TOUGH TALK RADIO NETWORK

If you are an entrepreneur or small business owner and you have not considered offering workshops you may be overlooking a powerful marketing tool.

Offering educational workshops addressing a prevalent problem in your niche which are pain points for your client base will identify you as an expert in your field and make you the “go to” person.  All of this just for providing a valuable service that can impact the lives of those you serve.

Here are a few suggestions you can use to create, market and facilitate your next workshop:

Setting the tone

Have you ever been to a boring, agonizing or tedious workshop?  To avoid these pitfalls make your workshop fun, engaging and entertaining.

For example, at the beginning of any workshop, warm up your attendees so they are receptive to your message.  Share a personal story or client story that paints a picture of how the information in this workshop eliminated or reduced the pain point.

Connect with the audience

Get the participants involved even more by encouraging them to reflect on, discuss and experience what they are gaining.  This is a critical step for long term retention.  Knowing they will have an opportunity to reflect on their experiences and learn how to apply what they have learned will keep them coming back.

Market for maximum capacity

Creating an interesting workshop is the first step but it will only be successful if it is well attended.  Using basic marketing strategies to fill your workshop will not only give you a higher attendance rate, greater client conversion but also repeat customers.

Create a plan

Be more targeted with your marketing strategy by creating a well thought out campaign.  Instead of sending out a single email to a hodge podge of contacts or posting fliers and running miscellaneous ads, focus your efforts toward a specific market. This will allow you to customize your workshop to their needs by speaking their language.

Start marketing the event early and touch your prospects numerous times in advance.  Offer them free or value-added products and services about a topic related to the workshop.  For example, you could offer an article, report or ebook in conjunction with their registration.  The key is to send several messages giving yoru prospects more opportunities to get to know you, like what you are doing and trust that you will deliver if they invest in your workshop.

Get noticed

In today’s market we are all bombarded with media overload.  To create a marketing message that will “rise above the noise” so you will be seen and heard and capture the attention of your market your offer must be compelling.  Adding special offers with incentives, deadlines or bonuses will insure a higher response rate.

Make an impact

When facilitating a workshop the focus should be all about the learner.  Facilitation is not about being the “sage on the stage” but about being simply the “guide on the other side”.  An effective facilitator creates a setting where discussion, interaction and learning can take place.

Prior to the workshop, visit with some of the attendees as they arrive to hear why they came and some of their specific challenges.  Addressing these during your workshop will make your information even more relevant.

Request Feedback

You may have been very well prepared and your delivery may have been spot on…according to you however it is crucial to request feedback from your audience.  Taking feedback into consideration will help you to hone your presentation and become more in demand as an expert.

Apply these tips to create your next workshop will allow you to leverage this marketing tool to grow your business simply by sharing your knowledge with your target market.

Linda Ballesteros
www.LindaBallesteros.com

Just like anything in life, there are many struggles that we have to deal with in a home based business, especially in the beginning. The challenges of dealing with the unexpected and dealing with the things that are outside of your control sometimes get the best of us as human beings. However, establishing a few boundaries will get you started on the right path.

Here are a few things to consider if you are thinking about running your business out of your home.

Establish a routine.

More often than not, the main problem of working from home is procrastination. There are simply too many distractions lying about. Since you do not have a work schedule, you will have to come up with one yourself. Only by implementing a work schedule can you lessen procrastination and thus improve productivity from home. When the time for work comes, the brain can quickly shift into gear and you will feel more inclined to work. Do this everyday and you have yourself a classic work routine where everything that needs to be done is done as second nature.

Tell friends and family that you are on work mode.

Working from home is a relatively new phenomenon that some people still fail to grasp. As such, some friends and family tend to downplay the seriousness of your work. “You are not even in an office” as they often quip. Unfortunately, this does not distractions from friends and family which is bad when you are trying to catch up on a deadline. When this happens, it is best to make them aware that you are working and cannot afford to be distracted. Explain to them that you are not free just because you are at home.

Set-up a home office or a separate space for work.

