I am giving you permission to sit back, let 2011 slip out of your thoughts for a moment and think about the future. Yes, the future. 2012 is a unwritten story, especially when it comes to your business, brand and strategies.

Strategies, Plural

The one-size-fits-all knitted winter hat style of marketing has never worked. Simply put, BE FLEXIBLE. (If you are not flexible add “Start Yoga” to your New Years resolutions. Trust me it will work both mentally and physically.) Don’t start 2012 with high expectations that your ten page marketing plan is going to attract a legion of clean leads, get you featured on Oprah’s favorite things and pay for that fancy world tour.

Break Down Goals

Create a strategy per business goal. For example, at BizeeBee, we found that studios in non-competitive, small cities were an excellent market fit for our service as it is today. That meant we created an entire strategy focused on that market segment. From physical mailing, email marketing to follow ups through other channels our strategy revolved around a clear vision and the tactics were easier to design as well as measure.

Pitch From Your Perspective

It is easy for business owners to get carried away with trying to sell their vision to people. When in reality, what sells is stories. I don’t mean novels, unless you are JK Rowling. My husband, Eli, recently launched his first big project called Claratii. Word of mouth has been his strategy for spreading the word. I was proud to witness him sharing his story on why he created the tool. He starts off with sharing how having clear communication between him and I around finances as well as future financial planning was very important to him. People engage and relate to his challenges, then delight in trying out this solution.

Hear Your Vision From Someone Else

Remember the days of awkward middle and highschool? Well, one lesson in particular that is valuable from those days to apply to your strategy is peer reviews. Yes, those moments when Joe Too-Cute-To-Look-At-Without-Blushing read your paper and gave you thoughts on how to improve it, what he thought it meant and other tips were actually teaching you a valuable lesson. I challenge you to sit down with a friend and ask them “What does my business do?”. I heard this tactic recently used by Derek Johnson, CEO and Founder of Tatango. He was surprised to hear his friend tell him all kinds of things about his business, but it was a bit fuzzy. What did he do? He simplified his message to focus just on what they did best.

Fall Back In Love

That happy tingling sensation that makes you smile, motivates you to keep going and makes those long nights worth it? Yeah, that’s love. Love for your customers, for your employees, and your vision. If you want to know the key to being genuine it is speaking and acting from the heart, not standing behind fluffy marketing messages. One great example comes from a company I have always enjoyed working with, Freshbooks.

“It is tough to find a phone number for most web companies, but Freshbooks’ number is on the top of the home page. The company even brags on its blog about its commitment to answering the phone … Love doesn’t necessarily pay the bills, of course. But Saul [Colt] says his philosophy “will deliver an incredible ROI that can’t be tracked in a traditional way.” – INC

This 2012, stuff your marketing, business, branding and outreach strategies for success. Wishing you a very happy, and healthy New Year!Similar Posts:

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No doubt you have learned a great deal on your marketing adventure. Learned that hiring someone to stand on the street corner with a sign for a week was a bit of a flop, or maybe you also learned that knocking on doors in the evenings to be grassroots, was only getting old men mad at you. Whether your marketing strategies were belly flops or successful there are a few things I bet are holding you back.

So starting today…

Give up perfection.

You are going to go bald, if you are bald you are going to grow weird alien due to stress. Plus, perfection is often overlooked. Don’t spend precious resources beating around the bush for the perfect thing. Developers have a great way of saying, “Ship it!”… or it is build, measure, learn.

Give up comparing yourself to competitors.

I hear myself doing this and frankly, it doesn’t do much besides throw away time. Oh well if we only had X feature we could do Y. “Yeah, well we don’t so what’s your next bright idea?” Competitors didn’t invent the wheel, neither did you. However, you might be able to learn from them but don’t step in their foot prints wishing your feet were the same size, silly as it sounds many of my past clients spend a lot of crucial time trying to figure out the competitors secret sauce. Create your own and be proud of it!

Give up flogging yourself.

So, you belly flopped. You are human right? (If you are an alien, please skip to the next point.) Plus, whether you like it or not you are going to make another mistake in the future. If you don’t make any mistakes, well then you aren’t trying at your job hard enough. “The only mistake that can truly hurt you is choosing to do nothing simply because you’re too scared to make a mistake.”

Give up tapping your toes and checking your watch.

