Vive!


Work With the Ideal Partner to Achieve Your Marketing Goals

April 11, 2010

I set a goal for myself this past year… to be as fit as I can be by losing 40 pounds. It’s been a slow process but it’s working… Dedication and hard work are paying off.

In addition to proper diet, walking has been a definite asset in my weight loss efforts. I routinely walk approximately 40 to 50 thousand steps each week and as a result reached my goal after 10 ½ months!

One of my biggest aids (or “aides” if you prefer) to stay on target has been my work-out partner. Without her, I probably never would have accomplished my goals. Although she’s almost a foot shorter than me and many pounds lighter (I’m not telling how many), this little certified physical fitness powerhouse has been brutal. She pushes me to continue my trekking, power walking me through woods, around streets and up hills to the point I thought I would drop. She’s made me do push-ups, sit-ups, arm curls, ball exercises and on and on. She is indeed keeping me on track, helping me reach my planned objectives. That is what a partner does!

Much like an exercise work-out partner, a marketing partner can help you achieve both short-term and long-term goals. An ideal marketing partner has the talent and experience to help make your business reach your goals!
That partner is Terra Verde. Terra Verde is not burdened with salaries, rent, equipment costs, or virtually any overhead with which its competition is faced. It is comprised of marketing and advertising specialists, some of whom operate their own successful freelance businesses, or work as employees for area companies. You reap the benefit of a specialized team which is available when you need them… whether it’s for one project only or an ongoing relationship managing all of your marketing efforts.

Terre Verde is the partner you need to help you set your marketing goals and achieve them, too. Just like my brutal work-out partner, Terra Verde will be relentless… totally dedicated to your success. Contact angela@terraverdemarketing.com today to find out how Terre Verde can help your business.

- Rhonda

Promoting Your Business Online

March 21, 2010

In this changing digital world, marketers need to take a serious look at online avenues to promote their businesses so they can reach both present and potential customers. Here are some outstanding techniques available to market your products and services online:

  1. SEO – First and foremost, make sure you are involved in a continuous search engine optimization program.
  2. Social media – Be active in social media such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. These social media tools will help you connect to fans, friends and followers and will help you build your brand.
  3. Blog – Start a blog and create interesting ongoing content to attract your audience and establish yourself as a thought leader. To make the task less daunting, involve a small team.
  4. Article marketing – Add article marketing to your online marketing arsenal. Submit articles related to your company and its products and services to article banks, directories, etc. The articles are an excellent way to attract an audience and incorporated links will help drive traffic back to your website.
  5. Video sharing and podcasts – Participate in video sharing and creating podcasts. Sharing videos and podcasts can increase viral marketing, helping your product or service receive the widespread attention it truly deserves.
  6. Forums – Start forums to engage your audience and to establish yourself as an authority. Offer your help when needed and but don’t try to push your own agenda unless asked.

These are just a few ways to promote your business online. For more detailed suggestions and assistance in promoting your company, please contact Angela Brown at angela@terreverdemarketing.com.

- Rhonda

Why You Should Write a Business Plan

January 31, 2010

How to Write Your Dreams into Reality

Do the words “business plan” and “annual report” make you yawn? (Or worse…)

If you’re like me, you would rather design the look-and-feel of your business, including your brand, retail space, products, and packaging, than build the nuts and bolts.

You are not alone.

I think about what my business will be some day: a large, well lit, fun place to work. Comfortable chairs, the best coffee, a place that oozes with creativity, innovation, and well paying clients. (You may think I am crazy, but I have even thought about how I want my business to smell. I am all about atmosphere!)

However, if the nuts and bolts (i.e. the Business Plan) are never put into place, my dream will always remain a figment of my imagination. There is a Chinese Proverb that says, “Vision without action is a daydream; action without vision is a nightmare.”

It’s so true! So how do you dream (and dream big) without becoming unrealistic? How do you realize these dreams into reality? Jumping from “idea” to “Fortune 500″ doesn’t happen without a plan.

So, the answer is, you have to write. (Was it Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who said, “Look, then, into thine heart, and write”?)

