Small Biz Forward

Small Biz Forward Exploring the Entrepreneurial World of Today Vol. 20. N0. 5

May Issue

Keeping Your Business Safe

Why You Should Consider Using a Coach Sustainable Change : One Model

BUSINESSES THE PLACE WHERE BUSI NESSES COME TO CONNECT, COLLABORATE AND SUCCEED

Karen Bachert, K Enterprises & Your Business Needs Fans

“You believe in your business and we believe in you.�

Mastermind Groups B2B Events Facebook Training & Consulta'on for Businesses www.YourBusinessNeedsFans.com www.facebook.com/YourBusinessNeedsFans email: Karen@YourBusinessNeedsFans.com 574.344.8895

From the Home Office I love to read and often find myself reading philosophy and mythology. I try to envision how those stories came to be, whether they were based on fact, or were creations of someone’s imagination. Most often I am able to find links to the here and now — parables for what I encounter every day. Then, I ask myself how am I able to use these stories, apply them to situations I may be in or my clients may be part of, and look to them for answers. The following one is something I heard years ago, but want to share again, as I think it’s important. Here goes:

A crow was si ng on a tree, doing nothing all day. A small rabbit saw the crow, and asked him, "Can I also sit like you and do nothing all day long? The crow an­ swered: "Sure, why not." So, the rabbit sat on the ground below the crow, and rested. All of a sudden, a fox appeared, jumped on the rabbit and ate it.

What does this mean to us as business owners today?

This issue is all about getting out there and working your business: Doing things that need to be done to grow your company successfully. Just because your doors are open and you’re looking for clients, doesn’t mean that they will come. You have to get busy and WORK your work.

May 2013 Celebrating the success of entrepreneurs everywhere.

Editor: Nancy Becher Advertising and feature inquiries send to: marketing@success4biz.biz Subscriptions can be directed to: info@success4biz.biz 701 N. Prairie Street Sturgis, MI 49091 269-651-3555 http://success4biz.biz nancy@success4biz.biz

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Marke,ng Plans. Do You Have One?

7

Should You Form an LLC?

10

Keep Your Business Safe

11

Being Connec,ve: Coaching

14

Networking E,que8e

16

3 Doors of Change

18

Mobile Marke,ng

20

Tongue­Tied and Crea,ve

21

Small Biz Forward receives unsolicited materials (including le ers to the editor, press releases, promo onal items and images) from me to me. Small Biz Forward magazine its aďŹƒliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, republish, distribute, store and archive such submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensa on of any sort. This statement does not apply to materials/pitches submi ed by freelancers in accordance with known industry prac ces. Statements and opinions expressed in feature ar cles are those of the corresponding business owner.

The Endurance Race of Business

23

While every care has been taken in the compila on of this informa on and every a empt made to present up-to-date and accurate informa on, we cannot guarantee that inaccuracies will not occur.

Celebrate Business Publishing will not be held responsible for any claim, loss, damage or inconvenience caused as a result of any informa on within these pages or any informa on accessed through their web site.

What’s Your DeďŹ ni,on of Business

28

Gone Phishing

31

I hope that you find the articles in this edition of the magazine to be useful in your growth process.

——————— Small Biz Forward is published by

Celebrate Business Publishing

The Key to Growing a Successful Biz

27

CONTRIBUTORS

Ed Becher, (Ret.) US Marine and Former Chief Instructor, US Dept. of State, Uniformed Branch, Diploma#c Security Service. Owner, The Bodyguard Academy, Sturgis, Michigan.

Nancy Becher, Passionate about suppor#ng “mom and pop” businesses, Nancy is the Chief Everything Officer of Business Success Unlimited, an educa#onal training program and success mentor for entrepreneurs and small business owners. She is the author of many short ar#cles and published pieces in various magazines and online. An entrepreneur since age 12, she is known for her knowledge of running small businesses and caring about the people she works with.

Liz LaClair is the owner of Virtually Helps, a virtual assistant company. She is PASSIONATE about helping her clients with any and all of their office administra#ve work and is a specialist in her knowledge of Microso5 Office products.

Andrew Longcore is the founder of The Business Law Group, a law firm that is focused on serving small businesses, startup companies and entrepreneurs. Learn more about The Business Law Group at www.businesslawgr.com or set up a free consulta#on by calling 616-528-0007.

Dan Neumann is an Agile coach and trainer at NewManagement, LLC. He is also an entrepreneur. Having seen a need for a different style of office space and coworking in South Bend, Indiana, he is currently working to open a new space in the heart of downtown. Watch for The Branch to open this spring.

Kenneth Nichols is a lifelong entrepreneur and the owner of Urban Appeal Mobile Marke#ng. Kenneth started his first business at the age of 12, cuAng grass around the small West Michigan town of Baldwin, Michigan. A5er gradua#ng from Baldwin High School, Kenneth aBended Western Michigan University where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Africana Studies and a Masters in Public Administra#on. Kenneth has 10 years of marke#ng experience in the non-profit sector along with a wealth of experience in customer service, direct and business to business sales.

