What makes a great business name? The Name Inspector knows…
Trying to define a great business name is a little bit like the task Supreme Count Justice Potter Stewart faced when, in a 1964 attempt to define pornography, he settled for “I know it when I see it.” Coming up with a great name for your business can be an equally daunting task.
So I was delighted to discover that Biznik member Christopher Johnson has embraced this task with gusto in a new blog called The Name Inspector. In essence, his new blog is all about the secret life of business names. From his first post:
We all eat and breathe company names and brand names. They occupy an ever-expanding space in our cultural environment. As the most carefully designed additions to the popular vocabulary, they are literary miniatures: nanopoems. They influence us, annoy us, and make us laugh, but mostly for reasons that elude our conscious minds.
The Name Inspector takes a close look at names and tells you what makes them click (or clunk) from a linguistic point of view. He does not offer marketing treatises on branding strategy or analyses of corporate nomenclature systems. He is concerned with the linguistic essence of names: how they feel and sound when spoken, what they look like when written, and the meanings and moods they evoke in their contexts.
With a PhD in linguistics, Christopher brings years of experience and a sharp eye for detail to the task of understanding what’s in a name. He’s already tackled some well-recognized names like Apple, YouTube, and Zillow. And look for him to have a lot to say about smaller startup company names in the days to come. So, if you’re brainstorming a great name for your business, make your fist stop a visit to The Name Inspector.
Note from Christopher: “If any of you have such stories to share, I’d love to hear them. I’m not yet sure how I might use them–I just want to
get a sense of how people have approached the naming challenge. But if you send a story you should understand it might end up in
a post.”
4 Comments Apples vs Oranges
People often inquire with me whether or not I have the ability to do X or Y. Sometimes I tell them I don’t do either, and that my specific specialty is Z. They look at me perplexed and usually say “But isn’t Y almost the same as Z?” and my response is “Yes it is, ‘almost.’ But it is different. I am not a Y specialist, I am a Z specialist.”
When I am not busy (which happens every third Tuesday of the month), I can dabble in Y. For me Y is web design and coding. My “Z” specialty is online marketing and social networking. Many non-industry professionals assume that online marketing is web design, or that social networking is sales. The truth of the matter is that these are apples and oranges. Yet for the most part, even industry experts fail to realize the difference of apples and oranges.
Too many times I have spoke at a conference amongst “competitors” who were ready and willing to fight tooth and nail for each and every project they heard about. Rather than accept they had superior niche expertise with “apples”, they also wasted time fighting for the “orange” projects too.
As someone who understands social networks, one of the strengths of a community group like Biznik is that you will find that even one-hundred professionals in the same industry each have a beautiful and specific niche talent. They may all be web designers, but Giannina may be a saint when it comes to branding design and Kelly may be phenomenal when it comes to corporate identity. Is there a difference between branding and corporate identity? There is when you ask someone who knows what they are doing.
The same holds true in my line of work. When I first came to Biznik there were several members (Israel Rothman and Dominic Canterbury) that other individuals told me I was competitive with. I thought “That’s news to me, I’m a Z guy. They do W!”
If truth be told- I’m sure Israel, Dominic, and myself could go toe to toe on some like-minded projects. Both of them are very smart guys. Yet because they are smart, they realize that if we all stick to our perspective niches the other guy can never come close. I can refer business to either of them when it is not my specialty, simply because I make a better living focusing on my true area of expertise.
When dealing with clients this is an invaluable lesson. Many times the most common objection is “Why can’t I just do it myself?” The answer to that is very basic. No matter what my client’s industry is, I am assuming they are a specialist in the industry.
When I talk to a potential client who asks me that question, I break it into one basic train of thought for them.
- If I need a house. I get a real estate agent.
- If I need a tumor out of my head. I get a brain surgeon.
- If I need a water leak fixed. I get a plumber.
- If I need to grow an online network. I get a social networking expert.
If I don’t follow this logic… and “do it myself”
- My house falls apart. I buy a lemon. The lead in the paint gives me cancer.
- My IQ drops 45 points. I find dirt funny. I may even die.
- My cherished family photos get wet and my bedroom smells like mold.
- My business goes spiraling downward, and my next business consultant is a bankruptcy lawyer.
Barry Hurd is the Director of Business Development for Blogging Systems, a consulting and technology firm developing blogging and community platforms for the real estate industry.
Biznik business networking niche social networkingHow to write a kickass Biznik Testimonial
Your resident marketing writer-monkey here with a quick tip.
Good testimonials are the building block of any good Biznik profile. There’s nothing better, after all, then getting your raving fans to . . .err . . rave about you in a place that’s open to the whole wide world.
But, what exactly makes a good testimonial? Hypey rants? Marriage proposals? Swears?
Nope. What makes a really good, useful and effective testimonial is a story. More specifically, a before and after story.
So before you write your fellow Biznik a testimonial, ask yourself these simple questions:
A. What was my life like before I worked with this Biznik?
B. What’s my life like now?
C. How did working with this particularly awesome Biznik help me get from A to B? (If your life is actually worse after working with a Biznik then before . . .well, if you can’t say something nice . . .)
Let me give you an example. About 6 months ago Biznik Financial planner Jessica Hale took over my financial planning. Now, I’m an awfully busy copywriter and marketing wonk and the last thing I want to spend my time doing is hemming and hawing over mutual funds, stocks and 401Ks.
So let’s go through our “A. B. C’s.”
A. Before working with this Biznik I spent a whole bunch of time worrying about my money, not knowing if I was doing the right things with my cash and basically dodging any and all conversation that was about my financial future and retirement.
B. Now I feel pretty damned good about where my money is and what it’s doing for me. Most of the time when I look at my statement it’s higher than it was a month before. And if I ever have a question, I just ask Jessica about it instead of digging a deeper rut in my worry room.
