The Virtual Wire

A set of goodbyes

It’s with our very best wishes that Tiffany and Sydni move on, leaving the TVW blogging team. Please join us in our heartfelt hope that their practices and their individual journeys continue to bring them joy and prosperity.

We’ll be looking for more bloggers to add to our team shortly, and look forward to introducing them to you as soon as they’re on board!

Thank you for your continued support of TVW. We know you have a choice of what to read, and we’re pleased as punch that you read us!

How to get local PR on a micro budget!

Getting PR is one thing, but leveraging it is quite another.  When you visit blogs, websites, etc. you can't tell me your not immediately swayed by the logos of the NY Times, USA Today or some other media channel that they've plastered on the front page of their site.  Getting PR is a badge of honor that we all want and some do, wear very proudly.  So, how do you get it, and then what do you do with it?

I recently had the privilege of hosting Meredith Liepelt, a local marketing guru on my first my radio program for Smart-Savvy Entrepreneur's.  Here are a few tips and tricks she shared that I've benefited from as well:

Focus on your local media community...

• First, you need to get to know "who's who" in your media community
• If you haven't made the national splash yet with PR, then focus on your local community.

Compelling story, not an ads get splashed in the news. 

A few elements of a compelling story...

• Personal and draws emotion
• Viewers, readers and listeners can relate it to their life because it solves a problem or because you just showed them how to do it differently.
• Create a great headline that hooks them on first glance (research this by reviewing your favorite magazines and then model your headlines behind the ones that got your attention)

Keep press releases simple by following this formula:

Paragraph 1 - Set up credibility by using a statistic
Paragraph 2 - Quote from you (subjective and sound exciting)
Paragraph 3 - Solution, solutions, and more solutions
Paragraph 4 - Short bio

Send it in and then follow up quickly.

Create a media kit on your website

Without breaking the bank, create a simple media kit on your site that contains:

• Fact sheet about your company
• Bio
• Head shots (both hi and low res)
• MP3s and videos
• 1 sheet about products and services

Some of you may know that I was recently featured on the local news and then published in the Columbus Dispatch - a two page spread about virtual assistance.  I knew I was being blessed because I had not done any searching for the right media person to connect to, I didn't take the steps mentioned above.  I didn't have an agenda.  It just happened.  

But, according to the reporter, what I did do right was:

• accept the invitation to be interviewed when the reported had the hot story
• work with their time frame (we spoke on the phone and within 1 hr. they were at my house!)
• be associated with organizations larger than your own (they found me because I was a part of a larger association)

I would add, be real and authentic and as Meredith mentions on the radio program, support their story line - try to really work with them in getting their jobs done.

In no time flat, you'll be making headlines and impacting lives on the local news channels.  When you do, don't forget to tell us so we can all celebrate your success!

Email marketing simplified!

You probably get bombarded with loads of e-newsletters, e-zines, and auto responder campaigns, all competing for the #1 spot in your in box.  If you are anything like me, you're managing your time by focusing on the most important things and anything else get's relegated to the "reading" folder.

So, what can you do to ensure your email gets read?  Here are a few tips shared by an industry expert, Lisa Almeida.

Avoid the biggest mistakes.

• deciding NOT to use an email marketing provider (like iContact, Constant Contact or Aweber)

Make sure you have the most important sentence right.

• The subject line - make sure it's consistent and concise
• Hook them with a catchy title to ensure the highest open rate

Select the best day of the week to send your message.

• This gets tricky because it depends on your target audience
• B2B - then Tuesday - Thursday between 12-5 EST
• B2C - Sundays and evenings might work best

Apply the 80/20 rule.

• 80% content that is useful to your audience
• 20% promotional

If you haven't included email marketing in your bag of tricks yet, then hold on to this.  Every business owner, at some point will need to communicate with their clients or target audience.  If they don't then they are missing a big opportunity to leverage contacts.

