Lucky 13 Strategies

The Legal Side of Marketing Your Small Business

2013-06-03T17:22:00.002-07:00

The Rules of the Game (photo courtesy of iStock.com)

Although I often joke that I'm a recovering lawyer, the truth is that law comes into contact with marketing more than you'd realize.

As you set out to market your small business, it's important to check that the foundation for what you're doing is secure. What do I mean? Here's a quick tip sheet:

Make Sure You Own Your Trademark
Many businesses are formed and move forward with enthusiasm, only to later find out that someone owns the trademark to their business name. You might be thinking "But I registered my business name!" My guess is that when you registered that name, you only looked locally to see what businesses were out there. It's also possible for someone to own a trademark even if that isn't their actual business name. In short? Do your research. Here's the link to the US Patent and Trademark Office. Even if you don't register your own trademark just yet, make sure the coast is clear before investing time and resources in building a brand that can't belong to you.

Don't Use Text You Found... Anywhere!
More than once I have been asked "If something is found on the Internet, is it free to use?" The response is a resounding NO! It is not okay to use text (or images or other content) just because you found it online. I can see how it's tempting to cut corners or copy and paste, but it's not only unprofessional -- it can open your company to serious liability! The writing on other business sites and marketing materials is copyrighted by those parties. I'm not saying you have to write your own- there are people to hire for that (hint hint).

Savvy business owners know that generating fresh content they own is the key to marketing success. As an additional fun fact, when you copy and paste, you won't get the same search engine credibility you'd get if you originated the content. Feel free to LINK to sites you think are important, but don't grab their content. And yes, this is true whether or not you credit them. Unless you have express written permission to use their content, don't do it!

Protect Your Own Intellectual Property
This one is obvious (hopefully!). For example, if your website features photos you took or content you wrote, be sure to include a copyright notice. Put others on notice about what you've created and what they may not use without your permission. If your logo is trademarked, make sure you are using the proper (R) notation, and so on.

License the Images You Want to Use - Properly!
These days, you can right click and save virtually any image you see online. Don't do it. New search features allow companies (such as the companies you should be properly licensing your photos from) to scan websites for infringing items. So it's much easier to find infringers than it ever was before (not that that should be your reason to respect copyright!) There are a number of "royalty-free" sites online, trying to compete with iStockphoto or Shutterstock and other legitimate stock photo websites - unfortunately, these cheaper competitors often put so much in the little print that if you read it, you wouldn't actually use it. In short, stick to reputed sites and when in doubt, do NOT use content you have not paid for/was not created by you or someone you know. It's not just a legal hassle, but it reflects poorly on a business. Bonus tip: I often recommend that when businesses do that first set of headshots, they book extra time with the photographer for stock photos/business imagery they can use as needed.

Know and Abide By Industry Guidelines/Regulations
Every industry has specific limitations on how you can talk about what you do/sell, what constitutes acceptable advertising, and what will get you in trouble. These regulations can change, and if you're in touch with your industry, hopefully you already know what marketing you can or can not do. This extends to including disclaimers on your materials as needed, but your lawyer can tell you more about that!

You have a lawyer... right?

The materials on this website are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. The information on this website is offered only for general informational and educational purposes. They are not offered as and do not constitute legal advice or legal opinions, nor does it create an attorney-client relationship. By way of reminder, Lucky 13 Strategies services are exclusively in the area of marketing and brand strategy, and do not include legal representation of any kind.

Do you have a marketing question about your small business? Or would you like someone else to create customized marketing content for your business that you can own and freely promote?
Contact San Diego's Lucky 13 Strategies for your small business marketing needs.

Word of Mouth for Your Small Business

2013-04-02T10:20:00.001-07:00

Image courtesy of Microsoft

Do you give people the tools they need to spread the word about your business?

Many businesses fly under the radar. Some do this intentionally. But others have a wonderful, strong business and would like the promotion but have never thought to help word of mouth along. Don't be them. Your small business will get more love if you:

-Make sure your inner circle knows and truly understands your business. Here's a quick refresher course in the intro email you should have already sent out to your friends, family, and dog groomer.

-Keep people informed as you specialize and grow. Don't just let them know when you're hustling - let them know about your successes, too! Everyone likes to back a winner, and people are more confident recommending a company or professional that seems to be doing well.

-Plant your flag online. Get a website. It can be as salesy or not as you like, but have something. For example, some film agencies in LA will set up a landing page merely setting they exist, but avoiding unsolicited submissions by not having much more (read: no contact info!) What you do with your website should be an issue of strategy, but there are very few businesses or professionals who shouldn't have one at all.

-Make signing up for your mailing list easy, and ask for the minimum info you need to get them signed up (read: don't give them a reason not to!) By capturing contact information when people visit your site, you can keep others informed when there are new announcements. Someone who might have forgotten about your business can be periodically reminded, jogging their interest.

-Make sharing your information easy. If you sell products, include "share this product" above the listing. If you share strategy or thoughts, share posts.

-Reinforce your pipeline. How do you encourage existing clients to come back? How do you encourage them to tell others?

-Always carry business cards. Put them in your car, purse, briefcase, gym bag, suitcase.

-Keep people posted that you are open to new business. If friends and family think you're doing well, it might not be on their radar to send you new prospects.

-Check that you've enabled retweets.

The corollary to all this, of course, is: don't annoy people! I'm talkin to you, guy with the 10 Facebook posts a day. Post only when you have something really worthwhile to say, or people will start to tune you out. What I'm saying is: once you've built up goodwill with people, don't be the reason they don't want to help promote you! When you post or promote your work, if people feel you've done them the courtesy of only sending it out when it's truly interesting or important, they're more likely to listen - and pass in on.

Need help using networking and relationships to grow your business? You know where to find me! Please email info(at)lucky13strategies.com with any questions or comments about this post - I'd love to hear from you.

Spring Clean Your LinkedIn Profile!

2013-03-22T00:04:00.000-07:00

I almost posted this blog post with nothing else, because the title says it all.

I've already told you what I think about LinkedIn here. (You read it already, right?)

Say what you will about various communities and websites coming and going, right now LinkedIn is important. It's one of the first sites that will come up when someone looks you up. And they will.

When someone opens your LinkedIn profile, two things can happen:

1) They like what they see, they are impressed. They keep clicking, because they want to learn more about this amazing individual.

2) They don't see much of anything. They go back to checking Facebook or eating a sandwich.

Everywhere you appear online is an opportunity. Don't give them all equal weight, because that's not necessary or appropriate. You're here with me this very second because you care about your career and your reputation and you want to build whatever it is you're doing. So LinkedIn matters to you.

So put it on your calendar -yes, really do this- to check your LinkedIn at least 2x a year, to be sure it reflects:

the new people you've met or connected with (before you forget)
endorsements from recent projects you've completed
updated job responsibilities
new memberships, associations or certifications
any change in title
how good looking you are (new profile photo!); and
be sure to delete job details that might lead someone to contact you for a job you don't want

And the fun starts now. Go open it up and dust whatever's over there. It won't take you long, and trust me, it's more fun than cleaning out your closet and having an encounter with those pants that used to fit!

I offer communications strategy and marketing services to small businesses in San Diego. If you're in town and have a business or career you are trying to grow, I'd love to meet you! Drop me a line. And while we're talking about it, please add me on LinkedIn!

What's In It For Them?: Tips on Writing Marketing Materials

2013-03-11T08:57:00.003-07:00

Photo courtesy of Microsoft

As you write any marketing materials, there is one basic question that should be echoing through your head. "What's in it for ME?"

Except here, the "me" is not you -- this is what your target market, your key consumer, your ideal client is thinking as they read through your communications. This can be an email pitch or a more polished, online or printed marketing piece. So, a few tips on how to write your brochure, business plan, email, website, or other marketing materials. Address the question that is on everyone's minds by:

-Get to it. Don't spend lots of time setting up. See how I did that myself right there? Not even one chunky paragraph and here we are. Get to the key points - or at least the key bait right up front.

-Make sure you actually do know what they want. Seems simple, right? That's the whole point of marketing, right? And yet many companies get so busy with their daily work that they misread their market. Happens all the time. Before you craft any messaging, take in the entire scene and set of possibilities. If you market well but market to desires they don't actually have, you have lost an opportunity. Big time.

