Don’t do the bulk of your business prospecting during prime business hours. Often the call that is placed at 8AM or 6PM will be received by a decision-maker that has more time to talk. And don’t under-estimate the value of leaving voice mail messages at night. These will be the very first messages that your prospect will hear in the morning, thereby increasing the odds of them placing a returned call.

If you want to present products and services that are of value to the prospect and that meet their needs, you have to ASK questions. Ask the right questions and the prospect will tell you what they want and how they need to be sold.

Too many sales reps launch into a conversation by discussing the features of their products and services. Features never sold anyone. The only thing that a prospect cares about is what these features will do for them. In other words, speak in terms of benefits and your prospect will be more pre-disposed to listening to your presentation.

There’s no magic bullet. Prospecting takes time and if your sales pipeline isn’t always filled with prospects in various stages of being worked, then you are in for a future sales slump.

Follow-up and follow-through are keys to prospecting success. Just like gardening, if you don’t water the seeds, the garden will languish. And so it is with prospecting… if you don’t remain in contact, you will never break through.

Give a prospect something for nothing. An article that would be of interest and value, information that you received online etc. and transferred to the prospect with a note “just thought you might be interested in this” indicates that you are thinking of them and wish to be a resource.

Periodically tape-record a random sampling of your cold calls. Listen to the tape and assess your tone and voice. How did you sound? Would you want to speak with a person who sounds like you? What about your words? Were they clear and benefits oriented. Taping gives you the opportunity to self-correct your presentation.

Pace yourself. Prospecting is a very time-consuming and arduous task. Allocate a specific amount of time each day (week?) and keep to the schedule. It is always easy to put something ahead of the prospecting activity but make an appointment with yourself and don’t break it.

Last but definitely not least, maintain a good sense of humor. Make the prospect smile and you’re halfway there!

Knowing the specific characteristics of your customers allows you to reach them far more effectively. Do the market research: What are they reading, listening to on the radio, watching on TV? What web sites do they visit? Where do they shop, exercise, and go on vacation? Then you can create flyers, brochures, business cards and web advertisements and place them where your buyers will see them.

For example, I recently coached someone who wants to provide a new service for parents of young children. It is designed to be an after school activity, a school vacation alternative and a birthday party option. I asked the entrepreneur to think about where she might be able to reach prospective parents. She came up with school bulletin boards, pediatrician offices, grocery stores, toy stores, parenting magazines, local newspapers (especially children’s supplements), child care providers, libraries, churches/synagogues, community centers, etc. Then I asked her: how can your marketing materials speak specifically to the needs of the buying parents?

Some examples she developed were:
Looking for new things to do with your children after school?
Need activities for spring break/summer vacation?
Tired of the same old birthday party?
Love art, but tired of finger painting?

Magazine and newspaper articles are a wonderful and inexpensive way to market as long as they detail your company’s uniqueness and are in publications that your buyers read. There is a lot of competition for all things kid-related, however. My client must differentiate her services through features, promotion and pricing. It takes testing to see what the consumer ultimately wants, but if it is unique enough, it could just be the new “hot” children’s activity.

How about you and your business? Is your product or service meeting an unmet need? What are the specific characteristics of your clients? How can you best reach them? Who else is seeing them that could be referring you? Spending the time to develop a strong marketing plan is invaluable and leads to a more profitable business. As your coach, I say “get to it!”

Well, before you rush off and start your research, it’s important to remember the first rule of marketing: When the economy is slow, you shouldn’t slack off on your marketing efforts. Internet marketing is very much like quicksand…the bigger your ‘splash’, the faster you’ll sink. To control your ‘splash’, use the tips below to effectively manage your internet marketing efforts. Roll up your sleeves – tough times call for smart decisions!

It’s about quality, not quantity. Yes, it’s a cliché but it couldn’t be more appropriate when it comes to online marketing. Is it better to cast a wide net, or be selective? Too many initiatives or poorly directed efforts can quickly alienate and confuse your audience. If your marketing is worth its salt, it’ll deliver results, without offending or browbeating. If not, at best you’ll be irritating and at worst, you’ll be ignored.

