Remember the days of marketing your business before social media came onto the scene?  I bet you’re thinking it was way less complicated to market a business back then.  Well don’t confuse ‘less complicated’ with ‘easier’ because social media makes it easier than ever before to get people talking about your business!

This week I’m bringing you a high content interview with branding and social media strategy experts John Navickas and Steve di Filipo of InertiaMoves.  John and Steve help their clients to dig deeper and to create a social media strategy that is in line with the direction of their overall marketing strategy. 

My exclusive interview with John and Steve answers many of my clients burning social media questions:

-What social network is best for small to medium size businesses? for business-to-consumer service professionals? for business-to-business companies?

-What are the best ways to integrate some of the top social media platforms into an existing marketing strategy?

-How should I respond to negative feedback about your business on social media?

-How can I most effectively manage my time when using social media?

-How can I tie social media into my overall marketing strategy?

-How do I know if I am using social media effectively?

Click here to hear the full interview with John and Steve.  You can even download the interview as an MP3!

InertiaMoves is a seasoned group of professionals that have extensive experience in graphic design, copywriting, marketing, photography, social media, and interactive development. They work closely with clients to develop and execute innovative promotional materials that significantly increase business productivity and sales. Their hard hitting, far reaching materials cover all business-to-business and direct-to-consumer initiatives, including print, online, marketing and social media.

Here’s to Your Success!

Yoon -

Yoon Cannon
Business Growth Expert
Paramount Business Coach
Phone 215-292-4947 EST

When it comes to attracting new clients, it’s not about who you know but who knows you.  And, in this age where virtual communication dominates, what better way to interact with sales leads than on the Internet?

But, the million dollar question of course, is how do you generate those sales leads online? Well, if you were a store front we all know the value of location, location, location… because for brick and mortar businesses location has a lot to do with bringing traffic into the store. Well, for all of us service oriented businesses the first hurdle to achieve is no different. Generating more sales leads online begins with having a solid strategy to successfully bring in more traffic to our websites. Here are 4 tips to help you beef up your website traffic, so you can generate more leads. 

 Tip #1: Use your words carefully. The copy you use on your website can make a significant difference in how you rank on internet searches. Most business owners who write their own website copy end up using language that only you speak rather than using language that speaks to your prospects. You can access free tools available with Google keyword search reports that will tell you what words and what combination of words are most highly used by internet searchers. 

 Tip #2: Have your articles published on other websites. (This means, of course, you should start writing those articles if you don’t have them already). In our store front example this would be the equivalent of having a bunch of other stores carry some of your product line in their stores. You are leveraging the traffic other stores (in our case websites) are getting to build awareness, interest, and additional traffic back to your store (website). 

 Tip #3: Study your competition. If you’re going to enter into a race you would study who the top contender is. Well, in the world of websites, studying your competition has become a whole lot easier with a toolbar you can download called Alexa. Go to www.Alexa.com for complete information. Alexa presents a page ranking based on the number of visits to the website in question by those with Alexa tracking tools. This is the key point about this feature. It only tracks usage by Alexa users, but don’t let this lessen the benefits to you. You can learn a lot by studying the websites in your industry who have already achieved the highest rankings.

 Tip #4: Use Social Media to help you build key networks. Again, the question is not so much who do you know, but who knows you? For example, the success of a physical therapist practice isn’t so much about how many athletes (prospects) does that therapist know, but more effectively, how many orthopedics, pediatricians, family doctors, healthclubs, personal trainers, chiropractors, and masseuses know of and could recommend that particular physical therapist? So, leverage social media to help you to efficiently and effectively network with the people who should be recommending you. 

Here’s to Your Success!

Yoon -

Yoon Cannon
Business Growth Expert
Paramount Business Coach
Phone 215-292-4947 EST

Q: What are the most effective lead generation strategies for health care consulting companies?

                                 Dr. Kennedy Ononaeke
                                 Managing Consultant and CEO, Winning Edge Consulting, Ltd.
                                 Lagos, Nigeria

A: Most, if not all, business managers in the service industry are wondering the same thing. We all want to attract more new clients to our businesses, but are unsure of the most effective strategies for lead generation. And who has time to waste on ineffective marketing?

Fortunately, there are no-hassle ways to increase your new client leads. By increasing your business’s visibility with potential clients and positioning yourself as the expert, you will increase your business’s appeal and improve your lead generation.  Here’s how:

Be visible in your prospect’s industry. While networking is important, it does have it’s limitations in that you can only create visibility on a slower one to one scale. You can gain much greater traction in your visibility by getting your articles published in targeted industry journals, newsletters and targeted websites. You can also add greater visibility through speaking.