CONTRIBUTORS Greg Olson founded Delightability with the belief that we all have the poten$al to do be%er. He brings his experiences across marke$ng, sales, engineering, services, and opera$ons to help leaders and organiza$ons make a bigger impact. His educa$on includes a BSEE and MBA, from Sea%le University while his informal and ongoing educa$on is about how humans think and interact with brands and the world at large. An entrepreneur, business coach, consultant, speaker, facilitator, and author he serves as a volunteer Board member for Oikocredit Northwest and an advisory board member for Sea%le University’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Reach him at gregolson@delightability.com or on h%p://www.twi%er.com/fordoers, h%p://www.linkedin.com/in/olsong, h%p://www.facebook.com/thebigideatoolkit, and h%p://www.facebook.com/ delightability

Jerry Sarno is a Strategic Partner with Schooley Mitchell Telecom consultants, North America’s largest independent telecom consul$ng company.

Jerry. Sarno@schooleymitchell.com 269-408-8679

Sherry Lynn Simoes is a Marke$ng Ac$on Coach working with small and homebased women entrepreneurs to build a thriving business by finding the right marke$ng methods. Book a complimentary session with Sherry Lynn at www.sherrylynnsimoes.com.

Gail Turluck is the President of Connec$ve Marke$ng of Richland, Michigan.

Connec$ve Marke$ng offers communica$ons services including wri$ng, enewsle%ers, newsle%ers, web site content, edi$ng, proofreading, and more.

She can be reached at gail@connec$vemarke$ngllc.com.

5 Small Biz Forward

Networking, Learning and FUN

An Umbrella Can Protect You... From More than the Rain?

UPCOMING EVENTS If you’d like your events posted, send them to calendar@success4biz.biz Or join us on Facebook h%p://facebook.com/bsuconnector

Women's Personal Defense Seminar. A 2 hour program focusing on awareness, smart phone safety and some basic personal defense tactics using the items you usually carry with you.

We will discuss the four levels of awareness, how your smart phone can be used against you by stalkers to locate you.

Personal defense using the umbrella? See how at Old Bag Factory, (lower level) 1100 N. Chicago Ave. Goshen, IN 46528, May 11, 2013 between 10am and 2pm. Cost: $20

Stay tuned for more events in the near future: A Monthly Talk Show Webinars and Tele-seminars

Make Money, Create Clients, Be Successful Definition: Being in business: The principal activity in your life that you do to earn money. You’re in business…are you making money?

Making money is NOT the same as being in business. Once you know what you DO, then you have to know how to make money or you’re really not in business. Join us for the next 3 months and learn HOW TO MAKE MONEY. This program is held online. Meeting times are 6pm to 8pm the first and third Wednesday of the month. There will be recordings posted afterwards. Cost is $45 for the six class session. Want more info? Give us a call at 269-651-3555 or send a note to info@success4biz.biz.

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Marketing Plans — Do You Have One? Nancy Becher, Business Success Unlimited

As a business owner you need to let people know your business exists – and what you do that a person or company might want. That’s called marketing, and you all know it’s important for the growth of your company. But all too often you find yourself flying by the seat of your pants without any (or much) forethought when trying to communicate what it is you do. Then you may wonder why you don’t have growth in your sales.

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You need a plan – one that attracts more customers.

But how do you create this plan? I believe there are a series of steps you should take when creating your plan. The first is to understand who your customers are (an ideal customer for one), and how you turn these people into prospects, buyers and loyal customers. Along with that, you need to come up with

your core marketing message – who you work with, what issues you address and the solutions you deliver.

Here’s an example: I work with entrepreneurs who are the “chief cook and bottle washer,” the Chief Everything Officer, or their business. They do everything from operations, marketing, production, the bookkeeping and answering the telephone. They need someone to support them so they feel like they have help and guidance in areas where they are unsure of their next step. This is done through training, networking, one-on-one consulting and administrative support. See how this fits the above?

Once you have this message created it’s time to figure out how to get that out to your ideal client.

Through various formats (again, figure out which format these clients will most appreciate), such as website content, articles and reports, brochures and flyers, surveys, newsletters, audio and video recordings, radio/tv/newspaper, networking, you can then create the materials to go with the format.

However, no matter what that venue turns out to be there are, again, some constants that you should remember.

1. What is your service and why should I be interested?

2. Talk about the needs your client has and how you can help.

3. What results can they expect?

4. Who else has used this product?

5. What is the process for how these services work?

6. Is the business credible?

7. What do you have to do to get to the next step in the sales process?

When creating your marketing keep all of these thoughts in mind.

Depending on which format(s) you’ve chosen, the next step is implementation. Always keep track of how you’ve sent out the message and when someone follows up, ask them where they heard about you.

This is where the relationship starts to grow. You need to understand and appreciate your clients. After someone has purchased from you, tell them thank you. Ask them what else you can do for them. Make sure that what you have done is what was expected and even more than expected.

Follow up with both those that have done business with you and those that you didn’t hear from. It often just takes a few times of getting your name out there if you are marketing to the right group of people. Remember, it takes this relationship of people knowing, liking and trusting someone in order for them to do business with them. If you follow these steps you should see engagement and activity with a group of people that will eventually become your loyal customers.

###

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Give me three good reasons to come to Business Success Unlimited!

How about FIVE!

Visit our web page at h p://success4biz.biz and click on h p://success4biz.biz/Our_Programs.html to get more informa$on on these programs and get signed up today! Business Success Unlimited is at 701 Prairie Street, Sturgis, MI 49091. Our telephone number is 269-651-3555 and our email is info@success4biz.biz.

