Writing A Press Release – Advanced Tips

Rick Sloboda

In addition to the basic tips for writing a press release listed above, you can apply these advanced tips to further increase your press release’s exposure on the Web:

• Include keywords that editors, reporters, and bloggers might use to search for story ideas online. Research your keywords using a free tool like Google Adwords.
• Place your keywords in the areas most likely to be scanned by search engines, such as headlines and subheads.
• Include relevant links within the text for the editor, blogger, or reader to find out more information, if desired.
• Craft your headline with social media networking in mind. If your story is posted with a Twitter account, for example, the headline must fit within the 140-character limit. Also keep in mind, however, that there must be room for the story URL, and the Twitter user’s @name within these 140 characters.
• Familiarize yourself with specifications of online news aggregators, such as Google News, which requires headlines to be between a minimum of two words in length, to a maximum of 22 for proper indexing.
• Post your press release on your own website for additional exposure.

Strive to make your press release as ready as possible for easy dissemination through a wide variety of online channels, but ensure that you’ve double and triple checked it. If you’ve done your job well, your story could take on a life of its own online, and you’ll want to ensure the message that goes ‘viral’ is one you can be proud of.

Distributing Your Press Release

Traditionally, press releases have been distributed via snail mail, fax and email. In the interest of saving trees, a simple email, either sent individually, or using a mass email program, and follow up call can suffice.

To build your media contacts list, visit newspaper and magazine websites and look for a ‘Contact Us’ or ‘Masthead’ section. Most will include individual reporter and editor names, sections, email addresses and phone numbers. You can build your list according to the type of audience you want to reach, and have phone numbers ready to follow up after sending your release. Keep in mind that some magazines plan the stories they’re going to run months in advance, while newspapers tend to have stories assigned by the end of the week. If these specifics are not listed on their websites, try doing some good old-fashioned telephone research.

When emailing, include the press release content in the body of the email, in addition to attaching a PDF, in case the recipient is wary of opening attachments from unknown sources. Include your carefully crafted, eye-catching headline in the subject line.

For maximum online exposure, you can also submit your press release to a wire service. There are several wire services available at different prices (some at no cost) that allow you to specify which industries you want to reach. Some options include:

• Marketwire
• PR Web
• PR Newswire
• Business Wire

If you use one of these services, be sure to pay attention to their specific press release formatting requirements.

Measuring The Results of Your Press Release

The success of your press release can be measured in many ways, including the number of resulting print or online stories, the number of times your press release has been viewed, or how much additional traffic is driven to your website. Most online wire services display how many views each press release receives, and direct website traffic can be measured using tools, such as Google Analytics.

By learning how to combine traditional press release writing and distribution techniques with new ones customized for digital media, you’re on your way to taking advantage of the cost-effective marketing potential of the almighty press release.

Rick Sloboda is a Senior Web Copywriter at Webcopyplus, which helps designers and businesses boost online traffic, leads and sales with optimized web content. Clients range from independent retailers to some of the world’s largest service providers, including AT&T (formerly Cingular), Quest Diagnostics and Scotia Bank. Rick advocates clear, concise and objective website content that promotes readability and usability, and conducts web content studies with organizations in Europe and the U.S., including Yale University. He speaks frequently at web-related forums and seminars, including Small Business BC, Content Convergence & Integration, SUCCESS and HRMA. Rick also serves as a consultant to various organizations, such as the Web Development Advisory Committee at Vancouver, B.C.’s Langara College.

Rick Sloboda

A great press release can go along way in terms of gaining virtually free publicity for your business, especially in an increasingly digital media environment.

Learning to combine old tricks and new in your press release composition and distribution can help you leverage the power of both traditional media outlets, such as newspapers and magazines, and newer ones, such as blogs and social media networks, to effectively get your message to your target markets.

What Has Changed?

A press release is defined as ‘a written or recorded communication directed at members of the news media for the purpose of announcing something claimed as having news value’ (Wikipedia). 

Traditionally, when public relations and marketing professionals disseminated press releases to news media, that meant sending them to specific news editors and reporters via mail, fax, or email to consider running the story in print, or more recently, online.

