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innovate

by Megan on April 5, 2012

image via me&this.com

I love it when super-smart people come over to visit. Welcome Meagan Visser! Thanks for bringing your expertise into my hood!  MG

 

Innovation – something newly introduced, such as a new method or device

Don’t let the word freak you out. When I hear the word “innovate”, I sometimes get the feeling of tons of work ahead & something way out there, beyond my range or scope. Then I realize how crazy I’m being.

If you want to do something great, you have to work hard & all that hard work will put you in a whole other “range” or “scope” in & of itself.

You don’t have to invent the wheel to be innovative, but you can reinvent the wheel…or at least how it can be used.

When it comes to your business or your products, being innovative will set you above your competition every time. Like I said to my newsletter subscribers in my Business Marketing series, “Forget the competition because you won’t have any. You’ll be the leader with your new way of doing whatever it is you do.”

So today, I want to share 3 ways to discover how you can be innovative with your business or products. Don’t just read this & file it away in your mind. Schedule it into your planner to take the time to do it. Put it into practice & go out there & set the standard for your niche.

1. Know your competition

Yeah, I know I just said not to do what it is that they’re doing constantly, but that doesn’t mean to never have a look-see at what they’ve got going on. It’s good to see what you like & don’t like when it comes to your top competitors & it’s good to implement the things you like…but in your own way of course. Remember, there’s nothing creative about copying. More than likely, most of your competitors are going to be doing a lot of the same things. That means this is the perfect opportunity for you to step outside of the box & do something totally different.

2. Study businesses outside of your niche

Think of businesses that have it together in your mind. Their branding & marketing are front & center & they aren’t lacking for customers. Some companies that come to my mind are Abercrombie & Fitch, Vouge Magazine, Target, Apple, & Whole Foods just to name a few. You know exactly what comes to mind when you think of these companies & if you look closely at each one individually you can find things that they’re doing to market themselves that you can use for your own business. If you always focus on businesses inside of your niche, you may always end up facing the same ideas all the time. Remember, the goal is to step outside of the box.

3. Ask your customers

Do you ask your customers what they want & need? If not, that can provide some huge insights to you & chances are it’s things you didn’t even consider. Here’s the thing though. I’m not talking about any old customer. I’m talking about your ideal customer. That perfect person for your business. Check out this post of creating an ideal customer profile if this is new to you.

Ask your customer what they value in your business. You may think you’ve got it together with your perfect materials & formula, but you customer may value the fact that you’re resourceful & eco-friendly…something that you may not have even been focusing on before.

A recipe for innovation

So there you have it.

Three things that can set you on the path to being innovative with your business.

It just takes knowing what’s going on in your circle as well as what your customers are looking for. Then you can step outside of your circle for a bit, look around & let inspiration hit you.

Go for it!

Meagan Visser is a creative business coach who helps moms learn to managing their creative business with motherhood. She’s the creator of Creative Business Marketing 101 – a course to help creatives get their marketing back on track. Connect with her at MeaganVisser.com & on Facebook &Twitter.

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creative space

by Megan on March 21, 2012

This week,  Jonah Lehrer was in Philly giving a lecture on his new book, Imagine:  How Creativity Works. While I didn’t get to attend in person, I still wanted to share it with you because, well, it’s just damn fascinating.

I’m always thinking about the ways we ignite our creativity–if there’s a process to it, if its more intuitive; or if its just a really natural flow.

How do we foster the creative sides of our brains?

What puts us in a creative flow?

What do we do when we’re not sure how to solve a problem or are unclear on our direction?

Over the past few months, I’ve personally learned that my creativity leaps when I’m working on teams, and when I’m by myself my mind is (almost always) restless. I’ve said a million times that my best ideas happen in the shower, when I’m running, and right before I go to bed–all states of relaxation. What about you?

I think what it really boils down to is that we just get cool with taking a step (or two) back. It’s not slacking, or being unproductive, or avoiding the problem. I think its also an issue of our pre-conditioned definition of “work.”

Sometimes, clarity comes when we look through a longer lens. Genius will happen if we let it.

Check out Jonah’s interview on NPR from the lecture–and if you are so inclined, check out the book, too.

 

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roots

by Megan on March 19, 2012

One thing that we all have in common as entrepreneurs:  we make more choices in one day than most people make in a week.

