Is Social Media Working for You?

Many of my clients, both French and American, wonder how I can write on multiple blogs plus Facebook, LinkedIn and other sites everyday in both languages. It must look like I spend all day, everyday managing my social media because I hear some clients tell me “Biba, I am not like you, I don’t have time to spend hours everyday on social media!”

In reality, I don’t spend hours a day, it just looks like it because I have a system. In fact, I only spend 15 minutes a day, both languages included. Then I need just a couple of hours a month to write articles for each blog.

As solo-entrepreneurs, it is very important to maintain a presence and give people the feeling that they see you everywhere. Your job is to appear as an expert in your field to gain more and more credibility. You can have the best product or program in the world, but if nobody can find you, you also have the best secret in the world as a result no one will buy from you.

How to create a system to use social media effectively without wasting your time?

1. Determine your niche and target market. I say it all the time, but before you start anything in your business you need to determine your niche and target market, so then you will be able to know how to communicate effectively. You can’t sell to just anybody. It is very important that you know your target market very well, to know their challenges, their pains, their obstacles, to be able to become their problems solver and to be seen as an expert.

2. Constantly communicate with your audience, your contacts and your clientsThrough Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter, but also by publishing articles on your website, your blog and article directories (most of them are free, so no excuses). One of the secrets is to know how to recycle your work. You should be able to work once and use the information to generate money multiple times.

Example – One simple article can be posted as an article but can also become a podcast, a base to do a video, or become a free report. And multiple articles can become an ebook or a course. Each time you write an article, try to see all the possibilities you can use it. What are the various media that will attract your audience? Some people prefer to read, others to listen, others to watch a video (millions of people watch videos on YouTube every day, so make sure to integrate this in your business).

Make the habit of spending at least 15 minutes a day on social media to post new information. Make sure to deliver valuable content, don’t sell each time. Use the 80/20 rules, inform 80% of the time and promote a product or service 20% of the time. Use quotes, retweet other people’s valuable information, post resources, inform about your events or teleclasses each time you add a new post on your blog. Show people how you can help them to solve their problems.

3. Combine networking and social media – When you meet people at an event, the next day connect with them on social media. Invite them to join you on Facebook, Linkedin and twitter, to be able to communicate with them on a regular basis. So even if you don’t see each other for a while, you will be still informed on each others businesses. Also invite them to sign up for your newsletter. Always make sure to drag your contacts from social media to your own list. You never know what will happened to your account or page, if for some reason your Facebook account is deleted or blocked for example, you will be still able to communicate with your own list.

When you get the chance to schedule a live meeting with somebody that you met on social media don’t hesitate. I work mainly via internet and social media on my various businesses but there is always a special extra when I can meet people face-to-face, it brings a little plus to the relationship. This is not only for the people in your city but if you travel try to connect with your contacts, or if they travel take time to meet them. Go “from Facebook to face-to-face”.

Always make sure to develop a relationship with your contacts for them to get to know you, like you, trust you and know that you will be there to help them and will be their problem solver. When you build a strong relationship, they will know that you are the expert in your field and when the right time comes, they will contact you and nobody else. It is always more effective to attract people to you because you are known as an expert instead of chasing them and begging them to buy your products or services. Then you can be assured that you will have loyal customers for life and raving fans who will send you like minded referrals.

Want More Tips To Get More Clients, Make More Money & Get More Time For Yourself ? Download my 3 Free gifts:
-A series of 6 videos “Marketing Made Easy”
-A 60mn audio “Networking Made Easy”
-My ebook “15 Ways to Instantly Skyrocket Your Networking Results”

At http://www.theconnectionqueen.com

For the two years of Kaitlyn’s life, I wrote in a journal monthly–just a few paragraphs about what I was dealing with and how she was growing. When my second daughter Emma was born two years ago, I started a journal for her as well. I am still writing monthly in Emma’s journal, but it’s more about what we are doing as a family.