-Connect the dots for them. Many marketing pieces I see have potential - they line things up but never knock them down. If you have a great product, for example, don't just yammer on about the great product. Think of the specific problem(s) that customer would be looking to fix, and rewrite your description in a way that clearly indicates how this product will fix it for them. (At the same time, please be conscious of restrictions on your marketing and abide by law. This is not legal advice, just a warning!)

-Make it interesting. As a society, we are bombarded and we are bored. Make your piece stand out. The tone and style of your presentation is part of what's "in it" for the reader/visitor.

-Don't overdo it. It may seem counterintuitive, but while you are promising your future client to deliver, don't promise them a rose garden. This means: Be reasonable. Sure, be enthusiastic. But if you oversell, you're going to sound suspicious - and you could lose credibility and diminish your brand.

Off you go, then!

13 Ways to Improve Your Website TODAY!

2013-03-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

Used with permission from Microsoft

Let's start with some tips so basic that you've probably overlooked them (yes, even you, you brilliant thing!). Here are 13 ways to easily improve your small business website instantly.

1) Review it for "What's in it for ME?"
Because this is what your typical website visitor is thinking. Me me me me me me me me me me. Understand that. If you go on too long about yourself, they glaze over. Go back and review, make sure they can connect the dots.

2) Add action items. What's an action item, you say? Start by learning that. Then insert them throughout your site strategically.

3) Step up your images. If I never see another stock photo of businessmen in crisp suits shaking hands, it will be too soon. Use symbolic imagery. Strategy - a chess board. Have fun with it, make your images part of what's memorable on your website.

4) Get rid of autoplay videos. Seriously, don't make me say it again: Boo! Down with auto play video!

5) Highlight key services or features up front. Don't make people dig for them. Consider using directives and calling out a few of your best features right there on the homepage. See how San Diego design web development firm Tiny Frog used it in their work for a studio called The Yoga Garden (this screenshot is the bottom of the homepage). These are the top things they think visitors might want information on/to do.

6) Feed news onto the homepage your site. If you are actively publishing news, updates, events, or even social media, and if it is appropriate for your industry (example: funeral home, not so much), decide if it's appropriate to feed that content onto the homepage of your site. If the content is strong, this reminds visitors that your company is active and out there, and if the date is recent, it makes the website seem very fresh.

7) Use a readable font. Seriously: visible, readable, and mature. If you are a professional firm, don't use chalkboard or something curly and whimsical. If your market is seniors, make the font bigger and be sure you don't have it difficult to read (for that audience) such as white text on a black background.

8) Copyedit your text. Even if you wrote great text, if you wrote it late at night or stared at it too long, have a fresh pair of eyes read it over. You never have a second chance to make a first impression, etc. Typos happen, but if you scan for them, they're less likely.

9) Have crystal clear messaging. Make sure your market messaging is clear about what problem you solve. It's not about why they could choose you, it's about why they'd be crazy to choose anyone else.

10) Make your contact information extremely easy to find. And be sure it works! If you haven't called your own phone number, emailed your own info@ address, etc., do that now.

11) Don't bury information. This happens often with complex sites. You have to go a few pages in and suddenly secondary navigation options show up with key information that could never have been found from the homepage. If the information is important, make sure you can get there with a click or two from the main navigation bar. People aren't going to dig much before they bounce. Quick fix? Add a Search feature! Bonus: if someone tells you they had a hard time finding certain information on your site, make a note of it and, if it's important, find a way to make it more prominent.

12) Get a good name. Trust me, as someone with 2 silent h's in my last name, I know that a company name/web address is a tricky thing. You can be top of your field, but you have to make it easy for someone to get there. Example: Lucky 13 Strategies is proud to work with Dr. Tanya Kormeili, a leading dermatologist in Los Angeles. But guess what? Her name was a bit tricky to spell! So we obtained the additional domain "www.drTKderm.com" and it's a no-brainer for people to remember. People call her TK all the time, and now they don't have to struggle to

13) Revisit it. A website is a living, breathing marketing instrument. Be sure that you are going through it periodically (schedule an annual review!) to be sure it reflects the most current information about your business, and the messages you want to project.

Not sure where to start? Lucky 13 Strategies is a marketing company based in San Diego, but we offer clients nationwide what we call a "website audit", reviewing your website for functionality, user experience, market messaging, and then strategize with you for how it can easily be improved to increase your business opportunities and be sure you have the best website for your business. Contact us and let's chat about your business website, to take one thing off your list! Email info(at)lucky13strategies.com to schedule a free website strategy consultation.

For San Diego small business marketing clients, we'll even offer the consult in person so you can experience the magic in 3D!

Marketing Magic: Calls to Action

2013-02-12T19:15:00.000-08:00

What's the difference between a decent marketing piece and a great one?

A good one tells you what sets the service or product apart - and above.
A great one tells you what to do now that you know that.

These are called "calls to action"

Your marketing materials should be engaging, well-written, and visually appealing. But you are missing the boat if you don't know what you're asking people to do. Know what you want from them, the top 1-2 things you want them to do, and set them up to do so.

Your marketing homework: Review your marketing materials, whether it's your website, brochure, social media, or anything else, and review your calls to action. If they're there, do you ask people to buy? To participate in a free trial? To contact you to learn more? Is that the right action for them to take to get excited about what you have?

If they're not there, well then, it's time to get some.

[note: Call to action buttons depicted here are courtesy of Tiny Frog Technologies, a leading web development and mobile technology firm here in San Diego. And yes, I highly recommend them!]

The FIRST Question to Ask Your New Client

2013-01-30T09:30:00.000-08:00

Congratulations, you have a new client!

The good news is you have them in hand. How can you maximize that relationship?

The best of intentions can be lost in a business relationship when parties' communication styles differ. When you take on a new client or business associate, as you get their card or leave a first meeting, ask them about their preferred method of communication. Some people are email people, some people are phone people. Some people will require in-person handholding. Knowing the difference - taking the moment to ask them - will make a huge difference in the results you get, the time it takes them to get back to you, and the rate of communication.

If you're an email person (I am) then finding out that your client isn't and prefers a phone call will be a downer, but you'll live. What you learn may not be convenient (or it may make things easier than you had anticipated), BUT it's important to know. Knowledge is power and all of that.

Marketing is about going to your clients where they are, and this extends right into how you communicate with them, to make sure your messages are heard. Literally.

Just ask them!

Lucky 13 Strategies offers communication strategy and marketing content for clients across industries including healthcare, technology, law, art and design, and more. Although Lucky 13 Strategies is based in San Diego, we serve clients wherever they are (and in their communication format of choice! We take our own advice!)

Wondering what to say or how to say it? We'd love to hear from you!

The Easiest Marketing Mistake You Don't Have to Make

2013-01-25T14:11:00.000-08:00

There is one marketing mistake most businesses are guilty of making and don't even realize that it's a marketing mistake.

Story time:

The other day I met a businesswoman in a meeting and was impressed by what she told me about her work. As it turned out, I had a friend who was looking for exactly her services.

Thrilled to offer the referral to them, I passed along the information and my friend called immediately to find out more.

And... nothing.
My friend did not hear back from the company.

Now, this was embarrassing for me, after having personally referred her and spoken well of this company (despite having just met them). Has that ever happened to you? Worse yet- my friend now had a questionable taste in her mouth about the reliability of this company.

Most people think of marketing strategy in a big picture way, which they should! But not at the expense of the personal touch. Whether you operate nationally or in the more intimate San Diego market, how you handle initial interactions and field inquiries has far-reaching consequences.

I sent the business contact a personal email and she followed up, but the damage was done, both to the prospect relationship and to me as a future referral source. Don't let this happen to you!

Prospective clients are your lifeline. As you juggle everything in your daily work, don't forget this. Make responding to them your number one priority- at a business of any size, sales and marketing dovetail here. Know that.

Three Easy Tips to Save Your Business Image:

1) Help set expectations when people first contact you. When will they hear back? What is the next step? For example, offer people an auto-response or outgoing message with a window of response time, so they can gauge when they can expect to hear from you.

2) Follow up quickly with personal referrals. These are individuals who are already one step closer than the random public to signing on with you or buying your product. Treat them according.

3) Fix the damage. Everyone understands that things fall through the cracks. Be mature enough to apologize if that happens, and use your next shot (call, meeting, interaction) to show them it was a glitch, not your normal mode of operation.

