Your Business Friend

Using Twitter For Business

2010-05-18T21:51:00.004-05:00

Social media is the latest craze when it comes to marketing your business. As with all advances in technology, there are early adopters ... many who get involved so early that the technology does not fit its intended use. As the technology becomes more accepted, there will generally be an explosion of ideas as to how the technology can be employed. This is the point most businesses find themselves with Twitter, today.

What is Twitter? It is a messaging system which found its origin in the Out of Office message. It is formatted as a brief text message which should be concise and informative. Brief is key as a Twitter message can be no more than 140 characters (including all spaces and punctuation).

With a Twitter account, you post messages which others choose to receive. This is called following. Messages are called Tweets. Tweeting can be used to deliver information about products and/or services, special offers and sales coupons, customer service information, and any other information which fosters a better business relationship. Curious about how a company might use Twitter? Consider the following:

When people working in the Empire State Building twittered that they were craving ice cream delivery, New York local chain Tasti D Lite was there to listen and meet their need.
When electronics buyers look for good deals, the Dell Outlet Twitter account helps them save money with exclusive coupons.
When Houston's coffee drinkers decide where to get their daily dose, many choose Coffee Groundz, which lets them order via Twitter.

So, how do you get started using Twitter to ptomote your business? I would suggest you take about an hour and read through Twitter 101 for Business. You can find it at http://business.twitter.com/twitter101/

Powerful Networking Tips Using Business Cards

2009-11-08T07:22:00.000-06:00

Full Disclosure - The following was posted by James Clark of the BusinessNetwork-913 at Meetup.com. The original article was written by Carl E. Reid. The information is presented from an individual point of view - primarily someone in transition (that is current speak for job hunting). The information can be extended in many cases to apply to you and your business as you seek new customers or clients.

I would add that you might consider a way to print your own business cards. This will ensure the shortest of turn-around periods for re-orders and permits you the ability to update your business cards as needed without having to "use up" or throw away the older cards. Seek to add your value proposition in some way. This could be a phrase or slogan as referenced in this article. People buy on benefits - make sure they know yours.

Use all of the real estate - use the back side of the card to good purpose ... but leave a little white space in case someone who receives your card wants to write a note on it.

Consider adding a web address or blog address which might be of value to the recipient (I have the link to CEONashville.com). This gives you an excellent "reason" to share your card and at the same time promote yourself.

Having added a few of my own pointers, here is a most excellent article on

10 Powerful Networking Tips Using Business Cards

by Carl E. Reid

Whether you are looking for a job or running a business, giving out business cards is crucial to marketing your skills or services. Even as a job seeker, develop the mindset of running the business of YOU, Inc. Business cards speak volumes about who you are, what you offer and how serious you are marketing YOU, Inc. as a business. Oh! So, you have a resume and don't need business cards. Can you carry 10 resumes in your wallet' Do you or can you carry your resume everywhere you go' A church bell ringing lets people know they are open for business. Your business card is your bell. Here are some proven tips using business cards to increase your chances of landing a job or creating a business opportunity.

1. Never leave home without them. Before leaving home, your checklist should be expanded to include business cards, as part of "do I have my wallet/money, house keys, driver's license'" Any 'per chance' meeting is an opportunity to give out a business card. A morning run or a quick trip to the local store could be an opportunity to network. My wife and I always ask each other 'do you have business cards', before leaving the house. Make it a habit to carry business cards.

2. Insert a business card when mailing bill payments. Bills contain advertisements. Why can't you advertise your skills or services the same way' Insert a business card with your payment. You may not think a person in South Dakota who opens your credit card bill payment can help you. Never underestimate the power of networking. A movie, entitled '6 Degrees of Separation' points out we are 6 people away from knowing someone of influence. You could be 6 people away from knowing the President of the United Sates, your favorite movie star or someone who is in a position to hire your skills or services. Each of us knows someone, who knows someone, who knows someone etc. Developing this powerful networking attitude will be a fundamental source of continued success.

3. Use proper business card etiquette. Whenever you give a business card, ask for a business card. When given a business card, don't just take it and place it in your pocket. Make the person feel important by looking at their card for a few seconds. You might see something that could be a topic of discussion. Write comments on the card such as date, location and common points of interest. These comments will prove valuable when following up with that person. This also demonstrates a sincere interest in the other person. Then place it in your wallet. This lets them know they reside in a special place with you. "Skill with People" by Les Giblin is a book that expands on this approach. Make people feel important, in order to make yourself important to them.

