Inspirational Business

Twitter Tips: Finding Your Place in the Vast Twitter Universe

It's been four months since I started experimenting with Twitter for business. My initial plan was to just jump into the pool of "tweeple," see if I could find some like-minded friends, and figure out how it works. Here are some things I've learned thus far.

People will be more likely to follow you, if your user name tells what you're about.
I started on Twitter with my real name @JayaSchillinger as my user name. As an initial account, it makes sense to use your name. Yet once I started getting followers myself, I noticed how much easier it was for me to recognize people when their user name reminded me. For example, you can tell at a glance what these friends of mine are about: @EducatedEsty or @YogaCoach. Also, people that only want to read tweets on certain topics will be more attracted and want to add you. So, unless you're already a celebrity by your real name, it's probably better to choose an on-topic handle. Besides, Twitter also lets you put your real name on your page underneath your @name, so there's no confusion.

Don't go into an etiquette crisis, following everyone who follows you.
I struggled with this at first. Socially, it seems right to follow your followers back. If someone bothers to find and follow you, it's only natural to return the favor. However, a lot of Twitterers aren't people at all--they're robots that send out automated posts and automated direct messages. Their tweets flooded my page and my email in-box. I learned to be more discerning. Now, I take a moment to view their profile page and see if their tweets are authentic and relevant.

Don't feel bad if someone unfollows you.
It's part of the nature of Twitter that sometimes people will unfollow you. For whatever reason, they silently go away. That doesn't much bother me, although there is one real life friend that unfollowed me. Ouch. Was it something I said? Do I over-post? I don't know any adults on Twitter or Facebook who don't get a pang of teenage-like angst once in awhile. Take a breath and let it go. It happens to everyone. You've still got friends.

It's not a numbers game (at least not for me.)
As I started getting more followers, I also followed more people and gradually started getting overwhelmed. I genuinely wanted to read all the tweet updates, but it became impossible. I was only following a couple hundred people, compared to the tens of thousands of connections others have. How do they do it? Obviously, they aren't reading. So what's the point? It feels fake to me. I don't do fake. There are lots of alleged "social marketing gurus" and "Twitter experts" on Twitter, constantly pushing their classes and affiliate programs. Maybe they're making money with numbers, but I'm taking my eyes of numbers and looking for genuine faces in the crowd.

Breaking up is hard to do, but it frees you up for better relationships.
Give yourself permission to edit your following list to those people you are genuinely interested in. Make your own rules. I spend much of my time on-line for work, yet sometimes forget how much the quality of my experience is determined by me. To keep Twitter fun, I started putting in some boundaries and began unfollowing people who:

• Post too often (more than 1-2x hour, and I max out.)
• Only do one-way push marketing.
• Never talk about anything but what they're selling.
• Post too many quote-of-the-days (write something original!)
• Have garish avatars (obnoxious graphics give me a headache.)
• MLM hype about their passive income, lifestyle, wealth (lies.)

If I sound persnickety, it's because I learned the hard way. After I've made some cuts, I'm enjoying Twitter again. It should be fun, not just another business obligation.

Have divergent interests? Create different Twitter accounts.
When I started Twitter, I didn't want one more thing I had to manage. As it is, I've got a lot of internet marketing tasks and updates to do (and do all by myself.) However, after I created my new food, wine, local activities blog SonomaBonVivant, I decided to experiment with a separate Twitter account for it. I made a point to seek out new friends on the topics of food & wine only. I only follow back people on those topics, too. Nothing else. And you know what? It's been SO much fun! Perhaps it's that people into wine & food (including business people) are better socializers than the coaches & internet marketers I was meeting on my other account. These people get the mix of business/personal tweets just right. Maybe it's because I have an on-topic user name @SonomaBonVivant. But mostly I think it's better because I niched my account and started putting the tips I've shared in this article into place.

