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CLOSED January 18, 2012
STANDING IN SOLIDARITY.
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Archive for the ‘Communications Clarity’ Category
4 Tips for Successful Collaboration and JV Efforts
24
May
Formula for Collaborative Success
In today’s marketplace of ideas and best business practices, “Relationship-based Marketing” is a popular concept. It is not only the ‘relationship’ that helps carry the message to the market, sell the product to the customer, or present a revolutionary idea to the skeptical ear, but also forges strong alliances and deal-making bonds in business.
Those who have the gift of making, building and sustaining relationships are recognized top-producers in their field. Those who are successful make their living based on this principle, also enjoy many other related benefits.
Recently, I interviewed Impact Maker Ken McArthur about Joint Venures and working collaboratively. We discussed the many principles of this art and science, in drawing together essential elements to create products, based upon working in tandem and partnership, with others.
Great things can be developed when like-minded folks converge — projects, campaigns, Big Ideas that rock an industry, a nation, or grow exponentially to global proportions.
Impactful collaboration sometimes is tightly-focused on a topic within an industry, providing inspiring insight simply by sharing thoughts and experiences. An excellent example of thought-gathering and sharing was recently featured on Stephanie Callahan’s “Calahan Solutions” blog. In an article spotlighting ways to re-purpose work, as 50 members of Steph’s business expert community shared multiple tips and ideas to maximize work efforts and projects. (It was an honor to be included.) The resulting list is so comprehensive, it could easily pack a year’s project development schedule!
Properly established, working with others jointly on a project or to create a product can be a powerfully-productive alliance. Remember the “success” of a joint venture first rests squarely on the principle of ‘relationship,’ from which all other efforts will spring forth — or not.
Here are 4 tips to help you build a team or to establish a joint venture partnership:
- When establishing a project partnership, or requesting a contact’s involvement in an endeavor of yours, consider their involvement. How will they add to your effort? Will they have a vested interest? When do you need to have their commitment or submission for your project? What do you require? Think through the entire project, clearly defining all aspects and parameters.
- Discuss your project, idea or campaign with your potential JV partner. Describe what you have in mind, and explain how you would like them to participate including a timetable, if they would like to be involved. If relevant to your proposed venture, ask if they have any ideas or suggestions to add.
- Determine if what you are asking of potential project partners is possible for them. Do they see your idea as a ‘fit’ for their business, or is it just a favor you’re asking? Find out what they require, to accomplish their task for your project. Understand most folks are not waiting for your call or email request. Many folks plan their business projects and participation well in advance, and might not be available or even reviewing new possibilities for months. You may have to present a proposal with all details and related marketing information (statistics, demographics, projected reach).
- To secure your joint ventureship and be sure all project details and involvement is clear. Confirm in writing, depending upon the relationship and scope of the project, by email, Letter of Agreement or contract.
I hope you find the above suggestions helpful in establishing joint ventures and project partnerships.
Based upon the requests I frequently receive, I think this short but concentrated list is worthy of consideration.
Biz Buzz Broadcast Producer Becky Cortino Launches Exceptional Entrepreneurs Video Series
04
Apr
Exceptional Entrepreneurs are spotlighted in new Biz Buzz Broadcast Series with Becky Cortino
Using LinkedIn to Attract Great Clients
21
Feb
Using LinkedIn to Attract Great Clients
So Many Social Networks — SO Little Time and Business!
If you’ve been actively using social media for any period of time, you’ve probably heard about LinkedIn. Maybe you’ve established a profile there, hoping to make more contacts, and to attract business.
Whether or not you’re getting the most out of LinkedIn may be open for honest discussion, and serious review. Actually, the same holds true for virtually any social network. You may have an account and a profile on several of the popular social media platforms, but are you getting the most out of your many hours of effort spent scattered in social networking activities?
Each social network has specific strategies you must implement effectively, to optimize your presence and for actions taken. With LinkedIn, your profile plays a critical role in being easily located. Ideally, when someone searches with keywords that are specific to what you do, you want your profile to be found at least nearest the top of the search list.
Unfortunately, this is not the case for most people listed on LinkedIn. Only a fraction of active members are found based on keyword searches. Why? Because most are incredibly ambiguous in how they describe themselves, imprecise about who their market is, don’t clearly present their background and expertise.
