MaineBusiness.com

I'm writing this post on Valentine's Day and love is in the air. Most independent professionals I meet tell me they love what they do. That's easy. Of course we do. Otherwise, we would be working for someone else.

My Bold question is: "Do you really love your business?"

It seems so simple. If you love the core work that makes you money, then you will dive into it with enthusiasm, relish the details that drive great performance, and get energy from the process. If you don't love the "business", you'll probably do better in the long term by finding something else to do.

If you love what you do, business is like a game of pinball. You do all the things you need to do to win, even the things you don't like. Then you get to keep playing without putting more money in.

Do you love your employees? If you have people working for you, do you love them? They should give you help and energy. If not, it's time to do something.

Do you love your clients? We spend a lot of time with clients. Do you love them? You do your best work with your best clients. Working with your ideal clients makes life easier, more profitable and you'll have happier clients also.

What is the common connection with the clients that you really love to work with? Figure out how to get more of them. Are there clients that you hate to deal with, who drain you of energy? It's time to take the Bold step and help them move on.

Do you make enough money? Only you know what "enough money" is for you. But if you don't make "enough" then you'll be frustrated and stressed no matter how much you love your work and your clients.

This is more than either gross or take home revenue. Do you make enough to provide the insurance you need? Are you building a retirement plan? Are you making enough to take time off?

It's easy to say you love your work without giving thought to loving your business. The BOLD thing to do is ask yourself some tough questions. Then, act on the answers.

Staples just released the results of a telephone poll of US businesses with less than 20 employees. That's me. It's probably you.

The poll-takers quizzed small business owners on their work habits. Here's the basic findings:

"For most of the managers surveyed, the standard 40-hour work week does not apply." (no kidding)

"Nearly two-thirds (62 percent) work well beyond a 40-hour week, and one in five (21 percent) work a double week, logging an extra 40 or more on-the-job hours. Those surveyed site business growth (9 percent) added responsibility (7 percent) and "trying to keep up" (5 percent) for their heavy workloads. Some managers have compensated for these increased work demands by letting work trespass into once-sacred personal time."

I knew that we worked a lot. My January 8 entry noted the survey (again, businesses with fewer than 20 employees) that found over half 'sleepwork'. Talk about working overtime.

Most of us work these long hours, in-part because we love what we do. The other reason is because we don't know any other way to build our business. It's not until you stop and take a breather that you notice just how much we are sacrificing other parts of our lives to our businesses. About a fifth of the people polled said they worked during dinner four or five nights a week. Half said they cut back on family time to work more.

This concerns for a couple of reasons:
1) We feel if we aren't doing something, we're not being productive. However, we actually need time away from work to do better at work. Study after study says that if you're rested you work better and have a better attitude. Think of all the money and effort invested in improving the quality of our products, services, staff, policies, procedures, etc. What have you invested on improving the quality of your midset? We spend so much focus on re-engineering our business but almost nothing on reengineering ourselves, the one's who actually make things work... or not.

2) We have friends and family and important people that we don't see during work yet who are vital to our well being. Those relationships can help us through tough times, as I've talked about before. Strong relationships, like successful businesses, don't happen by themselves. We have to do our part and make the investment required to keep them strong.

Some time in the next couple of days, stop for a minute. Think about how you spend your time. If it's not the way you want to be spending it plan to do something different. Then be BOLD and do it.

Social responsibility isn’t something only large corporations are involved in these days.  Small businesses are signing up and implementing CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) efforts in record numbers.  Socially responsible businesses, sustainable businesses, ethical business practices… while they all differ slightly, the catagor of business responsibility is hot.  

Increased attention on the social responsibility of businesses hasn’t been entirely voluntary, unfortunately.  However, it is a topic that has evolved from damage mitigation to primarily a proactive effort to impact society in a positive and profound way. Do you (or your employer) participate in CSR efforts? Is there a CSR strategy? How are your CSR efforts aligned with your business? 

Successful businesses need a healthy society to survive.  A healthy society needs successful businesses to survive.  There's no question, the moral obligation of business to support the communities in which it does business is one felt by many. 

There are also unlimited worthy causes with which a business can align. How do you choose? Businesses can’t solve all of society’s problems, nor can business bear the costs.  So how can you determine which cause to support?

