Some days you feel like Superman or (woman), tackling the most challenging tasks like they’re small feats. Other days, you might feel like you barely cross off half the items on your to do list. The good news is there are easy ways to gain (or regain) motivation. Here are a few of my favorite:

1. Focus on ONE goal: Whenever I’ve been in a slump, I’ve discovered that it’s often because I have too much going on in my life. I’m trying to do too much. (Think of it as burning the candle at both ends.)And it saps my energy and motivation. It’s probably the most common mistake that people make: they try to take on too much, try to accomplish too many goals at once. You cannot maintain energy and focus (the two most important things in accomplishing a goal) if you are trying to do two or more goals at once. It’s not possible — I’ve tried it many times. You have to choose one goal, for now, and focus on it completely. I know, that’s hard. Still, I speak from experience. You can always do your other goals when you’ve accomplished your goal at hand.
2. Find inspiration: Of course, this concept is relative. Ask yourself who or what inspires you? I read other blogs, books, magazines. Find other people who are working toward a similar goal. There is a strength in numbers.
3. Be positive: Squash negative thoughts; replace them with positive ones. Along those lines, it’s important to start monitoring your thoughts. Recognize negative self-talk, which is really what’s causing your slump. Just spend a few days becoming aware of every negative thought. Then, after a few days, try squashing those negative thoughts like a bug, and then replacing them with a corresponding positive thought.
4. Remember your standout moments: A peak moment is a time when you felt you were at the top of your game. Your peak moment connects you with that time when you felt most fulfilled, most stretched, and most present. Recalling these times can center you, and bring you back to your goal.
5. Get active: There seems to be a correlative relationship between productivity, a high-energy workout music, and a refreshing shower afterwards. While I don’t claim to understand the interplay between all of them, a change in scenery can change my perspective and get me motivated to go at it again. What’s your favorite way to get the blood flowing? I personalize enjoy a yoga practice.

Mobile phones aren’t likely going away anytime soon. And more and more people are accessing content via their smart phones. What does that mean to you and your business? One thing’s for sure: optimization should be a consideration when creating or updating a website.

Why, you ask? First, the numbers speak for themselves.  Mobile traffic currently makes up 10 percent of global Internet traffic,  and this year more people will use mobile phones than PCs to get online, according to Gartner.

Are you among those businesses who have not yet optimized their websites for mobile use?  If so, here are a few reasons why you should re-consider:

• If your site isn’t optimized for mobile, shoppers will go elsewhere. If they can’t find what they’re looking for on your site, they might seek out a competitor’s mobile-friendly site instead, of switching to a PC to revisit yours.
• Mobile sites lead to mobile purchases. Shoppers are more likely to buy a product or service if your site is optimized for mobile. This is not rocket science. The easier your product or service is to purchase, in theory,  the more likely a consumer will buy in.
• A bad mobile experience can damage a company’s brand. A bad mobile experience can create bad feelings about your company. Think about it…if the shopper feels  frustrated and annoyed when they happen across a site that’s not mobile-friendly,  they might feel like your company doesn’t value their experience.

Ok, so you’re sold on why you should optimize your site, but you might wonder how to do so. Here is a great resource on the topic.

Small  business owners often balk at the idea of hiring a small business marketing consultant. The main reason for this hesitation is a misconception that consultants are perceived as only cost-efficient for large companies.  However, hiring a consultant to aid with marketing can be a practical solution for small businesses. Here’s why:

• Marketing design and content: A marketing consultant is trained in creating materials that will gain attention. He or she may be able to create a marketing campaign–from the words on the page- to the design.
• An outside perspective:  A small business marketing consultant can draw from years of business experience while assessing the strengths and weaknesses of your business. Sometimes it’s too hard to see reality because you’re too close to the situation as the owner/manager. What’s more, he or she can clear the proverbial air with a fresh, unbiased view–devoid of office politics and institutional memory
• Time equals money! Most consultants will offer an hourly rate. This freelance approach offers owners the major advantage of avoiding employee-related taxes. Knowing that marketing is taken care of allows you to more closely focus on your business’s core offerings. This, in turn, can help your bottom line. Now you will have more time to focus on the day-to-day, while knowing your marketing is in good hands.

Of course there are other benefits to hiring a small business marketing consultant. The derived value will vary from business to business. If you currently work with a marketing consultant, what has been your experience?

