Introducing Your Business: The Elevator Pitch

(Note from Tara: This guest post is by MJ Petroni, Causeit, Inc. Principal. I asked him to contribute to "Ditch the Dusty Widget" on the topic of networking and the elevator pitch because he's so darn good at it! Used with the author's permission.)

If you have only a couple of seconds to introduce your business—standing in line, in a group networking meeting, or, you guessed it, in an elevator—what will you say? The brief moment afforded you by a senior exec or a networking group is intended to give you a chance to demonstrate why your listener(s) should be interested and ask you for more information. Keep it short—and try following these steps.

Introduce who you are first.
Who are you? What are you committed to? What is the core product of your business (safety, innovation, partnership, etc.)?

My name’s MJ Petroni of Causeit, Inc. and we partner with businesses &
individuals to help them translate their intentions & visions into reality.

Most people only listen to the very beginning and very end of what you say—the times when they have to check in to manage a transition into or out of a conversation. Leave them with the essence of you, your business and your brand. Don’t go into the specifics yet; that’s the next step.

Explain briefly the tangible elements of what you do—in lay terms.
How do you deliver on the promise of what you just introduced?

We help you discover the core intention and vision of your business and then
translate it into plans and tools you can use now—drawing on proven business
methodologies and marketing techniques.

Hopefully we didn’t lose them—if they were interested, they stuck around and are about to hear a real example of what we do. If not, we’ll close the conversation with a brief reminder. If for some reason you do want to lose ‘em, just dive into describing the features of your business with all the details. Go ahead, toss in the jargon! If, however, you do want to keep their attention, use simple language and common concepts, and keep it short. I would love to explain our coaching process, our business development process, and our web & branding partners, but there isn’t time.

If you have time, and they look interested, give an interesting, brief example of a recent project or showcase client.
Demonstrate the fun, exciting, engaging and unique portions of your business.

Recently, we’ve been working a great company called Fliptography to showcase
their product. Rather than explain the booth that makes flipbooks from people
dancing in front of a camera, we coordinated with local trend-setters, and
helped them secure an article in The Mercury in less than two weeks after
launch.

Make your work tangible, real, and interesting—but only if there’s
time.

Tell them what to do to take action—or continue the conversation
if it’s one-on-one.
Do they need to call you to set up a meeting? Is there a promotion for them to take advantage of? Will you take them to lunch? Should they go to your website?

Check out our website for more useful, fun articles, workshops and business
development resources at www.causeit.org.

Have you asked for their business? Make sure that if you have only a few seconds to speak with them, you provide an opportunity for them to take action and find out all of the information you were aching to tell them. A simple, appropriate invitation to meet up for lunch can work, as can a referral to a source of more information.

For more information about how to introduce your business, meet new clients and build on existing relationships, contact Causeit, Inc., a business development firm committed to the success of love, work and life.

©2008 MJ Petroni and Causeit, Inc. All rights reserved.

Amazing Women, Amazing Businesses, Amazing Kids: Who Says You Can't Have It All?

This winter, I became a member of Mamapreneurs, Inc. (formerly Portland Mamas Inc.), a business networking and support organization for entrepreneurs who share a common trait: first and foremost, we're mothers.

How I failed, until now, to mention this fantastic organization, encourage Portland-area mamapreneurs to join, and pass on any of the opportunities presented by PMI is a mystery to me. To my fellow PMI members: I'm sorry to have neglected to mention you. To those of you Portland-area mothers who have your own businesses, are thinking of starting your own business, or who are looking to work for a mother-owned business...check us out.

There are lots of active, vibrant business groups in Portland, and plenty of strong, quality associations for women both here and nationally. But PMI has some of the most engaged, creative, attention-getting, talented, smart, ambitious women I've had the pleasure to meet. That so many of the members can achieve so much, work so hard, and still have so much fun—while also raising our kids, being pregnant, and fitting it all in between school hours—amazes and inspires me.

