More than a Few Words Lorraine Ball

While I think business goals are important, there is more to life than checking things off your list. If you never stop and celebrate the win, it all becomes really tedious. So find a way to reward yourself, when you actually achieve your goal. It doesn't have to be a big deal. It doesn't have to be very expensive.
Pick something that's a little treat or a little reward that will make the moment special. For me, it might be going to visit a friend and then taking a photograph of us together so that every time I look at that picture, it reminds me not only of the fun that we had, but the goal  I achieved.
Maybe it's buying a little treat for myself and every time I wear that pair of earrings or that new shirt. It reminds me that it was a reward for something I accomplished. Then I am more likely to be excited about working on something for my next goal. How about you? How do you reward yourself?
 

What is the marketing flywheel?  A real flywheel, that builds energy, as you push it slowly over time it gets faster and faster and faster.  A marketing flywheel will do that as well. With consistent action, the marketing flywheel will deliver more and more results. 
Out guest, Josh Ramsey explains there are three parts to the marketing flywheel that work together to accelerate your business.
Building memories so customers think of you when they are ready to buy
Maximizing availability so customers can find you when they are ready
Reach the market  by building connections between your products and needs of potential customers.  Put your messages where they can find you 
 
About Josh
Josh Ramsey is the Business Development Manager at ClearBrand.com. A digital Marketing Agency focused on data-driven marketing that gets results; more leads and sales. He believes that without good marketing, businesses die and people suffer, and that ethical, scientific marketing can change the world.

 It would be wonderful if you just hung a sign out, opened your doors and customers came.  Unfortunately, for most of us that's not how it works.  You don't accidentally bump into business on a regular basis.
If you want a sustainable business you need to have a sustainable process for your sales.  That process includes a standard  procedure to generate leads and then  screen and identify who's a good prospect and who's not.  You need to have a process for stepping people through a sales conversation, following up and eventually closing the sale.  And finally, after the sale is is important to stay in contact, requesting those testimonials and keeping that conversation going so customers refer you to your next opportunity.
The sales plan is just one element of your overall business plan.  Ready to start working on your plan or updated your existing one?  Check out our new self-paced Business Map Class. 

Maybe you think your business is too small to take advantage of PPC.  Our guest, Ameet Khabra doesn't think that is true. You can use this powerful tool as long as remember that Google is not doing something out of the goodness of their heart.  
Google is not a charity, it is a business.  Everything they do to improve search and analytics is ultimately designed to increase their advertising sales.  So use the tools, look at their suggestions, but always remember their goals are not always aligned with yours. 
About Ameet
Look up the definition of "obsessed" and you'll find a picture of Ameet. She has spent the last decade figuring out why people do what they do online, what prompts them to take action, and how to use this insight to make marketing work better. Today she uses that experience to design dazzling campaign strategies for our clients and teach future generations of PPC pros at the university level.

I am an optimist. I believe things will work out.  However, when it comes to my business I also know that things can go wrong, and planning is not being negative, it is being prepared. Accidents happen. Even minor mishaps can be major catastrophes for small business owners. Every year, thousands of companies are unprepared for the interruption caused by a minor fire, flood, and burglary or computer meltdown.
Creating, and implementing a Business Continuity Plan as part of your overall business plan ensures your business survives any disaster.
Are you prepared?
I have seen studies which say anywhere from 25 – 75 percent of businesses suffering a disaster fail to reopen or close soon after. While the stats may vary, the general consensus is a well thought out recovery plan matched with appropriate insurance makes the difference between survival and business extinction.
What should your disaster planning process include?
Computer Backup – For many small business owners, the computer is the heart and soul of the business. Unfortunately computers crash, there are hackers and virus’ attack, natural disasters and every user makes mistakes from time to time.
The consequences can be disastrous. Rebuilding financial information, contact lists, E-mail records or project files can be time-consuming, expensive and sometimes impossible.
Online backups are very affordable. Not sure if you need to spend the money? Ask yourself these questions: If my computer didn’t turn on tomorrow:
Would I still have a business?
Would I lose a significant amount of time, and money rebuilding my data
Would I know what to do?
Don’t like the answers? Then it is time to explore a back up solution.
Equipment Replacement – Beyond restoring your data, you need to plan for equipment replacement. Talk to your insurance agent to be sure you have enough coverage to replace furniture, equipment, inventory and other assets. Take the time to inventory all the assets in your building. Have a list of important equipment, serial numbers, purchase date and even photos. This will really simplify the process of filing an insurance claim.
Temporary Location – Where will you and your team work if your building is not accessible? Putting systems in place for employees to work remotely is helpful even if it is only a day or two interruptions caused by inclement weather. You just don’t want to test those systems for the very first time when something big goes wrong.
Funding operations – Disasters have a way of piling up. Not only will you need to deal with the things listed above, you may incur additional expenses for moving or damages caused by missed deadlines. Business continuity insurance will help cover the other unexpected costs.
Customer Care – In some cases, you won’t be able to complete a project because of a serious interruption to your operations. Having a relationship with another firm who can take care of your customers in the short term will allow you to preserve the customer relationship for the long term.
Disaster planning is not a set it and forget it kind of process. If you are smart, you will revisit your crisis plan every year. Why? Because as your business grows, your risks grow as well. You may be lucky and never have a fire, flood, burglary or another disaster. But a little disaster planning now will save you lots of headaches down the road.
 

In this episode we chatted with Jan Cavelle about connecting your emotions to your marketing, and more importantly, connecting to your customer's emotions.  
How do you do that? Jan suggests you start by being consistent about the picture of yourself you are putting forward in public, both in person and on social media. This helps people frame a firm picture of who you are allowing them to connect to you and your brand. 
 More than a Few Words is a  marketing conversation for business owners hosted by Lorraine Ball