C. Jessica took all the heavy stuff off my shoulders, gave me good advice and, more importantly, gave me the peace of mind I need to focus on my business. She rocks.
Ok, now the ABCs themselves would almost work as a testimonial, but let’s clean this up, condense it and give it a little “Haddaditude” (that’s Dan and Lara’s term, not mine. But I like it.
“Jessica Hale kicks ass. Before I met her I was just a poor little puppet boy stuck in the gaping whale-like maw of financial insecurity and doubt. Jessica filled the gaps in my woeful financial education, gave me super-solid advice and handled all the bits of paperwork that I just can’t be bothered to think about. For the first time in my life I feel confident that my money is actually working for me. Thank you, Jessica, you rock.”
And there we have it. Now, I’m not saying you should all make Pinnochio references in your testimonials (that would get a little weird) but you should tell a story. Be as specific as you can. Talk about results. And remember your ABCs.
Word mercenary Chris Haddad helps build businesses to staggering heights through the profounding perturbing power of hard working words.
Biznik testimonails writingIntroducing the 5 R’s of Relationship
In some of my past blogging, I stated that there is a fundamental desire in all of us to be in relationship, and to develop relationships that flourish. The desire for relationship and developing deeper relationships is a basic and universal human need. This desire is a more popular subject today than at any other time in history. There are thousands of books written on relationships. Television shows talk about relationship. Individuals talk about relationship. Counselors, therapists, and success coaches talk about relationship. In spite of the interest and awareness, and an abundance of information about relationship, this greatest of all desires is largely unfulfilled.
How can that be? Perhaps with all this information, we are still uncertain or confused about the vital factors that contribute to deepening relationship satisfaction.
Making the Choice
The process of choosing and deepening relationships is interrelated. At each point in your relationship, you and those to whom you relate may choose either to develop or not to develop your relationships further. How do we make that choice? Of course, there are many ways. One person described her experience as jumping belly first into the water. I gingerly test the water with toes, feet, and then slowly edge into the water. I temper my approach into the water with caution depending on whether it is a warm day in June versus a hot day in July. If the sun is shining or if it is overcast, I approach the water accordingly.
The same is true in relationship. We are continuously feeling our way along in the meeting with another. We test the temperature, gauging the mutuality and connection, and then step back to assess how it feels, and whether the other person or persons have a reciprocal response. A multitude of factors in our environment are considered in going forward. Sometimes, no holds barred, we jump right in!
I offer the following five R’s to throw into the mix of discussion around this very critical topic: Rewardingness, Reciprocity, Rules, Resourcefulness, and Relationshift.
Rewardingness
Webster defines rewarding as “a sense of reward or worthwhile return.” We are building on this definition by defining rewardingness as an ongoing exchange and flow based on mutual benefit for all. This exchange may be in providing services or products, or sharing learning, contacts, or resources.
There exists a fundamental psychological principle that people are more likely to repeat behaviors that have rewarding consequences for them than those that do not. Relationships are likely to deepen if partners can increase the range and depth of the mutual rewards they receive from one another, and if they are able to sustain a high level of mutual trust and benefits. The relationship provides joyful experiences. This is the reward itself!
Phil Black, a student, writer, and teacher of Gestalt Psychotherapy poses the rhetorical question “…when all goals are close to equal, what determines who we remain in relationship with whether it is business or pleasure? It is the relationship itself that determines this decision—the ease and the pleasure derived. In the end, there must be joy: a laugh, a smile, or we will not find satisfaction, and we will not stay with or return to.”
Capturing his remark and adding, yes, it is the reward of the relationship that keeps us involved.
Reciprocity
Webster defines reciprocity as “a corresponding and complementary exchange: the quality or state of being reciprocal.” Through mutual dependence, action or influence, a mutual exchange of privileges takes place. This definition fits well with the underlying intention that is inherent to a relationship focus. Most long-standing relationships are grounded in some form of reciprocity in the giving and receiving of rewards. Cunningham and Antill (1981) observe, “It is indisputable that most human relationships are based on considerations of equity and exchange.” Sharing this view of reciprocity as a joint responsibility enhances and deepens the relationship and the connection.
Rules
Rules are defined by Webster’s New World Dictionary as “an established regulation or guide for conduct.” The definition for the purpose of this article is to reinforce that each of us brings rules to the relationship based on many personal factors and that rules also emerge in relationship. The personal factors, to name a few, may include personality characteristics, boundary preferences, time availability or urgency, level of experience, geographical or global factors, comfort level, life focus, or monetary needs/constraints. The rules that emerge are based on the reason for the relationship, the length of the relationship, the level of established trust, and the degree of confidence that exists. Rules constantly change as the relationship changes. While rules may become formal or contractual, rules are often informal. Relationship rules provide guidelines and clarify expectations for your own and your partner’s interaction. Simply put, rules are the conditions for relationship. Remembering to look at these rules from time to time helps uncover whether the relationship rule continues to serve you well, or whether suspending or replacing the rule would serve the relationship better.
Resourcefulness
Webster defines resource as a source of information or expertise; a source of supply or support. Resourcefulness is the ability to effectively and efficiently respond to problems and determines resources that are important (people, technology, materials, services, time, et cetera.) Resourcefully, responding to the need in the moment calls for attention to ongoing and emerging needs. This constant reevaluation help answer the question what is needed now. The ongoing accumulation of knowledge and skills help you become more and more resourceful in relationships. Further, resourcefulness helps in the taking of a large network of contacts into purposeful connections.
