Those questions include:

• Who is your target audience?
• Where are they geographically?
• Where and how do they access information?
• What do you hope to achieve?

Now give some thought to what kind of marketing help you need. This can change as your business changes. You may start in one place and then realize you need other things.

For example, starting with branding makes sense. Once you have your brand identity you may be ready for help with advertising or PR. So, what do you need right now? This is a critical question because not all marketing firms are created equal. Some specialize and some are generalists. Some excel in certain areas and others offer a combination of services:

• Branding:  logo design, business cards, literature, and web design.
• Social Marketing:  Facebook Fan Pages, LinkedIn business pages, Twitter accounts, Pinterest, and overall social marketing plans and execution.
• Advertising: print, radio, TV, billboards, or internet ads.
• Public relations: press releases, event coverage, securing interviews on TV, radio, or internet radio, and gaining exposure for product launches, grand openings, anniversaries.

Determine what you need right now. You may also want to think about your marketing needs along a continuum – what you need now, a few months from now, next year. This can help you when you are interviewing potential firms.

One of the most critical parts of finding marketing help is doing your research. There are so many companies in this space. Finding the right one(s) takes a commitment of time and energy on your part.

A good deal of marketing is subjective. They may be considered one of the greatest firms in town, but if you don’t like their design or end product, they aren’t right for you.

Explore the following:

1. Type of firm: do you want a firm that specializes in the type of marketing help you need right now or would you prefer a firm that covers a variety of marketing methods?

2. Do you want a firm that has expertise in your industry or is that not an issue for you?

3. Does their location matter to you? Would you prefer a firm that is local?

4. What is your budget? Is it realistic for what you need? How does that limit the prospective marketing firm pool?

5. Method value: what is their viewpoint on the various marketing methods ? For example, if you want to gain national exposure and believe that gaining interviews on internet radio is a good marketing venue for you, does the firm you are looking at share your belief? AND, do they have that expertise?

Now that you know what you are looking for it’s time to interview potential candidates. Find 3-5 companies that look like they fit your needs. Develop a list of questions you can ask to divine whether they really are the right match for you. Those questions include asking for samples of their work, asking for links to sites they’ve created if you are looking for web design, and how they manage their clients.

If you are looking for help with search engine optimization or search engine marketing, ask them how they handle this for their clients. You’ll find some companies that haven’t really gained a grip on how to help companies with today’s page rankings. The more you know, the better off you’ll be.

Interview some of their clients. Ask about timeliness and follow through. How long have they been in business? How long have they been doing the kind of marketing you need? Remember that a lot of firms have had to adapt to the new landscape. Some have done this well and others, not so much. By asking specific, pointed questions you can find out how skilled they are, and therefore, how well they’ll be able to deliver what you need.

Example: I have an associate who needed an e-commerce website. She had very specific needs and was quite clear about what they were. She met a web designer at a networking event who told her they could do the job. She didn’t take the time to ask her questions, or research the sites they’d done for other clients. She just hired them. Not only did they have trouble delivering the end product, but their communication was lacking. They didn’t understand some of the basic things she asked for. By the time she realized they were the wrong firm, she’d invested months with them. Those were months she was without her e-commerce website.

And by all means, trust your gut! If you don’t feel like they are strong with their answers, or there’s something about their work that just doesn’t sit right with you, walk away. You don’t have to be able to quantify the feeling. Just the fact that you have it is reason enough to look elsewhere.

Finding the right marketing help is something that takes time, energy, and research. You have to learn some things about the industry so you can identify the good firms. Anyone can tell a good story and do a good sales job. What you want to know is how well can they deliver on what you need. Marketing is a field that is changing quickly.

Marketing firms need to stay ahead of the curve, adapt to the new environment, and share their level of expertise honestly with their prospects. You, as the prospect, need to be able to discern who is doing that, and who isn’t.