Waiting for X feature so you can run Y campaign well, to be honest isn’t going to happen when you want it or during the time you want it. Don’t wait till after lunch, or the morning to finish that project that is going to be a total brain drain. Just do it! Nike style. Remember: “What we don’t start today won’t be finished by tomorrow.”  Oh and another fancy tip: “Knowledge and intelligence are both useless without action”.

Give up trying to make everyone happy.

So you have the CEO, sales, engineering and customer service are all breathing down your back. Oh yeah, vendors and customers too. So, what do you do? Set boundaries, be honest and clear with everyone so that expectations are set. Don’t let people drop things off at your desk and blindly say “Sure! I can do it”, in hopes of being invited to their birthday party (the cake is a lie anyways). Doesn’t mean you can’t be friendly, and make the lonely person in the lunch room’s day a little brighter by saying “Hi!” (not in a misleading way or you might have a new admirer). Tools like Basecamp can make project transparency a little easier.

Give up holding back your feedback.

Ever tried to hold back a sneeze? Yeah… not comfortable is it. It’s normal for people to sneeze just as it is normal for people part of a team to share their ideas. Those who decide to be wall flowers end up blending in, and their value sometimes sadly overlooked. Now, you don’t need to bring a soap box to every meeting yet don’t hold back sharing feedback, ideas and engaging with your team. Who knows, you next big idea might strike gold for the company or your career.Similar Posts:

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Unless you use some sort of fluffy critter (Nice job Cheezburger) I wouldn’t be lured easily. If you are a startup you most likely have given up on me and my stubborn, busy and “thanks, but not interested” friends. I am never the one to wait in line for a new apple product, nor do I jump at new social media invites. I have not and most likely will never be a customer of QVC. I still use a $300 Windows based Toshiba laptop, own a blackberry and drive a manual six speed. I am by no means an “Alpha Quitter”, however the few times I have tried to be an early adopter has created one more inactive account, or a no-longer-loyal loyalty card holder.

You've reached the early adopters don't stop! - Photo-Collective

For most companies looking to gain traction, I am not your ideal customer.  My hard to sell friends will nod in agreement when I say that doesn’t mean we aren’t worth talking to. Here’s why:

We aren’t moles. We are actually quite social.

Just because we aren’t joining you at midnight to wait for the newest Apple thingy doesn’t mean we live in caves. Think beyond the web. I host and organize events, work with non-profits and consult with small businesses. I am one of those crazy people that say “Good morning!” to strangers, and happily shares conversations while waiting for coffee. I am also very interested in listening and learning one of the reasons I attend workshops, meetups and networking events. I read blogs, the news and forums.

Listen, and join in the conversation.

First off are you where I am? Do you participate in conversation in Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, how about networking events and workshops? I might be a bit extreme as I am unusually accessible for a late adopter.  My best advice, learn to listen before you speak.

“The market need you’ve identified may be foreign to most people you speak with.  The value you’re creating doesn’t yet translate.  The very people you could help, think you’re crazy.” – Four keys to selling beyond early adopters, Geekwire

Have fun learning the language, the culture and jump with the intention of having a conversation.

In your network? Instant evangelist.

One quick direct message from someone I know on Twitter and I am on it like a bee on honey! Your network is mostly likely stronger than you give it credit for. Even if your network isn’t your target market they are more than willing to help you spread the word. They will spread your message like butter across hot toast. Keep them in the loop with as much of a personal touch as possible, in other words don’t just add them to your MailChimp list, maintain a genuine connection.

Give a little, get a lot.

I love hearing what my friends are up to and look for ways to support them. After meeting Chris Lynch founder of Thoughful.co was kind enough to talk to me as well as the BizeeBee founder about fundraising. So what did I do, I instantly started scanning Thoughful.co for a birthday present for my sister in law, found – done and with great success! I also forwarded the site on to a few friends wondering what to get a mutual friend who has everything, (even a sailboat).

The moral

Don’t give up on those who aren’t going to fill your pockets quick with cash. Look at them differently, more as eh… humans. Don’t be afraid to refresh your strategy, reach out to your existing network for feedback help and assistance in spreading the word. Zoom out and let your teeth chew on the big picture. Don’t fret over trying to catch a quick buck. (Even though they are cute, and fuzzy.)Similar Posts:

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The BIG company scene: Paperwork, cubicles and months of progress hindered by meetings and bureaucracy. Decisions are eventually made in the glory of making someone with a cash interest smile. There are many software companies that have grown into a Pizza the Hut creature oozing with some vile inability to serve the needs of the market.

