How do you stay on top of changes? Watch where your income is coming from. Has a small niche part of your business become a larger . . . → Read More: Monitoring Change]]>

Over time businesses evolve. And in this fast paced world, we need to be aware of this evolution.  If your not watching, you may miss opportunities that you didn’t see coming.

How do you stay on top of changes? Watch where your income is coming from. Has a small niche part of your business become a larger part?

You need to track your income so that you can monitor changes.
For example, one part of my business involves developing a social media presence for small businesses.

In the past, I haven’t tracked that income differently from my writing income. Recently, I realized that this is becoming a larger part of my business. To be able to track exactly how much, I’m changing how I tracking this income.

Knowing were my business is coming from also allows me to actively seek out additional training and information to keep current and improve my skills.  I can better serve my clients and capitalize on a specific niche that may help my business grow.

But income isn’t the only reason you may decide to shift your business. If you see a trend that no one else is capitalizing on, that you think has value, and is a good add for your business, you may want to explore that opportunity. After all, that’s where social media experts came from years ago.

The change may not be about what you’re selling but who’s buying your services. It may not be what you’re doing but rather who your working with that evolves. Your niche market may expand, shift or contract. A market that you haven’t previously worked with may start using your services. Refocusing your marketing efforts may allow you to capitalize on this shift more effectively.

Don’t ignore this type of change. Maybe that new client, from a slightly different niche market, is hinting at opportunities that you haven’t explored yet.

In this challenging economic environment, how has your business been shifting?

I just had my furnace and air conditioner checked to allow me to keep my cool this summer.  The bad news: both are about 20 years old, and nearing the end of their useful life.

The . . . → Read More: Are You Listening To Your Potential Buyers?]]>

Marketing and selling isn’t just about providing a service that people want. It’s about overcoming barriers and objections of your potential buyers.

I just had my furnace and air conditioner checked to allow me to keep my cool this summer.  The bad news: both are about 20 years old, and nearing the end of their useful life.

The technician suggested that he have the sales person call me to setup an appointment to talk about a new furnace.

“It will only take an hour and a half to two hours,” he said.  “They’ll look at your house and figure out the type of system you’ll need.”

I heard: “You just lost two hours from your weekend or workday, and we’re going to spend two hours trying to hard sell you on a new system.”

My response, “About how much is this going to cost?”

He didn’t know how much a new system would cost, but I could get a discount on any equipment by buying their Silver Plan.

Of course, I’m still back on the “how much” and “two hours” issues, so the Silver Plan wasn’t even under consideration.  Before the tech left, I was very clear about my issue. I wasn’t going to make an appointment until I had some idea of cost.

The next day, I got a phone call to set an appointment.  Again, I asked “How much – give me a range, some sort of idea, anything.”

She replied, “Someone will need to come out to your home to see what you need.”

I responded, “You have the model number of the existing furnace and A/C so you should be able to give me some idea of what this will cost.”

Since she couldn’t, and no one was in the office right now that could, she told me she’d have someone call me back.

I’ve heard nothing since.

When your tech and support people are your marketing force, they need to listen to your clients to figure out why they aren’t getting the sale or appointment.  The furnace company could have gotten the appointment, might even have sold me a new furnace and air conditioner, if and only if, they’d answered my one question.  How much?

If you aren’t getting the appointments or sales, ask questions, listen, and follow up.  If you don’t, your client will find someone else who will.

Anyone else experiencing similar frustrations?  Leave your thoughts below.

And here’s why:

When you use a readability test to score your writing, the scores aren’t based on someone’s ability to read the text. Instead, it’s graded on specific things . . . → Read More: The Cat in the Hat and Document Readability Scores]]>

I have a client who is very concerned about the readability scores of her text.* But being overly concerned with computer-generated scores isn’t an ideal way to write.

And here’s why:

When you use a readability test to score your writing, the scores aren’t based on someone’s ability to read the text. Instead, it’s graded on specific things that a computer can analyze.

For the Flesch Reading Ease (FRE), higher scores are better.  Reader’s Digest typically scores between 60 and 70; Harvard Law Review is in the low 30s.

