New site for Core Business Development Blog

Ok, so with the New Year around the corner, we at CoreBizDev are also doing a bit of goal setting and looking to start the new year with a fresh set of achievables.

Goal #1 is to go live with a new look, feel and address for our Blog!

WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!

While I do love the “Free” nature of wordpress.com, I have found that it lacks the depth I desire for creative manipulation of themes and widgets. With that said we’ve made the move to our new address of….

www.corebizdev.org

You can still get there by using corebizdev.com (we’ve set it all up to re-direct) and we hope you will take the time to weigh in our new design.

The remainder of the goals I’ll share in another post, but for now, trust that they are quite audacious and exciting. Two things I think every goal should be. We’re excited to grow and look forward to helping you grow as well.

Happy Hustlin to all!!

Building Business with a Story

What make a consumer buy? This the core question of any business….and everything is business. Don’t mistake that. You are always selling something. Maybe you are selling attendance to an event, or a line of sweaters, or tax advice or yourself to get a new job. No matter what you are always selling.

So the major question of every endeavor becomes…..what makes a person buy?

The answer is quite simple and complicated at the same time. People buy a good story.

As humans we are all connected to our emotions, so more, some less. But all connected none the less. When we tell an effective story, one that combines our passion, our product, our beliefs, our struggle and our success…our listeners become engaged. They want to know more and they want to participate.

The greatest teachers I have ever had were great storytellers. The were able to wrap wisdom and learning into a great fable that answered the “Why’s” and “How’s”. I would also say the same of the greatest sales professionals I have ever met….and the greatest entrepreneurs.

Take a moment and think of Steve Jobs. He is responsible for selling the story of Apple. He has the most fanatical users and has established his company as an innovator by telling a story of the triumph of design. He is known as being ruthless on design specific details. His keynotes are riddled with references to poor design and it’s even prevalent in the uber-famous “Mac vs, PC” commercials.

His story is consistent and engaging. It speaks to a niche population but invites in anyone who may be listening with a small amount of interest. Mostly though, the story is authentically Steve Jobs. Some will argue that the story then will die with Steve Jobs. I challenge that it is too soon to see where the story will lead.

When you choose to root your business strategies in the art of storytelling, you are opening your business to be flexible and to grow. A traditional fable takes twists and turns, embraces new characters and takes on new risks. But it also has  a core set of values. These are what guide the customer through the transition of characters and ultimately drive the engagement with the product.

In this day and age, a business cannot be nameless and faceless. Consumers are demanding that “Oz” be revealed. Let the world see that you are behind the business. Let them understand and relate to you as a person. Share your successes, failures, dreams and accolades. Your story is the story of your business.

Here are 3 steps to crafting and sharing your story.

1. Determine your core values – What do you and your business stand for? Many a motivational and business speaker have discussed virtues of having defined values. They were right.  I’ll also say that these values should be realistic and able to be upheld. Identify 3 strong values that your customers can count on receiving each and every time they interact with your product. From “Fun” to “Honesty”, take the time to Identify and Define these.

2. Define where and how you communicate - Really these two are at the core of all marketing plans and should be at the core of your business strategy. If you don’t have a pre-determiend path you’ll spend all your time looking for the right path. Forget “right” for now and focus on movement. Will you reach your customers via Social Media, print ads, Radio, direct mail, phone call, horse and buggy, lighting of lamps….you get the point. Figure out where you want to put your focus and then start applying your values to that message. Think “soft sell” in this part and leave the hard sell to the so called advertising professionals.

3. Listen to the story you are telling – Too many business owners and professional marketers get caught up int he details of what they are trying to share. do yourself a favor, go find a six year old and ask them if they understand what you are saying. If they get it and are excited by it, your on the right track…if not, time to re-evaluate. Keep it simple and focus on the big picture. What gets people excited about your product? What builds engagement? These will lead to the deeper questions down the road.

Your ability to tell a great story will have a profound impact on your business if you take the time to build it. These tips and this concept is not a simple “How To”. This a concept and mind set that you must adopt….for the long term.