Design the business you want, but start with an exit strategy

Most virtual business owners, as well as those with brick and mortar, have a reason for starting their own business - freedom!

You are not alone if you started your business because you wanted freedom to:

• take days off at a whim;
• be with your children;
• care for a parent;
• be financially sound;
• travel and see the world; or
• be your own boss.

The list can go on, and on. Once you achieve that single, most important objective, then what?  Or, what if you're forced to abandon that dream because something in life has become more of a priority? Or because of "happenstance" - you know, the "stuff" that just throws you for a loop, like the market changing or loosing funding?

The answer to the above question depends on your exit strategy?  Planning the start up of your business with the end in mind, as well as an alternative, is prudent.  Here's what I mean:  If you develop a solid product, establish a lucrative service or become hugely famous, at some point you'll be faced with choices, options, and potentially, early retirement.  What happens to your legacy?  Who keeps things going in your stead?  What will your customers do without the niche you've carved into their lives?  It all depends on your exit strategy.

Solid exit strategies can include:

• Successors
• Partners
• Mergers
• Buyouts
• Closure

Training your replacement is smart.  Having someone on hand, BEFORE, they are needed allows you to have the options we discussed earlier.  Waiting until the need arises may limit your effectiveness as a leader.  For example, what if your business grows and now you have to focus on the vision, strategy or some other key component of the business and NOT be in the day to day operations of your business.  If you don't have a trained successor, the level of service could suffer and you could potentially lose the client base you once had.  If this happens, your bottom line is impacted -- your pocket -- and more importantly, your reputation.

Cloning yourself is smart too, because, believe it or not, a business is supposed to serve a singular purpose:  make you money so you can do what's really important in life--whatever you've defined that to be. 

Business owners consider partnerships when the combining of talents suits the overall strategic vision for the business, or when the market trends require a talent that you no longer possess or don't have.  Partners are smart when bringing them to the table offers a financial reward or a trade in talent that cannot be ignored.

Mergers are smart when the acquisition of the other companies talent, patent or market share threatens your existence.  The additional access to revenue or human capital may position you well for keeping your vision alive, while offering you an option to exit the business and still reap the rich rewards.

Buyouts may enable you to recoup your losses or cut the money train while there is still time.  This exit strategy may be smart when your other options are limited and the payout enables you to do what you've always wanted to or to reinvest in another venture that is more attractive.

Closing your doors, while being your last resort, may be your only one.  You know the feeling we've all had when we went to a store that has services us, for what seems to be an eternity, is no longer there.  We've all wondered 'what happened'.  Then, there is a sigh of relief when we hear "they retired to the Virgin Islands" - then we become green with envy wishing it were us instead.  On the flip side of the coin, we're saddened when we hear, "they just couldn't keep it afloat".  For the business owner, this is a smart option when you are sinking more time, money and energy that you actually have to give into a project that is an endless money pit.

So, what about you?  If you got sick today, how will your clients be impacted.  When do you plan to retire?  How?  Think and plan now for your exit strategy.  Keep your business afloat, even when you can't personally do the paddling.

If you have ideas that weren't explored here, please comment and tell us about it.

Resources for exit strategies:

Articles:  Exit Strategies for Your Business; The Four Ds of a Business Exit Strategy; Exit Strategies Resources and References

Procrastination, the thief of time...

Thought I'd share a thread from my twitter community.  It started with a quote:

@TheSCICoach "Procrastination is the thief of time"

So I asked the question:  WHY do we do it?

@Eagleblade shared an insightful comment:

"we procrastinate because it is more convenient to believe the lie that we have the ability to do more and better in less time"

As a virtual business owner, can we really justify the expense of procrastination?  The cost is often not calculated in dollars and sense, but in the sacrifice of credibility because of not meeting deadlines, not moving forward or keeping your commitments.  Ask me how I know:).