For those of you who like all the details, the calculation is:

206.835 – 1.015(total words/total sentences) – 84.6 (total syllables/total words)

The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level (GL) indicates the grade a person would have to reach to understand the writing.  For example, Green Eggs and Ham has a grade level of -1.3.

The calculation is:

0.39(total words/total sentences) + 11.8(total syllables/total words) -15.59

In both cases, the scores are based on the average number of words per sentence, and the average number of syllables per word. To improve your score, you can use shorter words, shorter sentences, or both.

But there are two problems with these scoring methods.

First, we are more familiar with words that are used in our everyday language. And the number of syllables in a word doesn’t determine whether or not the word is commonly used. For example:

“The Cat in the Hat’s actions motivated our fish to object.”  FRE 72.62, GL 5.86

“The Cat in the Hat’s actions spurred our fish to object.”  FRE 88, GL 3.72

So when you grade these two sentences on the computer, the sentence using “spurred” gets a better score. (Higher on the reading ease and a lower grade level.) However, we use “motivated” in our daily language. We don’t use “spurred”.  So the score really doesn’t tell us the whole story.

Secondly, since the score is based on an average, adding additional short words gives you a better score.  In fact, a passive sentence gets a better score than an active sentence. (A passive sentence typically uses helping verbs rather than conjugating the active verb.)

“The Cat in the Hat juggled the fish.” FRE 103.54 GL 0.80

“The Cat in the Hat was going to juggle the fish.” FRE 111.07, GL 0.50  (Better reading ease, lower grade level.)

Grammatically, both sentences are fine. But passive sentences typically weaken your message. They also require your reader to look at more words, and that is a no-no on the Web.

One of the scoring things that I do like is that shorter sentences are better. Separating independent clauses into two sentences gets you a better score.

“The Cat in the Hat balanced the fishbowl, and Sally and I looked on in horror.” FRE 79.56, GL 6.14

“The Cat in the Hat juggled the fishbowl. And Sally and I looked on in horror.”  FRE 87.68, GL 3.02

Of course, separating dependent and independent clauses also gets you a better score, but it’s grammatically wrong. And although this example is very obvious, others are not. So be careful:

“The Cat in the Hat juggled the fishbowl while Sally and I gaped.” FRE 83.01 GL 4.91

“The Cat in the Hat juggled the fishbowl. While Sally and I gaped.”  FRE 89.61 GL 2.38

Readability scores are great tools to add to your repertoire, but they won’t make you a better writer.  If you want to write well, you should always be looking for clearer, cleaner ways to get your message across.

For more information about readability scores, and to see where I got my information, check out Wikipedia.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flesch%E2%80%93Kincaid_readability_test

*In Word, you can run spell check and get your readability scores.  Just change your Preferences under Spelling and Grammar to Show Readability Statistics.

Evidently whatever sends the message telling your brain that your feet are firmly planted on the floor quit working for me.  Instead of walking in a . . . → Read More: Vertigo and Marketing]]>

I just spent two weeks spinning and weaving my way through life, and it had nothing to do with yarn!  (For those of you who don’t know, I’m an avid knitter.)

Evidently whatever sends the message telling your brain that your feet are firmly planted on the floor quit working for me.  Instead of walking in a straight line, I found myself bumping into walls, walking diagonally across open spaces, and worst of all wondering how I could manage to stay flat on the bed when I was hanging from the ceiling. Vertigo is rather disconcerting and disorienting – not to mention nauseating.

But this problem, a sort of lack of ability to interpret the information that was coming at me, made me think about why  my marketing efforts are sometimes ineffective. And why the information doesn’t always seem to get through to those who could use my services.

I try to follow the marketing guidelines about being specific about what I do: Pushing one item. Not blurring the lines with too much information. Being clear and concise. But my business isn’t simple, clear and concise. It’s blurry.

My job isn’t just to write the words for my clients, but get the word out about them. Yes, I write for my clients; creating home pages, bios, and other web material. But I also spend quite a bit of time working on marketing material, including the layout; revising template based websites, including WordPress sites; and setting up and posting on social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn.