9 Small Biz Forward

Should You Form an LLC? Andrew Longcore, The Business Law Group

Starting a small business can often seem overwhelming and complicated. There are a myriad of considerations, tons of resources and that is on top of just trying to run a business. The internet is a great resource but there can be conflicting opinions. One of these conflicts is whether or not you should form a limited liability company or not.

To begin with, I would like to point out that a limited liability company is not the only option for your business entity. Consulting with a business attorney can make sure that you choose the right entity that fits what you want to do and the goals you are looking to accomplish. For the purposes of this article though, we will be sticking with the limited liability company or more commonly known as the LLC.

other employees or owners of the LLC cannot be imputed on to you personally without piecing the corporate veil.

2.

Cost

The costs of forming your LLC do not have to be crushing. While some formations can be complicated and very intricate, generally assistance in forming your LLC is not too expensive. The State of Michigan charges a $50 filing fee and a $25 annual fee. These fees are hardly devastating.

3.

Other Benefits

Forming an LLC automatically adds credibility to your business. Other businesses are more likely to partner or contract with a LLC over an individual because of the perception a business entity holds over an individual. There are also tax benefits that The arguments against forming a LLC are that it the business can receive that you cannot get does not really protect you from liability and it can individually. be costly to form and maintain. While the Finally, if there is more than one owner of the statements do hold some truth the fact is the business the LLC formation can be used as the benefits of formation far outweigh these arguments. agreement to how that enterprise will operate.

1.

Liability Protection

While it’s true that your LLC will not protect you from potentially being sued because you harmed someone, it does protect you from a lot of personal liability. It seems pretty obvious that if you are driving the company delivery truck and you are intoxicated, crash into another car, and cause injuries to others that you are going to be personally liable for those actions. But other claims against the business that arise out of contracts the LLC is a party to, debts the LLC has taken on or actions by 10 Small Biz Forward

Often when individuals simply form a partnership they do not formalize that pact and that can lead to disputes later on.

Forming a limited liability company is a quick and easy process that can save you potentially thousands of dollars. The protection it can provide, the money it can save you, the opportunities it can open and the disputes it can avoid can quickly add up. If your business takes off and is a success or if your business sputters and fails, the limited liability company can serve you no matter what.

Keep Your Business Safe Security and the Entrepreneur Ed Becher, PPS, The Bodyguard Academy

With the tragic events that unfolded in Boston recently, many questions have been asked as to how incidents like this could have been averted. With an estimated 22,000 participants, over 500,000 spectators and 27 plus miles of race course to secure, the job of securing this event and keeping everyone safe was colossal. All the first responders, who ran towards the bombings, are to be commended. But how do you, as an entrepreneur, stay safe while on a business trip or at an event where an unfortunate incident like this takes place.

We never know and we cannot predict where

Situational awareness; being aware of one's

something like this could take place. It could be in

surroundings and identifying potential threats and

the building or restaurant where your next

dangerous situations -- is more of a mindset than a

networking event takes place. It could happen as

hard skill. We need to take the responsibility for our

you’re driving to a meeting with a client for that big

own security, law enforcement cannot be

contract you have always wanted.

everywhere and they cannot stop every criminal

Let’s talk about situational awareness and you.

How aware are you RIGHT NOW about your surroundings? Where are the exits? Whose backpack is that by that unoccupied table? I’ve seen that person before, do I know them or are they following me? It has you thinking now doesn’t it?

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action or terrorist attack. We have all heard about trusting our ‘gut instinct’ and many of us have experienced it in our lives. Many times a person's subconscious can notice subtle signs of danger that the conscious mind has difficulty quantifying or articulating.

approach an intersection, and the car

There are five levels of awareness, as seen in the diagram. Right now a few of

coming up on the cross roads does not

you are in the tuned out stage. You are

stop as required. High alert may be scary

totally unaware of your surroundings,

but you can still function at this level.

comfortable that nothing can happen to

Comatose, the last level, is what happens

you where you sit right now.

when you literally freeze at the wheel

Relaxed awareness could be best

and cannot respond to stimuli, either

described as defensive driving: being on

because you have fallen asleep or, you

the highway and constantly being aware

are petrified. It is that panic induced

of where each car on the road is around

paralysis. It is the level where you go

you, who is changing lanes, who is coming up on

into shock, your brain ceases to process information

you much faster than you are moving.

and you simply cannot react to the situation.

Focused awareness can be compared to driving

Where are you now? The desired level for most

in hazardous conditions, like a snow storm. You

day to day functions is relaxed awareness. Your

keep both hands on the wheel, your attention is

senses are keen to your surroundings, you’re paying

totally focused on the road and the other drivers.

attention to those around you and what they are

Your attention never wanders as your eyes never

doing. Go to the mall one weekend and try the

leave the road. This level is very stressful and tiring.

relaxed and focused awareness levels. See how you

High alert is the fourth level of awareness; that level induces that adrenaline rush, a prayer and a gasp of air all at the same time. It’s when as you

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do.

Until next month, stay safe and stay aware.

Want to see more money in your pocket at the end of the day, but just NOT SURE how to accomplish it?

Would you like to have several businesses focused on YOU, ready to help with ideas, knowledge, experience?

Make your dreams big enough to fuel your passion. Remember, never ever give up because the only thing standing in the way of your dreams is YOU. Taking advantage of the wisdom and experience of mentors will help you to reach your goal faster!

