The Time Is Now: Flex Your Ambition Muscle in 2013

Photo Care of onehungrymama.com

The post-Christmas-gorge is over so it’s time to feel the full pang of “overindulgence” guilt, right?

WRONG.

January is traditionally the time of year where we gradually re-introduce ourselves to New Year normality... inch-by-inch [of extra poundage] cold morning by cold, dark morning. Recovering from the financial output of the festive season means many of us spend the vast proportion of our time mourning our ailing credit card or bank balance. Clearly, the times we find ourselves living in now serve only to exacerbate this reality and for many, the impacts are far more serious than my comedic slant.

However, it’s important to remember that the New Year is just that: a new year. And in newness is opportunity and clarity, if we seek it out. The problem is – frequently, we don’t. Suffering from withdrawal post the vast turkey, ham and wine overload often leaves us in a New Year ‘holding pattern’. Bills to be paid, less social weekends to be had, more life expectations to be unfairly managed.

I've written quite a lot about opportunity in blogs of late, and the fact that very often, opportunities are only seen when our eyes are open to them. A new year should be seen as the time to adopt a fresh start – so why do so few of us take the leap of faith and really think about what it is we want out of our lives?

Put simply: fear. I can’t. I won’t be able to. I’d be no good at that. It’s a silly idea. It’ll never work. Everyone will think I’m nuts. Any other excuses in your head as you read this? Thought so.

I’m not going to quote that overused book title at you – but I am going to suggest this instead: why shouldn’t you at least consider giving it a try? What’s stopping you simply articulating the idea onto a page? Drawing out a mind-map? Clarifying the sorts of things you’d like to achieve? Or being a little bold and defining a more ‘ideal’ vision for your career [a vision board can help]. Don’t scoff at any of these notions – they’re the foundations for many-a successful business.

Working with people starting businesses from scratch, as well as those building their SMEs towards growth – there are common factors that influence success – the interesting thing is, they’re not extraordinarily different to the traits we all possess, if we look for them. In the main, these individuals all have a vision of their ideal which, in turn, fuels ambition. They've still got a pinch of fear which keeps them focused [which helps them to plan and evaluate] but not so much that it inhibits them – and most importantly, they’re not afraid to ask for help.

My hypothesis is that it is not impossible to harness your own potential, given the right supports and mindset – however, it is down to you, the individual to make this happen. Why not take the leap of faith this year, and flex your ambition muscle?

Happy New Year , #SMECommunity

Happy New Year one and all! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and are gearing up for 2013, new opportunities and goals [not to mention, the all-important strategy end-of-things!].

Next week, I'll be sharing my article for Irish Tatler [which some of you may have seen on my Facebook page], followed by a post on the importance of strategy in identifying your goals for the coming year, not to mention, implementing them.  

In the meantime, why not tuck into this little morsel of positivity and focus from last year: Three-Step Business New Year Resolution.

... and remember the hashtag! #yeSMEcan

Christmas Wishes!

Wishing all my SME colleagues a very Merry Christmas! 

I'll be offline from Friday 14th until the 7th of January 2013, but you can drop me an email or leave me a contact request via my website should you wish to get in touch.  Keep an eye out for the January edition of Irish Tatler where you'll find a little post from me on the benefits of stretching your ambition muscle in the New Year.

Thanks to all of you for your custom, interaction and support in 2012!

How You Say What You Say... and Where You Say It!

Image Copyright - TweakYourBiz [originally published November 5th 2012]

Elevator pitches / Marketing materials / Introductions / Business cards / Proposals / Letters / Websites / Social media

What do all these things have in common?

They all represent you and your business. They act as a calling card, a reference, a reminder, a point of contact for people to connect with and contact you.  Get your messaging right and you’re memorable, appropriately tailored and connected to the right audience.  Get it wrong and you’re simply wasting your time and money.  If you’re a little sketchy on this detail, then listen up [or, more accurately, read on!].

Start afresh

Sometimes we can become very entrenched in our businesses [a touch of the 'woods-for-the-trees' syndrome].  It’s perfectly natural, business is personal – it’s our creation and betimes it can be hard to distance ourselves from what we think we should be saying about what we do as opposed to what we actually should.

Take a step back from your business; does your messaging succinctly and clearly illustrate your value-add? Do you convert a strong message to the right segments? Which marketing channels do you use to convert that message?  Do you use the right mix of media? Or are you hanging around the wrong places trying to attract the right clients?

A simple equation

Want a simple way to remember effective marketing practice?

Segment + Message + Channel = Sales Output

It’s fair to say that there is some groundwork required in getting to the point of this equation however the key is in remembering it and constantly evaluating whether it is being used.   Successful messaging and marketing requires targeting, clarity and customer intelligence.  It also requires strategy and a long-term view.  Don’t be short-termistic in your approach as you’ll suffer poor results and  frustration [and plunder budgets too!].

Are you fishing where the fishes are?