However, as our focus increasingly shifts from print to digital, the role of mass media gatekeeper, normally reserved for editors and reporters, has expanded to include bloggers and regular Internet users who like to share stories they deem newsworthy with their friends and followers on social media sites. Public relations professionals must consider the power these new gatekeepers can have in propelling a story or brand message, since social networks can reach a large number of people if the story they post goes ‘viral’, or rapidly spreads across the Internet through endless networks of users.

As the PR landscape changes, certain techniques can help maximize exposure in this new landscape. For example, since online press releases are indexed by search engines, keyword optimization is a smart move. According to Melanie Waldmann, Social Media and Search Marketing Manager at Marketwire, 75% of public relations professionals now use keyword placement in their press releases. Releases can also be formatted with specific social media sites in mind, like Twitter, for instance, where headlines must fit within the 140-character status update limit.

Writing a Press Release – Basic Tips

Though the press release has evolved to adapt to the increasingly digital world, some essential elements remain the same. Following are some basic tips for writing traditional press releases that have stood the test of time:

• Write your press release like a news story, with all the most important information (who, what, when, where, why) in the beginning (inverted pyramid). The less an editor has to change, the more likely your press release will be printed as is.

Example:

Poll: Internet Users Place More Weight on Web Design 

Vancouver, B.C., June 3, 2009 — The demand for good web design is increasing, reveals a recent Webcopyplus online poll. Almost 25% of web users indicated “poor visual presentation” is the number one element that drives them away from websites.

• Find a unique angle that makes your story newsworthy. For example, tie it to a recent event that made headlines or an upcoming holiday. Or, if your story has an unusual element, highlight it (e.g. ‘first ever,’ or ‘record breaking’).
• Make your press release short; one page is ideal. News editors don’t have a lot of time to sift through long releases, and studies have shown that the average consumer of Internet content has an online attention span of just a few seconds.
• Use widely understood terms to reach a wider audience.
• Specify release date (immediate, or delayed) and ensure the timing is relevant.
• Keep your release factual and avoid fluffy, sales-type writing.
• Include quotes from authority figures, including sources within your company.
• Include a call to action along with all the necessary information needed to act (e.g. enter a contest, visit a website, etc.).
• Include a boilerplate at the end of the release. A boilerplate includes information about the source of the release that can be reused for subsequent releases. It should include basic company information and where the reader can go for further details on the company.

Example:

About Webcopyplus 

Webcopyplus is a Vancouver, Canada-based web copywriting firm that helps designers and businesses increase online traffic, leads and sales with optimized web content. Clients range from independent designers to international service providers, including AT&T, Scotia Bank and 1-800-Got-Junk. 

For more information, please contact:

[PR contact information]

Visit tomorrow to read Part 2 of Optimizing Your Press Release.

Rick Sloboda is a Senior Web Copywriter at Webcopyplus, which helps designers and businesses boost online traffic, leads and sales with optimized web content. Clients range from independent retailers to some of the world’s largest service providers, including AT&T (formerly Cingular), Quest Diagnostics and Scotia Bank. Rick advocates clear, concise and objective website content that promotes readability and usability, and conducts web content studies with organizations in Europe and the U.S., including Yale University. He speaks frequently at web-related forums and seminars, including Small Business BC, Content Convergence & Integration, SUCCESS and HRMA. Rick also serves as a consultant to various organizations, such as the Web Development Advisory Committee at Vancouver, B.C.’s Langara College.

Buying a franchise can be a smart way to open your own business without many of the pitfalls that come with starting from scratch. Successful franchises – Tim Hortons and Canadian Tire are two of the most well-known – offer you the independence of running your own business day-to-day while benefitting from:

· The franchisor’s recognized brand

· The franchisor’s established business system

· The power that comes from the franchisor being able to buy for a large group of franchisees.

Of course, there is a price tag associated with these benefits, including an initial franchise fee – which can sometimes be pricey – as well as regular contributions for advertising and media buying.

Vancouver-based franchise lawyer, Tony Wilson offers some tips if you’re considering buying a franchise as a way to start a business:

1. It’s not your brand: You’re not really buying but rather renting or leasing the franchisor’s name and know-how for the period of the agreement. If you walk away from the business in the future, all rights revert to the franchisor.