To ad or not to ad. The choices are many; however, good choices are few. Should you buy ads on heavily trafficked web sites or should you keep it simple and go for the smaller sites? Should you clutter up your own web site with ads? The answer to this can only come from you. Take a hard look at your objectives and business plan. Are you trying to sell a big-ticket item or service? Do you need to target customers in a niche market? Do you have the personnel and infrastructure in place to handle the response? Examine what your business needs to accomplish and then start small. You can always ‘upgrade’ later.

Deliver. If you’re practicing doing quality marketing, you need to back it up with quality work. Nothing is more disappointing for a customer than biting the marketing bait and being interested in what appears to be a qualified business, only to find out that the business cannot deliver on the promises made through their marketing.

Stick with what works, ditch what doesn’t. If you have big deal experts giving you marketing advice and it’s not producing results, move on to another strategy. Experts aren’t always right. Conversely, if your marketing strategy is working and someone tries to convince you to abandon it, stick to your guns and your strategy.

Measure twice, cut once. Be sure to measure your marketing efforts and results. When you get a response you’ll know exactly where it originated. Using this technique, you’ll be able to axe efforts that are not generating results and focus on those that do.

Treat internet marketing like dollar-cost averaging. You can’t expect to get outstanding results with your first efforts – it’s nice if it happens but, it’s rare. You have to launch a steady, consistent and patient with your marketing plan. If you hone your strategy, over time you’ll reap an abundance of results – whether the economy is up or down.

Internet marketing is sticky business and the worst part is there are no hard and fast rules to guide you. Most of it is trial, error and hunches. But, keep a level head, follow a set plan, and stick to it and not only will you be ahead of the game but, you’ll be on solid ground by the time the economy begins to recover.

The answer is simply YES!*

I added the * because there is more to it than just creating an email and sending it out once a month. You have to plan and target who your audience is and what they are really looking for.

Here are a few tips to help you get started:

Understand the difference between a mass email and email marketing
A mass email is something you would send to a group of recipients through Outlook, Eudora or Entourage with members in the BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) field with no way to track if they even opened your message. Email marketing is much more detailed. You need to use an outside company to send the email for you. A company that provides you with the ability to track how many people open your message. Without tracking how do you know your email marketing is working? You don’t.

Subject hook
The subject line is the hook for people to open or trash your email. You have less than 10 words to convince someone you have something they want and need. Use keywords that will excite or even enrage your target audience. If you know your audience you will know just what they desire or even fear.

Consistency wins every time
Create a plan and stick to it. If you say you are going to do something weekly then set a certain day of the week. If you want to send a monthly newsletter choose a day and a week for example, 2nd Wednesday of every month. You want your audience to look forward to getting your information.

Target your mailings
Most email systems allow you to create groups or even classify audience members by specific characteristics. This will allow you to send different emails with articles or topics that relate more to your target groups. For example if you run a spa, you would want to segment men & women. Send both groups a list of services specific to them. Women have many of the same services as men but remove the items not applicable to them and maybe add pictures of women’s products only and then do the same for the men. Running separate campaigns like this may take you an extra 30 minutes but the return will be well worth the effort.

Link to your web site
When you create an email marketing campaign with a weekly article or tip you should not put the entire article in the body because then you won’t know if people were truly interested and read the whole article. When you link back to your site you get a clear picture of what people are really interested in.

Review the data
Make time to go back and review what’s hot & what’s not. Email marketing is one of the few areas you get immediate feedback. I recommend a quarterly review. Look at what topics people were most interested in. Now you can make target follow up calls or even send letters.

Email marketing can be a powerful tool to reach your market with targeted campaigns and email marketing is the only marketing where you can get instant feedback on what people like. If you take these steps and add on promotions and other incentives you will see a big difference in your business.

When I’ve given presentations on customer service, many businesspeople who live by electronic communication have shared their strategies with me. Here are some of the best:

Voice Mail

Keep the message concise and detailed. Speak slowly when giving your name and telephone number. How many times have you replayed a message and became frustrated because you couldn’t understand it? As far as the details are concerned, instead of leaving a message such as, “Call me so we can prepare for the presentation,” say, “For the presentation this Monday, let’s decide on an exact location and time.”

Here’s a tip that can dramatically improve getting voice mail messages returned. When you leave a message, the last word to leave, after you say goodbye, should be the person’s name. This personalizes the message. It’s warmer and friendlier when someone picks up a message and hears, “…thanks, I’ll speak to you soon. Bye, Tom” (of course, that’s if the person you’re calling is named Tom).

