For the last 2 months I have been telling my project manager that I just do not have time to do anything she asks. That was true. I have been snowed under with current projects, the monthly search marketing we do, in addition to running the company. We have been short staffed and I, personally, have tried to make up the difference. To keep quality from slipping, I have been working longer each day and more on weekends. This hard work paid off, and I actually started seeing some daylight, faint though it was. Then it happened.

A couple of new clients called, and they just had to have their site soon (or so I assumed). I could not leave these two deals on the table–or could I? Of course, I took them and in a very tight time frame. After thinking on this all day, I am wondering if there was not a touch of pride in my decision. I can do anything (or so I think). I’m already working 12 + hours with a 6 minute lunch. I can skip dinner and sleep can wait. Me? I don’t need any downtime. A sense of urgency defines any entrepreneur, yet I think the pride in skills and sometimes over confidence in abilities can hamper success.

Now, there is no doubt these two projects will be completed and done well. However, I do not want to run at this fevered pace forever. With the extra stress I have now, I wish I had asked for even an extra week in these two projects; but I did learn.

In the future I plan to schedule more carefully. Actually plan out, with the team, when something should be due, and then I need to pad that a little, so we can over deliver. I do not want to burn them out anymore than me. I will refrain from acting like superman, ask for help, and be more open with clients. This is my plan until someone asks why I can’t accomplish something, then who knows what I will say? I hope I can stand firm.

The 2012 NCAA finals are tonight, and all I have been hearing for the past month is how Kentucky is going to win the tournament. They may, but the real game will be played in their opponents head. Will the opposing team listen to the hype, get intimidated, make mistakes and end up fulfilling everyone’s expectations? That remains to be seen.

Sports history is littered with underdogs who have not paid attention to newscasters and done amazing things. Do you remember the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team, “Broadway Joe’s” bold prediction for Super Bowl III, or Arthur Ashe’s dismantling of Jimmy Connors at Wimbledon in the 70′s? These and others seem to rise at just the right moment and defy all the critics. Attitude works the same way in business.

If you think you can then you will be able to achieve great things. This does not mean you have to have everything figured out or have a secret weapon. All you need is belief in yourself and a determination to succeed. Persistence will substitute for a lot of talent.

Currently we are going through a lot of business changes. I know we will grow and be stronger because each of our team has the right attitude. We are dedicated to improving the bottom line of our clients and willing to think experiment and measure strategies to accomplish this. We do not let setbacks throw us off, and we celebrate small triumphs.

Over the last few weeks we have been developing a clearer vision (perhaps this is next weeks topic?) and an indomitable attitude. Who knows what we can accomplish?

What is your pricing strategy? Do you place yourself at the top of the market ? Do you lead with price? Do you charge what you think seems fair? The only way to establish pricing is to carefully consider everything required to complete a project.

First is the cost of materials needed. This is easier for products than services as the cost are more tangible. For services what incremental cost does each new client entail? Consider load on your server if you are hosting software, or on the amount of time to service a client each month. Perhaps these charges are small but as you grow they do add up and should be accounted for.

Second is the cost of your time to complete the project. Be very careful to get feedback and constantly measure. Especially, if you are working with creatives or those who are detail-oriented. Many times people can get so caught up that they take longer than budgeted. This is not to say you rush them but being aware before hand is important.

Third consider overuns. What happens if you hit a snag? Or if a client asks for more items in the middle of a project. Sure you could add more charges but most don’t like being nickel and dimed. Take care of this on the front end with a little padding.

Are there other costs? Well you do have fixed expenses. While these may not be directly tied to one project you do need to consider these cost. What about licensing fees, software and hardware? Finally, there is profit. To succeed you must cover all your cost and still have something left over. Too many businesses fail trying to compete on price.  Rather consider everything you need to do the job before you make the bid. Don’t just guess and hope.

Within the last 24 hours I have experienced several incidences that would have gone more smoothly, if both sides would have considered the other person’s point of view. So, I thought I would write up a quick list of things that I always strive to keep at the top of my mind.

1)   Offer a smile when you talk to someone

2)   Hang up the phone gently

3)   Realize you don’t know the kind of day another is having

4)   Really listen before offering an opinion

5)   If facts can be disputed write them down

6)   When you are tired you should not snap at anyone especially your wife (yes, honey I’m buying flowers)

I am finding that communication is not what is sent, but what is received, and that everything including facial expression, tone, and actual words conveys meaning. So next time you are stressed, busy, or preoccupied, and someone interrupts; take a breath, be considerate; and focus all your attention on the other person. Not only will this make you both feel better, but it will also increase your communication skills.

MouseWise is looking for a couple of people, and the process is totally disrupting our operations. Well, not totally, but it is having an impact. Fortunately, I was invited to a lunch seminar on hiring creative people and have a few tips provided by Jennifer Way at Way Solutions. 

1)      Have a stated plan for each step of the process

2)      Conduct a pre-screen phone interview

3)      Evaluate each person on the same set of questions

4)      Provide a clear orientation on the first day

We adopted these practices in the middle of our process and are seeing a difference in the time we spend and the quality of each interviewee. On our next round of hiring we will incorporate and probably get Jennifer to help us. Hiring does not have to be hard if you plan to succeed. For more on hiring, interviewing and compensation planning visit her site above. I have known Jennifer for 2 years and can personally recommend her.