2. Due diligence: Just as you might speak to the neighbours before you buy a house, contact other franchisees in the system you’re considering buying into and ask if they’re satisfied, if they’re making money and if they would do it again.

3. Check the numbers: Carefully read all financial and other information from the franchisor and be sure to speak to your lawyer. Remember, these documents, even if they’re completely legitimate, are written for the franchisor’s benefit.

4. Don’t keep it in the family: Limit your exposure by avoiding entering an agreement where both you and your spouse have to guarantee the contract. It will only mean both of you can be sued if the business fails.

5. Follow your passion: Find a franchise that’s challenging, exciting and that you think you’ll enjoy being a part of.

You’ll find some fantastic franchising resources at inc.com, click here for a useful checklist of questions you should ask before buying a franchise and remember to visit the Canadian Franchise Association too.

By Will Dylan

As a small business owner looking to give your marketing a gigantic boost through PR activities that will score valuable publicity for your business, there’s one question that you’ll definitely encounter: where do the ideas come from to help you catch a reporter’s attention?

The usual advice often doesn’t cut it…

The usual advice on press releases is to announce things like new products, significant company events, and so on. Sound advice, but have you seen how many news releases are issued every day? Your 10th anniversary or new product isn’t likely to drive much coverage for you (unless the product is truly revolutionary).

If you want an endless supply of ideas, you need to stop thinking about what you are doing, and start thinking about what your customers are doing.

“Sell the Story, not the Store”

The old saw in the PR business is, “sell the story, not the store.” Look at what your customers are doing, how their lives are changing, and what that means to your business. Share that story with a reporter and position yourself as an expert in your field.

A great example…

The owner of a local maid service cashed in on some significant publicity for her small business by identifying a customer trend and sharing it with a reporter.

She noticed that, in her local market, she was seeing an increase in the number of residential households hiring her maids to clean their house once a week. Of particular interest was the fact that these were modest homes, usually owned by a typical suburban family with one or two kids, often with dual-income parents.

In asking some of her clients about their reasons for hiring her company, she found that “time” was at the top of the list; they wanted more time with their families and found that with their busy lifestyles, hiring a maid was one way to spend less time working around the house and more time doing things as a family. So, despite the added cost, these families found it worthwhile to pay for someone to clean their home.

The result…

The owner emailed a local reporter and highlighted the trend. She offered to be available to be part of a story if they wanted her to comment, and even lined up a client who was willing to have their home featured in the newspaper if they wanted a picture to go with the story.

The reporter took this information and added some facts about demographics in the local area that were changing the face of a number of local businesses. The result was a story that featured prominently the business owner and her maid service, resulting in thousands of dollars in free publicity.

Notice that she didn’t need to write a press release about a new product or something else that was all about her business. Instead, she found a story about her customers and tied it back to her business.

Ideas to attract publicity for your small business can come from activities you are undertaking, but you’ll find that you’ll get many more ideas from being observant about your customers’ needs and lifestyles.

About Will Dylan

Will Dylan created MarketingYourSmallBusiness.com, a top-ranked website for small business publicity and marketing advice for business owners. He also writes a blog featuring tips to help business owners grow their business through publicity.

By Nancy Ormos-Gadde

Sam rubs his temples as he leans back in his chair. His pulse is pounding, his face is flushed. He wipes his sweaty palms on his pant leg and releases a sigh. After today’s kick-off meeting, Sam is not sure he can handle working on yet another project with Stephanie, but what option does he have?

Aggressive, arrogant, negative, demanding, unproductive, obscure, depressing, sarcastic people don’t just make bad spouses; they make bad co-workers and employees too. We’ve all met them. In fact, you may have a meeting with one in just a few minutes!

So here’s the million-dollar question—how does one deal with these incredibly difficult personality types? Not working with them is probably not an option. Sending someone else in to do the work on your behalf is a possibility, but how practical is that? As hard as it sounds, your best bet is to figure out how to work with this type of person in a way that gets the job done.

