Floodlight Consulting

In this tough economic climate it is very important to continue to market your products and services, and to raise your so-called ‘celebrity’ status for yourself and your business.

As a business owner it’s important to understand what we can do to become ‘celebrities’ in our own right.

Why?

Because as consumers; we view some people as “worthier” or “more expert” than others, just because they’re better known.

In fact, these people may not be any more talented than anyone else, but we assume that they are more skilled or talented just because they are more famous.

And because they’re famous, their names become currency in themselves. For example, think of how many movie stars make commercials for hair products, when they don’t even do their own hair!

It’s important for us to do what we can to add some sparkle of celebrity to our own names. Simply put; the better known we become, the more customers and clients we’ll be able to draw in, and the higher the fees we’ll be able to command.

One of the easiest ways to raise your celebrity status is to create your own ‘Special Event’ – one that will draw attention to your company and its core products and services. The benefit of raising your celebrity status with an event is that the event speaks directly to your target market and establishes credibility for you as a leader in your industry and makes you and your business better known.

Becoming better known is a stepping stone to achieving other goals like attracting new clients, participating in speaking gigs (especially paid speaking gigs), making connections with marketing partners, attracting talented employees, and other activities that generate more business.

I recently worked with a client and helped him create a ‘Special Event’ designed to draw attention and create awareness for a custom service he provided to his clients. It was a fun event, capped by a contest that allowed him to tap into radio, TV, and newspapers with traditional marketing strategies, and incorporate Internet Marketing Strategies, utilizing newsletters, a Blog, Twitter, and Face book. The event and contest were both successful and the client was subsequently featured on both Global and CHBC news.

Events like this take a little time to assess the opportunities, assemble the right marketing information, and apply the right marketing strategies.

If done correctly, it’s a great way to raise your celebrity status and Build Your Business.

Donald Robichaud is the President of the FloodLight Consulting team and can be reached at http://www.floodlightconsulting.com/  or at 250-768-9415

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been
with us for many years.. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth
records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.

He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as:

- Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
- Why the early bird gets the worm;
- Life isn’t always fair;
- and maybe it was my fault.

Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don’t spend more than
you can earn) and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned but overbearing
regulations were set in place. Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with sexual
harassment for kissing a classmate; teens suspended from school for using
mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student,
only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job that
they themselves had failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It
declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to
administer sun lotion or an aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents
when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion..

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches became businesses; and
criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a
beating when you couldn’t defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and
the burglar could sue you for assault.

Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize
that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and
was promptly awarded a huge settlement. Common Sense was preceded in death, by
his parents, Truth and Trust, by his wife, Discretion, by his daughter,
Responsibility, and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, I Want It Now, Someone
Else Is To Blame, and I’m A Victim

Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you
still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
-
Donald Robichaud is the President of FloodLight Consulting and can be reached at www.floodlightconsulting.com

 or at 250-768-9415

As I am writing this article I am headed on my way to San Diego for my daughters wedding by way of the Oregon Coastline traveling down 101. The views are breathtaking and we are focused on our destination.

I can’t help but think as I am awed by the beauty of the coast how we were able to pull this off. In less than three months the event was planned, invitations sent, the hall booked, and all the necessary things related to the wedding were put in place.

The last 90 days have been a whirl wind and in addition to the wedding my business has been strong with steady growth.

In the past year I have interviewed a lot of business owners who do not have a set direction for the year, let alone a 90 day plan.

Business owners need to look at a 90 day plan like a road map for their business. This a great time of the year to finalize objectives for the end of the year and then set forth a 90 day plan to begin 2010 with solid momentum.

Here are three steps to help you with your efforts and make a great road map for your business success.

1. List your priorities and desired outcomes. Going off in all directions only causes confusion. Make a list of your top priorities. Ask yourself what it is that you want. Focus on what will:

Excite and inspire you!!!

Improve the value of your business, your work life balance, and your client’s experience,

Boost your bottom line and add to your ROI

2. Are your goals really goals? Sometimes we add topics to our ‘To Do’ list that aren’t really goals.

Be specific with dates and outcomes. Example:

Is it time for a website?

a) When will it be done? Time specific.
b) Who will do the copy?
c) Who will build it?
d) Who will host it?
e) Who will manage it
f) How does this work with my Marketing?

3. Get rid of your behaviour or habits that no longer serve you.

Procrastination is a killer in business. Too many business owners wait until it’s the right time!!!! And the right time will never come……. It’s the small steps that we take every day that help build our businesses. The small steps must be tied to a destination which are the goals that we set for ourselves.

Begin with the destination and your outcomes in mind. Identify ‘what’ it is that you want and ‘why’ you want it. And if ‘why’ you want it, is strong enough, then the action plan and the steps to follow through will become crystal clear.

