There is a lot of talk about the “death of SEO” and “the death of ranking reports” lately.  It all stems from some sessions at PubCon in Las Vegas.

Remember we all want to get our message out there and have our voices heard and one way to do that is to make a dramatic statement.  So that is what you are seeing.  The truth is SEO is not dead – it is just evolving.  And the other truth is…. the more things change, the more they stay the same.

What I mean is; of course the SEO universe is evolving – search is so much more sophisticated than it ever was before.  We have universal search, geo-targeting and we have personalization.

However in spite of all that – the foundation has not really changed.  To get ranked you should have always been focused on creating high quality content, getting good links into your site and creating a useful, informative site that is focused on the user experience and ultimately on getting the sale.  None of that has changed – that is all just as important.

People talk about the death of ranking reports – but for those that know what internet marketing is all about – you should know that ranking reports were never that important.  Sure we provide them to clients, to give them an indication of where they stand in the engines – but the real results come from how much increased traffic and sales they get, not from how many rankings they can see on their report.

It’s true with personalization, universal search, intent based search and geo-targeting the landscape is changing and different results will be displayed for different people.  That is all good news!

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We will state the obvious for the year with a twist…not since the last major downturn in the early ‘80s have firms in the PC, CE industry had such an opportunity to:

• slash costs, downsize the workforce,  shrink to core (known) market opportunities
• evaluate product/product segment/customer ROI/opportunities; realign product/service investments based on long-range strategic plans

Do you see the differences?

Management in the first group of firms who focus on cut and retrench will circle the wagons to force short term results regardless of the long-range potential of the market segments.

Management in the second group will take the opportunity to reduce staffing back to core teams, evaluate and eliminate product lines and customers which have little or no long-term growth and strategically invest in product/service innovations that should prepare the companies for 2010 – 2012.

Industry executives are most certainly jealous of the support governments are providing to their local financial and auto industries.  The problem is it is impossible for them to admit that they have run out of ideas that will correct the situation!

The first quarter of 09 will be a period of slow, careful realignment as firms see how quickly the governmental cash infusions rekindle IT and consumer confidence.

The downturn in the first half of last quarter had a positive effect for the consumer because it forced management to significantly lower prices (and profit margins) to stimulate sales.  This assisted desktop/notebook computer, personal/home entertainment sales and…impacted profits. 

             
Reshaped, Refocused

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Values are the parents of your chosen or unconscious behaviour. If someone at a meeting or a party rubs you the wrong way, chances are that you have picked up something about them that doesn’t fit your set of core values.

On my website, you’ve had an opportunity to glimpse my core values: Love& Compassion, Authenticity, Honesty & Integrity, Health & Vitality, Passion & Creativity. Without even realizing it, the way I interact at work and at home reflect these values. It is the beginning of any self-development work to take a closer look at your own driving values and even at those of your colleagues or direct reports.

In the field of Neuro Linguistic Programming, the study of how language affects behaviour, there’s an exercise called ‘The Parts Integration’. Its main premise is that all humans operate from their values. I found it fascinating that you can identify a feeling or an action as coming from a ‘part’ of your body. Amazingly, when you ask people to identify anger at a co-worker or sadness at a lost job opportunity and ask them to point to it, they can visualize it coming from somewhere in their body. The rest of the exercise takes a leap of faith and involves isolating and speaking to the part about what “it” wants for the person to whom it belongs. And the question that’s repeatedly asked is “even more than that, what does it want?” until the “part” reveals a deep core value. This value can be anything such as ‘happiness’, ‘love’, ‘truth’ or ‘peace’.

I remember one American woman in class standing up angrily and fighting with the instructor when she gave Osama Bin Laden as an example of a man whose core value was ‘security’ which explained his acts of heinous crime against his fellow man. But I understood the instructor’s point.

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I find a surprising correlation between my clients’ challenges each week – a common theme always seems to emerge among them. It’s surprising because, in most cases, these clients have never met one another.  Their shared concerns are often the inspiration for my e-zines.

This week, the common theme among my clients was negative thoughts. Whether it dealt with goals focused on personal health or business, there it was, staring my clients in the face- a negative thought. 