Lucky 13 Strategies offers marketing and communications tactics to businesses of all sizes. We offer customized, creative solutions to the challenges new and growing businesses face regularly. Based in San Diego, Lucky 13 Strategies serves clients nationwide. Have a question about how to grow your small business or personal brand? We'd love to hear from you!

#GivingTuesday, Cause Marketing, and Your Business

2012-11-27T20:23:00.001-08:00

Small businesses work hard to create and promote their brand. What does your company do? What does it do better? How does it do that? These are all elements of what set you apart.

As you may have heard, today is #GivingTuesday. In a direct counter-measure to the shopping bonanza that is Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and CyberMonday, today is about donating to organizations that are working to change the world in a nonprofit capacity.

There are a number of ways you can look at today (and most of the month of December, really). You can certainly look at it as a purely financial investment, a tax writeoff, a deduction. Or you can look at it as deciding to affirmatively partner your message with that of an organization whose work, ethics, and delivery of humanitarian services reflects what you want people to see your company as being about. (This would of course require you to be a bit vocal about who you're supporting. You may find that, if your commitment is significant enough, the organization is happy to publicize your support as well.) In fact, donation can be the first step in a much bigger relationship... if you want it to be.

While you're not required to select organization that mimics your industry (dentist supporting Smile Train, for example), you can find wider, more creative ways to connect your message with the world around you. If there is a part of the globe you are growing your presence in, why not support a nonprofit that is active in that region? Or is your clientele largely women? Why not donate and endorse an organization who has shown a shared interest in meeting the needs of women? Or young girls?

If you're not sure what nonprofit is right for you, consider supporting a locally-based organization, which will be thrilled to have grassroots local support and may offer you more direct opportunities for promotion if the relationship continues.

The number of cause marketing opportunities for your small business is only limited by your creativity and your sense of what your business is - and what it wants to be. As we round the bend on this final month of the year, consider how you can make your impact in new and exciting ways.

And of course, whatever your reason to give, please do!

What CMS Is and Why You May Need It For Your Small Business Website

2012-10-24T11:39:00.000-07:00

Do you have the keys to the car?

Look, I'm not a fan of jargon, and I'm not one to bring up an industry term unless you need to know it. Here's one term anyone considering a new website for your business, or anyone giving your old website the ole California facelift should know: "CMS".

What CMS is and why I'm bothering to write about it
CMS stands for "content management system". What I'm specifically referring to here is a program that allows you to post to, update, and modify areas of your website. I'm bringing this up because I can't bear to hear another story of a business that hired a designer/developer only to have them (insert verb of choice: disappear / close business / leave job / charge too much). What does this mean? The client had a shiny, beautiful car -- and didn't have the keys. CMS gives you the keys and CMS programs are easy to use.

You can certainly have a great website without CMS; but you better have an IT professional on hand and frequently available. For most smaller businesses, this is just not reasonable. While it's key to have a relationship with an IT professional for the long-term health of your business, being able to tinker with areas of your site yourself is an ability most small and medium sized business owners will want to have.

Are you already familiar with CMS?
You may have heard the name of a CMS program and not realized that's what it is. WordPress, for example, or Drupal, or Joomla, CushyCMS, and others. Any of these can be the content management program of choice for your website, and they boast different features (and pricing! The American way!). Your website developer can usually make a good recommendation based upon your needs and budget.

[As an aside, lately I've had a few clients ask if a designer/developer offers to do a WordPress site for them, does that mean it's a template? It could be, but if you're working with a designer, it most likely is not. We'll do another post on that soon.]

How CMS just might make your life easier
Whichever program you/your web team use for your website, CMS gives you the "keys" to the main content areas of your site. Your developers can work with you to create a professional design that uniquely reflects your business, but give you access to get into the site and easily update - without handholding - because CMS is *that* easy to use.

When would I use CMS on my small business website?
For some businesses, they will need to easily update product listings. For others, descriptions or service offerings may change. Sometimes personnel join or leave. And other companies have regular news releases and they don't want to have to call an IT firm when they could just load it up and publish themselves.

It's up to you and your design team to decide the right CMS for your site, or if CMS is the best option for you, but for my marketing strategy clients in San Diego and around the country, they have unanimously appreciated having a website that can react to their business as quickly as their business has to react to its environment. As you work with your web developer to create a website that will serve your business and help you grow, consider whether CMS is a solution you have been looking for!

Lucky 13 Strategies offers communications strategy for small business clients in San Diego and throughout the country. We often advise on website strategy and content development tailored to your business goals.
Have a question about what we do or something you read in this post? Call us anytime! [Ok, not anytime, but anytime after we've had our coffee...]

Boo! Down with Autoplay Video!

2012-10-02T12:28:00.000-07:00

There is only one reason to use autoplay video on your website, and that's if someone has the hiccups.

Picture it: someone is at his cubicle, secretly sifting around the Web for a romantic gift for his honey when BOOM! Suddenly violins play and sounds of a woman exclaiming with surprise emanate from his monitor. It's just no good.

And somehow, autoplay video is always a million decibels higher than needed. Always.

Every time an autoplay video comes on, I close the site. This is out of a combination of fear-aggravation. Do you find yourself having that reaction? It is extremely rare that I'll think "Oh, thanks for piping the creepy sound of someone talking through my house while I scramble for 5 seconds with a heart attack trying to figure out who is talking."

I know we all feel great about our video marketing content, but rarely is the content so groundbreaking or alluring that it needs to be catapulted on my senses in this way. Also, autoplay is increasingly used in unwanted popup advertising. You don't want to be associated with the UNWANTED, do you?

The problem with autoplay videos is that they assume. (Assume makes...) They assume that:
1) the website visitor would prefer video content as their method of digesting your information, and
2) the website is somewhere where watching/hearing video is convenient to them (and those within earshot)

Let's be honest: as cell phone use rises and people are more and more guilty of surfing the web in situations where perhaps they shouldn't.

So: video, yes. Autoplay, no. It is the laugh track of web design as far as I'm concerned, insinuating that we're not smart enough to get there on our own. (citation of this genius observation: Sir Chuck Klosterman, pop culture writer extraordinaire. Read his essay on laugh tracks to mar your experience of sitcom viewing forever)

For a colleague's thoughtful take on autoplay, check out Rocketboy Media's prescient take on autoplay no no's. And pay attention to the fact that Eric Warren penned this this two years ago, before YouTube became the (reportedly) #2 search engine online. It was bad to do then, it's worse to do it now. So don't.

Video is a wonderful tool, but use it wisely! How visitors experience your content is a key part of the user experience. Don't shoot content bullets at them, invite them in and let them enjoy of their own accord. They will.

Knocking on the Ceiling

2012-08-14T10:52:00.004-07:00

This month, Lucky 13 Strategies' founder Lilly Ghahremani was interviewed by the blog Stilettos on the Glass Ceiling, an online site for the "modern Renaissance woman" that aims to address the changing dynamics of the glass ceiling.

In her interview, Lilly is asked about women who inspire her, the challenges facing women in the workplace, and the five qualities that can help a woman achieve success.

Read Lilly's Stilettos on the Glass Ceiling interview here!

Who's Your WHO?

2012-05-09T10:14:00.001-07:00

I work with a wide range of clients, but I see one thing happen with small businesses time and again: While they know what they do or even how they do it better than others, a lot of times in their discussions they fail to help others understand their specific target market.

No, that wasn't redundant. I included "specific" before "target" because while your target market may be slightly broader, "specific" is really about your sweet spot.

IF A TREE FALLS AND NO ONE HEARS IT...
Why is this important? Well, for example, Lucky 13 Strategies is based in San Diego and serves small businesses, among others. I often describe San Diego as "a big small town" because people are very well-connected here. So if you tell people in San Diego what you do but don't help them highlight mentally who in their circles might want to get to know you, you are missing out.

You may have a fantastic product or service to offer, but that message needs to be received by the right ears (or eyes). It's no secret that we all prefer trusted referrals. So if you are losing the opportunity to have news of what you do naturally spread through a family dinner or a friendly barbeque because people don't understand your full message and who they should be saying it to, that's a lost opportunity.

Your target marketing should be woven into your positioning statement. Your market should become a natural part of how you present yourself and talk about what you do. To be blunt: until that piece falls into place, your positioning statement is incomplete.