I haven't received very many emails from readers on the topic of Twitter. Is that because you're not using it?
Does it seem like one more "marketing chore?" From my experience there, I'm not seeing very many holistic practitioners using Twitter yet. The ones that I do see are tending towards one-way push marketing (which I don't think works.) There are many people tweeting beauty tips, which looks like it does work for the ones who engage in casual conversation, not just marketing. What's your experience? Love to hear about it!

Wanna' find me on Twitter? Here are my niched accounts.
@JayaSchillinger Small business topics (and holistic modalities.)
@Inspiration_Inc A feed of new articles from this newsletter only.
@SonomaBonVivant Food, wine, cooking, and Northern CA.
@SacredElephants Elephants, elephants, elephants.

On the off-chance that you're into all those niche topics, then you're a soulmate. Please email me to say hello!

Twitter Tips: Create Your Company Profile Banner

When you first join Twitter, you're given a choice of pre-designed templates to customize your profile page. They look nice enough, but that design space can be put to much better use with a custom design that reflects your company image. Also, since Twitter only gives you 140 characters to say what you're all about, creating a custom design gives you a chance to include more descriptive text and contact information.

How do you create a custom banner on Twitter? Here are the steps I took to create mine:

Step 1: Decide to DIY or Use a Service
I Googled and read several articles, this one being the best: "HOW TO: Create Custom Twitter Backgrounds." That article gives you the basic dimensions if you want to create a truly custom background and also gives you links to some free on-line background generators. I tried a couple of the generator services. While a lot of people like them, I didn't because I wanted more control over my design so it would match my brand better.

Step 2: Choose a Graphic Design Program
I'm not a graphic designer, I'm a coach. Yet I don't want to hire a professional every time I want something designed for my internet marketing. Two years ago, I found an affordable on-line image editing program I love called Picnik. Since then, they've continued to add amazing new features, too. Picnik is one of the few on-line programs that lets you add text over images and also lets you layer images on top of images--two features that you'll want for this project. (There is a free version of the program, but you need to pay for the advanced version. Well worth it! You'll use this program again and again.)

Step 3: Choose a Full Page or Left Column Banner Image
The dimensions for both are given in that article I linked to in step one. I wasted a lot of time trying to make a full page design work and don't recommend it for graphic design novices! Ultimately, I chose to go back to my original plan for a simple left-column banner that measures 229 pixels wide x 580 pixels tall. Simpler always looks better!

Step 4: Think About What You Want to Promote
You can't go wrong by including a logo, a few words about your company, your contact information, and an offer, but I think it's much more interesting when people include some personality tidbits. Twitter is supposed to be a social networking site. Make yourself known as a person, not just a marketer!

The top of my banner describes my expertise in working with holistic businesses and invites people to have an introductory consultation with me. On the bottom half, I decided to let people know about my passion for wild elephant conservation, going so far as to show a couple photos of me with elephants in Kenya and mentioning my Sacred Elephants blog. [Click image at left to enlarge]

Step 5: Design Your Banner in Picnik
Without getting too technical, here are some key steps I followed to make my Twitter banner in Picnik.

1. Started with a plain image the same color as my Twitter page background, so it would blend seamlessly into the background. (I used white, so it looks clean and bright like our website.) Although a contrasting color could look nice, too.
2. Using the "Picnik basket" feature, I imported our company logo and other images I wanted to use, then dragged them up onto the banner.
3. On Picnik's "Create" tab, I added geometric "Stickers" to create the colored rectangular text boxes. Then I went to the "Text" tab to add my text on top of them.
4. After several revisions, I clicked the option button to "Combine Everything," and then save the completed image.

Step 6: Insert Your Banner Into Twitter
On your Twitter page, select "Settings" from the top menu. Choose the tab for "Design" not picture (or you'll accidentally delete your avatar.) Select "Change background image," then browse, upload, and save your new image.

Step 7: Coordinate Your Twitter Design Colors
You can further customize your page by selecting "Change background colors" (also on the Design tab.) Experiment with font, link, and background shades to make it all come together. Limiting yourself to 2-4 colors will make your page look the most professional.