Happy Hustlin!

Generate Pre-Opening Buzz

So your starting a business. You’ve got a great idea, a killer location and your product is exactly what the community has been looking for. How do you get your message out there?

Generating pre-openign buzz for your business is a critical component of the growth process. It allows you to build a following before you open that ensures a smoother entrance into the market…..translating into more sales and money in your pocket.

Bite Size Bits: t(h)ink Core and Eventful

Here’s episode 1.5!

A quick exploration of Eventful. One of our favorite platforms for promoting the events that will drive business to….well…..your business. In about three minutes we breakdown down this AWESOME site, discuss the Korean taco truck phenomenon and totally blow the ending of the bit.

We had fun though! And….. hopefully you take away a better understanding of how Eventful can help your biz.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Creative Mavericks

A creative Maverick is one who looks for the interesting in what surrounds them, finds the amazing in the simple, enjoys the beauty of chaos, the joy in humanity and wisdom from all experiences and situations.

How are you changing the world and adding value?

Social Media Strategy – The t(h)ink CORE video series

Ok, so I get asked a lot “What should I do for my business?” and often find that the majority of business owners are just looking for a place to get started.

With this in mind, my friend Jason Markow and I started a series of videos where we profile a local business and share our thoughts on Social Media Marketing strategies we think would help them to build there business.

Have a look and let me know what you think!

Happy Hustlin!

Why adopt a New Media Strategy?

This evening I was preparing for an upcoming presentation and started brainstorming to get my head in the right place. I wanted to get down my basic, fundamental, beliefs about why a small business owner should embrace New Media marketing.

Here is my quick list.

It’s a place to get started when you are looking to answer the big question of “why”. The list should generate some insights or further questions as you read it. I recommend you read through the list once, to get it over with, then a second time to see how each point resonates with you and your goals.

Examine your own feelings and be honest. Are you excited, scared, worried or do you feel nothing? These emotions should also give you some insight.

Reflection is the greatest tool we have for improvement. Use it often!

…and now the list!

1. Social Media builds brand equity. It’s drives participation in communities and groups by it’s very nature and provides a clean medium for sharing value.
2. If you believe in your product and are passionate about what you do, you can build a community no matter how small your niche
3. You make money  by being involved and caring. It is that simple.
4. It takes time to make money, you need passion and patience. If you do actually adopt a strategy, you’ll need to work it for at least a year before you start to see the full return on your investment.
5. Be a Hustler! Work harder, longer and more passionately than the next person in the room. Most still don’t realize that it is not luck, but hard work, that creates success.
6. People ask how many tools they need to use…….use as many as you can sanely handle. Be everywhere a potential customer may be. Make a few mistakes along the way and continue to find the ones that yield the most contact.
7. You must be authentic to win a community of fans. Once you have a solid base of fans who believe in your value, put a plan in place for monetizing.As your building your community you should be looking for the core structure of that plan
8. Where do your customers live on the web? Breathe, play and work there. Look for the new locations and the tried & true.
9. Adopt video!!! If nothing else, start recording 1 minute of advice a day. It’s easy, cheap and conveys emotion to those who are watching.
10. Don’t try and please everyone. Please a core group who will use your product. Be yourself.
11. Work when others aren’t. The most successful entrepreneurs work at night. Just two hours each night is an extra 10 per week…and they generally are uninterrupted.

What do you think? I am right, wrong, idiotic or crazy? What skills or strategies have worked for you?

Happy Hustlin!

Reputation, it’s all you got.

Warren Buffet said ”It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.”

It is important keep in mind that every word you say and every commitment you make is chance for you to continue building or ruin that reputation. All of your actions, every minute of every day, determine the solidity of your reputation. Every word, every minute, every day.

Not enough people take care of their reputation. They believe that others will forgive and forget. They believe that others will understand that they “didn’t mean it that way” and will move on. The stark truth is that while many will publicly forgive, they also privately hold on.