I am sitting in McDonald’s writing this post, but I wanted to be at Wendy’s writing about change. So why am I here? That is the subject of this post.

I really enjoy Wendy’s spicy chicken. It is good if a little price. Well, I was close to a Wendy’s today and hungry so I went in. There were four people in line so I fired up my trusty laptop and was starting to compose my post. I had trouble with my connection and while I was trying to re-establish about 7-8 minutes passed. Finally, I got online and looked up expecting to be ready to order. NOT! In all that time one person had ordered. So I went to the restroom thinking surely they could process the others in my absence. I returned to see only one other person was through, so I waited again. After another 5 minutes (in all more than 15) the next guy placed his order. I just could not take it and left.

Sure I realize the drive to McDonald’s would take longer than waiting (maybe) but I was just so frustrated. This was lunch hour at a busy intersection. Could they not have 2 order-takers? I’m not crazy (well.), I just wanted to order, eat and go quickly. After all that is the promise of fast food – right?

Well this whole thing got me thinking: how many times do we fail our customers without even knowing what they want? We mouth the words customer service, take surveys and say service is what sets us apart; but how do our clients really feel? Just something to think about while waiting in line.

I am reading a new book “The First 30 Days” by Ariane de Bonvoisin. Check out the site. The book provides principles concerned with learning how to embrace and grow through change. Initially, I thought the book would be simply an inspirational message. After reading, I realize the book offers much more than general tips.

Ariane wants readers to realize that while change is inevitable, each person is stronger than they think they are,  and that from change they can learn how to become a more complete person. For me, the most intriguing concept is what Ariane calls the change muscle. The author believes we develop this muscle this over time and through trials–just as exercise makes our bodies stronger. Growing through change makes us stronger for the next challenge until we reach the point at which we embrace change more readily and really accelerate our life.

While I have not yet finished reading the book,  I know it will occupy a prominent place on my shelf as a reference for a long time. The examples are inspirational, the section on negativity is thought-provoking, and the message “growth through change” inspires me.

Thanks Ariane!

Social Media gets a lot of hype. Pundits write about how it will change the face of marketing. Savvy programmers create companies that go public netting millions of dollars. Dozens of companies (like MouseWise.net) tell you how to leverage the power of social to grow your business. Among the clamor, I believe we forget what Social Media is all about.  Let us look at the term itself.

The first word “Social” indicates sharing something with others. It is not convincing or persuading about your product. When you experience a meal you savored, enjoyed an engaging book or had a great experience with a company then you want to share out of excitement. The one who is being “Social” is simply motivated by the experience not the companies bottom line. In fact this non-biased report counts for much more than any company marketing.

The second word “Media” indicates broad distribution sometimes with little individual communication. You create “Media” because you enjoy doing this and trust someday someone will see and enjoy. Do not expect instant feedback. Social Media is not email; however a post has a much longer life span.

To be sure–Social Media is a great tool for business, but look at it for what it really is. Social Media is an easy way to share interesting information with friends and those of similar taste. Make your post fun, engaging and focused on how it will help others. Over time you will see the results.

 5 Tips for Social Media Success

1) Be interesting – no one cares where you are now, or that you just took a shower

2) Be unique – find your voice: Susan Boyle and cookie the penguin may be in your posts but I can find these everywhere, what is special about you

3) Be Consistent – commit to Social Media, a few posts a week for a year is better than thirty posts a week for a month and then no more

4) Be involved – this is not just about you, read others post, like and leave comments

5) Use Social Media because you enjoy it first let the business aspects gel over time

Wow my head is now crammed with new tips and tricks about how to use online marketing even more effectively. I spent last week at one of the largest “SEO” conferences. In addition to listening to some of the leading experts in the industry I got to have several one on ones with people from across the country. Our clients will see some additions to our marketing strategies in the upcoming year. Those who attend our Resource Recess will be getting a preview on Dec 14. The main takeaways from the conference are:

* The world of search has resolved to 2 players: Google and Bing/Yahoo merger.

* Individual rankings are much less important than an overall web presence

* Increasing conversions (not ranks) is the goal of online marketing

* Search and Social Media are converging

* The pace of change is increasing

The best advice I can give any reader is to get help leveraging online marketing. Business owners just do not have the time to keep up and gain the most value for their marketing investment. Too many times I have seen entrepreneurs who just turn over their marketing to some large company with huge promises and little follow through. You need someone to sit with you, understand your business and create a custom-crafted marketing plan that will work for you.

Achieving online marketing results for our clients is the goal of the MouseWise team. If you don’t use us then use someone. We can recommend Ross at To The Top for basic seo or Kate at Meta Marketer for superior web analytics or Paramore Redd for larger companies. In addition there are several great companies just go meet with 2-3. Each should be able to discuss strategy and explain their focus at no risk to you. Now realize marketing help is not cheap but if you do it right in 3-6 months you should see a 5-10 times return on your investment.

If you have questions you can contact us and we will be happy to schedule a meeting.