Business advice

C5FORMER SCIENCE COMMITTEE CHIEF OF STAFF CHUCK ATKINS OFFERS ADVICE FOR SUCCESS Five tips from a proven leader Chuck Atkins is a combat veteran of the Vietnam War, having served in the U.S. Marine Corps. His service to our country continued throughout his career. Atkins BY EDDY HOYLE retired in 2010 as the Chief of Staff/Director of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science and Technology, where he led a staff of scientists, engineers and attorneys in carrying out investigation, oversight and the legislative agenda for federal civilian research and development programs under jurisdiction of NASA, DOE, EPA, FAA, FEMA, NOAA, and others. Prior to this committee appointment he served as Chief of Staff for members of Congress and was elected President of the House Chiefs’ of Staff Association and a Stennis Center for Public Service Congressional Staff Fellow. He was also a founding partner in a consulting firm (Atkins-Elrod & Associates) that specialized in management, administration and finance for development projects, particularly re-development of historic properties. He also served as adjunct professor of political science and public policy at Northern Kentucky University and Thomas More College and was appointed by the governor to the Kentucky State Board of Education. Atkins hails from Atlanta, graduated from Georgia LOCAL SINCE 2009 State University and earned a Master’s degree from Chuck Atkins is shown atop the presidential palace in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; with Ohio State University. He and his wife, Merry, enjoy the slow, relaxed life of the Lowcountry, especially the water, playing golf and biking. Atkins is past president the late John McCain of the board at Berkeley Hall. He is the current in Antarctica; with his president and a founding board member of Vantage wife, Merry, in France. Point Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to guide and support military veterans in South Carolina who have experienced wartime trauma to reintegrate into their communities.

Here are his tips for success:

Mind over matter

Chuck at the Berkeley Hall fitness center in Bluffton. "Growing older doesn't have to mean being weak," Atkins said.

KEYS TO SUCCESS

1. Pay attention to your peripheral vision. Too often in our careers we look ahead toward our goal, but perhaps to the extreme, explained Atkins. “If we are too focused in a single direction, we can lose sight of things outside of that narrow focus that could take us in a different direction,” he said. “We can stay on our path, but other opportunities outside of our comfort zone, and outside of our initial goals, might present real opportunities and new challenges.” 2. Life comes at you fast. “Be open to seize opportunities in both business and in life,” Atkins explained. “Life comes at you fast, and sometimes quick decisions must be made. It’s like a fast ball coming at you. You have to decide if you’re going to swing almost as soon as the ball leaves the pitcher’s hand.” He added that blind alleys can happen, circumstances can change, but opportunities to go and see the world have their own rewards. 3. An elementary, simple philosophy. “Get good people who fit the nature of the organization and the mission,” Atkins said. “Everyone I hired had to be smarter than me. Make sure they understand the direction and buy into the mission. Nobody comes to work to fail, but don’t be afraid to make corrections along the way if they are counter-productive or contrary to your agenda. They must be smart, but they must also fit in the team.” 4. Trust your gut. “Listen to your intuition and internal judgment,” Atkins said. “Be objective, but also trust your judgment — it has value. Trust your gut sometimes to avoid mistakes, especially when hiring.” 5. Create synergy. “Collaboration, when managed properly, has a powerful synergy, depending on the organization,” Atkins said. “Moderate your strong personality so you don’t marginalize yourself in such a way that people stop listening. Self-reflection is a good thing for leaders. And don’t take yourself too seriously.” ■

Targeting best prospects with direct mail drives higher ROI

BY BARRY WILSON

One evening as I was doing O office work at the kitchen island, my wife asked, “where’s that postcard for bedding that we got in the mail today.” “I threw it in the trash,” I hesitated to say. “Say what! I put that postcard aside so I could look up the brand. I think it’s something I want to buy,” said my wife. Needless to say, I had to dig it out of the trash can.