Think about that: you’re quite literally building your own empire from the ground up, with no instruction manual, and no rule book.

It’s all you, baby.

Choice has a way of drawing a big line between the doers, the hiders, and the over-thinkers; those who are fearless, and those who play small; those who are self-aware enough to know how to craft their own success, and those who keep hitting the wall of failure.

So, what are we to do?

How can we stay on the side of the doers, movers, shakers, and play-biggers?

We look at each business decision we make as an opportunity to further root our mission.

Each time we’re faced with a choice,  distill it down to one question:  “does ____ further my mission?”  Each time you do it, you’re digging in a little deeper. As you dig deeper, it gets continually easier to choose because you, as the heart-center of your business, know exactly why you’re doing it.

When we root down into the “why,” we’re essentially setting our own internal compass. We’re planting ourselves firmly & completely. Decisions will become easier because we’ll know what’s behind them. Perceived mistakes become moments of clarity.

To sum it all up in a few words: Root down. Stand tall. Choose. Act. Dig deep. Grow.

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the wrap

by Megan on March 16, 2012

Yesterday I received a lovely package in the mail all the way from Australia.

It was from fabulous client Pollen Clothing (Hi, Amanda!)–and contained some lovely jewelry that seriously made my day to open. The thing about opening Amanda’s package that makes me want to share the whole experience with you is the unmistakable level of care she puts into packaging her goods.

Everything she put into the envelope was an extension of the Pollen brand aesthetic. The packaging she uses echoes the design elements she uses on her website. If I hadn’t already known who it was from, I would have still known it was a Pollen item. Do your customers recognize your products that way?

She sent me a type-written note on flowery paper. (yes, on a typewriter. Hello.)

(Ok, ok, ok…even though this may not be exactly how she ships to her regular customers, it still communicates exactly what she’s all about.)

Her jewelry is wrapped in floral printed paper & wrapped up in string.

It was so vintage. And so flowery. And so delicate. And incredibly sweet.  And ALL Pollen.

(I’m going to post pics on Facebook a little later.)

Important:  the way you deliver your goods is just as important as what you deliver.

Your website, online store, products, and marketing send a very specific message to your customer.  You should not stop communicating that message just because you won the sale.  Any brand element that comes into contact with an outside person is an opportunity to tell your customers what you’re all about. Take it.

You probably took a lot of time & care designing your website and branding–are you driving those elements (literally) home to your customer?

Think about the way you’re delivering.  Even if you don’t physically ship packages, the post-sale experience tells us a lot about your brand’s aesthetics and integrity.  Do you find a way to make it personal? Look for a way to say thank you? Do you wrap with care or toss it in a box? Do you take the opportunity to delight your customer a little bit?  Do you pay attention to little details like color, texture, and even the way you pack the box?

Because believe you me, people notice.

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gifts

by Megan on March 14, 2012

In Monday’s post, I talked a little bit about the nature of women as builders & connectors, and how we can really harness those abilities to build stronger businesses.

I also said that we really take our innate abilities for granted.  We don’t recognize our own gifts–and more often than not, fail to capitalize on them. Instead, we choose to focus on the things we can’t do, the skills we don’t have, and the people we wish we could be more like. To be fair:  this happens to every single one of us.  It is extremely hard to recognize your own abilities & strengths AS abilities and strengths–to you, it just seems like you’re just being you. It’s normal. And it probably comes to you so easily that you’d never believe it was something other people would notice & admire.

It’s time for us to change a little bit, I think.  Let’s call shenanigans on this little block once and for all by recognizing, discovering, and celebrating the things that make us amazing–and in turn, make us better business owners.

Ready?

