If at first you don't succeed...

Well, you know what comes next...

This is one of the golden rules in business and one I often talk about when advising and coaching business-owners - here's why!

Generally they have gotten as far as the exciting [oh, and extremely nerve-wracking] part - that is, they've come up with the business idea, maybe even researched it a bit, and then, well, they've become pretty scared because (queue 'dun-dun-dunnn' music) it's now a case of plans and action.

Though my own work is focused on the communications aspect of business - with start-ups [and indeed with businesses in 'revamp' or reorganisation mode], a lot depends on the strategy and plan of the business. SO - things like - what do we do? Who's our customer? How do we get to them?

I expect a robust chuckle from many of you at this point, however, it's not so funny when you're the one having difficulty answering said questions! Here are some of the stalling issues I've come across to date...

1 - Fear: I'm afraid to tell people what I'm doing - in case it's met with 'you're doing what??';

2 - Lack of research / planning: I'm not actually sure if this IS a good business idea...

3 - Getting in ones' own way: Many of us business-people suffer from this 'contagion' - in essence, we're entirely responsible for our own level of success [remember the two 'p's?]

The good news is, you can overcome all of the above. On one condition: you have to want to. At the risk of becoming a walking sound-byte, where there's a will, there's a way - when a business idea has enough depth and rationale to it, within reason, it is doable.

That old chestnut... the 'Glass Ceiling'

I've been planning to pen something about this topic for quite some time now... and it just happens that in the last week, I've had several reminders!

To quote Forbes Magazine's Moira Forbes "If you rewind a year, two years, pick a number in the past decade, doesn’t it feel like we’ve already had the very same conversations, quoting the very same bleak statistics, sharing the very same frustrations?" - I couldn't agree more. What are we doing to change this fact? Not much. There is an unfortunate sense of acquiescence about the whole debate; those involved (and I include myself) seem to just continue on in the face of the obstacles we come up against and not actually do anything to ameliorate the situation.

I have had difficulty with 'getting out of my own way' on several occasions recently, and it seems that this is an involuntary state we women often find ourselves in. Why, I wonder, do we stymie our own progress? Is it genetic? Would someone please do a study and find out for us?

In addition to our own in-build obstacle-factory, we tend to create issues for one another 'in the sisterhood'. Again, some genetic research is required here!

In the last week I had the distinct pleasure of hearing the wonderful Mary Davis (M.D. Special Olympics Europe and Eurasia). During her talk, Mary made reference to the fact that us ladies have a tendency towards being unnecessarily nasty to our fellow womenfolk. Not the most sporting way to behave, it has to be said.

So, while we have the notorious 'glass ceiling' to contend with, we're also quite capable of impeding our own successes...

Perhaps the next tranche of investigation or commentary on the subject should really review the way we women act, and betimes, how we collaborate with and facilitate the constraints in our lives.

Just do it!

(Logo copyright - Nike.com)

You'd be forgiven for thinking that this blog-posting was about branding...

However, this post is centred on the importance of, yes, 'just doing it' in business. Prevarication and procrastination are staunch enemies of creativity and growth in small business - and sadly, they can be the very things small business owners vie with, and moreover, fail to overcome.

Nike's slogan clearly expresses their brand's philosophy (and business identity) which speaks to their prospective or current customer - however their strategy is far more complex and specific - wise for an organisation of its size and reputation!

Small businesses should be mindful of the need for strategy - but most importantly - they need to 'go for' the things they feel will benefit them and grow their business.

Thinking back to a wonderful talk I was involved in organising last year with Molly Harvey (www.corporatesoulwoman.com) - amongst the great tips and hints, Molly pointed to one clear instruction - to 'go with the gut'. I can't tell you just how relevant that point is, especially when the two 'p's' come along!

Always listen to your instincts, they're seldom wrong - and be conscious of when you're straying away from the truth of the matter... then, just do it!

Doesn't this just say it all?!

... I felt I should share this with you, blog-readers...

New Year - What's New?

Happy New Year, loyal blog readers!

Traditionally, a new year brings resolutions, plans, hopes and a whole host of other 'things' for us to shackle ourselves to and then beat ourselves around the place with by the end of the year, when it's likely we haven't achieved them.

My thinking on the subject: be realistic, but don't be lazy... be constructive, but not over-arching... help yourself to change the things you want to, without becoming an incredible pain to those around you.

Now, on a slightly related note, I must say how thrilled I was to see some recognition given to country's lacklustre management skills, which are not restricted to government, I must add! The IMI has recently reported that Ireland's SMEs must 'limber up' and develop their management expertise in order to improve competitiveness (care of IRISHTIMES.com 21/12/10 http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2010/1221/1224285992887.html).

