helicopter…

What we carry in life is our own baggage, a true summary of our life experiences in the form of our daily outlook on life. Are we waiting for someone else to notice who we are or who we have become, or are we comfortable in our own skin as the less-than-perfect person we are deep down inside?

When we wait for the world to notice us, we have quite a task on our hands. My childhood was filled with not wanting to be noticed or picked on, my teen years hoping the world would notice how smart I was, my college years hoping the world would notice that I’d grown up and was ‘pretty,’ and my young adulthood hoping the world would notice my success. All the while, the world was patiently waiting for me to notice it.

I have an amazing and talented Mother who went without to ensure I always had enough, a loving husband who exceeds my expectations each and every day, four sweet and loyal dogs (don’t ask…), a decent enough job, and a handful of lifelong friends. Add on good health and enough to pay the bills, and that’s really all I need.

Maybe that’s my boss’ secret. He realized long before I did that it’s not about labels, expectations, or trying to impress, it’s about finding something that will work and running with it.

My fancy leather briefcases now sit dusty somewhere in the garage. I’m sure the rich scent of finely crafted leather has been replaced by the unmistakable stink of oil and gasoline.

These days, my bag carries things like a laptop, water bottles, Excederin, a soft-sided lunchbox for my yogurt and my planner. It’s durable, it’s big, and it’s very unimpressive. Most of the time, it lives tucked away under my desk. This morning, I spilled some coffee on it and the canvas top rolled the hot java conveniently onto the floormats of the car. That’s the way it is, it’s my bag - it’s no box, but it’s good enough for me.

Great free sites that social media beginners may not know about!

2009-10-14T14:34:00.004-05:00

So as a part of this blog, I promised to take you along on my journey into the digital age. Let's start with some basic tools that I find invaluable.

By the way, all of these are COMPLETELY FREE. Nada. Zip. Zilch cost to get started or maintain. ALL are essentially Windows or Mac-based, so they are EASY to use and require no additional web or computer skills.

LinkedIn - For business and making connections, research, networking and general happy business-y thoughts. http://www.linkedin.com/in/erinherold

Facebook - Great reconnection tool for people that you want to stay in touch with - but don't have the time to make connections with each person, every day. (Friend me at HarkHerold)

HotMail, Yahoo, Gmail, Rocketmail - Each and every one of them are free webmail sites. Set up one or multiple for yourself, your family, your kids, your business - the possibilities are endless. Additionally, once you set up these accounts, you can often import your contacts from Outlook or other programs directly into the site. THEN, you can take those contacts and upload them directly into LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter (see next) and many other programs to see if your connections are already on the site. harkherold@hotmail.com

Twitter - Yeah. I didn't get it either, until I started dinging around on the web a bit more. It's fantastic. If you wanted to find someone within a 5 mile radius of any zipcode, that tweeted a question about quilting between January of 2008 and today, you can do that. It's an outstanding business tool as well, as you can connect very quickly with other professionals that share similar interests - even beyond quilting! For the first week or so, just get on and lurk - see what others are saying, who you'd like to connect with, and what's being discussed (see next for Tweetdeck). I'm addicted. Love it. In fact, I'm taking a course in online social media and am now connected to three people across the globe that have taken the same class. Great resources I'd never otherwise have found!
@harkherold

Tweetdeck - ...so you're not ready to fully commit to Tweeting, but you're curious about what's being said out there. Or what someone is saying about your company or competitor. Tweetdeck is your tool! You can pull in your Facebook pages to see live updates, and link your Twitter account (or not) for up to the minute updates on your followers. BUT the real beauty of Tweetdeck is that you can choose keywords to monitor throughout the site. For example, last week, a young woman with a Saturn VUE in California had a flat tire. I know this because I made a column that would pop up all Tweets that contained "Saturn" and "problem" - I arranged to have her speak with the Parts Department here in MN. While she chose to go a different route - everyone with "Saturn" keyworded, or her followers, or "problem" keyworded, could watch the drama unfold in live-time. Talk about making an impression! IN.VAL.U.ABLE. Period.