Searching Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

Pointers on Hiring a Marketing Firm for Your Small Business

We are often so focused on the next step, the next sentence, the next opportunity that we forget to be present and pay attention. In addition, there are so many more influences and stimuli these days that we can feel like we have adult A.D.D. Between our electronic devices, social media, email, and texting, we are bombarded with information and activity. It can be very hard to focus in this environment.

There are a couple of problems with an inability to listen effectively. The first is that we don’t discover the information we need to make relevant decisions or present accurate proposals. This is a huge issue in sales. The sales person is so focused on sharing information about their product or service that they don’t take the time to ask questions and listen to the answers. Because of this, they don’t build a rapport with the prospect or help the prospect feel valued.

People buy from people they like and trust. If they don’t trust you, they won’t buy from you – no matter how fabulous your product or service is.

In addition, they don’t find out enough about the prospect to determine if it’s a good fit for them. Not all prospects are qualified. The only way to find out if the one you’re talking to is a good fit for you and your company is to ask questions and listen to the answers.

This can also be a problem when vetting vendors or referral partners. If you don’t take the time and attention to really get to know them, you could enter into a relationship that is not the best for your company. Bad business relationships can destroy a company. You end up spending money, time and energy unnecessarily – all things that should be spent on good relationships.

John Jantsch talks about different types of listening, the best being “active” and “perceptive.” According to John:

“Perceptive listening is by far the most complex because it requires you to be totally focused, completely mindful and, well, perceptive of what’s really going on.”

I have to say that I think this is probably the hardest kind of listening to learn. It really takes complete attention and tuning out of everything else. Because of that, it is the most effective kind of listening. The other party can feel this kind of listening. When someone feels this kind of listening they also feel valued. They believe the other person is genuinely interested in learning about them and their needs.

They believe you really want to help them solve a problem; they start to trust you.

That genuine interest is the key to a successful business in my opinion. It not only works with prospects, but clients and vendors. Anyone you have a relationship with will notice this level of commitment and attention. They will be more inclined to participate in the relationship and you will come to better decisions and solutions when you are listening closely.

You’ll truly hear what someone is saying and will be able to absorb it. Now you are open to ideas and collaboration. Perfect!

Because ‘perceptive’ listening is more complex, you most likely won’t master it on your first attempt. This is why active listening is so important. Active listening is simply listening to what is being said. When you are actively listening you aren’t thinking about what you are going to say next. You aren’t reading your email on your smartphone while the other person is talking. You are present, attentive, and engaged. You may not be thinking about what the other person’s motivation is. You may not be paying close attention to their body language, but you are paying attention to their words. You are taking notes and responding to what they are saying.

This behavior is a great first step. Active listening can build trust and value with your prospect or employee.

There are so few people actively listening (unfortunately) that this behavior stands out. You can learn a lot at this point. You can respond to their answers and provide them with a solution to their issues. You can empower an employee; you can come to a compromise with a vendor. You can be tremendously effective.

So, how well developed is your listening muscle? Are you actively listening? Have you mastered perceptive listening? If not, start working on exercising that muscle today. Practice tuning out other influences. Engage someone in a conversation and monitor your listening ability. Create a system to help yourself focus during conversations with prospects, clients, employees, and vendors. Your business will be healthier when your listening muscle is strong.

Listen Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

Build Your Listening Muscle

They are selling hard because they are always selling. They don’t build relationships so they have to be hunting all the time. They are on the extreme end of the extrovert continuum.

Then we have stellar salespeople. These folks understand they are matching a solution to a need. They build relationships and seek to understand where the prospect is before they offer their solution. They have long term clients and receive referrals regularly. At networking events, they ask a lot of questions and share very little about their product or service.

Stellar salespeople share a lot of characteristics with introverts. The February 6, 2012 cover story for TIME Magazine talks about the “Power of (shyness).” The author, Bryan Walsh, mentions that:

“Introverts are better at listening – which, after all, is easier to do if you’re not talking.”