13 Small Biz Forward

BEING CONNECTIVE-CONNECTIVE--Coaching --Coaching Gail Turluck, Connective Marketing

Entrepreneurs and small business owners often go it alone and fly by the seat of their pants. A limited few have the skills to be able to manage everything that needs attention to keep their business building and on track. Many are in a position of needing just a small bit of guidance to cause their budding baby to turn into full blown success.

Just as in athletics, we find the individual who has an observer and tracker often reaches success when a competitor does not. This observer and tracker, a business coach, can provide feedback in a way that is respectful yet insightful, guiding the business forward, catching operational shortcomings, 14 Small Biz Forward

identifying them, and working with the entrepreneur to develop a plan of improvement for implementation and review.

The entrepreneur will often wonder where to turn for that guidance? There are a number of choices:

Trusted Friend Personal Board of Directors Mentor Group Mastermind Group Business Coach While any one of the choices above can help the business owner achieve success, we are going to explore the Business Coach option.

money or close to making money, but are so busy with daily operations they don't have time to step back and make adjustments on their own.

Business Coaches will work with these owners as little as a few hours a month to a few hours a week, observing, goal setting, reviewing, and guiding some self-discovery to lead to a next step in development.

What is a Business Coach? There are a number of styles of business coaches. There are those that are affiliated with large corporations and are known as consultants. They seek clients whose businesses are well established and have $50MM and up annual sales. Very few sole entrepreneurs are ready for this level of coaching.

There are Business Coaches that work on a small group basis. A benefit of coaching on a group basis is the fees are more affordable and may make coaching possible for the owner that is established and making money, but unable to commit to the one-to-one level. An often unexpected side benefit is the group members will often have ideas and suggestions that can lead quickly to advancement and goal achievement.

There are one-to-one Business Coaches. Their niche is small businesses and sole entrepreneurs who have an established business, are making

Improve your business quickly by utilizing some form of Coaching. You will discover its merits and see your business grow.

It’s ALL about FANS!

So where do our Facebook Fans come from? Perhaps for many of us who host Facebook Business pages, gaining a little insight as to where our fans come from might help us better connect.

It’s All About FANS! Some$mes Facebook FANS are LEADS & LEADS need to be turned into SALES Some$mes FANS are CLIENTS & Customers and need lot of TLC & pampering Some$mes FANS are other businesses & present an opportunity for both

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Networking Etiquette One of the Best Ways to Connect … When Done Right Nancy Becher, Business Success Unlimited

Networking events are a way to let people know about your business and what you do. Right? Yesssssss… but, it’s also a way to start creating relationships with others and to learn about what THEY do, and how you can help them. It’s not really about how many business cards you can hand out around the room. It’s more about what you can do to learn about other businesses and how you can help them.

Networking is really about relationship building.

It used to be a numbers game – the more people that knew about you, the more you might be able to get from them. However, now, we know that it’s really all about what you know about another person. I can remember a clothing store here in town many years ago, where the minute you walked in the front door, a sales person walked up to you with the question, how can I help you today. Ok, so far so good. But then you might say to them, I’m looking for a black

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business suit (pants, and jacket). The woman would lead you to a rack of dresses, and start pulling out bright colored dresses that weren’t even your size.

She’s say, “Oh, but I think this looks SOOO good on you.” Hello? Did she hear what you were saying?

When we hand out our business cards to people at networking events, without knowing what the other person needs or is looking for, aren’t we doing the same thing? We are telling them, we don’t care what you do, or what you need. All we care about is

that you know about us. Do we really think that person is going to pay it forward by giving our names out to others? The minute you are out of my sight, I’m trashing your business card. What about you?

I tried an experiment at an after hours event a couple of weeks ago.

I saw a woman sitting at a table all alone. I walked up to her and said “Hi! I’m Nancy from Business Success Unlimited. What’s your name?” She answered, “Barb.” I then said, “Hi, Barb. What do you do?” This started a discussion about Barb’s business. I asked her several questions about what she did and what got her started in this business. She grew animated and I could tell that she was really passionate about her business and what she did. We talked for about 15 minutes, and then I suggested that I needed to move on. Not once did I mention (after stating the name of my business) what I did or what I was looking for. As I started to leave

she said, “Oh, wait a minute. Tell me what you do.”

I then handed her my business card and we talked a few more minutes about BSU. The moral of this story?

I’ve already received a couple of referrals from Barb, and I have been able to suggest a few things for her as well. We are on our way to a friendship and a business relationship that should be beneficial to us both. It was a meaningful time and I hope will continue to be meaningful for a long time in the future. What is better? A good relationship where I can both support and get support from one person, or passing out 100 business cards and never hearing a thing from any of them? Sure, odds are that eventually someone that I handed a card out to MIGHT refer me but… For me, at least, I’d rather meet and connect with one or two people that need what I offer and that I can, in return, provide something to them. What about you?

Your Business Needs Fans Tip: Post your photo. It's a good idea to occassionally include your own photo in your post. This helps others on Facebook connect you with your business and puts a face behind your messages. All of us like to do business with people we "know, like, and trust" so a good starting point in building those valuable connections is to be sure your fans know the face behind your business.

You might even sign off on your posts with your name. Karen Visit our page at www.facebook.com/YourBusinessNeedsFans and click on the NOTES tab for more helpful Facebook hints.

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3 Doors of Change: A Model for Sustainable Change Greg Olson, Delightability, LLC Reprinted with permission. Visit www.delightability.com/blog for the original post

The lack of success and outright failure of change initiatives has caused us to design a sustainable and effective model for change. Though change doesn’t happen without people, our experience shows us that many leaders jump from decision to implementation, skipping the critical step of gaining alignment of the people who will carry the burden.