DON'T BE AFRAID TO BE SPECIFIC
Let me say it again: Don't be afraid to be specific! Targeted companies create strong market holds. If you have a strength, play off it and build from there. If you are the absolute right hair stylist for young female professionals, say that. If you are (or want to be) the go-to web designer for new tech companies, say it! You will eventually grow your audience, but if you can start as the go-to for one sector, it gives you a credibility from which to grow.

The bow on top is being able to explain why this market segment is the one you love and how you serve it best.

NEED AN EXAMPLE?
As for Lucky 13 Strategies, we love creating business and marketing strategy for growing businesses. The organizations that seem to appreciate our work because they want and need marketing and business strategy but don't have the resources to handle it all in-house. We are a great fit for companies that have motivation but need a little guidance figuring out how to go about it, and how best to make use of the resources at their disposal. While we collaborate with clients throughout the country, our sweet spot is San Diego small businesses and individual professionals looking for change or a stronger sense of brand.

See how easy it is?

Hug Your Market Competition

2012-05-07T09:47:00.007-07:00

One of the biggest concerns I see new and growing companies struggle with is what I call "the rearview mirror". They worry (or know) that someone is coming up behind them, possibly with something bigger, faster, better. Well, good news: you're in a space with appeal. That indicates a robust market!

Maybe I love my job a little too much, but I'd venture to say this is where the juicy work of marketing happens. I'd love to tell you you're ipso facto wonderful, but where you really start to shine is in demonstrating how you and your company are distinguished from those around you. So instead of fearing competition, embrace it. Use your competitor's existence as leverage to actively highlight your edge every step of the way.

This requires you to do a little re-con work. Maybe you secret shop. Maybe you pay attention to their list of services. What I'm saying is, at least get a general awareness of who they are and what they're up to. I'm not suggesting you copy them - in fact, if you do, you're missing my point completely! But you should become aware of the differences between how they operate and how you do and be able to comfortably (and subtly!) work them into conversation and marketing materials every step of the way.

You should already be distinguishing yourself clearly and in a compelling way in each and every marketing and communications item you touch. But in case you haven't, use this competition coming around the corner as an inspiration to revisit, create stronger messages, and really close the deal.

If your press releases or website just say that you offer medical services or that you do home repairs or that you offer crafts through an online store, you are missing the point. What distinguishes you? At the same time, try not to overstate it. Don't oversell, ok? We all hear about "the best". The best burger. The best salon. The best shoes. Zzzzzzzz.

WHY are you the best? Give the nuances, help your readers connect the dots. If you're not sure how you're different, go old school and make yourself a chart. It's ok, I won't tell. But you need to know your differentiation points so that you can become confident about them, and excited about them. That is what will translate to your target customers and clients.

Ultimately, if you do this right, they'll really have no option but to go with you!

For a steady stream of business and marketing tips and strategies, come see us on Twitter, won't you?

SE-uh-oh: Why SEO Is Only Part of the Puzzle

2012-05-02T13:56:00.003-07:00

Did Google's latest algorithm changes put SEO on your mind? Or maybe you've heard that you should do it and aren't even entirely sure what it is.

SEO = Search Engine Optimization. So, simply put, you're finding tactics to make sure you come up higher in search engine (such as Google) rankings. Which is great. But be careful as you implement SEO that you are not sacrificing your branding or the user experience on your website to do it.

Branding requires you to create a clear message of what you are, what you do, why you do it better. If you brand well, the good news is people will probably come looking for you. They won't rely on typing in "good dentist San Diego", for example, because they will have already heard from friends and clients that you are the best, the most gentle, what have you.

But having that reinforcement of SEO is great. It's particularly useful for industries and companies whose clients don't rely on personal endorsements (example: while we take referrals from friends for doctors, great restaurants, or hair salons, where you buy your next lawn chair is slightly less sensitive). SEO can create opportunities for any business and smart SEO is a great tool to have within everything else you do marketing wise. But if you start with SEO without having taken time to think about your bigger business and brand strategy, you might be missing some of the key groundwork that will carry you for the long haul.

You will do your best work with an SEO specialist when you have thought about what your brand is (or what you want it to be) and can better direct their efforts to help you attract the ideal clients. How will you know which keywords to suggest if you haven't thought about what really sets you apart from someone else?

Pumping SEO into a site without overseeing the website for User Interface quality and that experience your visitor has on the website when they try clicking around is a no-no. If you get SEO-happy you could run the risk of your website becoming a nonsensical cluster of keywords ("keyword stuffing"is exactly why Google tweaked the algorithm), sometimes not even making sense (words being repeated 5x over just to make sure it's picked up on the engine).

Good news: a potential client has found you! Bad news: now they question your command of English!

SEO is a powerful tool, but needs to line up with your other strategies.
And you have other strategies, don't you? ;)

Choosing Your Weapons: Styles of Communication

2012-04-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

All communication is not equal. Depending on who's on the receiving end, if you choose the wrong method of communication, it may not even matter what you say.

We tend to focus so much on what we want to say and how we prefer to communicate. For example, I love sending emails, and I type quickly so a long email is no big thing for me. However, for other people, email is something they check only once or twice a day (vs. being chained to it, as I am). Or they don't like reading, so to read a one page email is overwhelming to them.

In order to be a strong communicator, which is key for business success, you have to remember that different people respond to different types of communication. For example, one person may prefer to receive emails, while another is better on the phone. As you bring a new client (or employee, or colleague) on board for collaboration, it's worth taking time to quickly find out (best method: just ask them) the best way to reach them (not to mention the best times). This will make your relationship much, much smoother.

This is a lesson learned long ago, when I worked with a CEO who seemed incapable of responding to emails in longer than two words. As a chattier person, I took this oh so personally. Didn't he care about the projects? If he did, wouldn't he communicate how I did? No, actually.

One day I asked him how he preferred to communicate and he said phone was always best for him and I could contact him any hour of the day. So he was reachable, but I had to call him! And it turns out he was a chatty guy as well. He had many insights to share, but he was a talker, not a writer. Recognizing this revolutionized how well we worked together.

~Do you ask people their preferred method of communication?

~Do you pay attention to people's communication patterns (method, timing) and try to accommodate them?

~Have you tried stepping out of your comfort zone to communicate the way they prefer?

Send us your stories!

Speaking With One Voice

2012-04-24T08:30:00.001-07:00

The other day I was talking with a client company's head executives. I let them know that things were underway on my projects with the project leaders and was just cc'ing them to say hello and keep them in the loop, but promised I wouldn't trouble them with further emails unless absolutely necessary.

Not a minute later, I had a reply from the CEO asking me to actually go ahead and cc them, no matter the issue.

At first, I was floored -- wasn't that a waste of their increasingly valuable time? Who in these days asks for more email? This organization is growing extremely fast. Does the CEO really have time to click through unnecessary emails?

She clarified: by cc'ing her and other key execs in, they could keep an eye on the tone and content of messages with additional or new parties that might become involved. This is how they ensure consistent messaging throughout their growth. It also enables them with the reflexes to react quickly if something written isn't quite on point. Simply put, it takes much less time for them to quickly flip through email messages than it does to do cleanup for messy or improper communications down the line.

I'm the last person to try and add to your email pile, but an important cost-benefit analysis was taking place here at their executive level: Given that they're in a sensitive industry and their funding depends upon the establishment and maintenance of strong relationships, they have made an extremely smart communication choice - the only one they can make, really. Speaking in a consistent, warm, and properly informed voice is a make-or-break issue for them, so constant oversight of the messages being sent on behalf of their organization is more than worth the minimal time investment by key leadership to scan emails being sent on their behalf. This has become so second-nature that the leadership incorporates it into their management tasks. To be clear, they don't usually reply to the conversations, because they usually don't have to. But if they did, they could.

Note: This isn't in the marketing department- this is an organization-wide policy!

Do you have a communications policy at your organization? Who is cc'd on emails? Is everyone clear on who should be involved in certain communications? Do they comply?

Do your co-founders, colleagues, or employees have a shared understanding of what the tone and content of your messages should be? Do they actively incorporate your organizations message into their work?

Do you renew the team's understanding of messaging as it might have grown or changed with time?