4. Be generous. Give business cards out to everyone, including family and friends. Don't let vanity stop you from giving out your last business card or giving 2 at a time to each person. I have met many people who have totally missed the purpose of a business card. I once asked a person for a second business card, so I could refer his services. His response was "I only have a few cards left and I need them", as he looked again at his name on the card. Hoarding your business cards only makes your wallet feel full, not your bank account.

5. Ask for referrals. When giving a business card, people feel more comfortable when you ask; 'I would appreciate a referral, if you know anyone that could use my services'. Don't make people feel like they are on the spot. This approach disarms people much better than asking them, 'is your company hiring'' People naturally like to do favors for people. Saying 'could you do me a favor by referring my services to someone'. This always places you in a better position with them. They will feel better about helping you. Give them 2 cards.

6. Maximize every "per chance" meeting. You never know when you might meet someone who can help you. Family or friends social events could produce unexpected encounters with people. Don't discount those events. So you're going to a birthday party for your friend's kid. You never know who you might meet. At a family holiday gathering last year, I met someone that has been instrumental in developing our business this year. Who would have thought this could happen by giving him a simple business card.

7. Place yourself at the right place at the right time. Have you been to a job fair or business conference and been disappointed with the networking results' Turn the tables around. Consider volunteering to help out at the job fair or other types of events. This puts you in a better strategic position for presenting your resume or business card. Company representatives might view you differently, if they know you are willing to go the extra mile in helping them make their presence easier to manage. Get involved by visiting Eventme.com, TheLunchClub.net, Craigslist.com or view the calendar of events for JacobJavitsCenter.com to place yourself in opportunities for giving out your business card. Volunteering for events has been a very successful resource for my business partner and I to expanding our business. Zig Ziglar, one of the most successful sales trainers in the world says "if you help enough people get what they want in life, you will get what you want in life".

8. Use "In Your Face" follow up. Did you ever have a job interview or meeting with a recruiter, potential client or employer and wonder why they never called you back' 'Out of sight, out of mind' is the operative phrase to remember. Today's economic climate dictates you might be competing with 20, 50, 100 or more other people for the same position or contract. It's quite a task for people to keep track of each individual meeting. So it's up to you to give a person a reason to call you back. Immediately after a meeting snail mail a hand written note thanking the person for their time. Insert your business card. Now you're in the driver's seat in standing out from other people. If you get no response, do it again. Patience and persistence pays off.

9. Use promotions to promote YOU, Inc. Newspapers often have stories of people being promoted to high levels in different organizations' This is an opportunity for you. Consider getting some invitation size blank greeting cards. Use the Internet's search capabilities to find out the address of the company's executive offices. Send the blank invitation type card with a hand written note sincerely congratulating a person on their promotion. Insert your business card. For the cost of a 37-cent stamp, you have just made someone's day and may create an impression that makes a person feel compelled to respond back to you. Make it a habit to do this once a week. Remember '6 Degrees of Separation'. You just never know . . . People open invitation type envelops faster than any others.

10. Brand yourself with a slogan. Print a slogan on your business card that answers the question 'Why should I hire you' Or "What makes you different from everyone else'" A catchy phrase or slogan insures people ALWAYS associate a company name with their product or services. People remember even after the commercial is over. That's called branding. Companies pay big bucks to advertising agencies to come up with these lasting slogans. Consider doing the exact same thing on your business card. This is your insurance people remember you, after you meet. Don't just put Hortence Smiley, Accountant on your business card. Add something like "Financial Services With Integrity". A slogan makes all the difference between getting hired or not, because people will remember you long after a meeting.

Happy trails networking . . .
Keywords: marketing, strategy, business, sales, networking, advertising,

About the Author
Carl E. Reid, Business-to-Business Consultant & Career Coach
Carl advises small businesses on maximizing the Internet's potential for creating new profit centers, while developing strategic alliances for win-win business partnerships. As a Career Coach for 15 years, Mr. Reid has helped hundreds of people jump start their careers or start businesses.
mailto: MyCompass@Success4U2.net
Web: http://careercoachingcompass.7h.com

Cyber criminals targeting small businesses

2009-09-18T10:12:00.003-05:00

Tech Tips for SME Entrepreneurs ... Information you can use from Your Business Friend (www.YBuF.com)

Here is a new trend to which Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Owners need to pay attention.

By LOLITA C. BALDOR

WASHINGTON (AP) - Cyber criminals are increasingly targeting small and medium-sized businesses that don't have the resources to keep updating their computer security, according to federal authorities.

Many of the attacks are being waged by organized cyber groups that are based abroad, and they are able to steal not only credit card numbers, but personal information - including Social Security numbers - of the card holders, said Michael Merritt, assistant director of the U.S. Secret Service's office of investigations. (Read the entire Article here).

