Fit For Business - 100 Day Challenge

Fit For Business - 100 Day Challenge

Social Media

Social Media -

Everyone is excited about having social media as a way of promoting their business.  Focusing on it as your only source for marketing will limit your options for your business.

In real life when you see a neighbour once in awhile in the winter and you wave at each other -- these moments in time help you stay connected during the cold winter when no one sees their neighbours as often as the summer.  In the summertime, we have BBQs and invite them over; stop and chat in the driveway and even invite each other over for a coffee.  Friendships are built on the longer conversations and chats but the winter waves and quick hellos, help bridge the time in between.

Social media is like the winter bridge - it helps you stay connected with people in between your real life meetings or phone calls.

It is possible to start business relationships on social media websites as well.  In this case, you are best to take the relationship even slower than in real life.  When you interact in a meeting, you can watch for reactions that will help you communicate with the person.  On the phone, we sometimes ask for clarification if we are unsure how the person is reacting.  On social media, most communication is done in slow motion -- one post out and then a reaction could be an hour later or a day later.

I wish there was statistics to guide everyone -- traditional marketing takes approximately 7 marketing touches to get someone to seriously think about buying from you.  Social media interactions need ____ touches to get someone to call you and get serious about buying your product.

So back to the basics - social media should be one part of your marketing plan.  Not your whole plan.  Do not stay hidden by your computer and try to run your business - get out and use other marketing strategies to build up your list and work on the relationships and of course close the deals.



Cheryl Rankin
Fit For Business
647-287-0320

Marketing at Events

Marketing at Events

Events have a variety of ways for you to market your business
- have a booth / table
- be a sponsor
- be an attendee
- be a speaker
- provide a door-prize
- provide gifts or coupons for the bags
- be the organizer
- be a guest of someone who has an extra ticket
- have your business cards or flyers or product on someone else's table

To choose which things to do at an event
1) what is your budget?
2) who is the target market for the event?
3) how many people do they expect to attend?
4) are you ready to market? (have handouts or a draw or signage)
5) will you have exclusivity for a booth?

Sometimes the best events that you can attend have nothing to do with your business and you go as an attendee and talk to a vendor and they buy from you or connect you to someone that will.

Attendees can not market directly to other attendees or vendors at large tradeshows.  The organizers will not be happy and ask you to leave or fine you for trespassing.  You can have conversations and enter draws and mingle.

Get out and attend events - it will give you energy and give your business some exposure.

Cheryl Rankin
Fit For Business
647-287-0320

Networking to market your business

Networking to market your business -

If you do not want to make cold calls and you do not have a full bank account for advertising then consider networking to market your business.

meetings - regular business networking meetings will give you business friends, some business referrals in the long run and depending on the group some education to help you grow your business to the next level.  If people buy from someone they know, they like and they trust then this type of networking can help you market your business.

tradeshows - small business tradeshows are a networking opportunity that also has some marketing opportunities to purchase a booth / table.  Having a booth / table means that people come to you to network which can sometimes make it easier to network.  It gives you a chance to show off / display what you do.  Networking at event like this also gives you a safe way to network - you can visit all of the tables.  They want to talk to everyone.  Talk to them to find out what they sell and only after they ask what you do should you tell them.  They paid for the chance to have a table and you are a participant.

networking events - these events can have from 15 to 50 people.  Everyone attends these events in the hopes of selling their product or service.  First strategy is to listen to the other person and then you will get the chance to promote yourself.  In many cases, you can start a business relationship with someone at an event like this.  You may go home with many business cards but only a few strong leads or opportunities to have coffee and continue to build business relationships.  The good news is you now have business cards that you can follow up on - phone them!  Ask them if you can send them your newsletter.

large networking events - these events have over 100 people.  I suggest having a few different goals -- 1) I want to go home with 30 business cards 2) I want to meet 3 people that we schedule a coffee meeting and 3) I want to help at least 3 people so they remember me later.  Trying to get all of the business cards means that you will not get time to shake any hands.  Trying to have long conversations with people means you only meet one person.  Try and balance your time.

To help find business networking meetings and events -
www.businessconnectionexchange.ca
www.biznetworknews.com
www.thenetworker.ca

To book a business consultation to discuss your networking needs call Cheryl at 647-287-0320.