So, now that your head is spinning, think about how much easier your life would be without having to create and maintain all that information. And call me.

Per Wikipedia:

Plagiarism is about “the wrongful appropriation, close imitation, or purloining and publication, of another author’s language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions, and the representation of them as one’s own original work.”

“Copyright is a set of exclusive rights granted by the law of . . . → Read More: Plagiarism And Copyright Violations]]>

Both of these ways of stealing or “borrowing” other’s work are rampant on the web.

Per Wikipedia:

Plagiarism is about “the wrongful appropriation, close imitation, or purloining and publication, of another author’s language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions, and the representation of them as one’s own original work.”

“Copyright is a set of exclusive rights granted by the law of a jurisdiction to the author or creator of an original work, including the right to copy, distribute and adapt the work.”

Copyright has to do with the legal rights of written or artistic works that people create, whereas, in my view, plagiarism is more about intent and actions.*

Telling others where you got the idea and adapting it to your own style removes the concept of plagiarism. You’re not stealing the idea and the work, but rather acknowledging the value of it and sharing the information.

On the web, linkbacks allow you to let the author know that you are using their ideas. A nice perk for other bloggers.

If you decide to repost the entire article, even acknowledging who wrote it, you are probably in violation of copyright laws. With or without any indication of copyright on the page, the original creator owns the rights to the article or work.

If you post shorter sections of the article, the area is grayer.  There are fair use laws that allow others to quote portions of articles or works without violating copyright law.

To avoid copyright violations, limit how much you quote.  Phrases, even a short sentence, should be fine, but a long selection is probably a copyright violation.  Certainly, using someone else’s picture or logo or other original artwork without permission is a violation.

If you’re not sure whether or not you have the right to use part of an artistic work, ask permission or take some time to research it.  Realize that artists create wonderful paintings, photos and books and should be paid for their artistic works.  If artists’ had no rights to their works once they were put on the web, no serious artist would ever post their work on the web.

Let me know your thoughts and comments.

*Disclaimer:  I’m not an attorney.  The concepts here are my thoughts on these matters.  This article is not intended as a legal guideline for plagiarism or copyright issues.

– John Lennon

It’s a New Year and time to improve your relationship with Time. Here are a few thoughts to help you on your way.

1.     Time is not under your control. You get 24 hours a day; you choose what you do . . . → Read More: A New Relationship With Time]]>

“Life is what happens while you’re making other plans”

– John Lennon

It’s a New Year and time to improve your relationship with Time. Here are a few thoughts to help you on your way.

1.     Time is not under your control. You get 24 hours a day; you choose what you do with them – sort of. Even a spilled cup of coffee can derail the tentative hold you have on any minute of the day.

2.     Know your goals. Focus on where you’re going and what steps you need to take to get there. If you know exactly what you need to do, you won’t waste time on distractions.

3.     Make better use of your time.

• Acknowledge that you do certain things better at certain times of day. Arrange your schedule to accommodate your own internal rhythms.

• Turn off distractions and give your mind a chance to focus and become more productive.

• Use strategies such as time blocking, scheduling, etc. to manage your use of time.

• Keep a To Do list. If you’re worried about forgetting something, you can’t be focused.

• Buy time. By delegating or subcontracting work, you can gain the effect of having more time.

4.     Acknowledge that you deserve time for yourself. You can’t work 24/7. Breaks allow your mind to clear and increase your ability to work more effectively. They also give you the chance to stop and smell the roses.

5.     Expect less of Time. Time is inflexible. The number of hours in a day will never change. Once a minute has passed, it’s gone. If you used it badly, forgive yourself for it, decide if it was worth it, and adjust your relationship with Time accordingly.

Remember, it’s not the hours in a day, but how you work with them that makes the difference.  Any thoughts?

When you fish with a bobber, the bobber sits on the surface of the water.  You watch the bobber, and if you see it bob, you know that there’s something on the . . . → Read More: Marketing With A Bobber]]>

The other day, my husband was talking about the difference between fishing with and without a bobber.  And the idea made me think of marketing.

