On this episode of Business Insanity Talk Radio, we first talk about how your small business can stand out. Has every idea already been expressed? Has every point of view been made? My first guest says no! Next, we face the reality that most small business marketing stinks. Find out how you can focus your marketing efforts and make sure your message is easily understood. Is your small business experiencing a demand for more complex work? Find out how you can easily repurpose your current employees to fill the need for these new roles. What is cultural opportunity? My next guess will tell you and show you how your business can take advantage of one. Finally, we tackle everyone’s favorite topic: networking. Find out why networking is misunderstood and why it isn’t as difficult as you think.
Listen and enjoy:
Segment 1: Dorie Clark is an Adjunct Professor of Business Administration at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and the author of Reinventing You (Harvard Business Review Press, 2013) and Stand Out (Portfolio/Penguin, 2015). A former presidential campaign spokeswoman, she is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, TIME, and Entrepreneur. Recognized as a “branding expert” by the Associated Press, Inc., and Fortune, Clark is a marketing strategy consultant and speaker for clients including Google, Microsoft, Yale University, Fidelity, and the World Bank.
1:55 – How does my small business stand out?
4:15 – Does everyone have something to say?
5:50 – How do I come up with ideas for content to share?
6:55 – How do I be more reflective and express my unique background?
9:15 – Can any person be a thought leader in their field?
10:10 – The benefits of blogging.
Segment 2: Deborah Gallant is a business coach, dynamic speaker, teacher and workshop facilitator, offering practical and actionable advice that helps clients succeed. Her lively style, peppered with humor and real-life stories, wins her rave reviews and she has been described as “Carol Burnett with an MBA.”
15:45 – How do you focus your marketing efforts on your ideal clients?
18:00 – How do you make sure your message is clear and easily-understood?
20:15 – It takes multiple impressions to bring clients along the know-like-trust continuum. How do you manage this?
21:30 – How can small business owners make sure their marketing is measurable and trackable?
22:45 – Where do I start and how much do I spend?
Segment 3: George Dutch is President and Founder of JobJoy, a Career Management Company. He has owned & operated several small businesses and worked in white & blue collar jobs in both the private and public sectors. He is also an author of 3 books on career issues and a former host of The Career Connection on news/talk radio 580 CFRA in Canada’s capital. He is committed to helping business owners convert the hidden talents and motivations of employees into profit centers.
31:45 – How is the world of work changing?
32:15 – How does this create a demand for more complex work?
33:45 – What business owners can do to quickly and easily repurpose employees.
35:30 – How do small business evaluate existing employees to see if they are suitable for more complex work and new roles in business?
Segment 4: + Aziz leads cultural strategy at Peter Mayer, a legacy ad agency. Aziz has applied cultural insights to the work of trend houses, PR agencies, government think tanks, and brand innovation consultancies.
40:30 – What trends around the U.S. do small business owners need to be aware of?
42:00 – How small business owners can develop a framework to synthesize data.
43:10 – What is a cultural opportunity? How can a small business take advantage of one?
Segment 5: Vickie Austin is a business and career coach and a professional speaker. She began her coaching practice in 1997, rebounding after getting fired, and she vowed never to hate her job again. The mission of her business, CHOICES Worldwide, is to “create a world in which people love what they do and do what they love.” She is the president-elect of the National Speakers Association of Illinois and a frequent speaker and writer on topics related to business and career success. Her new book, “Circles of Gold: Honoring Your Network for Business and Career Success”, will debut this fall.
49:50 – Networking is misunderstood. Why?
50:30 – Where to start networking.
51:15 – Who is in your circle of gold? How do you honor them?