Getting Pinned: Pinterest 101 for Businesses

2012-04-13T12:58:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard about Pinterest already, you will. Maybe it'll sell for $1B to Facebook. But what is it? Let's talk about what it is, why it's hot, and what it can do for you and your business.

THE BASICS
Pinterest is a new app that allows you to create online scrapboards of imagery. It has quickly grown from a social media site where individuals "pin" images of their perfect wedding, their dream house, or vacation destinations into something much more specific, flexible, and exciting. As the content and formats available on the site develop, so will its uses. For now, I offer you a starter kit.

HOUSE RULES
There are a few things you need to remember before you get your Pinterest roaring:

*Know what you are pinning and who it belongs to.
Let's go ahead and highlight this: Please be absolutely vigilant about copyright law. There has been a lot of debate about the ethics of borrowing imagery from other people, but once you cross into business territory, people smell deep pockets. Take a moment (after this post) to read more about How to Protect Yourself On Pinterest in this great Mashable article.

*Create and offer as much of your own content as possible.
Pinterest is growing and thriving unlike any media before it because of the generosity of the participants who offer up imagery every day. While you will certainly be tempted to "repin" (read: snag from someone else and repost to your own bulletin board) items, try to offer some items people won't have seen before -- because they belong to you.

*Caption images.
When you are given the option to caption an image you personally own, consider adding your name/business, website, or other important info you would want the public to have. Note: if you do not own the image or have the right to use it in a business context, you should not put your personal information on it.

*Remember that it's a public site.
Once someone has a Pinterest account, it's a free-for-all. Currently, it is possible for random people to follow you, so don't put a picture of your kid up there if you're not comfortable with it. Likewise, continue to protect intellectual property (IP) or any other private matters with this in mind. If you wouldn't show it to a random stranger in the airplane seat next to you, don't post it.

*Offer informative captions.
When a pinner sees your item, will they know why you're putting it out there? Try to be helpful and descriptive. Hopefully your image will continue being repinned, so while you can't control edits future users might make to your caption, you can at least try to start with the important information.
Sample captions: "Sneak peek at our Spring 2012 line!" or "Proud to be celebrating our third anniversary with this client"

*If you are "repinning" an image, be sure to credit the original source.
I can't emphasize this enough: be extremely careful that you don't imply ownership of a "pin" by deleting the original ownership information. You want to boost your marketing reach, not get slapped with a lawsuit.

HOW YOU CAN AND SHOULD USE PINTEREST
The uses for Pinterest are as broad as the creativity of the person using it, but some basic starters would be:

Pinterest Uses for the Entrepreneur or Business Manager:
-offer business tips
-share inspirational quotes or videos
-post highlights & success stories

Pinterest Uses for a Business:
-connect with your users/fans/clients (don't just pin with them, interact and comment!)
-connect with colleagues
-sharing product images (if you're a restaurant, show dishes. A store - merchandise. A service provider- happy clients who embody what you're selling)
-brochures or other marketing collateral
-sharing the story behind your company
-maps (areas you serve, locations)
-success stories by you
-instructional videos
-instructional photos

Creative Business Marketing on Pinterest
-Create and nurture your own Pinterest community
Consider encourage people to start their own Pinterest board inspired by what you or your company do.   Example: One project I am involved with, fiftyfifty.me, encourages individual participants to compile photos from their individual efforts to read & watch films, and connect with one another to share what they've done.

Another example would be if you run a fitness studio, to encourage gym-goers to post their inspirational photos, quotes that get them going, the before-after pics they like, favorite exercise routines, etc.

If you run a cooking store, perhaps encourage your clients to start their own pages with recipes for favorite dishes, photos of their dream kitchen, etc. Using Pinterest can inspire your clients and target customers to use you more, so help remind them to do that. Pinterest can get them in the right frame of mind.

-Run Contests
Many companies have started offering contests and awarding people for repinning their imagery. This is a science still being perfected, but pay attention to promotions you see and note what resonates with you.

-Start a customer-driven gallery
Another idea would be to have people submit images online "Post pics of you wearing something you bought at our store!" You are focusing on the customers (and in social media, we all love focusing on ourselves) and yet the compilation of their content is a gallery about you, ultimately.

LAST THOUGHTS
The key with Pinterest (and most social media) is that it shouldn't be just about you. We live in a user-driven, community-thriving economy. So as you think of what will help you reach your goals (whether short-term or long-term) use the many tools (such as Pinterest) at your disposal to make it fun and interactive for your fans so they keep coming back for more. Share, interact, comment, and observe. Pinterest is the wild west of social media, so welcome to the new frontier.

More information about Pinterest to come, and feel free to send us your questions!

Why Your Logo Isn't Your Brand

2012-04-03T15:44:00.001-07:00

Bad news, kids: your logo isn't your brand.

This weekend I attended AIGA Y Conference (Y17). One of the first speakers, a name you probably recognize, Karim Rachid, immediately launched into logo vs. brand. He pointed out how so many companies start with logo, and that this is a misplaced focus (my words, not his, although I agree) because your brand isn't just what your logo looks like -- it's about your service, the customer experience. In some ways, he implied, maybe there shouldn't be logos anymore. Maybe you're misplacing your focus if you put more energy into your logo than into truly understanding what your brand means -- or should mean -- to people.

I can't count the number of times someone has come to me with a cute image, or even a not cute image that the spent serious time and money on. It's memorable, so they think they have "brand". They do not.

Brand is defined by the American Marketing Association as: Name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature... that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers.

I highlighted the important part in case you didn't catch it on your own. Great, you have a nice little design! But what does it mean to your customers or clients? And how does it make you different from other people? If you are putting more time and effort into a cute logo than you are putting into your business plans, determining what you stand for and how you deliver that, you are at sea without a rudder. A pretty boat, no rudder.

The best analogy I can give (especially for not being sports savvy myself) is that prioritizing your logo above your business strategy and development is the same as having beautiful, fancy football uniforms but hitting the field with no game plan.

A great brand can actually have little to do with design. Let's be clear here: great design helps a whole lot. Actually, working on logo is one of my favorite parts of developing a brand, but it can't come first. If you're doing a great job and your logo is typeface, your company will be ok. You have a fancy logo and it doesn't mean anything to anyone? You're sinking.

I'm going to go ahead and head off the comments we (read: brand/marketing strategy executives) get from clients (and laugh about at our little get-togethers):

"I want to be like Apple!"

Ah, love this one. And I can't even count on my little hands how many times I've heard it. Sure, deliver superior product design, product operation, and above and beyond customer service, and I"ll see what I can do for you. Oh, and of course that multimillion dollar budget they had to put behind an apple logo every year in order to eventually make it a household name?

Apple is an incredible brand, but it's not what the average business should begin aiming for. It's misplaced and you'll miss the opportunity to create your own mark. Also, as a result of the apple, sometimes businesses mistakenly think that if they pick something unusual as a logo they will be more memorable -- this is hit or miss. When you choose your name/logo, have a good reason for doing it. And please, for the love, do not have this reason be only because you want to be like Apple.

Am I going to be popular for posting this? Probably not. (The irony that it's being written on my MacBook over my AirPort network with my trusty iPhone at my side is not lost on me.)

You have worked hard to create your business and your identity. Don't worry who you want to be like, blaze your own path. But attachment to logo (or even brand name) can be problematic and stand in the way of your long-term growth. Focus first on what you are, how you deliver that, and how you blow everyone else out of the water.

The logo will come.

The Messages You Leave: Phoning It In

2012-03-27T12:40:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I realized it was time to clear out my voicemail. You know how it is: because the same few people tend to call us repeatedly, it gets to the point where you can imitate what they sound like when they leave a message as you are listening to it. Which made me wonder - how do you sound when you leave a message?

TIPS FOR LEAVING A VOICEMAIL

*Beyonce says: Say your name, say your name.
Unless you're leaving a message for close family or a best friend, assume nothing.

*Leave your number.
This is my all-time favorite tip, because it's so idiotic that it needs to be reiterated. (No one is perfect- I left a message today with no number. However, that was calculated.)

*Tell them the best time to reach you.
I have yet to meet someone who enjoys a game of phone tag. Consider taking the conversation to another medium (i.e. email or a meeting) if you have become stuck in the vortex of phone tag.

*If there is a time frame for response, state it.
Are you on a deadline or is this a social call? Be direct and compelling. "It would be great if we could speak before my 3pm meeting today." We are all busy and if you give people a (justified) reason to prioritize you, maybe they will.