Here is a short video that cracks the surface on what it is and how to break the cycle:

If you really want to dig into this, then take the 30 minutes and review this video. It was great! It seems to discuss the "science" of procrastination.  I had no idea there was really a reason!

Okay, now for 3 tips to help all of us kick the habit:

1. 10 minute rule: Break big goals down into smaller, manageable tasks.  This approach should help with the feelings of being overwhelmed and stuck.
2. Answer 3 critical questions:  Where are you?  What do you want to do?  How will you feel after doing it?  While writing down what it is you want to do, you'll envision yourself doing, which is what's needed to move you in that direction.
3. Balance the ultimate goal vs. immediate desire. Shifting our focus from what is immediately in front of us that may satisfy us to what it is we really want to accomplish (the ultimate goal) provides a strong call to to action.

So, what is working for you?  Please share with us in a comment below.

Clarifying your vision - how to get a clearer picture of your offline success

Do you have a vision of what the successful you looks like? If not, perhaps it's time you started looking at your personal and professional goals through clearer lenses. A trendy new offline strategy called vision boarding can add some clarity to your sight so that you can start actualizing both your personal and professional aims.

What is vision boarding? It all ties into The Law of Attraction. With all the hype surrounding Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret" in recent months, you're probably already familiar with this concept. For the uninitiated, The Law of Attraction states that whatever you focus your thoughts and attention on will be magnetically drawn to you. So, for example, if you decide 2009 is the year your business is going to reach a profit milestone, you would begin thinking something like, "This is the year my company is going to earn $XX million." And if The Law of Attraction held to its claim, by December 31, 2009 you'd have reached your earning goal.

If it all sounds a bit new age hokey to you, it's actually not. If you think about it, The Law of Attraction is really a thinly veiled technique that is designed to steer your attention away from all those useless time and energy drains in your life and re-center them on what you actually want to achieve. So many people get caught up in their fast-paced everyday lives, however, that they have trouble envisioning precisely what it is they want to achieve. That's where vision boarding comes into play.

Writer Tristan Loo defines a vision board as "a simple yet powerful visualization tool that activates the universal law of attraction to begin manifesting your dreams into reality." In essence, it's a tangible blank slate (such as a poster board, a cork board or a scrapbook) onto which you adhere visual representations (like cutout images, written expressions and/or hand-rendered drawings) of your life goals.

"By selecting pictures and writing that charges your emotions with feelings of passion, you will begin to manifest those things into your life," Loo explains. The concept is catching on like wildfire, with real-world vision boarding groups forming across the country. The power of these groups lies in their collaborative incentive. It's sort of like having multiple swimming buddies or workout partners who not only cheer you on to success but also help you better define what exactly it is your want to accomplish in the first place.

Vision boarding meet-up groups afford you the opportunity to hobnob with locals who are interested in practicing the science and ideology of The Law of Attraction. Their mission is to help you attract the abundance and prosperity you're craving.

These group meet-ups, however, also serve a profitable side benefit. Vision boarding groups are just one of the ways in which you can promote your expertise offline to generate thousands of dollars in free publicity.

Working from home---the balancing act: Three steps to being totally engaged and professional

Do you just *love* your office?  Creating the environment that your clients would feel good working in is a good gauge for the WAHM.

Working at home doesn’t equal success.  To produce our best work, we have to be at our best.  This involves the “space” both physically and mentally that we create and work from. 

We can be based from home and not be focused or engaged in our client’s business the way we need to be. Has that ever happened to you? Here are three steps to regain your focus:

Step 1. Create a "feel good space"
First, create the space by de-cluttering and organizing the important pieces of my personal life.  It’s impossible to embrace someone else’s clutter; problem or issue if we cannot control our own.

Step 2.  Set a budget and live within it
Next, create the greatest space that you can have within budget.  Trying to achieve the feeling of going to work creates a sense of engagement.  For me, when I open my office door, the sign goes on mentally “open for business”--if the environment is appropriate. 