As digital fatigue is becoming more and more evident, direct mail remains a “comfort” medium; there is a greater trust factor for direct mail versus digital ads, and 81 percent of mail recipients read or scan their mail daily, and 59 percent say they enjoy getting mail from brands about new products, like the one my wife received.

Direct mail is a personal interactive form of communication that customers can touch, feel, experience and decide to keep it with them in case they are interested in the business or offer. Studies have shown that the average lifespan of a direct mail piece is 17 days, even after you had to dig it back out of the trash

BARRY WILSON

is the owner of AlphaGraphics.

can! That is something digital marketing cannot match. Direct mail is highly effective to steer customers’ online experiences and to bring offline customers into a brand’s digital marketing streams. My wife’s interest in this luxury bedding brand was generated by the direct mail, which drove her to the brand’s website, where the brand captured her info and made a sale. Over 58 percent of households with a household income over $65k have made a purchase from direct mail.

But why did my wife receive this particular brand’s direct-mail piece? It was most likely because this luxury bedding brand identified her as a “best prospect,” someone with similar characteristics as the brand’s existing “best customers.”

As an ad agency owner, I oversaw the marketing for a national chain of 225 portrait studios. Obviously, portrait studios appeal to moms with young children. But to significantly maximize our marketing ROI, we wanted to reach the “best prospects,” those moms with the highest propensity to buy family portraits, with an above-average purchase amount. Our AG MicroModeling process allowed us to develop a robust profile of the portrait studio brand’s existing “best customers,” which then made it possible to find lookalikes, the “best prospects.” Building a profile of “best customers” can start with nothing more than a name and address; with this basic data, hundreds of relevant data points are appended to the customer file to paint a more complete picture of who are the “best customers,” which leads us to finding “best prospects.”

Targeting and mailing to “best prospects” drives higher response rates, which leads to new sales, which also leads to repeat business and cross-selling opportunities.

Let me illustrate the marketing ROI when targeting “best prospects.” For the portrait studio brand, we mailed 20,000 postcards for each portrait studio location at a total cost of $10,000 per location (includes postage, printing, and design). Response rate of those “best prospect” moms who made an appointment was three percent, which equaled 600 appointments. That doesn’t sound like a lot, but at an average purchase of $160 each, the gross sales were $96,000. Not a bad ROI.

AG MicroModeling allows us to:

• Analyze distance, traffic patterns and neighborhoods around each business location to uniquely define the marketing footprint • Identify households with the greatest marketing potential by comparing customers and prospects to the local population • Build multiple levels of analysis on the defined target audience • Provide access to demographics, socioeconomics and behavioral information at the local level for the audiences • Create look-alike audiences to find more customers who look like the best customers

Direct mail and digital marketing efforts should not be separate and unrelated. The most successful marketing campaigns blend multiple approaches. When we combined email marketing to reach these same “best prospects,” we realized a 30 percent lift in responses over direct mail only. From a mail list, you can expect to match approximately 50 percent to 60 percent of those names with a valid email address.

Despite the proliferation of digital channels, direct mail is still a stronghold. In fact, it’s hard to think of a product or service that couldn’t be promoted through strategic direct mail marketing using AG MicroModeling to reach the “best prospects” and drive a greater return on the marketing spend. ■

Fine print Barry and his wife, Rita Wilson, own and operate AlphaGraphics, serving businesses of all sizes in Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Beaufort and surrounding communities.

Why doesn’t your website show up on Google?

MAYBE YOUR WEBSITE IS TERRIBLE.

BY BLAIR WITOWSKI

Every profession has that ‘one’ question, the question E that seems so simple but is incredibly complicated. For me, “Why doesn’t my website show up on Google?” is THAT question. It’s the one that I hear from new clients the most and the one that people always ask me when they find out I ‘do SEO’ for a living.

The bottom line in SEO is that in order to show up at the top of search results, you need to answer the question people are

searching for better than anybody else. Yes, there are a bunch of little things that go along with this, but the biggest ranking factor for Google is who can answer a searcher’s question the best.