Working out of your bedroom or in front of the TV is no good especially if you want to be productive. As such, you want to devote a separate space for work to make a distinction between work and play. As much as possible, find a quiet space in your home where there will not be so much distraction. Get all the hardware you need and put it in one convenient place for quick and easy access. Having a home office is best but any spot where you can work quietly is good enough.

Take frequent and short breaks.

Just like working in the office, working at home also requires short breaks in between. Be sure to at least close your eyes for at least five minutes every hour. This reduces the strain caused by staring at the computer all day. You can also try walking around to stretch your legs a bit. Grab a quick snack to help replenish your energy and keep your mind sharp and active. You can even lie down for a while to get your bearing straight. Just be careful not to doze off completely!

Do not burn yourself out.

At the extreme end of procrastination is working your self too hard. Just because you can work 12 to 14 hours in a day does not mean you should. It may be tempting to “do tomorrow’s work today for a free day after” but it must be avoided. Over time, the quality of your work begins to deteriorate resulting in poor results. Working long hours is only bad for productivity. So do yourself a favor and take a break every now and then. Work within your capabilities and avoid overstretching yourself.

Working for yourself and officing out of your home adds challenges however it also provides flexibility that can improve the quality of your life.  Find others who have more experience working from home that can provide insight, tips and ideas so working from home works for the entire family.

 If you are thinking about putting your networking on hold now that we are in the holiday season, think again.

For many years I have looked for ways to leverage the holidays to continue to build my networking relationships.  I would like to share with you a few ideas that might change your approach to Holiday Networking.

Holiday Parties

Attending holiday parties can be a great way to reconnect with people and stay visible, which is an important part of effective networking.

Know your limit

This is especially important during the holiday season because spirits are found at most holiday events.  Even though it is a holiday party remember to maintain professionalism and avoid drinking heavily.

Holiday greetings

Take advantage of this opportunity to reach out to clients or prospects by sending a holiday greeting.  It doesn’t matter if you use snail mail or e-mail, a greeting is a great way to stay connected during the holidays.

Stop by

The holidays can open a door for you to followup with a “Happy Holiday” visit without it being preserved as another cold call.  You will also find that a nice tray of cookies and no mention of business will help build relationships with even the toughest prospect.

Helping Others

There are many opportunities to return to the less fortunate during the holidays.  Whether it is organizing a food drive or collecting new or used toys to be donated, your networking circle can help make a difference in someone else’s live.  Volunteer to be the “go to person” and you will see how giving back will generate conversations, meetings and connections during a time when networking is slow.

Set up after the holidays coffee meetings

People have the holidays on the brain and tend to focus less on business, however, this can work in your favor.  Suggest a few dates and times for a brief coffee meeting early in January and get something on the calendar. This will jump start your new year and will more likely to achieve your desired outcome by having their full attention.

I hope you find these tips helpful and will continue to networking during the holidays this year and for years to come.

Have a wonderful holiday with family, friends and good cheer!!

Do you work from home?

Do you struggle with finding outlets where you can meet others who office out of their home?

Working from home isn’t for everyone.  It is perfect for many people with disabilities or those with transportation barriers.

The benefits of working at home are undeniable, but the downside is that it can be very isolating.

Feelings of isolation are common for homebased business owners.  The same logistical concerns that make working from home an appealing arrangement also make it easy for solo preneurs and entrepreneurs become hermits.

Networking is a great way to make sure you get out and have face to face interaction with others.  Sure, you can always spend time on the social networking sites but many need the personal connection that attending a networking event can offer.

Here are a few networking ideas you may want to consider:

Get involved in the community by volunteering with a local organization or a non-profit.  You will meet others with the same passion and could even lead to business.

Join a professional organization, Chamber of Commerce, or business. Networking works best when you show up, get involved and focus on building relationships by getting to know the other members.

Put the word out that you are interested in public speaking opportunities at meetings, expos, conferences and other events. Doing so will set you apart from your competition and make you the expert in your industry.

Attending conferences and expos will give you the opportunity to meet people with similar interest outside of your zipcode.  These events will not only allow you to meet new people but also expose you to the most up to date technology in your industry.