It's been an honor to be welcomed so warmly into the group and to be supported by other members.

Visit the PMI website and check out upcoming events, read the articles that range from tips to launch a product to believing in yourself as a mother, and support the mama-owned businesses listed in the membership directory.

And if you're a mamapreneur with five years experience or less in running your business, check out the upcoming two-day conference just for you: "The Makings of a Mamapreneur." It runs September 23 & 24 from 8:30 am - 12 pm (we *do* have kids after all) at Design Within Reach, located in Bridgeport Village, Tigard.

Portland Women Entrepreneurs Event Tonight

PDX Ladies:

Head over to Aura tonight at 6:00 for the annual networking event of Entrepreneurial Women of Portland (EWOP).

The $25 entrance fee at the door gets you one drink and light appetizers for nosh. The real benefit, though, is in guided group discussions with some of Portland's most successful boutique, salon, and business owners.

You grow, girl!

(PS: I'm bummed I can't go this evening, but I have a previous commitment. So go and tell me how it is!)

Benefits of Networking: Increase Your Odds

As a small business owner, there are many reasons to network; one of them is that you just never know who you’re going to meet. To be in the right place at the right time to meet the right people takes more than sheer luck—you have to get out and try to make it happen.

When asked in an interview how aspiring screenwriters should keep going after their “big break,” Diablo Cody, the writer of “Juno,” recommended networking and staying visible. Talking with everyone about your work wherever you go, she said, is the start. Being part of the industry network even if nothing seems to happen is the key. Eventually, something will. Being “discovered” isn’t an accident, she insists. Yes, the real break happens with luck, she acknowledged, but you improve your chances of being that lucky if you stay out in front of people.

Getting to know people, whether through your church, children’s school, neighborhood, trade associations, volunteer or sports activities, can lead you to exciting opportunities.

I’m Linkedin. Are you?

A few weeks ago, one of my Seattle colleagues invited me to join her Linkedin network and I figured, what the heck. I’m online with Blogger, Maternitique, a small business magazine on Zimbio, my own bookshelf at Powells.com and Tara M. Bloom Communications. This is hardly the time to be shy.

So I became a member of Linkedin and immediately sent out my own invitation to friends, colleagues and family (just in case friends and colleagues wouldn’t add me to their network, I knew my mom, aunt and cousins would).

What Is Linkedin?

It’s an online professional networking tool with your choice of free or paid membership. Its unique value is in how it enables you to leverage relationships you already have to create new relationships with people you may not have known you could access.

Linkedin is a great place to create your own professional profile. With space to add your photo, bio, personal summary, work history (a virtual resume), links to your website, blog, RSS feeds for your articles, awards and recognitions, educational history, organizational memberships and more, your Linkedin profile is your customizable CV online in a very searchable, very public, forum.

In addition to the profile feature, it has an active recruiting and job seeking tool and provides a dynamic service provider referral resource.

Why Should I Be Linkedin?

There are many ways to use Linkedin. You can:
* search for a job
* manage your online reputation
* gain credentials as an expert in your field
* network; gain and share access to a variety of people
* recruit for a job
* reconnect with alums and old friends
* build visibility and credibility for your services

Like any tool, Linkedin membership will only be as useful as you make it.

The starting place is to define why you’re there.

For me, gaining “expert” status, both as a marketing strategist and as a maternity resource, is important. How does Linkedin advance those goals? I can earn an “expert” label on Linkedin by participating in its Q&A feature. By answering other people’s questions about my areas of expertise, I gain visibility. When the asker selects my answer as the best, I earn a “point” towards my “expertise” rating. Your status as an expert shows in your profile and appears each time your name comes up on Linkedin search results—a valuable thing for those of us who seek to be published, quoted and sought as a resource to the media.

Another reason I want to participate in Linkedin is to build endorsements for my products and services. Sure, on my websites I can add testimonials from previous clients and customers. I can provide a list of references to prospective writing clients and I can show my finest work in my online portfolio.