Since you are in the healthcare consulting business, effective lead generation tactics for you would include:

•Writing articles for journals, magazines and websites targeted to hospital groups where you address solving one specific problem that is high on their “pain” list.
•Delivering workshops, keynotes, seminars and webinars to hospital Association groups and to banking groups and other industry association groups of those who would make strong referral sources for you. The key to making this a lead generation tactic is to make sure you end all of your articles and your workshops with some sort of offer to capture names and contact information of those who want to receive ongoing communication with you.

Now, if you’re a service professional – like an attorney, financial advisor, CPA, etc – writing and speaking may be something you have already started to do. But, what if you’re a landscape designer or an interior decorator? Yes, you can still adopt these same strategies. Consider launching how-to workshops for specific target audiences like “How to Create Serene Spaces for Mothers of Pre-Schoolers” … “Keep Your Restaurant Buzzing with the Right Landscape Design” … “Interior Design Strategies to Enhance Your Law Firm Branding” …

Ask for client referrals and testimonials. Client referrals can be your best marketing tool. In fact, there are many businesses that rely solely on client referrals for lead generation. Why? Because who knows your business better than your clients? Asking for a referral is easy. Simply say something like “It’s been a pleasure doing business with you. I always enjoy working with clients who are so motivated and excited to try new ideas. Who do you know in the pharmaceutical industry who you think may be interested in our quality services?”. And don’t forget about testimonials. Client testimonials may be the deciding factor for new clients shopping for a consulting firm. Include your client’s rave reviews on your website and in your advertisements and newsletter.

Share your knowledge and expertise. Give potential clients a free taste of your expertise with a blog, video tutorial, or e-newsletter (like the wonderful one that you’re currently reading!). Sure, you’re giving away a tiny bit of knowledge for free, but think of it like a big slice of chocolate cake. If you give your clients a small fork-full of frosting, they’re going to want to eat the cake too. By sharing a taste of your knowledge, potential clients become aware of your expertise and will be grateful for your helpful tips. They will inevitably come to you, the expert, when they need personalized assistance.

If you’re feeling lost when it comes to marketing, you’re not alone! Many business owners are great at their business, but not necessarily great at marketing their businesses. If you’re ready to win the game of marketing once and for all, then take a look at my Marketing Action Small GROUP Coaching program.

Just shoot me an email and I’ll send you the complete information about this game changing marketing system.
YoonCannon@ParamountBusinessCoach.com

Here’s to Your Success!

Yoon -

Yoon Cannon
Business Growth Expert
Paramount Business Coach
Phone 215-292-4947 EST

In his book entitled Be Great, Peter H. Thomas, founder of Century 21 Real Estate Canada and motivational speaker, tells a story of two men that goes a little something like this:

Two men were splitting wood. One of the men was tall and muscular and in excellent physical shape. The other man was shorter and much less muscular and appeared to be no match for the larger man.

The two men began chopping wood at the same time. When the first coffee break rolled around, the smaller man took a break while the larger man continued to split the wood. The larger man did not join the smaller man during their lunch break or afternoon break either. Instead, he continued to split wood all day long. In the evening the smaller man went home, but the larger man continued working late into the night.

Their routine continued for nearly two weeks. The larger man did not understand how the smaller man’s pile of chopped wood was roughly the same size as his when he was clearly stronger and had worked longer hours than the smaller man.

After about three weeks the smaller man’s wood pile was even with the larger man’s wood pile. After four weeks, the smaller man’s wood pile had surpassed the size of the larger man’s wood pile. The larger man was astonished and confused.

One day, as the smaller man was about to take another break, the larger man said to him “I cannot understand why you have more wood split than I do. You are smaller than I am, and you don’t have the strength that I have”.

The smaller man replied “Ah yes, my friend, but you never stop to sharpen your axe”.

When it comes to getting the job done, your greatest tool is your own mind. Here are 3 tips to help you keep your mind sharp this summer:

1) Make the Most of Your Peak Performance Time Figure out the time of day when you are most energized and focused. Are you at the top of your game first thing in the morning, or are you ready to go after your second cup of coffee? Whatever your peak performance time may be, make sure that you schedule your most complicated tasks during this time of the day. The extra brain power will bring clarity and concentration.

2) Make a To-Do List A to-do list lets you focus on the task at hand instead of trying to remember your mental list of the tasks to be done. Free up your focus by writing down your objectives for the day. The best part? Once everything on the list is crossed off you have the rest of the day to enjoy and do with it what you like! This leads me to my next point…

3) Leave Work at Work Business owners tend to be type “A” personalities. You’re character trait to keep on pushing yourself is a large reason why you’ve succeeded thus far, but be careful because your “strength” can also prove to be a double edged sword which is when we end up hitting the point of diminishing returns. You send in your car for regular maintenance checks. You power down your computers because even a piece of machine needs to rest to reboot. When you go home at the end of the day, it’s time to let your mind wander away from the work on your desk. Spend time with family or friends and allow your mind to be present, not drifting back to thoughts about work. I have always found that it’s much more exhausting thinking about work, than the energy it takes to actually get that work done. Your mind needs time to rest, reenergize and refuel — part of the process of sharpening your axe. So, commit to start each day refreshed, ready and re-sharpened to get the job done!