A fine piece of research, I'm sure (I have downloaded said report for digestion later). However, what does it actually mean for small business? A change in mindset for starters - the 'it'll be grand' mentality will no longer suffice. In addition, a clearer sense of purpose, communication and professionalism must come to the fore for many Irish SMEs, who have long been lulled into the sense of profitability through (slightly grubby) flesh-pressing as opposed to ethics and clarity.

Perhaps I am being a little too optimistic, but there is a chance that this 'economic climate' may in fact generate a real chance for change in how Irish business operates.

Yours, in rant,

Olwen

Mindset Management... Make it your New Years' Resolution

Though it may sound a little ‘fluffy’ for some entrepreneurs, managing your mindset is hugely important in coping with the day-to-day challenges of self-employment. Unproductive or negative, catastrophic thinking doesn’t promote growth or development and instead stymies your progress.

Here are three key pointers to help keep your mindset in check:

1. Be conscious

Know what you’re thinking – don’t allow background ‘noise’ – if you’re having a ‘down’ day, it’s probably because your thoughts aren’t of the most positive variety. Feeling negative? Ask yourself why – tease out those thoughts and deal with them.

2. Write it down

Whatever’s bothering you – write it down. Is it that bad? Remember, there’s a solution or options in dealing with whatever it is. Don’t run away from it.

3. Test the reality

Is this issue really possible? Have you left it to fester for so long that it seems insurmountable? Give yourself a ‘worst-case-scenario’ and remind yourself that even that can be dealt with efficiently. How do you feel now?

Remember that you are responsible for how you feel – things happen around us however it’s how we deal with them that directly impacts our mood – in turn our mood impacts how well we cope. Be mindset savvy!

Marketing Online - Get the Know-How

Popular business commentary would have it that absolutely everyone should have some sort of presence online...

There is a definite truth in the philosophy, however no business should venture into the online 'realm' without a plan.

Think about it this way: would you put an advert in a paper without first looking at its content?

I am afraid that some of you may answer 'yes' to that question, in which case, you should a) wise up, b) contact me or c) do both.

For those sane people who would review copy and content - phew - there was a reason for that analogy. Going blinkered into any marketing forum is not a good idea; you must know your stuff. By this, I mean it is important to have a 'mini' strategy for your foray into online-land.

Websites, social media pages and Google campaigns should all be created with the following in mind:

1. Who do we want to reach? (Audience)
2. What do we want to tell them? (Messaging / Content)
3. What's the purpose of our message? (Call to action - objective)

For more information on the marketing planning services IBI offer - email us.

Your Consultant: Finding the Right Combination

SMEs frequently reach flash-points, or impasses where they require expertise not within their own remit. Don't panic! This is part of the entrepreneurial life-cycle.

What should you do? Simple: look at your area of shortfall.

Are you about to launch a new product-line? Feel your business needs a marketing / branding face-lift? Look at what you need, what specialisms you require and go on the look-out.

Needless to say, there is an abundance of consultants available to every business, however, you will know (it's instinct, believe me!) whether you can work with someone after the first meeting.

Every consultant has a different methodology or way of working - find the one that works for you.

Finally - there are three key attributes your consultant should exhibit:

• Attention to your ideas and implementation;
• Listens to you and answers your questions;
• Keeps you in check: ensures you stick to your actions and commitments.

Feedback please!

Hello blog fans!

Firstly, I must explain why I haven't written a blog in two weeks... well, it's because I've been... really busy! Yippee!

Tomorrow marks, more or less, end of week ten for Irish Business Intelligence and it has been an interesting trip thus far. We've had a decent drip-feed of consultancy business and I now look to the next arm of our portfolio, in the area of building associations, and providing training.

Thanks to some very kind suggestions from colleagues in the various enterprise-related organisations, I am gradually collecting names of people and businesses who may provide positive associations (however I am open to hearing from others also!). The rationale behind this is simply that by building associations with complimentary businesses, we can collectively work to secure and develop more business.

Now... I have three questions I would like to put to all of you in business, entrepreneurs or SME-owners:

1. What are your top five biggest challenges every day?
2. What, do you think, would help you overcome them?
3. How would you like to receive this help?

I'd really appreciate honest feedback on this folks, it's completely confidential and you can simply email it through to me (olwen@irishbusinessintelligence.com), tweet it (@IrishBizIntel) or comment below. By answering these questions, you're helping me to examine the current (broad) needs of businesses, and in so-doing, help provide some answers!

Until next time...

What's your story? PR-ing your SME

There is a common SME misconception that a) PR = Advertising, and sometimes b) PR = waste of time. OK; I'll concede one point, which is that PR when you don't know what you're doing is a waste of time.

Firstly, PR does not = advertising. Advertising is part of your marketing strategy which can include PR also, but they are not one and the same.