But with Linkedin’s Recommendations feature, people in my network can add “thumbs up” signs next to the description of what I do. Actual customer responses in this section are a much more powerful endorsement than anything I could put on my own website and are instantaneously visible in a profile. No phone call required for this type of reference check!

Getting Started

Once you’ve identified why you want to be Linkedin, your next step is to build your profile accordingly.

Because I’m not looking for a job or wanting to build my reputation in industries in which I’ve previously worked, I chose not to enter any past employment information to my profile. If your work history is more relevant to your current endeavors, however, you would want add detail here. The idea is that you want to be the editor of your own information. Don’t fabricate anything, for heaven’s sake, but there’s no need to clutter your profile with detail that doesn’t advance your goals.

Once you’ve created a profile, it’s time to invite people to join your Linkedin network. Linkedin makes this very easy by prompting you through the process and providing a pre-written invitation. Plus, Linkedin syncs with your Outlook address book to automatically generate a list of people you know. With a quick and easy press of a button, you’ll be on your way.

Time to Participate

Like any social networking tool online, you have to be engaged in order for it to work.

First make yourself visible. Make your profile public, choose the option to create a custom public profile link and customize your public profile settings. Next, begin by making recommendations for people you know, and invite people to recommend you.

Promote your Linkedin profile by adding your public link to your outgoing email signature, displaying Linkedin buttons on your blog and/or website, and even adding your public link URL to your business cards.

Then get involved! Since you know what your goals are for your Linkedin profile, work accordingly. My next steps are to make and invite recommendations and to participate in the Q&A.

To keep myself on track, I’ve pledged to devote only 30 minutes during the work-week to Linkedin, but put aside two hours on the weekend or after work hours. This way, keeping regularly engaged stays manageable and outside of normal business hours—so it really does feel more like networking.

View my Linkedin Profile and Invite Me to Your Network:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/tarabloom

Believe. Manifest. Let go.

Last week, I attended a networking event hosted by the Women Entrepreneurs of Oregon and held at The Clearing Café next to The DragonTree day spa on NW Thurman.

There I had the pleasure of meeting Briana Barton, owner of both the café and spa. She is a remarkably inspiring young woman. With a beautiful baby nestled against her chest and a flower in her hair, she radiated calm and poise. Graceful, open and smiling, she shared with me some her own stories about starting up her businesses.

Seeing her spa, The DragonTree, now flourishing at 4 ½ years old, it’s hard to imagine Briana’s anxiety and worry in the early days. The DragonTree is an oasis, a true retreat from urban grayness and stress. Fountains, plants, candles and a skylight bring all four elements of Earth, Air, Water and Fire into the surroundings. Moroccan chandeliers, bold fabrics and gold painted walls transport visitors to another place. The Sangha Room, where the foot treatments take place, evokes an Asian courtyard. Every detail of the spa shines with the touch of loving, deliberate care. It’s the work of a woman who believes passionately in what she does.

And yet, the first days and months of business were slow for The DragonTree: it took time for word to spread about the sanctuary Briana had created.

The night I met her, I leaned on Briana. She exuded a peacefulness and quiet strength that inspired my trust. I confided in her about my anxiety about my store taking longer to grow than I had expected and almost mentioned my worry that it might f**l.

Following our talk about the store’s mission and my passion for women to claim and enjoy their childbearing years, Briana visited Maternitique’s website. The next morning, she wrote me the following email:

I wish you all the best - I know that it will totally take off....just believe,
manifest, and let go.

Thank you, Briana. That was exactly what I needed to hear.

If you are struggling in the new days of a fledgling endeavor, I hope those words of wisdom calm you as much as they did me.

Helping Hands

Reciprocity. Good karma. I scratch your back, you scratch mine. However you want to term it, small business owners helping other small business owners is…good for business.