It was pretty easy! If you've got some basic design skills, such as having created a flyer in Microsoft Word or Publisher before, you'll be able to quickly learn how to create a Twitter banner in Picnik. Be sure to show me yours when you're done!

Follow me on Twitter: http://twitter.com/JayaSchillinger

Super Affordable Headshots for the Internet

Have you been putting off getting a professional-looking headshot for your business? Wow, but do I have a great resource for you!

Since I got back from speaking at the IECSC show in Vegas, I was thinking about how two people came up to me to say how I look so much younger in person than in my photos--something I hear quite often. It's a compliment, but one that sure made me want to get new pictures taken! This week, I was reading Erin Ferree's blog (a branding expert I've worked with) and she wrote a great article called "How to Get an Affordable Headshot." What did she do? She went to the mall and got her photos done at one of those chain store family-oriented studios that people take their kids to. She got her 8x10 headshot for just $18!

Yesterday, I Googled for a "mall portrait studio" in my area and a coupon for JCPenney Portrait Studios came up for a free 8x10 portrait and free sitting fee (good until 9/1/09.) I called and made an appointment for this morning. They asked me what color background I wanted (white) and told me I could also bring one change of clothes if I wanted. They suggested solid colors. I was scheduled and confirmed. So easy!

When I arrived this morning (at the Santa Rosa, CA studio) they gave me a warm welcome and told me my photographer was getting ready for me. Marsha brought me into a private room with good lighting and a seamless white background. I told her I wanted my photos to be "Happy, friendly, and bright. Smiling. Not too serious." Then she guided me into some easy poses and photographed me. It took fifteen minutes at the most.

Upon re-enentering the lobby, I was told that my screenshots would be ready momentarily (they were.) I viewed them on their computer, while the front desk manager helped me select the best one to be printed. I asked her if I needed a special release form for internet usage, and she said no; I could freely use my images for websites, blogs, twitter, etc. She also explained that if I just wanted small low-resolution photos, I could pay $4.99 and they would email me download links for all my screenshots. Great! What a super bargain:

• Free sitting fee with coupon (regularly $9.99)
• Free 8x10 print with coupon (regularly $9.99)
• Smiles by Wire low-res downloads $4.99

And the quality of the photos? Super! Here is a composite of my 3 favorites:

I can hardly believe that I spent just five bucks today on my new photos! I hope you like them, too.

If you've been procrastinating on getting updated photos because of either time or money, I strongly suggest you give the mall photography studios a try. If you use that coupon-link I shared above, your financial risk is zero. Show us that gorgeous face of yours!

Are You Using Twitter for Business Yet?

If you don't know what Twitter is yet, here's a short video called "Twitter in Plain English," that will explain it to you.

If you're reading via RSS or email, click here to watch the YouTube video.

Those of you who know what a geek girl I am might be surprised that I just started using Twitter yesterday. Usually quick to test out new internet marketing tools, I thought I'd wait and see if this Twittering thing would flame-out. But from what I'm seeing online, Twitter is here to stay for at least 2009 and beyond. I'm seeing plenty of social evidence too. Just as people mention who said what on Facebook at dinner parties now, I'm hearing people talk about their Twittering friends and business connections. So I decided to check it out.

Although Twitter can be used as social tool to keep in touch with friends, I'm interested in it's potential as a business community builder. NO-I don't mean a spamming machine, although I can already tell there's plenty of that on Twitter. I'm thinking about it can be used as customer service system. A few potentials I see:

• You can provide a health or beauty tip of the day.
• Share a link to a resource you just discovered.
• Promote new products or services.
• Announce when you've got a last-minute appointment opening.
• Customers can ask questions about products or services they've bought from you.
• Invite people to come join you and your coworkers for a casual get-together.
• Get to know your customers' personal interests and deepen your relationships.

