Writing Your First Book Seminar

It's been said that everyone has at least one book inside them waiting to be written, what's yours about? I will present a book seminar on Saturday morning October 15, 2011 called WRITE-PUBLISH-PROMOTE at my office from 9AM to 11AM (Colorado Cards, 5585 Erindale Dr #203, Colo Spgs, CO). I have 6 published business books and 1 more in process. You'll learn how to come up with a catchy title, layout chapter outlines, plan for the correct number of pages and words, write the first draft, edit, add stories, search for a publisher and agent, submission guidelines and accept rejection. Find out the difference between a mainstream publisher, print on demand, self-publishing, e-books and which one is best for you. Then promoting your book after it's published using many different ways is just as important. Over 350 people have attended in the past and some are already published.

Attendance is limited to the first 14 adults at $25.00 per person. Cash or check at the seminar or credit card when you reserve a seat. Nothing else will be sold at the seminar. The space is limited and past seminars have been selling out so please call 719-268-1322 or email: idealetter@aol.com to reserve a seat.

Barry Thomsen
Speaker, Author, Entrepreneur
719-268-1322
idealetter@aol.com
Twitter: BTauthor
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Know Your Audience !

Next Wednesday October 5, 2011 I will be giving a 15-18 minute presentation at our local Toastmasters meeting which starts at 6:15 PM at the firehouse just East of Dublin & Academy Blvd in Colorado Springs. The presentation is "Know Your Audience" and will help you speak to groups of 2, 10, or 500 in your business or at events. I will try to make it entertaining as well as informative. There is no cost for guests (We Love Guests) and you will get to see what Toastmasters is all about, mark your calendar to be there, no reservation needed.

Promote until it Hurts !

Part of being a successful businessperson is the ability to believe in and promote your business and ideas. Some of us are better at it than others but that doesn't really matter. What does matter is that your are always looking for ways to bring your business/company into all your potential buyers minds. Even when business is good you must keep marketing and promoting because as history has taught us, there will always be slow times ahead. Peaks and valleys are just a normal part of business.

Once you get into the regular mode of promoting your company it actually becomes sort of fun. You get to see what works in the marketplace and what doesn't, it's a learning experience. What may be successful for a competitor may not work as well for you but allows you to come up with an even better idea. As long as you feel that your business has benefits for those who buy, keep promoting and watch the sales and profits grow. People won't know about you if you don't get out there and tell them. Oh, don't forget the smile while you're doing it.

Your First Employees

The key to success in having employees at any time on your staff is selecting the correct ones from the many who will apply. Ads in your local newspaper, on-line help wanted, craigslist or posting on college and church bulletin boards will draw in many applicants to choose from. Most of these people will not be good for your company. You will only find the best ones by interviewing and taking the time to really evaluate them.

Rushing through interviewing will only cause problems later and result in high turnover rates. A personal referral of an applicant is usually the best but they aren't always available. Interviewing is a seriuos business for both you and the applicant. It must be treated that way if you want the type of employees that will help you build your business. Whether you are hiring full-yime or part-time people, they are all important and should be selected with care.

More on first employees in chapter 12 of my new book "The Smart Guide to Starting a Business" available on Amazon in Oct 2011.

Free Displays and Signs

Where can you get free displays, signs, samples and other items to promote your business? From your suppliers, of course. They want to help you sell as many of their products as possible, so they will help you any way they can. If your supplier is a middleman or distributor, go past them to the manufacturer. They usually have displays to use where you can feature or demonstrate products. You can also use them for trade shows and expos.

If it's an expensive structure, you can ask to borrow it for a week or a month to use in your store or office. The manufacturer or supplier has trucks delivering products all the time, so they can probably drop it off and pick it up later. They may not volunteer the use of displays and signs so you will have to ask them. In most cases you will get a positive response and it will help make more sales.

For a free sample of our monthly business ideas newsletter, just request one at www.idealetter.com

Price and Value

Incorrect pricing in a crowded market can send your customer flocking to a competitor's doors. This doesn't necessarily mean not being low enough, it means being the right price for the right value. People expect to pay for what they get and if the price is too high or too low, they start to wonder what's wrong.

But competitors won't always dictate your pricing guidelines if you provide and prove reasons for higher value. Higher perceived value can justify higher prices if the customer really "wants" the higher value and recognizes it. If they don't care about a greater value or don't really believe it's there, they may balk at a higher price. You must prove to them that it's worth more, not just tell them. It's what benefits them that counts, not just the product features. The perceived customer value will come before the price they will pay.