Some would say that positive PR coverage is better for sales than advertising; for what it's worth I would recommend (if you have the spend) having a strong and cohesive PR and Marketing plan which includes a varied mix of media.

However, very few small businesses have access to a large PR/Marketing budget, so creativity is key in getting their business in the media.

Why is it important to PR your SME? Put simply - if you don't, you can lose out hugely. Think of the companies you recognise most - those who stand out from the crowd - apart from their brand and marketing, what else do they do that keeps you interested in them?

They tell their story all the time.

A new product, successes, staff stories... pretty much anything that will attract attention. Plus, they are creative. Depending on their industry or business style, successfully PR'd businesses come up with witty, fun, attractive and engaging ways to tell their story.

Do you know what your story is?

What's all the fuss about Internal Comms?

Internal Communications is not one singular item. It's a combination of various different mechanisms which link together (nice tie-in to photo above!) - the ultimate aim being how you tell people what you are doing ... and in the case of staff, why and how you are doing it and how it affects them.

This may sound a little convoluted, but bear in mind that communication impacts our business directly everyday, and furthermore, if you don't get it right, there can be huge costs involved.

Communication tells our employees what we expect of them, and what our business stands for. It's a cultural landmark in business as it sets the tone and expectation for employees as well as other stakeholders.

To discuss all the elements of Internal Comms, we would need more than a blog, however bear this in mind: how your business communicates is defined entirely by your business's identity and, moreover, its strategy. How you communicate must reflect your strategy and vice-versa, if they jar, you will have problems.

Most of all, it's extremely important to remember that consistency is key.

If you offer coffee at your staff meetings, you'll always have to... and if you decide to stop, remember, you need to communicate why!

Believers are definitely Achievers!

Hello loyal blog-readers!

I'm afraid it has been just over a month since my last post and I do feel most remiss in not writing for so long.

On Friday I attended the Network Ireland conference in Galway; it was truly inspiring. Not only because of its calibre and content (including fantastic speakers such as Veronica Canning, Deirdre Bounds and Jack Black... plus the inimitable Senator David Norris), but the innovative, brave, fascinating people I met.

As so many of the speakers on the day commented, it is a hard time to remain motivated and positive, with non-stop negative news saturation, and the heightening feeling of frustration towards our current government. There are few antidotes as effective as the indefatigable force of human spirit in times like these, and I, for one, am thoroughly delighted to have had access to a plethora of it in the last few days and weeks.

Until next time...

Have you got a Big Audacious Aim?

This weeks' topic was inspired by the very-insightful and thought-provoking speaker, Veronica Canning, who last week introduced me to the concept of a 'Big Audacious Aim'.

Firstly, I must advise any of you who have the opportunity to go to one of Veronica's events, make sure you do! As a start-up, it was music to my ears to receive practical, helpful advice to help me thrive and not just survive.

The constant barrage of bad news, economic despair and political unease doesn't make it easy for anyone, however, as a new entrepreneur, one could feel like throwing ones' hands up and saying 'what's the point?'.

The point is: why you're doing 'this' (whatever your business is) in the first place. What was your aim? Without one, you have a hard (well, impossible) job trying to remain motivated, which creates all sorts of other problems...

Build on your aim so that you have a broader long-term vision and always remember this simple equation:

Aim + Motivation + Long Term Goals = Vision = The road to success...

Until next week :)

The Basics of Social Networking

(image copyright: purepursuitintelnetwork.com)

Undoubtedly a subject of the moment, social networking is not exclusively for personal use and is proving itself to be an excellent form of communication for business.

It is a key way to generate brand awareness, create a following and interact with customers / clients.

However... there are pitfalls. Many of which relate to:

• Understanding of what social networking can accomplish;
• Fundamental set-up and usage of pages.

Though it is not impossible to get it right, (pretty much) first time, by following a few simple rules, many businesses give up their usage or become despondent simply because they don't know what they're doing!

1. Audience: Following last weeks' post, remember that you need to be mindful of who your audience is - e.g. demographic, interests etc;
2. Set-up: This applies mainly to Facebook pages, it is key that your page is set up correctly as appearing as a 'person' instead of a business is firstly, unprofessional, and secondly, likely to be closed off by the moderators of the site in the long-term. This means that all your hard work and followers will be lost!
3. Posting: Relevance and type of posting is key - try to put yourself in the mind of the customer you want to reach. Would they want to know the latest product or service you now offer? Yes. Do they want to know what you had for dinner on Saturday night? Probably not... unless you're a chef! Don't be a post-pest; constant and irrelevant posting can turn people off your page and business.

This is just a bite-sized taster of social media for business... remember how helpful it can be and more importantly, doing it right can really help your business.

Fish where the fishes are...

Cartoon - Copyright: irishcaricatures.com

You might wonder what I mean by this? Take a wild guess... ah come on folks!

