Juggling Time

            When you run a small business and you find yourself very busy, time flies by, and at some point some things get lost in the time shuffle.  Look at this blog for instance.  I managed to miss the whole month of February with my blog.  Well, it’s time to adjust and manage my time more effectively than just putting out fires.

            I wish I could offer you a special magic wand you could wave to get more hours in a day to get things done.  Here are my tips:

·         Don’t give up your sleep.  Once in a while working long hours to meet a deadline is okay, but on a daily basis, choose to get the sleep you need.  You work much more efficiently when you have rested then if you have skimped on sleep.  Keep your productivity up.

·         Know when to say no.  No small business owner wants to turn away business.  It’s just not smart.  Or is it?  If you are overwhelmed with projects and deadlines and another inquiry comes your way, unless it’s some absolutely opportunity of a lifetime, be honest with your prospective client.  Tell them the truth – that you are booked up and can’t get to their needs until ….  The honesty matters.  What good is taking on yet another project when you know you can’t complete it on time?  You stress and disappoint yourself and you tarnish your reputation.

·         Break down projects and goals into manageable chunks.  Look at what you have to do and see if you can break down larger tasks into manageable chunks and plan them along with the daily smaller tasks that you handle.  This does require some organization skills.  At least then you are making progress in a number of areas and managing your time more wisely.

·         Take breaks throughout your day.  This goes with sleep.  Don’t skip meals, and force yourself to get up and walk away for a few minutes.  That 5 or 10 minute break every hour or so will refresh your mind and allow you to regain focus again.  Remember, people on average can only keep sustained attention to a task for blocks of 20 minutes or so.  You can refocus again, but keep in mind that short breaks are healthy and boost productivity.

And don’t’ lose heart if you have fallen off the wagon and gotten behind.  Start again and keep at it.  I have.  You will see weekly posts for all of March, and my goal is to keep it up for the rest of the year.

Free Video Software

            In addition to web designing, I teach a few college courses online.  One thing that I wanted to offer my students this semester was some lectures in audio.  Although I have a webcam, I am not too comfortable recording myself in front of a camera.  I bet most of you are the same.  So I went in search of some software that I could download for free to use for my online classes where it would capture what I was doing on my computer and my voice rather than me.

            Of course, there are many good ones to purchase, but finding a good one that’s free takes a little more time. 

            One of the professors at my campus recommends Jing.  This can be downloaded at http://download.cnet.com/Jing/3000-13633_4-10744274.html .  It is pretty good software that’s very easy to use.  It’s intuitive and simple.  It’s easy to record and delete until you get it right.  The free version records everything in Shockwave (SWF).  In addition, you are limited to five minute clips – in most instances, you would not want to record long clips anyway.  The professional version allows many other formats including WAV and MP3.  They charge $14.95 per year which isn’t bad and allows you to discontinue.  Since there was the time and format limit for Jing Free, I kept searching.

One I found that I like a lot is Debut Video Capture Software by NCH Software at http://www.nchsoftware.com/capture/index.html.  This gave me automatically the format choices that work best for me.  If I choose to purchase the software is a flat $39.95(for Jan 2012 – then $60) .  Jing Pro would equal that cost in a little more than 2.5 years (4 years for regular price).  Although I haven’t done it yet, I wanted the ability to edit clips in Windows Movie Maker, and Debut allows that with the formats it offers.  Although it’s a little more complicated to use, it’s still relatively simple, and the ability to re-record is as easy as it is for Jing.

I stopped searching once I found Debut because it does all that I want.  So far, I have used it as a tutorial for different portions of online class.  The professor who inspired me to download and try the software, recommended having online video/audio tutorials.  He said that for him it reduced student questions from twenty per class at the beginning of the semester to about two.  That was a good enough reason for me to try!

If my skill level and use go up, I plan to purchase the full version.

Let me know if you have searched and found any free video capture software that you would or would not recommend.

Closing the Deal When You’re not a Salesperson

I am not a salesperson.  It’s funny.  I’m an entrepreneur, and I need to sell myself and my services, yet I am not a salesperson.  I’ve read articles about how to close deals, and while some of the advice may be good, it just doesn’t fit me.

I am good with the networking portion of sales.  I love to go out and meet people, and while I’m a little shy and reserved, I can get myself to go up to someone and say hi and introduce myself.  I’m also a pretty good listener.  I don’t mind a bit listening to someone, and I find most people quite interesting.  Networking fits me.

The most successful approach for me hasn’t the often top quoted tactics like creating a sense of urgency or using the threat of competition or preparing late breaking news. 

The first thing I learned early on was to adjust my business from what I initially thought it was.  I originally thought of myself as helping people market their businesses, but soon, I discovered that I was better at certain components of marketing.  I quickly adjusted my business to web design and web promotion as well as desktop publishing services.  My talents really were in certain segments rather than in the broad spectrum of marketing.

