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Diary of a Small Business Owner, Jackie Nees Virtual Assistant Edition: Working from Home, Extreme Challenge Edition

Jackie Nees's picture Submitted by Jackie Nees on   |  1 Comments


Missed Jackie's last blog?  Check it out HERE!

One of the joys of owning a home-based business is, well, I can work from home – or anywhere for that matter. But what happens when you’re forced to work somewhere else? I’ve had to more than once this week.

On Monday night we had a pretty big thunderstorm. It wasn’t the worst I’d ever seen by far, but when I woke up the next morning, myself and almost 80,000 other people were without power. The outage lasted for well over 8 hours. My small community seemed like a ghost town. I decided since I didn’t have lights much less internet access and neither did anyone else I would just forego work for that day and focus my attention on hoping the contents of my refrigerator didn’t go bad.

Tuesday was business as usual until Tuesday night when yet another storm hit. This time we had power but my internet was knocked out. Rather than waiting around hoping it would come back on I headed to my favorite coffee shop to work for the afternoon. I became a bit more frustrated when I returned home and found that it had still not been fixed. After a few calls to the cable company they informed us there was an area wide outage and they were working on it.

As I write this it’s still not fixed. It’s Thursday morning and I’m back at the coffee shop.
The point of all of this is that my business didn’t stop just because my wireless did. I had a backup plan. The day we had no power I texted my clients to let them know what was going on and that I would be off the grid for the day. The next day I was able to pack up my mobile office and head to a location where I could enjoy the atmosphere, a cup of coffee and get my work done.

Unfortunately not everyone has a pack-up-and-go business but there still needs to be a back-up plan in place should an unexpected wave of inconvenience hit. Are there alternate ways to reach your clients or customers? Do you take advantage of cloud computing technologies so you can access important information from another location in the event your computer crashes or the power goes out? Are there team members who can carry out tasks from their location until you are back up and running?  

This whole crazy week has lit a fire under me to really make sure I have some solid systems in place in case of emergency so that my business can continue to run without a hitch. In the meantime, I’m going to get back to my coffee and bagel and just maybe when I return my home office will be back up and running. Fingers crossed!
 

Twitter, Food Photos, and the Urge to Create

Katie Hellmuth's picture Submitted by Katie Hellmuth on   |  0 Comments

When I started teaching my Socialness classes - the art of social networking - I would discuss how no matter what niche people were in on Twitter, tweeters usually revved up their Twitter accounts in the evening around dinner time to tweet about what they were making for dinner, or asked for ideas about what to make. One social media expert I followed even dedicated every Sunday to tweeting about everything she was cooking for her family that she could freeze for the week. We all followed along with mouths watering.

Mashable highlighted a study done by 360i, in which the agency uncovered that a lot of social sharing still revolves around food, namely in photographs. Mashable describes the inspiration behind food-based posts as: "to celebrate the completion of a dish or a special occasion. Some folks are photographing 'food art.'" This is a potential idea-generator for marketers, and 360i produced a beautiful graphic illustrating their data with tons of statistics to sink your teeth into, which you should definitely check out. But my focus is on the "why"...why people are still tweeting and blogging about food, despite mastering online marketing skills to promote their businesses.

The beauty behind this motivation, I believe, is the creationism. When one makes food, they are creating. From start to finish, it is maybe the purest form of creation we have - to feed ourselves or others, which then creates happiness and satisfaction. If most producers of online content are doing so to market something, then the desire to put forth something made is still there, even if it's about dinner that was produced or cupcakes baked.

So what would your takeaway be from me pointing this out? To be honest, I'm not sure. Maybe just a reminder that a motivation behind people is to create and to feel proud about what they created. That can translate into brand evangelism, writing reviews, referring friends to businesses, etc. People are proud of what they can produce.

Category: 
Twitter
Social Media
Facebook

Diary of a Small Business Owner, nomie baby Edition: Shuffling Through Virtual & Real Life Piles to Get to the Good Stuff

Katie Danziger's picture Submitted by Katie Danziger on   |  0 Comments

Today I decided to tackle my desk, which I have been blissfully ignoring for a while.  There are piles breading piles.  I took everything off my desk and put it on the floor, and then started organizing into new piles.  At first if felt like I was just re-shuffling, and then slowly but surely order began to be restored.  It does feel good to be able to see my desk again (or at least more of it).  

Of course, throughout my organizing frenzy, I was checking my email icon for incoming emails, so I could continue to address issues related to orders, the warehouse. And then there it was - an email from one of my largest national retailers that has stores online and offline. They carry nomie baby online for now, and it has been great.  At first the email started out as a shipping question, but then after a request asking me to call (which was out of the ordinary, since I find that 98% of everything happens via email and in the ether), I learned that they were signing on a brick and mortar store!  

