Grow Your Business with a Newsletter!

Are you a Small Business Owner or Independent Contractor who is looking for a no cost or low cost way to stay in touch with clients and customers?

 Are you seeking a way to show your clients or customers that you are the expert in your niche?

 Do you want to remind your clients that you are still in business?

 Join me on August 17, 2009 at 8pm EST.

I will teach you how to grow your business with a newsletter.

I will teach you 7 key items you need to know:                 

1. Why you need to publish a newsletter
2. What to put in your newsletter
3. Where to get content for your newsletter
4. How often to publish your newsletter
5. Who should receive your newsletter
6. How to make money with a newsletter
7. How to publish your newsletter for free or very low cost

When you know the answers to these 7 questions, you will be ready to launch a successful newsletter campaign and grow your business so you are seen as the expert and make more money.

Cost:  $27.00 for non-Dynamic Coaching Club Members

           Free for Dynamic Business Owners Coaching Club Members

Location:  This is a Virtual Event. You will be able participate either using your telephone or your computer. You receive the call in details when you register. Seating is limited.

The call will be recorded and you will receive an e-Course with your registration. Therefore, do not worry about not being able to attend the call live. As always, you are encouraged to email me after the class with any questions that might come up as you design your newsletter. I will not abandon you after the class.

You can register at http://www.dreamcatcher.camp8.org/Default.aspx?pageId=288911&eventId=75887&EventViewMode=2&CalendarViewType=1&SelectedDate=8/30/2009

 I look forward to helping you grow your business!

Oprah spends money on advertising/marketing: Do you?

Oprah advertises on television. She makes sure that viewers know what channel to watch her show.  Are you letting your customers and clients know how to get in touch with you?

 Advertising/marketing must be done regardless of your budget. Below are my tips for advertising/marketing your business.

 Free

Article writing

Blogging

Social Networking

Word of mouth advertising

Speaking Engagements, (you may be paid as a speaker and actually make money)

Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce Member to Member Flyers

Internet Radio interviews

Host your own radio show

Free Business Listings on various websites

New Jacksonville-Onslow County Chamber of Commerce members get a free 8-minute interview on The Talk Station or five free advertising spots.

Host a free teleseminar

Start a newsletter using a 60-day free trial and use Merchant Circle newsletter option

 Small Fee – under $100

Networking Events

Classified Ads

Advertising space in Association or Group newsletters

DIY Brochures

DIY Business cards

DIY Rack cards

(DIY projects can end up costing more money than you anticipate due to errors you make or time you are not working with clients while you are busy designing your items)

Promotional materials such as pens, pencils, postcards, magnets, coffee mugs etc.

Guerilla Marketing

Print flyers and hand them out

Newsletter

Pay for someone to write your articles

Pay for someone to manage your social networking

 Medium Fee – $101 – $500

Newspaper advertising

The Talk Station radio advertising

Brochures designed by a professional

Business cards designed by a professional

Rack cards designed by a professional

Window graphics

Movie theatre advertising dependent upon location

Promotional materials such as pens, pencils, postcards, magnets, coffee mugs etc.

Expo fees

Coffee News

Membership fee to join various Associations

Networking registration or meal fees

Money Mailer

Banner Advertising

Pay Per Click Advertising

 High Fee – $500 or higher

Advertising in National Magazines

Car wrap

Professional Website design

Movie theatre advertising dependent upon location

Expo fees

Television advertising

Billboard

Banner Advertising

Pay Per Click Advertising

Direct mail

Telemarketing

Radio Advertising

 As you can see, there are many free or low cost ways to market or advertise your business. The lists above are just a few suggestions. Do you have a marketing plan? I want you to take out a calendar and design a 90-day plan. Write down what or how you are going to do to advertise/market your business.

 I also want you to take a hard look at your finances. Be honest and realistic. How are you going to spend your money? Design a plan incorporating the suggestions above based upon your budget. Do not be embarrassed if your 90-day calendar is filled with free or low cost ways to advertise or market your business. Only you know your budget. It is better to do something than to do nothing.

 Remember, it is your responsibility to let customers and clients know you are still in business. It is not their job to track you down to see if you are still in business.

You and Your Business: Do You Have a Mission Statement?

Why are you in business? What problems do you solve for the consumer? Do you have ethical standards? Where is your moral compass pointing? When was the last time you reviewed your Mission Statement? Do you even have a Mission Statement?

A Mission Statement is not just for business owners. Families can have a Mission Statement too. A Mission Statement is a clear concise statement that expresses your purpose in a way that resonates with employees and customers.

