Just Do It with some Entrepreneurial Spirit

That now famous line from the Nike ads, Just Do It, applies to life and business.

People always ask me how I do all that I do.  Granted being a single mom with a small business isn't an easy task but for me  it's simple - I just do it. I get up in the morning work on my business, find another client, send out a press release, update social media, take care of my child and myself....I go go go.   Giving up isn't an option.  But for my friends who live a more traditional life - it's like running the New York Marathon. They could do it but the fear of dying in running shorts keeps them on the sidewalk.

Granddaddy Hawks
drove around the SE before
the interstate system and
sold padlocks

This contrast makes me think about what so many call the "Entrepreneurial Spirit."  Most everyone in my family for generations have had their own business - manufacturing, grocery stores, boat captains, farming.  Those who didn't have their own business were in positions where they controlled their destiny.  We've had quite a few sales persons on my family tree.  Imagine how many pad locks my grandfather had to sell to support his family after the Great Depression.  Now that's an entrepreneurial spirit. 

I think this same drive or spirit is what has help chose my career path.  In PR you can't give up when an editor tells you that your story is just plain stupid. You have to go go go go until you find the one who is interested in the story. I learned this with my first media pitch where the assignment editor told me that a big murder case that had just been solved and that was more important than vacationing in Georgia.  Agreed.

Most of my clients have the entrepreneurial spirit and their own business. I'm often play the role of therapist as they talk about their spouse's concerns over spending their retirement money on a big dream.  It's that dream that keeps the spirit alive and gets people like us out of bed and continuously moving forward.

Having an entrepreneurial spirit doesn't always mean that you have your own business.  For some it means that you do something out of the norm like my grandmother Lottie who left home in 1921 at 16 years old to move into Memphis and learn to be a secretary - a career that served her well her entire life. The entrepreneurial spirit can manifest itself as a person who never gives up on life or has a positive outlook. 

It's my entrepreneurial spirit to fulfill my dream that helps me look into the face of defeat and see opportunity.  It's what makes me know that I can accomplish the nearly impossible.  It's why I commonly hear words from those who don't know me like "I've never seen" or "I can't believe" or "You are so dedicated".  My clients here these same phrases.  We let them roll off our backs because we have a dream to accomplish.

Where did I and so many others get this spirit?  I don't know.  But I can tell you that it is part of our DNA.  It's in us forever. 

What can people who weren't born with the entrepreneurial spirit do to get it?  Maybe they should wake up an hour early, put on some running shorts and Just Do It.  It really isn't that hard.

Marketing: What's the Law Got To Do With It?

Marketing. We see it around us everyday. Professionals charge for it. Many wonder why pay a professional when it looks easy enough...website on Yahoo, blog on Google, Facebook page, brochures at Kinko's.  Some business owners think they can handle marketing themselves until one innocent mistake lands the company in a legal mess.

What's law got to do with it? Everything. And a marketing professional knows how to protect businesses from needless litigation.

Every company no matter how small or large must follow simple rules when marketing itself. One false step could mean the end not only to the marketing campaign but the business.

Photos & Videos - Every company needs to obtain permission from every person whose image appears on their website, Facebook page, brochures, presentations, etc. The same goes for logos or identifying marks of other companies or their products.  This permission needs to be in writing and give the company all rights to use the image. Once an image appears online, assume its out there forever even if you try to remove it.  If you or your employee posted it, your company is responsible for the image being online.

Testimonials - Recommendations of customers are powerful.  Before posting a sentence of praise from that thank you letter on your website, the author of the letter must be notified and approve of this usage.  While they may be thankful for the wonderful job you did for them, they may not want others to know that they used your services or be associated with your company going forward.  Its their name and they have control over how its used.  And don't think about posting that testimonial without identifying who said it. That hot water can really burn you in the public eye.

Claims - We want to let everyone know how wonderful our company, product or service is and how it will change their lives. We are utimately selling a product afteralll. In marketing we talk about the attributes and benefits of a product but should not make a claim.  A new drink may have less in calories but it won't make you thinner.  Think about the old fashioned "snake oil" salesmen.  They claimed that their products would cure every ailment under the sun but rarely did.  Many who dip their toe into marketing make the mistake of claiming that their product will perform a miracle and when it doesn't....they hear from customers and the attorneys.

Don't end up in a legal mess from an innocent marketing mistake.  Consult a marketing professional and ask for guidance before its too late. While we may not have gone to law school, we've worked with plenty of those suits and know how to protect you and your company.

Reenergizing Biz by Taking Care of ME

Okay I'll admit it...I lost my groove a few weeks ago. No blogging. Less Tweets. My right arm feels like it has carpal tunnel from just having my hand on the mouse instead of the keyboard.

Like many small business owners do from time to time I had fallen into a daze and stopped moving forward.  Granted it was somewhat warranted with a parent having a heart attack, my kid struggling in a few classes, being sick a few weeks,  the horrible extended winter in Atlanta and the fact that some of my clients were struggling too.  I'm sure you can relate.

No matter what the situation a business owner just can't ignore their business or it will fall apart. I knew this and was desperate to get back in the groove. So I tried the usual stuff for me -

I tried writing.
I tried blasting loud music.
I tried networking.
I tried making lists.
I tried reading motivational and inspirational literature.
....and more.