From chapter 14 of my new book "The Smart Guide to Starting a Business" available on Amazon and elsewhere in October 2011

12 Commandments of Business Marketing

*Thou shall know thy target customer well
*Thou shall provide excellent purchase follow-up
*Thou shall know what thy competitors are doing
*Thou shall pursue free publicity often
*Thou shall deliver more than thou promises
*Thou shall use a website, email and social media
*Thou shall reward customer loyalty
*Thou shall use direct mail and advertising religiously
*Thou shall test, test, test all marketing
*Thou shall look for new products and new markets
*Thou shall always ask for referrals
*Thou shall provide OUTSTANDING customer service

By Barry thomsen from my book, "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner" www.idealetter.com

Pursuing New Customers & Clients

Finding new customers is a pressing need for any business but especially so for a new business. Think of all the sources to find new clients and use all the tools available to go after them. Some will like your product or service better than a competitor but you need to make sure they know about you. You may create new buyers for your product or service or lure them away from competitors.

Some customers will only be casual shoppers and others will become loyal regulars. You need both to survive and keep your cash flowing. Even the largest businesses lose customers who move, change jobs, change interests and so on. The need to replace them is always there and doing so will make your business grow and survive.

Free longer articles that you can reprint at www.idealetter.com.

Customer Service Case Study: How Many Hours?

The sign on the building said One-Hour Cleaners and I needed a pair of wrinkled slacks cleaned & pressed to wear to a dinner that evening. It was only 1 PM and I went in the cleaners and asked if I could pick up the slacks at about 4 PM (3 hours not 1). I was told I could not get them back until tomorrow which was too late for me to wear that evening. When I mentioned the one-hour sign I was told that it was only the store name and not how they do things. The person was actually a little rude because she had probably heard it before.

I took the slacks to another cleaners and got them back in time for the dinner. I have since given that second cleaners thousands of dollars in business that the first one didn't even consider. Don't try to deceive your customer or make them do what you want them to do. Try to be as flexible as you can and build long term relationships which pay off in repeat business and referrals.

More on customer service in my book "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner"

Check Your Neighbors First

Years ago I had a slaes office in a building that was next to a motivational type company. Every Tuesday and Friday they had a rally meeting with 10 to 20 people yelling and cheering loudly. When we tried to complain we were told that was how they did their business and they weren't going to change. Since we had a smaller space and paid less rent, the building management did very little for us. So we had to stay off the phones during their 90 minutes of loud meetings and promptly moved out when our lease was up.

I learned quickly to observe the space before you sign the lease and talk to some of the other neighbors also. What looks like a nice quiet space may have noisy times that you want to know about in advance. If there is any type of government offices in the building that you are considering, take notice of the amount of people going in and out of there. You don't want a long line blocking the hallway, at the bathroom are worse yet your entrance. Check before you lease and avoid the problems that you might have later.
More on page 195 in my book "The Jelly Bean Principle", signed copies available by calling 719-268-1322 or idealetter@aol.com

Don't Ignore Economic Slowdowns

I'm not an economist but I've been through four or five of these economic slowdowns in my business career. I can tell you firsthand that none of them has been fun and a couple presented serious challenges. What you have to realize is that these slowdowns (recession or not) are going to happen every six or seven years and they will affect how you do business.

If you don't adjust and pay attention to what's going on in your economy and in your business, you could end up in a financial crisis. How do I know this? Because it happened to me early in my small business career and I never forgot it. I learned many lessons to handle the next next one that was always coming. There is no reason to panic but you must make adjustments in spending and how you do business. You will get through it and come out a stronger company for the future.

More on financial problems in chapter 17 of my book "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner" available everywhere.

Customer Service Case Study: Gas Station in Need?

A major gas station had a sign that said it closed at 11 PM every night. I got there at about 10:45 PM and when I tried to pump gas into my SUV nothing came out. The pumps had already been turned off and not working. I went inside the store part and the teenager on duty said he was closing early. He had to meet some friends at 11 PM and told me to come back in the morning, they open at 6 AM. Did the owners check on this regularily to be sure they were following the posted schedule or just ASSUME the employee would do the right thing? I recently saw that the station closed down and was boarded up, I wonder why....

More case studies in chapter 16 of my book "90 Day to Success as a Small Business Owner"

Do's and Don'ts of Business Casual

Business Casual Do's
*Tailored Jackets (men & women)
*Tailored, well fitting slacks
*Silk, cotton or micro-fiber shirts or blouses
*Basic colors, solids, stripes (not wil floral prints)
*Skirts that are of acceptable length
*Neat golf shirts
*Khaki pants & skirts
*pants suits for women
*closed toe shoes

Business Casual Don'ts
*See-thru clothing
*flip flops or running shoes
*Thigh boots with mini-skirts
*Shorts or cut-off jeans
*Clothing with rips or holes
*Tank tops or halter tops
*Baggy sweats
*T-shirts with words or logos
*Wild or bright make-up
*Wearing slacks well below the waist

Customer Service Case Study: Don't Need My Business?