There are three main parts to a Mission Statement:

 1. Purpose of the business, organization or family – what need or opportunity does the business address.

 2.  How does your business address the needs – what do you do to take away the customers pain point.

 3.  Organizational values – what principles or beliefs guide your work.

Your Mission Statement should be reviewed at least every five years. The reason you want a Mission Statement is so that potential customers know what you do and how you do it and the direction your moral compass is pointing. People do business with those they know, like, and trust. You will also want to review your mission statement when expanding your product line or expanding your business to see if you are staying true to your Mission. Your employees need to know your Mission Statement so they know what the purpose of the business is so they can focus on fulfilling the Mission.

 When you are writing your Mission Statement, you will want to:

1. Express your purpose in a way that inspires loyalty.

2. Motivate those affiliated with your business.

3. Articulate your mission in a way that is clear and easy to understand.

4. Use proactive verbs.

5. Skip industry jargon.

6. Keep it brief.

As we celebrate Independence Day, I challenge each of you to sit down at your family gathering and write a Family Mission Statement. Lead a family discussion on what is important to your family and how you would like future generations to remember your family. Do you want to be remembered as the family that argued all the time or the family that did volunteer work and contributed to society? Older children can write the statement after soliciting ideas from all generations of family members and the smaller children can draw pictures depicting your family’s Mission Statement. Get creative, have fun, and let your family know where the family moral compass is pointing.

 If you are a business owner, I challenge you to dust off your mission statement and review it. Has your mission changed? Do your marketing materials reflect your mission? Do your products and services align with your Mission Statement? When I see your logo or brand, will I know what your mission is? If you do not have a mission statement NOW is the time to write one. 

 

If you would like to learn more about growing your business I invite you to join my Dynamic Business Owners Coaching Club. I coach business owners who want to make more money on the systems and strategies needed.

Time to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Coach Jaynine

Do you know what your comfort zone is? Do you recognize the physiological and psychological symptoms of when you are pushed by events or people to get out of your comfort zone? Your comfort zone is often the place where you are able to operate on automatic pilot and produce stellar results. So why would want to get out of your comfort zone? The list is endless. Maybe you want to pursue a new dream or goal. Maybe you want to grow personally or professionally. Maybe you are bored and really do not like being in your comfort zone. We all have stayed employed at jobs where we did not like the people or the work yet we stayed because it was comfortable. We made up excuses on why we could not job hunt or do something different.

Today is the day to take action to get out of your comfort zone. I want you to implement my five tips below so you can turn your dreams into reality.

1. Dare to dream. Find a quiet spot and take time to reminisce on things you wanted to accomplish in this lifetime. How many do you still want to accomplish? Write them in a journal or on a piece of paper.

2. MAP. Start designing your master action plan on how you will accomplish each goal or dream. It is ok to take baby steps. Assign goal completion dates beside each task so you know the date you want to have each goal completed.

3. Reward. How are you going to reward yourself for completing each goal? You may have small rewards for baby steps and larger rewards for the bigger goals.

4. Tell the World. Announce to your friends and family your new goals. Solicit their help in pushing you out of your comfort zone and completing your goals.

5. Examine Your Environment. You will need to take time to examine your environment so you can pinpoint people, places, and things that are sabotaging your efforts to move forward and escape your comfort zone. You will need to recognize people that are jealous that you are moving forward and you will want to recognize places and things that keep you from moving forward i.e. fear, time, lack of knowledge, etc. Do not let people, places, and things keep you from turning your dreams into reality.

As long as you are in your comfort zone, you are not growing personally or professionally. I want you to embrace the butterflies in your tummy feeling. I want you acknowledge that sweaty palms are a sign of growth. Now is the time to take a deep breath, enter a room full of strangers at a networking event, and say hello first. When you implement my five tips above you will be able to propel yourself to take action and get yourself out of your comfort zone. I challenge you to get out of your comfort zone and start turning your dreams into reality.

 

Coach Jaynine turns Dreams into Reality. She teaches business owners how to develop their presence in the community by having the necessary systems in place so they are seen as the EXPERT. Jaynine has over 20 years experience as a United States Marine, psychotherapist, and business owner. If you are ready to be the expert, increase your revenue and take your business to the next level contact Jaynine today at www.coachjaynine.com or 910-539-2810. You can sign up for a free membership at www.coachjaynine.com

Local Business Owner Reaches Out In “Effective Communication Month”

news release

for immediate release            

 Local Business Owner Reaches Out In “Effective Communication Month”

  Jacksonville, NC –May 11, 2009- We can all think of times when a misunderstanding has caused big problems. We spend our entire lives communicating but we’re normally too busy getting our message out there to worry about whether it has been effective. That is why during “Effective Communication Month” a local business owner is making sure every action or word, spoken or written is communicated to the right people in the right way and is urging other businesses to do the same.

 From May 1^st to the 31^st  JAYNINE HOWARD will be the taking the time to communicate effectively with her friends and family as well as her clients and business partners.

