Business Owners: How Are You Making Yourself Or Your Business More Valuable in 2010?

If you don’t have an answer to that question or a path to achieve it, I encourage you to consider this event.  At the very least, take 10 minutes to review Part 1 of the Jim Rohn video to the right of this post and set a goal to become more valuable to the market place this year and have your best year ever!

Part 2 Can be found here and Part 3 Can be found here.

Through its Business Resource Advantage Committee, the Tempe Chamber will organize and host this FREE event which provides instruction on six different areas of business.  The event will be held at the Tempe Chamber offices on Feb. 25 from 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m and business owners can book a 30-minute appointment to meet with an expert and ask questions pertaining to that business topic.  Based on feedback from business owners and chamber members business areas covered will include:

Diane Wallace

Marketing

Diane Wallace – Diane Wallace has been a marketing communications/PR exec for 14+ years for leading companies in both NY and Arizona she is experienced in creating successful, revenue-generating web sites and full ad campaigns.  She is also a small business owner with proven, real-world success in using social media to increase revenue and build additional business.

Topic Suggestions: Web site navigation/design/message issues, ad concepts/campaigns, how/why to use social media and which might be appropriate for my business, is the ad campaign we’re running really doing what the company needs, best ways to target a specific audience, brand and message concerns, internal communications issues.

Anita Grantham

Sales

Anita Grantham – Anita is currently Chief People Officer at Jokake Construction. She has worked in the field of organizational and leadership development, strategic planning, training and human resources for nine years. Anita has expertise in the construction, manufacturing, and hospitality industries and is passionate about creating great places to work. In Spring of 2009, Anita expanded her interests at Jokake into Business Development for the heath care market sector.

Anita is also a Managing Partner for The Whale Hunters. Members form local chapters under certified chapter chairs and meet monthly for training and coaching in The Whale Hunters methodology.

Topic Suggestions: Sales strategy, understanding current market conditions, creating competitive edge and competitive advantages, metrics for sales performance and compensation, transition from biz dev to ops, creating a fast growth culture

Laura Opstad

Accounting/CPA

Laura Opstad – With over 26 years combined experience and over 15 years working in CPA firms, Laura is a leading provider of accounting and tax services for small to medium sized businesses.  She works with a variety of businesses including health care practices, retail stores, service businesses, restaurants, auto shops, construction contractors, distribution firms and small manufacturing companies.

Topic Suggestions: Business entities, Business taxes, Payroll taxes, Sales taxes, Tax planning strategies, Retirement plans, Accounting programs, Chart of accounts, Understanding financial statements, Planning a budget, Current changes in tax law, Business vehicles, Business assets and depreciation, Help for starting a business

Neil Chitel

Insurance/Workers Compensation

Neil Chitel - My Second Career which has become my passion is to help Small to Medium business owners with the obstacles of having/Understanding and maintaining employees.
Insuring that companies Workers’ Compensations codes are correctly in place and that every employee is covered correctly. Completing Workers’ Compensation Audits and records examinations, including informing the Industrial Commission of any changes that may occur, within a businesses lifetime.

Topic Suggestions: Is my policy Coded correctly? What is an EMod and how can I earn one? How to handle your audit and keep your costs down? When do I need a Workers Compensation policy? I had an accident how do I handle it?

Joan Jakel

Legal

Joan L. Jakel P.C. – Joan L. Jakel is a business attorney in private practice with the Law Office of Joan L. Jakel, PC.  Her firm enjoys a business transactional practice with a concentration on entity formation and modification, strategic business advising, lease review and negotiation, preparation of customized contracts, employment policies and handbooks, and sales/acquisitions of businesses.

Suggested Topics for the meeting: Entity formation, differences in entity types, preparing company minutes, lease considerations, contract review, creation of a contract, business startup considerations, trade names, employment policies, including protecting trade secrets, non-disclosure agreements, non-compete and non-solicitation agreements.

Business Banking

Peter Eberle – Peter Eberle is a Vice President of Commercial Banking for National Bank of Arizona.  In this position, Eberle helps small and mid-sized companies develop banking solutions including treasury management services, credit facilities and wealth management. Prior to joining National Bank, Eberle served as Vice President of Economic Development for the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce where he directed an annual investment conference, manufacturing network, and various small business programs.

Suggested Topics for the meeting: Is my current account structure efficient?  How can I reduce fees and take advantage of technology?  Credit… what is happening in the banking world and how do I position my business for growth?

Things to bring with you: Updated personal financial statement, analysis bank statement.