So, the honest reason you don’t show up? Your website is probably terrible. This is a tough one for most people to understand, and it may sound harsh, especially if your site is beautiful and cost you $10,000 to build. The truth is that Google doesn’t care how nice it looks or how much you paid for it.

One thing that is often overlooked when it comes to Google and Bing is that the search engines actually believe in great customer service. They want people who use them to be able to find exactly what they are looking for in the shortest amount of time possible.

Ask yourself — is the information you have on your site the best on the internet? Does your website answer somebody’s question in great detail, succinctly, accurately, and without ulterior motives? If you aren’t showing up on the search engines, then probably not.

Too often, SEO guys want to focus on page speed, backlinks, directory building, outreach, etc. And while those are important, the initial focus MUST start with content. Think about it, without content, what in the world are you going to optimize?

What a lot of SEO companies claim to do when they optimize your website is actually more about mechanics and operation. They want to wave a flag and show off their skills because they updated your website software to the latest version. I can tell you, that’s nothing special to be proud of and certainly not some kind of fantastic SEO skill.

Does this mean you can ignore all other aspects of SEO … no, of course not.

However, you might need to dynamically shift your focus on how you go about executing your SEO on your website. Change your thinking to a customer-first mentality.What is your perfect customer looking for? Deliver that, and you will definitely get business from your website. That kind of accuracy and originality comes through in Google algorithms.

Content truly is king, and it takes work to write content that is fresh, accurate, relevant, and what Google wants to show. And while it isn’t rocket science, there is a science to it. ■

BLAIR WITOWSKI is a website strategist, is the founder of Coastal Marketing Solutions, a leading website and SEO firm in the Lowcountry.

My top three reasons why your website might not be showing up on Google

1Copied content. You copied and pasted the content on your website. Google knows if you copy just a single line or backlink and will punish you.

2Repetitive topic. You answer the same question that has already been asked and answered. Try to be original and unique. Spend a little time trying to find a different aspect of what’s out there.

3Poor grammar and spelling. Wait, what? Google cares if I spell things correctly? Yes, indeed! Part of delivering a great user experience is having well written content. You don’t have to be Ernest Hemingway, but you at least need to use spell check and have a pretty good grasp of English Grammar 101.

The power of public relations for today’s businesses

NOW, MORE THAN EVER, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIPS.

BY LUCY ROSEN

If there’s anything that

Ithis past year has shown local businesses, it’s how resilient they can be – and how critical it is to have an effective communications plan in place. Communicating to the public took on a whole new meaning and level of importance during the pandemic – when all messaging had to be perfectly crafted in order to effectively reach audiences with the timely, pertinent information needed (and avoid any messaging that might make a business seem “tone deaf”). And when it comes to effectively communicating to the public, perhaps no industry has played a more important role over the past year – and continues to be a critical tool for a business – than public relations.

As defined by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), public relations is “a strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics.” And according to Lucy Rosen, one of the Lowcountry’s leading public

LUCY ROSEN, chief solutions officer at Smart Marketing Communications, is a nationally renowned business strategist, entrepreneur and author who is known for her ability to help professionals grow and expand their businesses through effective marketing, public relations and networking activities.

relations practitioners and the president of the Bluffton-based SmartMarketing Communications, the word “relationships” is not only critical – but is the word on which she has modeled her entire business, and is the key to her approach.

“I’ve always believed that the real power of PR, and how we work with each and every one of our clients, centers on creating, building and growing relationships,” says Rosen, who in addition to founding and running her full-service public relations/marketing/branding/social media agency is a nationally renowned business networking expert and the author of “Fast Track Networking: Turning Conversations Into Contacts (Career Press, 2010.) “PR today is about so much more than generating publicity for a business or creating an event. It’s about truly working ‘in’ your clients’ businesses rather than just ‘on’ your clients’ businesses, and engulfing yourself in what they do and the markets they both currently reach and can potentially reach.”