Mostly this is unconscious since that is the way we are wired. Socially we have been taught that it is divine to forgive. Biologically we are wired to remember. Over time we build profiles of those around us. We begin to see patterns of behavior that supersede the forgiveness. These patterns ultimately determine the reputation we assign to those we are surrounded by and determine the level of trust we assign to that person.

Over time you develop a reputation that shows your true self, not the self you think you are. If you miss too many appointments or consistently show up late, what does that say about you? If you consistently over deliver and go out of your way to help others, what does that say about you?

Are you consciously paying attention to these behaviors and your patterns in life? If not, why?

At the end of the day, your reputation really is the foundation of your success in life, business, relationships and achievement.

With that said, I challenge you to take 5 minutes right now and determine your reputation. Ask yourself the following questions.

1. What can my friends and business associates count on me for?

2. Where have I under delivered to these same people in the last year?

3. What am I doing today to change that behavior?

If you are honest with yourself, you can learn a few things from these simple questions. Whether online in technological communities or in your day to day interactions, you must be aware of your reputation. With a good and solid one, you will not build trust with your community, you will also build your business. Without trust, you cannot achieve sustained success

Choose your actions carefully and commit with even greater care.

Happy Hustlin!

Thought and Thanksgiving

“When we exist without thought or thanksgiving we are not men, but beasts.”M.F.K. Fisher (1908–1992) -

It is our ability to reflect on our success, our failure and that which we are thankful for which often determines our ability to truly enjoy life.

It is even greater when we can verbalize those reflections to our friends and family. When you verbalize a thought and engage in the act of sharing, you are not only making a commitment to you yourself, you are showing humility and openness. You are inviting others to be a part of your  success.

Be thankful for those who have helped you along the way and be sure to let them know what they have done and the impact it has made. Share your thanks with authenticity and humility. Today is the day of reflection.

Lastly, take a few minutes and thank yourself. Make a list of your accomplishments over the last year. What are you most proud of? These moments should be acknowledged and celebrated by you.

I wish the best the Thanksgiving Holiday and am thankful for the support you have given me.

All the best,

Filling the Pipeline

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.”~Robert Louis Stevenson

This is the driving factor behind the new economy. It is no longer about simply harvesting. We must stay focused on laying the groundwork for future success and re-positioning our businesses around long term strategies.

Content Marketing forces us as business owners to plant seeds within our networks and community. By sharing content, versus advertising, we are sowing the seeds of trust. We are building a platform by which we can introduce ourselves and our products by giving people information that benefits their lives. We are focusing on doing right by those who support us and helping those who don’t yet know we exist by sharing information that is valuable to them.

Take minute and think about that…..

If you are a homeowner with a running toilet you have two options. Call a plumber or try and fix it yourself. One is expensive and the other is free (also potentially messy). In times like these, more people are likely to try and fix it themselves because they need money, which of course means the plumber is not called to the job goes wrong.

But what if the homeowner had access to “How To” information on YouTube or a Blog that could walk through a series of basic repairs a homeowner might face. Like a running toilet. What if they were easy to follow, entertaining and effective. Would that homeowner then turn tho that site as a resource? Would the homeowner then share that site with friends? Would that homeowner then share his story of grand success conquering their bathroom? Would that Homeowner then feel better about themselves?

I think they would.

More importantly though, the homeowner has built trust with the Plumber and his company. He is more likely to call them when they have a larger project and because the homeowner is empowered they are more likely to share the site/resources with their friends resulting in more exposure.

Now, Let’s take it a step further as well. This Plumber should also be using his New Media channels to discuss his specialties and passions. He could be educating his community about the benefits of Green Plumbing and Tankless Water Heaters, both items that a specialist would need to be called to install.

What happens over time, is the Plumber cements himself as a trusted resource and expert in his community and this results in more business. More of the business that is worth his while and yields the greatest revenue.

In the new economy, this is how you fill your sales pipeline.

Happy Hustling!