Don't risk your business and your future by ignoring the threats posed by this type of activity.

Tim Cummings, PE, AInstIB
Your Business Friend

Taking Advantage of Our Current Economic Crisis

2009-05-15T07:05:00.001-05:00

As everyone realizes, our business world has changed, perhaps irreversibly. Businesses are struggling to stay alive. Small businesses are being hit across the boards. Perhaps, you are struggling in this very moment to maintain your business. Well, the good news is that as a small business, you may be best positioned to take advantage of the new opportunities presented by this economic paradigm shift.

Stop, for a moment and reflect on what is occurring in businesses of all sizes. Staffing levels in all sectors are being adjusted - from trimming in some sectors to wholesale layoffs in others. Think about the implications! As this downsizing occurs, employees with special skills or who have specific job knowledge are being laid off. In many cases this special skill area did not require a full time employee to complete the tasks. With the release of this employee, the special task or skill set is no longer available to the business. The real costs of the loss of this skill set, while not immediately recognized, may, after a period of time severely impact the business. And here lies the opportunity for a perceptive business entrepreneur.

Now is the time to identify skills and capabilities you can offer to businesses that are realizing the impact of these lost specialty skills. This loss of skills can cost the business in inefficiencies; in errors and mistakes; in terms of potential fines, compliance costs, and lawsuits; and in greatly increased stress - a stress that comes from performing work for which an employee has not been properly trained. In many cases, the person who is now performing the special skill tasks occupies a higher level of responsibility than the employee that was terminated. Often the person now performing this task is a senior manager or owner of the business who is now totally lost in how to execute the task properly. It becomes a case of not knowing what they don't know! So, consider, also, the cost to the company when that supervisor or manager can not focus on their "real" job. Within this framework, you should be able to demonstrate how sub-contracting these functions to your company can become very cost effective.

Should you decide to adopt this type of strategy, the next step would be to identify businesses that should be receptive to this type of presentation. Get your presentation together, and start pitching! Use your network to locate managers and business owners who are complaining about the loss of special skills within their businesses. You may find that you soon need to add staffing to service all your new clients. And how do you face that challenge? Well, how about hiring from all those skilled people that have been laid off.

To recap, identify skills and capabilities that you can offer to companies that have lost these same specialty skills through their staff reductions. Cobble together the part-time needs of several businesses to grow the full-time offerings of your business. Do a good job and prove your value proposition to your client, and the chances of them going back to the way they used to do it will be pretty slim.

Our Economic Crisis is Debt - Part 2

2009-03-02T23:30:00.006-06:00

I have finally seen someone on the national TV programs that told the truth about the economic free fall we have been experiencing in our economy. Chuck Colson, the head of Prison Fellowship Ministries appeared on the Fox News Channel on the weekend of February 28th. Mr. Colson, in his interview stated that it was greed on the part of all Americans which was the root cause of our economic woes. According to Mr. Colson, this greed has been manifested in our pervasive misuse of credit for instant gratification and the overturning of the Biblical values of hard work, saving, and delayed gratification.

Let's examine the mechanics of Mr. Colson's statement. Over the past 20 to 30 years, there has been an incredible, and reckless, extension of credit to every man, woman, child ... and even pets. It is not uncommon for a family's mailbox to receive multiple applications for credit cards on a weekly basis, irregardless of the credit worthiness of the solicited individual. The over availability of credit has led to Americans purchasing goods and services before they can actually pay for the purchased items. Think about this a moment ... buying a dress on credit before you can actually pay for it does not create a "new" demand for a dress ... it actually moves a future demand into the present time. This is critical to understand. Credit does not create new demand, it simply shifts the timing of the demand.

Look at the effect this has had to our economy. Through the use of credit, artificial demand has been created in the present. Businesses see this faux demand as an increase, which causes businesses to expand, thinking this fax demand actually points to a larger demand in the future. Businesses expand, create new jobs, buy more raw materials because of a false projection of demand. Now, at some point, the limit of credit is reached. What happens when the people who are buying goods and services on credit have no more credit? The demand falls off precipitously! Shades of 4th quarter 2008. And all that planning and investment for the projected future increase in demand is in reality an over building of production. This overbuilding actually slingshots the economy into a decline. And until the debt is paid down, there can not be any significant return to normal demand patterns.