Tempe Chamber members can sign up for a maximum of two 30-minute time slots where they can ask specific questions and work one-on-one with subject matter experts recruited from the Tempe Chamber.  Appointments can be set with any of our six experts by calling the Tempe Chamber offices directly at (480) 736-4285.  Each expert will have 7 time slots available and will be booked on a first come, first seevred basis.  Appointment times are as follows

• * 1:00p – 1:25p
• * 1:30p – 1:55p
• * 2:00p – 2:25p
• * 2:30p – 2:55p BREAK
• * 3:00p – 3:25p
• * 3:30p – 3:55p
• * 4:00p – 4:25p
• * 4:30p – 4:55p

Participation Requirements

Participants must be members of the Tempe Chamber. Courses are available in 30-minute sessions. All 30-minute sessions must be reserved in advance to Sachiyo Ragsdale at sachiyo@tempechamber.org or to (480) 736-4285. Participants may book a maximum of two sessions. We regret that walk-in guests cannot be accommodated.

The Social Latte & The Tempe Chamber Of Commerce

Are you attending the Tempe Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Luncheon?

The luncheon is themed “21st Century Marketing.” OpenRain is thrilled to be a participant with this wonderful cast of speakers. The event features lunch, exhibits, networking, and thought-provoking break-out sessions.  To register, go to TempeChamber.org.

The cost is $50 for members and $65 for non-members. The Tempe Chamber will also be celebrating their successes over the past year and introduce the incoming Board of Directors. This event will be a fantastic one. We hope to see you there!

When: June 23, 2009
Where: Fiesta Resort & Conference Center – 2100 S Priest Drive Tempe, AZ (map)

Program:
11:00 Registration & Networking
12:00 Lunch
12:20 Chamber Leadership Report
12:30 Lunch Presenters

• 21st Century Marketing, presented by John DeSantiago, OpenRain Elite Web Software
• E-Sales Secrets, presented by Martin Jones, Cox
• Finding The Time, presented by Erin Jagodzinski, Express Employment Professionals

1:15 to 2:30 Break-Out Sessions

• Branding’s Amazing Race — Driving Your Brand In Online Circles
• **The Social Media Craze — Using It Wisely In Your Marketing Strategy**  Presented By The Social Latte**
• Image Is (still) Everything— Reaching Out To Media In a World Gone Digital
• Marketing Stimulus Plan— Resources To Stretch Your Marketing Dollar

You can view the slides from the presentation below and please leave a comment or any feedback if you were at the event!

The Social Latte Tweeting

As we get ready to teach the third class in the Tempe Chamber Social Media Serious - Intro to Twitter, I thought I would share a little about the class and how the previous classes have gone so far.

First, if you already know you are attending Friday’s Twitter Class…

If you are wondering if your business should consider Twitter, this post by Advertising Age may answer some questions as to whether or not it can be effective for business.

Please be sure to bring/review these items:

1. Bring an image we can use for your profile picture
2. Watch the video on the right of this page – Twitter In Plain English
3. Read this article about selecting your Twitter handle.

And if you are not attending, here is what you are missing.

In this class, co-presented with Nick Bastian from Rail Life, we’ll be covering:

• Basic Profile Setup
• User Name Choice Strategies
• Creating Great Bios
• Using Keywords And The Lingo Of Twitter
• Twitter Page Branding
• Twitter Etiquette and more…

So Get yourself registered for the class while there is still time.

Feedback From Previous Classes

The classes to date have contained great content, well presented and very well attended.  We should have close to a full room of 28 people on Friday which is very exciting.  But don’t just take my word for it, here are some of the comments from class attendees.

LinkedIn – Presented by Neil Chitel – Manage Staff with assistance by Jack Smith – The Social Latte

• Loved the hands on!
• It was great!
• Excellent!
• I came in having no clue what Linkedin was and came out with an account I know how to use.  Great starter crash course
• It taught me how to get started which is definitely a big step in the right direction.
• Very informative.  It made the subject simple to understand and it was a relaxed and comfortable setting.
• Very enjoyable.
• Very well done.

Facebook – Presented By Jack Smith – The Social Latte

• I appreciated the one on one instruction – Great!
• Excellent, Perfect!
• Come back and do Facebook II
• Great Experience.
• I learned how to setup a Fan Page which was something I was clueless about before this class
• I was able to setup a basic profile!  Excellent!
• I need MORE!  MORE, MORE, MORE!
• Great!  Just what I needed to know!
• Very informative.
• I enjoyed the class and feel confident about using Facebook.
• Very helpful information, Professionally presented.

OK, there you have it.  I hope to see you at a class in the near future!

The Social Latte will be working with the Tempe Chamber of Commerce to provide educational training to benefit membership.

Jack Smith and the Social Latte are proud to be working with the Chamber to provide a comprehensive training series to teach members how to take advantage of powerful new social media tools. We’ll be working with members to help them learn how to emulate the Chambers dynamic Social Media Initiative to best benefit their business during this two-month series.