One thing I like about Twitter is that the interface is pretty easy to use, and the content that you write on it is really short--only 140 characters! It's a perfect solution for those of you who've thought about blogging, but don't have the time to write full articles. Tweeting is very quick and fun!

Ready to check it out? Do these 3 steps, that can be completed in 30-minutes or less:

1. Click on this easy-to-understand article called Twitter 101 for Business. It walks you though setting up your account and explains how to use the features.
2. Create your free Twitter account. (Tip: You can create a company-named account and/or a personal account. I did both.)
3. Follow me on Twitter, so I know you're joined! Here is my Twitter profile:
   http://twitter.com/JayaSchillinger

That's it! It's easy to set up and there's no cost.

For those of you who are already Twittering, let me know how it's working for you. You can send me an email or comment on the blog, but your tweets would be especially welcome!

Spiffy Employee Incentives to Boost Service Sales

By Jennifer Sanchez

In this economy, a lot of medical and day spa owners are tempted to use discounts to drive sales. But honestly, it’s not discounts that drive your sales the most—it’s how well you motivate your staff to sell. Basic sales training is essential, but so are specific goals and rewards. Job complacency is a killer. To keep your staff awake, alert, and learning new sales techniques, I recommend creating employee incentive programs that change on a regular basis.

When coming up with incentives I always suggest you do something very scientific…ASK YOUR EMPLOYEES what they’d like. As managers, nine times out of ten we complicate things. Get back to basics and implement rewards that your employees actually want and can achieve.

Here is an example one you that you can use as a base, then modify to fit your medical or day spa’s needs:

If you want to generate higher sales for a specific service like Botox, don’t lower the sales price. Instead you can use the percentage you would have discounted and create an employee rewards program with it.

Here’s an example of a typical discount-style program. I call these “Botox Days.”
• You really need to move product quickly.
• Your medical spa usually charges $15/unit for Botox.
• On the Botox Day, you lower the price to $12/unit.
• Additionally, you spend money on mailers and newspaper advertisements.

Let’s look at the numbers, based on a target recommendation of 30 units of Botox per client.

Your non-discounted Botox sells for $15/unit

$15 x 30 = $450 gross service sales

(Less Botox costs: $5.25 x 30 = $157.50)

Gross margin per client = $292.50

If you discount it for Botox Day, it sells for: $12/unit

$12 x 30 = $360 gross service sales

(Less Botox costs: $5.25 x 30 = $157.50)

Gross margin per client = $202.50

The discount costs you $90 per client, plus advertising costs.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Botox days! When used correctly they can bring in thousands of dollars a day. But doesn’t it make more even more sense to give your employee $10, $15, even $25 for every client they convert to Botox that week?

Employee Reward Example:
For every client that purchases 30 or more units of Botox this month, based on your recommendation, you will receive a $25 bonus!

Think about it, you don’t have to spend money on advertising, you don’t have to build a secondary relationship with the client (your esthetician or service provider has already done that) and by giving an incentive to your staff member, she/he will be personally motivated to help your clients realize that Botox is a fast way to look younger and better. Not only are you saving money (compared to discounting) but when implemented well, you’re teaching your employees to sell.

In this example, we used a cash bonus (sometimes called a “spiff”) to reward employees who sell a minimum of 30 units Botox to an individual client. But remember, you might also ask your employees how they want to be rewarded. When asked, many employees say they like rewards such as gift cards to favorite clothing stores, gas cards, paid training, free product, and so forth. Change your rewards programs frequently to keep them interesting and have fun with it.

I hope this helps inspire you to take this concept and create a host of incentive and rewards programs. Also please email me if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for new topics!

Jennifer Sanchez is a Strategic Coach for Medical Spas & Clinics with Inspiration, Inc. She can be reached at (800) 507-1620 X3 or click here to book a complimentary consultation.

Excuse Me, Is This Brand Name Taken?

4 Preliminary Steps for Checking Brand Name Availability

by Jaya Schillinger

Choosing a brand name for your company or product line is a fun and sometimes challenging task. There is quite a bit that goes into coming up with something catchy, meaningful, and available.

