Letters to my son...

It may sound old fashioned but I keep a journal...not just any 'ol journal, however, this one is special. It's made up of letters to my son. I began it when he was born and have kept writing until this very day. Sometimes weeks or even a month or two may go by in between letters, but when something noteworthy in my life (or his) comes along I make sure to document it and ensure that it's there for him to learn from and reflect on in later years. I mention this because I do the same thing for our company. When items come up that are of an important nature I have a specific place where I log them for future reference. None of us can be expected to remember everything and if there's one thing that's certain, specific situations and circumstances will arise time after time...why not create a reference source from which you can seek advice and wisdom for such events down the road? Simply put, it doesn't take much time and it cannot ever hurt to have additional sources from which to garner knowledge going forward!

What Every New Business Needs To Know About Marketing

In being considered a small to medium-sized business specialist we get the question (either from prospective clients or hypothetically) - What is the one thing you would tell any new or small business owner to get them started on the right path? That one's easy!

If we're consulting with you, one of the first things you'll hear is "Your customer only needs/wants to hear one piece of information from you in any advertising/marketing message. The answer to the question: 'What's in it for me?!?' How is your product or service going to make his or her life better."

If you think about it that question is asked and answered with EVERY PURCHASE you make. Whether it's your home purchase (perhaps it's in the right school district, convenient to your work, is in the "right neighborhood, etc.) the clothes you buy (how do they make you feel, how do you look in that color?) or the church you attend (good minister, lots of friends attend, etc.). Literally every purchase you make is done so by evaluating the simple question of "what's in it for me?"

So, I would tell any new business, small business, or established business looking for a fresh coat of paint that they should carefully examine what they are providing to their potential customer base that will enrich their lives in some manner and carefully craft a specific value proposition from there. One that can translate over to business identity, advertising, website presence, etc.

It's not an easy task but one that businesses cannot thrive without.

Birth of a Startup / Importance of Your Business Plan

You've started a company...with a friend, a co-worker, a spouse or other relative...it really doesn't matter who...it's going to be someone you're close to or have had a working relationship with in the past. This is the first stage of the life cycle. You will have meetings around the kitchen table, at Starbucks, over dinner, and/or spent countless hours on the phone with each other. You will spend weekends together, become close(r) with each other's families and friends. In other words you'll be in each others hip pockets. Then there will come a divergence of ideas...count on it. This may be philosophical, financial, ideological, etc. It may also be brought about by the addition of other people to the corporate mix. Whatever the reason it will be emotional as you've spent so much time as a "team" (to the exclusion of many other things) that you'll be headed into uncertain waters. You may question the partnership, the percieved value of the players, the direction of the company...it can be a really tough time. It's at this moment your business plan HAS TO CARRY YOU. You have to have faith in the groundrules and milestones you set in the beginning. This is the time your endeavor is moving from caterpillar to butterfly all in one move. It's the "make-or-break" for many a young exectuvie team. Trust in each other, the team that has been built, and most importantly don't lose focus of why you started the company in the first place. This is why your business plan is so terribly important!