Your company may send out regular press releases, but that doesn’t mean you’re not missing out on opportunities to get the word out.  The good news is there are simple, yet impactful steps you can take to maximize your results. Consider these four simple tactics to get more bang for your buck:

1. Use SEO: A press release that coveys all the relevant information is no longer enough. Instead,  you must now also write your release in a way that is conducive to searches.  Reporters use search engines to find sources and story ideas.

But where to begin? Start by making a list of the keywords and phrases that are most relevant to your company, and then cross-check these terms using Google’s keyword tool to assess monthly search volume and competition for your core keywords, and to see suggestions for other related keywords.

Once you have your list of keywords, use them in the headline and subhead of your release, as well as throughout the body of the announcement – just make sure that the release flows, and makes sense. Avoid over-repetition by using secondary and tertiary keywords, too.

2. Include search-optimized images with your release: It’s been proven that  journalists and bloggers are more likely to cover news that includes an image. It’s human nature, really. People are drawn to images over a jumble of text. Images can also work double duty in your search strategy if you optimize the images for search by naming and tagging them with keywords.

3. Boost engagement with video: Including video can increase impressions, interactions and the overall syndication of a release.  What makes a good video?  Think helpful content. Avoid a sales pitch or featuring a talking head. Be authentic, when in doubt. Graphics or charts can also help to get your point across. Note: simply placing a link to a video is not good enough. Having the video embedded in the distribution is essential. Once your video is uploaded, make sure to tag it with your keywords, and even consider including a transcript of the video so that search engines can index the content.

4. Use social media to amplify your news: The more backlinks that point to your content, the more value search engines will assign to it. Therefore, posting your news on your various social media channels is one approach to drive more traffic.

If this all seems foreign to you, start with this post about what to include in a press release.

Have you heard? Twitter isn’t just for personal use anymore.  Twitter can be a great resource for business use.  Here are a few ways you can use Twitter to leverage your brand:

Provide another customer service channel:  The creation and use of a Twitter account for the sole purpose of customer service can foster a line of instant communication between you and customers. For example,  you can provide basic tech support, answer sales questions, and respond to inquiries.

Make it right: It is common for customers to vent to their network about a poor experience with a company or product/service.  If and when these complaints involve or mention your company, it can tarnish your reputation. Yet this also provides an opportunity to get involved in the conversation. Concerns can be addressed and resolved, and made into a positive experience.

Build Credibility: Twitter allows you to be the expert in your field. Use it as your opportunity to show off  knowledge in your respective industry. Keep it short and simple, with facts, quotes, photos, videos and links directly or indirectly related to your industry. In theory, the more intelligent, informative and relevant, the more credibility you will gain in the mind of your consumers.

Push Traffic to your Website: You may have a great website, but what good is it if no one goes there? You can use Twitter to push readers to your site. Promote updates to your site, like blog posts, press releases, and new product information.

At the end of the day, once you have engaged, helped your customers, or educated them, you’re doing your job. This is the key to brand loyalty.

Non-profit organizations tend to have limited budgets, especially for technology related projects.  Some non-profit organizations do not have a website, or maintain a mediocre one at best.  But the truth is, non-profits are being forced to become more competitive as funding is shrinking.

A stellar website is one way to stand out to funders.  Here are some tips (in no particular order) for creating an effective non-profit website:

1. Define who you are & what you do: Keep in mind much of your traffic will consist of visitors unfamiliar with your organization. Upon arriving, they should be able to quickly get an idea of why the organization exists and a basic picture of what they do-YOUR MISSION!

There are a number of different ways to help convey a message of mission or purpose on a home page. In some cases there will be a brief one or two sentence statement that is located in a prominent position. Photos and images can also help to communicate purpose.

2. Know your audience: One particular challenge is that non-profit websites have several different audiences, and the needs of each will vary. For example, one audience will include members, supporters, and volunteers who are all familiar with the organization and check the website to stay engaged. Another audience includes individuals who are not familiar with the organization, and are being introduced to it through the website. These people will generally be looking for information about the mission, and how they can get involved.

A third audience may be the people that are being served by the organization, or potential clients. For example, an organization that helps prevent child abuse and neglect may have a website that attracts single mothers looking for parenting classes.  This group would be most interested in the details of the services that are provided, and how they can apply or request assistance.