Relationshift
The spirit of the word relationshift reflects that a relationship never really ends, it simply flows to something else—through a relationshift, the relationship becomes relevant or figural again when time, opportunity and a mutual focus reemerges. The concept of relevance further expands the definition to consider the questions who, why, when, where, and how. We have changing needs and we need to ask a host of questions as we go forward in relationship. Paying attention to relevance in a given situation keeps an “on-target” focus toward developing that which currently aligns to what is most important to self and the other. In short, relevance is constantly changing. That is the very reason attention to the shift taking place in relationship is important.
While the relevance of the relationship is changing in the present, it is also imperative for all of us to understand that relationships, as a whole, always have been and always will be shifting! A collaboration ending now, may come back again twenty years from now. Relevance reemerges, if you will, around a common goal. Developing a meaningful and quality relationship is the lifeblood of taking your personal and professional relationships to the next level–lifting up and helping others along the way. When we look at a relationship with these eyes, we see that we can easily pick up again as we move forward in our personal and professional life.
The five relationship factors presented above are in my opinion foundational to taking your personal and professional relationships to the next level. The 5 R’s, rewardingness, reciprocity, rules, resourcefulness, and relationshift, support a relationship focus whereby new possibilities are continuously created. Each of these factors describes a context for the existence, the fluidity, the vitality, and the richness of the relationship to emerge and flourish. The 5 R’s reinforce the importance of paying attention to the relationship based on benefits, common interests, resource identification, expectations, requirements, and mutuality.
Until we meet again, be safe and enjoy the joy of interaction.
Ron Sukenick is the Chief Relationship Officer and founder of the Relationship Strategies Institute, a training and Relationship development company that provides innovative, effective and relevant programs and systems for corporations, organizations, and associations. To learn more about the value of Relationship Development, visit their Web site at www.RelationshipStrategiesInstitute.com or e-mail him at - RS@RelationshipStrategiesInstitute.com.
Develop your potential, one relationship at a time
Motivational experts in the last century proposed a timeless and sustaining theme in the study of motivation: human beings throughout the world, share fundamental needs. On a continuum from physiological and survival needs to reaching to realize full potential, the central element threading throughout is the need for affiliation. Human beings have a need to be in relationship.
What is relationship? Simply put, relationship is a flow of feeling’s.
This flow of feeling’s may be between you and a higher source, between you and nature, between you and your environment, or between you and another person. In this flow, an opportunity exists to experience connection. With another there is an opportunity for individual and mutual growth and support. We, as human beings, affect and are affected by others, help and are helped. Individuals have the opportunity to reach individual potential far beyond what they are able to do on their own, and to co-create when truly engaged in relationship.
Attention to a relationship focus takes this premise to the next level - All of us need enhanced relationship focus to maximize our full potential!
How does this need for relationship play out in life?
Let’s think about this together - A person is drawn into relationship based on the joy of interacting with another person who shares a similar view of the world and incorporates fun, ease, energy, reliability, and creativity into the interaction. When these characteristics exist in business relationships, overall satisfaction is enhanced while helping each other obtain financial and professional success and enjoyment.
Creating personal and dynamic success in all aspects of our lives requires attention to building our relationship skills.
The 21st Century is an unprecedented time. The pace of change is so rapid that working at multiple levels with a wide range of partners and with a multitude of associations is paramount.
The biggest challenge most people face is the ability to successfully build the kinds of relationships necessary in order to have the kind of success to which they aspire.
Here, for your consideration are underlying thinking and guiding principles:
* The 21st century calls for self-knowledge and directing one’s own life. Hence our number one guiding principle is to take leadership in your life’s direction. Consciously and constantly choose the direction of your life toward that which is most important to you.
* To effectively align your choices, your time, and your energy, you must live purposefully. To do this, you must know your life purpose.
* To be successful in building relationship with others, you must first start with building a successful relationship with yourself. Self-knowledge is the underpinning that helps you persist in the direction of relationship success.
* Multiple visions for your life exist. Futurists predict that in the 21st century, each of us will have many careers. Identifying and defining your life purpose is the foundation; clearly aligning your career visions to your life purpose will create the vitality that will help you sense and seize business partnerships and relationships in the now and in the future.
* A clear distinction between NetBeing and Networking exists. Networking provides a situational focus to gain competitive personal success and for individuals to connect with others to accomplish individual project tasks. In NetBeing, individual purposes overlap and a joint focus fosters mutual and multiple successes. NetBeing transforms networking contacts to a relationship focus through person-to-person connection. NetBeing links creativity, resources, and ideas, people-to-people in mutually supportive, rewarding, and purposeful relationships over a lifetime.
* Creating success for others along the way takes on a life of its own! Through helping others, tangible and intangible rewards create magical and mysterious outcomes for all parties.
* What you have traditionally done to satisfy people is not enough. Individuals want a deeper connection! New ways of showing up today and beyond must be continuously considered.
So as I get ready to take on the day, my question to you is the following:
What are you doing to built out deeper relationships with the people you’re meeting and the people you currently know?
Ron Sukenick is the Chief Relationship Officer and founder of the Relationship Strategies Institute, a training and Relationship development company that provides innovative, effective and relevant programs and systems for corporations, organizations, and associations. To learn more about the value of Relationship Development, visit their Web site at www.RelationshipStrategiesInstitute.com or e-mail him at - RS@RelationshipStrategiesInstitute.com.
Biznik business needs networking potential purpose relationships successDon’t be afraid to share what you need
It’s tempting, as an indie business person, to pretend you don’t need anything. After all, you’re used to doing it all. That’s how you got started. Independence is strength! Admitting, even to yourself, that you have needs is a sign of weakness! Right?
Wrong. Every indie business has needs. Even if you have all the work you can handle. In fact, especially if you’ve got all the work you can handle - in that case, you probably need to hire someone, or find a parter who will allow you to expand your services, or at least someone to refer your extra work to so you don’t have to turn clients away. As great as you are, there are things you suck at, know nothing about, or just plain hate doing. You’ve got needs!