“Truly listening to clients and becoming part of their teams gives you the opportunity to foster strong relationships with them, which is of great value to clients in their overall marketing and has helped us to create some truly out-of-the-box thinking,” she stresses, further noting that building these strong client relationships and truly understanding their businesses has enabled her agency to be able to help their clients form other strategic relationships with businesses, customers – and the general public -- that have tremendously helped their businesses grow.

Rosen points out that at no time has the “relationship” aspect of public relations been more important than over the past year, and now – when businesses are moving forward in seeking to enhance their exposure, increase their sales … and often, expand their business relationships.

“Our focus on building strong relationships with our clients, as well as our longstanding relationships with community leaders, not-for-profit organizations and professionals throughout all industries, have led to public relations programs with amazing results for local businesses,” says Rosen, who notes that a good PR plan can help businesses enhance their visibility and credibility, identify target markets, increase profitability and enhance a company’s online presence to reach key audiences. “Whether it’s helping to create a mutually beneficial partnership between two local businesses, or opening doors to help our clients seize new opportunities, we use what we know – and who we know – to help businesses not only communicate effectively, but grow.”

All this is through the power of public relations – and the potential that comes from building, and growing, strong relationships. ■

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marketing your

PROFESSIONAL TIPS TO BENEFIT YOUR BUSINESS

BY LIBBY O’REGAN

Social Media Marketing has been

Sunderrated by many and understood by few despite being a powerful tool for ecommerce companies, emerging brands and manufacturers, professional services, and stores with a brick-and-mortar presence. Frankly, there are no businesses that will not benefit from some form of social media marketing in 2021.

The key to social media marketing success lies in identifying your goals and measuring its effectiveness with data. “What gets measured, gets managed” is a spot-on adage here. Facebook, Google, Instagram, Twitter and the likes have very powerful analytics to aid in quantifying what’s working and what’s not. This often comes sometimes as a surprise to analytical, numbers-driven businesspeople who think social media marketing is a bunch of Millennials on their phones all day. With 80 billion small businesses using Facebook alone, it’s hard to ignore Social as a legitimate form of marketing today.

CONSIDER YOUR GOALS

Brand Awareness (increase word of mouth, get people familiar with your business, gain logo and name recognition). You will want to focus on interesting and creative content and measure success by quantifying your reach (views) within your desired target market, as well as engagement (likes, comments, shares.) Revenue (in sales of a specific item, product or category). You will want to focus content that uses language with specific sales attributes (why they should buy, all the features and benefits) with a clear call-to-action and direct link to purchase. Measure success by quantifying your ROAS (return on ad spend). Set benchmarks such as 3:1. For every $1 you spend on social media advertising, expect $3 in return, as an example. Conversions (conversions don’t have to be in dollars. They can be a phone call or lead-generation contact form). You will want to focus on “why choose you”, what sets you apart from your competition, with a specified call-to-action. Install proper conversion tracking with your Facebook/Instagram Pixels or Google Analytics goals.

Be careful of spreading your business too thin and trying too much. Your business does not have to have all of the platforms (though, you should secure the “handles” or usernames for your business on every platform even if you don’t use them.) Consider which platform makes sense to invest time in content creation to reach your target audience. Pinterest and Instagram are excellent for highly visual fields like fashion, photography, and retail. Facebook can be powerful for professional services like law firms or banks. Once you have chosen the platform that works best, consistency and measuring the data will help you set your business up for long term success with marketing on social media. ■

Libby O’Regan is the founder and CEO of Libby O Marketing. She brings nearly 20 years of marketing experience, with an emphasis in the retail industry and relationship-driven marketing disciplines.

Creative block?

FOUR WAYS TO GET IDEAS FLOWING AGAIN

BY DR. PATRICK WIITA

Having the opportunity to be H creative at work is a gift and a curse. Creative block is inevitable and can be excruciating. Whether your block is related to priorities, timing, or fear, here are some tactics to unclog your mind and move towards creative catharsis:

COMMIT TO CREATE

Often, things we do for ourselves just don’t seem like priorities. For your own projects, this could be leading to a blockage in your creative flow. Up the stakes by setting a deadline and telling people about it. If you don’t make your deadline, you’re not only letting yourself down, but you’re also letting your audience down. That sense of panic you’re feeling is “motivation.”