Be brutal with your marketing strategy.  Are you fishing where the fishes are? Or codding yourself [see what I did there?] by toying with a marketing mix which is not in any way tailored to your market segments? In the same way that you must audit your business’s finance and operational successes and failures, your marketing requires just as much attention.  That’s why target and focus play such significant roles.

How you say what you say… focus on your NOSE

Pitching and introducing your offering can often feel like a painful experience, not least because many business people aren’t exactly radiating joy when asked ‘what they do’.  The reality? If you can’t succinctly communicate your offering – the what, the why and the how, don’t expect to generate any interest from your target  audience.  It all comes down to your NOSE… Or Needs, Outcomes, Solutions and Evidence.  A helpful view: what do I do? Why would it be beneficial to xx customer [being your target customer] and how it is beneficial / useful/ a solutions-provider? Don’t forget to illustrate with evidence or examples… we all like validation.

Is your business sending the right message?

The ultimate question you have to ask yourself [following the other steps], is whether your business really is sending the right message to the right people in the right places. It might sound like a simplification of sorts, but ultimately, if you can’t stand over your market positioning and the types of marketing communications methods you’re using, then you are probably going to continue wasting time and money on a strategy which just doesn’t work. Full stop.

Make time to evaluate what your marketing activities are producing – remember marketing’s role is to make selling [more-or-less] superfluous, so at the very least you should be able to validate and monitor what is working. More importantly, it’s key to understand what isn’t working and quickly reassess its worth.

Don’t make your messaging a casualty of no-review paralysis; review it regularly and ensure your business is sending the right message.

VIDEO: European Commission & Galway Chamber - "Empowering Entrepreneurial Success"

Want to see the video of this fantastic panel debate? Head over here.

What Strategy Means to the #SMECommunity

Image Link : idealway.tumblr.com

A few weeks ago, I asked the SME Community, through Twitter and LinkedIn, what they felt 'Strategy' meant to them.  The reality, as I understand it, is that strategy, like synergy and collaboration [and many other buzz words] has become something of a 'non-entity'.  It has developed an unfortunate role as a word bandied about at meetings and conferences, with very little actual meaning or outcomes attributed to it. 

The responses I received were interesting, though not entirely surprising.  For many SMEs, strategy connotes corporate lingo or jargonistic terminology which has no real basis or factual application for their business.  Others see it as a route-map or execution plan underpinned by a business plan; some think 'I don't have time for strategy - I'm busy surviving'.

Whatever your position, don't be fooled - strategy is essential.  It offers you with clarity, precision, timing and resources / capacity to deliver your business's vision and plan.  It's somewhat military in its essence [hence the abundance of Sun Tzu quotes in most strategy-related articles!] - in that it defines the how and who of actualising or delivering a business vision.  It's clear, succinct and above all, focused.

The reality of being a micro or SME? We're all different.  Our visions, financial and human resources are all, also different.  The other reality? This doesn't mean you 'opt out' of strategic planning.  The key to strategy is in the understanding of your relationship to strategy: it applies to you, whether your business is just you or others are involved.  The other reality? Your strategy may change but your vision should stay as concrete as possible.  Resources, timing and regular measurement should also be to the fore of your strategy.

Still not sure? Have a read of this... and remember, as Sun Tzu said "Strategy without tactics is the slowest route to victory. Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat."

The Cheese Mall: The Perfect Hors D'oeuvre to Starting Up

‘Starting up is hard to do’ is how the song should have gone – as indeed, getting started in business can be very testing.  However, help is at hand for those of you considering, or commencing the start-up phase.  

As an SME and enterprise development consultant, I am well-acquainted with the trials and tribulations of enterprise start-up and development.  The individual barriers people encounter when it comes to getting a handle on their offering, the research and planning involved and their own fears about the perceived reality of business.  

“The Cheese Mall” is a perfect antidote to allay all these worries and provides a practical, no-nonsense approach to getting going.  Don’t be fooled by the fun, charming title and its two characters though – this book means business when it comes to the reality of the work involved and how, at times, it can be a little scary for those involved.

Matthew and Millie, our two entrepreneurs, have braved the recession and redundancy [like so many], and in so-doing, identified a perceived niche in the market... all they have to do now is test its potential and commercialise it.  Oh, and get the all-important business plan compiled for Mr. Grudge at the Mouse People’s Bank.  

I can hear the cogs in some readers’ brains turning – considering this to be ‘something I don’t need to read’ – sorry, folks, you do.  While “The Cheese Mall” provides an endearing backdrop and two wise mice to narrate the story – it also provides a step-by-step of starting up in a clear, concise manner.  Matthew and Millie act as two entrepreneurs who the author, Bernie Tracey and I, would regularly see for advice.  Frequently these candidates are overwhelmed by the task involved, unsure of where to go next and most worryingly, likely to give up on an idea before they even find out whether it’s viable.

“The Cheese Mall” is a must-read for would-be entrepreneurs or those currently running micro and SMEs; as while a step-by-step features for all those considering a new market offering, there is also some serious reality-checking for business-owners on what they’re doing or not doing as the case may be.