Last night I skimmed through Kaitlyn’s journal. It is amusing to look back on it and recall what transpired then–her first foods, first friendships at daycare, first steps at the park. We were fortunate the girls did not face any major health struggles.

When I find myself getting consumed with keeping clients happy, finding new work, finishing my book, collecting on past due invoices, etc., I put life in perspective and thank God for two healthy girls.

Kaitlyn the baby is gone. She asked me the other day if she could have sleepovers with her friends. I told her she was too young for that, but perhaps when she was older. She will often dress herself in the morning without my assistance.

My husband Jason and I wish Kaitlyn was not such a picky eater–we are working on getting her to eat more vegetables and Daddy’s recipes like chili and beef stew. Raisin toast with peanut butter and honey is the fallback dinner if she refuses to eat what I prepare.

I am also grateful she makes friends so easily and is outgoing. Next weekend we will celebrate her birthday. She requested a gym party with her closest friends. How could I say no?

Yes, company executives face more pressure today to produce sales and expand operations. It seems, however, many companies just don’t offer working parents enough flex time. Is it necessary to write your employee up if she is 15 minutes late? Maybe her twins were sick and had to be cared for. Do you have to keep your analyst working until 8pm on Halloween night when he could be trick or treating with his kids?

If you are a business executive, evaluate the working relationship you have with staff who are parents. If they haven’t had a vacation day in a year, why not offer them a day off to spend with their family?

Businesses would see increased productivity if they allowed working mothers and fathers more flexibility. There just doesn’t seem to be enough of it today. More full timers could work from home part of the week, which would ease their household responsibilities somewhat.

Over the past year, I have spoken to career moms across the country for my book. Many are frustrated and exhausted working a long day and them coming home to household tasks that need to be completed. Marriages are seeing the strain as a result of the lack of downtime, no vacation, etc.

Business executives should be more mindful of their employees’ needs–remember, they have a family to support. They should think about how staff schedules can be adjusted to accommodate parents’ home obligations.

A magazine editor asked me how this commitment affected my parenting, in time and outlook. I have had less “self-time” but am okay with that. I have no idea who is in the running on Dancing with the Stars or what is the new drama on The Real Housewives series.

Time goes by so fast. I try to make moments count with my daughters. After I pick them up from school, I take them to the park or library. I know this is precious time with them. When they are in kindergarten, I will miss these moments–when Kaitlyn was thrilled to see her best friend, when I was afraid of Emma’s fearlessness on the playground.

I will be proud when I can hold a finished copy of the book in my hands. This has been perhaps my biggest undertaking to date. Self-employment was a big leap as well–but that was over ten years ago.

I see the book as one account of what career Moms are facing today. Many Moms have been open with me about their challenges and struggles, and experts have offered timely solutions. Fortunately I have not had a shortage of sources.

It is my hope when my daughters read the book later in their lives, it will give them a clear sense of what it was like to live in this time. Working mothers are often faced with tough decisions, but we do what is best for our kids. We face challenges–unemployment or client losses, for example–and rise about them.

One of the best ways to become an expert in your field is to write a book. Adding the accomplishment of author to your resume will enhance your credibility and boost your fees. The benefit is immeasurable—colleagues will regard you as an industry leader.

A real estate sales expert I spoke to recently said he would never have been able to speak at a prestigious real estate expo if he had no product. Think of your book as a marketing expense. Instead of a brochure, you can use the book to market your services. The book will serve as the main advertisement of your business.

The cost of self publishing will be at least several thousand dollars for the book design, printing, and distribution. Don’t forget to add the cost of your time when you set a budget. A good resource is www.printindustry.com–you submit what you want and venders from around the country will bid on the project.

So…what’s stopping you from creating your own product?

If you have no writing credentials, don’t despair. You can hire people to help (more on this later). But the first step is to decide what you want to write about—what advice can you offer others in your industry? Write about what you know. For example, if you’re a chef, write about your favorite dishes and their health benefits.