I’m going to give you three ways to get started:

  • Find your parallels:  make a running list of all of your jobs, hobbies, interests, and skills.  Think about what you’d like to do, but maybe haven’t had the opportunity to try yet. Next, look for repeating elements, such as:  what parts of “you” you use (brain? hands? imagination?), the environments you work in, the types of action you take (building, planning, connecting, managing, talking, communicating, making, etc.), and the mediums you use. What parts of those activities do you enjoy most? Dislike most?  Also, think about the things you do that come incredibly easy to you–almost to the point that you don’t even have to think about it.  That ease is a big clue.  And those parallels? That’s your subconscious, baby. Pushing you towards your fullest self-expression. Ooh. Don’t ignore it.
  • The second thing you can do is (really) just ask people. Ask your friends what they love about you, or the things that make you truly unique. Ask people whose opinion you value: your team, clients, mentors, and colleagues. Pay attention when you meet new people–see where the conversations go & how relationships develop.  The people we draw into our worlds are the best mirror–we get closer & closer to seeing ourselves clearly.
  • Your third option is to find a coach to work with–sometimes the objectivity of someone who doesn’t really “know” you can be downright enlightening. Sometimes it takes an outside observer to make your pieces fit together. There’s also a whole different level of honesty to this type of relationship–it isn’t muddled by family ties and years of history. (You know your mom thinks your work & ideas are always the greatest thing since sliced bread. Not exactly the most objective perspective.) Having been on both sides of the coaching relationship, I can say honestly that when you take the time to invest in yourself, there’s really no downside. Growth happens no matter what. Self-awareness & authenticity is a big part of my work with clients—it would be ridiculous for me to preach what I don’t practice, right? Same goes for you:  your work & your people deserve the best you’ve got.

Find those gifts. Use them.

This is some of my favorite client work to do–check out the Single Shot Sessions to book your slot and get in tune with your gifts.

 

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Shine!

by Megan on March 12, 2012

I have to say, I am SO excited about what’s going on over at build a little biz.  Karen has recently launched a companion site, called Shine, to showcase brilliant businesses & celebrate fabulous entrepreneurs.  I’m thrilled (like, ecstatic) to be a part of this community, and to be able catch all the great ideas & inspiration happening all over the world.

Over the past few weeks, I’ve been lucky enough to become part of about 4 different groups of women working towards various goals (business, personal, athletic, etc.) and it’s been a totally game-changing experience.  They fuel my fire, and I fuel theirs. The comfort we find in our similarities allows us to celebrate our differences with an open mind & an open heart. We root for each other–it becomes exponentially easier to tackle a big goal when 20 people have your back. The sheer power & excitement that emanates from these groups of women forces you, as an individual, to think and evolve. You get out of your own way & stretch your perspective to a different horizon.

Two common elements make these groups strong & in a constant state of evolution:

1. Women are, at their cores, nurturers, connectors, and builders. Harnessing that energy yields no other result but success. It’s so natural for us I don’t think we always see it for the gift that it really is, and use it towards the best end. Let’s go, ladies.

2. It may seem counter-intuitive, but finding a place within a community allows you, in turn, to cultivate your voice as an individual. Don’t forget, we thrive on connecting-the-dots, making the puzzle fit together, and finding common ground. But each dot needs to be hit for the picture to make sense, all the pieces make the puzzle complete, and we need to have our own perspectives if we’re to find mutual understanding with others. In other words, “you” are an essential ingredient.

To me, the Shine Community is an opportunity to embrace your feminine power & turn that energy into positive action. The potency & vitality you feel in a group of thriving women WILL push you to think, evolve, re-evaluate, change, celebrate, embrace, learn, and get comfortable with your edge. Getting comfortable with your edge gets you on a daily course towards a more authentic, real voice–and a more authentic, real business model.

And we all know, authenticity is very, very sexy.

Check out the Shine site and submit your business to be featured–put yourself out there! Connect & share with the other amazing business owners. Learn something. Teach something. Appreciate how what one tiny business is doing could positively impact yours. Really, just talk. Make sure you also check out their Facebook page to stay connected on the daily.

 

 

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Single Shots!

by Megan on March 9, 2012

Friends.

I’ve decided to do a slightly radical experiment.

Starting Monday, March 12, and running through the whole month, my Mondays will be solely devoted to working side-by-side with you to help you work through ideas & set them into action, get your projects off the ground, and build you some forward momentum. Boom.

How, you ask?

Why, with mah new Single Shot Sessions, natch.

I designed the Single Shots to be like a jolt of caffeine or a shot of B12 for you & your biz–I want to get you moving forward.  We’ll eliminate your obstacles, figure out how & where everything fits, and set you up with a 30 day action plan to guide you after our session.