Our human centric change model embraces people; we call it the 3 Doors of Change. Think of successful change initiatives having to pass through each of the 3 doors in order for the change to take hold and make a lasting impact. Getting through door number 1 is easy and involves making a decision, crafting a vision or a plan. Here is where organizations often invest time and resources into making a better, more informed decision.

Door number 3 is implementation. It is here where plans are put to the test. Mechanical actions are performed to get the desired results. The execution police are relentless in keeping us on task even though we may have lost site of what we were doing, or the original purpose behind it. The belief that employees or volunteers blindly adhere to whatever has been decided may be a hangover from the industrial age and era of specialization where people were thought of as efficient assembly line workers, chunking out whatever the factory boss had configured the line to do.

But, most of us don’ don’t work in factories. And, even fewer workers today have a sense of duty to whoever is barking orders.

So, why is it that we still act like we work in factories? Because institutions and organizations are slow to change save for the rare organization that crafts new rules and norms. HR, Training and Development departments, and leaders are seldom 18 Small Biz Forward

well versed in psychology, campaign design, and shaping human behavior. Think of your current organization and all of the organizations that you’ve worked with and for. How much did you learn about getting other people on board your train? That is exactly what is needed for successful change and the subject of door number 2, alignment.

Door number 2 is the pathway to sustainable change. Here is where activities and campaigns help to on-board, inform, and empower people to participate. As members of teams and participants to others’ plans, we crave to be heard and to be ready for what is asked of us. Visit any social network or a highly functioning team and you’ll witness this in droves.

The Big Idea Toolkit has this change model built in. The path on the Big Picture is intentionally a “z”

shape. At first, when you make a decision and move through door number 1 you feel like you are moving forward. But, then you feel like you are going backwards when trying to gain alignment. Time seem to slow d-o-w-n while your working through alignment. After gaining alignment, you’re moving forward again. These feelings of moving forward then backward and forward again are reinforced by the blue z shaped path on the Big Picture.

Teams that skip door number 2, jumping to implementation too quickly, eventually return to gain alignment of the rest of the people that will carry out the change. Think of changes you’ve been apart of or witnessed. It IS very possible that change occurs quickly, effortlessly, and even invisibly. But, for this to happen you’ll have to include attributes that help with door number 2, alignment. In the best of cases, you’ll have a high alignment-word density in your change initiative. Alignment words to consider include: valued, inclusion, expression, respect, participation, secure, authentic, credible, relevant, focused, incremental, clarity, easy, purpose, destination, community, sharing, and payoff.

Change efforts needn’ needn’t be top down or driven by legislation. No boss told you to put yourself on Facebook or LinkedIn or begin text messaging yet, you did all of those.

If you want to make a bigger impact for yourself and others you’ll need to pay attention to the 3 Doors of Change. You’ll look less like a politician, lawmaker, or bureaucrat and more like a 21st century change master that aligns people to make great things happen. And, in a lopsided world rife with ailments we could all use more greatness.

Please share your experiences around alignment with teams. What are some of the tactics you have successfully used or others have used on you? Comment here, on Facebook, Twitter, or email Greg Olson

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Mobile Marketing — The Sales Tool of the Future?

Kenneth Nichols, Urban Appeal

What is mobile marketing? It can be defined as marketing on or with a mobile device, such as a mobile phone. It is also the use of mobile devices to distribute any kind of promotional or advertising messages to customers through wireless networks.

Mobile marketing can be accomplished through mobile optimized websites, emails, mobile applications, and text messaging.

A mobile optimized website is NOT the same as a regular website and is best leveraged for communication when configured to adjust to the users screen on their mobile device. 79% of smartphone users utiulize their phone to shop. If they can’t access your website, then don’t expect them to shop with you.

Emails are still a common form of communication, especially for confidential information. But the response rate is right around 4%. (Choose wisely) A majority of 25-34 year olds now own a smartphone and are more likely to access your company’s information through a mobile application.

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(That doesn’t mean that older customers should NOT be considered when devising your mobile marketing strategy) When considering whether or not to build a mobile application for your company, one should grossly consider how it makes life better for the CUSTOMER! The simplest and most underutilized form of mobile marketing is Text Messaging Services.

Regardless of the type of phone being used most users are easily accessible through text messaging.

90% of text messages are read within 3 minutes of being delivered, and they boast a response rate of 2050%. Your customers are using text messaging, so why aren’t you?

When devising a mobile marketing strategy your company should consider the audience that they are trying to reach, company’s goals, and the customer experience. Each mobile phone should be considered a personal connection and interaction. If your company does not have a mobile marketing strategy, then you are losing MONEY! Please visit www.urbanappealmobile.com, fill out our contact page, and tell us about your company so that we may help you!

Creativity and Business Tongue-Tied and Creative Liz LaClair, Virtually Helps, LLC

There are so many ways to be creative. Let’s discuss being creative when describing yourself to others and describing others to others.

How many times have you been asked to describe what you do, what your services are, etc? Do you get tongue-tied? Now think how you react when someone asks you to describe a client, a friend, family member’s business. You can rattle off the answers without hesitation. My sister-in-law owns a gourmet candy store and I’ve helped in the store and created a couple of her brochures. I can tell you a LOT about her store and what she does.