THE SHOWER PRINCIPLE

This one takes a bit of preparation. First, fill your mind with the problem, read your notes, look at your spreadsheets. Next, go do something else. The more mundane, the better. Go take a shower. This intentional procrastination gets your brain out of problem-solving mode, especially if you’re prone to automatic “that will never work” -type thoughts. Inspiration happens when your brain’s guard is down.

TRADE PLUMBING FOR HVAC

Sometimes we think of creating in a straight line. You’re at point “A” and all of your juicy, creative ideas are at point “B,” on the other end of a hopelessly blocked pipe. Instead of lamenting your clogged pipes, pivot to your thermostat. What are the “hot” thoughts circulating in your mind right now? Identify and develop those, even if they seem unrelated to what you’re working on.

PERFECT, THE ENEMY OF GOOD

You might only need only one perfect idea, but why not try 20 “good enough” ideas? Starting your brainstorming obsessed with limitations or abandoning ideas because you can’t see how to implement them immediately is a surefire way to bum yourself out. Create for creativity’s sake, and leave the criticism for another day.

These techniques can readily be adapted as a leader in a team-based creative approach. Remember to not encumber your team with limits from the get-go. Have them do their outside-the-box thinking literally outside the box that is their typical office, and remember that there are no bad ideas in brainstorming. ■

PATRICK WIITA is a child, adolescent, adult and forensic psychiatrist. Due to the pandemic, he is providing services virtually using state-ofthe-art telepsychiatry technology.

Lonely at the top? Sometimes.

BY GARY KINZEL

Here’s the situation. You’ve called

Ha meeting with your whole team: your partner; C-level staffers; legal and financial advisors; and maybe even an outside consulting expert or business coach. You have a big decision to make that could alter the direction of your entire company, and you want the very best advice you can get.

However as you look around, you realize everyone at this meeting needs or wants something from you. A salary. A fee. Contract renewal or project commitment. Will you truly get unbiased advice? Or will they just say what they THINK you want to hear? Should you share your uncertainty about this? Would that undermine their confidence in you as a leader?

All CEOs, presidents and business leaders have been in situations like this and usually wind up making decisions alone, in total isolation. It’s lonely at the top. But it doesn’t have to be.

Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, said, “No matter how brilliant your mind or strategy, if you’re playing the solo game, you’ll always lose to a team.” So where can you get unbiased input from experienced people you respect and whose only motivation is to help you succeed? You must find peers.

Build relationships with other successful business owners and CEOs from outside your company’s vertical, a place where you can be yourself and get advice. Search local business organizations, charity boards of directors, clubs, golf or fishing partners, b2b social media, business periodical publishers or fast-track with a proven, confidential, peer advisory group like Vistage. ■

Gary Kinzel is a Hilton Head resident with 30+ years of experience in marketing and advertising communications. He is the former CEO of his own agency (now Vistage Peer Advisory Group) and is the Vistage chairman for the Savannah/Hilton Head/Beaufort area. Reach him at gary.kinzel@ vistagechair.com.

Is your team Zoom’d out?

HOW TO MEET SAFELY IN PERSON

Zoom fatigue is a real thing.

ZAccording to the Psychiatric Times, Zoom fatigue “describes the tiredness, worry, or burnout associated with overusing virtual platforms of communication. Like other experiences associated with the covid pandemic, Zoom fatigue is widely prevalent, intense, and completely new.”

Nothing can replace the energy and engagement of in-person connections, so we asked Steve French, Director of Sales & Marketing of the Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa, to offer some thoughts on how companies can meet safely in person. Of course, the most important safety consideration is to choose a venue that is flexible, can work together with your group as a partner and can offer multiple venues including possible outdoor locations to allow distancing, as many offices just don’t cut it anymore.