Seek out groups that cater to other home-based business owners. Most social media sites will have groups for the like minded.  The Chamber of Commerce or Small Business Development Center may have special interest groups they can refer you to. You will also find Meetup (www.meetup.com) is another great source of groups meeting for coffee on a regular basis for conversation. If there isn’t already a group, start your own. Set a meeting date, time, and location and publicize it through the Chamber and by posting flyers at the local coffee shop or copy center.

This is how I got my first start in networking.  I created a business women’s networking group in Meetup and had 30 women at the first event.  30 women I did not know.  The group grew to over 300 members in the first year.

It proves the point Ray Kinsella made when he said in Field of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come.”

Give it a try and stop being a Homebased Business Hermit!

If you are a in business or thinking about starting a business then THIS is where it all begins…Your Niche.

The word ‘niche’ is defined as: “A special area of demand for a product or service”. ‘Marketing’ is defined as: “The opportunity to buy or sell”. If you put the two works together, niche marketing means buying or selling a product or service in a special area of demand. All that really means is that a product or service is being sold to the people who are most interested in that particular product or service and not to the world in general.

Oftentimes big businesses use niche marketing. For example, a company that makes computers and computer accessories might advertise all-in-one copy/printer/scanners to the home computer user while at the same time advertising single function machines to large businesses.

One of the things that make niche marketing so attractive to sellers is that their advertising budgets go further. It costs less to advertise to a specialized market than it does to advertise to a broader market.

Niche marketing must be designed to meet the unique needs of the targeted audience. Niche marketers must tailor their product to meet those unique needs. If, for example, you have designed a product to make poodle grooming easy enough for the untrained professional to do it, those who own poodles will be most interested in your product. Those who own Blood Hounds or cats couldn’t care less. If you have written an e-book that will explain how to start and succeed at an online business, those who are looking for that information are your niche market. Those who are happy doing what they are doing are not interested at all.

Niche marketing is a very effective and cost efficient way to advertise and sell specific products or services to a specific audience or, hopefully, buyers of that product or service.

So before you get started do a little research on you niche.

Remember…

The riches are in the niches!

 Me either… but when I started researching it I was     surprised.

Here is what I found:

 What is this Observance About?

What Will Be Your Legacy Month is a month for people to reflect on their past and present actions and vow to make positive changes that will affect generations.  We have to remember the seeds, whether positive or negative, are planted in our children’s lives.  This observance is about making the right choices so our children and their children will make the right choices.  Everything we do will grow and reflect our teachings.

How is this holiday celebrated?

Here are a few ideas to make this day special:

• Host a “Legacy Party”
• Invite those who have made an impact on your life
• Have a hand written note for each person to express your gratitude.
• Play the Legacy Game – Each person attending will tell what they would like to be remembered by

Tips for Creating Your Legacy

Make Good Friendships

Relationships are the life to our existence.  Being a good friend is about being reliable, kind- hearted and thoughtful. In this way you’ll develop and maintain a friendship that lasts for years. One good friend is priceless. Taking the time to nurture a friendship is worth every moment.

Live Life to its Fullest

Enjoy each and every day no matter what it brings.  The meaning of your life is something you create day after day with your own actions and thoughts. Life is made up of choices and decision making is critical as each choice has both consequences and benefits.  Always ask what you can learn and how you can move forward.

Have a Compassionate Heart

Compassion is a virtue which requires us to put ourselves consistently in another person’s shoes, to feel his or her pain as though it were our own, and to enter into his or her point of view. This is summed up in the Golden Rule: “Do not do to others what you would not like them to do to you” or, in its positive form, “Always treat others as you wish to be treated yourself.”

Showing respect, concern and compassion for others will leave others feeling loved when in your presents and THAT is what they will remember about you.

Even though I had never hear of this special day it has certainly made me think about what kind of legacy I will be leaving.

Do you think if we started with a clean slate and helped our children better understand the importance of leaving a positive legacy, we would see a shift in the world?  I think it is worth a try.

So teach your children well.  Get your children involved in observing “What will be your legacy” month and you may be surprised how they choose to carry on this tradition.