Below is a list of personality types that can be difficult to work with. There’s also a description of the characteristics that make up that type of personality and tips for working with these folks:

1. Opponent: Hostile or intimidating. They like to set the agenda and decide what it is you will do and when you will do it. Tip: Stay calm. Opponents can generate a lot of tension among those around them. Be patient. Opponents need to feel heard. Treat them with kindness. Most opponents feel a good measure of paranoia. If you treat them with respect and kindness, their paranoia cannot take root.
2. Royalty: Always the expert. Facts are power, and they have all the facts. They use a tone of absolute certainty. They overwhelm people with their knowledge of data and statistics. They can be condescending and imposing. Tip: Do your homework. Make sure your information is accurate and complete. No guessing here. Show respect for their knowledge. You can do this by paraphrasing their input and referring to past contributions. Don’t flaunt your own expert credentials. It won’t work. No referring to past contributions.  No one knows more than they do (in their opinion).
3. Passive – Aggressive: Sarcastic. Indirect with criticism. Sometimes underhanded. Always ready with excuses, justifications or alternative reasons. Tip: Directly confront the behavior, e.g.,“You called the project, “Mission Impossible” yesterday. Is that how you really feel?” Use assertive communication skills to let a person know how their actions affect you and the team, e.g., “By referring to the project as “Mission Impossible,” you create a sense of hopelessness.”
4. Depressing Pessimist: Negative and or defeated. They can come across as self-righteous. They distrust power and always find fault in what is being proposed. Tip: Be prepared to interrupt and take control. Don’t agree. Agreeing only validates for them that it is your fault and they are blameless. Ask them how they would like the discussion to end; what results do they want to achieve? Assign them to fact-finding tasks. This exercise will force the pessimist to use objectivity.
5. Pleaser: They over commit. Can’t say “no.” They avoid conflict at all costs, are outgoing, sociable, personal with others, and very attentive. They will tell you things that are good to hear and then let you down by making unrealistic commitments. Tip: Don’t allow them to over-commit. Ask them questions concerning their current workload, their project commitments, etc. Make it easier for them to bring up concerns. Be suspicious of their good humor and playfulness. It often masks their true feelings. 
6. Obscure: Won’t reveal their true motives or positions. These people limit risk and seek safety by refusing to respond, and are often non-committal despite the fact that something is definitely wrong. Tip: Manage expectations. Tell those attending the meeting that you need to hear from everyone. Get them to talk. Ask open-ended questions that start with “how” and “what.” Be attentive. When the obscure one does offer feedback, really listen. Ask for more information, if appropriate.

A Final Word of Advice

When working with a difficult person, make it your goal to “seek first to understand, then to be understood.” This is Habit #5 from Stephen Covey’s, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. If you’re like most people, you probably first seek to be understood; you want to get your point across. In doing so, you may ignore the other person completely, pretend that you’re listening, selectively hear only certain parts of the conversation or attentively focus on only the words being said, but miss the meaning entirely.

The next time you must work along side an opponent, a depressing pessimist or someone of royal decent, remember this: Everyone has the potential to be difficult. Given the right or wrong circumstances—even you. Your character may not always mesh well with other character traits and given the type of project and or your objectives, your tolerance level or patience may be in short supply.

You can count on working with someone whose personality challenges you. Be ready. Your ability to work well with difficult people will not go unnoticed. Whether you are a business owner, a manager or a single contributor, being able to work with even the most challenging of people will pay off in spades.

Suggestions for further reading:

How To Deal With Difficult People- Part 3 The Passive Aggressive

Seven Difficult Personality Types and How to Deal with Them

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Difficult People

How To Deal With Difficult People

Personality types: Your key to better business relationships

By Ben Baldwin

Have you ever hired an employee who didn’t turn out like you expected? The good news is that you’re not alone. The bad news is that, if it’s happened before, there’s even greater reason for it to happen again now, given market circumstances. 

It seems that in these troubled economic times, posting even the most junior position receives a flood of qualified, unqualified and over-qualified responses from job seekers looking for work. 

It’s a sad reflection of the economic crisis unfolding on “Main Street,” that more and more people find themselves unemployed and looking for work – applying to any job posting for all the wrong reasons. 

As a business owner or manager, naturally, the question comes up – how do I take advantage of this situation and find the best candidates while avoiding the wrong ones? 