As a business owner you have a responsibility to society, your employees, your clients and the business (or shareholders) itself. It’s important to select issues that intersect with your business.  The guide is not whether a cause is worthy but whether it presents an opportunity to generate shared value that is meaningful and benefits society and is valuable to your business.

No matter how beneficial a social effort / program is, unless you align your CSR efforts with your business efforts; unless it is integrated into the overall strategy of your business plan, the direct impact of these efforts on your business will likely be modest at very best; negative from an ROI perspective at worst.  There are explicit and implicit costs of CSR programs, sometimes significant.

There’s a very good, albeit lengthy article in December, 2006 issue of the Harvard Business Review: “Strategy and Society: The Link Between Competitive Advantage and Corporate Social Responsibility”.  As the article says, it is important that a business social agenda look beyond community expectations to opportunities to achieve social AND economic benefits simultaneously. 

Do good work while doing good.  It's takes a BOLD move and it starts with a vision. 

For upcoming events and other news and resources, see www.BoldVisionConsulting.com

Well, I’ll bet you didn’t know that studying baseball or baking would help improve your sales results.

(This article is 863 words - approx. 5 minutes of reading.)

If you want something to materialize or to happen, there are standard steps you take, depending on what it is. For example, if you want a delicious, moist chocolate cake, there is a specific recipe you follow.

World's Yummiest Chocolate Cake
2 cups of flour, 3 eggs, 2/3 cups sugar, ¾ cup chocolate pieces, 1 stick of softened butter, melt chocolate in double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, pre-heat oven to 375o, bake for 25 minutes, cool cake on a rack for 30 minutes, etc., etc.

To reach your objective of having a delicious, moist chocolate cake, your action plan will be to “execute the cake recipe”.

Another example (thanks to the marketing guru, Robert Middleton): take the Boston Red Sox. (No offense New York fans. I’m an equal opportunity example user. We’ll give you guys the air time next.) The objective is to win the baseball game.

The “recipe”, if you will, or ingredients of a win are:

Hit the ball where no one is, throw the ball to where someone is, catch the ball, preferably before it hits the ground, run the bases really fast before anyone can catch you with the ball, etc.

If the Red Sox’s goal is to win a baseball game, their action plan must include the above mechanics.

A recipe or formula is somewhat akin to an action plan you might create to reach a business objective. Does this make sense?

Taking the baseball analogy one step further; just as the formula to win the game specifies the mechanics / the actions needed, the formula also specifies the order in which each action should be executed to achieve optimal results. In order for the Red Sox to achieve the intended result – a WIN - there is a specific order of execution that must be followed. How about going up and running the bases sliding into home and then picking up the bat to get ready for the pitch. The mechanics of the game, Hit the ball, throw the ball, catch the ball, run the bases, etc. must occur in a specific order.

As for the cake, it goes without saying that you can’t bake the flour, eggs and sugar mixture before mixing in the melted chocolate. You might end up with something you could call a cake, but it won’t be the chocolate cake of your dreams.

The same goes for selling your services. The includes:
• Defining the prospects – (Get them on the bench)
• Getting their attention – (At home plate & up to bat)
• Developing a relationship – (Home to 1st Base – Permission)
• Developing an understanding of their needs (Home to 1st Base – Qualification)
• Introducing your work, the benefits you provide and what sets you apart (2nd Base)
• Formal and customized presentation of your solutions to solve their needs (2nd to 3rd Base)
• Agreement to work together - Negotiating a win-win working arrangement (3rd Base into Home for the win)
• Providing the service (Into the Dugout)
• Ongoing client care, etc., etc. (Dugout – back to running the appropriate bases as needed for cross-selling, up-selling, referral opportunities, etc.)

Just like in baseball, there is an order in which these steps must be executed to see good sales results. One of the primary problems I see many professionals make is that they “skip bases”. They try to move a prospect from the initial meeting (Home) to a detailed discussion of why they and/or their services are great (2nd Base) without gaining permission or qualifying the prospect appropriately.

For example, you meet someone at a Chamber After Hours networking event and after only a brief time (even if over a couple of separate meetings) you give them a “brain dump” on your services.
You may have exchanged cards but it might likely be a while before you meet with them one-on-one and a longer while before you do any business with them.

Why? It’s usually because you rattled on about how great your services are without taking the time to learn about this person or the problems they might be having. Yes, you must remember that a prospect is a person with their own personal quirks, ego needs, and challenges. We can get so wrapped up in “our service” and “our need” to get new clients that we forget that “little” fact.

