FM Walsh & Associates Inc.

Why in Such a Rush?

I recently read a great article from Flying Solo that proclaims some of the most successful entrepreneurs became so later in life. This is such an enlightening change of thought as we live in a culture where we try to accomplish everything right now. Colonel Sanders began KFC while he was in his sixties, and Ray Kroc launched the first McDonald’s franchise when he was firfty-nine. Most results we are looking for in business come when we least expect them, so just enjoy the ride! Remember, you don’t need to accomplish everything right at this very moment, you have lots of time ahead of yourself to create successful businesses. You can read the whole article here: In Praise of Blooming Late.

Looking for new customers?

What do you want for Christmas?… new customers?  Well, you’re in luck!  As a business development specialist, one of the main questions I get asked is “how do I find new customers?”  Here is a coles notes version of my answer:

• Become crystal clear on who your ideal customer is
• Discover where your ideal customers hang out
• Get in front of your prospects
• Follow up on your leads

To read more about the process to finding new customers, check out my latest article in Make it Business Magazine.

What’s Ahead For You?

It’s that time of year again, when we’re looking ahead to the new year pondering what our business will look like or deciding what type of business to start. To determine which actions to take in business, you have to take a look back at what mistakes and successes you had, but also look to what is driving change. Entrepreneur Magazine has compiled 10 trends that will define opportunities in 2011, ranging from home repairs to the mancession. This is a must read article for any business owner or decision maker: The Disrupters: Forces Driving Change in 2011.

Be Your Own Chief Networking Officer

There’s a new position opening in many large companies: the Chief Networking Officer (CNO). Do you need someone to fill this position? Or can you do it within your company? The role of the CNO is to mainly build word-of-mouth referrals. Here are a few ways you can be your own CNO:

1. Participate! Go to a few networking events each month. Strategically choose which events to go to and whom you want to meet. After you’ve met some new contacts and prospects, be sure to follow up. Set up a coffee or lunch with some of your prospects to learn about their business and how you can support them.
2. Maintain! To keep on top of people’s minds, you need to maintain the relationship. Make a point of calling a few contacts each week to touch base or send out a greeting card a few times throughout the year. Keep in touch regularly! It’s just as important to maintain relationships as it is to generate referrals.
3. Be thankful! Be sure to always thank your referral source and make sure they know that their contribution was appreciated.

So, there you have it, be your own CNO by creating and maintaining relationships. I know that many of you have already heard this advice a few times – so go out and actually implement it!

Close that Sale, Already!

One of my favorite sites for resources and articles is Flying Solo, an online micro business community. One of the contributors recently interviewed Steve Herzberg on closing and some classic mistakes when it comes to getting a sale. Check out this great interview: How to Close a Sale.

Arrogance

Fabulous article by Seth Godin on arrogance – “The key to getting a reputation for being brilliant is actually being brilliant, not just acting like you are.”  You can read it here.

Easy To Make – But Costly Mistakes

In sales it’s really easy to make mistakes that can come at a high cost. A few days ago I read an article, “The Three Top Sales Promo Mistakes” that outlines some important information that we often accidentally leave out of email notifications, websites and press releases.

These top three mistakes are:

1. Forgetting to include the address/time/date of an event. Be sure to include ALL the important details – date, time, and address in every correspondence you send out. Don’t rely on people reading a previous email you sent out.
2. Not double-checking links. It’s so important to double-check all links in your emails (including your signature) and on your website. Make sure that a link isn’t dead and that it takes people to the correct page.
3. What does your subject line reflect? You know someone isn’t going to open an email unless they see some value in there for themselves. Make sure that the subject line gives the reader a strong urge to open your email.

If you want to read more about these three mistakes and their fixes, click here.

Teleprompter on Steroids

Thanks to Janice Tomich, an expert on creating great presentations, at Calculated Presentations for today’s gem from her newsletter.  If you need to oomph up your presentation skills, check out her newsletter!

How many of you own an iPad? I’ll share a secret with you, I covet one but haven’t bitten the bullet yet. But this app may convince me:

Prompterous

Essentially it is a teleprompter on steroids. Presentations can be recorded and played back for critiquing. Documents and text can be inserted on the fly. Presentation text can be set to scroll at different rates of speed.

A myriad of applications are possible with the use of Prompterous and an iPad.
-  moving away from a lectern with iPad in hand
-  loaning a scripted iPad to a client to practice
-  playing back the audio numerous times to help with memorization

Prompterous also puts an end to shuffling notes or managing cue cards that are out of order.

Can’t wait to try it out for myself!

Your Friday Smile

Gotta love this article in Advertising Age – a brief history on screwups in social media history.  It looks at 37 cases where social media went horribly wrong.  Read it here.

Take Advantage of Market Trends

Trendwatching.com is one of my favorite companies – I love their briefings on market trends;  they give me loads of ideas on how to grow business for myself and my clients.  Below are their latest trend watching tips that you can use for your own business development today.  Make sure you read tip #13 to get some ideas on how to apply the trends you’re reading about to your business.

1. Know why you’re tracking trends
2. Don’t get your trends mixed up
3. Know a fad when you see (or smell) one
4. Don’t apply all trends to all people
5. Be (very) curious
6. Have a Point of View
7. Benefit from an unprecedented abundance of resources
8. Name your trends
9. Build your Trend Framework
10. Start a Trend Group (even if it’s just you)
11. Secure senior backing or be doomed
12. Don’t worry about timing or life cycles or regional suitability or…
13. Apply, apply, apply
14. Have some fun
15. Let others do some of the work for you in 2011

Source: www.trendwatching.com. One of the world’s leading trend firms, trendwatching.com sends out its free, monthly Trend Briefings to more than 160,000 subscribers worldwide.