Now, I know that an intelligent one or two of you will take exception to my statement that loose credit does not create increased demand. I will probably be told that by giving credit to people who could not afford to buy something, creates a new demand for the good or service they purchase with credit. I will concede that there may be a small increase in demand from this factor, but I would point out that this increase can only occur when someone purchases a good or service on credit that they would not have purchased without the credit. Further, I will suggest that this limited increase in demand is more than offset by the loss in demand that comes from making interest payments.

Let's examine what happens here. If I make $1000 per month in take home pay. I could purchase up to $12,000 in goods and services in a year's time. Lets assume, however, that I Use $1000 of credit at the start of the year to purchase an item. An interest rate of 25% is no longer uncommon. This means that of my $12,000 take home that I could spend in a year's time is reduced by $250, making my purchasing power now $11,750. Well, in today's economy, we have many people whose credit exceeds their annual purchasing capabilities. In this example, if I have borrowed $12,000 at a 25% interest rate, my purchasing power is eroded to only $9,000. So, you can see that using credit actually reduces purchasing power which translates into decreased demand for goods and services.

Our Economic Crisis is Debt - Part 1

2009-02-10T06:59:00.007-06:00

It is amazing to listen to the politicians and the media talk about the economic crisis in which we now find ourselves. It would seem that the past years of economic boom were a myth and that the past administration was busy robbing the common man blind. They must think we are idiots - and by the response of many Americans, we may be!

Let's look a little more closely at the facts. Over the past thirty years, the American economy and the world economy has experienced a major shift in its dependence on debt/credit. In 1989 World credit levels were approximately equal to the world GDP output. By 2009, this ratio has gone from 1 to 1 to 3.7 debt to 1 GDP, world wide. Let's think about the implications of this shift from cash transaction to debt transactions.

When my grandparents went shopping, they paid cash. If they did not have the money, they waited until they saved it. There were some stores that would allow them to place items on lay-a-way, but there was always the discipline of waiting until an item was paid for before enjoying its ownership. There came a special sort of pride in achieving the purchase of expensive goods. Demand for goods and services was tied to what was being bought and kept a fairly steady pace.

During the time of my parents' prime, there was a move to extend credit to businesses. Personal loans were primarily focused on home mortgages, automobiles, and revolving accounts in stores. Now, people were able to leverage a small fraction of their take home pay to buy high value items and take possesion before the item was actually paid for. The cost of this priviledge was the interest payment to the institution extending credit. As far as mortgages went, these loans were being made against assets that were generally appreciating in value. Along with this appreciation, the purchaser was required to have a significant down payment which provided a hedge against any loss in value of the property.

What businesses found was that the demand for goods and services seemed to be stimulated by the access to credit. By extending more credit, it appeared that more demand could be created, fueling economic growth. So, our economy entered the age of explosive expansion of credit. My generation is now accustomed to receiving multiple applications for credit on an almost weekly basis. No money down and term sales are being used to sell almost anything. I can remember the announcement when Sears made more money off interest payments than profit from the sale of goods!

Let's reason together for a moment ... what is the nature of the demand generated by credit. I would suggest that credit does not create more demand, it just moves scheduled demand to occur sooner. By using credit to buy goods and services, consumers simply consumer sooner. This creates an artificial sense of increased demand when it is really a timing issue. This shift in timing causes businesses, perceiving increasing demand, to expand business accordingly.

What happens when the limit of credit is reached? Demand is curtailed precipitously, as we have just seen. The bottom falls out ... unless the government steps in and forces a continued use of "credit" by deficit spending which the taxpayers children and grandchildren will be expected to pay back.

No Such Thing as Business Ethics

2008-09-01T10:09:00.007-05:00

Are you shocked? Everyone wants their business contacts to conduct business ethically. How could a business advisor suggest otherwise?

Well, let me ask you a different question. What is the differences between Ethics and Business Ethics? We live in a world today that wants to parse and compartmentalize every aspect of life. We have moved into a post-modernism mentality that eschews the idea of absolutes. We are reduced to moral relativism which then requires we define terms for each separate venue of our lives ... hence business ethics.

How would you define the term? Wikipedia defines business ethics as a form of applied ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business environment. Now there is an interesting term - applied ethics. What good are ethics which are not applied? Are ethics not supposed to produce a certain result in your actions? How are these problems of business different than from other areas of life. Am I to be honest in my personal dealings with you, but in a business deal be ok to shade the truth? How about in meeting commitments to others. Does the cloak of business change the level of my responsibilities to others?