In the end it is not about how much we know or how great our service is. It’s about how we, as individuals, can help our prospect achieve their objectives, solve their problem, reduce their pain - or all of the above. People do business with people they like and trust. They don’t do business with a service or product.

Keep this in mind, don’t skip the bases and you’ll see a vast improvement in your sales results and in your business. and remember; Be BOLD. It takes discipline and it all starts with a VISION.

Bold Vision’s program, Promotion Action, is about helping service professionals develop and implement their own formula to get prospects to the bench and then effectively and efficiently move them around the bases.

Posted by Lynnelle Bianco at 11:26 AM
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This article is a departure from the usual small business issues I write about – come to think about it, so was last week’s article. However the subject of this article is at the root of one of the key challenges we all face – business or otherwise. That is the issue of taxes and why it is so hard to make the decisions necessary to do anything about it.

I’m participating in a strategic planning review with the objective:

“Propose a model for a more coordinated and unified approach to economic development in Cumberland County. This model should improve and strengthen the collaboration among existing economic development organizations” and thereby, improve economic landscape of Cumberland County and its municipalities and communities.

Our committee formed in late February and we are to submit a final report late June. We have met every other week since the initial meeting in February – seven meetings in total, 6 to-date, averaging 1 ½ to 2 ½ hours each.
The committee of 24 (Yes, Twenty-four; can you see the challenge already?) charged with “thinking outside the box” for a new economic development model.

(This isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison, granted; however it will be interesting to note that Wright Express a $1.4 Billion company, has a total of 7 – SEVEN - members on their board of directors and only 7 (one who is also a director) Senior staff at the Executive level.)

Our committee members include:
4 – Private Sector
o Yours truly; solo-preneur and a company of 1.5 (on a good day)
o Small business owner with just over 20 employees
o Manager at a broadcasting firm.
o Hotel general manager

20(+ or -) Public / Government Sector
• Representatives from
o GPCOG (Greater Portland Council of Government),
o Westbook DECD (Dept of Economic and Community Development),
o Maine CED (Center for Enterprise Development),
o Maine SBDC (Small Business Development Center),
o SEDCO (Scarborough Economic Development Corp.),
o CVB (Convention & Visitors Bureau),
o SBA (Small Business Association)
…I could go on – but you get the idea.

Each of these organizations (and there are others not represented here) have important objectives relating in some way to economic development efforts for the state, a specific region or municipality of Maine. From looking at the above list you get the clear indication that duplicated efforts and redundancies probably exist. Doing a bit more research you’ll find this IS the case and a lack of coordination between theses organizations also exists.

These are very intelligent, strong willed and determined people trying to do the best for their municipality or region but they have a difficult time seeing the forest for their own trees.

Back to the committee: Here we all are in a room; 5 to 1 – public (the trees) to private. Continuing with the forest analogy, the objective this group has been given is to “prune the forest to clear away some of the trees to make it a more manageable, productive and attractive forest. A more attractive and healthy forest will support and grow a wider variety of healthy animal, vegetable and mineral.”

In effect, what most of the committee members are being asked to do is to put their own position, division and staff on the line in order to generate the discussions that need to take place in order to address consolidation, alignment of efforts and coordination. This hasn’t happened yet, but we’ve still got one more meeting to go. ...there's still hope.

This article mentions economic development, and no - this isn’t exclusively an ED issue, but a government issue in general. As professionals and small business owners, it is up to each of us to be aware of where our tax dollars go. If we don’t like it we should make our opinions known at the level that can effect change. And I suggest we get away from merely whining, griping and complaining - and educate ourselves about the situation well enough to offer suggested alternatives. Better yet, we should take the next step and make an effort to effect the change ourselves, which is what my thought was when participating on this committee.

Now, back to the committee; I DO have a suggestion – 2, in fact.

1) Put all the ED, ABC, GPCOG, DECD, SMED, CED, XYZ directors in a room and tell them they each have to cut the bottom line of their budget 15% while maintaining the same objective their full budget supported. To do so they will have to align with each other; partner and leverage each other’s resources and efforts. Then close the door and not let anyone out until they play nice and reach an agreement.

Or

2) Scrap this committee and form a smaller committee to address the same question. However this group will be comprised of equally intelligent and passionate individuals – however eliminate the “trees” on this first go-round of talks to get real “outside the box”…or forest ideas.