Give yourself a writing deadline and stick with it. The task won’t seem as daunting if you break it into measurable chunks—for example: in 15 days, have 30 pages written, in 30 days, have 60 pages completed, etc. If you’re having trouble getting words on the screen, consider dictating your ideas into a recorder and getting them transcribed. Then hire an editor to spruce up the content.

Another option is to hire a ghostwriter to write the entire book. You can find a good writer or editor by looking at the classified advertising sections of writer magazines like Writer’s Digest. Check out Mediabistro.com’s freelance marketplace for talent. Or post help wanted ads on web sites that specialize in matching independent contractors with businesses in need of talent. Monster.com, elance.com and guru.com are worth looking into.

Writing fees vary widely, and you can negotiate on an hourly or project basis. According to Writers Market guidelines, a ghostwriter may charge anywhere from $15,000 (low) to $50,000+ (high) to write a book of about 240 pages.

Evaluate writers’ backgrounds and samples before choosing someone to work with. Strive to work with someone who has had nonfiction books published by traditional publishers and who is passionate about your industry.

“One great way of starting is to write a book, make it in electronic format and try to sell it to people through your newsletter, through your website,” says TJ Walker, president of Media Training Worldwide. “Create a website for it. There are a lot of things you can do, short of actually printing it.” You could offer a sample chapter in your newsletter to entice readers.

A popular option is to create the book in PDF form and then set up a shopping cart on your web site. When customers pay for your book via credit card, they will receive an automated response with instructions on downloading the PDF. There are no expenses if you sell it from your web site—each month, sales revenue will go directly into your checking account.

If you plan to self publish the book, you should be extremely detailed oriented or have someone on your staff whom you trust to be extremely detailed oriented, as there are many forms to fill out, says Walker. You’ll need an ISBN number from R.R. Bowker before printing the book.

Selling the finished product on amazon.com is a smart idea. You’ll have to apply to their Advantage Program online and submit a title for consideration. If your application is approved, you list the book in amazon’s catalog, provide descriptive content, and ship units to their warehouse for amazon.com to process.

Margie Fisher of Margie Fisher Public Relations decided to write her book before she gave birth to her daughter. She worked on it during non-business hours—a few pages at a time—in order to meet her deadline. Fisher’s finished product, a public relations “kit” of about 150 pages, has been a good revenue stream for her.

More importantly, she thinks the book has built up her reputation, which is crucial if you’re in a professional service business—an attorney or accountant, for example—where people are buying your reputation.

Once the book is completed, think of a unique way to market it. Fisher pitched her local newspapers in Florida the idea she was birthing a book and a baby simultaneously—this quirky idea secured her numerous placements.

Finally, pursue speaking engagements at local chambers of commerce or associations and sell the book after the event. I’ve booked authors at events nationwide and have seen how speaking opportunities can spike book sales.

After the book is complete, you can move on to your next product—perhaps an audio book.

The report, which provides the average cost of child care for infants, 4-year-olds, and school-age children in centers and family child care homes nationwide, reveals that in 36 states, the average annual cost for center-based care for an infant was higher than a year’s tuition and related fees at a four-year public college. In every state, center-based child care costs for two children (an infant and a 4-year-old) exceeded annual average rent payments.

“Child care is essential to working families and working families are key to economic growth,” said Linda K. Smith, NACCRRA’s Executive Director. “But, child care today is simply unaffordable for most families.”

According to the report, in 2010, the average annual cost of full-time care for an infant in a center ranged from $4,650 in Mississippi to $18,200 a year in the District of Columbia.  Parents of a 4-year-old child paid average fees of $3,900 in Mississippi to $14,050 a year in the District of Columbia. In New York, parents of school-age children paid up to $10,400 a year for part-time care in a center. The report also found that in 2010, the average annual cost of full-time care in a family child care home was as much as $12,100 for an infant and $11,300 for a 4-year-old in Massachusetts.