Remember the movie The Devil Wears Prada? In case you don’t, it’s the one where Meryl Streep plays the single minded magazine editor. She lives for her power within the fashion industry. She can make or break an upcoming designer’s career as well as the ones of her subordinates. Self serving and arrogant, she epitomizes the “bad boss”. She demeans her staff with a withering look and expects them to do whatever it takes to please her quixotic requests. Get a yet unpublished copy of J.K. Rowling’s latest Harry Potter tale by 3 p.m. today?

Hopefully, you’ve never had to deal a boss quite this arrogant but what kind of boss are you? If you don’t care to know, you should. Because your boss ratings have a high impact on your people’s productivity level and in your people’s level of loyalty. That translates back to you not only to dollars and cents, but also to unnecessary stress and wasted time.

In his new book, Good Boss Bad Boss: How to Be the Best…and Learn from the Worst, Robert Sutton, Ph.D. explores what makes a good boss. In a nutshell, his findings can be summed up as good bosses are considerate, set specific goals and get changes implemented. No surprise there when you think about it.

Sutton is Professor of Management Science and Engineering in the Stanford Engineering School. He bases his research on 30 years of academic research and experience. In his book, he shares some really diabolical stories, including the boss who lambasted his salesman for being “lazy” and a “F—up”. This, after the salesman was undergoing chemo for leukemia. He contrasts such horror stories with bosses who roll up their sleeves and get to work beside their employees.

His premise includes that good bosses communicate with their staff. Both in an informal “get to know you way” and in a “giving instructions” kind of way. Greg Brenneman, chairman of CCMP Capital, illustrates this idea of communication in a March 2009 NY Times interview. A “turnaround man”, Brenneman was at Continental Airlines from 1996-2001. He tells of a voicemail they’d leave for the staff every Friday. It was an update of the changes. “Here’s what we told you we were going to do, here’s what we did, and here’s where we’re headed next week.”

That kind of information shared with the entire company is one hallmark of a good boss. It shows consideration to keep everyone in the loop. Especially during a time of change or a tough economy like the one we’ve all experienced these last few years. What kind of boss are you? Whether you have one staff member or 50, how do you keep the doors open to effective communication?

Yes, even as a business coach I know it sounds simple, but as many things in life, it’s harder than it sounds to live up to these principles. Think about yourself. Are there instances where you could improve on any of them? Do you really know what’s bugging your staff? Don’t assume they will tell you if you don’t actually ask them. Do you encourage an environment of open communication or are you so focused on keeping all your balls in the air that days go by without your having any meaningful interaction with your staff? One critical habit to develop in your staff management practices is to schedule regular 1-on-1 meetings with all your people (for smaller organizations) and for larger teams 1-on-1’s with your key people, plus regular staff dept meetings (or even email check-in’s) with the group. And, don’t allow your meetings to be a gathering for you to be doing all the talking. These gatherings are a whole lot more telling when you’re doing a lot of the asking.

Ok, so on the one end of the spectrum you do want to take inventory as to how well you project that you truly do care and that you are a boss who listens. As the saying goes, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.”

However, on the other end of the spectrum are business owners and CEO’s who I coach to please stop being so nice! It’s killing your people’s productivity! For many leaders I have to remind that you’re not here to win a popularity contest or to be liked and adored by the people you have to manage. Your decisions and your behavior must be led by the measuring stick of what will move the company forward. As the boss you need to manage your people’s behaviors as either an asset or as a liability to your company. If you are tolerating behavior and/or performance mostly because you simply want to stay loved by your people, then I would just say, go get a dog for that! The fear of losing your likeability factor with your people should never hold your back from doing the tough work of running a tight ship. It’s not whether your people like you, but whether they respect you. It’s respect that holds boundaries.

Knowing how you measure as a boss is the first place to begin if you want to motivate higher productivity and greater loyalty from the people who work for you. I invite you to take my free GOOD BOSS-BAD BOSS ASSESSMENT Questionnaire. Email me your interest at yooncannon(at)ParamountBusinessCoach(dot)com or call me direct at 215-292-4947.

It’s amazing how much time and budget companies expend on reaching out to — uh, basically, a whole bunch of strangers. (Didn’t we learn not to talk to strangers?) While we all know that investing to retain your existing customers is a whole lot more effective than throwing dollars out to attract a new (and rather cold) market, many business owners do not make that same leap when developing your marketing strategies. Marketing plans still follow the same, stock, inside-the-box focus on trying to convert buyers who are so far off from your company’s current footprint.