Having been in the employee hiring and development industry for over ten years, this question has been a driving force in what I do, and is more relevant now than ever before. 

Although there isn’t one easy answer, there are definite steps you can take to ensure that you’re on the right path to finding a candidate that “fits” your work environment and expectations. 

First, know what you want from your employees. Doing this may include writing down a list of the preferred personality traits and specific work experience you’re looking for. Managing your expectations and laying these out at the beginning benefits you, as the hiring manager, as well as your future employee. 

It’s important to hire for both today’s need and tomorrow’s vision. In other words, ensure that your candidate fits your immediate expectations, and will also bring value to your business and objectives in the future. If you can’t envision that the person sitting in front of you will still be with your company a year from now, it’s probably wise to thank them for their time and move on. 

While hiring, take full advantage of the resources available to you. Employee assessment reports, background checks… use as many tools as it takes to make your hiring experience easier and more accurate. Don’t try to be the owner, marketing manager, sales supervisor and HR manager at once; instead, seek out tools to help you in your hiring process. 

Don’t just settle. In times like these, when you have the luxury of receiving a diverse range of applications, take full advantage. Ensure that the person you are interested in does meet the requirements you’ve established, while at the same time bringing additional value to the table. 

And don’t make any impulsive moves by hiring someone based on one meeting. Ensure that the person still excites you during a second interview, after you’ve had time to sleep on it and digest your discussion during the first interview. 

Once you know what you’re looking for and have attracted those people, don’t be afraid to ask questions. In a world where people can obtain post-graduate degrees by answering their spam email, it’s important to confirm the accuracy of the information provided to you. This also means following up on references, as past employers can provide detailed information about an individual and their performance. 

Finally, set aside some time to conduct this process thoroughly. The worst mistake you can make is to speed through the hiring process. This is almost certainly a strategy for disaster, and ultimately, will cost you more time and money in the end.

Always remember, hiring done right is a wonderful experience that results in a more productive and profitable work environment. Take advantage of the resources and tools available to you, and keep in mind that what you put into it is what you’ll get in return.

Ben Baldwin is a Co-Founder of ClearFit.  He has spent the last 12 years founding and growing two software businesses with clients across 5 continents. He specializes in helping companies with their hiring and selection. 

ClearFit is  a web-based tool that makes hiring easy for small businesses, by showing candidates and employers how well they fit.

By Small Business Expert Roger Pierce, BizLaunch

As a young entrepreneur, you’ll certainly be envied by your employed friends. While self-employment offers many perks, follow this advice to overcome some common challenges:

· Consider a co-signer. Being young and self-employed is considered a double negative for many banks. Line up a relative or friend who is prepared to co-sign a loan if your business requires bank financing.

· Keep that day job. Without established credit and little savings, you’ll be wise to keep a part or full-time job while your business gets going. Use that income to pay your rent and living expenses and ease the revenue pressure on your new venture.

· Find a mentor. Admit you won’t know everything about starting and growing a small business. A seasoned business person can be a wealth of experience and support for a young entrepreneur. Approach someone you respect to mentor you monthly, or contact entrepreneurship organizations such as The Canadian Youth Business Foundation or Enterprise Toronto for some connections.

· Exercise self-discipline. Fifty percent of young entrepreneurs work from home, where it’s easy to get distracted. Stay focused on your business by establishing regular working hours, creating a proper workspace and reminding your friends not to drop by unannounced during your work day.

ROGER PIERCE is passionate about helping entrepreneurs achieve success. Co-founder of Canada’s largest small business training company, BizLaunch.ca, he’s launched eleven small businesses of his own and personally experienced what he calls “the good, the bad and the ugly” sides of entrepreneurship.

BizLaunch advises thousands of Canadian startups through its popular how-to seminars and webinars delivered with partners such as STAPLES.