My first marketing coach, Traci, first assigned a pre-business plan journaling exercise which we called my Kaleidoscope Plan. (We called it this because it was colorful and vivid, but still could change and adapt with my business.) She encouraged me to initially not worry about the formality that a business plan is supposed to have, but to get my whole vision on paper. After I sent her my stream of consciousness, we extracted all of the elements out of it and wrote a formal business plan based on my vision. The Kaleidoscope wasn’t supposed to be a formal plan that I could use to pitch to investors, but it did serve as a launching pad that my business plan could grow out of.

Brainstorm writing is one of the best ways to write your Kaleidoscope. Keep your fingers moving as you write or type for 5 or 10 minutes without stopping for grammar and spelling. The point is to get your passion into print. You can always make corrections later.

Now you have the main ideas that must be incorporated into your business plan in order for you to realize your vision. Break your Kaleidoscope Plan into chunks arranged by topic. Now draft a more formal, executable explanation of how you are going to do all these things in sub paragraphs.

Louisa May Alcott once said, “Far away in the sunshine are my highest aspirations. I may not reach them, but I can look up and see their beauty, believe in them and try to follow where they lead.” Small Businesses are completely achievable for you as long as it reflects your passion and vision. Your dreams are not too big for you. Some may take longer to reach, but in the end, you will get there. Realize your vision and break it into achievable chunks.

Sooner or later, you may be a Fortune 500.

How to Keep Momentum in Your Business

January 23, 2010

It’s true that everything that goes up, must come down. Businesses are no exception. Every entrepreneur I know experiences a challenge in keeping their momentum rolling all the time. There’s nothing quite like that burst of adrenaline when you’re racing towards a visible goal. But the pendulum swings between the highs and the lows.

You can call that adrenaline rush of business activity your Jump Jive, the Motion of the Ocean, or whatever you want to call it. I prefer the term “in the zone.”

When your business pendulum swings between your regular big deposits and your oh-so-predictable slow months, how do you keep the momentum going? How do you remain engaged, enthusiastic, and excited about your business when that giant pendulum comes crashing down? How do you remain “in the zone” so much that your customers and prospects haven’t the slightest inkling of what may be happening behind the scenes?

But never fear! When the pendulum swings, take a look at these famous people who had their own set of tricks:

One of my favorite children’s authors, Marguerite Henry, stated that when she didn’t feel like writing, when her books weren’t selling, and when she had writers block, she would read her favorite, mindless, easy read. It put her mind at ease and brought her back “in the zone.”

Renowned Grammy-award winning songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman would take a break regularly and garden. “My best ideas come when my mind is relaxed,” he says.

Tasha Tudor would sketch until something came to her. Hillary Clinton watches Grey’s Anatomy before gearing up for the next debate. Olivia deHavilland has a short transition moment before entering the silver screen.

Although these are good ideas, you have to customize your techniques so that you can recharge and return fully “in the zone.” I prefer to engage new clients, make strategic alliances, and qualify new leads. By actively telling others about my business, keeping busy with work, the dreaded lull won’t last long.

My favorite momentum-building activities include establishing a relationship with someone from your local newspaper. You will be astounded at the response that comes from a little publicity. Take a reporter out to lunch. Form an alliance with another business. A wedding photographer and a dj, who are in the same industry but are not competing, can double their prospective client base by offering a discount to the other’s clients. Think of creative ways to invite customers back for second helpings of your service offerings and actually do it.

Live like the next big win is going to happen tomorrow, but work as if it isn’t going to happen until next year. If you stay in motion, then eventually the big break will find you.

Use the lull to rev up for the next big contract. That is the difference between surviving and thriving. If you spend the down time preparing for the next victory, you truly will live “in the zone.”

Consistency in Marketing Is Vital

December 12, 2009

I love television shows that illustrate consistency in actions to reach desired results. One such program is “The Dog Whisperer.” Even though I don’t have my own dog but want one, I routinely record the show to see how the Dog Whisperer’s advice impacts dog owners and their pets. Cesar stresses the importance of consistency in walking dogs, in correcting them, and in being “the pack leader.” Consistency helps dog owners to reach the results they want… well behaved pets.

I also enjoy watching episodes of “Super Nanny.” The most recent show I saw involved a 2-year-old named Rylan. Little Rylan was driving his Mom crazy, crying his eyes out every night when he went to bed for over two hours. Super Nanny instituted a routine for the family that included consistent discipline, consistent family time and consistent bedtime practices. The results? A wonderful family!