Here’s what I want you to bring to the table:

  • desire for new income streams but no idea what to do.
  • new product ideas that you can’t quite fit into your current model.
  • a super-giant goal but no action plan on how to achieve it.
  • a really awesome product but no community built around it.
  • an amazing mission that’s missing the right product & community to carry it forward.

Or, bring whatever challenge you feel is holding you back from success. I can say with confidence that a full 6o with me, a couple cups of coffee, and a doable action plan will do wonders for your ability to get in motion. (especially the caffeine.)

And that’s really all you need. A personal push to your “GO!” button–right?

*****

Now, here’s how it all works.  Quite simple, really.

Click the button below to hold a spot and take care of the invoice. You’ll get redirected to my Tungle page where you can pick the time slot that works best for you. Remember, I’m only offering this on Mondays from 12pm EST to 6pm EST, and only 5 slots are available—so jump on it if you want a specific date!

Once we confirm the date, I’ll email you to ask a couple questions & just say “Hi!”  We’ll do our session via Skype or phone, and about 2 days after that, you’ll receive a personalized action plan from me to guide you through the next 30 days. That’s it.

No gimmicky nonsense.

No long-term coaching package required. (although if you want to work together after your Single Shot…of course!)

YOU get to decide what we work on.

And…it’s one full hour of me & you–getting s*** done.  Nothing is flipping impossible. Sometimes you just need a little help getting there.

Ready to go?  Clickety-click below:

 

*****

Finally, some random FAQs:

How much does this whole thing cost?

The Single Shot Sessions are $97. This is over 30% off my normal hourly rate, so you’re scoring a major deal.

What do I get?

You get one 60-minute coaching session scheduled by YOU and a personalized action plan to guide you thru the next 30 days. It’s like I’m there cheering you on the whole dang time.

Why only on Mondays? And why are there only 5 slots?

Well, friends, Homegirl has to run a business. I took a major chunk out of my normal rate (see above.) to make this accessible & doable for as many people as possible. This is what I can offer that doesn’t disrupt my current client roster and workload.  And seriously, these sessions are hard work, man. More than 5  a day and I might pass out. No good.

How do I pay?

You’ll get invoiced through PayPal where you can pay with your PayPal account or any credit card. Easy-peasy.

What’s this whole scheduling thing?

When you get directed to my Tungle page, you’ll see the one-hour sessions blocked off on Mondays. Pick good times for you, we confirm, and then we’re off to the races. *You do NOT have to have a Tungle account to access the calendar. All they will ask you for is your email address for confirmation.

Wait. What can I pick again?

There are one-hour sessions blocked off on Mondays. You can choose:  12pm, 1:30pm, 3pm, 4:30pm, or 6pm. All times are EST. All sessions are exactly 60 minutes. Well, maybe a couple more if we’re particularly chatty.

Are you going to tell my ideas to everyone?

Uh, no. I believe in coach/client privilege and it’s just bad karma, man.

What if I’m not sure what I want to work on?

We’ll iron it out pre-session so we both come to the table with a clear objective. No worries.

*****

Promo explained–check.  Details clearly presented–check. Questions answered–check.

Book your Single Shot Session below & let’s get going!

 

 

 

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heritage branding: part 4

by Megan on March 5, 2012

All right, so we’re at the last installment in the heritage branding series.  So far, we’ve talked about 3 key ideas that create brand heritage: higher purpose, emotional connection, and simplicity. Today, our final idea centers around another relatively simple concept that is deceptively easy to screw up:

Heritage brands maintain a high sense of integrity. Evolve without losing the core of what you do.

Our contenders:  Coca-Cola vs. Steaz (full disclosure:  Steaz originated right here in Newtown, PA–so its quite literally a homegrown fave of mine. But it works to illustrate my point, so we’re using it.)

Coke is the most distinctive, recognizable brand across the globe.  Every element of Coke’s branding strategy was a deliberate act to set Coca-Cola apart from other sodas on the market–from the logo, to the contour bottle, to the taste itself–everyone knows a Coke is a Coke. It’s familiar. It’s iconic. It’s steady and constant. It’s got an air of mystery & folklore as the recipe has been a closely guarded secret for over 100 years.  Did you also know that the modern conception of Santa Claus came from a Coke ad?

Coca-Cola built its integrity on this distinctiveness, and its timelessness by being a permanent fixture in American & international culture.