Trademark infringement is a headache you'd do well to avoid. Of course you wouldn't intend to use someone else's brand name illegally, but it's easy to do by mistake. Imagine if you were to invest your time and money into creating your brand, only to get served papers insisting you need to change your brand name or be sued in court? The protection of your investments and longevity of your brand name require due diligence up front to make sure the name you want to use isn't already taken.

The most correct way to check for name availbility is to hire a trademark attorney to research prospective names for you. As you are already imagining, this is an expensive process. Large corporations (and companies intending to become large) have this done before any expense is invested in product development. What about small companies? What about sole proprietors? Yes, you also need to do your trademark research. It doesn't matter that you didn't intend to use someone else's brand name. What matters is who started using the brand name first. The only difference between you and a large company is budget; the laws are the same.

To save time and money, you can do some preliminary brand name availbility research on your own. Then you won't be paying a lawyer to check something unless it really looks available. In fact, if your name search comes up very clean, you might even skip the lawyer and go about trademarking it yourself. So before you fall in love with a brand name, and definitely before you start using it, try my 4 step name check process.

For the purpose of demonstration, let's see if the name "Jaya Skincare" is available.

Step 1: Do a basic internet search
I prefer to use Google. In the search box, enter the name you are checking. If it is more than one word, put quotation marks around it. That will make your results more relevant.

We are using "Jaya Skincare" as our example. Notice that there are sites with "Jaya" on them that also have "skincare" on them (did you notice my blogs and websites come up?) but there doesn't seem to be a company called "Jaya Skincare." Good. We passed this 1st check.

Step 2: See if the domain name is available (and buy it)
If someone else has already bought the ".com" version of your name, it may not be a good choice (unless their product is something completely different.) If it is available you should buy the domain name, partly because you might want to use it someday, and also because you don't want someone else to buy it away from you.

I prefer to use GoDaddy for buying my domains, so let's check. Wow! It's taken! http://www.jayaskincare.com/ is owned by a company in Illinois. Even though they don't have a website up yet, this shows intent. If I was really creating a brand name, I would go back to square one with a new name search. Since this is an example, let's keep going.

Step 3: Check the US Patent and Trademark Office website
The government has a website where you can search to see if a name is already trademarked. The good news is this saves you a lot of money by doing it yourself. The bad news is it's a government website, so it's clunky and confusing. Get your reading glasses out and follow along. Be sure to save this link! It's not easy to find by digging through the main site.

Here's the link: http://www.uspto.gov/ebc/index_tm.html
Click on the option that says "Search pending and registered trademarks." Now we have to select the search form. I'm going to use the one called, "New User Form Search (Basic)" and type Jaya Skincare (no quotation marks this time) in the search box. In this example, there is no trademark on file. We passed the 3rd check!

If the name was trademarked, we would have seen a long list of companies using it. Some of the companies might say "dead" next to the listing, meaning the name is expired. But if you were to see an "active" trademark for the same type of company/product as you, then don't proceed. Try another name.

Step 4: Has someone incorporated with that name?
If a company has already incorporated with your intended name, then it means they are serious about using it, and I would not proceed. Many states now have online search engines where you can see if a corporate name is available. A trademark attorney would check every state for you, but remember, we're just trying to do some preliminary research. I suggest that as a minimum, you check the state you are doing business in. Search for your state plus "corporate name search" and you should find the government website for your state (if your state has one.)

I'm in California, and the search page here is http://kepler.ss.ca.gov/list.html.
Our state has separate search boxes for S and C corporations vs. LLC's. We need to check both. In this example, there are no companies incorporated as "Jaya Skincare." So it passes our 4th check!

Important note on DBA businesses. Small businesses (not incorporated) are registered through the county in which they operate. Few if any counties have an online search to see if DBA names are available. In my area, you have to go to the county registrar's office and look it up on the relatively ancient microfiche. This is a vulnerability in our self-search because a very tiny business in a remote county, anywhere in the US, could be using the name first and have legal rights to it.