But what about when it comes to me? What happens when it comes to writing/saying something about me and my business? Yes, I’m good at what I do.

Yes, I love doing what I do and I love being creative for my clients. But honestly, I am a bit shy and have always had a hard time telling my business story. This is where my creativity hits the brakes, slows down to nothing. I get tongue-tied; there are a lot of umms. So, of course I worry that no one will take me seriously and really believe that I can do what I say I can. Boy, that does a lot for a person.

So, how does one do a personality shift? Because, face it, that is what I have to do. Learn to channel my creativity inward – no matter how scary that is. Sit down and spend time writing up what I do – from my clients’ perspective — to tell my business story. Knowing me, there will be plenty of re-writes.

If you find yourself in a similar situation I hope you can find it in you to sit down and think of all the positives of your business and write them down. Remember, writing is a creative form of communication.

You don’t need to embellish, let your work speak for itself. How will anyone know what you do and how well you do it if you don’t sing your own praises? You may have to keep an inspirational card on your desk telling you how tremendously talented, awe-inspiring, ultra-creative (etc.) you are just to keep you in the right frame of mind when you’re writing your story. Don’t worry; draw your creativity from sources that help you.

21 Small Biz Forward

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The Endurance Race of Business Dan Neumann, NeuManagement, LLC

For the first time in my life, I had the pleasure of getting to "pace" my uncle as he ran an endurance race. And when I say "endurance", I mean 50-miles, on foot, in under 12 hours.

My role was to pace him for the last third of the

Despite detours to try to avoid some of the

event. It was a powerful experience, and led to many

unexpected water, there was plenty of mud, standing

reflections. I want to share the business reflections

water and running streams that the athletes had to go

with you.

through. At one river crossing, there was a rope that the racers had to use lower themselves down the

This spring, Indiana got a phenomenal amount of

steep embankment, into the icy water, and then pull

rain in the week leading up to the Indiana Trail 100.

themselves up the embankment on the opposite site.

The rain led to flooding on many parts of the course.

The trail conditions, combined with temperatures

23 Small Biz Forward

barely above freezing, and you have created an

the trail crossed a road, providing an opportunity for

extreme, potentially deadly, set of race conditions.

me to easily get back to the race start/finish line.

Below are some of the lessons from my 16 mile run.

These opportunities were about every four miles of trail. Knowing that I had a way out, I was able to

Choose a Sustainable Pace In racing, as in business, you need to maintain a sustainable pace. It doesn't do us any good to go so

incrementally decide if I was able to continue on the race. I was not making a 16 mile commitment, I was making a series of 4-mile commitments.

fast that you can't complete what you started out to do. Prioritization and deciding what not to do will help you find this pace.

Embracing practices that allow you to deliver incrementally and iterate as you learn create competitive business advantages. Look for those

Take Little Breaks There were several aid stations set up along the trail. Aid stations allow the athletes to pause, get

opportunities to make a series of small steps, and do not make the false premise that you have to make one big bet that will either succeed or fail.

something to eat and drink, adjust their shoes, and then start out again. These stations are important

For additional insights from the event, please read

breaks in an otherwise daunting journey. From a

“The Endurance Race of Business” on my blog at

utilization standpoint, they're "inefficient," wasting

HTTP://NeuManagement.WordPress.com/

time that could be spent running. Consider what it would be like without aid stations. Without the break, runners wouldn’t be able to complete the course.

Make sure your business team has opportunities to rest and refuel, even if it appears inefficient.

Walk Up the Hills When faced with a challenge, how tempting is it to charge through? Charging uphill wastes a lot of energy and does not improve your results. In fact, the wasted energy may prevent you from finishing. Are you facing an uphill climb at your business? Consider slowing the pace to get through it.

Iterating Makes it Safe The morning of the race, I wasn't confident that I was in shape to run a full 16 miles. However, looking at the course, there were multiple opportunities where 24 Small Biz Forward

JOBS, INTERNSHIPS and MORE …

If you have a job you’d like to list here, send us a Word doc for possible inclusion in an upcoming edition.

Entrepreneurial based business is looking for an intern(s) interested in supporting company in developing and implementing marketing strategies, while learning entrepreneur skills.

This intern should be prepared to work in a fast-paced team environment, and will finish the internship having gained experience in various aspects of marketing a successful business, as well as working with a team to achieve expected end results.

Some of the responsibilities will include (this position will be shared with 1 - 2 other interns, so one applicant is not responsible for ALL the tasks on this list and for this position): Qualifications: •

Research & reach out to organizations within target market for speaking & sales opportunities

•

Implement social media marketing plan

•

Write & submit press releases

•

Assist with creating any presentation materials for speaking engagements

•

Follow up with presentation attendees after event and enter new leads into the main database, as well as follow up with attendees to give them more information about the products/services they expressed interest in

•

Draft sales pages and messages and post to web site

25 Small Biz Forward

•

High to advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint (Publisher & Adobe Photoshop a bonus)

•

Social Media marketing experience

•

WordPress experience a bonus

•

Interest in collaborating ideas & making decisions while recommending and implementing courses of action

It's essential that applicants be creative, self-directed, and comfortable in taking initiative in creating and implementing ideas, as well as have the ability and desire to think outside the box and come up with new solutions towards overall company objectives and find new results-oriented solutions. Intern

must be articulate, dependable and committed with an entrepreneurial spirit.