Before we get to how to tackle this issue however, let me tell you a little about how thoughts work.  You don’t need coach training to recognize the ‘Thought-Emotion-Action’ trio at work in your life.  For example, if I think I’m a good sales rep, then I feel more confident and relaxed which, in turn, helps me to be more comfortable and friendly with potential prospects.  

You can also imagine that the reverse would be true. For example, a colleague of mine always assumes that people think she’s unfriendly and mean. These thoughts make her feel defensive which prompt her to be edgy and suspicious of those around her. She’s creating a self-fulfilling prophecy: her negative thoughts about herself trigger her negative actions, and these actions generate a negative reaction from those around her, all of which confirms her perception that people believe her to be unfriendly and mean. Most people associate emotions with actions, but they forget that the real culprit is the thought itself that causes the emotion which then causes the action.

One other thing I know about thoughts at work is that the brain thinks in signal transmissions between two receptors called Neurons.  When the same thought keeps re-occurring in the brain (i.e. “I must smoke”), these neuron pathways become stronger and thicker. Breaking these pathways is difficult.

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I think I was born a mid level manager.  With the exception of my cemetery property telemarketing gigs as a student, from my first job in a developing country all the way to my current job as a Brand Manager at BIC, I’ve always been a mid-level manager.

Being a mid-level manager is akin to being the new kid in school. You want your teachers to approve of you but you also need your peers to think you’re cool. And to get in with the cool kids, you’ve got to speak their language.

Greg was a show boat of a man – he dressed to the nines and cared exceedingly about appearances. He was the operations manager for 10 years running. Being cost-conscious came naturally to Greg, and he got a lot of  encouragement to exploit his instinctive tightfisted skills; senior management constantly rewarded him for pinching the pennies out of a project, even if it looked like a mad science project gone wrong.  Because of this, Greg was often at odds with the marketing department over the issue of packaging costs.

Ironically, Greg’s pride and joy was his luxury car, everyone knew how it made him feel like he’d finally arrived.  His silver cufflinks flashed and winked at me as we sat talking about how new packaging should look. I knew that our brand equity was hurting, largely in part to the sub-standard pack materials and cheaper design.

As we spoke, Greg started to extol the virtues of cheaper packaging emphasizing – the hefty sum he had saved the company over the years. I stopped him out of the blue and asked him what kind of car he drove.  Stunned at the change of topic, he stammered “Who? Me?” 

“Yeah,” I replied “do you have a nice car?” 

“A Porsche!” he said beaming with pride.

I feigned pleasant surprise, eyes wide open, – “Wow, do you think a cheap import could compete with your Porsche?”

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When your goal is to grow your business, one of the most important things you can do is spend time learning how to generate publicity for your organization.  The key to getting publicity for your company is to develop and implement a sound public relations plan that focuses on activities designed to attract positive media attention to the activities of your business.  

Three of the best techniques for generating publicity include:

1.  Special Events Hosting a special event is a great way to generate publicity for your company.  There are many ways to generate free publicity for events that are open to the public.  Many websites and newspapers have special sections dedicated to community events, and you can submit information about any events that you have scheduled for publication consideration.

For example, if you are opening a new location, you might want to consider holding a ribbon cutting ceremony.  Even if you aren’t moving, you can schedule an open house event.  While the news media aren’t likely to attend the actual event, any pre-event publicity that you generate can boost your business, and you will enjoy the added benefit of giving customers and prospective customers a good excuse to visit your business.

2.  Public Speaking Engagements Most civic and professional organizations schedule speakers for their weekly or monthly meetings.  Come up with an idea for an interesting topic that is related to your business offer to speak to local organizations such as Kiwanis, Rotary, the American Business Women’s Association, and others.  

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Word of mouth advertising is the most effective marketing tool for any business. Positive word of mouth is directly proportional to your customer’s perceptions of the quality of service they receive from you and your organization. Customer service is the key to fostering positive word of mouth advertising and generating repeat and referral business.
Customer Service is important to the success of all businesses, especially those that provide services rather than products. It is a simple fact that in a service-oriented industry, you don’t manufacture anything. What you are selling is your service. It costs almost nothing to develop and maintain policies that help ensure quality service. On the other hand, not developing those policies can cost you a fortune.