1. Venue safety protocols – Check with the hotel or meeting space to ensure that they: • Mandate masks for all guests and staff • Have sanitizing stations throughout the hotel or venue and in meeting rooms • Check temperatures of staff and guests

2. Seating and room set up – Request the following in your meeting room: • Socially distanced tables and chairs • Coffee and water service that offers individual servings rather than self-serve • Daily sanitizing of all chairs, tables and equipment

Inside out The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa offers multiple indoor and outdoor venues for business meetings and other gatherings.

3. Technology – ensure the venue has AV support and can accommodate things like: • Large screens so you can dial in people who can’t attend • Fast internet (seems like a no brainer, but with the regular heavy device use, combined with streaming, nothing can be taken for granted). • Tech support staff that follows protocols including wiping remotes and devices when done. Details matter.

“We are seeing an uptick in organizations that want to meet again, but they are thinking differently. One trend we are seeing is the option for hybrid meeting where on-site attendees meet in a large room, and other attendees can join in remotely, using a large screen in the meeting space. This hybrid model is a good first step to making people feel engaged and comfortable and is one step away from being there in person. As the year rolls out, we will continue to evolve our meeting protocols to adapt to our clients’ changing needs” said Steve French, director of sales and marketing at The Westin.

There is an expression that “change is the only constant,” and that seems more true than ever. ■

Cybersecurity is on the rise

BY MARK ROSSI

THREE CRITICAL STEPS TO TAKE TO PROTECT YOUR BUSINESS

Mark Rossi is president of KML Computer Services. Since 1996, he has been immersed in the technology field, working in various positions, from hardware technician and network manager to network engineer and IT consultant. Recent trends, side effects of a global pandemic, and cybersecu-

Rrity statistics reveal a huge increase in hacked and breached data from sources that are increasingly common in the workplace. More online ordering, website traffic and especially work-from-home have increased risks for companies.

The analogy I use with my clients is to think of protecting your business the same way you protect your home. At home, you lock the doors, put up a fence, and even sometimes add a security system including cameras and alarms. Heck, you may even live in a gated community. These measures will most likely keep you safe, but none of them guarantee that someone still won’t break into your home. A savvy criminal could still find ways to get into your home if they want to, but if your home is difficult to break into they will move on to a different, less secure victim. The same goes for cybersecurity. Here are 3 critical things we recommend to our business clients:

1. Back up multiple ways. Regularly backing up your workstations, servers and hard drives is a proven strategy to protect your data from data loss events, including ransomware attacks. 2. An up-to-date firewall. A firewall is your first line of defense. Make sure your firewall can monitor SPAM email and SSL-encrypted data and has antivirus protection built in. Most importantly, your firewall must be up to date with the current threat landscape with a current annual service and support license. 3. Anti-Virus. Antivirus is a no brainer on all PCs; however, choosing one with a more robust offering with remediation is highly recommended. Whether you are a one-man show or have many employees, your company’s network and data are at risk, and that risk is rising every day. One of my favorite expressions is ‘don’t wait for a rainy day to fix the roof.’ I say the same thing to businesspeople – make sure your network and data are secure because it’s always much more costly, and devastating, to clean up after a data breach or virus attack than to prevent it from happening. ■

Well Chief, would you beW lieve… that smart ideas and inspiration can come from anywhere? Smart people are where we look first. People like Mark Cuban to see what he is reading, watching and listening to. Companies like Alpha Graphics who think differently about what could be a boring door sign. And tech experts like the guys at Custom Audio Video who can update a work environment to be safe and sound. We have removed the Cone of Silence to share more details.

Tech support Why hang a boring "Use Front Door" sign when you can have fun with different colors and images like Furniture Warehouse Design Gallery?

Think smart

When we see Smart Stuff, we want to share it to inspire you to think differently and have fun when growing your business. Whether it is a Business Health Check-Up, a horoscope for your business or using technology differently, we hope these examples spark a good idea and bring a smile to your face.