•

Hours:

Internship Details:

Flexible with 15 - 20 hours per week

•

Primary role will be to support company in developing and implementing marketing strategies.

•

Interns are required to work a minimum of 15 hours/week, and some weeks during launches may work 20+ hours with a minimum 6-month commitment to role

•

Access to own desk, high-speed internet, and additional equipment and software necessary to complete all assigned tasks

•

Weekly Team meetings (1 hour)

•

Monthly Internship meetings (to learn and discover from one another, 1 hour)

Length/Availability:

Testimonials and recommendations as earned

6 months Internship Benefits: •

Mastermind Business Building Membership

•

Knowledge, experience, and practice in a supportive team environment

•

Working with a team of highly skilled and motivated professionals

•

Ability to discover and learn new resources in a supportive learning environment

•

Feedback and suggestions to improve personal skill level

26 Small Biz Forward

The Key to Growing a Successful Business is PFA Planning, Focus and Accountability!

Sherry Lynn Simoes, Marketing Action Coach

Do you have a business plan and well defined goals?

If you don't, how can you reach your goals and grow a successful business? Do you know who your Target Market is? If you are clear on who they are you can save so much time not marketing “blindly.” Do you have a strong brand created for yourself? You must stand out from your competition! Do you have systems in place to stay organized? You accomplish twice as much in half the time when you have a system that works which means you can…

Focus!

Lack of focus can be an issue due to all the things in life that need to come first like family, finances and other obligations. The key to staying focused on your business is to design your business around your life so when you are working on growing your business it has your undivided attention and you will have that …

Accountability!

Are you the type of person who can be accountable to yourself? The main reason people can't is that the busyness and obligations in life get “in the way”. If you have too many things to be accountable to, you cannot be accountable to any of them. Only take on the number of things you can handle at a time. Coming from a creative person I can tell you that this is difficult. So many ideas and things you want to accomplish makes it hard to do one thing at a time.

So to wrap it up….If you plan properly you will be able to create time where you can focus and be accountable! accountable Just remember these 3 letters each time you feel scattered and need to get grounded: PFA!

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Wedding coming up?

Pictures to preserve?

Videos for your web site?

Give Mary Jo a call at: 574|514|5193 OR visit her web site at h p://www.AVASLLC.NET

What’s Your Definition of Business?

Nancy Becher, Business Success Unlimited

A definition of being in business is: The principal activity in your life that you do to earn money. You’re in business…but making money is NOT the same as being in business. Once you know what you DO, then you have to know how to make money or you’re really not in business.

How do we make money? One way is to sell what people want. BUT people's reasons for buying things often don't match up with the company's reason for selling them. We as business people provide our potential clients with details about what we can do for them – however, often those details are descriptions of the items, not the benefits and value associated with the items.

You need to understand the psychology of the buyer as well as the need. Let’s face it. You’re not the only widget maker out there. So, why does someone buy from you instead of the one right down the street? People make decisions on purchases emotionally. The two biggest buying 29 Small Biz Forward

emotions are fear or pleasure. So, when writing marketing copy, or when talking to someone about your business, ask yourself, what is the fear they are dealing with, or what does your product/service do that creates pleasure. If you’re an accountant, perhaps it’s the fear of being audited by the IRS that makes you look for an account with 30 years of experience dealing with the IRS. OR, if you’re a spa, you give your clients the feeling of being on a tropical island, with a mimosa in one hand, and breezes gently blowing over your skin while creating a beautiful body – hair, nails and massage. Now, those are benefits! And if you can put yourself in the place of the buyer (“I want to buy this!”), then you’re that much better off.

Passion is very important. You need to understand that people always ask the question, “What’s in it for me.” It really is all about them … they need to think that whatever they’re buying is going to either eliminate that fear, or is going to make them

feel beautiful, give them personal worth, or build their dream into reality.

People also look for value in what they buy.

Value can be as simple as “I paid $8 for these blue jeans. If they last six months, that’s good enough.”

OR, it could be relative to what others charge, how badly they want it, how it makes them feel, how much different it is from what others offer.

It is also a known that people like to see it, hear it, touch it, etc., before they buy. If you can, give them free samples, Once someone has decided that they need what you have to offer, you then need to convince them that you are the right person for them to buy from.

The saying has been said many times “People buy from those they know, like and trust.” People are generally skeptical of products and services they know little about. You need to create a relationship with buyers before you expect to sell them. One way to create this relationship is through providing them with evidence of your good business: testimonials, endorsements, data, and just plain getting to know YOU, the real you, and not some artificial design.

How can you do this? Postings on Facebook and LinkedIn or Twitter – while I don’t often propose

telling people that I had oatmeal for breakfast, most of my followers know I love animals, believe in God, and try very hard never to do something that would intentionally hurt another person. This is all done through my posts, and is all very real. You can do this sort of thing, too. It doesn’t create a fast sale, but it does create a lasting business relationship.

Finally, after the relationship has been created, don’t let it drop. Ask for people’s opinions, be honest and let them know you care about what they think. If there’s a problem, listen to them and try your best to fix it. Don’t ignore them, but let them know that their business is important to you. Follow the Golden Rule and do unto them as you would want done to you. We all know that no one is perfect and that things happen at times. It’s more about how you react to the situation that will make or break a relationship. Try your best to say “YES” and make it happen rather than saying “NO. Not my decision, I’m just following company policy.”