“During the critical years of birth through age 5, 90 percent of a child’s brain is developed and essential learning patterns are established which affect school-readiness,” said Smith. “Children need to be safe in child care and they also need to be in a setting that promotes their healthy development or our early childhood policies undermine our school readiness goals. It is time for policymakers to recognize that connection. Children spend an average of 35 hours a week in child care which means child care is a key early learning program.”

To improve the quality of early learning and make child care more affordable for working families, NACCRRA recommends that Congress:

• Require the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to define minimally acceptable quality child care for low income children.
• Require the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to study the true cost of quality care and to offer recommendations to Congress for financing to support quality options for parents.
• Reauthorize CCDBG and add requirements to improve the quality of care:

• Require 40 hours of initial training and 24 hours of annual training in key areas such as CPR, first aid, early childhood development, child behavior/discipline and child abuse detection and prevention.
• Require provider background checks, including fingerprint checks, to ensure child safety.
• Require quarterly inspections to ensure effective oversight.
• Invest in Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) agencies to:
  • Assist providers in becoming licensed and in maintaining compliance with licensing standards; and,
  • Help parents identify quality settings.
• Increase the quality set-aside to 12 percent, increasing over several years to 25 percent (on par with Head Start).
• Provide resources to expand the availability of quality child care, particularly in low-income neighborhoods where there is a shortage of licensed care.
• Reduce barriers that prevent families from easily accessing child care assistance

To download a copy of Parents and the High Cost of Child Care: 2011 Update, please visit www.naccrra.org.

When It Comes to Math, Parents Should Chill

What’s the one thing most parents have in common? We push our kids.  “Eat your veggies.”  “Do your homework.”  “Unload the dishwasher.” And even though it sounds like nagging, these lessons are the ones that help our kids grow into successful adults.

But when it comes to math, are you doing all that you can to ensure that your child or teen will be successful?  Do you even know what those things are?  The best advice may actually be surprising.

Turns out, there are a few very simple steps you can take that will make a huge difference in how your child performs in mathematics and perceives his or her math skills.

1.  Quit saying you’re bad at math. Each time you feel the urge to blurt out, “I can’t help you with your homework, because I’ve never understood it,” bite your tongue.  When our kids hear that we don’t have confidence in our math skills, they learn that they don’t need to have that confidence either.

2.  Get curious about math.  You don’t need to fall in love with calculus or suddenly find something fascinating about geometry.  But if you come across a math problem in your everyday life — when you’re cooking, sewing, shopping for a house or car, or even planning a trip — notice how you find the solution.

3.  Talk to your children about math.  So, you’ve gotten curious. Now it’s time to share that curiosity.  This can be as simple as asking your son how he would figure out the tip on a restaurant tab or asking your daughter to determine the number of gallons of paint are required to paint her room.

4.  Start with counting.  If you have younger children, the best thing you can do for them is to count everything — the stairs, the number of chocolate chips in a cookie, the number of times a dump truck is loaded up with dirt on a construction site.  Researchers have discovered that first graders who have a good sense of numbers do much better in math when they’re in the fifth grade. That numeracy begins with simple counting.

5.  Talk about your fear of math.  As your kids get older, they may express some anxiety about their math abilities.  Treat this the way you might treat similar worries about friends or dating: Listen and share your own experiences.  You don’t need to be a math super hero or know it all.  You just need to support your kids in the best way you know how.

Laura Laing knows for a fact that kids who excel in math grow up to be adults who excel in math. She is the author of Math for Grownups, a funny look at how we use math in everyday situations — from shopping to crafting to buying a home.  She blogs at www.mathforgrownups.com.

According to a report from the Center for American Progress, higher-level workers are increasingly being asked to work 50 hours or more a week, essentially putting in an 8-to-6 day at the very least. On the flip side, lower-income workers are often required to work fewer hours but at jobs with irregular schedules. The Center reviewed dozens of studies from the previous 30 years to understand the changing work/life issues of the country’s labor force.