When you fish with a bobber, the bobber sits on the surface of the water.  You watch the bobber, and if you see it bob, you know that there’s something on the line.

by S.Zelov via Flickr

But fishing with a bobber doesn’t require your full attention.  Instead, you prop your rod up, open a good book or stare out into space.  You aren’t focused on the fish.

Sure, if the fish grabs your line and starts running, you hear the whirl of your reel. Then you know that you’ve got a fish.

But most fish don’t grab and run. A fish might swim by, see your hook, nibble at your bate, then move on.  An opportunity lost that the fisherman might not even be aware of.

Fishing without a bobber is different. You hold the rod and actively wait for a fish to nibble. Maybe you draw the line in a little, hoping to entice your prey with movement.  Anything to attract catch the fish’s eye and get it to grab the hook.  And when you finally a get the strike, you set the hook, and catch your prey.

Certainly we’re not trying to catch prey when we’re marketing, well actually, we are.  But the idea of playing the line, of drawing potential clients in, and even more importantly of actually being fully involved in the idea of getting new clients is huge.

If you’ve got a bunch of lines in the water, but you’re not getting any strikes, maybe you need to take a little more hands on approach. Try working the line, drawing it in, playing it out.  Make things a little more interesting.  Then maybe you’ll catch a new client’s eye.

If you’re web page isn’t capitalizing on this type of behavior, you’re not getting people to read your page.  You need the information to jump off the page at your reader.

Think . . . → Read More: Why We Don’t Read Web Pages]]>

Whether you were raised reading the newspaper or searching the web, you’ve been trained to scan the headlines and see what looks interesting.

If you’re web page isn’t capitalizing on this type of behavior, you’re not getting people to read your page.  You need the information to jump off the page at your reader.

Scanning vs. Reading

Think about how you read newspapers, magazines, and web pages.  We all skim the contents looking for something that interests us. If we don’t find something that appeals to us, we move on.

If your visitor sees a long paragraph of words, he’ll move on to the next website.

Allow Your Reader to Find What Interests Her (or Him)

To catch her attention, include headings and subheadings.  Use bulleted lists and bolded text.

Allow your reader to jump to what she finds interesting.  If you don’t, she’ll jump to the next website.

Get the Information Out

Quit trying to write wonderful, flowing sentences.  Throw those out with your draft.  Instead, find your focus and get the information out.

Know what you’re trying to say, and say it concisely.

Most of us don’t want to read three paragraphs to get to the nugget you’re offering.

Make your point and then let you reader move on.

Any thoughts?

Here are six tips to get the best outcome:

For some things, like Apple products, this is easy. But for everything else, your target audience needs to know why you are the best choice.

It’s not about your level . . . → Read More: Does Your Target Audience Want You?]]>

Once your target audience agrees that they have a problem and that there is a solution, you need to get them to choose you and not your competition.

For some things, like Apple products, this is easy. But for everything else, your target audience needs to know why you are the best choice.

It’s not about your level of experience. If your target client doesn’t see why you’re the better choice, they won’t choose you.

Focus on the benefits you bring.

In other words, what do your current clients love about you?

Will you:

• Save them money?
• Save them time?
• Get them a better deal?
• Give them better customer service?
• Implement the solution with less disruption?

These are the same hot buttons selling the product.  But now, you need to emphasize the difference between you and your competition.  Again, be specific.

Focus everything on how the client will benefit by using you.  Get the “I” out, put the “you” in.

I tell my clients: “When I put you on paper.  You will see your company, on the page.  And your clients will see the benefits and advantages of working with you.”

Finally, It Must Be Easy For Your Target Audience To Find You.

You must be on the World Wide Web.  You must be searchable so that clients can find you.

For individuals, LinkedIn has excellent search placement when someone is searching for you by name.

For businesses, be sure that you are listed in Yelp.com, CitySearch.com, InsiderPages.com and other appropriate listings.

In this day and age, keep your contact information on the web up to date.  If a client knows they want you and they can’t find your phone, email or website, you’re not using the internet correctly.

Any other suggestions for helping your target audience find you?