Needless to say the news thrilled me.  When I first signed the agreement with this national chain, I was told that it was only for their online store at first, and then they would "see how things went."  The signing was over 8 months ago, so I had decided not to dwell on when the new stores would sign on, and be happy with the online business.  I have learned that "watched pots really don't boil."
 

Diary of a Small Business Owner, Jackie Nees Virtual Assistant Edition: Sweet Rewards

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Last week I was delighted to go out to the mailbox to find that one of my clients had sent me a package with some of my favorite candy. It was totally out of the blue and totally “just because.” I can tell you that something as simple as a bag of candy put a huge smile on my face all day. Not just because I happen to love the brand of candy she sent (Twizzlers), but also because sometimes the smallest efforts make the biggest impact.

I’ve been lucky enough during the course of my years in business to get appreciation gifts from several clients ranging from elaborate bouquets of flowers, to food, to magazine subscriptions. All of them meant a lot to me and made me feel valued and appreciated but I have to say that receiving those Twizzlers last week probably topped the list of favorite gifts.

It was unexpected. Many of the gifts I’ve received have been because it was a holiday or my birthday or I’d helped a client reach a major milestone in their business. In this instance my thoughtful client took the time out of her uber busy schedule to let me know she was thinking of me and wanted me to know she appreciated the work I am doing for her.

It was fun and unique. Anyone can log onto a florist website or gift site and choose a gift or bouquet, enter their payment information and the recipient’s address and hit “send.” This was something out of the ordinary, yet simple and super thoughtful.  

It was inexpensive. I have received expensive gifts from clients before and although they were lovely, quite honestly this gesture meant just as much, if not more to me. I think some people have a misconception that the higher the value of the gift, the higher the level of appreciation they are showing. So not true. My client made the extra effort to send something personal that she thought I would enjoy. I got the same exact message regardless of the dollar amount. “I appreciate you. Thank you for what you do.” Besides, who doesn’t love getting a little happiness in the mail?

It was inspiring. Receiving that small token of appreciation last week inspired me. My amazing client understands the value of relationships and that there’s more to maintaining good business relationships than an annual Christmas card. It really inspired me to want to emulate that in my own business. Whether your relationships are valued employees, virtual assistants, vendors or clients and customers, you can always make an extra effort to show your appreciation and that you value that relationship and want to make it long lasting.

It was motivating. The days of a busy entrepreneur can blend into one another and become quite hectic. It’s so refreshing to get a little surprise in your day that puts a smile on your face and makes you want to keep going. It was validating to me and definitely made me want to continue to do great things for my client (Not that I wouldn’t want to anyway, but a little incentive never hurt anyone!).

One of the biggest things that stood out for me with this gift was the way it was presented. The envelope was in one of her branding colors and inside, the Twizzlers were beautifully wrapped with a fabric ribbon and a hand written note on gorgeous stationery to accompany it. Her personality and brand oozed with every detail of this seemingly small gesture. I love that! Her brand is not simply colors and a fancy logo. It’s who she is. It’s her style, personality and how she relates to other people and the way they relate to her. She is totally aligned with her purpose and her business and it was such a huge lesson and inspiration for me.  

I’d love to share more insight but I’ve run out of time, out of room and out of Twizzlers so I will sign off for now which reminds me, I haven’t checked the mail yet today!
 

Diary of a Small Business Owner, Hold Your Haunches Edition: The Only Thing We Want to Spread is Wealth

Submitted by Jenny Greer Eri... on   |  0 Comments

All hail the return of the Hold Your Haunches Small Business Diary blog! Last week somehow got away from us as we were busily working on implementing a new and exciting aspect of marketing for our wardrobe staple.

Our friend Sabina e-troduced us to her friend Jo Jami at Fabulous After 40 and Jo Jami immediately gave us a buzz! (Thank you). She told us all about the concept of affiliate marketing, something we knew nothing about. Affiliate marketing works as follows: other blogs and websites sign up for your affiliate program at no cost to them. They are then given a special code that is embedded into your link on their website, or through cross promotion. Once a reader of their site clicks on Hold Your Haunches and ultimately (OF COURSE!) places an order, they are paid a commission. Essentially, through affiliation, a business picks up sales reps at no cost to them unless product is sold! Cool, right?! And what a no-brainer. Our tech guy is working on Hold Your Haunches' affiliate program as we speak and we are looking forward to sharing affiliate plugs with lots of lady bloggers.

Our pants belong on women of all ages and stages, so from the mommy bloggers to the empty nest babes; we've got you covered!

We'll let you know next week if our program is up and running AND we should have a photo or 2 of new styles. LOVE this job!

Full disclosure: New ideas, products or what not; if Harry and Pippa decide to pull the trigger next week, we might find ourselves distracted again.
 

Does Your OPEN Sign Scream CLOSED?