3. Make it easy for donors! Most non-profit organizations rely heavily on donations, whether from individuals or organizations, to survive. Donating should be easy! Online giving platforms are one way to increase giving. It should go without saying, but ensure your donation link is not buried on an obscure page. The homepage makes a great location. In fact there’s no reason you cannot place it on multiple pages!

Regardless, as stated above, the website should provide relevant information for donors. This may include how they can give, what specific programs or purposes they can give to, fundraising goals and progress, details about how the money is used or handled, and information about tax deductions.

4.  Include photos and video: It’s human nature: visitors and donors like to feel connected with your cause through viewing pictures and/or video of people that are being helped through their donations or volunteer efforts. This feature provides a much more personal experience for website visitors. In addition to photos, some organizations include stories or testimonials about how they’ve made a difference.  This is a great way to encourage people to get involved, because it provides a human element to your success, rather than simply offering statistics.

5.  Make it easy to contact you: This one may be obvious, but it is often taken for granted. Make it easy for a visitor to inquire about volunteering, receiving assistance, employment opportunities, donations, or any number of things. The site should at least provide a contact form or email address, and in most cases a phone number and mailing address should also be included. Including links to your social media channels is never a bad idea.

Maintaining employee morale doesn’t have to be costly, but you can reap the ROI tenfold. (Think of the cost of the alternative!) Happy workers are 12 percent more productive, according to a study from Warwick Business School. Here are a few cost-effective ways to show staff you care:

• Order lunch in on occasion: Food can be a major incentive. Provide breakfast or lunch during work hours. Remember: happy bellies can mean happy employees!
• Offer extra PTO as a bonus: Instead of a company-wide bonus that can add up, consider the cost-effective approach of rewarding staff with extra PTO. Everyone could use a little more R&R, after all!
• Offer training: This shows you are willing to invest in your staff and their talents. One of the main reasons quality people leave is due to a lack of professional development opportunities.
• Keep the mood fun and upbeat: Think cupcake baking contests, baby picture contests, and department shows. There is a reason Google is rated as one of the best places to work!
• Recognize individual achievements: It can as simple as an “employee of the month” program, whereby a star individual is profiled in the house newsletter.

CSR is a great way to help the community, while advancing your brand. CSR(Corporate social responsibility (CSR, also called corporate conscience, corporate citizenship, social performance, or sustainable responsible business/ Responsible Business) is a form of corporate self-regulation integrated into a business model.

CSR programs will look vary across the board, depending on the respective organization’ s investment level, and the needs of the community. Generally speaking, CSR efforts include employee volunteer programs, philanthropy, cause marketing, and sustainable(eco-friendly) practices. CSR is truly a win-win for the company, and the community. Here’s why:

• When employees are seen volunteering in the community, it can enhance the company’s image.
• In turn, the employees feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment, which can boost morale.
• There can be tax savings.
• Return on investment: One of the easiest places for a company to start engaging in sustainability is to use it as a way to cut costs. Whether it’s using less packaging or less energy, these savings add up quickly.

I love it when I find ways to manage my small business easier. I recently came across Square, a mobile credit-card processing application. Here’s why you should give it some thought:

1. Eliminate the middle man: There is no need to go through a third party for transactions. Business owners can create a secure account with minimal time and and energy.

2. Flat fee option: Say goodbye to high monthly transaction fees. Instead, business owners can take advantage of Square’s 2.75 percent rate per swipe. Another option: opt for a flat rate of $275 a month—with no additional fees.

There has been a lot of talk lately about one of the newest social media network: Pinterest.  Among the questions are what to post, but I think the more important question is should your company be on there in the first place?

Luckily, this handy flowchart from Intuit might help you make an informed decision:

Image courtesy of Intuit

Running a small business is time consuming. Luckily, there are several FREE, online tools or applications to make your life just a little easier. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Google Chat:  This is a great tool to communicate in real time. I like to use it to converse with clients or colleagues when on deadline.
• Google Docs – Word Processor, Spreadsheets, and Presentations that can be built, maintained, and shared online. The first time that you collaborate on populating a spreadsheet in real-time, you’ll understand the value.
• Mint: Mint automatically pulls all your financial information into one place, so you can finally get the entire picture. This tool is great for managing income and expenses.
• Hootsuite: HootSuite is the ultimate Twitter toolbox. This application allows the user to manage multiple Twitter profiles, add multiple editors, pre-schedule tweets, and measure your success.
• Square: Square makes it easy for anyone with a smartphone or tablet to easily accept credit card payments. The best part is there are no sign-up or monthly fees. Instead, the service takes 2.75 percent of each transaction.