I submit that listening is the number one skill of an exceptional, stellar salesperson.  According to Bryan, introverts are “more cautious and deliberate than extroverts.” Introverts “tend to think things through more thoroughly, which means they can often make smarter decisions.”

Stellar salespeople don’t shoot from the hip; they don’t think they have a ‘one size fits all’ product or service. Instead, they take what they’ve heard from their prospect and they determine how they can help. If they can, they present a proposal that mirrors the need. If they can’t, they say so.

When introverts network, they spend their time getting to know one or two people. They don’t ‘work the room’ and hand their business card to everyone. Other people like to speak with introverts because the introvert is genuinely interested in them. The introvert would rather learn about someone else than talk about themselves. Once again, listening plays a key role.

Introverts build deep, lasting relationships. This is key to sales success. Maintaining lasting relationships with clients is far less costly than hunting for new ones. This is also where referrals can come from.

Because introverts are more deliberate in their processing, I submit they are probably viewed as more trustworthy; and trust is critical to sales. If we put all of these characteristics together we see the perfect model of a stellar salesperson – a trustworthy listener who builds lasting relationships and thinks things through to come to a meaningful solution.

All salespeople would do well to make sure they are embracing these characteristics and skill sets. After all, it’s never been about the salesperson; it’s always been about the prospect. When salespeople stop talking, start listening, and spend their time thinking about how they can help their prospect instead of what they can sell to someone, they will be stellar.

Follow the introvert’s lead – they come to it naturally.

Sales Concept Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

Introverts Do It Better

The mistake many businesses make is focusing on what they need. The other day I was meeting with a banker. The management of the institution had set up sales goals that were completely unrealistic; high numbers for business loans, unmanageable methods and expectations, and pitting employees against each other. The situation was untenable. It’s a clear example of a company looking inward when it should be looking out.

You know what is happening at that bank? They are focusing on what they want, not on what the clients need. If they sent their business bankers out into the business community with the goal of securing qualified, significant, business relationships with clients, they’d excel and everyone would be happy. However, they’ve decided that they want, or need, to write more loans. So, everyone spends time bringing in potential loans that, in reality, are not going to get through underwriting. Yes, there is activity. But it’s wasted time.

If the leadership stuck to their goal revenue goal and let the sales managers work with their teams to realize that goal, everyone would win. When the leadership dictates which products to push, AND how to push them, they’ve effectively moved the goal to “do it my way.” I can tell you with certainty that this belief system will not result in the revenue goal. This situation is not limited to this bank and isn’t even limited to the banking industry. Business leaders in all kinds of industries experience this every day.

Yesterday I was meeting with a client who is one of the partners in a business. We were talking about how they should go about selling and expanding throughout the United States. This man’s partner is one of those people who talks endlessly when he’s in front of a prospect. Where’s his focus? Right, it’s on what he wants to sell; not on what they need. He has decided what is relevant and worthy of sharing. He has decided that the prospect MUST know the things he wants to share.

No they don’t.

How is he going to get the sales that he wants? He’s going to first ask questions and listen to the answers. Then he’s going to respond to what he heard. Nowhere in the plan is there a place where he provides a lengthy dissertation around his product. So, realistically, how do you set up a system so that you get the sales you want?

1. Understand the value of your product or service.
It’s not about the features and it’s not about the big, detailed flashy marketing material you’ve created. It’s never about what you need. Your product or service is valuable to your prospect because it solves a problem they are having. Notice I said it’s a problem they are having. If they aren’t in pain, they don’t need what you have to sell. No amount of chatter or cold calling is going to get them to part with their money. The only thing you’ll succeed at is alienating them. Your chances of ever doing business with them just dropped to zero.

2. Know who it’s valuable to.
You aren’t going to sell to everyone – even if everyone is a potential client. You are only going to sell to the companies or people who have a need. There may be more than one pool of such prospects. Pick one to focus on. You can always add in another once you’ve fully penetrated the first one.