You’re a lot more likely to get your needs met if you:
1. Admit you have needs.
2. Identify them to yourself.
3. Share them with others.
So, how do you share your needs without coming off as, well, needy? Biznik gives you a nice, low-key, convenient way to do it - a field in your profile called “What I need.” This week’s Seattle Indie Biz Buzz spotlights members who have updated their profiles in the past week with their current needs. Take a look at what these members are looking for, and see if you or someone you know might be a good fit. And see if that gives you some ideas for needs of your own that you can share. Because the only way we can help you succeed is if we know what you need.
Biznik business networking needs sharing
1 CommentNetworking Online
One of the objections I often hear from people is
“I don’t have time to network online!”
Do you have time to…
- Professionally Network
- Find a new friend
- Share your ideas
- Build your business
- Market yourself
- De-stress?
What about…
- Elevate yourself as an industry expert
- Establish connections in other industries
- Increase the efficiency of your networking
- Offer introductions to your niche-experience on a daily basis?
While online networking is not the “end all, be all” of making personal connections, it has one valuable strengths that very few real world venues have- economy of scale.
If you have the time to introduce yourself to one new person a day, wouldn’t it make sense from a business perspective to take that same amount of time and be introduced to fifty?
When I write this article or post to a forum, my thoughts are communicated to dozens of potential contacts, perhaps even thousands. If I went into a coffee shop with the expectation that I would have to say the same phrase over and over again to a hundred different people as I look for a good connection, it would take me days of effort. I would spend the entire time trying to expand my network with little result. In my best real world opportunity, I would attend a networking event where I may have the chance to meet people in groups and who are willing to listen to my message.
Considering how much time I wasted in the real world trying to connect with a hundred people as I restated my statements and repeatedly asked for permission, the basis of networking online is that readers have given me permission to talk to them and they assemble in groups for me. If I am sharing thoughts of interest, they are actively engaged with what I am saying. I don’t have to approach them and get a cold shoulder, its more like I am talking to a group of people at a cocktail party and they come into the conversation by their own choice.
The beauty is, this cocktail party is happening 24/7, 365 days a year.
That has amazing relevancy. Readers choose to join the conversation. I don’t bend their arm to listen. If they find value, they start talking. If they don’t, they move on. For decades marketing has tried to force the idea of “opt-in mailing lists” for physical and electronic mail, as well as frustrating us with the need of “do not call” lists to maintain our sanity on our personal phones.
Case in point- Right now, I have no control over whether you are reading.
As an industry expert, imagine the power of sharing your ideas and thoughts. People who are interested find little bits and pieces of inspiration and insight, and they either join the conversation or move on. Blogging attracts people as it is one of the only true “opt in” medias. If you don’t like what I’m saying, go Google someone else! (or try Dan, Paul, or Kevin)
If you are interested, join my conversation.
Take Biznik.com as an example of economy of scale. There are 2500 members browsing through the site and pondering different ways to connect. If I had to assemble 2500 people in real life, my first challenge would be to actually listen to all 2500 people.
30 seconds per introduction X 2500 members = 20+ hours of introductions.
When I think about that time, I realize that my elevator pitch needs to be refined to an exact art and that I need to remember to pack a few bottles of water.
Now compare that to writing on the community forum or blogging this article. It took me thirty minutes to write this. Over the next few weeks several hundred people will read it.
Every single person who actually strikes up a conversation with me after reading it is pre-screened and wants to have a more in-depth discussion. On top of that- they can look at my profile and read my blog to discover even more about me, and when they do contact me they have taken the burden of responsibility to find out who I am, rather than me taking the responsibility to tell them.
By taking the time to put myself out there in the online world, every real life interaction coming from this conversation is pre-qualified and interested in what I do. As time goes on, every introduction I have online becomes a growing archive that adds to who I am. Unlike a conversation I had over dinner last night, this very article will attract interest from readers six months later. Even when I am sleeping peacefully, someone may be introducing themselves to who I am.
Whether or not you find me personally or professionally interesting, I have no control over.
Yet I will never know until the introduction has occurred.
My question to you-
Barry Hurd is the Director of Business Development for Blogging Systems, a consulting and technology firm developing blogging and community platforms for the real estate industry.
Biznik business networking online networking social networksIs your marketing Fuzzy Wuzzy?
Her name was Julie, she sat next to me in my 10th grade homeroom, and she had glasses.
Not the sleek fashion frames of today, either. This was the early 90’s, when glasses were stark and shiny utilitarian things, crafted by angry Eastern Europeans to keep the pretty from getting uppity and to give the homely something to hide behind.
But Julie’s glasses were nice. They looked good on her. They fit her face. They made here look coy and intelligent and made you think that at any moment she might rip her glasses off, tousle her hair and say something sultry and deep out of a daytime soap.
One morning I picked up Julie’s nice glasses, perched them on my nose and let out a little strangled “hoogamagasuh” of surprise as suddenly the whole world snapped into sharp focus.
Suddenly I could actually *read* the words and formulas up on the blackboard. Suddenly the scowl Mrs. Dadah was giving me for that little strangled “hoogamagasuh” noise made sense.
Suddenly I could see.
Which was a bit of a shock, because I *thought* I could see before.
I didn’t know I needed glasses. I didn’t know that things were all Fuzzy Wuzzy.
Which, in my experience, is a problem a lot of folks have out in the great big world of business.
So let’s do a little marketing laser surgery here. (Don’t blink. It’ll ruin your night vision and possibly scar you for life.)
If you’ve been swallowing what Madison Avenue has been feeding you all these years, you probably think that advertising and marketing is supposed to entertain.
It’s supposed to be fun and funny and get people talking around the water cooler and win awards and earn you slaps on the back from your golf buddies at just how clever and cool your company is.