So, in a coffee shop at a Seattle 2.0 event or some other place of inspiration an idea is born with a group of talented people willing to take on the pizza monster. They build their product into the night, often fueled by Mountain Dew and Sour Patch Kids, until they are ready to launch or in other words - “With his sling ready, he went out to meet Goliath.”

TKO WIN for David – The Startup

Two Ears – One Mouth:

Successful startups know that listening to their market creates relationships, which then creates traction; the golden key for success. Social media, email and even cell phones have shaped the way communication happens giving nimble startups a chance to engage with customers at lightening speed. A tweet to test the market’s reception to new features and ideas is pretty fancy indeed!

Customized Customer Experience:

The product doesn’t have reflect the back-bending customer experience of Starbucks: “Tripple Ristretto, two splashes of hazelnut syrup extra foam latte, extra hot with cinnamon sprinkled on the top, two straws and double sleeves …” However, startups automatically get the ace of product flexibility as they are typically small, nimble and have developed close relationships with their customers.

“The importance of using technology to understanding your customers and deliver a personalized experience …” - Venture Blog

Big companies often cast huge nets and try to make new features that are generic, adding onto a product that was onetime specific to the behaviors of the targeted customer. Staying course in a niche market means the product will be tailored to fit and provide solutions to specific problems. In other words, startups can design and sell band-aids while big companies sell and convince customers they need full body casts.

Rockstar Loyal Customers & Evangelists

Startup teams create relationships with their customers, those customers often feel as if they are part of the team. Feedback is given freely and the relationship turns a target market customer into an evangelist for the startup.

And so, “He reached into his bag and took out a stone, which he slung at Goliath.  It hit him on the forehead and Goliath fell face downward on the ground.” BAM! Go startups!

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Features stuffed inside features is just what the Army Knife, fully loaded car and buffet restaurants have all been able to successfully offer. Yet, for most of the time and for most of us; simple works best.

Even as we get busier and are offered fancier gadgets, tricksy cars and order complex espresso drinks we still choose things like: flip flops, macaroni & cheese, post-it notes, whiteboards, stay-cations and duct tape.

The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.~Hans Hofmann, Introduction to the Bootstrap, 1993

Working on the front line for startups I always hear “We need X, and Y feature”. Customers want to see more, they want to hear bells and honk horns. They want features that they think will make their lives easier. In some cases, their insight is the guiding light to making or breaking the product and does help their business. Other times it is a matter of teaching them how a simple tool is powerful, and the value in simple vs every feature under the sun.

A few of my favorite simple things:

The Spoon:

Even while spending weeks in the Alpine Wilderness, I never doubted my trusty spoon. Under my social media presence is a true wilderness girl that loves packing up a couple pairs of clothes, hopping on a horse and hitting the trails. Cooking in a cast iron Dutch oven each evening I never pulled out my army knife and stirred the stew. It was my simple, easy to clean, stir and eat spoon that kept me content for my offline excursions.

Food:

When I begin growing gray hair I want to open a simple lunch café near a river. Serving the basics, grilled cheese sandwiches with tomato soup, iced tea and garden salads all made from ingredients grown locally or right on the café property. I want this to be an inexpensive, feel good sort of place for patrons to have exceptionally good tasting and good memory food. Simple, tasty and affordable.

Campfires:

Entertaining twenty plus guests can be pulled off with a simple recipe: Marshmallows roasted on a stick then squished onto a piece of chocolate in-between two graham crackers.

I tend the fire keeping the whole circle of guests happily entertained talking, and roasting. In the time we have been hosting campfires people have found new customers, new workout buddies even new jobs by attending our smore roasting low-key evenings.

This simple evening event has become a friend and family favorite eliminating my assumption that more stuff, and entertainment made a better party. Smores voted #1 Thompson event 3 years running.

Twitter:

A simple prompt of “What are you doing?” in 140 characters is what Twitter asked. Me, I got a whole new life chapter facilitated by this simple social media platform. While some begged, and pleaded for more features Twitter was able to satisfy 150 million users and growing to connect, share and engage.

