Not all controversial subjects are bad business.

  As told by many social media gurus, when there is negativity on your Facebook page or website, you need to deal with it in the best positive light for your company or business.
  But what about a special interest page? Let's take, for example, a page about global warming. This is quite a controversial topic and people have strong feelings in support or against it.
  Here is an important fact you need to remember. Controversy works for the person(s) who run that page. It increases their influence in that particular topic. Why is that important? All the hits, comments, likes, go into the algorithm that increases the capability of that page or website to "rise to the top" of search engines. The content goes viral.
  This does not mean you should go creating controversial threads or posts on purpose because it can eventually backfire. However, when it does happen, don't shy away from it. Moderate!

Like me? Like my brand!

  

With all this talk of branding and social media influence, it led me to thinking. About what? To the idea that the person behind the brand is the brand! As the force behind Learning Connections and strategist for Talin Creations I had to stop and think long and hard about who I am and why I am doing these things. 

Who I am:

• A lifelong learner. I am in college full-time at Roanoke College majoring in Chemistry. Chemistry is not my only passion but it seems to meld well with my many interests.
• A teacher. I love to communicate and share knowledge about science and math and I believe that these subjects are the gateway to a better future for the citizens of the world.
• Cultured. It is my firm belief that learning does not happen in a box. That integration of all subjects, especially through sports, art, and music, is a necessity to greater understanding. Hence, the Connections in Learning Connections.

Why are these definitions important?

• They define who I am and how I do business as an entrepreneur. 
• They define the principles of the businesses I become involved in or people that I promote. 
• There is no second guessing as to who I am. My description in every profile on every social media site says it. A Renaissance Woman. 

I want you to share with me. Who is your brand? How did you define it? When did you discover your passion? How do you continue to keep the fire burning when things don't go according to plan? Let me hea rfrom you!

Stop making "To Do" Lists

  How stressed do you get when you look at a big project and think about all the steps you have to take to get there and get it done? If you are like me, these lists make me anxious and just give me another excuse to procrastinate even more. I already have everything I know I need to do in my head, why am I wasting time writing them down? I just get stressed about the tasks that are still left on the list and exhausted from trying to do it all.
  Lately, I have been writing "Done" lists. Sounds different, right? This is especially good for people who are dealing with time management issues. I write down what I did, check it off, and how long it took to complete the task.
  Why does this work? Many of us underestimate the time it actually takes to complete a task. This is the essential cause of the anxiety from looking at an incomplete "to do" list. Not only that, we don't take distractions into account. Write those down too. Are there ways you can eliminate them or minimize them? More than likely. Once you understand how much time you need to get your tasks done it will be easier to make a "to do" list based on your time frame.
  But, most of all, allow some flexibility and time for yourself!

All politics aside...

  As we draw nearer to election, it is not an easy pill to swallow to watch the vast stratification in beliefs in our political system. It is a bit troubling to think that if people are unbending in their personal beliefs, will it transpire to our political system? And yes, it has. It has taken a major toll on progress because of the lack of willingness to compromise. Not only is the base of our economy, the middle class, shrinking, so is the moderate Republican and Democrat. Any politicians out there reading this, please, Please, PLEASE, buck the trend of your party and the lines drawn in the sand! The public is looking to you!

  Until then, while we are waiting for our politicians to figure it out, we must go it alone. We must rely on the community, ebb fears, and act as psychotherapists in our activities daily. We are the ones that must bend and compromise in order to be successful. We have to keep our personal political views out of our business or at least not a focus of our business. In the realm of an education business, we have diverse belief systems. Most have a tendency towards progressivism, celebrating the individual, and supporting the community at large. We have to be accepting of all people. A lot of good businesses keep politics and and activities separate. Unless, your business is politics.

  For example, I have a very liberal approach on religion and do not attend church. However, I do teach hymns and traditional Christmas music to my students. Am I somehow a hypocrite for doing so? I don't think so. It's smart business. My business focus is tailoring each lesson and their curriculum to them. Now, if I was asked to teach Christianity to someone, I would have a problem with that and would recommend them to their minister or a church that fits their personality and their needs. I don't claim to be an expert in that arena. My services only fulfill certain parts of certain people's journeys. A good teacher or life coach recognizes those limitations.