==========================
Which is pure and unmitigated fuzzy wuzzy bulls**t.
=========================
Good advertising and marketing (and you can read all about the difference between the two at http://haddadink.com/blog/?p=130) *sells.*
Good advertising and marketing *makes you money.*
Does that mean it can’t be friendly and engaging and maybe even a little entertaining? Not at all. In fact, the more personal you are, the better your marketing will be.
Does that mean you have to be a plaid-coat wearing, cliche spewing, shiny-toothed used car salesman? Hell no. You try something like that and most customers will be diving into the middle of the street to avoid you.
But if you want to create marketing and advertising that actually builds your business and gets you closer to buying that island you’ve always wanted (Johnny Depp has one. Why not you?) you HAVE to:
-Tell your prospect why what you’ve got to offer is amazingly the answer to
-Paint them a picture of what their life is going to be like when they buy your product or service.
-And — and this is the big on — ask for the sale and make it as easy as falling off a shoddy trapeze to buy what you’ve got.
That’s marketing. That’s advertising. That’s how you build a business when you don’t have millions of dollars to drop on national ad buys, wasteful superbowl spots with cats being herded or (and I saw this one in Times Square recently. Check out pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluespf42/343588896/in/photostream/) absurd Willy-Wonka-esque musical Charmin-sponsored Bathrooms.
And if anyone tells you different, well, they’re just using “Fuzzy math.”
Now put on your glasses and get to work.
And if you’ve got a question, hit me up at chris (at) Haddadink (dot) com.
——-
Chris Haddad is a direct response copywriter and marketing wonk in Seattle, Washington. Which means he sells stuff with words. To learn more about Chris and his fantastic “One-Way Spikes of Doom!” visit haddadink.com.
This article was originally published as part of the Hard Working Words Newsletter. Learn more at http://www.haddadink.com/newsletter.php
advertising marketingSecrets of Building Stronger Relationships That Grow Your Business
The true value of a good business relationship has never been higher. Strong relationship management is an investment that is virtually guaranteed to pay dividends. You can’t say that about advertising, sales promotions, or real estate holdings. Only relationships have the power to truly drive business. Good relationships drive business to you. Bad relationships drive business away.
Obviously, you would want to maintain a good relationship with existing clients. Take, as proof, the finding of Internet market research firm DoubleClick. Their studies showed that repeat customers were exceptionally valuable. They are the ones that spend the most time looking at your website, are most likely convert to sales (20% more), look at nearly 17 pages each session, and spend the most money at about $180 on average.
And, if it works that way for fickle online customers, just imagine how it works offline.
But, even before we have the chance to know them as customers we must work to build strong relationships with them – even if that work may not come for two, three, or more years. We must be continually planting the seeds. In order to get new business, we must regularly be out there cultivating relationships with a strong network of personal and professional contacts.
The key to great relationships is to start off on the right foot from the first interaction you have with someone. Begin by getting to know what your new contact values and how you can help them get it. Share your skills, knowledge, and advice freely. And, focus on achieving mutually beneficial goals.
It’s clear that people prefer to do business with those they like and trust. Research has shown that certain traits are sought when looking for a business partner. See how you stack up with the following:
True to personal values – They do what they say and say what they believe.
Accept personal responsibility – If something went wrong with an order or project, they don’t waste time pointing fingers. They are quick to accept responsibility and to make it right.
Envision goals and aggressively pursue – They know what it takes to achieve their goals and they work smartly and diligently to achieve that goal.
Communicate effectively – Ideal business partners listen well to others ideas and can express their views clearly and convincingly.
Value others’ time and talents – These individuals realize it takes a team to make projects happen. They enjoy bringing different perspectives together and look for the unique skills of each team member.
Understand that relationships are interdependent - They seek mutually beneficial goals and can work with others to achieve those goals.
Action orientation – The best business partners are doers. They lead by example and encourage others to action.
So how did you stack up? If it’s not as well as you would like, now is the time to start taking steps to make yourself more beneficial to clients, potential clients, and networking contacts. Regularly reassess your progress at becoming a value-adding resource. The strong relationships you develop – and the future business that is sure to come – will be the reward.
And, once they do become customers, remember that goal of mutual benefit and stay true to your good service promises:
- Respond to email quickly – preferably under 24 hours.
- Follow up on all orders – make sure they’re happy with their purchase and suggest other services if appropriate
- Stand behind your product - give refunds promptly and unconditionally when requested.
- Ask their advice – get customer feedback on surveys or other mechanism.
- Share your knowledge – write a newsletter or share valuable tips and information to clients and friends.
- Make it easy for them to do business with you – streamline the process so it’s painless for them to use your service.
Ron Sukenick is the Chief Relationship Officer and founder of the Relationship Strategies Institute, a training and Relationship development company that provides innovative, effective and relevant programs and systems for corporations, organizations, and associations. To learn more about the value of Relationship Development, visit their Web site at www.RelationshipStrategiesInstitute.com or e-mail him at – RS@RelationshipStrategiesInstitute.com.
Further optimization of Biznik profiles now gets members noticed in local searches
One of the biggest problems that indie business people face is simply getting noticed. So it’s been one of our goals from the beginning to help our members improve their visibility. That’s why we put a lot of effort into optimizing your Biznik profile so that it can come up as high as possible in Google search results. Until now, profiles have been optimized by name - in other words, your Biznik profile is likely to come up very high if someone is searching for you by name.
But that’s not much help if you’re trying to attract new customers, who don’t know your name. If, for example, someone is looking for a hypnotherapist in Port Townsend, they probably won’t Google for Ari Klein, who joined Biznik yesterday. They’d probably Google something like “Port Townsend Hypnotherapy.” And since Ari only joined Biznik yesterday, chances are good his profile won’t even come up at all, right?