The customer service your company provides is what separates you from your competition. The less your company focuses on service, the more difficult and expensive it becomes to attract business, and it becomes impossible to retain customers.

Smart service providers know that their customers are the bottom line, both literally and figuratively. Customer focused organizations never lose sight of the fact that keeping customers happy is the key to long term success.

Customer service is more than something that you put on a to-do list and check off every day. Providing exceptional service is a way of thinking, even a lifestyle. Customer service has to be woven into the philosophy with which you approach your business. Respect, fairness, and a true desire to serve the needs of your customer base should motivate everything you do and say.

Customer service means different things to different people. In reality, the only perspective that matters is the customer’s concept and perception of good customer service at the time service is needed and delivered.

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One of the most important things you can do to prepare for a job interview is to learn everything that you can about the company before you go to the interview.  Most interviewers ask job candidates why the want the job.  Most people answer this question specifically in terms of their own skills, and why their skills are a good match for the essential functions of the job.  

Having the right skills certainly is an important part of being qualified for a particular job.  However, since employers screen resumes or applications before deciding who to interview, it is likely that the interviewer is already familiar with whether or not your skills are a good match for the position.  

Telling the interviewer what skills you have only lets the interviewer know that you are interested in the type of job that is open, but doesn’t say anything about why you want to work for the company.

If you have conducted research about the company ahead of time, you can use this question to really want to set yourself apart from the other candidates.  When you know specific information about the company, you can answer the interviewer’s question about why you want the job in terms that are customized for this interview.

When you know the company’s mission and general information about its products and services, it becomes much easier to convey a genuine desire for this particular job with this specific organization. 

Interviewers want to hire people who are likely to stay with the company long-term, so they look favorably on candidates who seem genuinely interested in and knowledgeable about the organization as well as the type of job.  The few minutes you spend browsing the Internet to find out about the company are well worth the benefits of making a positive impression on the interviewer.  

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January 1st is always fun since it is somehow the beginning of a whole new set of opportunities.  We seem to divide our business year by holidays.  Memorial Day is the beginning of summer so vacations slow down sales.  Labor Day is the beginning of the last quarter so we must push to achieve our goals, and New Year’s Day is the opportunity to start with a clean slate.

So, let’s look to 2009 as the year that will be a challenge for all of us.  Since the economy seems to be on hold for a while, we need to generate a lot of activity.  Some people feel that if they can keep their existing customer base they are doing well and that may be true.

Wouldn’t it be exciting to grow your business in 2009?  Think of all the sales people who will be sitting on the sidelines waiting for “the turn around.”

The way to be different from the “crowd” will be to go out and get every piece of new business in your market.  Don’t wait, go after everyone.  Prospect like crazy in every market available to you.

This is the time to make all those cold calls you should have been making for the last number of years.

I literally mean call on everyone.  If nothing else imagine the list of prospects you will get.  You may be the only supplier that calls on people who actually need your products and services.

This is the time you will walk right into sales, surprise opportunities that make selling the best profession on earth.

I like to tell seminar participants that you owe it to your prospects to get out there and call on them.  They may be sitting in their offices just waiting for your call or visit.  It is rude to not call on them!  They need you.

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The financial market is experiencing a period of significant growth at the moment and, as such, there is a very real demand for financial businesses out there. However, as a direct result of the fact that people get into the industry without examining the implications closely, there are many businesses failing and many financial businesses for sale! It is all about finding the right one.

Requirements
You will need to examine your own background and motivations before you buy a financial business. If you have a background in finance then a financial business would be a wise investment. If not then you may want to supplement your business background first. Also make sure that you have various financial consultants on board as well as an accountant and lawyer because you will need them in order to go through with the purchase and get the business up and running. The first step is installing effective management so be sure to put everything in place in advance.