Step 3. Set boundaries, then honor them
The aforementioned dovetails with my final point, that of creating the office-hours that the family and clientele respect.  These boundaries will enable the virtual business owner to be engaged, while working from home, and to feel like you're really “at work” though the business is based from home.  It should be as if a “flashing light” were going off in a recording studio.  You know the one that says “on air”.  It’s an immediate indicator of “DO NOT DISTURB”. 

Engagement means different things to different people.  But to a client that is paying “top dollar” for our services, it means feeling like they are the center of our universe, even if we are multi-tasking other client priorities.  While on the phone, or in person, we have to “Be Here Now”.  That’s one surefire way of letting the client know that you are engaged.  The work product will reflect our presence in previous interactions.

Note:  Photo compliments of the Columbus Dipatch (Kellie Manier)

What you see isn't always what you get!

Image. Perception. Reality.

1. People and businesses make major decisions based on what they initially see. Then they make adjustments or revisions of those judgments based on what they “continue” to see. Our image must initially be authentic – projecting who we really are and it must continue to be authentic – based on what we really are. If we want people to perceive us in a particular light, that is who we must be.

People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a like from within.
– Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

2. Perceptions are very hard to change. Yes people can revise their perceptions of us; however, when it entails moving from the negative to the positive, this is a long road to travel and is less traveled. When it’s the opposite (moving from positive to negative) it’s a short-trip at best. Therefore, the initial image must create the best “first impression” or perception.

3. Image is linked with success and impacts the level of trust placed in us and our business.

Is there a perception that isn't your reality?  Do something today that shows you are aligned with "who" you say you are.

Grateful, gracious and growing

Are you a big GIRL (GUY) now?  You might be if your attitude includes a "Gr" first.

Gratitude is something felt in response to an act of kindness extended to us, "the state of being thankful."  To show thankfulness and to feel it are two different things. 

Have you ever thought about saying "thank you" but bothered for some time because that card you drafted never got mailed?  I have.  It's not too late to express the feeling of gratitude.  You just might make someone's day.

Graciousness on the other hand is for big GIRLS (GUYS) too.  You know--the way you respond to that irritating email; or, the expression of thanks for the kind word, thought or deed we experienced.  Roget's defines graciousness as "marked by elegance and good taste".   That definition reminds me of how important it is to try to use words that don't offend my audience, such as profanity, while social networking; or to be mindful of the pictures that I post within my profiles. 

If graciousness characterizes the manner in which we act, react and interact with people, then being gracious is a part of growth--a work in progress.  It begins first in the mind; then our self-perception oozes out as a reflection of "who" we are in that moment.  So, did you handle something poorly today?  It's not too late to grow by taking a step back and altering the mindset while fixing the communication faux pas.  "I am sorry" are the three most powerfully combined words in the human language.  You deserve it. Your child, spouse, friend or client does too!

Virtual business owners -- sell like a CEO!

What's your call to action?

Earlier this evening I was looking for a speaker and came across an article written by Tony Parinello (The 10 Golden Rules of Selling Like a  CEO). 

Rules 4 and 10 resonated with me. 

No. 10 - "CEOs always issue a call to action, and you should too." 

Why did that mean to me?  A call to action means that something will change, improve, or that there is a clearly defined expectation or desired action that is required.  Prospects should feel moved to action with the first interaction they have with you, usually on your website (which by the way means a total revamp of my own site). 

When people are rallied around a cause--it's generally because of a strong call to action. There is an emotional appeal that moves them to action.  We have to included that same appeal to sell like a CEO.

Requiring definitive steps from a prospect helps you to close the deal.  Telling them what comes next, what to expect and what you expect from them helps them understand what action they need to take. It shows you're a leader and levels the playing field.

Thinking in terms of action in the operation of and growth of your business is also important if you're going to shine among your competitors. 

A call to action

Be sure to read Tony's article and comment on the Golden Rule that resonated with you.