So why is someone who loves social media, and marketing talking about simple? Well, it’s simple. [ha ha] There is always a push for more, better, faster, shinier and more attention grabbing. Yet, I think deep down we appreciate simple more than we like to admit. We enjoy the spoon, our favorite basic and easy to make foods, easy non-stress ways to gather people we love, and we want to connect with people we don’t know.

Celebrate the simple.

You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need. ~Vernon Howard

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Let’s say your business had it all. The king of producing the perfect content, the best engagement, every review site had raving reviews, everyone wants one of your products, everyone wants to shake your hand, everyone loves your business. Everyone wants to be your best friend.

Do you love the customers that LOVE you?  Or would you select “It’s complicated” as a relationship status?

I have to wonder if Steve Jobs ever takes a moment and is filled with joy and appreciation for all customers that love their products. Is there a moment where he longs to meet these people that love Apple, love the way he dresses and truly wants to get to know them? Wonder if he wants to sit down and share a cup of coffee, tell his customers how impressed he is with their passion and devotion the the Apple brand.

I am assuming most likely not.

For small businesses in little towns like Maple Valley it is natural not a tactic for them to actively get to know their customers. This could be easily labeled as just good customer service. I am thinking there is something a bit more core about these businesses.

Here are a few facts about small businesses in the US:

Small Businesses Rock:

• Represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms.
• Employ half of all private sector employees.
• Pay 44 percent of total U.S. private payroll.
• Generated 65 percent of net new jobs over the past 17 years.
• Hire 43 percent of high tech workers ( scientists, engineers, computer programmers, and others).
• Made up 97.5 percent of all identified exporters and produced 31 percent of export value in FY 2008.
• Produce 13 times more patents per employee than large patenting firms.

- Statistics from Advocacy Small Business Statistics and Research

Small businesses understand the pure economics of their love for their customers. I can bet that most successful entrepreneurs do too.

When a great entrepreneur has an idea and brings it to life by creating a business the simple truth is, in order for that business to survive there must be customers.  There is a connection that happens with a great business and a customer, which feels a bit like – “You are what I never knew I always wanted!”

Towards the end of high school I was working for PCC, a Seattle area coop. 99.998% of all my customers were fantastic! Great conversations that stemmed from a genuine a passion for our local community, farms and world. I came into work inspired. I learned to remember customers names, their favorite sandwiches and sit down with them on my breaks like friends. We would talk about green energy, ideas around how to create more awareness about local farming and of course about cars. I was highly encouraged by the leadership to be me and connect with our customers.

Great businesses does more than take money from customers for the sake of keeping their doors open. Small businesses are the masters at listening, asking questions and improving their business not just to bring in more cash, but to make the customers happy. (Sounds like key ideas for a happy marriage as well). They love their customers. Love feeling they have helped them, made their lives better and been able to connect beyond their brand and on a personal level. They are the real leaders, the experts in keeping happy customers coming back for more conversations while sipping lattes lattes, exploring great art or while chatting up as they get their hair done.

One of my favorite businesses that have really shown their love has been Coho Cafe. From their social media efforts to in person you will feel as a customer and as part of the community you are genuinely appreciated and even loved.

How does your company show love to customers?

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Back in the day when foursquare was a recess game played in elementary school, I remember there would be times where I didn’t want to play anymore. The kids were merciless. A few times I left the game after having the wind knocked out of me. Sad face enables and a pieces of my pride scattered across the ground, I would scan the recess field confused on what exactly to do next.

The answer was to get back in the game.

No matter if you are spending eight hours a day in a cubicle or spending twelve hours a day a slave to bringing your own idea to life, you have had moments where you want to take your ball and go home. “Done, that’s it. No more” you think. I get it, I have been there.

My online marketing career didn’t start out smooth. It started a bit like learning to drive an old manual car, rough starts with plenty of backseat drivers. Now, I drive a speedy little 6 speed manual car and I have found experts to teach me how to drive. The same has happened with my career, finding mentors, reading and learning from experts has been essential.

The lesson to be learned is that it is rough, you get the wind knocked out of you and the answer is to always get back in the game.Similar Posts:

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Next weekend, Oct 8^th through the 10^th in the beautiful city of Vancouver entrepreneurs from around the northwest will gather for the first Vancouver Startup Weekend. The event is the fun part; it is 54 hours of brainstorming of ideas and bringing them into reality. The goal is by Sunday evening each team will have their idea hammered and forged into some kind of prototype to present.

