Monthly Archives: April 2013

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Presenting a Webinar

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Last Wednesday I presented my first (and perhaps only) webinar.   To prove to myself and the world that I’m capable of presenting a webinar made it a worthwhile experience,  although I suspect that there will be no tangible benefit derived.  I was not paid to present (same old story, hey?).  So far,  the only follow-up has been a guy who wrote to me looking for free advice (of course!).

Nonprofit Webinars offers free one hour presentations each week and the selection is very good.  My topic was  “A Business Plan for Your Nonprofit”.  If you’re interested,  please visit   http://nonprofitwebinars.com   and you will be able to access my presentation,  plus several others.  Maybe you can explore the possibility of presenting a webinar yourself?

Putting together the presentation text was not a huge chore,  since I teach business plan writing on a regular basis.  The challenge was editing down a 6 hour workshop to less than one hour (to allow for a Q & A session) and adapting the focus to a nonprofit,  rather than for-profit, venture.

The part I hated was creating the Power Points.  I am no graphic artist and I resent that audiences expect as much graphics works as they do content.  My feeling is that a webinar is like radio.  Content is king and graphic art is the chorus.  The mere thought of producing graphic art work caused me severe stress.  But I had to do the deed.

I found out how to get free online images and registered myself at Morguefile  http://morguefile.com ,  which has hundreds of very decent high-resolution photos available for download to your desktop.  A respectable number of them were applicable to my topic.  I chose photos that were interesting and somewhat ironic or amusing,  yet still related to my topic.

High resolution photos present a problem,  though,  because too many photos cause your file to be too “heavy” to send as an attachment.  Thank goodness a friend who is proficient in producing customized Power Points shrank some of the images and combined with text on some slides and wrote text on top of other photos.  She also used the Power Point animation feature,  which I know exists,  yet was totally unable to figure out.  As I said,  graphics work is not my forte.

On webinar day,  there were technical issues to surmount.  Go-to-Webinar refused to download in Internet Explorer,  but thank goodness I also have Firefox.  Second,  one is supposed to speak into a land line with a headset.  I had neither,  but my iPhone 4 gave good sound quality,  according to the moderator,  and it was better without the headset.

I rehearsed,  but I could have done more  (my schedule went crazy).  I got a little nervous and talked somewhat too fast.  I synched the slides,  the text and my voice over rather well.  I did my best to sound more conversational and less preachy because a webinar is radio,  with visuals.

I developed simple poll questions to help me know who in the audience had done business planning and strategic planning previously and I took questions at around the 15 minute mark and again at around 30 minutes.  I preferred to address a few questions as I went along,  rather than holding all until the Q & A.  The moderator handles all questions and the presenter gives the answers.  I got some very good questions and I felt good about my answers.  I conveyed my expertise,  which was the objective.

Toward the end of Q & A,  my phone connection cut off and I had to dial back in,  which was frustrating.  I handled it like a trooper and traded some relaxed banter with the moderator.

So what grade would I give myself? A solid B.  If by some miracle I do this again,  I’ll make myself rehearse more.  Other than that,  I’m happy with my performance.  If only I could get a client out of it!

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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A Profitable Partnership

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Whether you are making a plan to start a business or expand one that exists,  inviting partners to join you may be the best way to achieve business goals.  Ideally,  partners bring some combination of complementary skills,  capital resources and strategic relationships that will make the business grow and prosper faster.

Before initiating a partnership,  evaluate the resources you need to launch your venture.  If you anticipate that start-up or expansion capital may not be available,  then taking on a partner or two may be the only way to take your business from the drawing board to reality.  But if skill sets beyond what you possess are the issue,  you may be better off hiring  a few key employees.  Speak with a business attorney to devise a way to attract key employees for your management team by offering equity in the business,  but not so much that you risk losing control.  Remember to include the option of your being able to buy back shares if you like.