In 1985, after a decade of decline in the soft drink industry, Coke made its most infamous move (and biggest marketing faux pas) by altering the original recipe and debuting “New Coke.” I don’t think I need to tell you all about the backlash and public outcry that followed, but let’s just say it was (really) bad & the company went back to the original recipe 3 months later. The reason?  Donald Keough, Coca-Cola’s CEO probably put it best:

“The simple fact is that all the time and money and skill poured into consumer research on the new Coca-Cola could not measure or reveal the deep and abiding emotional attachment to original Coca-Cola felt by so many people.”

If you market yourself as “The Real Thing,” it’s probably advisable that you stay that way.

So the lesson here: if you build your brand on a special, recognizable product, stay consistent. Consistency builds trust, trust builds integrity.

On the other hand, we can look at Steaz and see a whole different way that integrity has evolved in the 21st century. The company started in 2002, with a firm focus on people, planet and profits. All of their products are fair trade certified and USDA organic–they take a lot of pride in sourcing for quality. They also have a low CO2 certification from Native Energy–big on environmental responsibility.

We know that Steaz had to go through probably 100s of hoops to get these certifications, but the rigorous qualification pays off in super-high integrity.  We know that any & every Steaz product will have these qualities that we value as smart consumers.

What we need to know about Steaz is that as they’ve evolved into different product lines (sodas, teas, energy drinks, etc.) they stay true to the core of what they do.  They don’t stray from what they are known for. They maintain a thread of consistency throughout their product lines while still managing to diversify. Although they are a much smaller company than Coca-Cola, I’d argue that their “quality bar” is set much higher–which to me, is as challenging to maintain as a 100+ year brand image.

Lesson:  Consistency does not mean you have to sacrifice growth.

I hope you all have some great take-aways from the heritage branding series that will help you build your own heirloom quality. If you missed the any of the series, you can find them here:  Part I, Part II, and Part III.

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heritage branding: part 3

by Megan on March 2, 2012

Coming in in the middle of the show? Check out Part I and Part II of the Heritage Branding series.

 

Ok…we’re moving on to Part III in the heritage branding series.  We’ve already talked about quality & products that pull our heartstrings, and now for the third idea that defines a good heritage brand:

The product has an elevated purpose to both the consumer AND the creator.

Our comparison points?  Good Housekeeping magazine & “the blogosphere.”

When Good Housekeeping first came onto the publishing scene in 1885, it’s first editor, Clark W. Bryan, set the magazine’s purpose as such:

“(Good Housekeeping) will produce and perpetuate perfection–or as near onto perfection as may be attained in the household.”

One could pick up an issue of Good Housekeeping and find articles on health, home-keeping, recipes, ideas, and product reviews.  In the early 1900s, they created the Good Housekeeping Research Institute, which is a testing laboratory designed to “improve the lives of consumers and their families through education and product evaluation.” As we can see, Good Housekeeping was (and is) an essential resource for millions of women. They positioned themselves a trusted source of information–always ready to point you in the direction of the latest great recipe, the best lipstick that won’t smudge, and the how-tos of the newest kitchen appliance on the market.  The level of trust that Good Housekeeping maintains with its readership is what drives us to continue reading & striving for the ideal perfect home. We believe its attainable, and GH is the vehicle that will help us get there.

Lesson:  trust is the driver that will keep us moving towards a seemingly unachievable purpose. Taken literally:  if you build it, they will come.

A century later, everything has changed–the structure of the household, our concept of home, technology, women, men, and what we value as modern dwellers. What hasn’t changed (really, at all) is that we all still want a little bit of perfect in our home life. We don’t need to look any farther than HGTV or The Food Network to see evidence of that.  The more recent blow-up of the blogosphere, where we can all directly connect to readers with our expertise on literally ANYTHING, has sort of a catch-22 effect.  The ability to talk directly to & with your customers is such a gift–but you also need to be heard over literally millions of other voices over the internet. We are individuals speaking to what we know/love/are excited about–it takes more time & effort to build trust. And then there’s always the very real threat of getting lost in information overload–people are far more selective as to who they actually listen to, read regularly, and interact with. There’s no recipe for a successful blog, but we can agree that our readers get behind our missions, and the content/tools we use to get there. What also differentiates blogging is the fact that the conversations & participation of the readers give THEM a voice and a stake in your mission. Human nature:  we always want to feel like we’re part of something bigger than ourselves.