TIPS FOR YOUR OUTGOING VOICEMAIL

*Script before you record. And listen before you accept.
If I never hear a phone hitting the desk or a cough or background noise again, it will be too soon. People are going to hear this message time and again, so your recording is worth the 5 minutes it might take you to get it right.

*Make sure your message is clear.
My sister does a funny impression of a company in Rhode Island whose outgoing message was disastrously accented. If someone is laughing, they might not hear the prompts that follow. If needed, have someone else leave your outgoing message. This is commonly done by executives who want to demonstrate that they have personal assistants who are given tasks such as, well, recording their voicemail.

*State hours of operation and time zone, if applicable.

*Include a website if appropriate.
Do you get a lot of calls just fishing for information? While it's great to connect with prospective clients and customers directly, you may be able to head off the questions that waste your time by saying, "Until then, for more information, please visit us on the web..."

*If you don't return calls, say that.
Some businesses stink at clearing out messages and returning calls. Prefer for someone to call you back? Realize you may not always get the call again, but go ahead and say it in the message, "This machine does not accept messages- please call back tomorrow." I had a doctor's office with that outgoing message. While not entirely convenient to patients, it was efficient for them, and their policy was clear to us. I have heard executives' voicemail say to email them, and friends' messages say to text them if you've reached this voicemail.

*Use the "voice" of your business.
If your business is fun and whimsical, feel free to make your message the same. We're all used to same old same old, so why not mix it up? Make sure that the message you choose resonates with your brand. If you're a lawyer and can sing, good for you, no one cares.

Missing Link: Why Your LinkedIn Profile Matters & What To Do About It

2012-03-15T16:45:00.003-07:00

Recently LinkedIn announced that it will be adding a "follow" feature, where users can follow their favorite companies or brands. Twitter and Facebook offer these features, and "The World's Largest Professional Network" is now the latest to join the movement.

Great! A follow button.
But is your company something worth following?

I have been surprised by how many professionals I know (and respect!) are not yet using LinkedIn, or have a halfhearted profile that they filled out one day and have since forgotten about. Even if you don't use LinkedIn yourself, now's the time to realize that many people do. LinkedIn show up high on Google searches for your name; someone who may be interested in working with you or your business may come across it when doing a little cyber-digging. Is what they find on your LinkedIn profile reassuring to them?

If you are a solo professional (example: a small practice, a doctor, a dentist, and so on) this becomes even more important, because you and your business are one and the same. I have noticed many professionals being concerned with Yelp reviews, while they have no awareness of how they come across (or don't) on LinkedIn. In order to have a comprehensive online presence, I highly recommend a LinkedIn page you have spent time developing. The first day of spring is coming, so why not spring clean your LinkedIn profile?

Take a look at your LinkedIn profile now:

*Does it call attention to the most important facts about you?
Consider using a "Summary" section up top to highlight your "elevator pitch" (read: the short version) of you. If they were introducing you at the Oscars, what would you need them to say? Put that up there, your highlights, your Hall of Fame.

*Is your job history up-to-date?
A complete list of your previous employers isn't the same thing because unfortunately most of us are still psychic. Every day you are doing new tasks and learning new skills at work - be sure that your bio is up-to-the moment reflective of what you are capable of doing and providing to others. More than caring where you worked (although it matters), people reading your profile want to know what you can do.

*Is someone vouching for you?
I know you love your family, but someone with the last name doesn't count as much as a previous client, a colleague, or a boss. Your online profile says what you say you can do- an endorsement is someone else agreeing. Don't be afraid to ask for recommendations; if appropriate, consider offering them a recommendation first to get the ball rolling.

*Do you highlight unique skills?
What sets you apart? Is it apparent from your profile? Do you have language skills or other abilities worth calling out?

*Are you connected?
I can guess how many unanswered connection requests are in your inbox (we're all guilty). Take a moment to go through and add people who have for one reason or another reached out to you. Not sure where to start? Feel free to add me: http://www.linkedin.com/in/lillyghahremani

*Have you joined alumni or affiliate groups?
Is your community reflected on your profile? (Note: this is how you use LinkedIn to network) Before adding the group, think about whether it could, for any reason, hinder your business. You are who you hang with.

*Do people know how to find you?
Be sure your contact information (including email) is current. LinkedIn allows you to provide links to your personal website and even Twitter account now. Where applicable, load 'em up!

Bonus Round:
If your business is on LinkedIn and you're excited about the new "Follow" feature - make sure you post enough to keep your followers interested, but not so much that they unfollow you. You want people to be interested when they see that you have a new post; if you flood them with messages, links, status updates -- no surprise, they'll tune you out. It's like scoring an own goal in a soccer game. Bad form, so unnecessary, and something you can't really win back.

In the rush of media that we get in our daily lives, people are looking for a reason to let you go. Don't give it to them. More on that in a future post.

Lucky 13 Strategies offers resume audits and LinkedIn assistance as part of its branding and communications services. Have a question we didn't answer here? Let us know. We'll be posting much more on the topic of LinkedIn and how you can use its many features to support your growing business or career. Stay tuned and...

Happy cleaning!

The Danger Zone: Work Texting. Don't Be a Victim!

2012-02-23T07:35:00.000-08:00

Perhaps there is no bigger blessing and curse in our life than the rise of texting. On the upside, it has spared us awkward phone calls, given us the ability to multitask during a boring meeting, and minimized our need to send lengthy emails. How has this affected our communication at work?

I first faced this issue a few years ago, when I began working with a young CEO who would often miss calls -- but text back. A boss texting? Could it be? What a cool guy! I was surprised to see that a convenience that seemed to have developed for social speed was being used for work purposes. And then I started getting texts at 6am. And 10pm. And 11pm. And... you get the idea.

Texting at work...convenient? Sometimes. Dangerous? Absolutely. Texting at work brings with it all the inconveniences and quirks it brings to our personal lives- and then magnifies them. I know better than to assume you'll stop texting altogether, so here is:

Damage Control For The Top 5 Dangers of Work-Texting

1) GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Problem:
How you reacted, i.e. when you texted your boss or client back just set the parameters for that leash around your neck. What's one 9pm text?, you ask. I'll tell you: it's a sign to the other person. Once you do something, it resets the bar for what that person will expect from you- so, in this case, the next time that person texts you at 9pm, they will wonder why they didn't get a response. Perhaps your being available to clients constantly is part of your allure, you say! Well don't make it part of your allure. Yes, be available consistently to them, absolutely. But consistently and constantly aren't the same thing. Maybe it doesn't seem like a problem now, maybe he/she doesn't overuse the privilege- but one day they might, and you are likely to snap or ignore it, to equal consequences.

Solution:
Now, I have no problem with creating expectations. In fact, if you're building a strong personal or business brand, you should be creating expectations: expectations that you'll deliver top-notch work. The problem arises when you create an expectation that you, much like 7-11, are accessible 24 hours a day. And maybe you are, but if so, we should probably talk about how it's affecting (read: ruining) your personal life.

If you are not an ObGyn or a firefighter, I really can't think of a reason you shouldn't have the privacy of a few hours of the day to yourself.

It is absolutely fair to tell people that it's important to you to be 100% focused on your work when you're doing or discussing it, so you are available from 8am to 7pm, and not later (for example). While it won't necessarily be an easy thing for you to bring up, you must be preemptive on this! I have colleagues who, similarly, only respond to email during certain time slots during the day. Other people only answer their phone at certain times. We need to create similar texting habits off the bat.

So, to recap: it's fine to use text for your convenience, but you need to set clear limits on when you will be responding. Once your boss-colleague (or hey, girlfriend) gets used to you answering within 10 minutes of any given text, the one time you take a couple of hours to do so... looks really bad. Ignore this suggestion and someday you, too, will wake up to 5am texts and receive 11pm closing thoughts from colleagues. Just don't go there. I've been there, and it ain't pretty.

Caveat: The Company Phone
This gets tricky because your phone may be provided to you by work (can I get an "Amen" from the lawyers in the house?) Setting limits is still appropriate in this case, and the earlier the better. Decide your limits before you ever accept the phone, and articulate your boundaries clearly and politely. If you are responsive during the hours you have said you are available for work-related items, you'll be in the clear.