Just like a road map it will help you “Build Your Business”.

In this world of electronic gadgetry such as cell phones, BlackBerry’s, emails, texting, voicemail, and recorded answering services, I sometimes wonder what happened to the days of a receptionist and a live voice at the other end of the phone.

The internet world provides us with instant answers and information. Gone are the days when you could afford to wait 24 to 48 hrs to return a call or communiqué. Today it’s all about instant communication, but not always instant gratification. The warmth of a caring human voice in this cold text age seems a distant memory. Instead, we find ourselves getting aggravated trying to work through the menu of an electronic answering service!

Electronic answering systems encourage people to form hasty opinions and give quick replies rather than take the time to develop thoughtful, well-reasoned points of view and offer real help.
But has life really been made easier with the development of these technological advancements? We seem to be always wired to something, often interrupting conversations to answer a vibrating phone.

Last week I ran into a problem while I was working on a newsletter template within icontact. It wasn’t a major issue and I am sure that if I had taken more time to sort through the copy on the page I would have found the solution, but I was on deadline (aren’t we all?).

So I decided to call icontact, which is an email, newsletter service. (My wife would be proud: me asking for help and direction). On the dashboard page of my interface was the picture of a young lady with a phone number to call for help. I called assuming that I would get voicemail.

What a surprise!!!!

They actually answered the phone. I expressed my amazement and she proceeded to explain that she was my account rep, ready and willing to take care of my needs. Within a few minutes my problem was solved and I was back on track to meet my deadline.

The live interaction with a polite and knowledgeable person was truly an amazing experience. No voice mail, no message bubble with some far off help desk. A live voice that was able to help to solve my problem – wow!

It’s the little things we do in business that leave an ever-lasting impression with customers, such as: consistent, prompt, quality service; and a willingness to go the extra mile.

My provider at icontact delivered great service with instant communication, the old fashion way…..with a real, live person at the other end of the line!

How can you add a little human touch to your communications and make your callers and customers feel more special? What can you do in this area that will ultimately help you “Build Your Business?”

Donald Robichaud is the President of FloodLight Consulting and can be reached at www.floodlightconsulting.com

There is a “defined” difference between coach and consultant. At FloodLight we bring both sides into play as we work with our clients, through their Business Life Cycle. Over the past 5 years FloodLight has been called on as a Business Consultants in certain circumstances, and as a Business Coach in other situations.

Business Coach:
Generally a business coach operates with essentially a ‘hands off’ approach guiding and advising the client along the way. A good business coach is typically a generalist in his understanding of sound business management and leadership principles, as opposed to being an expert in any particular area. In most cases, coaching involves working with a client over a period of 6 to 12 months through a structured program where accountability rests squarely in the hands of the client.

In a typical coaching setting key objectives are identified, in many cases in the form of a 90-day plan, and a systematic approach towards achieving those objectives is designed by the coach. Regular weekly coaching sessions are held to monitor progress against those objectives and deal with any stumbling blocks along the way. The uniqueness of the relationship between the client and the coach often results in an on-going program as the client sees the value of having on-going coaching or guidance much in the same way that professional athletes have coaches throughout their careers. Coaching is a very affordable means of achieving greater business and personal success for most clients.

The Business Consultant:
Generally a business consultant operates with a ‘hands on’ approach with a client. In most cases consultant have a particular area of expertise and are brought in by clients to perform a certain task or accomplish a particular objective. While coaching can go on in perpetuity, consulting involves intensive involvement over a specified period of time. Once the task or project is complete, the consultant typically moves on to the next assignment.

And while a business coach can manage a number of clients at once (i.e. 6 to 12 on average), a consultant typically works exclusively for one client and possibly 2. The consultant will typically work full-time for the client until the task is completed, while a coach will usually spend an hour or two per week with each of his or her clients. For this reason, hiring a consultant is usually a more expensive proposition than hiring a coach.

FloodLight Business Solutions Group

At FloodLight we have 60 plus years of business experience and our team approach to business solutions allows us to work with owners, executives, managers, and employees in small to medium sized companies. Our primary focus is to help our clients grow their business and achieve a greater work-life balance!

The outcome is a more effective management of your time, team and money!

In a number of cases we at Floodlight have been called in to address a very specific issue such as Internet Marketing or Search Engine Optimization. This sort of situation lends itself well to a consulting role as circumstances dictate that we specifically focus on implementing a solution over a brief period of time.

In many other situations coaching is a better approach in dealing with operational, strategic, business management, and team leadership issues. At FloodLight we work with business owners to Assess their business needs, Assemble a comprehensive strategy, and Apply tailor-made solutions in a practical day-to-day action plan.

Being a business owner can often be a difficult and lonely job. And hiring a Sales Manager, Marketing Manger, or Operations Manager is not always an affordable option. Hiring a business coach often makes more sense and is certainly more affordable.