 Howard, who owns and runs Dream Catcher in Jacksonville, points to recent data that shows as more consumers tighten their budgets, it’s quality customer service is what keeps a business viable and strong and says “Effective Communication Month” as a catalyst for review. “With such strong competition in such difficult times it’s vital that we make ourselves heard. A company that is considered more of a partner with their prospects, rather than a vendor, ends up becoming an asset to customers,” she says.

 “Communicating the wrong thing, communicating with the wrong person, communicating in the wrong way or simply explaining things badly can be fatal for a small business. If you don’t already have a plan or strategy for your communications I would strongly encourage you to use this month to create one, try a few things out and put your plan into practice,” Howard says.  “Ask yourself how your current and prospective clients respond to your communications, how you would like them to respond, and what you need to do for them to respond in that way?”

 Founded in 2006, Dream Catcher helps business owners to develop their presence by using the free of Web 2.0.

 So what is Howard doing to improve the effectiveness of her communication? She will be hosting a Lunch and Learn free seminar called Crash Course in Social Networking:  How to Get Your Business Noticed at the CCCC Melton Skills Center, Room 110 from 12-1:30pm EST.  “The main thing is to build relationships and make yourself understood….and most of all to have fun with it” says Howard.

 

 

###

 

 

contact: Jaynine Howard

910-539-2810

Jaynine@coachjaynine.com

 

10 Tips for Developing Your Presence in the Workplace

Have you ever worked for a company and the upper management changed and no one seemed to recognize or care what your education level or job skills were? This has happened to all of us.  It can be very frustrating and a blow to your self esteem. We all know to request an interview to speak with our new supervisor. But sometimes they don’t want to learn about whom we are or what we have done in the past. They just want to talk about themselves and their vision for the company. Using my ten tips you will be able to develop your presence in the workplace through your written and oral communication.

 

1.  Prepare business cards with your name followed by your degree i.e. B.S., B.A, M.S., M.A., M. E., Ph.D. etc… Remember to use a professional font and color.

2.  Write interoffice memos on your personalized note pads, stationary, or sticky notes that include your name, degree, and job title.

3. Sign documents using your conferred degree when appropriate; example, Jerri J. Ray, M.S.

4. Write articles for your office newsletter. If you do not have an office newsletter start one and include a short biography so everyone learns about you.

5. Use your elevator speech, or short biography about you, on the bottom of your emails below your signature block.

6. Provide your supervisor a weekly memo of what you accomplished during the week, outstanding projects, and what you are planning to accomplish for the upcoming week. Do not wait until it is time for your annual review to try and sell yourself. Keep a weekly list of what you have done to improve your job performance for the benefit of the company.

7. Stay abreast of current trends in your area of expertise. Forward journal articles or news paper articles of interest to your supervisor and use a personalized sticky note when writing a short note to state why you found the article of interest.

8. Contribute to staff meetings by always having an article or item of interest to share or by giving a presentation.

9. Attend workshops and then give a presentation to your co-workers on what you learned.

10. Smile, maintain eye contact, and use your manners.

 

These ten tips will get you noticed in a very subtle, professional manner and remembered; so that, when there is a new job opening, you will be considered for advancement.

 

Now is the time to invest in you. Go order your personalized stationary, memo pads, sticky notes, and business cards. Employing the ten tips above will guarantee you will no longer be lumped in a category of being just another invisible worker bee. You will be recognized as the professional you are.

 

Yours truly…turning dreams into reality,

Jaynine

 

Coach Jaynine turns Dreams Into Reality. She facilitates personal improvement through the use of assessments, self empowerment, and client specific action steps via the telephone and internet. Experience what life coaching can do for you by downloading her FREE Productivity Tracker at https//www.dreamcatcher-lifecoaching.com

 

Developing Your Presence with Your Business Card

Developing Your Presence with Your Business Card

1.       Make sure the print is large enough for others to read

2.       Never run out of business cards

3.       Invest in high quality paper and printing – no home computer junk

4.       Do not write on the other persons business card in front of that person – do so afterwards

5.       If in a foreign country have one side printed in the host countries language and present it facing up.

6.       Know the culture you are networking – In Asian cultures, use two hands to give and receive cards, and place your counterpart’s card on the tabletop when during the business meeting. In Japan the exchange of business cards is a very formal and respectful process, taking a great deal of time (no deck dealing flinging going on)

7.       Carry your cards in a nice case…not a stack with a rubber band around them.

8.       Place cards on community bulletin boards

9.       Include business cards in your bill paying and business correspondence

10.   Give people a reason to keep your card – print something unique on it..i.e. coupon, calendar, list of services etc

11.   As a business owner have cards printed for all employees. It will make them feel appreciated and they are part of your network so use them to network for you

12.   Keep the information on the cards up to date