Katie Hellmuth's picture Submitted by Katie Hellmuth on   |  0 Comments

Today I approached one of my local coffee shops here in Beacon, NY to go work inside. They have a neon OPEN sign in the window, but its light was off. The windows then looked dark inside, which would be normal since it is a sunny day, but since I was questioning the unlit OPEN sign, the coffee shop looked extra closed. Then, on their front door, their hangin sign was turned to CLOSED. I normal person might have walked away, but I'm nosey, and peeked my head in just in case. And there they were, the customers, the barristas, all working and coffeeing up as usual. They had no idea that three things had screamed CLOSED to me.

The takeaway? Such simple things could be blocking your business. Have another person look at your business, be it your website or your sales sheet or anything, and get their feedback. It doesn't have to be an expert in the field. Just someone who is not close to your business, who can give you an honest reaction. The change you'll need to make could be as simple as switching on a sign.

Category: 
Branding

Diary of a Small Business Owner, Jackie Nees Virtual Assistant Edition: Making it Official....

Jackie Nees's picture Submitted by Jackie Nees on   |  0 Comments

Did you miss Jackie's blog last week?  Check it out HERE! 

For weeks now I have had an envelope sitting on my desk. Inside the envelope is the signed paperwork to file my LLC. Why has it been sitting on my desk? Good question. The day I was originally going to file it a couple of months ago, my husband and I decided we needed the money for something else. I reluctantly agreed to put off sending it in.  

When I finally was able to send it, I hesitated. Was I ready to do this? Do I have the right name picked out? Is this really what I want to do? It’s such a big step! All of these doubts and questions swirled through my mind for the last few weeks. I finally decided yes, this is what I want to do, I am ready and it’s time to take things to a new level. I’ve been talking about it for long enough and it’s time to do something about it (in case you haven’t figured it out by now, I talk to myself A LOT. Some of the best conversations and biggest ideas happen when no one else is around).

So today’s the big day. I’m going to walk into my office, dust off that envelope, put a stamp on it and drop it in the mailbox. My new company is about to be born.

What’s even scarier is I’ve chosen an official “launch” date, May 21st. It’s a Saturday which is slightly unconventional but it’s also my Dad’s birthday. I know he would be so proud of this venture if he were here today so I wanted to honor him and celebrate by kicking things off on his birthday.

I’m so excited that everything is finally coming together. As I write this I’m also becoming increasingly aware that May 21st is not far off and there is still much to be done including the website. So I’m going to take a big deep breath, sign off and get to creating!

 

Diary of a Small Business Owner, nomie baby Edition: "the best laid plans...."

Katie Danziger's picture Submitted by Katie Danziger on   |  0 Comments

Missed Katie's last blog?  Check it out HERE!

As they say, "the best laid plans..."  I had all sorts of grand plans in mind for this week, which included: continuing conversations to secure some more sales reps, following up with other leads regarding new avenues for distribution, checking references, sending out pr pitches, fulfilling orders, communicating with every customer and all the other usual items that make up my weekly "to do" list.  But, when one child is out of school and another is hurting from 4 wisdom teeth that were pulled out, it sort of derails my plans.  

When my son broke his hand playing lacrosse, and was put in a cast for 4 weeks and told not to play until the cast was taken off, I had the brilliant idea that this would be a good moment to have his wisdom teeth pulled.  After all, it needed to be done, and with all his sports and other activities, there were no openings looming in the future, so I figured as long as he was sidelined from sports, I might as well take advantage of this time.  This can also be seen as adding insult to injury!  It also threw a huge wrench into my normal work day and week.  While I wouldn't give up being there for any of my children, I am aware that it means sidelining my "to do" list.  

As I have mentioned before, there is a certain rhythm and momentum that builds, and often it is important "to strike while the iron is hot," as they say.  However, I also feel very strongly, that I keep everything in perspective.  This doesn't mean that the sudden change in schedule isn't frustrating, or that there isn't make up work that needs to be done at "off hours, " but it important to keep it all in perspective, so these changes don't totally throw me.  This is another instance of going with the flow, instead of struggling to fight it.  I know it will all get done, it just may take more time, or the timing might be different, and sometimes that needs to be good enough.
 

Random Acts of Pitching.....Helping Us Help You, Since 2008

Submitted by Sabina Hitchen on   |  1 Comments

We know that many of our members are DIY-PR business owners - manning their publicity ship solo, or with the help of interns. We also know that even with the media contacts we supply you with, it's also always good to have someone on the "inside" pulling for you. This is just a simple reminder that we're that person on the inside pulling for you, even when you don't even realize it! How, when, where and why? We do it all week long via our Random Acts of Pitching, with editors/producers/casting agents/stylists and more. Why? Because sharing your small business stories and helping you find success are two things we love to do over here at Tin Shingle HQ.