Nothing worked. I finally gave up and gave in.

I left the office early and went for a long long walk by the Chattahoochee River. When I pulled in the parking lot there were ducks swimming in a puddle instead of the river. The water was moving fast from the recent rains. People were happily chatting. I was happy and energized.  I wanted to work.

It occured to me that I simply had forgotten to take care of myself. How could I take care of my business and clients without taking care of myself.  Over the last few weeks I've left the office early on slow days so I could ride my bike on the Greenway. I've ordered great organic foods and tried new receipes. I've also done the most reenergizing thing for me -- started my vegetable garden.

The results of those dinners, rides and digging are new clients, new business leads, open dialogue with clients and a much more clear vision of what I want for my business. 

Today I'd like to encourage YOU to take a walk outside instead of staring at that computer screen. It might just have a huge result on your bottom line.

What's in a Name?

Do we need these names, labels, brands? At lunch today an associate said that he was concerned that the trend of "unbranding" or "private labels" on the grocery store shelves might spill over into other areas of our lives and become a trend. I have to say that a "private label" on the grocery shelf is still a label and extension of a brand created by the store.
I contemplated the possibility of no brands and impact on our daily lives. My thoughts went something like:

"I need a hotel for my next business trip to Wichita. Who do I know who has a relative there who can recommend a clean & safe hotel?"

"Just give me the black tires."


"I remember some strollers were recalled for folding with the kids in them. I hope Johnny isn't sitting in one of those."


"I like beer. It is all is the same."

Okay I might have taken the last one a little far but we can all agree that brands help us be informed and make purchasing decisions. Branding sells stuff.

In America the brand wars between things like soft drinks, computers and cars has gone a little past helping consumers make an informed decision. These brands can define a person, their ideas and their socio-economic circle. We see those people with the little apple stickers on the back of their cars. All the luxury cars are parked by the valet right next to the entrance of the restaurant. Let's not even go towards the Coke/Pepsi debate. I live in Atlanta.

If branding is such an important part of our daily lives then why are there still businesses and organizations who don't take a careful strategic approach to creating their own brand? After all...if the bag just said "chips" on the store shelf you wouldn't know if it was potato chips or wood chips.

Small and mid-sized businesses need careful branding even more than their larger counterparts. Customers (b2b & b2c) rely upon clear concise communication to learn about what you can do for them and why they should invest in your company's products or services. You must communicate and do it well...if not a competitor will and take the sale. There is no better way to deter a potential customer from spending their money with you than by not communicating your brand - virtually hiding and taking your products off the shelf.

I shared this hiding theory with a client recently who told me that they hadn't been hiding from customers...that customers knew where to find them. I had spent months helping to define their brand - creating the logo, website, talking points and position in the marketplace. I'd written press releases and articles on their products. I created videos and took pictures. I wrote strategy. They have the tools and now its time to use them - not wait for them to call you.

This same client told me five minutes later that he had received calls from potential customers immediately following the email blast that I created for them. I count that as a success in my book. They used the tools, communicated their brand, customers understood and wanted their products and responded.

Now its up to them to close the sale.

Are you ready to close a sale?

Put One Foot In Front of Another...in Business too

Its one of my favorite songs from holiday cartoons..."Put one foot in front of another and soon you'll be walking out the door" - from Santa Claus is Coming to Town.

We all do it when we learn to walk...put one foot in front of another. We even fall, stumble and tumble down stairs at times. Children learning to walk don't let the unknown, wobbly legs or a few falls keep them from learning to walk because they know they want to go somewhere.

Businesses need to apply this same concept to their marketing strategy. All too often I talk with CEOs who are afraid about the next step. They want to stand in place and look longingly at where they could go - where they should go. Their fear of failure or not meeting expectations holds them back.

I was reminded this week about accounts I've worked on that were just the beginning of what could have been an excellent and successful marketing strategy. Instead of following through with the plan and reaching customers on multiple levels, multiple times with consistant messages to build a relationship - they freeze in place after the first communication.

Do you marry a person on the first date? No, of course not. And neither do customers. Businesses need to court the customer. They will take you home to meet the parents after a little stroll or a dance or two.

Give a marketing plan a chance. See it through.

Walk hand in hand with your marketing professional.

Still in Love after all these Years

First, I can't believe its been so long since I last blogged. It feels like I just did one last week. Probably with all the Tweeting, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. it just feels like I'm out there all the time. And I guess I am.

I'm in Love. In love with my work after all these years.

A friend commented last week that my Tweets have been really gushing about my work. They have. I still love what I do and I'm eager to get to work each day. I feel like I am one of the luckiest people in the world. I know I'm in the right job.

Part of what makes me so excited each day are my clients. They provide me an opportunity to learn new things, meet new people and constantly use my mind. They challenge me and I love it.

This week I've written a strategic plan, written & distributed press releases, delivererd some pretty creative press kits (see attachment), created and actually put in place some new media ops .... and much more.

If you want to keep up with my craziness follow me on Twitter at BethhawksPR. Talk with ya soon.