Personal Branding and Positioning, Based Upon Your Expertise
Although some profiles appear to be intentionally completed with very detailed, precise information geared for a specific area of expertise, countless others are not. One common element in a majority of profiles, is ambiguously identifying what the coach or consultant does, and who their target market is.
In the coaching industry, there are many types of ‘coaches’: life coaches, business coaches, executive coaches, marketing consultants, and more. Although some folks apparently believe this moniker is enough of an identifier to attract the right type of client, such is not the case if the specialty is not clearly defined nor supported by a precise presentation of expertise.
Questions left unanswered include: “What kind of coach are you, and for whom?” “Who are you a marketing consultant for? What industry and type of client do you serve?” A life coach for recently-divorced professional women differs greatly from a life coach for professional athletes. Obviously, a marketing consultant for the equestrian industry is very different than one for the entertainment industry.
If you ask most coaches and consultants what their major challenge in business is, they will often answer, “Attracting enough of the right kind of clients.” ‘The right kind of clients’ are those you and your expertise are a great match to serve and benefit them — they are your target market.
One solution to this challenge, is to be clear about who you are, the scope and benefits of the types of service(s) you provide, and who your ideal client actually is. To attract more than enough business, you have to be much more specific about who you are, and in what aspects you “an expert.”
Key to Attracting Great Clients: Your Mission, if You Choose to Accept it + Your Competitive Advantage
Today, there is a seemingly endless selection of coaches and consultants for any client to choose from. With so many coaches who are equally ambiguous about their business, a competitive advantage is easily created for you if you grasp it as such, and are willing to become more specific about your services. The more crystal-clear your vision and strategy are, the better your market positioning and business will be.
Some folks believe that by being too specific they are eliminating business. To an extent this is true, because in the process of fine-tuning, you are filtering out the potential clients that don’t match your services. By delineating the parameters within which you work, and the services you provide, the business becomes a better fit for you to attract the clients you want, by offering services that are your specialty, specifically geared for your identified market.
When you are viewed or acknowledged as an “expert” for a specific market or aspect, your efforts become more effective, resulting in a far greater return in “the right kind of clients” and more business. When you arrive at this point, it seems like you have an easier time attracting an abundance of clients for your practice or business, while that new business coming in to you is comprised of more of the type of clients you want to work with.
How to Get to “There” from Here: 2 Quick-Check Action Steps Checklists
If your business is not where you want it to be, start with the basics or give your business a check-up…
1) Ask yourself some serious personal branding and positioning questions:
- Personal Branding: Who am I? What is my expertise?
- Unique Positioning Statement: What is unique about what I do?
- Target Market Identification: Who do I enjoy or want to work with?
- Skill Set Identification: Who am I qualified to work with?
>>>>Action Step: Write the above items out. Use them as a framework to work from, as you move forward in building or amping-up your business. Consider if you have been presenting your services as you identify here.
2) Review and consider your LinkedInProfile, with your ideal client in mind (who hasn’t met you, but is looking for your services):
- Your profile Information: Is your profile clear and specific about your expertise, services and market you serve?
- Your Professional Differentiation and Placement in the Market: From the presentation of your expertise, will you stand out from the thousands of others who are vying for the same clients?
- Your Accessibility and Placement in the Search Listings: Will potential clients easily locate you?
>>>>Action Step: If you answered “no” to any of the above questions, it’s highly advisable to rework your LinkedIn profile — soon. Test out to see what’s working for other experts by doing a profile search using keywords your potential clients would use, to find someone with your expertise. Note which experts rise to the top of a search. Review their profile, analyzing how they have positioned their expertise, and described the type of clients they work with. This is an eyeopener to be sure — but also an excellent guide to help you better establish yourself in your desired niche.
It’s All Up to You — It’s Your Business!
BUT — the Bottomline is still the Bottomline…
Reworking your profile is important and is not something that can be quickly hammered out, nor should it be put on your “someday I’ll do it” list. Why put it off — don’t you want to begin attracting more business immediately?!
To learn more about how to attract more of the right kind of business join in for the FREE New Horizons Telesummit, February 23th & 24th with an incredible gathering of 12 experts presenting on a variety of topics to help you develop your business: Marcia Bench, Jeff Herring, Bill Baren, Denise Wakeman, Viki Winterton will be joined by other leading experts where you will learn exactly what to do to create a successful coaching or consulting business.
Hope to see you there — I will be!