  So please, let's get through the next 20 days holding hands and agreeing to disagree, ok?

Being an Agent of Change

  There are two types of changes in this country, quick changes and slow growth changes. Quick changes are highly experimental and the effects are not felt for a very long time. Slow growth changes take time and are used to generate a paradigm shift. Quick changes can be used to play with new concepts and create excitement over the business. Slow growth changes can be used to rewrite company policies and set long range goals. Slow growth changes evolve over time. Entrepreneurs and small businesses use both of these techniques interchangeably. 

  When instituting changes, take the time to test your ripple effect. What is that? That is how far your influential reach goes. How do you test it? There are several ways. The best is through personal change. By taking care of yourself and making yourself an example to your friends and family, you will see which ones institute their own changes based on your change. Don't think that others respond to your changes? Try it. They will. I know it is having a major effect in my personal life. 

Community and Civic Activity are Key to Growth

  I am really tired of politics because, to me, neither side has really drafted a workable plan to get the economy going in the direction it should.

  But let me ask you something, why are we waiting on politicians? Did politics ever jump start economic growth? At this stage, how much should politicians and politics play a role in the growth of the country?

Revelation: Only we, the community, are responsible for our own growth. 

  Sure, a lot of things could not happen without government funding. And sure most of us have brilliant ideas for company start-ups. However, it is truly up to the community and the individuals in that community to keep the economy going. It is up to us. As businesses, we should be leaning on each other. We should be more involved in the community in a way that reflects who we are as a business. 

Revelation: Low civic activity is not good for business. 

  Hrm, that's an interesting thought. Why? In Floyd County, VA, everyone banded together and developed an economic plan based on a central theme. Not just civic leaders and businesses, everyone. What's the big deal in that? With a set goal and plan in mind, they have grown enormously. Not as fast as they would like to but they are sticking with the plan because it has worked so far. Floyd County has become the weekend destination for a quick getaway. 

  In Salem, VA, we have the same people running the same show and very little growth and a lot of struggling and no plan of action for continued success and growth of the community. I might get in trouble for this. But, I even feel like I am a "nobody" in my own community. How do I get involved in this community? I don't know. I don't have kids, which might help. I have no idea how to get involved in the place I live in. If I don't know how, then how does anyone moving in know how to either? 

  Roanoke City is on a turnaround because they have taken time to develop a plan and the community is actively partaking in the activities. The two revelations above are the key, folks. Stop waiting on your politicians at the state and federal level. 

Voicing Your Opinions on Social Media

  We all have opinions. We have platforms and issues that we support. Most of us try our best to deliver quality content on our business page. But what about our personal page? Should we edit ourselves and our friends? We have freedom of speech on our side, right? The big question is, will it affect our business?
  To answer these questions, I dived into my past. We did not have a debate team in school, but debating and discussion of the issues was a constant in our lives. Our high school teachers forced us to take sides that we did not agree with. They pushed us to understand the other side in order to gain perspective and let's say, for the sake of argument, to be able to overcome those objectives. My small high school is one of the reasons I believe in small classrooms.
  Here is another thought from my past, I have role-played. In Acting classes and in Dungeons and Dragons games. Alright the super nerd status is out, but let's set that aside for the moment. Acting allowed me to explore areas my personality had never dared to go before. Dungeons and Dragons allowed me to play a very different character. True Neutral. The true neutral character allows the player to switch sides and be unpredictable, except for the fact that they would take the underdog's side.
  I do this on my personal page on Facebook. Why? I like debate and I like to learn things from others. And yesterday, I learned a lot from just two posts. Remember, my friends are from a range of backgrounds and we think nothing alike. I pose questions and make statements. The point is, I am an educator first. I am a firm believer in the types of debates Socrates and Plato used to teach students. And I am thankful for the friends that participated in the discussions because there were a lot of excellent points made. And if you really read through them, we had found a middle ground. Why can't our own representatives do this? Sure, it took hours of hammering out. We still had a dissenting voice. But the majority reached a middle ground. And we agreed on several things, the media is full of dogs digging numbers for bones and civil unions should be recognized. Marriages, or the standard religious view, should be left to one's own church. Keeping religion and politics separate, as the Constitution was meant to do.
  The key is, how will the observing audience take to these debates?