Wrong. Believe it or not, less than 24 hours after joining Biznik, Ari Klein’s profile comes up #1. Try if yourself. If you had Googled his name, that’s OK - it comes up #1, too. But like a lot of indies, Ari wears more than one hat. No problem - you can also enter “Port Townsend sensory coaching” and he still comes up #1. In fact, you can simply enter “Port Townsend Coaching”, and he comes up in the top 10 at #7. And it’s not just because there isn’t any hypnotherapy happening in Port Townsend, either - for the search of “Port Townsend Hypnotherapy”, he’s #1 out of 35,600 results.
Of course, duplicating this in a town the size of, say, Kansas City would probably be more difficult, right? Wrong. Even I was surprised to find that Donna Gierman, who joined Biznik on Thursday, comes up #1 on a search of “Kansas City personal historian”, in a field of 2,140,000 results.
How about right here in Seattle? It’s gotta be tough for business writing and blogging coach Rachel Whalley to stand out in her field. There are a lot of business writers in Seattle! Nevertheless, she’s currently ranked #3 on a search for “seattle business writing.” And guess where she comes up in a search of “seattle blogging coach”? Number one, baby.
Wait a minute, you’re saying. How is that possible? Is Biznik resorting to black and unethical SEO practices to produce results like this for our members? Absolutely not. There’s nothing complicated about this at all. It’s just careful page design, coupled with the power of networking - Biznik.com has a lot of inbound links, and the fact that new content is being added to the site every day really helps.
Of course, we don’t make any promises. Anybody who promises you top placement on Google is talking trash. Google’s algorithm is top secret, and constantly changing. We believe that being remarkable is the best way for any indie business to get noticed. But having a great Biznik profile sure doesn’t hurt!
Biznik business networking Google optimization searchIt’s such a small world isn’t it?
How knowing what to do with your six degrees of separation can take your contacts into purposeful connection
“It’s such a small world, isn’t it?” You’ve heard the phrase dozens of times. Perhaps you’ve even used it yourself after getting to know someone and being surprised to learn that you have mutual friends or are in some other way connected. But, have you ever really stopped to consider how understanding this “small world” can help us achieve business and professional goals?
Social scientists have been trying to figure out these social networks since the late 1960s. What they found was that most people in the world can be connected to one another by six degrees of separation. All of the people who we know – our work colleagues, old high school buddies, and social friends – make up our first degree of separation. In turn, all the people they know become the second degree of separation from us. And so on, until we reach six degrees and can connect with just about anyone on the planet.
That’s good in theory. But how do we put the theory into practice and make these “small world” moments translate into real social capital? How can these relationships that I’ve established get me in the door of my target customers?
In short, you must be proactive if you are to truly maximize the power in the connection and to get the most from the interaction. Here’s one simple approach:
Step 1: Stay in the moment. Always be present when you’re meeting people and pay attention to what might be going on in their world.
Step 2: Always mention the names of people, places, events and occurrences. This will give the other person the opportunity to respond with the possibility a small world connection.
Step 3: Ask connecting questions like:
- Do you know Susie Jones over at XYZ company?
- You seam to be in a great mood – Do you mind if I ask why?
- Have you ever been to the island of Kauai?
When you ask the questions, you’ll be surprised how quickly you can make the connection.
Of course this approach is only as good your ability to “take the moment and dance with it.”
Now, here’s a true story that should clearly illustrate the Small World Theory:
I was attending the Home and Patio show one year at the Indiana Fairgrounds when I noticed a young lady sitting at a table and signing autographs. The signs around the table identified her as Bryn Chapman, the current Ms. Indiana. As you’d suspect, she was smiling, meeting people, and sharing her passion for a worthy cause.
I stopped, said hello, and after 4 minutes (of which I spoke for one minute and listened to her for the other three minutes), I ended our nice visit by saying, “Bryn, It was pleasure meeting you. Thanks for your time. Great cause. And good luck in all that you do.”
Now, move ahead six weeks. I was facilitating training for a private company. The participants’ instructions were “tell us who you are, what you do, and the thing that you’re most proud of.”
As we were going around the room, one gentleman stood up and said “My name is Dan Chapman. I’m the marketing director for U-Build it Corporation. And, I’m most proud of my little girl who is currently Ms. Indiana.”
Now think about it. At that very moment, I had two options. One was to thank Dan and then go onto to the next person for their introduction.
But as you would imagine, though, that’s not what I did. In the spirit of taking the moment and dancing with it, I steered our conversation as follows:
- “Dan, I think I met your Daughter!” Of course, this now gets his attention (which is the first step in the connection process).
- He then looks to me for further explanation and I continue:
- “Dan, I was at the fairgrounds the other day and met a young lady that said she was the current Ms Indiana. She’s a music major at Indiana University, came in 10th in the Ms. America contest, and was signing autographs for many young aspiring Ms. Indiana’s at the Fair. And, her name was Bryn Chapman. My gosh. I did meet your daughter.”
- He then says, “It’s such a small world, isn’t it?”
- I respond, “Actually, it’s not,” (this now gets his attention a second time) “unless you and I know what to do with the information. And, the fact is Dan that we do.”
Unfortunately, many people who have a prime opportunity to take advantage of this “small world” phenomenon, just don’t know what to do with the knowledge. But, by taking simple steps to seize the moment and to recall previous information at the point of interaction, we can create the connection that helps to make our encounters more memorable.
Making the most from your interactions comes down to having a strategy in place. So, the next time someone says “It’s such a small world, isn’t it?” you’ll know that how to capitalize on that connectivity to grow your community of business allies. It’s not a small world. It’s what you do to connect the dots that makes it seem that way. After all, the power really is in the connection.