At FloodLight we provide you with a coaching team to guide, advise, and coach you towards your business and personal goals.

Please contact us at 250.768.9415 or email us ( Click Here ) for more information on how we can help you “Build Your Business”!

At FloodLight we provide:

Business coaching, personal business coach, business coach, professional business coach, small business coach, business coach,personal coach, Kelowna business coach, strategic business coach, executive coach, coach, coaching and  executive coaching.

How do you Brand your Business Effectively?

The goal of branding is to create in the mind of the end user the belief, or curiosity, that something special exists that didn’t exist before.

The brand happens when you describe what you do in a term that builds you into the partnership with your client. This is based on what they tell you they want, or things you see happening that they haven’t yet identified. The Apple iPhone, iPod and iPad are great examples.

Three ways to brand your business starting today:Personal Brand – Your brand is created by you and the people at your company. You emphasize the image of your company and de-emphasize the product. If you ask your end users, they will easily be able to identify your “people brand.” The most notable example of this is IBM. You can’t help but picture blue suits, white shirts and red ties. You can make a conscious decision to change your personal brand if it isn’t what you would like it to be. What should your staff look like?

Product or Service Brand – Brand is simply by virtue of the product or service being differentiable. The implication is that the service aligns with something the consumer wants – either by fulfilling a need, or solving a problem. Revlon is an example. They sell beauty, not cosmetics. What do your customers want? What makes you different?

Market Branding – You brand is by virtue of the target market that you take the product or service to. Your expertise and your specialty need to reinforce your target market. You won’t find a Rolex advertisement in Fishing or Popular Mechanics, but you will in Skiing and Fortune magazines.

Your brand will only have power if it is constantly reiterated and reinforced in the marketplace by everything you do – advertising, promotions, word-of-mouth, PR, etc. (Marketing Touch Points)

The goal of continually positioning your brand is to situate your product or service permanently in the mind of the consumer. The realities of your product or service have no bearing on the decision to use your brand. The only decision that counts is what your customers believe.

So what Ever you do…….Don’t be Generic!

If you do not create brand identity for your product or service, you are selling something generic. Positioning your product or service to be “brand identifiable” and make sure it is measurable in the eyes of the customer.

For this to happen, your customers must:
1. Understand what makes you different
2. Articulate it to others
3. Value your brand and be willing to pay more for it
4. Embrace it and defend it when it comes under attack

What are the benefits of Branding my business?
• Branding helps to unlock profitability
• Branding prompts consumer selection
• Branding builds name awareness
• Branding increases the odds of business survival
• Branding produces long term loyalty
• Branding differentiates you form the competition
• Branding allows you to introduce new services more quickly because of the trust you have created
• Branding builds a positive image of your business

If the customer can not differentiate your product or service on these criteria’s, then you will fall into a large gray, non-descript category.

Create a strong Brand and Build Your Business.

If your Brand is ….. not working!!!!

Contact us today and start Marketing and Branding your Business!!

FloodLight Consulting – 250-768-9415

Branding

Branding strategy, global branding, online branding, corporate branding, digital branding, product branding, internet branding, web branding, branding logos, corporate identity, advertising, marketing, branding, design, identity, brand

When you were in school did you hang out with the jocks, science club, chess club, or drama club? Well if you did you were a part of traditional social networking. If you go to a Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club or Classic Car event, then you are part of a social network.

Social networks allow for the relationships that tie us together. When you meet someone for the first time you ask them “What do you do?” Or, “where do they work?” Or, “where they grew up?” Or, “where they went to school?” Through these questions you might discover people with common interests and develop new friendships. A social network begins to take shape.

When you go to someone’s house you get a feel for who the person is. You get to see family pictures, artifacts from where people have travelled, a guitar sitting in a corner, or a workshop for fine wood carvings. When you attend someone’s house party or meet people at a social event you become tied into a larger network of people.

Some of these people may never use your products or services, but guess what? If they like you and get to know you, they will eventually run into someone who can use your services and they will recommend you. Bingo! The power of social networking!

If you sat down to draw your social network in regards to which you are connected, you would have a difficult time establishing your complete sphere of influence. This is why internet social networking is so powerful. It allows you to hook up with old friends, make new ones, share photos, music, videos, and areas of common interest all in an interactive way. You can also join groups based on your interests such as politics, hobbies, favorite TV shows, job hunting, or seeking your soul mate! Again, the power of social networking!

Now apply internet social networking to your business and you can see how you might be able to raise your profile if you focus on the demographics of your target market. Different Social networking sites will achieve different networking results as they are focused on different target markets.

To implement your social media strategy you will need to decide which one of the social networking sites will best suit your specific goals. Below is a guideline to some of the most common.