HERE’S AN EXAMPLE IN OUR OWN BACK YARD

Furniture Warehouse Design Gallery (FWDG) in Beaufort hired the team at Alpha Graphics to put directional signs on the side doors to ask customers to use the front door. Alpha Graphics could have put an arrow with “Use Front Door” and completed the job as requested. Instead, they had some fun with color and the line “Your beautiful home starts at our front door.” It doesn’t cost more to be creative, sometimes it just takes a fresh perspective.

Get creative

Often tasks become rote and the outcome is what is expected, literally. For example, the sign on the men’s and women’s bathroom doors can simply say Men and Women. Or you can bring a smile to your customers, guests and employees’ faces by simply adding a creative twist.

EXPECTED

CREATIVE TWISTS

HOT TIP

According to CNBC, Mark Cuban’s advice to college students in 2020 was: “Just chill. Don’t stress.” Good advice for all of us.

What’s Mark Cuban up to now?

We sniffed out what this entrepreneur, Shark and owner of the Dallas Mavericks is reading, listening to and saying.

READING

Cuban gave “Rework” by David Heinemeier Hansson a glowing review: “If investing in someone who has read ‘Rework’ or has an MBA, I’m investing in ‘Rework’ every time. It is a mustread for every entrepreneur.”

LISTENING TO

According to an interview with Arianna Huffington, Cuban wakes up and falls asleep to episodes of “Law and Order.” That one was a surprise.

SAYING

Listen to the Business Casual podcast to hear why Mark thinks that perfection is the enemy of progress as leaders respond to Covid-19.

Healthier business checkup

READY FOR Q2? A HANDY-DANDY CHECKLIST, COURTESY OF THE DON RYAN CENTER FOR INNOVATION IN BLUFFTON.

SOCIAL/DIGITAL MARKETING  When was your last email blast - are they scheduled, are there calls to action in them?  Track stats of your emails - open rate, click rate, etc.  Are you using LinkedIn as the business tool it is?  Are you tagging products or services on FB and IG?  Reply to everyone  Check your mentions  Schedule your updates  Review your stats  Research upcoming news and events that can be used to promote your business  Curate content to share ACCOUNTING

 Review your P&L statement  Review you balance sheet  Make sure your accounts are reconciled every month  Check in with your accountant  Expenses and bills: Pay quickly to ensure goodwill  Invoices: Make sure you have billed for the work you have already done  Chase all late payers  Payroll: Ensure all staff records are up to date  Taxes: File your returns and pay on time, every time.  Cash flow: Cash is king, a strong profit and loss statement does not necessarily ensure a strong cash position. Can you predict your cash position in the future to know if and when you may need more cash?

SALES

 Look at your sales funnel. Where is everyone in the pipe line?  How much of your business is repeat versus new? Don’t let the ratio get too one-sided  Keep on top of industry news, and make sure customers and prospects know you keep up with your industry  Are there other sales channels you should be considering?  How are you forecasting sales?  When was the last time you went to a networking meeting?  Do you use CRM? Make sure your customers remember you

TEAM

 Encourage members’ personal development  Create psychological safety  Encourage teamwork and collaboration among employees  Recognize and reward your team members for their hard work  Provide employees with tools and resources for success  Encourage creativity  Schedule regular one-on-one meetings

This is, by no means, complete but it’s a great start!

Business central

The Don Ryan Center for Innovation

is helping to grow businesses and the economy in the Bluffton region. Founded in 2012, the center is a nonprofit dedicated to helping entrepreneurs succeed and innovative companies grow. It provides innovators with the space, resources, experienced guidance, and contacts needed to successfully launch and grow their businesses. donryancenter.com WEBSITE

 Look at your website analytics  What is your bounce rate?  How do people find you?  How long do they stay?  What do they look at?  Are there any broken links?  How hard is it to find your site when you do a search engine search?