3. Seek to solve.
Your goal is to see if you have a solution to the prospect’s problem. The only way you can do this is to have a set of questions to ask. These questions should cover the gamut of what you need to know to determine whether they are a qualified candidate. So, ask your question and then LISTEN to their response. You can’t fake this step. Really listen and take notes. Their answers will paint a picture for you about who they are, how they operate, and what they need. You can either help them or you can’t. Your job is to find out.

4. Be relevant.
When you identify a qualified prospect, provide them with a proposal. Make sure your proposal speaks to their exact situation. This is how they will know you were listening to them. This is how they will know you have a solution to their problem. This is when they will buy.

If you determine that they are not a qualified prospect, tell them. Whenever possible, refer them to someone you know and trust who may be able to help them. While you won’t be doing business with them, they will remember your honesty and they will refer you to others.

It’s not so hard. As a matter of fact, this process is easier and more results oriented. You get the sales you want when you give the solutions your prospects need. It’s as simple as that. Give it a try. I know you’ll be happy with the results.

Sales Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

How To Get The Sales You Want

Every day I see small business owners jump ahead in a couple of areas in their business. From marketing to networking to pricing you can do real damage to your future if you go to fast.

1. Marketing
Before you sign up to advertise in a magazine, pay for Google ads, or buy air time, ask yourself some key questions:

• Who is your audience?
• Where is your audience?
• What is the best way to transmit your message?

Taking the time to answer these questions will help you avoid spending money in the wrong places. Think about it this way.  If you sell to businesses, does it make sense to put an ad in a consumer magazine or neighborhood paper? Not really. Sure, you can tell yourself that your target market will be reading that document. However, they won’t be reading it with an eye for what you are offering. Your message will be lost on them. That is not the best way to spend your marketing dollars.

Don’t allow yourself to be swayed by the salesperson or your associates. You must do your due diligence before signing on the dotted line.

Example: I have two friends who started an organization called Positive Thinkers Network. After it had been in operation for about a year they decided to launch The Positive Times, a periodical that goes into homes and has only good news stories in it. When the salesperson reached out to me about advertising in it my first reaction was to sign up. After all, I like the owners and wanted to support them if I could. My heart said ‘do it.’ When I took a moment to consider this I realized that it just wasn’t the place for me to advertise because I sell to businesses, not consumers. As much as I wanted to support my friends, this was not a good marketing decision. So I respectfully declined.

2. Networking
There are tons of opportunities to network, on and off line. You could be doing it all day and night, every day. However, that would not be the best use of your time. Once again you have to ask yourself some questions starting with what do you hope to accomplish. It is my opinion that networking is building relationships with people who may or may not need what you have to sell.

At the same time, since time is precious, you want to meet the people who can introduce you to your target. Visiting various events and groups to get a sense of them can be a very valuable exercise. Just pay attention while you are there.

Example: I have a client whose target market is CPAs and attorneys. I have another client whose target market is busy professionals and salespeople who like to thank their clients. Where they will network will be different. The first client should be around business owners as they are the people most likely to have CPAs and attorneys. The second client would do well with business owners but would also do well in a group of salespeople.

3. Pricing
This is an interesting place where time really matters. Sometimes new business owners decide to low-ball their pricing just to get the business. They are afraid if they price where they want, prospects won’t bite. There are a couple of issues with this thought process. When you do this you are telling your prospects how YOU value your product or service. Once you go low, it’s hard to raise your prices. You get locked into a belief system that can stick with you for a long time.

The other issue with this is the kind of clients you’ll attract. You’re going to get the clients who don’t want to pay for things; the kind who won’t value what you offer. There is the risk that they will demand a lot of your time and energy without reasonable compensation. Is that really who you want to work with?