But remember: you can't have it both ways! If you are going to limit when you respond to texts from work then you'll need to be equally careful not to use corporate phones for your personal needs. If you draw the lines, draw them straight across.

2) ILL COMMUNICATION

Problem:
We all break up the day with light, fun, social texts with friends or family. Hey, maybe you live on the edge and sext - that's your business. But send it to the wrong person and it suddenly becomes their business. If you're 99% of people, at some point you have sent a casual or informal or off-color text to make a friend laugh or to comment on something that required context. Maybe you snapped a funny picture of something in front of you on the street. The point is, send it to the boss or a client and Houston, we have a problem! Actually, you have a problem.

Solution:
Even if it takes a few extra seconds, check each and every time that you are sending your text to the right person. Otherwise "Ugh, my client is such a pain in the..." could be pinged to the wrong person. Don't become a cautionary tale. I don't want you to appear in a thinly-veiled anecdote in this blog any more than you want to be here. It will take a lot less time to double-check who you're texting to (the same way we do with email!) than it will for you to grovel and undo the damage you caused by an overenthusiastic pressing of "send".

3) ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A THIRD GRADER?

Problem:
Many people have taken to casual language in texting. LOL is the bane of my existence, for example. These days many people who are not Prince use "U" instead of "you" - I guess the extra two letters are just too strenuous for them to type. Unless your clientele is 11 year olds (granted, it could be), this is unprofessional. Every time you send a text you are displaying your communication skills, and the message you're sending with adolescent abbreviations is that you incapable of writing in the full sentences the rest of America uses. The result is that you will chip away at your professionalism. Maybe when you have a full keyboard you write briefs worthy of the greatest courts in the land, but when you send texts saying "C U AT LUNCH" you look less than eloquent.

Solution:
Keep up your standards. The fact is, while texts are more casual, your clients-colleagues-boss-targets are still observing how you carry yourself and how you communicate from every angle. You don't need to use SAT vocabulary in your texts, but basic professionalism will always make you look good, so why skimp? I encourage you to distinguish your texting "voice" from that of, say, your 9 year old. Don't assume your receiver knows the abbreviations.

And hear me now: there is no situation in which you should be "ROFL" or "LMFAO" in a work text. None. Unless you just quit and sent it to your boss. Then, maybe.

4) SECOND (THINK) THAT EMOTI(C)ON

Solution:
I'm going straight to the solution on this one: Emoticons are a no-no. If you feel they are absolutely necessary (I, for one, will be dependent upon them until someone develops a "sarcasm" font), then use them sparingly. Same with excessive punctuation (!!!!!!!). And foul language. A quick test you can run: If you weren't going to be there to explain your text to a third party, would you be OK if the recipient forwarded it? If not, revise!

5) WHO CAN IT BE NOW?

As my parting gift to you, I'm going to give you a tip so basic that I guarantee you half the people reading this post have made this mistake. (Heck, I have.) When you text someone on a work-related item, particularly if you are the one initiating a text and you are not in the daily habit of texting with this person, do them courtesy of stating who you are. Not doing so is the equivalent of someone leaving you a voicemail but no name. Don't do that. It is better to be redundant than to leave them wondering and inspired to delete your message. Because while we have our client phone numbers written across our metaphorical hearts, the truth is we may not have programmed them into our digital hearts just yet.

While we're on the subject of cell phone etiquette, check out this hilarious video by the gentlemen over at Fog and Smog: Please Put Your Phone Down

Is Facebook Right For Your Business? The Litmus Test in 3 Questions

2012-02-13T09:09:00.000-08:00

One of the first questions clients will ask me about their marketing strategy is whether they should have a Facebook page. My answer, which may surprise some, is not always "yes".

Facebook is a wonderful social media tool, and it's free! We love free! But the simple fact is that it's not for everybody. When should you plant your flag on Facebook? Some factors to consider:

Question 1: Do you have a secret?

Sounds scandalous! If you have that kind of secret Facebook is probably the least of your problems. More to my point: are you ready for the public eye?

One company I work with was developing technology for a fun social app. But they were mid-registration, hadn’t yet launched the product in the public space – they were still tweaking the code and handling a few other important housekeeping measures. So for them, jumping on Facebook would have been a flat-out mistake that early in the game. Yes, by putting themselves on Facebook they would have been gaining a few hundred fans, but at the risk of exposing their IP before it was well-protected.

As with every decision you make at your business, consider the costs versus the benefits before creating an account that shines the public spotlight on you and what you’re doing. Ask yourself whether you’re truly ready to walk the cyber catwalk of Facebook just yet.

Question 2: Do you have the resources to fully participate in Facebook?

Social media is not just about staking your claim to cyber real estate. Social media depends upon an unwritten agreement to participate in a social circle that has been created. So before you create a Facebook page, you owe it to yourself and everyone else on Facebook to determine whether you have – or are willing to commit – the resources to not only update the page but interact with customers... or will you just be taking up space?

The best social media evolves for businesses when they are able to strengthen brand by interacting positively with their customers online. If you set up a page just to plant your flag in the Facebook space, people will notice. Don’t believe me? Time for a cautionary tale:

Katy Goshtasbi, is CEO of Puris Image, a personal brand consulting firm in Southern California. Katy’s work with her clients, who are often high-level executives in various organizations, can often involve her reviewing their personal brand through the lens of how they dress. She noticed she had created a habit of taking clients over and again to Stein Mart, where she often found what she needed to complete a client's image.

So Katy took to Stein Mart's Facebook page. They have a page, so they must care about interacting with their loyal client, no? Emphasis on “no”. Katy tells me:

My clients spend on average $500-$2000 per trip AND always go back for more. So last year, I started posting my success stories on the Stein Mart FB page and asked to speak to their marketing person (on their FB page). They completely ignored me! Not even a FB posting of "Thanks”…

When Stein Mart created a Facebook page indicating they wanted to interact with customers and then not actually doing so, they loss some of the good faith you'd like a customer to have in you. What sort of business has a FB page but doesn’t respond to fan letters? Not a good one, that’s for sure. Be a good one!

Question 3: Is Facebook right for your type of business?

While you’re hearing that “eeeeeeveryone” is on Facebook, that’s not entirely true. For some offices or types of businesses it just might not make sense to create a page; in other cases it might be downright tacky. If you run an STD testing service, chances are your clients are gonna be a little shy about giving you the thumbs up on the same page where they swap messages with Aunt Jane. I'll go out on a limb here and say I doubt many mortuaries are trying to curry your favor on the site where you go to get away from it all in the middle of a workday.

Caveat: Some organizations aren't concerned with market demographics - they consciously use Facebook as a billboard. They know that, with great dedication, they can use it to build general awareness. This is not problematic so long as you are vigilant throughout your marketing strategy that you’re using your time and resources in the best way for your business. You can have the best, most active Facebook page and 1 Million teenage fans, but if you’re a government contractor, you may be spinning your wheels and losing valuable time. Ultimately, your marketing strategy needs to invest in whatever will pay your bills.

Before I let this point go, I should say that Facebook could be even more useful than you realize at first. A senior care supply company might think 90 year olds aren’t trawling Facebook to “like” their latest post— and they'd be right. But a presence on Facebook would impotantly raise awareness with the children or caretakers of your target audience, who are often in fact the decision makers.

This is why it's important to be thoughtful about what your approach is before making decisions one way or another. Don't just get on Facebook to say you have a page.

Pass Go: Times to Use Facebook, Regardless --

    1) To grab your URL; if your plans down the line will allow you to meet the time and energy requirements
    2) If you will be using other tools within Facebook and want to anchor them to a page on Facebook
        Examples:
                      -You have an event coming up
                      -You are establishing a location for "check ins"
                      -You want fans, clients, and success stories to be able to share images
    3) If you have an intern and need to keep them busy!

Where Facebook is freely available and offers so many dynamic services within its setup, it's tempting to dive in. You owe it to your company's long-term health and brand integrity to take a thoughtful approach to your media strategy. The simple rule: Only step in when and if you will be able to put your best foot forward.

Writing A Mass Email Plea That Your Friends Won't Hate

2012-02-02T11:04:00.000-08:00

It's a new year, and you've set some lofty goals for acquiring new clients and business, right?... Right?!