During a visit to a large national office supply store a few years back, I was trying to find a ribbon for our typewriter which we use occaisionally. I had not purchased this item before so I wasn't sure where to find it in the store. I asked someone stocking a shelf in the copy paper section if they could help me. He said he didn't know where it was but would call someone else.

The loudspeaker announced my situation and I was told told to stand in the center aisle and wait. After a few minutes, which seems like a long time when you're just standing there, I decided to leave. I would just go back to my office, order from a catalog and wait the extra day. As I was leaving I noticed about 5 people waiting in line to check out and only one cashier. There were about 10 other employees working or just standing around talking but only one checkout open. I was happy to get out of there and have not gone back since. I guess they had already made enough money that day!

More customer service case studies in chapter 16 of my book "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner"

Customer Service Case Study: Car Service Delay ?

I took my car to a well known auto-service place for an oil change and tire rotation. I was told that it would take no longer than 30 minutes and I went to the waiting room to do some reading and pacing. After about 40 minutes I inquired as to the status and was told it would be another 20 minutes (or an hour total). I told him that he had said only 30 minutes and the guy replied, "I meant 30 minutes after we finished our lunch." ????

More customer service case studies in chapter 16 of my book, "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner"

You Want to Have a Sale?

Special Sales on your products and services are fun and profitable. They can bring new and repeat customers into your store, business or website. If your sale doesn't work, it just means that customers/clients didn't value what you're selling at the sale price you set; enough to buy it now.

Learn something from each from each sale and the next one will be even better. Also, study your competitors' sales to get ideas for your futire sales to see what works and what doesn't. If a certain type of sale is not working for your competitor it probably won't work for you either unless you make some changes. Be creative and don't be afraid to try something new.

More on retail sales in chapter 11 of my book "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner"

Some Fun and Profitable Business Promotions

Promotions can come in any size, shape or form and are only limited by your imagination and resources. Here are some ideas you can use or change to fit your business objectives. But don't stop here; try anything you think will work and attract people.

*Organize a parade
*Hold a local artist's exhibit
*Have a band play outside
*Have an ice cream social
*Hire a balloon sculpture
*Sponsor a record breaker
*Reward yellow pages ad clippers
*Do a CD/DVD or book exchange
*Have a special drawing
*Hold a trivia quiz contest
*Feature costumed characters
*Celebrate unusual holidays
*Run a dance contest or marathon
*Have a donut/bagel eating contest
*Run a guess-the-number contest
*Give lottery tickets away
*Have fun kids contests & races
*Reward the 10,000th customer
*Hire a storyteller
*have a free seminar or speaker
*use scratch-off cards

More on business promotion ideas in chapter 7 of my book "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner"

Hold Prices in a Crisis

During an financial crisis, you may have tendancy to try to cut your prices to the bone. This could have a very short term effect on cash flow but it may hurt you in the future. When you reduce prices so much that prople feel you are desperate, the purchasers who buy your products or services will never look at you the same again. They will expect you to either go out of business or just hang on by a thread. They will worry about after-sale assistance and returns and they may not buy gift cards.

This strategy could cause them to shy away from any products that need future service or replacement parts because they're afraid that you won't be there to help them. They might never even consider your regular price again and always expect or wait for the deep discount. They might be hit-and-run customers who have little or no loyalty to your business and will go elsewhere to spend the rest of their money.Try to hold your ground on prices or just reduce a little to encourage sales.

More on financial crisis ideas in chapter 17 of my book "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner"

Customer Service Case Study "Early Haircut"

My regular barber knows that I hate to wait and I'm always in a hurry. She normally opens her shop at 10 AM but she comes in early at 9:15 AM whenever I need a haircut so no one is ahead of me. I've been going there for every haircut the past 4 years and I plan to keep going if the she offers me the same special service. The price (which is reasonable) is not ever a consideration.

Many more case studies in chapter 16 of my book "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner"

Customer Service Case Study "No Substitutions"

I went to a family restaurant, ordered a sandwich and asked whether I could have chips or coleslaw instead of potato salad as a side. The waitress said in sort of a gruff voice that no substitutions were allowed. After waiting an unusually long time for the food to come she finally brought our meals. The plate with the sandwich I had ordered had fruit on the side. I asked why and she said that they ran out of potato salad and had to substitute. ???