While leaving a thorough message helps, your tone of voice could be even more important. People can hear a “smile” on the phone, and they certainly can hear your attitude. When you leave upbeat messages, it invites the recipient to call you back. One way to test this out is to leave yourself a voice mail. Play the messages back and critique yourself.

Also, take into account the length of your messages. When you have to leave a long message, say that up-front. The recipient will appreciate hearing the reason for your extended message. For example say, “I’m going out of the country for 10 days tomorrow, so please excuse this long message about our unfinished business.”

It’s been said that, “timing is everything.” Returning messages promptly can make or break a deal. Work towards returning every message you get within 24 hours. When people ask you to “call them back,” it could be that they’re considering another vendor, and want to give you a chance to counter the offer. People don’t always say why they’re leaving a message. It’s your job to respond to them promptly and find out.

Fax

A Gallup/Pitney Bowes poll revealed that 64 percent of Fortune 500 employees who now have email would still rather get a fax than an email message. The message for us is that we should make sure that we communicate using people’s “electronic preferences.” And since faxing is still a key part of doing business, here are a few things to remember:

For salespeople, a fax can be a great tool to use for following up a phone call. Often, a voice mail or email can be easily erased, a fax is a perfect paper back up to make sure that messages have been received.

Faxes can also be a deal “sealer.” After you have completed a negotiation, you might want to get something in the customer’s hands that confirms your agreement. It doesn’t have to be the final contract. Rather, it could be a note that is hand written which says, “Thanks for the order. We look forward to delivering 15 units for $50 each, plus shipping. In the meantime, call me when you need something else.”

Email

While email provides almost instant electronic communication, it’s important that we take the time to use it effectively.

Many times we use email to replace what would have been a note, memo, or letter. In using email, make sure it looks professional. For example, what you send might be printed out and be distributed to other people. Therefore, when it’s a memo, make sure it looks like a memo. Also, carefully check the grammar and spelling. Many word processing programs help us “clean up” our copy. That’s not always the case with email. The correct punctuation and salutation should be remembered.

One thing that’s sure to be remembered, is having the “wrong” people see what you sent. We’ve heard the horror stories, in which confidential messages inadvertently found their way into everyone’s email in-box. Therefore, you might need to avoid including sensitive information in an email.

Finally, make sure you add at the end of every message your full name, title, email, phone and fax numbers. Sometimes the only way people know where it’s from is by looking at your email address. If it’s “09095QWE@aol.com, chances are they may not know it’s from you.

Since email usage is only going to increase, now is the time to get in the habit of using email etiquette.

Cell Phones

It seems that there was a time when the only people who needed cell phones were doctors and undertakers. Now, cell phones are a requirement for many salespeople, especially those who are often “on the road.” Regardless of how you might use yours, there are some basic rules to keep in mind.

Since cell phones can go everywhere, be sensitive to your environment when you call people. For example, be careful not to stand near a noisy place such as a construction site. Also, be considerate of those around you. Recently I was in a library and someone was loudly chatting away on his phone, while people were trying to concentrate.

Another “call to courtesy” is when you meet with a client in a place away from the office. A restaurant, for example, allows you to get away from the distractions of an office. Therefore, unless you’re expecting an emergency call, shut the cell phone off. Your clients will appreciate it if you’re not taking calls with food in your mouth.

Your clients will also appreciate it if you refrain from talking to them on your phone while you’re driving. This is because you’re unable to give them your full attention. People can sense when we’re not completely listening. Remember, it’s better to stop the car and then call clients. The conversation will be focused, and you’ll be able to communicate more successfully.

All of our electronic “tools” can never take the place of direct interpersonal communication. Take a look at your client list and think about all the numbers you have to reach them. Remember, there are people behind those digits who want to connect with you. Whatever “tool” you use, make sure it will get the job done with grace and style.

Dear Jill,

I’m a senior consultant in a large firm, and am interested in moving out of consulting and into industry. I’ve recently learned of a great opportunity at a company where I’ve always wanted to work, and feel that my background is a perfect fit. However a colleague and close friend, who is also quietly looking around, told me in confidence that she is actively pursuing the same opportunity. I want to apply, but am concerned about how this will affect our friendship—I know she’ll be upset, and we see each other every day! How should I handle this?