Expertise + Consistency = Spectacular Results

Consistency is also vital when implementing marketing best practices. The average person is said to view approximately 3,000 ads per day. That fact makes it imperative to send the same message out to your audience members over and over again so that it sinks into their minds.

Whether you are marketing to a broad range of markets or to one specific industry, those interested in your product will see your message if you are consistent. With consistency, you will generate the results you want… an informed audience and a greater number of sales leads for your products and services.

Keyword Consistency

Consistency is also essential for search engine optimization. By consistently using keywords in your website, in articles, blogs and other online media efforts, you will produce the results you want… higher rankings in search engines and a greater potential of sales leads for your products and services.

A Best Practice

As you can see, with consistency you will get the outstanding results you want. It is a practice you need to faithfully employ. After all, the Dog Whisperer and Super Nanny would definitely approve.

- Rhonda

Angie’s bookshelf

November 3, 2009

If you are looking to start or grow a business, these resources are essential for making sure that your “i’s” are dotted and your “t’s” crossed!

1) A Girl’s Guide to Starting Your Own Business by Kimberly Yorio

This was the first book that I read when considering starting a business. By the time I turned the last page, I thought, “This seems very doable!” Kim has a way of breaking down the intimidating side of business ownership into bite-sized chunks. 5 Stars!

2) Six-Week Startup by Rhonda Abrams

Ms. Abrams wasn’t kidding about the six-week part. By the time you finish working through this book, your business will be ready to start selling!

3) The Best Networker in the Wold by John Milton Fogg

4) Guerrilla Marketing by Jay Conrad Levinson

Marketing has never seemed more innovative, fun, and productive than while implementing the strategies in this book.

5) The Free Agent Formula by Lisa Johnson

6) Purple Cow by Seth Godin

7) Tribes by Seth Godin

8) How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

9) Craft, Inc. by Meg Mateo Ilasco

10) The E-Myth by Michael Gerber

Killer Brand of the week: Starbucks

October 30, 2009

Sometimes people ask me, “why shouldn’t I market to everybody”?
Because “everybody” is not specific enough. When you market to “everybody,” you have to be general enough that “everybody” can relate to all of your marketing strategies. Unless you are a plumber or a mechanic, “everybody” isn’t going to respond to your ads. “Everybody” won’t be able to use your product. (And even with plumbers and mechanics, “everybody” doesn’t own buildings and cars.)
Contrary to popular belief, the more specifically you define your target audience, the more effective your advertising becomes. If your business is a doggy day care, you want to build your brand around common elements that dog owners have. If your business is selling preschool and kindergarten toys, you want to build your brand around elements that moms and preschool teachers have in common. (After all, they will be the ones ultimately purchasing the items.)
Did you know that in the early days of Starbucks, mostly the young, academic, literary crowd hung out at Starbucks to study? Study sessions and book clubs filled the first Starbucks outlet to the max. And in many ways, Starbucks is still thought of that way. You can hardly visit a Starbucks without seeing someone with a laptop and a textbook.
And this was no fluke. Starbucks wanted to be thought of as the trendy urban outlet for students. Actually, they designed their brand around something familiar to literary people: the starbuck sailor from Moby Dick who would jump out of the boat when he heard the songs of the mermaids.
Today, people who are not literary frequent Starbucks because of the ripple effect, and most people think “coffee” when they hear “starbuck” rather than “classic novel.”
Today, more than just academics and literary people visit Starbucks.
Today, “everybody,” including those who do not like coffee based on the new chocolate and smoothie menu, visits Starbucks.
But ages ago, they didn’t start with “everybody.”
They targeted their audience and ultimately redefined an obscure word. Brilliant.
-Angie

Multiple Public Relations and Marketing Tactics Are Needed

October 25, 2009

I thought I would share some interesting statistics with you about the changing world of public relations and marketing. A survey in the October issue of the Public Relations Society of America’s Public Relations Tactics shared information from the 2009 Digital Readiness Report. The survey questioned those responsible for hiring PR and marketing employees, asking them if knowledge of the following is or was important or very important. The results showed a variety of a variety of important criteria influenced these professionals, including:

  • Mainstream media relations – 82%
  • Social networking – 81%
  • Blogging, podcasting or RSS – 77%
  • Microblogging – 72%
  • Search engine optimization – 62%
  • E-mail outreach/marketing – 56%
  • Web content management – 52%

Marketers should take this information to heart. These PR and marketing factors aren’t to be dismissed lightly. They are vital to not only selecting good employees but also to planning and carrying out good promotional PR and marketing efforts.

