October 29, 2009

Help Getting the Success You Deserve... Is Your Business
Newsworthy?... Making the Right Pitch... How a Music Writer
Helps Your Info Marketing Business... and More.

It's a pretty fair assumption to say that not every entrepreneur is an expert in every aspect of their business. If you're a small- business owner, you will learn your strengths and weaknesses pretty quickly -- and you will also learn the value of hiring good help.

The problem is that hiring someone on a full-time basis can be costly. In fact, many small-business owners end up going it alone, which means that they have to deal with the areas they're not as strong in. "Outsourcing" has become a very popular term these days, as small businesses grow and the need for expertise and cost-cutting grows along with them.

Outsourcing the help you need to an independent consultant can save you a lot of money and gain you the expertise that you desire. This can be anything from Web design and e-commerce help to marketing help and administrative assistance.

With this option, you'll get someone who has both experience and specific skill sets. Plus, you can hire them on a contractual basis, so if they don't work out, it's easy to let them go. You might only need certain tasks performed once in a while, so why hire someone full-time or even part-time when you can hire them just once or twice?

By hiring a consultant, you don't have to worry about paying him or her a salary or benefits, or having to deal with the hassles of setting up your business to take on an employee. You get the task you need help with performed by an expert and you pay only for what you need to have completed at the time.

Say, for instance, that you land a huge client. You might need an extra person to take on an administrative position. You can hire a "virtual" assistant (a consultant who does the work online as opposed to from your business location) for a short period of time to help you get organized and put together your project.

You might be starting out and might not know a lot about Web design, for example. You can outsource help in order to get your web site up and running, as well as get it set up with e- commerce capabilities and everything else you need to take orders and payments online. You might need this person once in order to help you get started, or you may need them a number of times, but not frequently enough to constitute hiring them on full- or part-time.

There are a lot of independent consultants out there looking for work. They come cheaper than hiring a large company's temp or taking on a full- or part-time employee -- and they will still be able to do the work that you need them to do.

Keeping costs low is extremely important when it comes to running a small business -- and just as important is being able to keep up with the bigger companies in terms of quality and expertise. Outsourcing work could be the option that you need to take advantage of in order to get your business running more smoothly. It could help your business flourish without your having to spend a ton of money.

Every morning, I check out the news, looking for interesting tidbits at home and around the world.

One day, I'll read about the latest scientific discovery and then, the next day, I'll get caught up with elections and debates from around the world.

I also find it a pleasure reading the smaller news items about local events and, more often than not, about local businesses.

Now, getting your business in the news may sound like you need to be doing some life-changing stuff. However, that's not quite necessary; in fact, getting your business in the news may be easier than you think.

For instance, a friend of mine runs a small yoga studio. She has a good number of students, but wanted to expand her customer base. So, she decided to offer yoga classes for children.

However, telling her neighborhood about these new classes started off as a bit of a challenge. Her advertising budget was too small to take out any ads. But she didn't want to give up.

Well, she knew that many of her students also read the same newspaper. So, she called up a reporter and will soon have a short article about her new children's yoga classes.

This simple trick to increase her exposure to potential students is not only effective, but it's also basically free.

Promoting your business doesn't need to be complicated or scary. Simply get the word out any way you can; if you're loud enough, the right people may just hear your message.

There are many different techniques an entrepreneur will use to pitch their business to investors. The key to picking the right one is to know who you're pitching to.

There's no beating around the bush: the top concern for an investor is their ability to build a sizeable return. After all, no one wants to hand over their money for free. However, it's currently becoming more and more important to have a philosophy and a social agenda that is in line with those of potential investors.

The other week, for instance, I was watching a television program where an entrepreneur was pitching his idea to a selection of successful investors. His business plan was flawless, his product would be a sure-seller, and it was likely that his company would flourish with the right amount of investment capital. The problem was, however, that some of the investors didn't agree with the philosophy behind the company. They felt it was out to take advantage of people and wasn't something they were necessarily comfortable investing in based on social and philosophical lines. There was one investor, however, who was willing to invest. Either way, one out of five isn't great.