Then the last site I'll pump today is the one I found today - Weebly. Weebly allows anyone to create and host their own webpages - ENTIRELY FREE. Again, as simple as creating a Word document, you can make a website - I did! That's all for now! Stay tuned! http://erinherold.weebly.com

Again - Not Marketing, Just Closure

2009-10-13T12:52:00.002-05:00

Want to know the secret to freedom from stress, fear and anger? Forgive, let go and breathe in deeply.

Not Marketing, Just Life

2009-10-12T13:38:00.004-05:00

It wasn't but two weeks ago when I told her she was better off without him, callously thinking how her young little heart would heal and she would find the perfect man to love and cherish her, and not stand her up time and again.

It wasn't but a few days ago, that a vindictive-sounding 20-something was on the radio with her BFF plotting revenge on a boyfriend for his Internet-cheating ways.

We remember a song or a smell and happy thoughts waft to mind. Even if the original event may have had blemishes, they are but specks of a memory that time has forgotten.

Just as easily, we empathize with friends who are experiencing loss, heartache or pain; and just as easily, we can switch back to our own lives and shed the pain of that friend like a too-warm jacket in Springtime.

It is only when it is our own pain that encompasses us, enfolds us and draws us near that we truly can empathize with others.

Without warning, dark memories of pains past come rushing back and add to the mix, stirring up dormant emotions and mixing with the new like ink in water. The pain of the each single event becomes indistinguishable, as it holds us breathless in the icy grip of fear.

What was once brightly prismatic, reflective, and crystal pure muddies with multiple colors of different inks, different hurts, until it all just swirls into an imperfect black.

Like those mixed inks, one cannot extract a single element, rather it all pours out together; dirty and ugly, permanently staining all around it.

I realize now that the times I thought I was being an empathetic listener were just times I wore the jacket.

This time, it is me telling the story. This time, however, I am not angry, I am emptied. I am not vengeful, I am crushed.

Yesterday, a little bit of my world stained black, and it hurts, folks, it hurts.

Bugati for business...

2009-10-10T21:50:00.003-05:00

Hey Hotties - I'm immersing my brain in Twitterdom and taking in every twitterinfobit I can get my freezing cold hands on. It's like watching a video on a vacation you're about to take, or test driving a vehicle you're taking delivery of next week. I want it now - but the nature of the beast is that I must wait.

Wait until I know how to maximize my efficacy, wait until I've studied more and know more. I don't want to take that vaca without a valid visa or crash my shiny new Bugati Vayron because I didn't take time to learn the finer points of driving a quad turbocharged 1001 horsepower vehicle.

Seriously, if anyone out there thinks that the sheer-force-of-nature Vayron isn't a comparable analogy to what Twitter can do for your business, they are sadly mistaken.

Get ready for your own personal Veyron, kids, it's here, and it's almost ready to go.

...and away we go!

2009-10-05T11:21:00.001-05:00

It's a drizzly October morning in Minnesota. The leaves are changing, coffee's brewing and HarkHerold is entering the blogosphere.

For a while, I actually thought that Online Social Marketing was reserved for the fancy people on either coast but apropos of nothing for us "fly over" dwellers. Frankly, I couldn't fathom the significance of Tweeting the world about sipping a latte or waiting in line at Target.

Sure, I cherish connecting on Facebook with friends and relatives, and LinkedIn is just a given for networking, but I just didn't make the connection of how these FREE online elements could translate to business applications.

Then - like anytime a newcomer learns a new language - it hit me. Everything clicked into place with bizarre urgency and what had to be an audible "clunk."

The secret that the coasties knew is that mass marketing is, like, so old school. Information is what's happening this minute, who or what is trending NOW, what is happening this second. Public opinion is formed in seconds and by the masses, not by reactionary after-the-fact ad placement.

Online Social Marketing can no longer be ignored - regardless of where you live, or the nature of your business. Real time, personal connections are the way to drive business in every marketplace.

HarkHerold has made the leap into the cloud, and we want you to come along for the ride. Stay tuned!

Erin Herold
HarkHerold - Marketing Excellence on Demand