Try one or several out for yourself, and let me know what you think!

So, you have a great story to pitch to the news media? Where to begin? Here are a few pointers:

• Craft a solid press release. For more about what makes a quality release, see this post.
• Develop a media list. The list should be comprised of local print, tv, radio, and online outlets. Depending on the nature of the story lead, all or some of these outlets may be interested.
• If you have a specific medium or news outlet in mind, contact them directly. They will appreciate the heads up, especially if it’s a slow news day. Sometimes a phone call is more effective than an e-mail.
• Be polite and understand most reporters and editors are on a tight schedule. Also, know that an interview doesn’t necessary guarantee media coverage.
• Take any feedback you receive and tweak your pitch for the rest of your efforts.  Or craft multiple queries and see which are most effective(or not). Practice makes perfect after all.

So, there you are…a few tips to garner media attention. What are you waiting for? Pitch away!

It’s true that employers may only spend a few seconds looking at your resume. So, how can you make it stand out among potentially hundreds of others? Here are a few tips:

• Your contact information should be easily located, ideally at the top. The last thing you want to do is make it a challenge for an employer to follow up.
• Keep it to one page. Employers are most interested in the highlights. Save the rest for the interview!
• Choose quality paper, like cardstock. This shows you went the extra mile, and take pride in your resume.
• Pick an attractive font. It should be clean, professional looking, yet modern. You can’t go wrong with Times New Roman.
• White space is your friend. Too much text can be overwhelming or distracting. Allow for enough room between positions to avoid this.

So, you practice social media? Great, but remember social media presence is only as solid as the policy behind it.

Nowadays, with the prevalence of social media in the corporate world, nearly every business is affected by it, in some form. So, here are five reasons why you need a social media policy(in no particular order):

• Social media is not always understood: Platforms like Facebook have a lot of features and options not always understood by the average user. For example, many aren’t aware that social media profiles are not necessarily private,  anonymous posts can be traced, and deleted content is not always forever lost.
• To help employees determine what is acceptable (or not): Social media opens up the door for such issues like misuse of logos, breach of confidentiality, exposure of trade secrets, or generally unfavorable remarks. Corrective action can justified with this type of conduct is clearly laid out as prohibited, in a social media policy.
• To stay legal: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued revised Endorsement Guides recently, which relate to truth in advertising online.  So what does this mean? If an employee recommends your product online(say a lawn mower), and an individual purchases it, and get hurts, he or she can hold your company liable. The lesson: if an employee decides to  recommend your product or service in an online forum, they must disclose their relationship to your organization.
• For damage control: It is common for employees to separate their work and home lives. This is fine, to an extent. It becomes an issue when an employee makes a derogatory post about your company or your customers, off the clock. Even though the incident occurred outside of the parameters of the workplace,  you can discipline or terminate the employee for such behavior.
• Employers need guidelines, too: Social media can be a useful in the vetting and hiring process. Still, many questions are raised when employers use social media for such purposes.  What is permitted and what is of limits? A general rule: if you are looking at public sites, they are in the public domain, and fair game. So, reviewing a candidates social media presence is OK, so long as the page is open.Have a question about your social media policy? Need help generating one? Feel free to ask me!

Do press releases elude you? Do media releases seem like a foreign language..then read on!

A press release is a way to provide the reader, and eventually general public, with additional information about your company or organization. Additionally, press releases can drive more traffic to your website by use of SEO(Search Engine Optimization).

So, where to begin? To start, consider including these common components:

1. Headline - It’s as straightforward as it sounds. Headlines or titles are usually short and clearly demonstrate your news announcement. Keep in mind that headlines are used to grasp the attention of the reader and briefly summarize the information.

2. Dateline - Sometimes also referred to as “lead,” your press release will contain information such as the date it was release of posted.

3. Summary or Introduction - Your press release summary or introduction should be one or two sentences long. The purpose of this paragraph is to provide a short overview of what the press release contains. In other words, it answers basic questions like who, what, where, when and why–the 5 W’s.

4. Body - The body of your press release is where all the information is provided, in greater detail. This section of your press release should be organized and error free. Avoid writing long paragraph; rather, separate each paragraph to contain 3-5 sentences each. It is essential to maintain your train of thought, no jumping around from one subject to the next.