It's been a month, so if you haven't done it already, now is the time to sit down and make sure your social circles know where you're trying to go this year. I suggest doing this by sending an email to your friends, family, and colleagues letting them know how they can support you in 2012. Now, we walk a fine line with this- do it the right way and you might find that the people in your address book are your biggest supporters, they just needed to know how to help. Do it the wrong way (read: photos, poetry, anything awkward or begging) and you will be in the category otherwise reserved for boring Christmas family newsletters.

It is completely appropriate to keep in touch with your friends about your career developments (in moderation, of course). By doing so you can avoid the Chandler Bing/Friends scenario where you have a friend for X number of years but absolutely no idea what they do for a living. Don't be Chandler! It is incredibly hard to network if people don't even know where you go in the morning.

So when you send that email out, think carefully about it. Focus in on the major points they need to know about what you are trying to accomplish, and help them understand what their role can be, if they so choose. Do NOT send the email out until you have run through this checklist:

1) Keep it brief. Your friends have the choice of checking Facebook for the third time this morning or reading your email... why not make that decision easy for them? If they see a longwinded email coming up on their Blackberry, they will save it for later, and we all know "later" usually means "oh, never".

If you make it short and sweet (and ideally engaging, funny...), they won't mind taking a break to read it in the middle of the workday. Make it memorable and they're that much more likely to do whatever you're requesting, whether it's referring you clients, "like"ing your company's facebook page, or attending an event you have coming up. Make it authentic to you and the communications they usually receive from you.

2) Use subheadings. Let people skip to the information they want. Bonus points if you make the subheadings interesting. ("Why I Will Name My Firstborn After You", "Three Steps To Securing Sainthood")

3) Assure them. Is there anything you need to assure them about? Perhaps they need to know that you won't use their information or personal contacts inappropriately. Or maybe you just need remind them that they don't have to worry about getting spammed by you on this topic, that this is a one-off email to get you going for the year. I suggest avoiding blackmail if possible.

4) Try to avoid duplication and 'reply all's. These are two top pet peeves for people. Reply all can be avoided by bcc'ing the parties you're sending to. cc openly at your own peril.

As for duplicate emails, now is the time to clean up your mailing list. If you send the email, however compelling, and they get it 3 times, they might delete it out of irritation and not even get to reading it. I'm guilty of doing this, and you probably are too. It's a silly error in etiquette and so avoidable - so avoid it! Make sure your mailing batches are clear before you press send even once. (You're only sending in batches of 20 people because you know to avoid spam filters... right?!)

5) Connect the dots. Be specific, and make it easy for them to help do what you're asking them to do. This is the most important thing. There may be 100 things your friends and associates could do to help you get ahead in the coming year, in fact, you're an entrepreneur, so there probably are. But don't be like the kid who got granted 3 wishes and tried to wish for 1 million more wishes. Don't be greedy. I suggest you hone in on 3-5 clearly defined actions that can be done easily ("Please forward this email to anyone who might find it useful", "Please follow me on Twitter", "Please add me on LinkedIn"). You added "Please" to your requests, right? Because you're polite.

Let them know why you're sending the email and what's in it for them (or their friends). It's helpful to acknowledge gratitude in advance, and prepare them for any rewards they might receive. Failing a proper reward system, a nod to good karma will usually do the trick!

Good luck, and may the powers of the original social networking be on your side!

What NOT To Do With Your Exhibit Booth: Lessons from CES

2012-01-17T23:51:00.000-08:00

Last week I attended International CES in Las Vegas, where 2700 tech exhibitors come and show their stuff to 153,000 people in attendance. I had never been to CES before and was looking forward to walking the floor.

However, it quickly became apparent to me that I wouldn't learn so much about technology as I would what (not) to do if you want to stand out at a marketing event.

***

DO:

Clearly state what your company does.

Sounds obvious, right? Apparently not so much to the 2700 exhibitors at CES this year.

Talk about good signage!

Cute as your name might be, someone walking a busy conference floor needs a reason to be pulled over. And unless you have a booth attraction or celebrity (more on that in a bit), you need to be clear about what that reason is. Let me repeat: there is no time to play coy at crowded events- be direct about what you do and what your message is. For the avoidance of doubt, your company name on a banner alone is not going to cut it 99% of the time.

3D TV- no glasses needed! So... who are they?

As an aside: use common sense. The example above was a fascinating 3D TV company; their TV required none of those 3D glasses all hate. Brilliant, right? Well they put a sign up right next to the tv, but I can't see the name, and you probably can't either. Later I noticed they had hung their name on a banner suspended high on a wall. I'm gonna go ahead and guess that most of the women and half the international visitors weren't tall enough to notice it was there. The name escapes me, so while this was a cool product, I could never repeat it. Opportunity lost.

DON'T:

Mistake chaos with successful publicity.

I'd like to draw your attention to the Tosy booth at CES. Do you know who Tosy is? I didn't either.

What I did know, however, was that they had hired Justin Bieber to be at their booth to promote a robot. I was intrigued- what could this robot possibly be? A few executives I was with were interested as well, so we crossed the entire convention center and arrived at the Tosy booth. After journeying far and wide, I can tell you this: they had clearly spent their money on hiring the Biebs, not on booth location- they were tucked in a far back row. So was it worth it?

Well, it looked like this when we arrived:

Tosy booth at CES. And the Beliebers.

What do you see? Do you see a robot? Me neither.

What I saw was mostly a group of women with phones, meaning that they had successfully lured Bieber fans. But possibly not robot fans. In fact, I never saw the robot.

Given the throng of Beliebers, I couldn't even see him. People were walking up, becoming frustrated with the crowd, snapping a picture of Justin or the mob, and shrugging then leaving. That is what I call an epic failure. Sure, we all heard "Tosy", some of us for the first time, and we associate them with star power, but we have no freaking clue what they promote. To me, their brand is now "teenybopper, overly interested in razzle dazzle, chaos". Probably not what they intended. If you ask me, that's a backfire.

Make your booth engaging or this will be the result.

DON'T:

Let one person monopolize your attention or your booth.

Although we weren't there for video games, some execs and I walked by a booth that was selling rifles for video game play. The guys I was with were interested and wanted to try it out, intending to buy a few to take home. But the sales guy didn't even look up at them; meanwhile, he let two gentlemen hog the accessory for 10 minutes as we just stood there. Bad booth etiquette. You are totally hedging your bets on the client in front of you when you haven't even taken a moment to find out who the other person is - or to acknowledge them. Not just bad etiquette, but a step toward bad branding.

DON'T:

Block your own signage.

Do I really need to advise you of this? Apparently so.

Sony's booth was organized by category- good!

Let's cover this again: You paid for it [your sign], so make sure it is visible! I noticed, especially toward the end of the conference, some reps getting lazy and leaning back against the wall in conversation. The result was that people walking by (read: me) couldn't see anything and might as well have walked by a blank booth.

BONUS ROUND: QUICK BOOTH TIPS

If your booth is huge, it may make sense to break it into subsections so people can find what they're looking for. Sony did this, and it led to a better flow of traffic than some other spaces.

Canon booth: pretty with room to breathe - good!

Make it pretty. It doesn't have to be a decor or women's conference. If you're at a technical or medical conference and you have an attractive, well-designed booth, you will stand out, because a lot of people in those industries might make the mistake of thinking you don't have to care. But you always do. Look at how Canon used their booth to create a beautiful photo walkway. It created a tranquil space in the middle of chaos, and focused on "pretty" rather than "psychofuturistictech". It stood out.

Leave people room to walk through your booth. Some booths are so jam-packed that there's no room to explore. You need to create traffic flow. A few browsers makes a booth inviting -- if it's empty, people will figure there's a reason. If it's packed, people won't bother. Hit the middle ground.

Be welcoming to everyone; you never know who you're dealing with. One gadget company had a beautiful booth with lots of intriguing trinkets - we got closer and one of the businessmen I was with picked one up and examined it. Out of nowhere, one of the booth attendants lunged at him with: "You have to be careful with it!" Now, little did he know he was talking to the CEO of a tech company. My friend's jeans, button-down, and youthful face betrayed him. (Not that this behavior would be acceptable in any case) But the point is- you don't know who you're talking to, so make sure your booth staff are trained well and represent your company properly. An additional point would be- um, if you're that nervous about your product, it doesn't inspire confidence in a buyer!

And there you have what you really need to know about CES 2012!

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