The next thing I learned was that I really offered value in a particular niche.  Most larger companies were attracted to larger web design firms.  They barely gave me a nod.  Of course, I could have made the choice to aim big and adjust my strategy to lure them, but instead I saw a need.  I realized that the larger web design firms were out of the league of small new businesses just starting up.  Many new businesses were scared by quotes of thousands of dollars for a web site.  I saw my niche, and I began selling myself as a professional solution for small businesses just starting up.  I found that I like that approach better too.  I liked helping people succeed.

How do I close a deal?

I listen to the customer.  I find that listening to what a customer has to say matters.  Don’t try to put words in their mouths, but do try to ask questions when they are unclear to you.  Also, if they seem confused about what they want (many often are), try to offer them options and ideas based on what they are telling you.  It’s a juggling act to not over or under sell.

I offer some free advice.  This can be a double edged sword.  But I find that if I offer some little bit of advice, I do two things:  I build trust, and I show my knowledge in the field.  It can work against you because they make take your advice and not engage your services.  Other times, it will lead the customer back to you after they have found that others did not do the same for them.  They learned that you can be trusted.

I bow out gracefully when they’re asking for more than I can do.  The biggest no-no in business is promising something you cannot deliver.  There are simply some projects that are too big for me or too complex.  I keep my name intact by bowing out gracefully when they are asking for something I’m not sure I can deliver.  At those times, I refer them to my competition (companies I trust and I know can do what I can’t).  That has gone a long way in keeping my name good in the business community, and interestingly, some of my competition has actually outsourced to me because of this.  Remember, competition doesn’t mean adversary.

I thank the potential customer whether I get the sales or not.  Be a good loser.  After all, if their first choice doesn’t work out, maybe they will come back to you.  Some of my clients have come to me after they found they didn’t like their first choice.

I may not have the highest sales, but I have a business that continues and grows.  You can have skyrocketing sales in your first year, but what really matters is building relationship and a sustainable business.  You want your name to survive, so build your sales carefully.  Find a way to make sales work for your personality.

Your Facebook Profile and You

Yes, we’ve all heard how important it is to keep your Facebook profile clean.  Yes, we’ve been told that what you post on Facebook can have far-reaching consequences, but let me give you some examples both good and bad.

Here are some of the good besides connecting with old friends:

One friend of mine was getting out of car racing (hobbiest).  He posted that he was selling his car and included a photo of it.  If I remember correctly, it was snapped up in less than two hours.  He sold something quickly, and people know that he is a racecar enthusiast.  Good.

Facebook can be used to help you find a job.  Keep in mind that you may not want to do that is you are already employed and any of your bosses or co-workers are friends with you on Facebook.  But if that’s not an issue and especially if you are unemployed, use Facebook to your advantage.  Make sure people know what type of job you are looking for and where you’re willing to work (geographic area).  More and more people are getting leads and landing jobs that way.

Here are some of the bad:

From Time Techland: 

According to a report The Guardian, Facebook is partly responsible for the sacking of at least two police officers over the past four years. It’s also let to seven resignations and 150 officers facing disciplinary action after posting inappropriate pictures or comments. An official review into police corruption found there was “significant blurring” between officers’ professional and private lives on social media, and that it was potentially damaging to the reputation of the police force in general. According to Roger Baker, who led the investigation, “Social networking is seen as a risk by all forces and authorities, but there are limited or inconsistent policies around what is acceptable, what you should do [and] what you shouldn’t do.”

From Time Techland: 

Also under fire: Facebook and marriage, lacking “consistent policies around what is acceptable.” A new study by Divorce Online discovered that 33% of divorces in 2011 implicate Facebook in some way, a significant rise from 2009′s 13%. Reasons cited incude: users making inappropriate comments or messages to members of the opposite sex, and users making unpleasant messages or comments about their spouse and Facebook friends reporting on a spouse’s behavior. Mark Keenan, a spokesman for Divorce Online, suggested that Facebook’s increased importance as a communication tool was behind the rise, saying that “If someone wants to have an affair or flirt with the opposite sex, then it’s the easiest place to do it.” (It’s certainly the most common social network: Twitter was referenced as a reason in only 20 out of the 5,000 divorce petitions surveyed, perhaps illustrating how difficult it is to flirt with 140 characters or less.)

From CBSMoney Watch:  They mention five ways to get fired using Facebook at  http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505125_162-47540281/facebook--your-job-5-ways-to-get-fired/.  The bottom line is that you need to treat Facebook like it is public space and act accordingly.  Would you streak on a public street?  No?  Then don’t streak on Facebook.  You get the picture.

            I’ve seen plenty of my friends post things that really surprised me, and I’m not even part of the riskier demographic who are known for riskier online behavior.  I can’t really put them here, because this too is a public place, and I am careful about what I post – you just have to be.

Get that Website in 2012

This year, I vow to attract more web design clients.  Part of it is of course that I am in business, and I make money when I design websites.  The other side of it is that I like helping small businesses succeed.  I like the feeling I get when I know that I helped someone achieve his or her goal.  That may sound odd, but it’s true.