These days, for the most part, investors are taking a more holistic approach to their decision-making. Instead of just thinking about the bottom line, they are concerning themselves more with popular social issues, like the environment, energy efficiency and other philosophical factors.

In order to give yourself an increased chance of securing funding, take a look at some of the more popular social issues of the day and see how your business can apply them. By providing an innovative way to conduct business that is beneficial in ways that are more than just financial, you may be able to play on the emotional side of investors to get them interested.

Also, do some due diligence on the investors you'll be presenting to. The more you know about what kinds of things they invest in, where their affiliations lie and what their social philosophies are, the better you can tailor your presentation to them.

** How a Music Writer Helps Your Info Marketing Business
By James Burt, Online Marketing Expert

I guess it goes without saying that, as an info marketer, you're going to take a few "knocks." "Knocks"... "Hits"...  You know, you'll encounter a few problems. The ones you have to take on as an entrepreneur and the ones that are, well, pretty hurtful. Probably you've had some problems of some kind or another in your business already.

Years ago, while working at a small-town shop and deli, I used to read "Guitar World" when the night was going slow. I really didn't become much of guitar player in the end, but this magazine was great for entertainment purposes. One issue left quite a mark in my mind. It was a funny list of what can happen to a musician who wants to go pro. I can't remember the name of the writer, but he mentioned some funny things like "play for yourself and not the song; avoid too many solos," "don't bunk with the girl lead singer," and "take whatever gigs you can -- don't be an arrogant loser." All pretty funny and truthful, but he laid out one small rule that destroyed any myths one might have about the profession:

"You will get ripped off."

It wasn't nice to say and not all that encouraging either, but it was pretty accurate. Considering that the musician reader was entering the complex realm of music performance, recording, and business negotiation, the chances of getting ripped off are around every corner. It was that simple. But the writer had an intention: once you digested this fact, you could do just about anything as a musician. Like a lot of other related material I have read over the years, I felt this was something that could apply to an info marketer as well.

But there was one thing the writer didn't mention in his article: it was and still is possible to prevent yourself from getting worked over. In info marketing, you can actually do some work in the event you feel you might be getting into a sticky situation.

You go looking for work. You apply, scout around, whatever. People see you. Someone takes interest. They make an offer. But this is the point of hesitation: you are unsure about who is offering you work. Once you get a contract offer to create written information content, that's the time you start doing some investigation. It's a precaution called "client research."

I recommend checking the Internet first. It's quick and easy. Type in your potential contractor's name into a search engine and do a thorough online search. If their company or name is established, they will have a web site, references of work, and/or some kind of legitimate professional portfolio. Also check blogs and online bulletin boards. Sometimes people will post messages on both bad AND good news about certain hiring parties, which can help you decide on what contracts to take.

I also recommend consulting your other info marketing colleagues. They often have the heads up on which people are worthwhile and which are not. This is true of any profession. An actor friend of mine was about to take a gig in theater when, while having a beer with another actor, he mentioned the producer. His buddy was alarmed and told him to steer clear of this guy, as he had not paid other actors in the past. Although my actor friend wanted the gig, he backed out. And it was a good move -- his replacement and all the stage hands were left in the dust, as the play never even made it to opening night.

And it's a good idea, like in a job interview, to ask for literal references. This is your right, so, in the most polite and professional manner, ask for their credentials early on in if you think they might not be legit. A good employer can back themselves up and will have no problem in showing their work history. Ones who get mad at you for asking or are elusive about such a question might not be all they're cracked up to be.

From there, check whatever sources are out there and then weigh in on the offer. If it sounds good, take it. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Looking back, I probably should have offered this newsletter a while back. I am not one to scare the pants off people by trying to convey a fear of your fellow man. Most people are good and are not out to cheat you time and again. But I am someone who thinks people should be prepared and do their homework. An information marketer's time is valuable and it is possible to maximize your personal value while not getting duped in the process.