In This Issue: The Thank You Note Habit | Marketing Planning for Small Business - Part 1: Why Plan? | Applying the Brakes to Wonder Woman | Artisan Sales | Recommend a Business

 

 

The Thank You Note Habit

 

It's traditional to send thank you holiday cards - but sending a thank you as a year-round habit can build relationships and substantially increase your business. The people who receive your thank you notes feel appreciated and important, and therefore, are more likely to refer you to others.

 

Think of ten situations in which you could send out thank you cards - after a phone call, a presentation, for a referral; even after they buy from someone else! Then, create a "template" of each type of thank you. Once you're armed with these resources, sending thank you notes becomes an easy habit to acquire.

 

This month, we feature articles from Gregory McCormick of Walking-Stick Consulting Group and Adele Alfano, Canada's Diamond Coach. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter!

 

 

Marketing Planning for Small Businesses - Part 1: Why Plan?

 

Gregory McCormick of Walking-Stick Consulting Group provides strategic and project-based marketing services to small and medium-sized enterprises operating in the Business-to-Business (B2B) marketplace.

 

As a small business owner, you have to wear lots of hats: sales, customer service, production, shipping/receiving, accounting and all the rest. Somewhere in all of that, you have to find the time to proactively market your business as well and, unless you're a marketer by trade or can afford to hire one, this can be a daunting prospect.

 

The secret to successfully marketing your business without spending too much time or money is a Marketing Plan. Besides capturing critical information about what you're selling, who you're selling to and how you're going to market it, a good Marketing Plan accomplishes the following:

 

1. Establishes Goals
What ARE they? BESIDES "Make lots of Money!"

 

A useful tool for setting these goals is "S.M.A.R.T." (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-limited). It may seem old fashioned, but formally establishing and recording goals is an excellent way to guide and evaluate your marketing efforts.

 

2. Guides day-to-day Marketing
What do you have to do TODAY in order to stay on track and meet your goals? Your Marketing Plan will tell you. By breaking tasks down and scheduling them in advance, you ensure that everything gets accomplished.

 

Also, because your Marketing Plan captures specific details about your product/service and about your customers, it helps you develop consistent marketing materials that more effectively suit your target market. That information also helps guide any copywriters, web and graphical designers, or other marketing service providers you hire.

 

3. Controls Costs
As a small business owner, managing cash flow is a matter of life or death, and you Marketing Plan helps accomplish that by detailing how much you are spending, when you are spending it and why.

 

Without a plan to help keep you on track, you might find yourself "winging it" - which rarely (if ever) works and ALWAYS costs more than it has to.

 

4. Charts and Builds on Success
You know what was planned, and you know the results. So what worked? What didn't? What changed in terms of my product/service or my target market? Answering those questions is the first step towards making your NEXT plan just that much more effective.

 

This is how a Marketing Plan helps you grow your business - by establishing a benchmark on which to measure both successes and failures and allowing you to learn from either.

 

It's very easy to get caught up in the whirl of day-to-day activities and find yourself muddling along without a plan. Hopefully, I've given you some reasons to take the time to plan your marketing.

 

Next issue, I'll provide you with an overview of what goes into your Marketing Plan and how to start the planning process.

 

 

Applying the Brakes to Wonder Woman

 

Nominated for Canada 100 Most Powerful Women, Canada's Diamond Coach Adele Alfano is an Award Winning Professional Speaker, Author, Co-Publisher, who has helped thousands of people capitalize on their unique abilities to maximize their potential through her specially designed and created systems.

 

If you are like most women, you are trying to keep your head above water in this speed- crazed world, stretched too thin on your time and juggling ten projects at a time. Sound familiar! My best friend Tina and myself have a great joke and we always state we consider ourselves “wonder women” and we add “we look at ourselves and we wonder!”