THANK GOD IT’S MONDAY! by Roxanne Emmerich

Roxanne Emmerich introduces you to two CEOs: one desperately struggling to stay afloat and another who’s discovered a better route to growth and profitability. Join them on their journey and gain valuable insights about jump-starting positive change in an organization… replacing dysfunctional organizational behaviors with passion and creativity… overcoming setbacks… creating vision and values that actually work! Whether you’re on the front line, in an office, or running the show, you’ll learn how to:
* Replace dysfunctional behaviors with passion and creativity * Overcome setbacks with a “bring it on” attitude * Breathe results-generating life into vision and values * Think big and make big things happen.
Thank God It’s Monday! presents a unique approach that impacts three groups at once: employees discover how to win at work and love their work; companies turn around results quickly and profoundly; and customers experience a powerful and visible commitment to their success.
You will shift from a “why we can’t” to a “how we can” workplace—in one day! Your customers will go crazy about you. You will find yourself loving to go to a workplace where everyone exclaims, “Thank God It’s Monday!”

About the Author Roxanne Emmerich has consulted with half of the nation’s top 1% performing financial institutions as well as hundreds of other business leaders. Her book, Profit-Growth Banking has been called “the bible of successful business.” A member of the National Speakers Hall of Fame, she is noted by Sales and Marketing Management magazine as one of the most requested speakers for instilling a “bring it on” attitude. She has written hundreds of articles and is frequently interviewed by national media for practical business insights. Roxanne resides in Minneapolis with her husband and children.

By Thien Ly

Many business owners/shareholders rely on their company to provide family income, personal financial security and a legacy for their next generation. If these business owners, active in the management of their business or corporations, should become very ill, disabled, or die, management is suddenly disrupted, adversely affecting the business. Financial loss may occur and a reorganization of management is inevitable. The remaining business partners/shareholders are often faced with four options:

1. Reorganize to include heirs in the business: Disadvantages could include inexperience, incompatibility and lack of management ability.
2. Reorganize to include an outsider: May lack the skills and experience or bring conflicting management ideas to the business.
3. Sell out to heirs: Agreement between all on a fair price may be difficult to achieve.
4. Buy out to heirs: Cash to purchase their shares may not be readily available.

A better solution exists, that would first guarantee heirs the full value of their shares in cash and guarantee the surviving partners/shareholders full ownership of the business. It’s a simple solution:

1. Shareholders/partners agree, by contract (buy-sell agreement), that:
   • The shares from the business of any deceased or disabled owner will be purchased by and sold to surviving partners in the event of death, disability or illness.
   • The price will be clearly set forth.
   • The method of financing the purchase will be clearly defined from this agreement.
2. Shareholders/owners will create a special fund through Business Life, Disability and Critical Illness Insurance that will:
   • Provide sufficient cash when needed immediately and economically.
   • Free operating capital for normal business requirements.
   • Eliminate additional borrowing or invasion of personal resources.
3. The advantages of Business Life, Disability and Illness Insurance:
   • For surviving shareholders: Guarantees full and immediate ownership of the business.
   • For the heirs: Guarantees full value of their interest in the business, in cash.
   • For the business: Guarantees business continuity and strengthens its position with clients, creditors and competitors.

Should a business partner/shareholders die, become disabled or diagnosed with a critical illness, there can be disruption with loss to both the business and the heirs, or there can be a smooth transfer of interests at fair value for both the surviving owners/shareholders and their heirs. The choice is yours. Which will it be?

About Thien Ly, EPC, RHU

Since early 2002, upon graduating from Business Accounting and Finance, I have been contracted as an independent Advisor at Sun Life Financial. I’ve been dedicated to helping families, business owners and companies achieve their lifetime financial goals by providing clear financial advice in accordance to their individual needs. There’s nothing more rewarding in my practice then having an opportunity to work with people who appreciate my guidance in achieving their financial goals. I hold a Life & Health Insurance Licence, Investment Funds Licence, Elder Planning Counselling Designation and Registered Health Underwriter Designation. I am continuing my education by working toward additional financial designations. I’ve been a member of the Million Dollar Round Table, which is represented with the top 1% of financial professionals worldwide. I’m married to my wonderful wife, Haly, and we have two children. I spend my spare time with my family, and also play different sports: tennis, badminton, soccer, golf and swimming. I also raise funds for the Kidney Foundation. You can contact me through www.sunlife.ca/thien.ly or call 416-992-5109.