Ron is the Chief Relationship Officer and founder of the Relationship Strategies Institute, a training and Relationship development company that provides innovative, effective and relevant programs and systems for corporations, organizations, and associations. To learn more about the value of Relationship Development, visit their Web site at www.RelationshipStrategiesInstitute.com or e-mail him at – RS@RelationshipStrategiesInstitute.com.
Correction to Seattle Indie Biz Buzz
It turns out that the Ha Ha Sisterhood show, emcee’d by Barbara Sehr that we reported in this week’s Seattle Indie Biz Buzz was happening on Jan. 10, has been rescheduled for Jan. 24, at 8:30pm. It’s still at the Comedy Underground, and Barbara will still be MC for that show.
comedy SeattlePrivacy? No thanks: Tips for enhancing your findability in Biznik and Google
One of the great things about building Biznik specifically for indie business people is that virtually all of us are on the same page when it comes to privacy: everyone here wants to get noticed. Privacy simply isn’t the issue in this network that it is in corporate online networking sites like LinkedIn, where members apparently want to hide as often as they want to be found (perhaps because they don’t want their boss to know they’re looking for another job.) I’ve long ago given up trying to figure out LinkedIn’s complicated who-can-see-whom permissions and shared contacts system. Oh, and have you ever tried to cancel your LinkedIn account? Good luck.
Biznik has been designed from day one around the idea of getting indie business people noticed. There’s really only one privacy setting in Biznik: On or off. But if you’ve chosen “on,” there are a few things you can do to make your profile even more findable in the search engines, and within Biznik. Allow me to direct your attention to two new FAQ articles that explain how to make the most of the tools we provide:
1. How do I add keywords so that my profile appears in the Biznik search results for a specific term?
2. What is the meta description field, and how do I use it?
By the way, you don’t have to mess with either of these to be found: your Biznik profile is, by default, already VERY findable in Google (the only search engine worth talking about at the moment). Here’s how optimized Biznik is: Of the 52 members listed on the first page of the membership directory, 25 of them are ranked #1 on Google for searches on their name, and most of the rest are well inside the top 10. Pay close attention to the term you choose to describe your job title - that gets weighted very heavily in the search engines. For an example of just how important this is, try typing the phrase “entrepreneur expert into Google, and you’ll see what I mean.
People pay a lot of money for that kind of placement, and we give it to you for free. Well, sort of - we’d really like you to become a supporting member so we can keep building this kick-ass network for you!
Biznik findability Google linkedin optimization privacy searchSonya Neblett: Truly Twisted Marketing
It’s pretty clear that Sonya Neblett likes to put her own twist on things. Take the name of her company: Truly Twisted Marketing. The Asheville, North Carolina based writer, designer and marketing strategist believes that “marketing should be about being honest, being transparent, building relationships and not pushing people.” Sounds refreshing, hey? Let’s find out more about her and her approach…
Q: Tell me about yourself and what gets you excited about what do for a living.
I love marketing. I’m one of those people that was built for it. So, it’s not really like work. I get to write, find creative solutions to problems, do research (I’m pretty nosy by nature you should go ask my family members
a lot of eyeball rolling goes on around our house because I’m always asking the “w” questions - who, what, where, when and the biggest one why). I started out in print publishing as a writer and editor. From there I moved online and started a little web design company to help local businesses create a web presence and it was just a natural progression into online marketing. I’m not a full indie at the moment as I’ve been contracted out and given a title by a pure play ecommerce company called SpecialtyLiving so I consider myself half indie.
I think what I love the most about marketing is the relationship building. Once you know the underlying motivation of people (customers), it’s pretty easy to come up with creative answers to their questions then, boom, you’ve got them — that’s when you can build up your relationship. If I had an interest in you as a customer, the first thing I’d want to know is what keeps you up at night? What’s the problem you are having that I can help you solve or, better yet, how can I create an experience that will make you feel better about it? It actually feels pretty good to help people out.
Q: How’d you come up with “Truly Twisted Marketing” as a company name?
Well, you’ve probably heard about push or pull marketing. My theory is you can push or pull people only so far. I mean, I don’t want to be pushed, told what to do or pulled into doing anything. I want the information but I want to make my own decisions. Truly Twisted Marketing is really about being honest, being transparent, building relationships and not pushing people into taking action which is a bit of a twist from traditional marketing. So, the name came about from a discussion I was having with a colleague about pushy marketers and the fact that marketers, especially those focusing on offline marketing, don’t really seem to get it. There is this big gap between online marketing and offline marketing and the two haven’t quite met up yet. The idea is to take both and twist them up together. One thing led to another and viola - TrulyTwistedMarketing.
Q: So, how would you characterize this gap? What is it that online marketing is doing right, and offline doing wrong?
I’m really using the term offline marketing to mean traditional forms of marketing which are typically not geared toward the web.
And, in all truth, I don’t think traditional (offline) marketing should be characterized as bad and online marketing as good. But because of technology, marketing, in its original state, is changing. For example, you might get a better response from a viral video on YouTube than from a television ad. Your podcast might have a better ROI (return on investment) than your radio spot. Press releases are sent not only to news media outlets but to bloggers and individuals who might be interested in spreading your news. And, in addition to all that, traditional forms of marketing tend to be more about businesses telling people what to do and less about creating a conversation with customer input and feedback. Online marketing, in its current state, is more about creating a relationship with customer interaction.
That’s the gap. Basically, it’s a different way of thinking about marketing and a grasp of how to use technology to enhance the conversation you are trying to create.
Q: One of your stated goals is to “empower people to free thinking in their professional lives.” How is that valuable? And why do you think so many otherwise free thinking people don’t to apply that same thinking in their professional lives?