Lesson: what ever you sell, make or do–there’s always a reason you do it. Speak it clearly. Then, let your people energize it and propel it forward.

Then, we built on our higher purpose by becoming a trusted expert–someone or something we knew we would remain in-the-know and reliably steady in a constantly changing world. Now, the world is changing so fast it’s impossible to do that; we can stay true to our mission but need to use our people as a barometer, a guidepost, and lighthouse. Engagement advances the purpose. Do it.

Stay tuned for our fourth & final episode on heritage branding on Monday!

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heritage branding: part 2

by Megan on March 1, 2012

All right, friends, today we’re moving on to Part II in the heritage branding series. (If you missed part I, go on over here.) The second concept that heritage brands are built on is:

The product’s magnetism draws from a universal, emotional connection or experience. To the consumer, it’s “special.”

This is to say, that the product makes the consumer feel something.  Truthfully, that’s what most of our purchases are built on.  We buy a particular brand of jeans not just because we need some pants (well, sometimes…), but because they make us feel ______. (confident, sexy, happy, comfortable, etc.) Maybe you frequent a particular restaurant not because the food is fantastic but because that’s where you went on your first date with your honey. Almost every gift you purchase for a loved one is rooted in this concept–think about how long it takes you to pick out a greeting card!

Let’s demonstrate this with a (very) shiny example:  Tiffany & Co. vs. Cathy Waterman.  Ooh, pretty.

We all agree that that the little blue box is the one of the most recognizable things in the world. The Tiffany brand is really an icon of American culture.  (Breakfast at Tiffany’s, the Vince Lombardi trophy, “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend,” –the list goes on. Fun fact:  did you know that  T & Co. is responsible for the Yankees logo? Me neither!)

But the magnetism of Tiffany’s comes not so much from the diamond rings (although, let’s be honest–pretty fabulous.), but simply, from one thing that every single one of us has (or wants): love.

They have recently launched a new element of the Tiffany brand called What Makes Love True. I think this is stinkin’ brilliant. They are telling love stories from real-life customers, posting photos, and even putting up their tips & recommendations for adding a little more romance to your life. This sounds like it could be uber-corny, I know, but we’ll all be over there ooh-ing & aah-ing over the adorable engagement stories and photos. Let’s just be honest.  Also I think Tiffany & Co. realized that with the current state of the economy, they needed to become more accessible & attainable.  Marketing with real stories from real people=instant way for the average consumer to identify with a product. Well-played.

So the lesson, here?

Find the emotional core of your brand that resonates with your people.  Celebrate it. Don’t exploit it.

Alternatively, Cathy Waterman takes a slightly different approach. She started in the 80s, and designs really eclectic, nature-inspired pieces. You might know her work via the celebrity fashion circuit, but I’m sort of fascinated by her perspectives on her work & its impact on her customers. Here’s Cathy on her pieces:

“Nothing declares the individual spirit more clearly than a wedding ring, and my rings are fiercely individual.”

I don’t know one woman this statement wouldn’t resonate with, do you? She’s not going for the classic & timeless nature of T & Co.–she’s connecting right to the core of who her customers are–literally.  She celebrates being different, free-spirited, and artistically expressive.  And that naturally draws a really specific type of customer–who will be really brand-loyal & pull the right new customers into the fold.  Another great Cathy Waterman quote:

“…They are saying that this piece means something to me; that it makes me smile, or feel beautiful, or that it reminds me of my mother or a thunderstorm. I’ve seen women who can have anything choose my jewels; and women who save for years for a ring they love. And I can’t help but believe that there’s a connection between us. I’ve heard this said too many times to discount and it makes me smile because I put something of myself in each piece…”

Lesson: as artisans/makers/creators, your work ALWAYS means something to the person buying it. You might not always be able to identify one specific emotion, but the connection itself is universal. People buy your stuff because they care about who made it, why they make it, how they make it, and who they make it for. Honor that connection consistently & mindfully, and you’ve built yourself a pretty damn strong heritage.

Isn’t this fun?  More tomorrow!

 

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