Thanks, Leslie

Dear Leslie,

I’ve worked with many clients in similar situations and can appreciate the complexities involved. However, one thing is very clear: it wouldn’t serve you or your friendship to overlook a chance at your dream job—even to protect a close friend’s feelings. What friendship could withstand that kind of sacrifice?

As consultants, you’ve probably both been in situations where you’ve competed with other firms for the same piece of business. In such cases, one not only expects to face competitors, but may even respect the strength of their proposals. I encourage you to take a similar perspective in your job search, depersonalizing things as much as possible. Plan a time to sit down with your friend, and have an honest conversation. Let her know about your strong interest in this opportunity, as well as your concern for your friendship. Then be ready to practice your best listening, keeping in mind that she may need time to collect her thoughts. This could well be the first of many such discussions, as you see your way through this sensitive period.

Competition between friends is never easy. It requires both being true to yourself, and honoring the relationship you’ve developed. If you can give each other the space you need, as well as find ways to communicate, your friendship may actually strengthen as a result of this ordeal!

Building Self Confidence and Performance

Dear Jill,

I recently was given a choice project that involves presenting to senior level teams throughout the organization. I don’t have much experience speaking to groups this senior, and have gotten off to a bumpy start. Some executives fire questions at me, and I find this unnerving (more due to their challenging style, than the content of their questions). I often become self-conscious, and then have difficulty thinking clearly. This really frustrates me, because I can always think of strong responses after these meetings! My self-confidence is dwindling, and I don’t want to blow this opportunity. Do you have any suggestions?

Thanks for your help,
Mary

Dear Mary,

Congratulations on being chosen for this project. It sounds like you’ve got what it takes, and just need to gain comfort in communicating to a new audience. I suggest that you try practicing a powerful technique called positive imagery. Sports psychologists have conducted a great deal of research on how athletes use this tool to improve their performance. I’ve found it can be a very effective performance enhancing technique for clients in business environments.

Plan to start at least one day before your next executive meeting. Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably. Then begin by slowly relaxing your body, from head to toe. When you feel very relaxed, guide your mind in imagining an optimal run-through of the entire meeting—almost as though you’re watching it on video. Allow yourself to imagine what you’ll be doing and how you’ll be feeling:

* before the meeting (e.g., relaxed, confident, looking forward to being of service by providing key information)
* as you enter the meeting (e.g., steady, sharp, eager to engage)
* during the meeting (e.g., clear, concise, magnetic, humorous)

Then visualize what the executives in the session will be thinking and experiencing:

* before the meeting (e.g., looking forward to your presentation, in great need of the information that you’ll provide)
* during the meeting (e.g., actively listening, completely absorbed, highly engaged)
* following the meeting (e.g., impressed by your performance, confident in your abilities, greatly helped by the information that you shared)

Most of my clients are quite surprised by the degree of improvement they experience in performing activities that they have visualized. In general, the more you practice positive imagery, the easier it becomes, and the greater its positive effect. Good luck, Mary, and hang in there!

If you have a question about a leadership or team issue in the workplace, please write to AskJill@womenandbiz.com.

Coaching clients in career transition has taught me a lot about the changing face of our working world. There was a time—not that long ago—when being a woman of a certain age made it very difficult finding a job and high salaries were given to those fresh out of college, but the tables are rapidly turning due to factors such as downsizing, budget cuts, technology, globalization, and all the niche markets popping up that transcend the usual demographics. It’s now cool to be over 50 and employers are recognizing a seasoned professional as a hot commodity and are willing to pay for all that expertise and insight. Consultants are the wave of our professional future and it seems as though everything older is becoming newer again.

Over the past two years I have been going through a truly transforming period of personal growth, discovery, and re-invention. Because of this my goals—and my self– have drastically changed and I have decided, after working for almost three decades as a free agent in multiple capacities and fields, to go after a different fish in my pond. I, too—in spite of currently multi-tasking a successful small business that will stay operational, two charity support networking groups, the occasional modeling gig, forever formulating a book, and so on—have been hit with the strong desire to put all of my expertise to the test in a big way and, at the same time, get well compensated for it without the stresses of the self-employed.