This concludes our demo example. We passed 3 of the 4 checks. If I had been trying in earnest, I probably would not proceed with Jaya Skincare as a brand name. I'd come up with a variation or something completely different. Although if I felt really persistant, I might try contacting the owner of that domain name to see if they are serious about that brand name, and if not, ask if I can buy the domain from them. Don't get discouraged if your first choices are all taken. Keep going until you find something unique and available.

When you do find that perfect name, it will all come together. It's exciting! You'll know that your name was "meant to be yours." It takes marketing and business skills, but lady luck and fate are on your side, too.

Are You a PR Procrastinator? I've Got a Solution!

by Jaya Schillinger

I'm excited about this PR Leads service I just enrolled in and thought you'd like to check it out.

I don't know about you, but I never get around to writing press releases. With all the articles I submit to magazines, my blog/newsletter, speaking proposals, and class curriculums I have to write on a regular basis, I just don't have time.

Wouldn't it be great if there was an easier way to get reporters to come to you? It so much easier when you already know what a reporter's article is about, then all you have to do is give them the expert quotes they need. It makes their job so much easier too. I think I finally found a solution to my PR procrastination!

PR Leads is a monthly subscription service that will sort and send journalist inquiries to you. All you've got to do is email a 2-3 sentence quote to the reporter that they can use in their article.

Just answer an email request with a few sentences? Now that's a piece of cake! This workaround seems perfect for me. Instead of writing articles in the HOPE they'll get picked up, you just email back with a tip or quote they can use. You already know what angle they're looking for, so it's easy to think of a way to tie that in with your business.

Dan Janal is the founder of PR Leads. I've taken teleclasses with him before, and he's got a great reputation. He's a nice guy, too. After we had a phone meeting to set up my preferred topics for PR, I asked if he might have a deal for anyone I refer to him. At first he said no, but then he called me back in a few minutes with an offer for you.

==> Sign up for the PR Leads service now, and he'll send you a free copy of Jill Lublin's book, "Guerilla Publicity." He said he has 30 copies of her book on hand, and if you tell him "Jaya Schillinger referred you," he'll give you a free book.

Also, he and I were chatting about what the popular topics are the journalists come to him for. He said that ANYTHING to do with alternative health, complimentary medicine, etc. is in huge demand. They really need experts in your fields!

The service is a reasonably-priced $99/month, and there's no on-going commitment beyond one month at a time. So it's a very low-risk way to see if the service works for you, and well worth the fee if you get your quote published.

On my first day with the service, I received FIVE journalist queries by email. They weren't all articles that I wanted to tie in with, but to get 5 targeted requests? I thought that was amazing. And I totally love that I don't have to log into an online control panel somewhere to read/respond. I'll keep you posted on places I get published.

Don't Procrastinate: That free Guerrilla Publicity book offer is limited to the number of books Dan has on hand, and it's not an offer that will be repeated. He just ponied up the deal for my friends on a first-come, first-served basis. To get the free book, you need to say that Jaya Schillinger referred you on the sign up form.

Click here to sign up for the PR Leads service.

Marketing Tips for Fitness Professionals

by Laurie Mazzarella

Getting the Word Out There

Often fitness professionals become trained and certified having a vision of helping people reach their health and fitness goals only to find that they don’t know where to start. They have the knowledge that is required for their profession, however, are not sure how to market their knowledge.

Marketing comes easy for some of us. Perhaps, we have a natural talent or maybe we grew up with parents who had to market their business. The rest of us have to learn the marketing skills required to launch our businesses.

Fitness professionals truly have something to share. They have a viable, service oriented set of physical/health skills that can be of benefit to so many people. We just need to get that information to the people who need us the most.