Other times, business owners set a high price right out of the gate. They say, “I’m talented and worth this much.” The problem with this can be that they are so new they haven’t proven themselves yet. They know their history and capabilities. However, they haven’t given the marketplace time to trust them. When they start high they can be sending the wrong message. Once again, their target market won’t buy. Now what do they do?

The best thing you can do is set what you think is a fair price. Be realistic; be fair. Consider where you are in your business life and set a path for proving yourself. Don’t go too low or too high. Take the time to really consider what you should be charging. Take a look at what your competitors are asking for similar products or services. Consider what the market will bear.

I’ve watched brand new businesses charge really high fees for basic services. A year later those business owners are looking for jobs. Why? Because they hadn’t taken the time to prove themselves and earn those rates. Don’t be one of those people.

As you can see, taking the time to think about your decisions before you make them can save you a lot of money and heartache. You owe it to yourself and your business to ask the right questions and think unemotionally about your business. Then you’ll make decisions that will have staying power; and your business will grow nicely.

Growth Photo via Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

Take The Time To Grow Your Business

Acording to Mina Watkin’s blog post,  “New Year’s Resolutions: How Will YOU Finish the New Year?” John C. Norcross conducted a study which showed that only 46 percent of people are successful with their New Year’s resolutions after six months. That’s less than half!

I’m confident the people who were unsuccessful were well-intentioned and really believed they could accomplish their goals. They just didn’t take the time to set up action steps for achieving those goals. This happens all the time. We set a goal and then go off and do stuff. We don’t take the time to plan the steps for achieving the goal. No wonder only 46 percent of us make it past six months with our New Year’s resolutions!

Look at it this way – you set a goal. That goal is big. It’s so big that you can’t get your arms around it. It’s like standing right next to an elephant and looking at it. All you see is gray. However, when you step back and look at the elephant, you can see that it has separate parts. Now you can pick a part and determine how to eat it.

Yes, this is how you eat an elephant! So how do we take this information and create a system for keeping our resolutions that works? We go through a process I call roadmapping. Roadmapping helps you put the action steps between your promise and your desired result.

Here’s how it works. Close your eyes and picture your business 12 months from now. What does it look like? What kind of revenue are you realizing? What functions are you performing? Do you have staff? What do your clients look like? How many do you have?

Continue to answer all the questions you can think of about your business. Once you have a clear picture write down up to three top promises on a piece of paper. You could have fewer than three, but please don’t pick more. You’ll see why in a minute.

Now work backwards from there. What steps need to be taken in order to get to each of the three results? This helps you identify the next thing you can do to move the ball down the field.

Example: In December 2010 I set a goal of acquiring 10 paid speaking engagements in 2011. That was the promise. Getting the engagements meant that I needed to be talking to the event planners. In order to talk with event planners I needed to know what events were planned for 2011. Then I needed to determine how I would reach out to their planners. And I needed a speaker’s one-sheet. By working backwards I came to the understanding of my first steps–and these steps had due dates on them. The first was research. The second was one-sheet creation. The third was outreach. Once I had gotten that far, it was time to create the next set of action steps.

Do you know what happened? I had five paid speaking gigs scheduled within the first quarter of 2011. Half of my goal had been achieved! It is because of the action steps that I was able to achieve my goals. I continued to gain paid speaking gig and hit my promise of 10.

You can do this too. All it takes is setting up the first action steps and starting the process. You’ll be able to see your accomplishments, adapt if necessary, and see how you are moving toward the promises you’ve made to your business.

From Small Business Trends

How to Hit for Par or Better in 2012

You can’t sell here and there. You can’t pick up the phone when you have a minute. Sales requires a strategy, a process, a way to proceed that you can measure and monitor. Sales is something you have to commit to on an ongoing basis. You can’t just try it for 30 days! It takes persistence, energy and focus.