The whole idea is quite liberating, but the actual starting of this huge process of finding your niche can be far less illustrious and rather daunting to say the least. It does take courage, tenacity, and a certain flexibility to maneuver along the path as well as a trusty notebook to login and keep track of all your contacts and comments. Now that I literally have the chance to practice what I preach, I’d like to share some tips for getting from here to there and hopefully save some time, frustration, and costly mistakes in a tight job environment.

Statistically, according to the Department of Labor, it takes an average of 16 1/2 weeks to land a job. Women for Hire and 24Seven, groups that host job fairs and other services for workingwomen, cite a time period of 3-6 months or longer. I’ve often read that only 1% of employers actually hire off of the job websites, cold calls and e-mails produce little or no results, and 80% of job hunting success comes from networking. I personally have to somewhat disagree with these figures as I’ve had some immediate success through the lesser venues. However, whether you are currently employed, re-entering, in transition, or actively in pursuit these numbers can cause feelings of fear and anxiety particularly if you are living on a limited budget. You cannot go this alone and there is effective help available—much of it free or low-cost:

OTHER ARTICLES

* Internet Marketing: Tough Times Call for Smart Decisions
* Ask Jill
Competing with a Friend
Building Self Confidence and Performance
* Interview with Yvonne Burton

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Making A Shift…

*If you are lost in a fog of career choices, contact your local college campus or career center and get tested. The first thing I do with my clients is a personality test to gauge traits such as tolerance, character flaws and strengths, and interpersonal skills. When you have this down it’s easier to match yourself to a career. It could very well be something that you never even considered.

*Find out what training and skills are needed. Often, your prior education and experience will be assessed and taking a course or two, perhaps doing some interning or volunteer work on the side, can provide you with the needed stepping stone. Going back for a degree is another matter altogether and these days is, perhaps arguably so, not a guarantee of success. I’ve worked with women that are in debt with school loans to the tune of high five figures and wound up working in fields that are totally irrelevant to their degrees.

*Do the research. Look up job descriptions with companies or areas that interest you and find out what positions are being offered and what the salaries are and where. Contact people you know and also ask them if they know someone you could call. Ask for referrals. Family and friends can sometimes produce surprising results. Study Crains and other business publications and websites for trends and networking opportunities. Check out event and seminar listings. You could even create a position based on a market need and pitch it to the human resource department. I did just that at NYU and FIT where I am currently an adjunct. It took a long time, but I finally got to write and teach the seminars that I had proposed. Take the initiative and think like an entrepreneur…outside of the box!

You must treat yourself as a unique and innovative product regardless of age or expertise that needs a brilliant marketing strategy to launch you into career success. Knowing what your target market is and relentlessly stalking it is one method of hunting, but you must be extremely flexible and certain regarding what you can offer an employer. Time to sharpen the pencil and create a top-notch pr piece—namely your resume and a cover letter template—or several. I personally loath doing this for myself, but I buckled down with the help of a career counselor at NYU who kindly critiqued my efforts. I then drafted a few versions plus some cover letter templates…all for free!

If you are convinced that you are hopeless at doing this yourself job search sites like wetfeet.com, monster.com, nytimes.com, and hotjobs.com offer advice, resources, and samples. I really like the book Women for Hire: The Ultimate Guide for Getting a Job. It, and several others, can be had for a fraction of the publishers’ price from amazon.com. If all else fails, you can always go to the library for information. Other things to add to your pr kit:

*Business cards. Very inexpensive—sometimes offered free—and a must for networking and interviews. Carry them with you at all times and hand them out. Let everyone know you’re looking. I’ve met some great connections in the ladies room and waiting on line! Talk to everyone. You’ll never know the great opportunity that you might have landed otherwise.

*A strong 15-second pitch or elevator speech about your professional self to use as an introduction. Most often you’ll have less than a minute to extend a powerful and lasting first impression.

*Samples of your work and testimonial letters from your career archive.

*A polished, professional image—including your presentation—will give you a huge advantage over the competition. Authentic personal style isn’t about getting attention, but about being remembered.

*Thank you notes or e-mail scripts to send to interviewers and helpful connections that you make while networking and following up. Yes, it’s well worth the bother. Think 6 degrees of separation—you could be only 6 people away from your dream job.