Regarding the trademark issue from the last article.... I'm going for option 2 - the letter approach. I'll keep you posted.

Until next time, Be BOLD. It's all about RESULTS and it all starts with a vision.

On June 29 (DATE FIRM) Bold Vision Consulting will begin offering the 1st of a 2-Series program “Promotion Action Plan - Attract More Clients than You Can Handle With Less Effort by Becoming Recognized as an Expert in Your Field” exclusively for Professionals whose business is their expertise. Independent Service Professionals interested in more information please email info@boldvisionconsulting.com.

Bold Vision Business Intensive program will be launched in July or August. The Business Intensive program is a series of 8 90-minute classes. Two programs will be launched; one that will meet in person (South Portland, ME) and one that meets via teleconference. For more information send an email to info@boldvisionconsulting.com.

For all you small business owners out there, have you considered trademarking the name of your business? How about your logo? Yes? No?

Well I did a while back, but didn’t think there was a need to. I’m such a small business. Here I am in Maine, small business consultant, a nice web presence, a few small clients out of state in my home state of Texas – but no big brand and no plans to slap my logo on products or billboards across the country.

Well here’s a lesson for all of you who have invested in a business; the name, the logo, the domain name, marketing material and web presence. Last week I received a Cease and Desist letter from an IP (that’s Intellectual Property… I didn’t know that either.) attorney in Ohio. Yes, there’s an IT (That’s Information Technology…. I did know that.) in Columbus, Ohio with the business name Bold Vision, LLC. In 2003 they trademarked the name Bold Vision under the business consulting service category.

After some review it appears this company is not a general business consultant at all, but specializes in technology consulting helping companies organize, manage and process information more effectively and efficiently across their business; not at all what my business, Bold Vision Consulting, does. But, their attorney says that doesn’t matter. The Ohio company has the Federal Trademark, Bold Vision, and controls its use for anything to do with “business consulting”.

So, my choice is to:

A) Change the name of my business which means:
• Find another name that represents my work, my values, my views and …yes, the VISION of my business as well as Bold Vision.
• Redesign and re print every piece of marketing collateral I’ve created in the last year (and PAY for all this redesign and reprinting) Oh, this includes the website AND finding a new domain name - which means the new company name has to be an unregistered as a domain name also.
• How about every article I’ve ever written and published? Every article out there has Bold Vision noted in the by line. This BLOG is just one place where you can find my articles. I’ve also submitted articles for publication on various business sites and in newsletters here and there, so technically, I’ll have to remove the “Bold Vision” from these publications also… after I track them all down.
• And, get this – I’ll have to remove any reference to Bold Vision in any meta tag or search term from any website, newsletter or e-copy associated with my business.

Or

B) Respond to the attorney’s letter with an alternative view / plan / suggestion, which means:
Find a lawyer who is experienced in IP law, hire them to review the situation and write the response.
Wait for the Ohio attorney’s response to the response.
Decide whether to respond to the response to the response and…. well you get it. $$$$

I’ll keep you posted on this saga, but my point is: Your small business is still a BUSINESS. Run your small business like a business and make business decisions like a business person. It matters. I’ve learned a lesson.

However, on the good side – my marketing and Promotion Action Plan work is working! They found me in Ohio and I’ve got them concerned and a little scared. Not much consolation to the expense I’ll likely incur and the pain of dealing with this mess. However, it is a (very thin) silver lining in the dark cloud.

Until next time, I'm gonna Be BOLD. No matter what my business is called, I know it's all about RESULTS and it all starts with a vision.

On June 8 Bold Vision Consulting will begin offering the 12-week course “Promotion Action Plan - Attract More Clients With Less Effort by Becoming Recognized as an Expert in Your Field” exclusively for Professionals whose business is their expertise. Independent Service Professionals interested in more information please email info@boldvisionconsulting.com.

In June, Bold Vision Business Intensive program will be launched. The Business Intensive program is a series of 8 90-minute classes. Two programs will be launched; one that will meet in person (South Portland, ME) and one that meets via teleconference. For more information send an email to info@boldvisionconsulting.com.

I’m writing you from Dallas, Texas the day after celebrating my parent’s 50th anniversary. A successful 50 year anything is to be celebrated, and having recently marked my 5th wedding anniversary, the 50th year of marriage is indeed something to be honored.