Think of the sales process in terms of bike riding. When you ride a bike you have to gain momentum. When you first start to pedal, it takes extra energy to get the bike to move. Once you’ve been riding you develop a flow; you can even glide at times. As you ride you build up steam. And when you hit a hill it is easier to climb it because you already have that momentum going.

That’s what an effective sales process is like. Starting out takes extra energy. You have to put the plan in place and start the ride. Once you get that energy going, it becomes easier to maintain. You still have to pay attention to what you are doing, but sticking with it and realizing results becomes easier the more you pedal. However, if you start and stop, and start and stop, you’ll be exhausted … and have nothing to show for it.

There are 5 steps to a successful sales strategy:

1. Define your target market. Knowing this is critical to your sales success. You aren’t going to do business with everyone. And even if you were, you have to start somewhere. You have to have a place where you can focus in order to build up that momentum we talked about.

Once you have the market defined, create a list. This list should be large enough to give you the opportunity to really delve in and repeat the process a couple of times. If your target market is too small your odds of success decrease. You may have to merge two similar target markets in order to have the numbers working in your favor.

2. Determine your outreach. Will you cold call or network or both? I have a system that works really well for my clients. It goes like this:

Once you’ve defined your target and created the list, reach out to your networks to see if you are connected in any way to the person or organization you seek. This includes direct outreach – emailing or calling them – and exploring your LinkedIn contacts. Remember, you are looking for an introduction. That’s it! You want the opportunity to meet with the prospect. When your friend or associate introduces you to the prospect, follow up and set up the meeting.

Next, take the ones on the list you don’t have a connection to and cold call them. This could mean sending them an introductory letter or postcard, or picking up the phone and calling them. If you send an introductory letter or postcard, you must tell them that you will call to follow up – and then follow up! You can’t leave the action in their hands. The process is yours to conduct, not theirs.

3. Know your questions. Before you go on a sales appointment, create a list of questions to ask the prospect. This is the time for you to really get to know them, their needs, their business practices. It is not the time for you to talk endlessly about your product or service. If they look like a qualified prospect, provide them with a quote. If they don’t, walk away.

4. Deliver and build. Deliver on what you said you were going to do for the prospect. Then make sure you build the relationship. Don’t expect them to stay with you or use you for other needs if you aren’t taking the time to build the relationship with them. The sales process doesn’t end with the sale.

5. Monitor. This is one of the most critical aspects of a successful sales strategy. As you move forward with your plan you must keep track of how well it is working. On the first day of each month, take a look back at the previous month. Ask yourself these questions:

• How did it go?
• What worked?
• What didn’t work?
• Did I hit my numbers?

Knowing what works and what doesn’t gives you the opportunity to tweak your process. Adjust or get rid of what doesn’t work, and keep what does. If you hit your numbers, celebrate! Then prepare for the coming month. What’s the goal? What’s the plan?

If you didn’t hit your numbers, determine what might need to be changed and change it. Then add the missed amount to the coming month’s goal. You don’t want to give up on the overall goal by just letting the past month drop. You want to take the sales dollars you didn’t get and add them to your goal for the coming month. Now plan for how you are going to achieve that – and get going.

Repeat.

This is a process that will work over and over and over again. You’ll find that the momentum builds with each step, so it becomes easier to do. Moreover, you’ll realize results from this sort of structure. Implementing a sales strategy keeps you focused and succeeding. And it makes the whole sales process easier to do. So do yourself a favor and give it a whirl! I’m sure you’ll notice the difference.

Image from 3DProfi/Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

5 Keys to Successful Sales Strategies

When he called recently it was to ask me to facilitate a strategic planning meeting for an organization he’s involved with. They didn’t have funds to pay for this. I instantly agreed. This was my chance to pay him back. The added benefit is that I’ve acquired two clients so far from the engagement as well as future opportunities to work with the organization.