In closing I can’t insist enough that if you start feeling overwhelmed, dejected, or exhausted you should give yourself small, inexpensive rewards. Work out regularly to deflect stress and keep reminding yourself how lucky an employer would be to get you. Keep regular working hours. Remain disciplined and focused– resist sleeping in—and devote a minimum of 3 hours per day to your search. Reach out to a sympathetic ear or start your own support group. I have found this to be a tremendously empowering experience and have learned a lot of positive things about myself. It can be scary—there’s no denying that—but any change can bring feelings of doubt. But, oh the places you’ll go and just wait to see where you’ll land. You’ll gain much more than a new job. Wishing you a fulfilling journey.

I have a BA in International Business and Economics and one year at Kansai Gaidai University in Osaka, Japan as an exchange student. That one year of course was not enough to gain a strong fundamental understanding of the culture so after graduating from university I went back to Japan on my own to live and work for an additional six years.

* What was your professional experience?

In my years after university in Japan, I taught in language schools but always tried to move more into the business area. I taught in several companies (banks, electronics firms and pharmaceutical firms) in the areas of business communications and negotiations and then started doing freelance consulting work with small Japanese firms in the area of Import/Export often times searching out new products and negotiating contracts for them because many didn’t speak any English. When I returned to New York, I worked in a Japanese trading company and then moved into the technology arena. I worked as a Project Manager for the largest online job site in their Online Marketing and Advertising division and then moved into the technology consulting field as a Business Analyst in a firm that created customized software solutions for the Pharmaceutical industry. As a business analyst, I was in charge of the gathering and documenting requirements for the systems, creating detailed design documents, communicating the requirements and design to programmers and software engineers to build and then perform integration testing to ensure that the software fulfilled all requirements. I became a document specialist as these documents had to meet regulated standards.

Burton & Associates Consulting

* When did you start Burton & Associates Consulting?

Burton & Associates Consulting (B&AC) was officially formed in 1998. However, it really started while still in Japan working with those small importers. As time passed, I put it on hold to gain experience in the technology field and only did small projects such as cross-cultural training over the years.

* How did you spot the opportunity to start Burton & Associates Consulting?

Well, I always believed in my Japanese experience and knew that I wanted to use it fully in business. I firmly believe that international experience is priceless and I certainly wanted to build on the time I lived and work in Japan by either working in Japanese firms or in U.S. firms that did business in the Japanese market when I came back home to New York. However to just work in a position in a company didn’t fully utilize all of my experiences so I really wanted to create my own business targeting the Japanese market. I believed that having someone with international experience as part of a project team is an immense advantage especially in these days of this truly global economy.

While working in online marketing and advertising and as a business analyst, I began thinking that there were Japanese companies that needed these services and that with my background experience in Japan, I would be uniquely qualified to assist these companies. I began to define the services that I wanted to offer; technology consulting, management consulting and research services and of course bring the cross-cultural component to Japanese firms and U.S. firms that are operating in Japan or in partnership with Japanese companies.

One of my main interests is in assisting small Japanese start-ups and tech companies that are really using technology to compete with bigger firms or making strides in the global software market. These firms are doing something really exciting and different and I want to be a part of it by supporting them in their international endeavors through doing the analyst part of their software development life cycle or in some other capacity.

* How did you evaluate the opportunity in terms of the competition and the market?

There are consultants that deal in Asia and specifically in the Japanese market both small and large but I feel that B&AC offers something a little different of course. Many focus on either just the cross-cultural aspect or management consulting for larger firms. B&AC is focusing on providing customized service to Japanese related clients and utilizing its cross-cultural knowledge in doing so. We are consultants that have a foundation of cultural understanding and use that as a base in providing our services to smaller to mid-size clients seeking to improve operational efficiencies and/or grow their business internationally.

* Did you have a start-up business plan of any kind?

I had a dream in my head and worked to make it a reality but have recently started to put the plan of it down on paper and will continually update it as my business evolves. For example, with the current Outsourcing boom that is taking place, I am developing a service where B&AC would manage outsourcing projects (international project management in a way) for my clients or become an outsourcing partner for them such as being the documentation specialist for software firms creating software for global markets or creating the training manuals. As the economy changes, opportunities naturally arise and I want to make sure that my business evolves as global business evolves. I still want to make sure that our core values, services and quality of service are the highest possible but that as our clients evolve and grow; we also evolve and grow to provide them with the services that they need.

* How did any outside advisors make a difference in your company?