There is a very interesting story from the 80's about a Japanese firm's first sale to a US corporation. The US company, in it's order, set an AQL (Acceptable Quality Level) of 95%. As you may know, the AQL states how many defective parts will be accepted in an order before the order is rejected as not conforming to the contract specifications. In this case, the products manufactured by the Japanese firm arrived in two boxes. Along with the boxes was a note from the Japanese CEO. It thanked the US company for their business. The CEO then said that there was some confusion over the order, but the Japanese company had reworked 5% of the product to make it defective, and those defective products were packaged separately.

The Japanese company had an ethic of conforming exactly to specifications! As your business friend, I would encourage you to swap business ethics for just ethics. Be consistent and dedicated to doing what is right. Your business will be blessed for it.

Cameras can be a good thing!

2008-05-31T06:56:00.004-05:00

When the average business owner thinks of cameras and video, the images that come to mind are security, discipline, and keeping an eye on things. I recently met someone who changed my thinking on the value of video cameras and current video technology in creating a top performing business.

Imagine your employee is sitting alone at the shop. A customer walks in, complaining about a purchase they made that did not meet their expectation. Your employee engages the frustrated client, listens to their story, determines the root cause for the dissatisfaction and provides a solution which pleases the customer. The customer walks out with the solution and a pleasant feeling about your company.

Now, imagine while sitting at your desk - maybe miles away, you get to see and hear this employee, taking care of one of your customers. Later that afternoon, you walk into the store, tell your employee how much you appreciate they way they handled the customer and give that employee $20 or a gift card, or some other token of your appreciation. Imagine what would happen in your work force?

My business friend, Ryan Reid of ICU Security, LLC, has been providing camera systems to clients for over 15 years. While some clients acquire the systems for traditional surveillance and security functions, Ryan has a whole group of clients that he has trained to use these systems in a much more profitable way. They are using their video systems to:

Improve Customer Service
Increase Employee Productivity
Increase Suggestive Selling
Accurately Evaluate Employees
And Reinforce Training

All of these activities contribute to improved business operations and add dollars to the bottom line. Obviously, the investment in such a system can protect against the negative side of business in terms of reducing theft and misappropriation of company assets as well. So, if you are looking for a way to improve the customer service aspects of your business, give my business friend, Ryan Reid, a call and see how he can help you grow your business and your profits through a different way of using video systems. You can visit the ICU Security website by clicking [here].

Search Engine Optimization for Your Business

2008-05-12T07:49:00.008-05:00

For those who may not be familiar with the term SEO, it stands for Search Engine Optimization. This term refers to efforts to get your website to appear at the top of a web search results page, say in Google or Yahoo or any other web search engine. Getting your site to display ahead of your competition can be a significant boost to your business!

There are many companies that offer SEO to their clients. As in all business opportunities some are good businesses that explain exactly what they can and can not do. There are others that can get you the number one ranking - based on search terms that are seldom used. As with all services, make sure you understand what is being offered, what you will have to pay and what performance standards will be used to determine if the work has been accomplished.

Now, to most of us, SEO tends to be a bit like voodoo. Search engine providers create a system of scoring websites to determine which is most likely to have content which matches the interest of the searcher. A number of factors are considered in calculating this score. Once a website owner knows the components of the scoring system, the website can be modified to achieve a higher score for specific searches. SEO Optimization companies work with website owners and businesses to modify their web pages with the objective to appear in the first entry on the first first result page.

As in most rules based systems, there are those who seek to bend the rules for their own benefit. The search engines modify the rules on a regular basis to keep website owners honest. For this reason, search engine optimization is never a finished task. If you website is an important part of your business presence (and it should be) the SEO optimization is important to you.

Do I Need a Written Business Plan?

2008-04-30T22:55:00.008-05:00

I often have this question asked of me by small and medium sized business owners. The answer is a resounding YES! The Bible says that God created all things by speaking them into existence. It then says that we are made in God's image. I believe that this means we have an aspect of his creative nature. Look around you - everything from skyscrapers to micro chips has been brought into existence first by means of a writ en plan. I believe that each new invention - whether product of idea - comes from someone speaking it into existence.

For your business, the business plan becomes the mechanism by which you turn your vision into something tangible. The Bible clearly states that where there is no vision, the people parish. Your business is a living thing which must have a vision to survive. The act of putting this vision down on paper, where others can read and understand your vision, and assist you in achieving its implementation, causes it to become real.

I believe that many CEO's and decision makers do not write out their business plan out of fear. As long as the idea is kept in one's head, one never need fear failing. Once the business is reduced to a written plan, anyone who can read the plan can judge the CEO as a success or failure. If you do not have a written business plan, take some time over the next couple of days and put your vision down on paper. You can always modify or change your plan - in fact, reviewing and updating the plan is a key part of succeeding with your business. Above all, have fun as you breath life into your business.