PR and marketing campaigns should not be comprised of singular tactics in today’s interactive world. They should be planned with multiple tactics. Various tools and approaches will benefit your company, increasing audience interest in your products and services. 

- Rhonda

Killer brand of the week: Anthropologie

October 19, 2009

One of my favorite stores of all time is Anthropologie. Their products are a smashing blend of all things old school, retro, and vintage with a modern bent. It’s not entirely made up of either one, but you don’t see an excessive number of lace doilies or chrome and steel. There is a perfect blend of the two. In fact, www.anthropologie.com is just like me. Part of me thinks that I was accidentally placed in the wrong century, and the other part is glad that I live in a time when women can own businesses and vote. A store like Anthropologie is perfect for a girl like me.

A few weeks ago, I traveled 1 1/2 hours north to Columbus, Ohio, for a business meeting. On the east side of the city (exit 33 on I-270, to be exact) is a lovely upscale shopping mall called Easton Towne Center. I highly recommend checking it out if you are ever in Columbus. After my meeting, I drove to Easton for lunch because it is painful for me to be in the area and not stop. I had been a raving fan of Anthropologie for a while via their website and catalog, but I had never been to the store.

I quickly found it on the ginormous map of Easton and started walking. As I eventually approached the strip that the map had indicated, I saw the signature bower of greenery spilling out and around the big glass doors. Having never been to the store, and being too far away to read the sign, I immediately recognized it in all its Anthropologie glory. I spent quite a long time in Anthropologie, and it did not disappoint me!

So here is the marketing challenge for my small business readers: if your long-distance, virtual clients and fans saw your business from a distance without being able to see your sign, would they be able to recognize you? Your brand should be so strong that they can smell you from a mile away. Whether it’s a bower of greenery or something else, your brand should be so unmistakably you that people don’t have to look twice.

-Angie

Businesses that Promote Themselves

The old marketing addendum says that people have to come into contact with your business four to six times before they will commit to buying anything.

The only trouble with that statement: people have to not only see your business four to six times, but recognize it four to six times. Changing one word in that sentence makes all the difference in the world to a company that doesn’t have a solid brand. If your brand and your vision is adequately represented visually (think the Target bullseye or the Nike swoosh), it will make impressions in the minds of people who initially see it one time, for one second. And they will remember it.

Here’s a few marketing hints for establishing that killer memorable brand:

1) Your logo should be no more than two colors, preferably one light and one dark color. (Example: Starbucks) All logos get abused during their life cycle by being photocopied, e-mailed, faxed, scanned, embroidered, screen printed, bumper-stickered, and who knows what else. Your high-contrast logo should be built to survive this abuse.

2) If the name of your business is not a household word or a noun, the name of your business should be in the logo. (Example: Coca-Cola, who has now made themselves a household word!)

3) Choose no more than 3 fonts and 3 dominant colors. Too many fonts and colors will prevent your business from standing out among the busy commotion that will inevitably surround it.

4) KISS: Keep It Simple Stupid

5) Pick a tag line that describes your business that is no more than four words long. Believe it or not, I had an employer who asked me to write a four-line tag line. It was more like a tag paragraph. It wouldn’t fit on a bumper sticker and people would have had to brake in order to read it on a billboard. The rationale was, “there is so much information I want my prospective customers to understand! Why should I condense it?” My answer to that is, if you give your prospects too much information, you have lost them. Not only will they not have a chance to read all of it, but by the time they see the lengthy paragraph being passed off as a tag line, they won’t want to read it. Their attention span is spent.

6) A graphic designer is worth their weight in gold. People think in pictures, graphics, and colors. People will remember a picture long after they have forgotten the words. A good graphics person can carry your business to the next level.

If your business has a strong, unique brand, it will promote itself. Every time a person sees a strong brand, it fits into their schema and it they can easily recall it when they see it again. In the business of branding, memorable translates into customers, and customers translate into a growing, thriving business.

-Angie