Cheryl Rankin
Fit For Business
647-287-0320
info@fitforbusiness.ca
Social media - twitter / linked in / facebook

Social Media and Your Business

My goal for social media and my business is:


1 - increase my number of business contacts (mostly in the GTA)


2 - build up my credibility and demonstrate my expertise


3 - create some community




Obviously it is a goal of the majority of businesses to increase the number of contacts so in turn they have more prospects and in the long run more clients.  Just having more friends or followers does not necessarily make it useful.  One twitter contact that I have posts a quote everyday.  The followers of this twitter account (myself included) enjoy and appreciate the quotes.  At no point in the past two years have I noticed the business owners explaining what she does.  It does not matter how many contacts if no one knows what she does.  I also think it is extremely ridiculous to have thousands of contacts in other countries unless there is a chance that you could buy from them; they could buy from you or you could learn from them.  If none of these things are possible then that contact is only a number and is not helping your business.


Building up credibility and demonstrating your expertise is important for almost all businesses.  Even businesses that sell products can demonstrate expertise.  9 out of 10 posts should be helpful - tips, events that your target market may be interested in, product introduction / highlights, and of course staff introduction.  Including articles that you have written in your social media will highlight your knowledge and including articles you find on the internet, in newspapers or magazines highlights the fact that you keep up on the industry.  Documenting your speaking opportunities definitely demonstrates that other people believe and understand that you are an expert.


Community is a big deal when you live in a small town.  The new comer takes awhile before they are accepted.  In the social media world, community can help get your message out to more people.  It is extremely tough to make enough deals to have specific contacts like, share and comment on every post and you in turn comment on theirs -- so you need to post things that people will like, share and comment on without you prompting them every-time.  The posts that seem to get the most attention are the ones that start a discussion.  Post your opinion in a statement and then watch other people react.


If your sole focus on social media is to get sales then it will be a very difficult adventure.  It takes many other factors to build your list, build your credibility and build your community before the sales part becomes easier and more consistent.


If you need help with your social media then call Cheryl Rankin, Fit For Business at 647-287-0320 or email info@fitforbusiness.ca


facebook / linked In / twitter - let's connect!

Business Proposals

Some small business owners request proposals and some larger corporations or cities request formal proposals.  Be sure to match your proposal to your prospects needs and wants.

1 - are they just looking for something in writing to help clarify the deal?  send an email with the details that you discussed

2 - are they looking to compare your proposal to other ones?  confirm what details they need in order to compare on an even level.  In your discussion be sure to highlight why you are special and a better fit for their needs.

3 - formal proposals - usually they require some testimonials - get them now and have them ready for your next proposal

4 - formal proposals - match your experience and your expertise to their requirements that are outlined.  Follow their format as much as you can so they find the information easily.

5 - get to the point - do not get too wordy.  If they are reviewing 6 proposals, they do not want to spend an hour reading each one.

6 - get it in on time

7 - call to confirm they received it

8 - follow up to find out who won the work and ask for feedback on your proposal -- usually they will tell you

9 -search out proposals / projects that fit your qualifications and apply

Fit For Business can help you prepare your next proposal.

Cheryl Rankin
Fit For Business
647-287-0320
info@fitforbusiness.ca
www.fitforbusiness.ca

Managing a Sales Team

Managing a Sales Team

It is great when you have more than one person selling for your business.  You can grow exponentially.  Once you have a team you need to manage them.

- set goals together - when the goals are set without their input then some salespeople will get frustrated and say that you set the goals too high
- give them what they need - do they need marketing materials in order to present your business professionally?
- train them - make sure they know the product / service - inside out and backwards (if it is a product that they can test  - personal training - then have them test it)
- review the marketing plan with them so they know what messages are being delivered to the prospects
- review the production / delivery of your product / service so that the sales team can make realistic promises ( it is bad when they promise delivery in 2 weeks and you always need 4 weeks)
- monitor / manage them - everyone should give daily / weekly / monthly reports to someone
- reports - some reports could be visible on the wall if everyone works from the same office
- rewards - talk to them to determine what rewards they want and what rewards will make them work to their best potential
- appreciate them - be sure to stop and talk to them and thank them (every day if possible)

To set up systems to manage your sales team, call Cheryl Rankin at Fit For Business 647-287-0320, info@fitforbusiness.ca.

Sales Training DVD - purchase this excellent tool as part of your training program for your sales team. "Shape Up Your Sales"

Fit For Business newsletter - send us an email and get our business tips sent directly to you.

Cheryl Rankin
Fit For Business
647-287-0320
info@fitforbusiness.ca
www.fitforbusiness.ca