Seminars start on May 8 and take place every Friday morning through June. Participants may register for the courses of their choice or sign up for the entire series. Each session focuses on a different topic and seats are limited to 30 per session. A computer will be provided for each participant. Each session will have a main special guest presenter and additional instructors and facilitators to ensure all participants enjoy a hands-on method of learning.

May 8 – LinkedIn

Participants will create their own LinkedIn profile and learn how to network using it.

LinkedIn is an interconnected network of more than 35 million professionals from across the globe, representing 170 industries, 200 countries and executives from all Fortune 500 companies. Through this incredible free resource you can easily network and collaborate with other users who can be instrumental in helping you achieve your goals. The Tempe Chamber group is accessible to all members by clicking here.

May 15 – Facebook (Presented by The Social Latte)

Participants will create their own Facebook page and learn how to navigate this ever-growing community.

Facebook is a free website where users can join networks organized by city, workplace, school, and region to connect and interact with other people. People and businesses can also add friends and send them messages, and update their personal profiles to notify others about themselves. Businesses regularly create profiles as part of their overall business plan to gain recognition, brand awareness and a loyal customer base.

May 22 – Twitter (Co-Presented By The Social Latte & Nick Bastian of Rail Life)

Participants will create their own Twitter profile, learn to tweet and communicate using the hottest new trend in social media.

Twitter is a free service for communicating and staying connected through the exchange of quick, frequent updates. It’s a great way to stay informed about up-to-the-minute Chamber, business and political news in an instantaneous format. Send and receive short messages called tweets via cell phones, mobile devices, emails, online text services and more. Best of all Twitter is targeted to those who want to hear your message. Find us here.

May 29 – Blogging Part 1

This introduction to blogging will provide an overview on blogs, how to use them, and how to boost your brand awareness through them. Participants also will learn how to determine the best course of action to start a blog.

At its root, a blog is a web site where you present thoughts, news and information to the public on a regular basis. Readers can respond to you, comment on what you’ve written or contact you with thoughts of their own. Blogs have reshaped the web, impacted politics, shaken up journalism, and enabled millions of people to have a voice and connect with others. Visit the Tempe Chamber blog

June 5 – Blogging Part 2 (Co-Presented By The Social Latte & Nick Bastian of Rail Life)

Participants will learn how to set up a blog and use available resources to create an effective and engaging site.

At its root, a blog is a web site where you present thoughts, news and information to the public on a regular basis. Readers can respond to you, comment on what you’ve written or contact you with thoughts of their own. Blogs have reshaped the web, impacted politics, shaken up journalism, and enabled millions of people to have a voice and connect with others. By the time you complete this session you’ll be well on your way to taking advantage of this amazing tool. Visit the Tempe Chamber blog.

June 12 – Viral Video (Presented By The Social Latte)

Participants will learn how to make use of online video sites such as You Tube to create and market videos to initiate viral campaigns and boost brand awareness.

Streaming video sites like You Tube, hulu and many others have shown that audiences are turning to their computers for entertainment, information, news and also to further their connections with businesses. Both traditional and cutting-edge companies are capitalizing on this trend and yours can, too. With even the simplest digital camera and a few minutes of work, your promotional, marketing or informational video can be accessible to the entire globe.

June 19 – Your Social Media Business Plan

Participants will learn how to create and implement an interactive, interrelated business model using all social media techniques and tools from the series.

This wrap-up seminar will “bring it all together” and ensure that your presence in the online community is efficient and effective. The perfect ending to this series, this session will be instrumental to your success in the Web 2.0 social media universe.

Packed Room At Monti's

Wow, what a great event last night presenting to a packed room.

The first training event for the Tempe Chamber Of Commerce Social Media initiative was very well attended and considered a great success.  Said Sean Donovan, Director Of Communications, “Last night was AWESOME and I think our members received valuable insight into social media and some great ideas from the presenters about how to implement it into their business.”

As a presenter last night, it was great to see so many people in attendance and discuss ideas on how to implement social media into their business (which is one of my favorite things to talk about).  My section was on developing your strategy  and purpose for social media in your business before getting started.  This is the critical first step in the process so you can target the correct audience, select the correct tools,  and make the most of your time.   Everything else flows from these decisions so it is  very important to spend some time and be clear about your business goals and intentions .  From Twitter, Linkedin, Blogs, Facebook and Yelp the questions and ideas were flowing fast.

The only thing moving faster were people to the bar for Happy Hour to have one-on-one  conversations with the presenters for some additional information.  Great presentations were given by @s_donovan overview on social media, @nchitel on education, @ktvan on blogging @raillife on niche marketing, Steve McDonald on practical social media, @asuartmuseum, 100SMill and @bodywisechiro, gave great examples of businesses using social media today and its impact on their businesses.

For a copy of the handout I designed that was presented last night which has some general social media information and contact information for all speakers, you can click here.