Profitability And Financial Reports
First things first, assess the financial businesses for sale out there and decide upon which one you want to purchase. It may be a loans company, a mortgage company, an investment company, a financial services company, a financial advisor company, or even an exchange company. The profitability of the lender is greater than other forms of financial business at the moment, with a profitability level of around three times your original investment within three years. Of course, it will increase from there but you need to speculate to accumulate and it does take time.

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Choosing a career is one of the most important things that you can do.  You are going to spend a large portion of your waking hours engaged in the pursuit of an income, so you may as well choose a career that you love. 

I learned a lot about life and work from my father, from whom I inherited my work-a-holic tendencies.  He was a great man who was devoted to his work and to his family, and had very solid beliefs about the role that career plays in life. 

Among the many wise bits of advice he gave me in during his life is the following:  “there is nothing worse than being in a job that you hate or being married to someone you can’t stand”.  He managed to avoid both, and so far so have I. 

While I have had jobs that I couldn’t stand, his words gave me the strength to walk away from them when the time was right.  I’ve been lucky in the spouse category, though.  Haven’t had to change my mind about that one.

Too many people stay in jobs that are wrong for them instead of choosing careers that will become a natural part of their lives.  Don’t take the first job that comes along and then try to make it into something other than what it is.  If you end up in a job or a career that isn’t right for you, just keep looking until you find one that is.

Remember that choosing a career isn’t a life sentence.  If you aren’t happy where you land in the beginning, you can always start over if you change your mind!

Summary:

Making a career choice? While it’s important to choose the right career, keep in mind that you won’t be sentenced to stay in the same career forever. Many people change careers several times throughout their lifetimes.

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Many individuals are choosing to re-enter the workforce after retiring from their primary careers. Whether out of economic necessity, a desire to remain active, or to pursue alternate career paths, it’s a fact that many individuals are staying in the workforce well past the traditional retirement age.

Opportunities Are Plentiful for Mature Workers
If you’re thinking about pursuing a post-retirement career, it’s a good idea to spend some time thinking about the type of work you want to do during your senior years. While some retirees choose to go back to their original occupations on a part-time basis, many others choose to pursue a completely different direction. Many retirees find they can turn lifelong hobbies, such as crafting, cooking, and art, into post-retirement career opportunities. The good news is that there are more opportunities for retirees who wish to return to the workforce now than ever before. Employers are recognizing the value of structuring jobs so they appeal to senior workers, so there is increasing availability of jobs with schedules and responsibilities that appeal to mature workers. Many companies are offering flexible working schedules, as well as opportunities for telecommuting. Home-based and direct sales business opportunities also appeal to many mature individuals.

Computer Training Opportunities for Seniors
One challenge that many retirees face when re-entering the workforce is the fact that most jobs do require up-to-date basic computer skills. This is an easily overcome challenge, as there are a number of senior vocational training opportunities for individuals who need to learn the basics of how to use a computer.

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From disparate beginnings, Christmas has become largely a cultural celebration for my generation – one meant to bring people together and place our focus on the people we love.

It has also become an uber-brand that represents intangible, un-buy-able values (peace, love, joy, family, selflessness) simultaneously with supreme commercialism.

I love Christmas: hot cocoa, a roaring fire, home cooking, decorated trees, lit up streets, friends around, and the overall heightened consideration of other people (which really should be more present year-round). And of course, the unavoidable and remorseless spending of money we don’t necessarily have.

I like shopping as much as the next red-blooded woman, and I love choosing gifts for people I care about, BUT I loathe the chaos that is the holiday shopping experience. Firstly, running a fully booked design firm means I am impossibly busy, and it’s hard to find time to brave the traffic, find parking, and wait in obscene lines at the counter. So I shop for a lot of gifts online, which doesn’t seem particularly festive to me. Something is lost.

Smart online retailers are starting to catch on. In the same ways that a brick and mortar store would decorate their shop for the holidays, internet based companies are learning to create a more festive atmosphere for their customers. We all know that emotion sells. And the experience you’re providing for your customers online can be just as lucrative as one you might create in your physical store.