Oh boy, you opened up a big can of worms. I threw that in because it’s ultimately what I want to do. It isn’t really about marketing so much as it is about opening up people’s minds to what can be. I think we all get stuck in the quest for more - climbing the corporate latter or in running our businesses and keeping an eye on the bottom line. It’s like a disease we American’s are afflicted with. You know, each and every one of us has unique talents and gifts and in the quest we tend to forget who we are and what we can bring to the table.
It’s interesting you asked about why, what you and I might consider a “free thinking person,” wouldn’t take that into work with them everyday. My gut feeling is that an average work place environment doesn’t support free thinking. Employees are supposed to be sheep more often than they are supposed to be radical and think creatively outside the box.
Q: Tell me a bit about eBooks. You’ve written one? Have you had success with it? Do you see it as a viable way to deliver information that can compete with traditional print books?
e-Commerce Unveiled is my first eBook. It just recently launched and came about because of a collaboration between myself and eCommerce technology provider ProjectThunder in CA.
So far, the success part has come from people who read the book and call me up to get marketing help or want to do a quick consultation. My personal goal was to pack the book so full of information, tips, tools, strategies and new technology that anyone could use it. The problem I ran into is that there is so much important information to cover I had to break it down into digestable tidbits. It took about 4 months to do all the research, interviews and compile the information and I still feel like there’s more to add!
The eBook format is really interesting. It provides instant, easy access and it’s not complicated to create. Updates and revisions are a snap. I actually do think it’s a viable way to deliver information and there’s no publishing house to deal with. The only real downside to an eBook is that it isn’t available to anyone without an internet connection, which is shrinking by the second, I think. The whole eBook phenomenon (if you can call it that) is really a reflection of the whole socialization of the web.
Sonya’s website is www.trulytwistedmarketing.com. If you’d like to purchase your own copy of Sonya’s e-commerce eBook, she’s offering a special discount to Biznik members - use coupon code “sonya” to purchase the book for $29 instead of the normal price of $87.30.
asheville Biznik business networking ebooks marketing north carolinaStrong Business Relationships Are Critical
You may already understand that relationships play an important role in keeping profitable customers, attracting talented employees, and advancing your own career. But are you doing anything to strengthen those relationships? Here are a few reasons why you should:
• Customers are 5 times more likely to purchase from existing vendors than try a new one. It’s more difficult for you to get a chance when your competition has better customer relationships.
• When surveyed, customers who are most satisfied also state that they have a strong relationship with their solutions provider. This fact is consistent even when service quality is below industry averages.
• Sales cycles for complex solutions are shorter for providers with higher levels of trust. Strong rapport before selling makes it easy for customers to decide to buy.
How many times have you struggled with low customer retention? Infrequent repurchases. Or, lost your best talent to a competitor? How much do weak relationships cost your company?
Weak relationships could be costing you thousands.
It’s possible the relationships you have with customers, employees, and partners are hurting your ability to obtain the results you desire. Whether you lose thousand per year or by day, weak relationships cause lost sales, poor communications, and wasted resources.
Developing the Relationship Mindset
Given the potential damage from poor business relationship management, perhaps its time you proactively changed your mindset to one focused on building and maintaining stronger relationships.
Developing a relationship mindset does require effort, but can also prove to be fun. To get a good sense of where you are at now, try this. Plot out your various business relationships in terms of 3-4 concentric rings emanating out from you. Those closest to you form your inner circle, those further away, your outer circles. Your goal is to move potentially fruitful relationships from the non-committal, farther rings to the closer ones. But how?
The steps to advance that important business relationship might sound similar to those you’d use with a romantic interest. That’s because they are. In each case, we are looking for others to engage in long-term patterns of behavior that are mutually beneficial. And, both cases require commitment, acceptance of your interdependence, lots of listening and paying attention to the details.
Given a sense of trust and mutual respect, two business people may find that they have similar interests and related goals. They agree to join forces. That’s the beginning of the commitment. If the relationship is to be truly successful and mutually beneficial, each side must buy into it and accept their interdependence. When one succeeds, it’s good for both.
That doesn’t mean that you should always expect an immediate return on your efforts. As you learn more about your partner’s goals, you can focus on helping them achieve those goals. If you do so, even when there’s nothing in it for you, it will clearly show that you have the partner’s best interest in mind. And, it will help develop the relationship. Think about it. When was the last time someone truly helped you when there was nothing in it for them? Refreshing, right?
True understanding of other’s goals takes good listening. The old adage that you should listen 3 times as much as you talk is right on. It’s amazing what you’ll learn when you actively listen. And, when you give them the opportunity to express their opinions, the relationship will be better for it.
Listen to what interests them – their hobbies, activities, and business goals. Ask questions to encourage them to share what’s important to them. “I heard you just got back from vacation. Where’d you go?�? “How did your team do at the golf tournament last weekend?” “How’s business going.” It may just be small talk, but it goes a long way.
Finally, pay attention to the details in their stories and do the little things that make a big impression. If your partner is crazy about golf, you might send them a copy of this month’s Golf Digest. If they love their coffee, bring them a cup of Starbucks java for your next meeting. I guarantee they’ll be impressed.
The Results of Living with a Relationship Mindset
When you proactively commit to the partnership, listen actively, and do the little things that make a big impression, your business relationships will flourish. You’ll reap what you sow and you’ll be the one to get more leads, improve customer satisfaction, shorten sales cycles, and maximize the bottom line. More importantly, you’ll have developed dozens of allies that are now actively looking out for your best interest as you look out for theirs.
Ron is the Chief Relationship Officer and founder of the Relationship Strategies Institute, a training and Relationship development company that provides innovative, effective and relevant programs and systems for corporations, organizations, and associations. To learn more about the value of Relationship Development, visit his Web site at www.RelationshipStrategiesInstitute.com or e-mail him at – RS@RelationshipStrategiesInstitute.com
business networking relationships trust