When all is said and done, everyone out there will not be your ideal client, and will not buy from you. But when you try your best to be authentic, real, caring and offer a product or service that people “get” and “want” you are well on your way to success!

3 people for the price of 2

LinkedIn: How and Why Business Success Unlimited Old National Bank Heritage Square — June 18th, 4pm—6pm Individual cost $35 0r $70 for 3

Tel: 269-651-3555 30 Small Biz Forward

Gone Phishing Jerry Sarno, Schooley Michell

Technology is changing at a startling speed, revolutionizing the way we live and how we do business. As much as it has improved our efficiency at the office, it’s also given another group an upper hand: Criminals.

Phishing scams – where crooks attempt to gather sensitive personal information or access computer systems for nefarious purposes – are

31 Small Biz Forward

skyrocketing around the world. Over 50 percent of Internet users get at least one phishing email per day and as many as 1 in 245 emails are phishing attempts.

While many scams are targeted at consumers, there is increasing evidence that businesses of all sizes are at risk. And there is plenty to lose.

Businesses that are swindled suffer direct financial

losses, along with serious security breaches involving intellectual property, trade secrets and customer data.

others within the organization, since we are more likely to trust an email that appears to come from someone we know.

Would you or your employees be able to accurately spot a phishing email? Email is an important and valuable communication tool, so simply sending all messages to a spam or junk mail folder isn’t a viable solution. That’s why knowing what to look for is essential.

The problem is so widespread that security training firms have begun offering corporate phishing training. One popular approach is to set up an education campaign where employees are sent fake phishing emails. If they fall for the scam and click through the link, they are taken to a portal with information on how to prevent breaches and identify malicious emails. Experts say this method of handson training creates greater awareness than simply dictating information from the front of a boardroom or warning employees to be vigilant. Users trained in avoiding phishing scams fell for the ruse 42 percent less than those who received no training at all.

In most attacks, users will receive an email that appears to be from a legitimate source such as a bank, courier company or government agency.

Often there will be a sense of urgency, with claims that a transaction may have failed or an important delivery is waiting to be made. While some messages contain spelling mistakes, grammatical errors or irregularities that tip off the user to its validity, others are picture perfect.

Almost always the user will be asked to download an attachment or click through a link to a website where requests are made for personal information or nasty software is installed to infiltrate the machine or network. Once hackers gain control they may utilize the compromised account to send malicious links to

With targeted attacks on the rise – businesses with fewer than 250 employees are the fastest growing segment – employee vigilance and ongoing education will continue to be of the utmost importance. As technology advances, so will the attacks. To protect ourselves and our businesses, we need to be prepared. Chances are the con artists will always try to stay one step ahead.

There are no secrets to success. It is the result of prepara on, hard work, and learning from failure.

— Colin Powell —

32 Small Biz Forward

MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY AVAS, LLC

AVAS provides photo scanning, photo montages, social media consulting, and project assistance. h&p://www.AVASLLC.NET | Cell: (574) 514-5193 ———————-

Connective Marketing provides communications services to small businesses: • Print and e-newsletters • Handbooks, Yearbooks and Directories • Web site content • Organization membership management • Editing and Proofreading • Event management Connective Marketing offers non-profit management and consulting services. Connective Marketing has a particular focus on sailing and sailboat racing organizations and events. Be confident you can drop your dock lines and sail away knowing your needs will be met.

Connective Marketing /) 1245 West Gull Lake Drive (\ Richland, Michigan 49083 269.203.7130 T | 786.358.3605 F gail@connec vemarke ngllc.com | www.connec vemarke ngllc.com

Heartwood Renaissance Academy A private school dedicated to helping students succeed.

We teach students to SOAR TO NEW HEIGHTS. The staff and teachers help DESIGN, BUILD, and TEST each child's skills, confidence, and self-esteem to fly with courage into their adult futures with the ability to overcome obstacles and accept challenges. https://www.facebook.com/pages/HeartwoodRenaissance-Academy | (269) 273-0160 ———————-

MI Security Training/Bodyguard Academy Providing quality training for those working in the private security industry in Michigan. http://thebodyguardacademy.com | (269) 651-3355 Premier Women’s Network To Uplift, Encourage, and Inspire all Women in Business and Career Seekers to Achieve their Highest Capabilities through Networking and Education https://www.facebook.com/PremierWomensNetwork/ info | (260) 747-5202 ———————-

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Membership Directory Continued ….

Premier Women’s Network To Uplift, Encourage, and Inspire all Women in Business and Career Seekers to Achieve their Highest Capabilities through Networking and Education

Your Business Needs Fans Encouraging businesses create and maintain their online presence by teaching best-practice Facebook marketing and so much more.

https://www.facebook.com/PremierWomensNetwork/ info | (260) 747-5202

https://www.facebook.com/YourBusinessNeedsFans (574) 344-8895

———————-

River Country Journal Celebrating and nurturing life in Southwest Michigan river country. http://www.rivercountryjournal.com | (269) 279-8000 ———————-

Ways to Connect Follow us on Twi&er @ http://www.twitter.com/smallbizjunkie

Like us on Facebook @ h&p://www.facebook.com/bsuconnector

Join us on LinkedIn @ http://www.linkedin.com/in/nancybecher

34 Small Biz Forward

Small Biz Forward Club Where businesses go to connect | Collaborate | SUCCEED

Purchase a Platinum Membership with Business Success Unlimited and become a member of the Small Biz Forward Club which gives you access to several different types of programs.

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