Now, my own customers aren’t looking for the same thing as holiday shoppers. You’re business folk, and it’s not likely you’re going to hire a corporate designer as a gift for a loved one. But, I still felt like I should give a subtle little nod to the holidays, so I created a festive holiday variant on our website logo.

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I’ve always been one for giving information away for free. Some people tell me I shouldn’t do it and other people say that it’s a great thing to do. I’ve tried both. Generally though, I find that giving something away for free does help my business.

Here are the reasons why I think giving away information for free is a good thing:

1)    It helps establish you as an expert
2)    It lets people experience what you do without any risk
3)    People start to like and trust your approach
4)    It allows you to build up a relationship with people

I think most business owners would agree that giving away some free information is good. The difficulty is when to draw the line and stop.

There was a time when I gave away nothing at all (after some advice from a business contact of mine who thought I gave away too much), but it was an approach that just didn’t work for me. So, when I decided to start giving away information again, I thought very carefully about what was free and what I wanted people to pay for.

My guidance (that I’ve set for myself) is that I’m happy to give away knowledge in the form of article & tips, advice on forums and sometimes advice to people in meetings – more about this one in a minute. But, all the advice I give away is general advice that applies to anyone. My rule of thumb is that if someone wants specific advice and help that applies to them then they need to pay for that.

There are of course exceptions to this. There are times when I’ve been feeling very generous in meetings and given away lots of help and advice to the person. When I do this I have to check with myself that I’m happy to do that and I’m not going to walk away from the meeting feeling bitter. As long as I’m ok, then I’m happy to do that.

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Are you spending money constantly trying to attract new customers?  Realize that you could possibly be sitting on a goldmine, without spending another cent on advertising. How would you feel if you could build a one to one relationship with each and every customer to the point where they then become an advocate for your business?

It’s amazing how many companies fail to take advantage of their most important asset, their customer list.  Most small business owners are constantly searching for ways to attract new customers, when its been proven time and time again that you can make more money from your present clients than constantly looking for new business.

Here are the secrets to begin the process of retaining good customers and generating greater profits from them.

Secret #1: GET TO KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS

Small Businesses today are finding that in order to survive super discount competitors and online competition they must go back to the relationship building of the good old days.  In cities and towns of yesteryear, jewelers knew their customers by name, the type of jewelry they preferred and made certain he had it in stock.  This kind of relationship coupled with personalized customer service and a genuine empathy with customers, is what keeps them coming back to you instead of your competitors.

Secret #2: GATHER CUSTOMER INFORMATION

A database of customers is the most valuable asset your business has.  Yet only 10% of the retailers in the United States keep a current list of their customers!  Statistics show that businesses spend five times as much for new customers than they do on their present customers, yet a regular customer is worth 10 times the cost of acquiring a new customer!  Today, however, a customer list is not enough.

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Writing copy for your website is different than traditional copywriting for direct marketing like brochures, sales letters or 4-color postcards. Website copy requires an expertise in direct response marketing because sentences need to be shorter, to the point and demand action quickly and effectively.

WRITE COPY FROM THE PROSPECT’S POINT OF VIEW

An experienced website copywriter will write copy from your prospect’s point of view; identify what problems or challenges are plaguing them in today’s business environment and what are the solutions. Then how is your company the best qualified to solve my problem, quickly, cost-effectively with the most value for the money.

WRITE COPY THAT ATTRACT THE SEARCH ENGINES

Talented direct response copywriters weave persuasive, convincing copy while maintaining control over keywords and phrases that attract the search engines to rank your site higher. Where your company ranks in that search can spell the difference between success and failure from your online marketing strategy.

If you want to rank higher in the search engines, write carefully crafted copy that not only entices the reader to take action, but is also search engine friendly . . . . meaning, when qualified prospects search the internet, your site pops up as being relevant to what they are looking for. When they get to your site, your copy answers their question or solves their problem. If not, they will leave faster than it takes to click a mouse.

Is Your Website Simply a Pretty Billboard or A Lead Generation Machine?

Your job is to qualify website visitors and persuade them to take immediate action. Using your website as a pretty billboard to show off your fancy new office is a waste of time and money.