• Positively. Why do I say this? There was no name-calling, no finger pointing. It was civil. It was, a discussion. 
• Your viewpoints should reflect your business. And clearly, I am still True Neutral. I am the standard moderate. Fiscally conservative, socially liberal. Isn't this what you would want from an education based business? I believe so. 
• Compartmentalize personal thoughts from your business thoughts. Hrm, why separate them? Because you do not want bad feelings with clients that do not agree with your politics. When you are acting on behalf of your business, it is best to stay in your zone of expertise and push politics aside. 

  I have had to hide people's feed on my Facebook account because of their personal beliefs. I have never had to hide a business. I hope it stays that way. I have had to go so far as to "un-friend" someone because their viewpoints were so radical and it was difficult for me to not fire one back! But think about this, most of us have more friends on Facebook than we have followers of our business page. So if I feel compelled to hide your personal feed, your voice begins to shrink. And we want our voices heard, don't we?

Some thoughts on a Monday morning

  This blog is not only about what other entrepreneurs are doing right or wrong, it is also about my personal experience on this journey. Some of my regular readers know that I have been working on a start-up education-based company called Learning Connections for the past two years. Because of going to school full-time, I have only been able to work on it on a part-time basis. At the time, I figured that it was alright to spend that little time on it because I have been tutoring for years.
  But I don't want to build just another tutoring center. There are plenty of those. I wanted to set this business apart from any other standard educational start-up. So I had to think, what will set Learning Connections apart from everyone else? Me, my experience, my specialties and those I hire, their experience and their specialties.

A small list of things I know I can improve on:

• Defining the business niche. The niche for this business rests on the laurels of Science and Math. I have been involved in science fairs since I was a participant in high school. I left Massachusetts having served as a judge, secretary to the region, specialist in scientific review committees, and mentor to middle schools starting their own science fairs. I relocated to Roanoke and continued to help a Roanoke City Middle school and judge fairs. Conclusion? Play up the applied math and science!
• Get out there more. Meaning, get out from in front of the computer and spend some quality face time with people. Find out about other businesses. How can you help them? Conclusion? Consultations in creative problem solving and Math Skills Review for new employees.
• Play it up. From the internet stand point, you would probably think that I'm rolling in the dough. Right? While I am reaching people across the world online, I noticed a major discrepancy. I wasn't reaching the locals as much as I should be. There is still an internet disconnect in my small town and the surrounding areas. Conclusion? Don't completely discount standard methods of marketing in smaller areas. 
• Boost self-confidence. From various reports, community and people I went to high school with, I am the super nice, quiet, smart girl. The only adjective that seemed to bother me was quiet. Most of my friends would not tell you that I am quiet! I can be quite the chatterbox! Conclusion? Don't be shy about talking you and your business. Plain and simple. Take the talk from the internet to every day life and the people I meet. My neighbor and I bumped into each other while I was walking the dog this morning. She loved my new dress and asked if I had started a new job. My response? "Sort of." UGH! What was that!!!! I know I can do better than that! I am proud of what I have accomplished so far and what I am about to do! Time to change my tune! 

  When you listen to these little signals, they can help bring you and your business into better focus. Why am I sharing this with you? Because these are some of the traps we fall into when creating. I am hoping my experience helps you and you sharing your experience helps me gain some insight as to how all this works. Sound fair? I would love to hear some of the bear traps you fall in! Maybe we can help each other out!

Researching Your Business

  Many of us watch businesses come and go, many of them go for various reasons. Many blame the current market. Others blame poor location or too much competition. Well, maybe we should have done more research! The current business structure is changing. It is no longer about standard marketing strategies or stiff and structured business plans (Of course you need a business plan! But keep it flexible!).
  I will use my situation as an example. There is flux of teachers who have been leaving the school system for many reasons. Many of these former teachers believe that tutoring on the side may not bring them riches, but it will bring them enough to live. I am seeing a lot of hand written ads, boring tear-aways, and other standard marketing strategies. Here is what I am learning so far:

• Find a niche. Research yourself! What are your gifts and talents? What sets you apart from everyone else? Here is what I figured out about myself.
• I love to write. Blogging, when I make the time, is an outlet of self-expression for me.
• I love to communicate and meet people. 
• I love the Sciences and Applied Math. 
• I love being creative!
• Mold yourself into that marketing niche. It doesn't feel wrong if it feels so right! The focus of my business is Math and Science from elementary to post-college. Teachers in these subjects need support, especially in high school when the availability of materials drops. 
• Don't discount possibilities. I have tied myself to Arts organizations for a reason. Most artists don't realize how much Math and Science play into their work. Read or listen to my blog on my website. It explains how I use Howard Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligence to teach. 
• CHECK OUT THE COMPETITION. I can't believe how many people set up shop without doing this first! 
• Talk to the community. Can you provide a need not being met right now? What is it? Would people use it? How much would they pay for the service? Many times we undercut ourselves just hoping people will arrive because of the price. Not so. Find a compromise in your pricing system, fair pricing for you and your clients.
• Use every marketing resource available. I am not talking TV ads or anything extravagant. Use the Internet! A lot! You may want to hire someone to do this for you! But make sure they have your voice in their communication. Most importantly, just get out there! Attend events. Meet people. No one will come to you, you have to go to them!

Good luck!

Whatever happened to quality?

  I am ashamed. Of myself and I am ashamed for others. We have become such a society of "throw-aways" that we have forgotten what the definition of quality is. Sure, we all take an occasional trip to the Dollar Store or Walmart or Sam's Club and we pick up the most ridiculous stuff. Why do we do this? It's cheap and easily accessible.

  Have you ever noticed how the stuff just doesn't last? So we toss it and go about to buy more stuff to replace the stuff that broke. Here is a bit of reality from the late George Carlin:

  

I want all of you to do me a favor, because I am doing this too, the next time you take a trip please ask yourself... Do I really need this?  Then ask yourself, what can I spend my hard-earned money on that will give my life meaning and add value?  You may find yourself traveling out to your local mom and pop stores more often to buy something of quality and value. Things that you can be proud of owning and supporting, your local retailers. They are more unique than big box stores and quite often not that much further away in price.  

  Let's get out there and join the movement to shop quality. Shop local!

Why Small Businesses Should be Thinking about a Social Media Plan

   Did you know that by not using social media that you are losing out to the competition that does? Social media needs to become a part of your present marketing plan if it is not already. It is alright to start small with a Facebook business page or a Twitter account, as long as you start! Think of social media influence as the cherry on your ice cream sundae. So what should your social media campaign include?

• Ask your customers which platform they use most. Do they use Facebook? Twitter? Google+? How often do they use social media and what for? By getting a overall, general view of how your customer base uses social media, you can build the content around it.
• Hire a professional. Why? You need someone you can trust that will help explain the technology and the nuances behind these new ideas. Here are a few of my recommendations for the Roanoke, VA, area:
• John Lusher Consulting
• Coty Connections
• The Social Buzz Lab
• Create content around your business base. Creating content can be as simple as blog postings up the interesting things you do or happens in your business. People always like good news and good stories! Try to refrain from any negativity when at all possible!
• Share Content related to your business by other businesses. Always recognize and cheer others on! It helps your business in return! The nice guy finishes first in this case!
• INTERACT. Successful social media techniques require you to interact with your customer base! There is an old adage in retail, if one customer has one bad experience, they tell 20 friends, and their friends tell 20 friends... and so on. 

  So what's stopping you from creating a campaign? Hop to it!

Good idea: Local Businesses Band Together to Create Opportunities

   

  In spite of the economy showing signs of recovery, the local business industry needs more support now than ever. Our country did not begin on the backs of British corporations but on the backs of the immigrants who relocated and built businesses in America. While things are beginning to look up, remember to try to purchase as much as you can from local store owners, farms, and kitchens. 

  Here is something that I love to see, local businesses banding together to support each other! Based on the Salem 'Til Nine events from this past holiday, some things have been changed, but the idea remains the same. Numerous local businesses have signed up to be a part of this event. They are offering special promotions for customers on Saturday, March 24th from 11 AM until 2 PM. Keep checking this link for an update on businesses participating in this event! 