Today’s launch of the new Tempe Chamber of Commerce Blog illustrates their dedication to embracing new ways of communicating with members and small business owners. The blog is the third item in the Tempe Chamber’s social media initiative and joins their already active LinkedIn and Twitter sites.  A Facebook fan page will be added in early may to complete the initiative.  It has been so exciting for us to be part of this project and I look forward to hearing member feedback and watching the impact this project is sure to have on members.

For Immediate Release:

Having been the project manager for the Tempe Chamber Of Commerce Social Media Project and guest author, Tempe resident and small business owner, Jack Smith, said “I am so honored to have worked with some truly amazing people on this project and am so proud of the product we have created.  My work with social media and web marketing at The Social Latte allows me to work with and help businesses of any size leverage technology, marketing and relationships to improve sales and marketing efforts which are high priorities to so many businesses right now.  Rather than working with one or a few businesses at a time, working with the Chamber has hopefully allowed me to make an impact on several hundred businesses all at the same time and that is a huge honor for me.”

In addition to being active with the Chamber as an Ambassador, Jack Smith has worked with many business owners to create their unique digital presence online via websites and social media.  Organizations like AZ Business Resource, Designer Cakes By April, Insulock, and The TLC Coach have looked to The Social Latte to help create their online presence and marketing strategy.

About The Social Latte

Jack Smith, along with the talented design and development team, work with business owners of all sizes to leverage technology, marketing and relationships to accomplish specific business goals.  We help our clients understand how websites, blogs, social media and other online tools can make a significant difference in their business.

From developing an understanding of how technology can be used to launch or expand their business or personal network, drive traffic to their site, grow sales,  promote business events and expertise, develop brand awareness, complement customer service efforts and much more, we provide the expertise to get results.  We’re not talking about walking you through the steps to setup your Twitter account (although we can of course do that) but rather, how to put all the pieces together into an integrated strategy to create a valuable asset.

I just participated in a great marketing round table hosted by Kari Sliva at the Tempe Chamber of Commerce with other marketing, PR & web development professionals like:

• Splinter Creative
• Keane Creative
• Arters Public Relations
• Blue Media
• ChelePro Marketing
• 3Monkeys
• AT&T Advertising Solutions

The goal of the meeting was to have an open discussion on ideas around how businesses can better market and promote their business given the current economic environment.  It was obvious from our conversation there were some very talented people in the room and it was great to hear and share what we all see when working with our clients.

Some of the major themes everyone agreed on as places where improvement can often be made were:

Evaluate – Take a hard look at your business and determine what is working that you can do more of and promote as positives, but also look at what isn’t working and either eliminate it or fix it.  From top to bottom, take a look at all of the elements of your business and make sure they are still viable and profitable given the current environment.

Planning – Having a plan from the beginning is SO IMPORTANT.  It doesn’t have to be an 80 page document that takes four weeks to prepare, but you need to have some set guidelines on who you are targeting, where they are, how best to reach them and how you will define success.  Too many times businesses find themselves in reactionary mode rather than executing a plan and that can make all the difference in the world.

Time Management – “I don’t have the time” was an objection every single person in the room is dealing with when working with clients.  How does a business owner justify time spent on marketing rather than in operations.  How do they avoid the sense of overwhelm that can develop with all of the choices, options, and tactics that can be employed.

Having a plan goes a long way towards making sure time is well spent but also being sure to outsource where appropriate so you can leverage the knowledge of a professional is key.  With so many ‘Do It Yourself’ solutions available, there are great places where an owner can take the lead, but there are also places where you will save a significant amount of time and money and improve your results with just a little help from an industry expert.

Consistency – There is no ‘Silver Bullet’ that once implemented lasts forever.  Gone are the days when a single ad, TV spot or billboard provides long-lasting return.  Keeping your website content fresh and relevant, monitoring your social media and blog sites, consistently engaging your customers both new and OLD are all items that must be done on a consistent basis for you to see the results.

Measurement – Trial and error is not a sustainable marketing plan for a business.  Each strategy and tactic you implement should be measured to gauge effectiveness and whether or not your time and money were well spent.  Again, this can be done very simply with a little forethought into how you implement your initiative.

Integration – Yes, you hear about Social Media every where you go and there are good reasons for that.  However, it is only one of the ways in which you can promote your business.   And like a good employee, whatever marketing tactic you ‘hire’, it needs to work well with others.

• Ask yourself how you can use traditional media like print and signage to promote your online presence.
• Do your door hangers promote your website and drive web traffic as well as foot traffic?
• A Twitter or Facebook account by itself without a well thought out plan and consistent execution is not going to make an impact in your business.

There will be more to come, on these topics and more, but I hope you find these useful.  Please leave a comment if you have other ideas or thoughts on the topic.