Flaunt Your Brand

Your brand can be your logo, product name, company name or your own name if you have a professional service. This is what you want people to remember you by and tell all their friends. It's the first thing that should come into mind when anyone thinks of your industry, product or service. You don't want someone to say they know a great dentist, computer person or furnace guy but can't think of their name. You want your brand on the tip of their tongue at all times when your industry comes up.

Brands can be very strong and the big companies spend millions promoting them. How many ppeople have nerver heard of Tide detergent or Nike shoes? You can do the same with a smaller budget and some creativity. It's an important part of your marketing and a way to stay ahead of your competitors. Everything you do, do it in your brand name.
More on brand ideas in my book "The Jelly Bean Principle" For signed copies sent to you call 719-268-1322.

Protect Your Clients & Customers

With a service type business, your clients are looking for a skilled person to guide and protect them from making bad decisions. In many cases they are entering a field that they are not experts in or have never conducted a business transaction. Think of going to a different country that speaks another language; you're always cautious at first. If you can find a great guide, friend or concierge to assist you, the comfort level slowly improves. You will start to feel more relaxed and know that you are being treated fairly for any money you are spending.

The same goes for a business transaction; look out for your client's best interest. When they have the confidence that you really care about protecting their interests and business decisions, it will easily build loyalty and trust. Once you create trust, your competitors won't have a chance of luring them away from you and your business. This extra service costs you nothing but can pay off big in the future.

More on client relations in my book "The Jelly Bean Principle, 105 ways to stand out from competitors" signed copies available at idealetter@aol.com or 877-700-1322.

Rules For a Happy Home

*Always be honest
*Count your blessings
*Bear one another's burdens
*Forgive and forget
*Be kind and tender hearted
*Comfort one another
*Keep your promises
*Be supportive of one another
*Be true to each other
*Look after each other
*Treat each other like friends
*Love one another

Print these out and hang on your refrigerator

Why a Business Might Fail

So many people want their own business than many go into it without preparation and knowledge of what it really takes to be successful. It's more than just a great new idea and hard work. Here are some reasons why a new or existing business can fail.

*Poor customer care
*Insuffient marketing
*Owner attitude
*Poor employee training
*Poor employee supervision
*Excessive spending
*Lack of business knowledge
*Owner Neglect
*Excessive salaries
*Obsolete products or services
*Ownership change
*No cash reserve
*Out-of-line pricing
*Loss of a big account
*Inadequate product mix
*Tax problems
*Loss of vision and goals

You will notice that competition and economic conditions are not on the list because they are normal situations that ever business faces.
More on keeping your business alive and well in chapter 18 of my book "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner"

The Quitters

In your business you'll have the quitters who will no longer want to part of your business family. They will want to move on because they feel there is more opportunity and/or money elsewhere. Up until the time they actually give notice of leaving, you may hear little grumblings from them about not being paid enough or the fact that they are bored with their job.

If you're lucky, they will ask for a meeting with you or their supervisor to discus their needs and wants. If money comes up as a reason, you'll need to evaluate their real value to the company. Have you overlooked compensating them or are they asking for too much, too fast? You will need to make a decision because the meeting needs to have some conclusion. You don't want them infecting other employees with their comments. In may cases parting ways is the best solution.
More on employees and salaries in chapter 10 of my book "Save Your Buiness"

Your Second Business

Many entrepreneurs start a second business using the same location, ofiice equipment and resources of a first business. This works great and allows you to test the waters without diving in completely. I've done this many times and it's easy to get out if the business isn't working the way you had planned. And if it starts to prosper you either move out or allocate more space for it.

If you're starting a second or third venture, you can make it part of the original business or another independent business altogether. Just because you're using the office or store of the first business doesn't mean it has to be part of the same company. You're simply investing all the resources you already have and taking some of the burden off the new venture. So if you have another new idea for a business don't wait for someone else to use it take an inexpensive chance to see if it works.
More on business success in my book "90 Days to Success as a Small Business Owner"

Train, Train, Train

In most cases the owner of a business can't meet, service and process every customer or client themselves so they hire employees to stand in for them. But are these employees doing the job that needs to be done so that the business can prosper and grow? Employees can only be as good as you train them to be. They will only stay as good with proper instruction, encouragement and supervision. When employee performance slides it can take company growth and repeat business with it.

Companies have failed or dug a hole for themselves that's hard to get out of by the poor performance of it's staff. Competitors will jump in and grab customers faster than you can blink your eyes. By tolerating below par job performance from even a few employees, it will become infectious throughout your company. It's much easier train employees on a regular basis, monitor their performance and train again. If it's too much trouble for you, the owner to care, why should they?
More on customer service and training employees in my book "The Jelly Bean Principle" Signed copies incl mailing available for $19.00 from idealetter@aol.com or call 719-268-1322.