The goodwill gestures can be as easy as displaying complementary business information at your location, as straightforward as mentioning good services to your clients, or as personal as passing out others’ cards. However you choose to go about it, sharing information is a win-win. Not only do you help another business owner and potentially your customer, but you benefit, too.

What's In It for Me?

By promoting complementary businesses and services, you create added value to your relationship with your customers. When you assist your customers in accessing quality products or solutions, you underscore your commitment to service. You demonstrate your knowledge of their needs, reinforcing that both you and your business are a resource.

Let Someone Else Do the Work

Spreading the word about related business news or offers can also solve one of your problems: having an excuse to “touch” (contact) your customers. Maybe you don’t want to lower prices, haven’t introduced a new product or service lately or don’t have the time to write a zesty, engaging letter to your customers. Let someone else do the work. As long as it’s a referral you feel good about, you benefit from putting it on your letterhead and sending it to your list. Including information from others in your regular newsletter is a great way to keep your materials fresh.

It All Comes Back

And finally—the obvious—when you help other businesses, they may be inspired to help you, too.

Here are some additional suggestions for good business karma:

• Follow the café example: hang a bulletin board and allow other businesses to post messages on it
• Feature referral-of-the-month business cards at your point of purchase location
• Note upcoming events at complementary businesses in your print newsletter
• Introduce a new, complementary small business to your customers in an e-newsletter
• Offer to share your space for complementary services by sole proprietors
• Write a letter to your mailing list, including a special offer from a complementary service provider
• Highlight a valuable service or product by a complementary business on your blog
• Link to other small businesses on your Web site

This post was inspired by my massage therapist, Amanda, at Miss Fit. Not only does my monthly massage with her make my month (I’ve had to have ongoing massage therapy and chiropractic care for nearly a decade and Amanda stands out as one of the most effective therapists I’ve seen), but last week, she topped it by helping to share news of my new online maternity store to the prenatal fitness class at Miss Fit. Thank you Amanda for reminding me how good it feels to be helped by and to extend help to others.

Small Business Success Strategies Event

Portland, Oregon area small business owners (or aspiring small business owners) should get more than a tasty meal January 31 when the Portland Business Journal hosts a Small Business Success Strategies Breakfast.

From a restaurateur to an e-marketing and creative services pioneer to a specialty retail store owner, the speakers will participate in a panel exploration of the obstacles they faced, their strategies for growth, and the other discoveries that they found along the way.

Get out of bed early, coffee-up and let's listen to what the experienced have to teach us! See you there.

When: Thursday, January 31, 2008 7:30am - 9:00am

Where: Governor Hotel, Heritage Room 614 SW 11th Ave., Portland, OR 97205

How Much: $35 per person

(Photo courtesy of Portland Business Journal; clockwise from top: Ryan Buchanan, CEO and founder of eROI; Steven Kline, CEO and Owner of Typhoon! Restaurants; Judith Huck, Owner, Classique Floors)

Market to Previous Customers: Look to the Past to Build Toward the Future

...or Happy Halloween from Your Real Estate Agent

Real estate agents, like other commission-based sales professionals, know that staying in touch with everyone in their address book is essential to growing their business. Referrals are a salesperson’s bread-and-butter; sales are easier to make when you have a prospect’s friend or relative greasing the tracks for your deal.

Dana Griggs, my parents’ real estate agent with Hasson Company Realtors, knows that one of the cardinal rules of successful marketing is to stay in front of people. And she does it so well.

More than a decade after she helped my parents find and buy their home, she continues to regularly send cards to them. Last winter, Dana sent my mother a holiday greeting that was customized with a picture of my parents’ house on front. My mother, who really loves her house, told me it was her favorite card (after the one she received from me and her grandchild, I’m sure).

This morning, my father sent me Halloween greetings via an email forwarding of an electronic card from Dana.