The occasion was fêted at the Old Warsaw, the restaurant where my parents celebrated their 1st anniversary 49 years earlier. The Old Warsaw is one of those places that, when you walk through the big oak doors, you’re transported to a different era. At the end of the dinner a beautiful cake, complete with glowing candles, was delivered while the violin player serenaded the happy couple with the Anniversary Waltz; after which the maitre d' led the round of applause. It was a special evening.

“So, 50 years. What’s your secret to success?” ,the maitre d’ asked my parents. When you think about is, success in anything involving relationships, personal or professional, requires pretty much the same skills. While there are many, many skills you can choose from, I’ve come up with three of the most important. Let’s call them the Secret C’s of Success.

Compromise
It’s not just about you, it’s about the whole. Instead of focusing on being right – focus on doing right. To be successful it’s important to always look for win-win outcomes.

Communication
The Mars and Venus challenge isn’t exclusively a male/female phenomenon, nor is it a marriage-only phenomenon. Perspectives and perceptions are different for different people. It’s important to be able to and it's equally important to be willing to look at things from the other side. Most arguments aren’t about facts but about opinions of facts.

In addition, clinical studies show that only 7% of communication is conveyed through words. Yes, you read that correctly. Up to 93% of what we “say” is communicated through our tone of voice, volume spoken, body language, eye contact (or not), etc. You have to learn to “read between the lines” to truly understand the full message someone is giving you.

Creativity
Success takes time and over time the same thing – day in and day out is …well boring. At best it's boring and at worst can lead to total failure and a death of spirit. Things change; people change, the economy, tastes, technology, politics change; you name it, things change. If you and your business don’t change accordingly you won’t make it. Besides that, isn’t change the spice of life and adding a little spice is what being bold is all about, right?

So you ask, “What is the REAL answer?” What did my Dad say when asked about his secret to a successful 50 year marriage? He glanced over at Mom, smiled and turned back to the maitre d’ and said, “Know when to keep your mouth shut.” Thanks, Dad. That’s good advice.

And remember…. Being Bold is sometimes about what you don’t say. But it still all starts with a vision.

Bold Business Boot Camps, a day-long planning and implementation workshop for small business owners and independant professionals will be held, one on April 25 and a second on May 2. Invest a day and develop a 1-page plan for the next 12-months and your best year yet in business ..and in life. For more information visit www.BoldVisionConsulting.com or send an email to info@boldvisionconsulting.com.

In late May Bold Vision Business Intensive teleclasses will be launched. The Business Intensive program is a series of 8 60-minute teleclasses that meet once a month on the phone. Participants can sign up for a single class ($39) or for all 8 and receive a 25% discount ($234). Materials and a recording of the calls are included. For more information send an email to info@boldvisionconsulting.com.

Coming in June, BoldVision will begin offering the 12-week course "Attract Clients by Becoming Recognized as an Expert in Your Field” for self employed service professionals. For more information email info@boldvisionconsulting.com.

I had never considered starting a business before moving here, although it had been a dream of my husband’s for decades. The thought of starting a business on my own was simultaneously exhilarating and terrifying. After some careful thought and discussion, my husband Gerard and I cashed in our NY chips and moved to Maine in 2003 to birth Gerard’s “baby”, his jewelry store Porte4.

For all of you self-employed, small business owners reading this, you know what I mean about the exhilarating / terrifying contrasting emotions that occur in the course of running your own business, don’t you? In fact, the exhilaration can turn to terror in the blink of an eye, feeling like the two emotions are inseparable.

But get here, we did and I found the resources the state of Maine makes available to small business owners and entrepreneurs overwhelming. If you are thinking about starting a business, want to buy a business or want to grow the business you already have, there’s no shortage of information here: SCORE, SBA-Maine, CEI, FAME, SBDC, Maine.gov, Maine Business Works. These are just a few. (2 other great sources of information is Entrepreneur.com and About.com. Happy researching)

What I found difficult was to convert all the information I found into usable and practical ‘how-to’ data. I didn’t know where to go to talk to someone about the real-world of starting the business. Things like:

• How do you balance the needs of everyone: customers, employees, family, self?
• When and how do you make the decision to hire your first employee?
• ..and then how do you recruite and keep great people?
• What is the right mix for marketing your small business? – Multi-media advertising, PR, speaking, event sponsorship, direct and e-mailing; networking; community involvement …Argh!
• Growth Strategies – How do you balance the need for growth & innovation yet keep the core of your business steady and strong?