 

After working a full year non-stop, serving on a board, numerous speaking engagements, co-publishing books and sitting on the organizing committee for a fundraiser, the brakes were applied one weekend a year ago. I came crashing against a brick wall. Believe me, it hurt!

 

Like most women, I ignored the symptoms of stress: sleepless nights, constant exhaustion, daily migraines, a racing heart, back aches and stomach upsets. Stress is common in everyone's lives and there is no exception to this rule. But sometimes, life has other plans for us. I had to do some serious soul searching about continuing on a volunteer board that was time consuming and fraught with conflicts.

 

When is it a good time to throw in the towel and say “enough is enough”? I have never been a quitter, so would I be considered a coward, a loser, defeatist? If an organization, commitment to a goal or a person is not serving your best interests…when do we make the decision to move on? Here is a few heart-felt observations that I had on that weekend:

 

1. Admitting “enough is enough”, does not mean you are weak or a selfish person. It does not spell defeat. It is actually more courageous to step down than to get sick over something. Taking back control to yourself, and to your health makes you a winner.
2. Consider the other option. We could continue something that is getting us more stressed and sicker or we could step back and take control of our stress levels. When you are making this decision, sit back and consider the other option. Talk it over with an unbiased person who can see the whole picture objectively. You would be surprised to see what they see!
3. Own your own age! Even though I have inherited great genes, and most people mistake me for my early 30's, the fact is that I am in my mid- 40's. We and life, evolve and circumstances change and it is important to be honest with ourselves. The energy that we had 10 or 20 years ago, is not the same energy level we have today.
4. Life is not about “survival of the fittest”! Life is about balance, and living with honesty and integrity. Working hard to achieve our personal goals or lofty dreams is admirable, but not at the expense of our survival. Life is not about surviving, it is about living.
5. Prevention is better than a cure! My life partner always says this to me (I should listen to him more often)! Be pro-active today, instead of waiting till tomorrow, when the decision is sometimes made for us.
6. Learn to set boundaries. Prioritize your life with what is important and needs attention now. Life is not a contest, but your precious time and health is the prize.
7. Put your ego aside! If we were to remove our egos, our drive to succeed, a desire to be a people-pleaser, you would see your decisions clearly and easily.
8. When stress becomes toxic! Let's face it…there is normal stress (paying bills, being at work on time) and there is high-level toxic stress. When the unnecessary stress becomes a pollutant in our personal health system, then drastic measures are needed.
9. When you make the decision to feels right in your core, then stick with it. Do not let anyone persuade you. The weight of the world will be lifted from your shoulders.
10. The law of balance states that when you are giving more to something than what you are getting back, then it is time to pack it in. In the end, the scales are never tipped in your favour.

 

Sometimes, undue and unnecessary stress that we put upon ourselves, will dull our gems within. Take a good look at what is important right now and if saying “enough is enough” will help you to sparkle and shine again, then do it! Then you can truly say that you are a wonder(full) woman!

 

 

Artisan Sales

 

As the festive season approaches, local artisans are gathering at  2021 Sixth Line Rd. Unit 5, Oakville on December 3rd from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to display their original and one-of-a-kind creations. This annual festive sale will feature original paintings, hand knit scarves and purses, along with traditionally bound books and a stunning selection of jewellery to suit any style.

 

The nontraditional open house at the home studio of Oakville artist, Wayne Blenkinsopp allows families to enjoy a warm and welcoming atmosphere while browsing a wide selection of handcrafted gift items. Street parking is available and refreshments will be served.

 

Check our events calendar for more shows in your area.

 

Space is still available for artisan sales in Dundas and Hamilton. For artisans who are interested in participating, contact Brooke at info@ihighlyrecommend.ca.

 

 

Recommend a Business

 

I Highly Recommend is a unique business directory based on recommendations. We actively promote the directory and the members within it, simulating the power of a "referral by word of mouth" in the online environment and creating a network built on trust.  If there is a business that you would highly recommend, be it product or service, please contact us.