How do we do this? You might start with the following:

• Determine what type of client you want to work with. Think about the motivations, etc. of your ideal client and write down their profile so you remember it.
• Become a specialist in your field. In other words, pinpoint a target group that you would like to work with. Perhaps, this would be a group that you are familiar with. For example, if you have come from the corporate world, you might become the trainer for corporations with a focus on “corporate health”. You would be the trainer for the physical, and your expertise in that area would affect the health of the entire corporations. Healthy employees contribute to healthy business. Become the expert and your audience will become your niche market
• Spread the word! Evangelize. Start by letting people know how your services would benefit them. How? Be creative. Write a newsletter. Start your own blog site, or post on other sites where your audience, or niche market, might be looking. Book a speaking engagement at the local PTA or any other group where your market.
• If you need help structuring your marketing and other business aspects, consider hiring a business coach who can help you strategize and implement the systems that would work for you.

Remember, your services are valuable, needed and very in demand by many people. The key to helping others meet their fitness goals is to let them know that you exist. By doing this, you can build a prosperous business while living your vision.

Laurie Mazzarella is a Strategic Coach for Holistic Businesses with Inspiration, Inc. Her goal is to assist you in being well and successful personally and professionally. She can be reached at (800) 507-1620 X4 or click here to request a free consultation.

Small Business Marketing 101: Your Telephone

[This article is written by guest author & professional copywriter Dave Bolick.]

There’s no shortage of ways to get the word out about your business. But what happens when customers start calling? If you’re like most business people, your voice mail goes something like this: “You – have – reached – Marin – Massage – Therapy. We – cannot – come – to – the – phone – right – now. Please – leave – a – message – blah – blah – blah.”

Make it more compelling
I can think of several ways to describe messages like that last example, and none of them involve the words “compelling,” or “persuasive.” What if they heard this instead:
“Thank you for calling Marin Massage Therapy. We specialize in relaxing, pain relieving therapeutic massage. Please leave us your phone number and we’ll call you back right away.”
See the difference? If you needed pain relief and relaxation, which greeting would make you more likely to leave your number?

Special offer
When it comes to generating new business, special offers are gold. Mention your special offers in your voice mail greeting. “Thanks for calling Jake’s Auto Detailing, where new customers get half off their next service.”

Your phone personality: sunshine or fencepost?
Could your telephone personality be more accurately described as “sunshine” or “fencepost”? When you answer your phone, you don’t have to go over the top, but being friendly never hurts. Instead of a cursory, “Joe’s cleaners,” try, “Hello! Joe’s Cleaners. How can I help you?” Think about it: who would you rather do business with – someone who’s friendly and cheerful on the phone, or someone who sounds like they can’t wait to hang up and get back to their crossword puzzle?

Don’t wait for the beep
People are busy. And impatient. They don’t mind listening to a brief voice mail greeting, so keep it short and sweet. If you have lots of info to give, tell them how to skip the rest of your greeting AT THE BEGINNING OF THE GREETING. How many times have you listened to a seemingly endless stream of information, followed by, “In the future, you can press pound to skip this greeting”? Hearing this crucial bit of info at the end is absolutely useless to your caller. Worse, it makes you look bad.

Instructions for skipping the greeting are even more important if you use a cell phone. Ninety-nine percent of callers do not need to hear “If you’d like to leave a message, wait for the tone (duh!). To leave a callback number, press the star key (does anyone ever do this?). If you’d like to page this customer, etc.” Not surprisingly, cell phone providers have yet to get it together to standardize which key to press to skip the greeting, so it’s impossible to know whether the pound or star key will extricate you from cell-phone greeting hell.

The phone has become so ubiquitous, it’s easy to forget what a powerful communication tool it is. Smart marketers know how to take advantage of the phone to increase business. Try these techniques for your business. You’ll be surprised at how effective they are.

Copyright 2005, David Bolick, all rights reserved.

Dave Bolick is a San Francisco Bay Area-based freelance copywriter and editor. He helps businesses of all sizes communicate more effectively and profitably. You can learn more about Dave’s services by visiting his website at http://www.writing-help.com or calling him at (510) 601-9554.