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You’ve heard the phrase “you never get a second chance to make a first impression” many times during your life.  While this concept rings true in every aspect of life, perhaps the most important time to stop and consider what this means is when preparing for a job interview.

The overall impression that you make begins, and in some cases ends, with your appearance.  The moment you are introduced to a job interviewer, he or she forms an initial impression based on your appearance.  When you have a chance to interview for a job that you want, it is important that you do everything that you can to make a positive impression on the interviewer. 

When it comes to job interviews, it is a simple fact that appearance matters.  If your overall appearance conveys a favorable impression, the interview is off to a positive start.  However, if your appearance sends the wrong message, the interviewer will probably decide then and there that you are not the right candidate for the job.

The clothes that you wear to your job interview play a major role in the first impression you make on the interviewer.  You should always wear professional attire to an interview for a professional job, even if the office observes a more casual dress code.  In addition to being professional in style, your attire must also be clean and pressed. 

Your grooming also sends a message to the job interviewer.  Women should wear makeup to job interviews so their appearance looks “finished”.  However, it is important not to wear too much makeup.  Hair should be clean and well-groomed.  If you need a hair cut, get one before you go on your interview.  Unkempt hair is often interpreted as an indication of disorganization and laziness. 

The accessories that complete your interview outfit also contribute to the overall impression you will make on the interviewer.

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1. Networking – Build a network of other people who are influential in your career field. Professional organizations, chambers of commerce, and networking groups are great resources for meeting people who are leaders in your field and community. As you cultivate mutually beneficial relationships with your networking contacts, you’ll likely learn about new job opportunities before they are announced to the general public.
2. Computer Skills – Having strong computer skills is a key to success in just about any career field. People who keep up with the latest software applications and operating systems often have a competitive advantage when it comes to being considered for promotions and getting new jobs. Even if you are very busy, there are a number of options for inexpensive and convenient online training programs that can help you stay on top of the latest advances in computer technology.
3. Professional Licensure – In many fields, there is a huge salary difference between licensed and unlicensed professionals. Say, for example that you work in the office of an apartment complex. Because of your work experience, you might very likely have the skills needed to be a real estate agent or home inspector, and you could boost your earning potential by becoming a licensed professional in one of these fields.
4. Get Certified – When employers are looking at hiring highly skilled professionals, they want to be sure that the candidates they choose do in fact have the skills to do the job. Earning a recognized certification in your field is one of the best ways to prove your skills to prospective employers.
5. Earn a Degree – One of the best ways to help yourself move up in your career is by increasing and validating your knowledge base with a degree.

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As we enter the month of December, I can’t help but look back at the year that was. The thousands of new businesses started, the people we’ve profiled, and the technology applications that have made our lives complete. In no particular order of preference, I give you my top 5 technology applications of 2008.

1. Basecamp – the backbone of the business. This project management software helps us keep on top of things. By logging in, the team can see the status of each client and contribute to future projects. It saves on sending group emails and files and keeps your thoughts and intelligence in one place. To clients, it makes you look super-organised.
   Cost: $49 per month (£32)
2. Skype – our virtual water cooler, video conference system and podcast production kit. Yes, we do lots with Skype! It’s a versatile product that, at its most basic level offers an instant messaging service. Taking it to the next level allows you to connect with customers by webcam or group calls.
   Cost: Free to download. £20 for basic hand phone or headset. 
3. Twitter – a perfect way to show off your expertise .. and, yes, see what your friends had for lunch. Twitter has had a bad rap for being ‘lightweight’ and ‘a form of virtual stalking’ but anyone who uses it will know it’s no such thing. Twitter is a tool that is low maintenance, yet powerful. It provides an outlet for your expertise as you tweet in less than 140 words on your thoughts and motions of the day. To be sure, there is a social angle to this neat application but that’s what home business is all about; business mixed with life.
   Cost: Free
4. Surveymonkey – take polls and run Awards with this cheeky piece of software. Our 2008 Home Business Awards were managed by surveymonkey.com – it was a delight to use and is also cost-effective.
   Cost: Basic package is free.

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