• Micro blogging (Twitter)
• Business Networking (LinkedIn, Xing)
• Social Networking (Facebook, MySpace, Blogger)
• Photo & Video Sharing (Flickr, You tube, Picasa)

All Social networking sites should be used to share information freely and allow people to get to know you and your interests. Then you can subtlety redirect them to your main internet marketing tool – your website. This will take some planning and fore-thought but by following the above social marketing guidelines you will be able to use social networking to “Build Your Business”.

Donald Robichaud  President

FloodLight Consulting Build Your Business
Email
250-768-9415
http://www.floodlightconsulting.com/
http://donaldrobichaud.blogspot.com/ 

How many Business Cards will you be handing out in the hopes of building your Business?

At FloodLight Consulting, we know that if you build your website with a marketing strategy in mind as a first step, this will lead to a better strategically designed website, leading to better website construction, design and Internet Implementation.
 
A website, built with a positive internet marketing strategy and message, will speak to your clients, generate a response, and greatly assist with its appeal to search engines and visitors alike.

A website that speaks to your clients’ challenges, with content that offers solutions to their issues, including testimonials about your services, will engage them to contact or purchase your product and/or services.

The importance of your website cannot be overstated, as 80% of buyers visit a website before contacting a business; this is due in part to the web’s influence in buying patterns since2005.

Your potential clients make decisions quickly as to whether they call you or ultimately buy from you.

Think of your website as the hub for your Marketing and Branding activities. No matter what marketing style you are using—direct mail, email, referral generation, PR, cold calling, etc.—this style is driving buyers to your website. Your website is the portal by which clients and prospects are using to learn more about you and your services.

They are searching for information to validate you as a professional in your field.

Your potential clients have a need for your service and your website must offer a solution to their problems. You must be able to speak to the challenges that your clients are facing.

If they find what they are looking for, they will take action. They go to your website to form an impression of you and interact with your brand.

FloodLight Consulting  – Build Your Business – 250-768-9415

http://www.floodlightconsulting.com/

http://donaldrobichaud.blogspot.com/

Over the past 15 years the internet has become a major marketing tool that can no longer be ignored. The internet is the most cost effective way of using your marketing dollars and putting your company and its products and services out there for others to find. But without a little knowledge on how to tap into this very effective medium and a strategy to implement your plan, you will not be found and can end up wasting a lot of time, effort, and money.

Internet marketing will draw more people to your website, increase your customer base, enhance your sales, marketing, and branding efforts, for your company, products and services.

If you are just beginning your Internet Marketing Strategy then you will definitely need a website to implement your goals for internet marketing success. All your internet marketing efforts should lead your customers to your main company website with a specific call to action.

The following list will get you started on a plan that will increase your internet visibility and enhance your total marketing efforts.

Top 10 Internet Marketing Strategies:

1. Blog: Start with a Blog and interact with your visitors. This is a great way to repurpose all relevant information to the web so that you become the expert and leader in your field.

2. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – This involves researching Key words for your target market which will allow you to optimize your web content not only on your website but for everything you write about.

3. Back Links: A major part of Search Engine Optimization revolves around having a back link strategy that helps your internet ranking status. All back links point back to your Website like a homing beckon.

4. Newsletters: Email Marketing – Sending e-mails in the form of concise newsletter for the purpose of enhancing relationships with past, present, and future customers. This will encourage customer loyalty, repeat business, and will allow you to share knowledge and key information with your clients.

5. Call to Action: Build a responsive “opt-in” email list. Have people sign up for a newsletter and give them a free report or a tool that they can read and utilize.

6. Publish articles: If you are already producing a newsletter than you are producing content that can be used. You can self-publish your own articles if you are just looking for a little extra promotion of your website, or there are many other ways to get your work published on quality sites.

7. Run contests: This is a great way to drive traffic to your site as you can run a monthly or quarterly draw for a prize, and drive traffic to your site. With a little planning you can build your client list and raise your profile.

8. Press Release: Publicly announcing new company developments and delivering the message to a much larger audience allows you to gain more exposure.

9. Social Media – Allows you to build ways so that fans of a brand or company can promote it themselves in multiple online social media venues. Fan pages in Twitter, My Space, or Face book are examples.

10. Google Analytics – Allow you to track your efforts and analyze the visitors to your Blog and website. Consider hiring an internet marketing consultant to review and assist you in making better internet marketing decisions for your business.

As you can see these strategies will take some planning, but by following some of these strategies above you’ll be well on your way to creating your plan that will help you “Build Your Business”.

Donald Robichaud
President FloodLight Consulting
Kelowna, Canada
250-768-9415
http://www.floodlightconsulting.com/
http://donaldrobichaud.blogspot.com/

Top 10 Internet Marketing Strategies Kelowna Canada