The Importance of Transparency in Every Business

    Do you like secrets? Do you like thinking someone is not telling the whole truth? No? Most people don't like secrets. Even if it has nothing to do with them. The Better Business Bureau uses the idea of transparency as a method of measuring, among other things, the reliability of a business for consumers. It is vitally important for small business, corporations, and non-profit organizations to maintain the idea of transparency. So what is transparency? According to Wikipedia (yes, of all people, I'm using it as a source!), transparency is

1. Openness: It is the capability of the public to access information about the business. The public knows not everyone is perfect. If you have skeletons, admit it. Part of running an organization is experimentation. If someone asks a question, answer it directly. Out in the open. Be honest and upfront. The less you have to hide, it is less likely that you get caught in a lie. 
2. Communication: With the onset of social media, there are more and more ways of communicating with your customers, employees, and supporters. Why not learn them? Many businesses have websites and Facebook pages and they don't use them properly. Hire a social media consultant. Going to television and newspaper is the old way of doing things and many people don't even bother to turn on their TV or read the newspaper anymore. Where do they get their information? Online. Make it your strategy now.
3. Accountability: Ok, you messed up. Now fess up! If you admit mistakes, your business will appear more reachable to the customer. I know. It's opposite what you were taught in business school, right? Flubbing up occasionally should not hurt. As long as you create new policies or standards to prevent the problem from occurring again. Sometimes, it is just as simple as an apology. Other times, it may create a new way of thinking about how decide to conduct business in the future. 

  If you find out your support system is complaining about something, to friends or acquaintances, listen up! One of these lines is broken and it needs to be fixed as soon as possible! The faster these three ideas behind your transparency are fixed, the more business and clients you will receive!

Why Small Businesses Close

   After hearing about Millie's in Salem closing today, I thought about a few things. Here are some of my thoughts on why some local businesses close and what they can do to stay open. 

  I went to a Salem at Night event last November. And I can pretty much predict who will remain open and who might close in the next five years. When I stepped into Millie's, I was greeted, but that is where the relationship ended. I felt like I was being judged in the first ten seconds upon appearance. Bad form for people in the customer service field. I felt like, upon leaving, that they just didn't need my business. I was looking for ideas for my sisters and figured I might find something cool and different for them. Taking no interest in why the customer is in your store is not going to help your business be successful. 

1. Never, EVER, go into business because you think it will be cool. You go into business because it is your calling in life. 
2. You will put in more than 40 hours a week.Your business is with you 24/7. You have to be committed to that concept in order to be successful. 
3. Have a solid business plan and a solid direction. You really can't just walk into a business and expect it to take care of itself. You have to research and your plan has to reflect new things that you have learned. 
4. Be flexible. Sometimes ideas and plans are not going to work they way you expected them too. Revamp, redesign, and learn from it! You can not be a control freak where people are involved!
5. Create conversations with open-ended questions. Someone should have asked me who or why I was shopping there last night! Make me talk! I know it's easy to leave people to their own devices, but if you create a relationship with them, they are more likely to be return customers! Talk about your products and why they are great!
6. DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA. Ever. Good reviews travel just as fast as bad reviews. People band together and stick to their favorite places. 

  I know Millie's had a strong following, but I feel that they could have reached out more. Or just done more. A business is not a hobby, it is your life. The amount of effort you put into it will hopefully be what you get back! 

Here's the skinny...

   Many of you know me from some of the other blogs I write. However, it has come to my attention that some local businesses need a leg up... or a slap on the wrist. I have worked retail in many various forms for over 16 years. I have run small businesses and been a supervisor for larger corporations. I know all the tricks and tools of the retail trade.

  I have also learned that you have to occasionally shift careers and do something different. Currently, I am a full-time Chemistry-Math major, part-time instructional assistant, business manager for a home-based business, and a marketing director for another home-based business. I'm a pretty busy girl. But not busy enough to not tell you, the follower, when a business does not act like it should. 

  But I won't just talk about those "bad" businesses. I am also going to tell you about excellent examples of customer service, awesome marketing techniques, and great local products! 

  Who makes the difference on this blog... you do! Comment below or send me a message of what you would like to read or your experience with a local business (Southwest Virginia)!