Recently my father-in-law passed away. I was given the task of creating the memorial handout for the service. Once we created it, I called Ed at American Speedy Printing. Once again, I met Ed years ago. And while he’s never given me a referral, I’ve used him for some of my printing and I trust him. I knew he’d take care of me and I wouldn’t have to think about it. I’ve met plenty of other printers over the years, but none who I trust as much as Ed.

I consistently have people check my LinkedIn connections and ask for introductions. When the request comes from someone I know well and trust, I’m happy to help. I don’t just make the LinkedIn connection, I email the person asking them to take my contact’s call, explaining why I think they should. Out of my 1,200+ connections on LinkedIn, I know which make sense and share that information with the person requesting the introduction.

Why am I sharing these stories with you? To show you the impact effective networking can have on your business and your life over time.

Building relationships without any expectation of what you are going to get is the best way to maximize your networking efforts. You should approach networking beyond the immediate need.

When you network you are going to meet a lot of people. You aren’t going to develop relationships with all of them. You’ll find that the people who resonate with you will be the ones you will naturally stay with. Go with it. Trying to create connections with people who you don’t feel a connection to is like continuing to date someone you have no interest in. Why do it?

The most successful networkers I know have three things in common:

1. They’re relaxed: They aren’t consumed with what they can get from the event or the people there. They are just themselves. They know the business will come, so they don’t worry about it.

2. They’re giving: Their attention is always on the other person, discovering who they are and what they need. Great networkers are always open to how they can help someone else.

3. They’re engaged: They don’t’ sit alone or wait for someone to approach them. They don’t gravitate to people they already know. They are out there, attending events, joining organizations and getting involved. Great networkers understand that there’s no magic formula. Great networkers know they get what they give.

So, where do you fall in regard to these points? Can you recall ways your networking efforts have paid off years later? How engaged are you? No matter where you fall, you can and should make sure you are attending events, joining groups, and engaging with others. Build those relationships for your future success, and you’ll enjoy the long-term impact of networking.

Image from Dmitriy Shironosov/Shutterstock

From Small Business Trends

The Long-Term Impact of Networking

That was then. We now live in an expertise economy. This is a time when what you know matters just as much as the quality of your product or service. The advent of the Internet turned it into a buyer’s market. Consumers have the opportunity to learn as much as they can, or want, before they reach out to a vendor.

At the same time, they are more likely to hear your message if you have been sharing information freely. In this new economy, the companies that position themselves as the experts in their field are the ones the consumers trust the most. And we know that trust has a lot to do with buying decisions.

The other interesting thing about this new economy is how it has leveled the playing field for small business. Back when having a good product and a large marketing budget were the key indicators of a successful company, small business had a hard time competing. It was challenging to position a small company as a significant player unless the leadership was willing to, and could, invest a great deal of money in their marketing efforts. Many small businesses found this an impossible task and were limited in their growth.

Boy, how times have changed! So, what can you do to harness the power of expertise in your marketing efforts?

1. Share freely.
These days, sharing information is one of the best marketing tactics you can use. Helping people understand something in your industry shows them that you know what you’re talking about. It also helps them get to know you, how you think and what you believe. Consumers have the opportunity to get to know you and decide whether they like you and trust you.

And you don’t have to only share your information. When you read something or watch a video that is germane to your industry, share it! Passing on valuable information is the key. Be a giver.

Write articles, blog, create videos. Whatever methods work for you, employ them. Your goal is to gain exposure and position your company as the expert in your field.

2. Don’t worry.
Whenever I suggest this to attendees at one of my workshops, someone always asks about the danger of giving away information. Well, I’m here to tell you that there really is no danger. You can’t possibly give away so much information that everyone will determine they don’t need you.

There will always be those people who won’t hire you–those people who really can learn enough from you to do it themselves. Here’s the interesting thing about that– they weren’t ever going to hire you anyway! They don’t need you. You want to be relevant and exposed to the people who do need you.

In addition, there is no risk in sharing other people’s information. It actually shows your audience that you are secure in your knowledge and ability, and in the quality of your product or service. Consumers love confidence. They abhor arrogance, however, so be careful!