Every time you reach out and stay in front of your previous customers or clients, you give them the opportunity to pass on your information to others. Not only have my parents talked to me about Dana and her cards, they’ve shared her name to many other people as well. And now, I’m sharing her information with you.

By consistently making yourself visible to those you’ve served in the past, you remind them of what you do and how you helped them. It keeps fresh the positive feelings they associate with your assistance and skill. And because of those positive feelings and your past relationship, they are your best source for repeat and new business.

There’s no need to be pushy or glitzy. Even a simple letter on stationery can be effective. But to ensure your business is remembered, thought of, talked about—and maybe even displayed on your customers’ refrigerators—the key is to find timely, thoughtful, and simple ways to remind them of you and your business.

Don't Stop Marketing!

This morning I had coffee with a fellow entrepreneur who launched his business just over a year ago.

As we talked about how things had been going for us with our respective companies, he mentioned that many of the sales efforts he and his partner had made in the very beginning were just starting to pay off.

As promote my copywriting services, I notice something similar. Contacts or advertising efforts I made in the first weeks and months of being self-employed are only recently yielding contracts.

The moral of today’s story: stay dedicated to ongoing marketing efforts. While it may not seem to be doing any good, it will.

Trade Associations Aid Small Businesses

For entrepreneurs just starting out, as well as for more established small business or sole proprietors, trade associations provide valuable connections and tools you can use to catapult your business to the next level.

Trade magazines and memberships to writers’ associations have provided leads and resources to me that I wouldn’t have been able to access on my own. From national research on setting copywriting rates, referrals to companies that specialize in answering my profession’s business management needs, and newsletters that connect me to project postings, I can find a wealth of helpful information from the handful of trade sources I’ve joined.

Whether membership is charged monthly or annually, the network will give you back more than you pay for it, especially if you mine it for all it’s worth.

Membership really does have its privileges.

Oregon Small Business Fair

If you're considering starting a small business or are ready to take your endeavor to the next level, set aside Saturday, September 8 to attend the Oregon Small Business Fair.

The annual fair features information booths and seminars to assist entrepreneurs--both experienced and aspiring. On hand to provide information about funding sources, small business taxes, licenses, workplace safety, business development and more are exhibitors such as: Women Entrepreneurs of Oregon; Oregon Department of Revenue; and U.S. Small Business Administration.

Beginning at 8:30 are numerous workshops that cover topics including: cash flow; sales; bookkeeping; networking; and regulations.

Whether you're ready to grow or ready to start something new, this event is a must-see.

Mark your calendar:

When: Saturday, September 8

Time: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Where: Oregon Convention Center, Hall B

Cost: Free

More: Schedule of events and list of exhibitors

Don't Do It Alone When You Go It Alone

Starting up a business as a sole proprietor or sole owner can be, well, lonely.

Sure, there are vendors to talk to, clients to work with, and all sorts of people to interact with during the day. But from the daily mundane minutiae to the gargantuan "what-ifs?" all the responsibility, the decisions, the risks, and the questions are yours and yours alone.

How-to books and business counselors are a help, but they can't take the edge off our human need for real support.

I had lunch this week with my mentor, a successful CEO of a leading women's health care products brand. I can't begin to express how grateful I am for the time she gives me. Her advice is invaluable, for one. But more than her answers, I rely on her validation.

In our lunch visits, I find space to put down the business burdens I'm carrying. I speak with her about my fears and ideas, the things I don't know and the things I'm finding out. When she relates to me the similarities on her own journey, it boosts my confidence. When I confess my worry that I don't have what it takes to be on my own, and she responds with empathy because she's felt the same way, it neutralizes my fear.

After I've had an hour with my mentor, I feel recharged and ready to take everything back on again.

Reach out and connect with other entrepreneurs. Join a networking group or club. Think about a person you admire and ask him or her to be a mentor. Take other entrepreneurs out to coffee and vent a little, share your fears, ask questions.

Going it alone doesn't mean doing it alone.