Q2 BusinessScope

WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR WORK, A RAISE OR A PROMOTION, LOOK TO THE STARS TO FIND OUT WHERE YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIFE IS HEADED. BY MAMA ODIE

Aries

Coming through: Ram on a mission! Hibernation season’s over, and you’re charging ahead with your personal and professional goals. Whether you have your eyes on a promotion or a side project is panning out, you’re ready to hustle hard and #makeithappen. Just don’t move so fast that you run yourself into the ground; sometimes it’s better to work smarter, not harder.

Taurus

The last few weeks felt like a flurry of activity with no clear direction. You might have had a few business ideas recently, but you aren’t sure which one to pursue – if any. This quarter, you’ll find the clarity you need to turn lofty concepts into concrete goals. If you’ve scattered your energy in too many directions, now’s the time to prioritize and create an action plan.

Gemini

Your future goals are in sharp focus, Gemini, and you’re looking to set yourself up for success. With your attention so sharply attuned to the future, you could get ultra-clear on the next steps to take in your career. But to figure that out, you'll have to close the opinion polls. Even random Twitter followers might have advice to share, but at the end of the day, you know yourself – and your business – best.

Cancer

You don’t have to do it all by yourself, Cancer. You might have been shouldering an immense load of responsibility for the last few weeks or felt like you were scrambling to keep up, but the intensity is about to lift. You’ll get by with a little help from your friends. You have to put on your own mask before assisting others, so don’t be shy about delegating tasks or asking for the help you need.

Leo

There’s nothing a Leo loves more than social hour, and this quarter will be your time to shine. You’re about to find yourself in high demand for every meeting or Zoom game night. Even if you can’t get together IRL with people, you can make generous use of online platforms and virtual groups to forge new connections and strengthen existing ones. But if it starts to feel like everyone and their intern wants your time and attention, cancel your lunch plans and take some time for yourself.

Virgo

You’ve been looking for a game-changing career opportunity, Virgo. And ready or not, here it comes! This quarter, a “crazy little idea” may take on a life of its own, or a surprising plot twist could open up a whole new realm of possibilities. Keep an open mind, because an idea or offer you normally wouldn’t consider could be one you’ve been waiting for.

Libra

Who you work with is just as important as what you’re doing, if not more so! For Libras, the path to prosperity will involve linking up with fellow powerhouses or switching to a new team at work. And the networking doesn’t end there: the next couple of weeks will be an optimal time to court new clients, reach out to recruiters, or have a sit-down with upper management to discuss growth opportunities.

Scorpio

Inspiration only strikes so many times, but you’re about to catch lightning in a bottle, Scorpio. Your dreamy sign is feeling extra imaginative this quarter, so you’ll want to keep track of any latenight ideas or mid-meeting daydreams you have. Just remember to keep your eyes on the stars and your feet on the ground. You’ll want to vet any big breakthroughs before pitching them to investors.

Sagittarius

Edging into burnout, or just ready to mix things up? You might have been questioning your career trajectory, Sagittarius, but don’t worry – this is not what a midlife crisis looks like. You might be confusing constraint for curiosity and could benefit from adding some variety into your weekly schedule. Shake things up by joining a committee at work, taking an online course, or picking up a passion project.

Capricorn

Power up! Not a morning person, that’s about to change. You’re kicking your productivity levels into high gear, in and out of the office. When you’re not powering through projects at work, you’re hitting the gym, helping the kids with their homework, and are making meticulous to-do lists for the next day. But avoid the temptation to become your personal drill-sergeant; perfection is not the goal, fulfillment is.

Aquarius

Even the best-laid fiscal plans were derailed in 2020, Aquarius, but this quarter, your bank account is due for a rebound. If your income’s been erratic or some part of your work has been stuck in stop-and-go motion, things should start to pick up speed. New sources of income or freelance gigs could pop up. Who knows, you might decide to hop aboard the cryptocurrency craze or make bank on an investment.

Pisces

Ready to slow down a little? While it’s good to stay busy, Pisces need restorative time to rest and relax. But powering down doesn’t have to mean shutting down completely – there are plenty of ways to be productive and de-stress at the same time. Spending the weekend writing, volunteering, or getting crafty might allow you to develop transferable skills that could help you in your career.