If you’re on the fence about having a website, then let me convince you why it’s important to your business.

First.  How do you look up businesses these days?  Do you immediately go to the phone book?  Do you immediately go to Google or Yahoo and look up the business either by name or by type?  Chances are if you are reading this blog, then you look up businesses online.  That’s the number one reason you need to have a Web presence.  If you don’t, then how are people going to find you?  They may find you through referrals – yes, word of mouth still matters in this day and age.  They won’t find you by accident though if they are searching the Internet.

Second.  You have the opportunity to create a first impression of your business to your prospective customers.  Websites can have many functions, but one of the primary functions is as an introduction to your business.  It is an online brochure.  It gives your prospective customers time to review the services your offer and read about your business.  Even if your business is on Main Street, USA, it still pays to have a website.

Third.  A website is a revenue generator.  Even if you are not selling online, you are still promoting your business  As more and more people turn to the Internet, businesses need to be available online with information on how to contact them via phone, fax, email and online forms.

Hopefully, I have made you aware of why a website matters.  And remember, you don’t have to have the snazziest most extravagant site on the Net.  You do need to have a professionally designed site that makes your business look good.  If you go for simple, just remember, you can easily add on and change down the line.  The Internet and websites are flexible that way.

The Internet Keeps Changing and so Do I

If you have been involved with the Internet for any length of time, you will readily admit that the Internet seems to keep changing at a faster and faster pace.  At times, it probably overwhelms you because as soon as you master one skill or area, it’s time to move on and try your hand at yet another.  It’s the nature of the industry, and you have to either keep up or find a niche – a little area of the cyber world that you can keep up with, and that’s in demand.

Many firms try to do it all.  That’s okay for some, but that doesn’t have to be you.  When I began designing Web sites in the late 90s, I could wear more hats and keep with all the changes that were taking place.  As time as gone on, I have found myself specializing and changing at the same time.  I used to do it all, but I discovered that my niche is in two areas:  designing sites for small businesses and using social media as a marketing tool for small businesses.  There are still many things that I do beyond that, but I concentrate on the things I do well and that I feel confident about.

If you depend on the Internet for your business too, consider not doing it all.  There’s nothing wrong in limiting your business to things you do well.  If you do, then make sure you network.  Then if someone needs a service that you don’t excel in, you can either refer them to one of your acquaintances or contract that acquaintance for the work.

At the same time, you need to remain flexible and current.  The Internet is constantly changing, so you do have to keep up and you do have to be able to adapt and change directions as needed.  I never would have pictured myself as a social media marketing just two years ago, but I took on the challenge as a volunteer for an organization I belong to, and I found that I liked it.  Then someone who knew my volunteer work with social media approached me and said he liked how I handled the marketing, and suddenly, I realized that I had a new aspect to add to my business.

Change and adapt – that’s what I do.  Consider it for yourself too.

Selling Sand to Saudi Arabia

That’s right.  I’ve sold sand to Saudi Arabia.  Don’t they have enough sand?  Yes, but they don’t have the right type of sand.  Years ago, I worked under a salesperson whose sales territory included Saudi Arabia, and one day we got an inquiry for sand from a company in Saudi Arabia.  People in our company laughed and congratulated us when we managed to lock in a sale for thousands and thousands of tons of sand the country known for its sand.  It was specialized sand used in those reflective tiles on roads that help us stay in our lanes at night.

That brings me to my topic today.  What does it say about a country where it is cheaper to ship our raw minerals to other countries, have them manufacture the items and then ship them back as finished products for Americans to buy at lower prices than if they had been manufactured here?

Think about it.  That same company I worked for also sold raw materials to Korea and Taiwan for products that were manufactured there and shipped back here for sale.  Think about what went into those products.  The raw materials came from places like the United States, Australia and South America.  Then companies paid for those minerals to be mined and shipped via truck, rail and ocean to countries such as Taiwan and Korea.  Then the workers in those countries worked in factories and built those products – cars, ovens, china, paint, lawnmowers, and so much more.  Those products were put back on ships and brought here to the United States and dispersed to stores throughout our country via rail and truck.  All that moving around, and those products are cheaper with that long manufacturing and distribution chain than if they had been made here.

I liked working for that company because I learned so much about raw materials and freight, and I also was exposed to so many people in this country and in so many other countries, but I often thought about the implications since I knew that many of those products produced overseas would be back on our store shelves.  Someone said something the other day, and I thought about our sand sale.

I would like to see the United States build up a manufacturing base again.  I think one of the things our economy needs is a balance among all kinds of industries, and we have lost so much in terms of manufacturing here.  But I don’t have any good answers.  I myself am a consumer rather than a producer.  I offer services rather than goods.  One thing I can try to do is buy American when I can, but it’s not the easiest thing to do especially with a tight budget and so few things produced here.

What can we do to make American manufacturing more competitive?  There has to be a way to compete with goods that travel so many more miles and are touched by so many companies than our own made goods.