Startup Weekend has been globetrotting to countries all around the world. The event brings developers, designers, copy writers, marketers, aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned startup gurus together for the weekend (typically more than just two of each kind). This kind of diverse group happens in college, yet many of our communities from development to social media become siloed in our groups and when we need to find complementary professionals in different skills it is a bit of a challenge. This event bridges the divide and brings professionals together to build relationships, connections and possibly even business founders.

Event planning is always a heads down, focus and push through sort of project. If there is a way to do event planning with grace I have yet to learn a refined approach. If you have ever planned an event without any hiccups, burps or other uncivilized bodily functional analogies then I tip my hat to you.

Social media in itself isn’t what is going to make this event a success, however it did provide our team with almost instant connections to people we may not have otherwise been able to connect with. Reaching out to our communities we are getting an overwhelming response of support, great introductions to connections, volunteers and expertise that I have really come to appreciate.

Hopefully as I catch some fresh air here and there I will be able to share with you in detail all of those who helped make the event a success with support, donations, introductions, sponsorships and of course those who are coming to participate. I am incredibly impressed with the passion for the event and the support of the startup community despite borders and limitations.

Looking to you to join in and register for Vancouver Startup Weekend and tell all of your friends, family and anyone you see  with an entrepreneurial sparkle in their eye to join in next weekend at Bootup Labs in Vancouver BC.

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There is something natural about peanut butter and jelly that everyone from the age of 3 to 99+ understands is scrumptious way to enjoy an afternoon. There is a natural chemistry between startup companies and social media. There are brands launching through social media even before they have websites. Social media is a conductive tool that in many ways levels the playing field between big brands and new startup competition. Startups can reach customers and their markets easier than ever before.

There is something about PB&J that is instantly satisfying. Before you even sink your teeth into the sandwich you know you are going to enjoy it. Social media is a similar adventure. No matter what you fill your social media channels up with you are going to enjoy the adventure of networking, creating connections and even if you so choose solidifying those relationships in real life.

If you are thinking social media is a good tool for your startup, then your first goal is to grab all the social media accounts under your brand name. The next ingredient is simple – find people you want to listen to. The best place to start is poking around your favorite blogs to find their Twitter name. Click that, click follow there is your peanut butter. Finding your community is the sticky goodness, this becomes your value center, the people you would listen to anyways through their blogs, or you would jump all over buying tickets and attending conferences if they were speaking.

Engaging with your community is the marionberry jam.  I would place bets that if you are a startup you have limited amount of time to truly engage outside the world of keeping the business moving forward and feeding everyone who works for you. However, social media gives you a perfect opportunity to refresh your brain, engage with some people you admire and even your customers. Adding precious connections to you new venture while also building a humanistic brand.

The wonder bread really is keeping yourself organized, and not feeling bad when you don’t read every tweet, status update on Facebook.  Be genuine, enjoy your sandwich of social media and startup harmony.Similar Posts:

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Everyone likes to hear a good story but what is even more fun is getting to tell the story. What is it about your business, your company your community your big ideas that you are passionate about? The idea of storytelling might be something you are very comfortable with, even in front of hundreds of people yet maybe it’s not.

When I asked the great Twitter world what they thought of when I said “Storytelling” here is what a few of them had to say.

MarlisaOK

“I think of someone reading a story to me or someone else.”

kellyhclay

“storytelling” makes me think of the new intersect app (which I would love to join!) – http://bit.ly/9YoJPa

ReneeRevetta

“IRL: fibbing In Marketing: sharing your brand’s background/position, not just pushing out content ”

AutosportLabs

“transporting one away and capturing imagination”

sarahkayhoffman

“A childhood story when I was engaged and excited the whole way through!”

We are all storytellers of some kind. Recently for me I have been working on two awesome projects; TechMavens and Vancouver Startup Weekend both I feel honored to be able to tell their story to anyone that gets within 10 feet.

There is a little salon in Maple Valley called Cherries, Chocolate and Blondes that is eager to share their story, their appreciation for their great staff and passion for their work. Sitting in the chair each stylist is genuinely excited to share in a conversation that is a perfect role model for how a business can tell their story in a way that engages and supports their business.

Whether it is in social media, at Starbucks, a networking event or even with your hair stylist share your story, share how you can help others and encourage them to also share their story.

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