Tag : entrepreneur

  • 6 Fantastic Tips for Running an Efficient Business

    Posted Feb 17th, 2011 By in Business With | No Comments

    Working harder will not always take you to that next level in your business. It is important for the entrepreneur and small business manager to understand how to run an efficient business. Developing habits that make work smarter can increase productivity and profitability in all businesses.

    One of the most important steps to reaching that place of efficiency is organization. Despite the hopes of many people, there is no such thing as organized clutter. True organization makes it possible to streamline activities, reduce wasted time or energy, and discover wasted finances as well.

    Here are six simple steps for organizing your business:

    1. Clear out the clutter. We – as a society in general – have too much stuff. Each item that is in the office or business space right now takes up time, space and energy. The more stuff there is then the less of the others you will have to develop the success for your business. Anything that is not absolutely necessary for the functioning of the business needs to find a new home.

    2. Shred the papers. The old rule of thumb was seven years (some experts would even say ten). The internet has eased up many of those restrictions. You can order copies of bills and statements that can arrive within minutes or day days, all through the internet. Relieve the pressure on the filing by getting rid of all that paperwork that is no longer needed. (more…)

  • Case Study: Mompreneur Grows Business by Using Twitter to Build Relationships

    Posted Jul 22nd, 2010 By in Business, Case Studies, Social Networking, Twitter With | 6 Comments

    “Social networking is still a luxury, and I don’t have time to use it for my business.” Does this sound familiar? This is the most common excuse I receive from entrepreneurs and clients. So, since we all have the same amount of hours in a day, how does Dawn Papandrea-Khan, a mompreneur of four kids under the age of six manage to run three businesses and make time to use social networking to grow her business?

    I met Dawn on Twitter last year and hired her for a few graphic design projects. Not only was I tremendously impressed by her work, but also by her dedication to make social networking work for her business. A couple of months ago, Dawn mentioned to me that 90 percent of her clients come from Twitter. So, I invited Dawn to share her story with my blog readers.

    Let’s listen to what she has to say in this 20-minute interview:

    To view Dawn’s work, you can visit her websites below:

    DPK Graphic Design – http://DPK-GraphicDesign.com

    DPK Virtual Assistant Services – http://DPK-VirtualAssistant.com

    Surfaces with Paint (NY Based Decorative Painting Biz) – http://SurfaceswithPaint.com

    Painter Mommy (My Everything Blog) – http://PainterMommy.com

    Here is also my blog post that Dawn mentions:  Top 50 Social Media Mistakes Made by Small Businesses

    I will be posting more case study interviews like this on a regular basis. If you are using social media successfully in your business and would like to be interviewed, please reach out to me. I love hearing social media success stories!

    Did this help you to see how entrepreneurs are using social networking to grow their business?  What was your takeaway from the interview?

  • Looking Beyond Social Media Hype

    Posted Apr 29th, 2010 By in Social Media With | 4 Comments

    Due to being blinded by hype and caught in an emotional rush of excitement and hope, many small business owners have been jumping on the social media bandwagon.  As a social media consultant, I am anti-hype.  Don’t get me wrong, social media has opened many doors of opportunity for businesses, and it does touch every part of a business (not just marketing).  As small business owners you have to remember to not be easily swayed by  “shiny new tools” just because everyone is using them and thinks they are the “holy grail” of the online world.  It is paramount to look beyond the hype, take the time to learn the correct way to use social media, and implement the strategy that is suitable for your business.

    If you’ve been observing what many companies are doing online, you’ve probably noticed that many brands have been tremendously succeeding with social media.  Did they succeed overnight?  Absolutely not. These brands have taken the time to understand social media as well as brainstormed and strategized before deciding to take the plunge. The truth is social media should always come last in any planning you do for your business.  It is also important to understand that social media is not the end-all solution to your business problems, and it should never be used as a replacement strategy or as a stand-alone.

    There are 10 essential steps that need to be taken before you dive into social media.  One of my favorite mentors, Dr. Ivan Misner has listed them on “Networking Now,” an Entrepreneur.com blog — Looking Beyond the Hype to Get Started with Social Media.

    Enjoy!

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