By Mark Wardell

If you’re an entrepreneur, then you know it takes vision, guts, hard work and inspiration to grow a business. And if you’ve been an entrepreneur for more than ten minutes, then you also know that no matter how hard you work, you’re going to get knocked back on your tail every once in a while.

So what do you do when times get tough? Here are a few strategies to help you weather the inevitable storms of entrepreneurialism and get you back to sunnier days.

Switch the picture to success. Everyone runs low on inspiration from time to time. As in life, high points and low points are simply a part of business. You can’t be on the upswing all of the time. The trick is to acknowledge your current reality, without letting go of your optimism.

For example, when a massive business deal falls through, sales are at an all-time low, or one of your (expensive) creative marketing ideas falls flat, how do you manage?

Years ago, I unwittingly lost a significant amount of money to a crook in a real estate deal. My nemesis ended up in jail, but I was left heavily in debt. The experience made me bitter, and I realized that moving past self-pity quickly isn’t easy, but I knew it was necessary. When you get burned it’s easier to just get down on yourself and start the “negative self-talk” cycle. Unfortunately, this is a bad habit that cripples many potential success stories. If you find yourself getting on the negative self-talk train, you can practice changing your negative thoughts by focusing on positive thoughts instead. This will help you regain a healthy perspective. Let’s face it, we’re all on the learning curve of life, whether we’re the local start-up or Bill Gates. Learning to weather the tough times with a healthy perspective is the starting point for lasting success (and sanity).

Give yourself a deadline. For some of us, managing our own schedules gives us too much flexibility, when what we really need is a good solid deadline. In fact, one of the best-kept secrets of the successful entrepreneur is the self-imposed deadline. It almost sounds too simple to be true, but when you set deadlines for yourself—and treat them the same way you treat the deadlines you give employees—you’ll be amazed at how quickly you can rev up your own work mojo and tackle the things on your list!

There are a few tricks to making this work for you. Make an exact deadline and don’t allow yourself to go over it, not even by one second. Increase the pressure you put on yourself to keep the deadline by involving other people in it. Tell your plans to people who will hold you accountable for your actions. And put your deadline in writing before your team, so it feels more like a commitment.

Face your fears and stop procrastinating. One of the biggest causes of entrepreneurial lows is avoidance. Many of us simply choose to avoid facing the things we don’t want to face because of an underlying fear or the habit of procrastination. Yet, we typically build up in our minds and exaggerate our fears exponentially. So what we need to do is begin the habit of tackling our fears head on, thus developing a realistic perspective. By doing this, you’ll reduce your fears to a manageable level and enjoy a fear-conquering high that may just see you delving into all sorts of personal fears as well. Be warned. Here are a few techniques to try:

Negative Reinforcement is the practice of imagining your life as it will be if you never confront your fears, if you allow your fears to stop you every time they get in the way. If this paints a more unpleasant picture than your immediate fears, you will be motivated into action. With this exercise, try giving yourself a more unpleasant alterna­tive to not confronting your fears, i.e., “If I don’t meet with Joe by 1:00 p.m. today, I’ll have to work through the whole weekend and I’ll still have to meet with him on Monday.” Keep in mind that this will only work if you are fully prepared to follow through.

Positive Reinforcement, conversely, is the practice of imagining and mentally enjoying the achieve­ments you will accomplish once you push through your limiting fears. With this technique, allow the inspiration of your goals to take your mind off of your fears and to motivate you into action. Offer yourself a small reward for con­fronting your fears. A walk in the park, an extended lunch break, a small gift … any­thing that will make you feel good. Just make sure that you don’t reward yourself until you complete your task.

Time and again, when I’ve found myself low on inspiration, these strategies have helped me get back on track, quickly. Sometimes it helps to combine more than one strategy. For example, I may give myself a deadline to accomplish a goal, write it down with a timeline, share that timeline with my advisors and offer myself a reward for hitting my target on time. Next time you’re on the verge of hitting a wall, give one of these tactics a try and let me know how it goes!

Mark is President & Founder of Wardell Professional Development, an advisory group that helps business owners plan and execute the growth of their companies. The author of seven business books, Mark also writes regularly for several national business publications, including Profit Magazine, the Globe and Mail, and CGA Magazine. Email him at mark@wardell.biz