How to Proofread Like a Professional

Even as I wrote the title for this article, I got confused. Is "proofread" one word or two? I thought it was two, and my spell checker didn't have a problem with that, but when I double-checked myself with a popular online dictionary, I was able to catch my mistake. Proofread is in fact one word, "proof·read v. tr. To read (copy or proof) in order to find errors and mark corrections."

I'm not a grammarian or editor by any stretch of the definition, but I do get some practice through proofreading my own writing as well as my clients. One of the value-added services I include in my business coaching packages is email support where I'll do a quick proofing of my clients' ad copy or important documents. So while I'm not a qualified copy editor/writer, I have noticed some common mistakes that slip past the typical business owner's own proofreading.
Here are a few things I've learned along the way:

People will skip over your copy if it's hard to read. The human brain will avoid things that are perceived as difficult. It's that simple. So the most compelling reason to proofread with a fine-tooth comb is this: If you want people to read your copy, you must make it easy.

Mistakes stand out more than the good copy that surrounds them. It's sort of like having a large food stain on your shirt. Most people will notice the stain, maybe even wonder what you had for lunch, and few will notice how lovely your shirt is otherwise.

Do it yourself, but also get a second opinion. Most small business owners are tight on cash, so hiring a professional editor (+$30/hour) isn't always feasible. Ask your coach, your partner, or a friend to read over your materials, particularly if they're going off to a paper & ink printer where mistakes can be costly.

Take a break from writing before you proofread. When you're writing, all the content and ideas are already in your head. If you go straight into proofreading, there's a natural bias toward reading your intended meaning into the copy, instead of scanning it for errors.

Get it off the computer screen and print it out. This step is essential for printed materials so you can check the actual size & layout for readability. It's also helpful for when you're tired of the glaring screen. Try printing your copy with double spaces and using a colored marker for notations.

Spell checking with your computer isn't enough. Many words sound similar but have different meanings, and spell check won't catch it. This is especially true if English is your 2nd language. An accent or slang can be charming when spoken, but can look incompetent when written.

Read your copy out loud. This is a great way to double check your sentence structure. If it feels awkward to speak, it's probably just as awkward to read.

Choose fonts that are easy to read. For paragraph text, use fonts of at least 10pts. Stick with basic fonts like Arial or Times New Roman that most computers or internet browsers can display properly. If you want to have fun with stylized fonts, save them for your headlines.

Keep your alignment tidy. Left alignment is always easy to read. Center alignment looks best for short bits of text, but looks terrible with bulleted lists or long paragraphs. If you want text in the center of the page, but that still looks neat, try using left alignment but then increase the line indent.

Use a consistent capitalization style. There are 3 basic capitalization styles: ALL CAPS; no caps; and First Letter Caps. Switching styles within copy looks jumbled and confusing. It's ok to have a different style in the headers vs. the text, but all headers should be the same, just as all text should be the same.

Hyphens that result from line breaks should be avoided. Adjust your text box size, move a graphic, try justifying the alignment, do whatever it takes to get rid of any hyphens that cut words in half because it disrupts flow and makes your copy hard to read.

Use bullets, lists, and blank rows for easier reading. Most people skim instead of actually reading every word. Break up your text into bite-size pieces for stronger impact. Another way to make reading easier is to limit your paragraph width to 65 characters/line (about the width of this article.)

Punctuation should support your ideas, not distract. Commas are a way to express your thoughts in sets, such as this idea, that idea, and that other idea. Without punctuation what you get is a run on and on and on some more sentence. (See what I mean?) Also, use exclamation points sparingly, if at all. Exclamation points can be tacky!!! Try italics instead.

Most people will forgive the occasional typo, especially with informal communications like email. But if you're trying to make a favorable impression as a way to build your business credibility, do whatever it takes to get your copy proofread first. Remember, it's not just what you say, but how you say it that counts, and that goes double for whatever you put into writing.