Well? Who can you turn to for help in making critical decisions? Wouldn’t it be nice to talk to someone on a regular basis who 1) you could trust and 2) could give you feedback based on their experience?

If so, you should consider joining a peer advisory group (aka master mind group). Peer advisory groups provide small business owners a confidential environment to share with each other, helping each other by leveraging each other’s experience and knowledge. The benefits can be huge. Among them are:

• Reduce Costs: Small business owners often don’t have the budget to "re-invent the wheel". By learning what other businesses have successfully done, you can save time and money.
• Avoid Mistakes: Solving business problems on your own can result in costly delays and errors. Learning what others have done can help keep you moving forward.
• Find New Ideas: Get outside your own paradigm and see through the eyes of other business owners. They may give you a perspective that leads you to a far greater outcome than you could have achieved on your own.
• Improve Performance: When you look for best practices outside your own business, a wonderful thing happens. You raise the bar of performance and set new standards of excellence to propel your company forward

There are a number of organizations out there who sponsor peer groups, executive forums, master mind groups, etc. There are three I know of in this area and I think they are all good, but they vary in focus, price, content and personalization. Catering to businesses doing $5 million to $25 million in revenue is Growth Strategies out of Plympton, MA and Executive Forum, a franchise organization headquartered in La Jolla, CA.

From personal experience I know the challenges smaller businesses, sales under $5 million, have are as numerous and complex as many larger organizations. Therefore, Bold Vision is sponsoring peer advisory groups for small business owners called Ocular Forum. If you’re interested in more information visit our website at www.BoldVisionConsulting.com.

Larger organizations have their boards of directors and larger budgets. Small business owners should have the same advantage and now do through peer advisory groups.

Until next time, do BOLD Business. Remember, it all starts with a Vision.

As business owners, we are well aware of the importance of marketing – “thank you very much”. Conventional advertising, word-of-mouth networking, email campaigns, pay-per-click, etc. etc. Our options can far outweigh our budget. So, I’ve decided to do something different - for me anyway. I’m going to host a workshop. (I’ll use the term workshop throughout the article; however you can substitute one for the other as you read. Depending on your definition, a workshop tends to have more audience participation whereas a seminar will likely be more of a speaking event. Many seminars have workshop breakout groups with audience discussions or exercises.)

The workshop, while once thought of as strictly for training or educating, is now becoming an effective marketing tool. If you sell products - let’s say cookware – you might host a cooking workshop teaching participants how to master the art of French sauces – using your cookware, of course. Do you remember the Evelyn Wood speed reading school? For years, they advertised workshops regularly where you could attend a demonstration of a speed reading lesson for free – along with a sales presentation for the full course. ...And how about these ‘real estate riches / for no money down’ workshops?

The high-pressure sale, the traditional “salesperson-customer” relationship are often seen as adversarial rather than even as neutral. Sales and marketing efforts of years-gone-by are yielding fewer and fewer successful results.

Why? Consumers today are more educated and savvier than ever before. They are aware when they are “being sold” and are not afraid to question authority. As this evolution continues, consumers continue to shift from being passive buyers to being informed buyers. Marketing yourself, your product, service or small business by giving a workshop accomplishes a few things:

1. It educates your prospects and clients about your product, service or company which fills their need to be informed.


2. It positions you and your business as expert and gives the consumer a venue where they can find information without the perception of “being sold”


3. If you sell a product, you can do a demonstration – a powerful sales tool in itself.


4. Local newspapers and journals usually run notices of upcoming workshops, providing you free publicity.


5. Following up with workshop attendees, your follow-up calls and future sales efforts will likely be better received.

Workshops are a great deal of work, are not inexpensive, and require advanced planning. There are also many factors to consider:

• To charge or not to charge;


• Promotion – getting seats in the seats;


• The agenda and the format;


• The venue;


• Self-hosted or sponsored;


• and so on.

If done well, however, a workshop can be an effective marketing tool to promote yourself, your products and/or services and your small business. I’ll keep you posted on my upcoming workshop (11/9). I’ve still got many miles to go before I sleep…

If you have hosted or are considering hosting a workshop I would love to hear your story, suggestions and advice. What do you think about using workshops as marketing tools?

Until next time – Bold Results start with a Bold Vision! Go out there and Be Bold!