Well, I have been working with Small Business Development Centers (truly wonderful sources) and through creating my business plan, I have received very valuable advice especially in terms of new services that I hadn’t thought of. I have also been very fortunate in meeting several wonderful mentors who really believe in me and what I have been trying to do all these years. They have provided guidance, encouragement and introduced me to contacts to continually forward my vision.

* Tell us about your business and the services your offer

We consult to companies in the Japanese market whether directly or through partnerships and to Japanese firms operating in the U.S and internationally. B&AC core services include:

Management Consulting & Research:devising and mapping out appropriate strategies for our clients in various areas.

Collateral Materials/Websites: designing or improving on existing marketing and sales materials and web sites to maximize the impact on sales efforts.

Technology Consulting: assisting clients in the software development lifecycle with business analysis and requirements gathering, testing and implementing products for global markets. Also, advising clients on effective online marketing and advertising strategies.

Business Development: seeking out or developing new business initiatives on client’s behalf.

Target Market

* Could you tell us who are your target market and how did you determine it?

Mainly the target market is Japanese companies seeking to make efficient use of technology in their business processes to manage information and improve business performance. Also, companies in the Japanese market or in partnership with Japanese companies seeking to further strengthen relationships with customers, business partners, create new opportunities, improve operating efficiencies and improve communications both internally and internationally.

* How does having a niche help you grow your business?

It allows for more flexible growth. By keeping abreast of what is happening in your niche, it is easier to see how and when to make changes to your services or company’s mission statement. You adapt easier and make changes faster to accommodate changes in the market.

Plans for the Future, Trade-offs and Rewards

* What are your plans for the future?

To develop and grow B&AC into a multi-service firm that with the foundation of our experiences, provide quality services to clients. I would like to see the company become the go to company for smaller to mid-size Japanese firms and foreign firms in the Japanese market because of the personal care we give our clients. Living in Japan has taught me the value of quality service and I want to apply that in my business.

* What were/are the most demanding conflicts you face?

Growing the business – even though the business world has changed so much, it is still hard to convince new clients to take a chance on you. That is why it is imperative to provide valuable services and to go the extra mile for your clients. Also, having your own business is literally 24/7. I make my own schedule though and that is great so if I want to be working at 3AM, I can. You do have to make compromises of course but there are some things that I do not compromise on – I exercise at least 4 times a week and I do Buddhist chanting and meditation that keeps me as free from stress as you can ever be. This allows me to perform at the highest level for my clients.

* What things do you find personally rewarding and satisfying as an entrepreneur? What have been the rewards and trade-offs?

For me it has always been about helping people. It’s just that I am doing it on a business level. I am fortunate in the years I spent in Japan and all my experiences there and I always wanted to use that in the best way possible. I like the one on one interaction with my clients, getting to know them and working with them and helping them do what they do better and more efficiently.

I saw a lot of small Japanese companies struggle when I was in Japan. In most cases, they didn’t have the small business assistance programs we have here in the states. But these companies, whether they were small retailers or import/export firms, believed in what they were doing and even without help were out there each day fighting. I want to help those types of companies. The Internet and other technological revolutions now allow smaller businesses to operate on the global stage at much lower costs and enhance their potential and chances of great success. These are the companies I want as clients, to work in conjunction with them to do something new and different.

The entrepreneur life has always been good for me even though it is tough. I moved to the states from Jamaica with my family when I was a child and I saw my mother work hard to make a good life for us. I wanted to honor her efforts by doing something bigger and different. I wanted to use all of who I am in my business – my Jamaican work ethic, my American drive to pursue my dreams, my life and work experiences in Japan and my business experiences to create a successful business.

The most obvious trade-off is time because you want to be involved in every aspect because it is your business. You have to do everything yourself especially while building the business; development, marketing, sales and the work once you get the projects. In spite of all your hard work, it might still not work out but you still go for it. But if you think about it, that is really the same for everything in life. So if you really believe in it –you can and will succeed at it.

For more information about Yvonne Burton and Burton & Associates Consulting, please visit www.Burtonconsulting.biz.

Update: Recently, Yvonne Burton launched her first blog: www.JapanUSbusinessnews.com is a forum for news, discussion, sharing and advertising for the Japan-US business community.

