We are at the HALF-WAY MARK!!  Half of the year is gone.  At the end of the second quarter, we talked a bit about goals that you'd set out for your company and for yourself.  You should have been checking in on them, periodically and gaining ground (Doing more than CONSIDERING!), slowly but surely.  Remember - "A journey of a 1000 miles begins with a single step." - Lao Tzu

Congratulations!

This month's winner is Debbie Rodkin of

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No matter where you go, no matter what you are doing, you see Presidential nominees popping up everywhere.  They have dominated our news, and created quite the stir.  They have become, for all intents and purposes, ubiquitous.  But guess what...they are people, like us, who have found ways to highlight their strengths and promote themselves to an international level.  While they won't all be winners, they all will have strengthened their positions to move forward in their goals.  How can we capitalize on this in our own markets?  How can we become ubiquitous, too?

Subliminal Messaging!

My friend, Trey Slaton (www.treyslaton.com) puts at the end of all of his emails, "Do not keep the services that I provide to a  SECRET, let others know"  Kimberlee Scott Mayes (www.kaiconsults.com) ends all of her emails "Helping small and mid-sized companies and non-profit organizations pursue excellence, think bigger, reach farther and be more!"  Their messaging is short, sweet and to the point.  They let people know, "Hey, we are here to serve!"  Cost: $0.  Effective?  They got in this newsletter!  What subliminal message can you send?

CLARIFICONICATION!

Have you ever seen the glass cleaner commercials where the crows keep flying into a window thinking that it was open, then finding out that the window was just really, really clean?  Conversely, do you remember Super Bowl commercials where you are still not quite sure what the message was?  (I vaguely remember a commercial about several small animals in front of a video store...still not quite sure about that one!)  Anyway, your messaging needs to be crystal clear and cause someone to take action!  Steve Jones of Growth Strategies (www.growthstrategies.us/executive_briefing.html) has a product called the "Executive Summary" that is an excellent resource for this.  Take a look at a sample here.

 

Consistency!

"Mommy, mommy...somebody turned the waves off!!" is something that you are least likely to hear when you go to the beach.  While waves come in various strengths, they keep coming in.  I bet if you think about it, there are people who you can pretty much count on to do certain things.  Phil Davis of Flex HR (www.flexhr.com) has a habit of sending a short, sweet email every month that says, "Is there anything Flex HR can do for Rick Meekins."  Like Trey and Kimberlee, the message is short and sweet.  It is also consistent - every month without fail.  When I receive it, I think to myself, "Is there anyone who I might be able to connect Phil with, today?" and I work at it.

I suspect that this is something Phil does naturally - its just part of the great guy Phil is.  I have asked him for things and he has delivered.  Consistently.  Now, while this might not be your "bag," but this is one of those things that you simply have to do that goes along with running a business.  If you need a tool or a person to do it, find it and do it!  Find something - networking, sending newsletters, writing, advertising, giving speeches...or a combination of all of them.  Remember...be consistent.

FOCUS! 

Like many other habits, if you allow yourself to aim, blindly, at whatever moves, you will end up wasting a lot of time, energy and money.  I encourage my clients to define their market - not just specific industries or where they are located, but actually the type of company - looking at the company culture, the leadership style, etc.  Sometimes this is defined by the types of people and organizations that are attracted to you and/or your organization.  No matter how you determine who you are going to market yourself to, be sure to have a picture of what that organization looks like so that when you see it, you can go after it effectively.  You've got a much better chance of winning that opportunity.

 

Have Skype, will Travel!!  

With the economy as it is, we try to think about ways to cut costs.  While we would love to meet with you face-to-face, we would be happy to meet with you over Skype.  If you don't have it already, you can download their free software at www.skype.com.  My user name is Rick.Meekins.  I would love to speak with you.

Remember - there are only six months left in the year.  You've got planning to do and goals to accomplish.  Have a plan and plan to move it forward.  Ideas are great...goals are great, but moving forward is what will make the difference.  Expect great things from yourself and from those around you.  If you have any feedback or questions, please don't hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email!  As a community-focused organization, we are interested in learning more about the needs of small businesses and the communities they serve.  Please forward this email to anyone who you think might enjoy or appreciate it.  All the best, Rick Meekins Principal Business Advisor     Brilliant Ideas.  Innovative Solutions. Business Startup | Growth Strategies | Business Development | Strategic Partnerships