If you insist on worrying, worry that your competition has more exposure than you do! That’s really the only risk you are taking when you don’t share information on a regular basis.

3. Build a community.
Find experts in other fields that are complementary to yours. Invite those experts to share their information with your audience. Build a foundation of experts so your audience sees you as a go-to company whenever they need information – even outside of your area of expertise.

Szarka Financial in North Olmsted, Ohio, is a great example of this practice. Not only have they developed programs that they offer around their industry, but they have gathered a stable of experts in various areas that touch theirs. They have established their firm as a go-to source for people who are looking for information in and around the area of personal and business finances. They understand that they aren’t going to do business with everyone.

However, sharing information with everyone helps consumers decide if Szarka is right for them and provides Szarka with a great referral pool. Actually, two referral pools: (1) the partner organizations they promote, and (2) the people who take advantage of the information Szarka and their partners share.

You can see how sharing information keeps you in the race, provides you with great exposure, and elevates your company in the minds of your audience. Show the world what you know and they’ll figure out why you are the best solution to their problem. You’ll create trust and added value – two things that are critical in today’s expertise economy.

From Small Business Trends

3 Steps to Succeeding in the Expertise Economy

You don’t get people to perform at their best when you spend your time beating them down. Fear is not a motivator. This behavior isn’t something that is learned in leadership training courses. It comes from one of a couple of places – insecurity, fear or mistrust. I submit that you can’t be successful if you operate from any of these platforms.

As a manager or business owner, ask yourself a couple of key questions:

1. What do you expect from your employees? Individually and collectively?
2. What resources do they need from you in order to meet or exceed those expectations?
3. What are the consequences – good and bad – of meeting, exceeding or missing the expectations?
4. How well have you communicated #1-3 to your employees?
5. How well have you maintained #3 – followed through with consequences?

When you move away from insecurity, fear or mistrust and just answer those questions, you take the emotion out of the business, and therefore out of your behavior. Clear and consistent communication is key to business success. I should add that unemotional communication is critical. When you want people to accomplish something, you have to give them the tools and resources they need. One of those is encouragement. Another is support. And the most important is believing in them.

If you are insecure or fearful, keep it to yourself. It’s not your employees’ problem, and taking it out on them is only going to make things worse. You’re setting yourself up for failure. And you run the real risk that the good employees will leave. They know they don’t have to be treated that way. You’ll be left with no one, or the less- than-stellar performers. Not much of a strategy for success, is it?

If you don’t trust your employees to do their jobs, why did you hire them? I mean it! Hiring right is the first step. When you know the answer to #1 above you can set out to find people who can meet those expectations. You can’t hire just anyone. You have to hire the right people.

The next step is reminding yourself of your goals and vision – and that communication is critically important to achieving them. A couple of Stephen Covey’s “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” apply to this very topic. The first is to “Be Proactive.” This is where you choose not to be angry. You choose how you are going to communicate, based on what outcome you wish to achieve. The next is “Begin With the End in Mind.” Keep your goals and vision top of mind. Before you say or do anything, ask yourself if what you are about to say or do will help you achieve your goal. If not, don’t do it!

Lastly, “Think Win-Win.” This speaks to understanding that when your employees are successful, you are successful. You want to be sure your people have the tools and resources they need to be successful. When you are communicating in a positive, empowering way, you are helping your employees succeed. If you can’t find a way to treat people with respect and encouragement, hire a manager to handle the staff. That’s being proactive and solving a problem. Don’t let your behavior destroy your company.

When we look at leadership this way we can see that anger has no place; it plays no role in leading your employees toward success – theirs or yours. You know those companies I mentioned at the beginning of this article? The good employees left to find a better experience someplace else. The companies were left scrambling to survive. All because the “leadership” was angry.

From Small Business Trends

Anger Is Not a Leadership Skill