5. Boilerplate - The boilerplate section, or generally referred to as the “about” section, of your press release is where you get to inform readers about the very basics of the business or organization.

6. Contact Information - In this section, you are to include information such as your name, company name, telephone number and website. This makes it easier for readers to contact you or visit your website once your press release becomes distributed over the internet.

Need help with professional press release submissions? Contact Lauren for a free press release rate quote.

Lately, there has been a lot of buzz about Millennials and their role in the workplace. The key to your organization’s success is understanding their paradigm, and motivations.

It might be best to start with a look at the most common myths about this generation in the workforce, and discuss why these changes are happening. From here, you can tailor your workplace to better meet the needs of your employees.

Myth: Millennials have no work ethic.

This is not true. Rather, they have a self-centered work ethic. This means they don’t feel a need to look around and see what should be done next. Instead they consider their role, and go about figuring the best, fastest way to complete that task. This might be a sharp contrast from other generations in a workplace who adopt a big picture approach.

So, what does this mean to you? Understand that incentives like more paid time off can be one way to motivate younger staff, as opposed to promises like  promotions and titles down the road.

Myth: Millennials don’t want to put in the hours to get ahead.

Millennials are willing to put in an honest day’s work, but are not interested in “putting in time” to possibly get ahead. As mentioned above, time is money, and they place a great value on that.

So, what to do? Accept their attitude of uncertainty, but adopt a plan, a short-term one, albeit. Ensure you follow thru with the plan, as the Millennial employee is perpetually jaded. Build trust, and reward small victories. You soon might find you have maintained a solid workforce.

Do you think social media is a fad? Well, I’ve got news for you: it doesn’t seem like the social media landscape is going away anytime soon. Of course not all social media networks are created equally.

Many are focused on entertainment, rather than the professional world. With more than 120 million users worldwide, LinkedIn has made its name as a product for the professional networking market.

So what is the value of a LinkedIn profile? Here are five ways you can benefit:

1) Maintain Personal/ Professional Relationship Balance: This platform allows you to maintain your professional network, while keeping it separate from your personal life(Facebook).

2) Gather and Display Recommendations: User can request and post recommendations from other users who have work history. This allows you to build your credibility and enhance your personal brand.

3) Manage Your Professional Brand: As mentioned above, your online presence might be the first impression with a potential employer, or business contact. LinkedIn is a good way to control what they see.

4) Attract Prospects: Users have the option to display search-able key words in their profiles. This is a way for both potential employers and clients to find you.

5) Become an Expert: The best way to gain and maintain credibility in a field is to become a go-to resource. Users can post links to news stories or user-generated content to share their knowledge on relevant topics.

So, there you have it..five ways LinkedIn can benefit you today. Do you want to know more? Feel free to contact me for a consultation.

In today’s competitive business climate, website traffic is king. But what is the key to driving more traffic to your website(without spending a fortune), thereby engaging customers? Here are five tips:

• Make frequent updates: Frequency equates to better search engines results. Of course it needs to be quality and engaging to gain repeat visitors.
• Market your website: Put a link to your site on your email signature, business card, social media profiles,direct mail, etc.
• Use SEO:  When writing content, be sure to include relevant keywords and links.
• Harness the power of images: In addition to aesthetic value, images can help people drive people to your website through various search engines. And naming your images with SEO strategy can increase traffic as well.
• Link Share: Find a friend or colleague willing to link to your site, and vice versa. Don’t underestimate the power of reciprocal relationships!

It never fails. It’s 3 p.m. and you feel like all your energy has been zapped.

No fear! There are ways to combat the midday slump. Here are a few:

Get moving!: Even a quick walk around your building can make all the difference. Get the blood flowing, and subsequently your creative juices! A change of scenery can do wonders.

Drink up: Water has been known to refresh the body and the mind. As a last resort,  splashing cool water on your face can be reviving.

Think light: Avoid carbs midday day to avoid a crash later. Most people scarf down their lunch in between projects. Instead, consider grazing all day. You’ll notice it’s hard to fall asleep when you’re chomping on carrots!

Catch some zzs: A-minute “power nap” has been shown to reduce stress and replenish vital energy. If you don’t have the luxury of working from home, carve out some time in your lunch break to relax in your car.

Take a break: Call a friend, read the paper, or even stretch–these are all good ways to give your brain a rest. You deserve it!

What is your favorite way to beat afternoon fatigue?