Similar business goals and priorities

Business partners must share a vision of the long-term goals and priorities for the venture.  How big do you want the business to be? How much of your life are you willing to devote to building the business?  Have conversations and brainstorm different scenarios that might happen during the life of the business and how each of you thinks it would make sense to respond.  Partners must be able to agree on a course of action to move the company forward if success is to be realized.  Serious discussions about each partner’s preferred vision of the future will give valuable insight into how to handle challenges and opportunities that might present themselves down the road.  Write a business plan together and as you do,  almost everything will come out in the wash.

Similar approach to customer service

Customer service is an important aspect of the business brand.  Customers must know what to expect when doing business with you.  It will only confuse and frustrate clients if one of you is willing to burn the midnight oil and move heaven and earth to exceed expectations every time and the other is willing to let whatever it is wait until 9:00 AM the next morning.  Whatever approach you take,  devise standardized,  written customer service protocols that all partners can accept and agree to abide by.

Mutually agreeable exit strategy

Is this a one-off project based partnership,  or is everybody in it for the long-term?  Do you envision building the company rapidly and attracting a buy-out offer,  or is this a business you would like to pass to your children? Guided by a business attorney,  discuss the circumstances by which a partner can quit the partnership and how the transition will take place.  Who can buy out a partner? What is the protocol if a partner becomes medically incapacitated and can no longer work in the business? In a divorce,  can you wind up being in business with a business partner’s ex?

Partnership agreement

Your state may not require a written agreement to form a General Partnership,  but you are strongly advised to do so anyway.  A written agreement will clarify the parameters of the partnership.  Specify the share of the business owned by each,  the division of net income (or losses) and the duties and responsibilities of each partner.  Commit to writing everyone’s shared understanding of the partnership business arrangement.

Forming a partnership and going into business with one or more people can be an enjoyable and profitable experience,  but it doesn’t work for everyone.  When partnerships go wrong,  they ruin relationships and bank accounts.  Choose partners wisely,  be realistic and transparent and put everything in writing.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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C x 5 = Success for Your Business

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If one intends to succeed in business,  then it is necessary to manage the business effectively,  because in the long run,  the better-managed businesses  succeed.  Dan Barufaldi,  Freelance management consultant active in metro New York City,   authored the 5 C’s for Success in Business list.  According to Dan,  success in business requires that you attain and leverage these five resources:

Clients

Credibility

Cash flow

Credit

Capital

I.   Clients

But of course a robust client list is necessary if one expects to keep the doors open.  Clients are the life blood of every business and priority is given to acquiring and retaining the  source of revenue.  There are a number of tactics  strategies that business owners can use to find and retain customers,  including:

Advertising and promotion

Advertising in newspapers,  blogs,  newsletters,  trade journals

Email marketing campaigns

Trade show and conference  exhibits

Participation in local charity events

Brand

The focus may not be on a specific product or service,  but branding is marketing/advertising designed to enhance the reputation of the company/ consultant in the marketplace.  It is important to communicate to current and potential customers that the company/consultant is reliable and trustworthy.

Customer service

Create good word of mouth  (still the best form of advertising)  and stimulate referral business by providing excellent customer service and exceeding expectations every time.

Networking

Those whose target clients are B2B will greatly benefit from membership in the local chamber of commerce,  Rotary Club and neighbor hood business association.  Those whose target customers are B2C will be wise to take part in neighborhood charity events and otherwise be visible in the community.  B2G oriented businesses and Freelancers will attend information sessions and certified vendor conferences sponsored by city,  state,  county and federal organizations.

II.  Credibility

Freelance consultants and small business owners must package and present ourselves and our products and services in a professional manner.   We cannot afford to advertise and brand like the major corporations,  so we must be creative in our use of promotional resources.  A good ongoing branding campaign to enhance reputation is essential,  as is excellent customer service.  Promote your brand and build trust with good customer service,  to create good word of mouth that can earn you recommendations and testimonials.  Teaching is a time-honored way to demonstrate one’s expertise.  Speaking on (or moderating)  a panel at a professional development symposium is another excellent way to create visibility among your peers and potential clients.