You may have heard us talk about "Random Acts" before, but here's a little breakdown so that you can better understand what we're up to over here even when you don't know it: Due to our existing relationships with the press, and because of the community of entrepreneurs we work with on a daily basis, we often serve as a source for stories/products/experts and more to those in need. They know we can reach out to our community of entrepreneurs, or go into our Member Directory to find them exactly what they are looking for.

For example, just this week ABC News came looking for small businesses who could lend their anecdotes to a specific business story they were working on. Last week we were gathering goodies for a cast member of Dancing with the Stars. In May we're going to be looking to members for a project we're working on with MSNBC. Heck we've even been able to share your stories with the Nate Berkus Show when they came to us looking for entrepreneurs.

Whereas with some queries, you'll hear from us via our PR Leads email, a special email over the private member email group or even on social media, Random Acts of Pitching is often going on without you even knowing it. We're working on a story that is either confidential or on a short deadline and we're going directly into the website looking at your business profiles, sending links to your company's website, sharing information we know about your company with those looking to fill a story and so forth.

Because these Acts are often going on stealthily without you're even knowing it (until you get the email from us connecting you with the press) it's important you always present yourself as a great possible story candidate. Just how do you do that?

  • Be sure your member profile and business profile are filled out, photos are uploaded, your website and contact information are easily accessed and your business description is up-to-date.
     
  • Make sure you have uploaded your products into the Marketplace. Within the next 2 weeks the Marketplace will be even easier to search and access on both your end and for those searching for specific products. Know what products will never be selected for a story? Those that are not uploaded in the first place!
     
  • Keep us informed on what you're up to - be an active member - share your stories, press, new products, etc. Squeaky wheels always get oil. Members who are active tend to be at the top of everyone's mind. Also remember that there are several members of the press in Tin Shingle who are on the member email group, social media pages and website.
     
  • Be sure your own website is easy to navigate, has contact information listed that is easy to find (and not just a box where they can email you and enter their information, have and email address available on your website) and looks professional. If you're hard to reach or don't look like a website that can handle traffic or sales, you will most likely not be selected by the media for their story.
     
  • Be easy to reach! If we reach out to you or connect you with a member of the press, don't make us all wait days to get back to you. Timing is everything, and that means you should be able to connect with them that day, or someone from your company should. *Have all of your media material ready to go - images, headshot, linesheets, look book, media kit, tips, reel, samples - whatever your business needs to share its message should already ready to go should anyone need to review it.
     
  • Be patient! Not every pitch turns into a placement and the key to winning the PR battle is to be persistent and patient!


Random Acts of Pitching continues to be one of our favorite things to do, and believe us it works - from the CBS Early Show to Good Morning America to O, the Oprah Winfrey Magazine to Reuters to Entrepreneur Magazine and beyond, members have been placed regularly due to this PR "matchmaking" benefit of ours, and the more times we can do this the better! Keep these tips in mind and help us create a great PR success story with you!

Diary of a Small Business Owner, Jackie Nees Virtual Assistant Edition: I'm Not Giving Up Until I Get It!

Submitted by Sabina Hitchen on   |  1 Comments

Missed Jackie's entry last week?  Check it out HERE!

“I’m not giving up until I get it.” Those are the words my daughter uttered to herself this morning while she was playing a game on the computer before school. At first I just smiled because I thought it was cute but then I sort of stopped in amazement at her attitude and thought, wow, I can learn a lot from her!

I have been feeling a little discouraged this week because things weren’t going quite as planned and there are some decisions I need to make in my business that aren’t fun but need to be done in order to move forward. Add to that a few challenges with client projects and it was the perfect storm of negative mojo. I’m not one who gives up easily but I have to say, this week has made me doubt myself and my abilities more than once. Yikes!

We all get discouraged in life and in business and when things aren’t going our way sometimes we say, “This is too hard”, or “It’s not working” and we simply give up. It’s easy to let go of something and try something new when it’s not working or just give it up altogether. But what if instead we said, “I’m not giving up until I get it”? Just imagine what could be achieved by changing your attitude.

The second thing that took me by surprise this morning was that my daughter (who is 6 by the way) didn’t need anyone telling her, “It’s alright honey don’t worry, you’ll get it eventually.” She came to this realization on her own. Now, as a mom, this makes me incredibly proud, but as a business owner it made me realize that I can follow the experts, read books and learn all I want to learn about succeeding in business, but ultimately it’s up to me to motivate myself to do what needs to be done. I am a solopreneur and other than my dog and two cats, there is no one here cheering me on, or holding my hand or telling me “You can do it!” I have to do it myself. That being said, one of the perks of being a solopreneur is you can say things like that out loud and nobody’s giving you strange looks when you do.

So, from now on I’m going to follow my daughter’s example and not let anything get in the way of doing what I need to do. I will welcome challenges as learning opportunities. “I’m not giving up until I get it.”
 

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