Denise Michaels has had experience working in the corporate world and as an entrepreneur since a young age. Denise worked as a copywriter, and in the fields of advertising, sales, public relations and strategic planning, and combined her experience working with men and women and helping them start businesses to develop TFM. In 1999, while living in San Diego, Denise became the assistant of a best selling author and since she was working as a marketer, she soon became a trainer and coach. Throughout over twenty-five years experience, Denise Michaels has noticed a vast difference between men and women, in their way of thinking and acting, which reflects in their business careers.

Denise perceived the fact that women are raised differently than men, raised not to blow their own horns, to wait to be called upon by a man, and that these personal fears are often carried over to the way women run their businesses. While men externalize, like to be challenged and do not take anything personally; women internalize, they prefer to be nurtured and tend to feel guilty about everything.

“Marketing does not have to be about war,” says Denise Michaels, asserting that marketing is traditionally masculine, and that women can “step up to the plate in a positive way that work for them”. Denise’s business niche is start-ups and home-based women-owned businesses. Her mission is to support people in growing their businesses and creating more cash flow.

In addition to the book which is coming out in mid-June, Denise’s services include the Testosterone-Free Marketing teleclass, a membership website, and her SuccessTEAM MasterMind group programs with certified coaches and people who are there to support each other. She also has coaching clients, gives workshops about developing your business idea and marketing and sales strategies that work for you.

According to Denise, Testosterone-Free Marketing is not another how-to book; it exists to help women who own businesses understand their challenges and what they should do about it. It teaches readers how to get over their limitations and gives them the support and understanding to improve their self-confidence. The elements, provided in Denise’s book and teleclasses, are essential to personal development and business success.

Denise Michaels considers her biggest challenges her organization skills, so she has developed a system to help her stay on track and organized. Being a workaholic sometimes stopped her from exercising, but she has been committed to change, and she feels that if she takes a break to take care of her fitness, she feels upbeat and energized and works even harder. She frequently walks four miles with a friend and has coffee at Starbucks; having a buddy helps her stay committed to her goal.

Denise believes her entrepreneurial career’s greatest rewards are the changes she sees in her clients, when the “lights go on” and they “get it”, and their sales jump immediately after the first class. Women’s initial tendency is to be nice, give exaggerated discounts on their products and services, and men tend to take advantage of it. However, once they participate in Denise’s teleclasses they realize their values and are able to start changing their behavior and being more assertive.

Denise Michaels suggests the following advice to entrepreneurs: “The work you do on your personal and business growth has the same importance; it is all connected. . . Life is a journey, when you make mistakes, learn from them, keep growing with confidence and with a big vision in mind.”

Her invaluable remarks include a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: “A woman is like a tea bag. You never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water.”

“Testosterone-Free Marketing: The Yin and Yang of Marketing for Women” is coming out in June. For more information about Denise Michaels, her book and her services, please visit her website at www.marketingforher.com.

We hope this issue of WomenandBiz.com inspires you to research the market, find out more about your clients, their needs and wants, their demographics information, their habits, their buying attitudes, in order to offer them a better customer service and to develop a precise marketing strategy. Nowadays, information is readily available; you can conduct primary and secondary research and create the strategy that brings the best results. Always remember to ask questions to your current clients, they could offer you invaluable feedback you could use to improve and to promote your services.

To find out about the demographics in your neighborhood you can visit the Census website at www.census.gov. Another option is to find out about associations which your potential clients belong to, find out more about their members and how to best reach them, or create a promotion for the members of each association. The business search engine www.business.com is a good resource to find associations.

Womenandbiz.com guest writers wrote about internet and email marketing, about the importance of finding a market niche, best electronic etiquette behavior, tips for finding your own career niche, what to do when you are competing with a friend in the workplace and smart ways to build self-confidence and performance through positive imagery.

We also had the opportunity to interview Denise Michaels, Creator of MarketingForHer.com and author of “Testosterone Free Marketing”; and Yvonne Burton, founder of Burton & Associates Consulting, answered our questions about her background, her business, her target market and her plans for the future.

Enjoy your reading and remember to thoroughly research your target market, it helps you stay focused and generate more sales.

We love to hear from you, and if you have any comments, concerns and suggestions about Womenandbiz.com, email us at editor@womenandbiz.com.

Best of luck on your marketing venture,

Elisa Balabram, editor WomenandBiz.com
editor@womenandbiz.com