III. Cash Flow

For Freelance consultants and small business owners,  cash flow can sometimes take precedence over  short-term profitability.  Cash flow glitches will result in unpaid accounts payable,  the inability to take advantage of special offers,  an unmet payroll and/or the inability to cover immediate and urgent expenses.  It’s a smart idea to project cash flow needs over 8 – 12 weeks,  so you’ll know when to invoice clients,  when receivables are expected,  when accounts payable are due and have time have time to cover any gaps that appear.  It may be possible to extend the due date on certain accounts payable,  accelerate the collection of accounts receivable,  adjust expenses or even get a bridge loan  (or a temporary job).

IV. Credit

Available credit supports cash flow management.  An honored request to increase the credit card limit allows one to float expenses when accounts receivable collections are unexpectedly slow,  or allows the business to stock up on inventory when prices are favorable.  Those with good credit ratings pay lower credit card interest rates,  which is also good for cash flow.

V.   Capital

Those looking to grow their business may need to make large expenditures and that will require access to capital.  If significant business growth is part of your organization’s three-year plan,  start now and improve your credit rating by paying off debts,  if that is an issue.  The establishment of a good relationship with a bank,  along with a credit rating and financial management practices that demonstrate good judgment and fiscal responsibility,  will be very helpful when it is time to seek financing.  Make an appointment with the manager of your bank to discuss your plans,  learn how much you are qualified to receive and the payment terms.  Meet a banker as you network at the local business association and get a second opinion.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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A Winning Email Marketing Campaign

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I’ve not done many email marketing campaigns,  mostly because I dislike being on the receiving end of such campaigns,  so I made the decision to basically avoid that method of outreach.  I was remiss,  because there are times when an email marketing campaign fits the bill.  Content marketing,  or the new advertising,  is an excellent way to stay in contact with clients and cultivate prospective clients and that strategy forms the basis of email marketing campaigns.

What I needed to do was learn how to craft an effective email message,  create a catchy subject line,  avoid looking like spam and send the email to the right group of people.  In other words,  I had to learn how to do a proper email marketing campaign.  To that end,   I invite you to copy my homework.

1.   Start with a good list

Everyone on your email list should want to receive your emails.  Include a safe unsubscribe feature to allow those who would rather not receive your emails to opt out.  When collecting names,  ask if the person would like to receive email updates from you.  To track emails sent,  you may want to invest in Did They Read It  http://didtheyreadit.com, which will anonymously report to you the read rate of your emails.  Constant Contact  http://constantcontact.com ,  the email marketing platform,  will send out and track your email marketing messages and your newsletter,  too.  According to the Email Marketing Metrics Benchmark study done by the marketing firm Silverpop in 2012,  the open rate is 20%.  The click-through rate,  or the measurement of how many people clicked on a link that was embedded in your email and most of all the conversion rate,  or how many people signed up for a special offer or did business with you,  reveal the value of your email list.  Still,  the open rate is a very telling measure because nothing happens until the email is opened.

2.   Information, not sales

A few paragraphs that give newsworthy updates about the industry sectors of your principle client groups,  or info that can be used to help list members solve a common problem,  will greatly improve your email open rate.  An email marketing campaign is not the forum in which to swing for the fences and score a big sale or assignment.  Rather,  an email marketing campaign is the place to let your expertise shine and offer no-cost value to current and prospective clients.

3.   Subject line that pops

Be edgy and provocative, be witty,   be amusing,  but don’t be boring.  When your recipient opens emails and is faced with a huge stack,  make him/her want to open yours and see what you have to say.

4.   Interesting photo or video

A picture is worth 10,000 words,  so add a good photo or two to your email,  one that communicates some aspect of your message.  A short video of you speaking to a topic,  or a testimonial by one of your clients,  is also compelling.