OK, it's your... target audience and marketing!

It may be a maxim you're not entirely familiar with, but 'fish where the fishes are' indicates exactly what targeted marketing is about.

Do you know who your customer is? What age profile are they? Do they read / watch / listen to anything specific? If you don't know, find out.

In more recent times, absolutely everyone has started to use social media for business; while it is undoubtedly very helpful, if you don't use it properly... it can be a big waste of time.

Guess what next weeks' topic is? Nice link, I know!

Strategy: You got one?

Well... have you?

In business 'strategy' essentially delineates what you're about. It's the key piece of the jigsaw that helps you put the rest of your business together.

It doesn't have to be hugely complicated or extensively detailed, just quietly ambitious while remaining achievable.

For many businesses, a strategy doesn't exist, however there are implied values and aims which have become engrained in their everyday activity. Other organisations may have a 'mission statement' or a philosophy which governs the way they run their business.

Whatever the case, the most important thing to be remember is: if you don't know what you're doing, how do you expect anyone else to?! In business, that can mean customers, clients, media, staff... to mention a few.

If you would like more information on business strategy / planning, please contact irishbusinessintelligence.com.

Developing your small business... innovate!

Einstein claimed insanity to be 'doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results'. While you could say that this is a slightly brusque definition, it does hold true when we think of such behaviour in the context of the working world.

I feel it's particularly accurate when I think of some businesses I have worked with; they wanted to develop and grow their business, but felt that this was most effectively done by continuing on in the same vein as they always had. I hasten to add at this point, that their 'ways' were not all-too successful, and certainly didn't garner the kind of sky-scraping results they had in mind for their businesses in the short and long term!

My key point here is: INNOVATE! Don't expect that you are suddenly going to create an amazing response by using the same methodology to market or publicise your business... maybe you need to re-brand or examine the business model as it stands? Be honest with yourself...
there's no point in hiding from issues when you know they exist. Most importantly, ask for help or ideas from others if you need them. Know your strengths and your limitations: if you don't know - find someone who does! It'll be worth it in the long-run; you'll save time and money trying to excavate ideas that just are not there and be able to actively pursue the things you need to.

Sorry...

... for neglecting my blog!

Since I last posted, my website and business have, effectively, gone 'live' (whatever that means in terms of people actually knowing about it!).

It's an exciting time and I am fortunate to have had some enquiries, though nothing via my website as yet... all referral-based. I've spent time with some great mentors and advisors, and feel ready-to-go.

I'll keep you all up-to-date as I go, wish me luck!

P.S.: My website is www.irishbusinessintelligence.com... check it out!

What's in a name? (or a logo / insignia, for that matter)

(image copyright - logodesignworks.com)

This week I am blogging about branding and its importance in marketing...

I was astonished to note, through a survey conducted with a group of SMEs, that branding took a tumble in the percentages, where marketing remained in the 90%+ mark. A strong brand and identity is key to marketing... it is your business's calling card, its customers' memory-jogger, and part of the attraction-mechanism for prospective customers.

Think of a brand you recognise best by its logo or emblem; for me, some great examples are in the photo above. Each one of these businesses (or corporations!) are so synonomous with their branding that they often do not even need to use their name in advertising or other campaigns.
Obviously, their ability to do this is hugely contributed to by their length of time in business, but still, they did all start, like many of us do, with just an idea.

A truly successful brand is one which knows its customer and and its service or product, and ensures at every opportunity that this is carried through every point of contact with the public. A brand is assimilated and remembered by current customers, prospective customers and competitors. It's not just your logo or image - it's the sum of assumptions, perceptions, experiences and stories. Some of your brand is within your control, some isn't...

Remember one thing: a strong brand is invaluable as it is what places you in the mind of your customer, try to get it as close to perfect at the beginning and spend time on researching and developing it... a strong brand is also one which doesn't appear to change constantly!

What's it all about? Marketing, that is...

(copyright: intersectionconsulting.com)

I thought this little diagram, care of intersectionconsulting.com hit the nail on the head!

'It's the stuff you do to convince people to buy your stuff' (Financial Post -http://tinyurl.com/smallbizmkting). Yip, that sounds about right, I hear you say... however, there is just a little more to it than that (ahem).

As the cycle above shows, there is a generous dollop of fear and 'whoops' involved, especially where a lack of insight has come into play.

I know only too well how excited your average business-person feels when their 'baby' (also known as business idea) is unleashed on the public... the perception being 'I think it's brilliant, so everyone else will'. Unfortunately this is where 'whoops' becomes that well-known downer of 'despondency'.

I may be sharing in this blog, but I ain't going to tell you everything! Let's just say, the old adage: 'Fail to prepare, prepare to fail' has a lot to do with it.