5.   Easy call to action

Once you’ve made the case,  remember to ask the recipient to do something with the information that you’ve provided: take a survey,  sign up for a free 30 minute consultation,  sign up for your newsletter.   Resist the temptation to go for the jugular and force a sale in your email marketing campaign.  The more successful strategy is to entice the recipient to make some small contact with you that appears to have more benefit for them than it does for you.  Build trust and familiarity first and you will become the obvious choice when your services are needed.

6.   Optimize for smart phones

It has been reported that nearly half of all emails are now opened up via smart phone.  Figure out how to size and space your email and links to make it easy to read on a smart phone.

Despite numerous pronouncements to the contrary,  email marketing is alive and well,  according to a January 2013 survey conducted by the marketing services provider Experian.  Their survey indicated that correctly conceived email marketing campaigns remain the best way to draw traffic to your website and increase sales revenue.  So copy my homework and get busy creating one for your business.

Thanks for reading,

Kim

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The Freelancers Union

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Front page top half of the Sunday March 24 New York Times business section features a lengthy article on the Freelancers Union,  a Brooklyn,  New York based 501 (c) (3) organization that benefits Freelancers.  The organization was founded in 2001 by Sara Horowitz,  a New York City labor law attorney who 20 years ago was hired into a Manhattan law firm as a contract worker and found aspects of the experience unsettling.  There was a precursor group Horowitz founded in 1995,  Working Today.

The Freelancers Union is not a certified union,  but an association of independent workers,  from screenwriters to management consultants to nannies,  that promotes the interests of Freelancers.  It has no collective bargaining power,  does not negotiate contracts and does not represent members in grievances.  If a client stiffs you on an invoice,  the Freelancers Union will not go to bat and help you collect.  Members pay no dues or membership fee.

Freelancers Union keeps issues of concern to Freelancers alive in the media,  as a strategy to impact government policies that benefit us.  The group advocates for legal reform on worker’s compensation,  unemployment benefits and tax relief  (our taxes are higher, as you know),  areas in which we are vulnerable.   In 2009,  the group successfully persuaded New York City to eliminate the unincorporated business tax levied on Freelancers who earn less than $100,000,  a saving of up to $3,400/year.

An internal Freelancers Union survey found that 58%  of its members earn less than $50, 000/year and 29%  earn less than $25,000/ year.  Bear in mind that most members reside in Metro New York City and pay rates are usually higher there than in other areas of the country.  Also,  some prefer to work part-time and that limits earning potential.

In the March 24 article,  there were questions about the practical value of Freelancers Union beyond the delivery of health insurance.  Gordon Lafer,  professor of labor relations at University of Oregon said,  “The question is,  can they get any leverage to get a fair shake from employers,  to get companies to give a fair share of their profits to Freelancers? They may need to be more creative to do that.”

Still,  Freelancers Union is a fast-growing group that has 207,000+ members and more than 50%  live and work in New York state.  The website states that there are 42 million independent and part-time workers in this country,  workers who are not eligible for benefits of any kind.  In response,  the Freelancers Union’s primary deliverable is providing affordable insurance through its for-profit insurance company: medical,  dental,  disability,  retirement and life insurance policies.  Unfortunately,  not every form of insurance is available in every state.  I cannot at this time obtain medical insurance in my state,  but all other forms offered are available.

Its health insurance company has enrolled 23,000 Freelancers in New York state.  Premiums are $225.00 – $600.00/month.  The Obama administration recently awarded Freelancers Union $340 million in low-interest loans to help the organization establish in New York,  New Jersey and Oregon cooperatives that will provide health insurance to Freelancers and others who need coverage.

For Sara Horowitz,  the goal is to persuade Freelancers to band together and set up social purpose institutions that serve our mutual needs.  “The social unionism of the 1920’s had it right”,  she stated in the March 24 New York Times article.  “They said: we serve workers 360 degrees.  It’s not just about their work.  It’s about their whole life.  We  (Freelancers Union)  view things the same way.”   See  http://freelancersunion.org for more info.

Thanks for reading,

Kim