Driving these changes are companies turning lower-level full-time jobs into part-time employment to cut costs. These savings come at the expense of workers – and their families – who lose the traditional schedules and financial benefits that come with full-time employment, the center explains.

Instead of full time jobs, many firms are offering contract positions for a set length of time. This is common in the financial field today. Two of my relatives are in the field so I hear what is happening. A “contract” role equates to long hours, no healthcare benefits and no vacation time.

Some 38 percent of men in professional and management positions worked at least 50 hours a week between 2006 and 2008, up from 34 percent who worked those hours 30 years prior, based on government studies in the Center’s report. Women in higher-level positions experienced a greater change, with 14 percent working 50 hours or more in 2006-2008 compared with just 6 percent who did between 1977 and 1979.

Longer work schedules were found to be common on the higher end of the income bracket. This is not surprising, as the highest-paying and highest-status jobs require very long hours in today’s bleak economy. These employees are not likely to object as so many other qualified workers would be ready to step into their roles tomorrow.

The nation’s shifting workforce is negatively impacting many working families. With the unemployment rate last reported at 9.2 percent in June, it is unfortunately not likely to change for the better anytime soon.

Through her personal and professional tragedies, from the loss of her young husband to losing a million dollar insurance settlement, Ganahl has faced extraordinary adversity. She responded by turning her life-long passion for dogs into Camp Bow Wow, the nation’s largest pet care franchise company, and created the Bow Wow Buddies Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives and health of dogs.

Ganahl and her first husband Bion conceived the idea of starting a doggy day and overnight care business born out of their love for dogs and the need for a market alternative to the bleak conditions of the traditional kennel environment. With this motive, Camp Bow Wow was born.

The concept was completely novel and in many areas of the country remains so to this day – the philosophy is simple, Camp Bow Wow is a place where a dog can be a dog, or where a pet can be a pet in the case of Home Buddies, Camp Bow Wow’s new in home pet care alternative.

Unfortunately, shortly after Heidi and Bion finished developing the Camp Bow Wow business plan, Heidi’s family treated Bion to a surprise private flight in an open cockpit stunt plane for his 25th birthday. While doing a fly by, the plane sudden dove into the ground killing Bion and the pilot on impact.

The untimely death had a paralyzing effect on Heidi and sent her into a downward spiral – albeit temporary. In an effort to jump-start her life, she hastily got remarried to a man she later found out had severe addiction problems and became pregnant with her first daughter. She then lost almost the entire $1 million settlement from Bion’s crash in a complicated custody battle for her daughter, unreturned loans to friends and family, a series of bad investments, and the failure of two start-up businesses.

Finally, in 2000, as a single mom with only $83,000 of the dwindling settlement left, Heidi was encouraged by her brother to take a leap of faith and start Camp Bow Wow. She invested the last of her savings — $83,000 — and opened the first camp in Denver in the Fall of 2000.

In 2003 Ganahl started franchising the concept and by 2007 sold over 275 franchise businesses. Today, Camp Bow Wow is the largest women owned franchise and pet industry business, the largest doggy day care company in the world and a $50 million leader in the $47 billion United States pet sector.

I’ve had the chance to work with different PR and creative agencies, small businesses and authors over the past 10 years. My 3 year old started daycare when she was 18 months old; my 18 month old is about to start daycare in a few weeks. I am grateful they were able to stay home with me for so long, and I could also handle work assignments.

Is self employment right for you? Here are some actions you will have to do:

1. Sell your services. You’ll have to get out there, network, hand a lot of people your business card, set sales appointments, etc. It takes time to develop business — the prospects may need to get to know you more before they decide to hire you.

2. Chase some clients down for payment. There will always be some clients who don’t pay on time. I spoke to a small business owner recently who was having trouble meeting payroll because his clients owed him a large amount of money. I politely follow-up with those who are overdue on payment and keep at it until I get my fees. It’s important not to get testy as you don’t want to sour the client relationship.

3. Weed through poor, low paying jobs to find the best opportunities. It’s amazing to me how many low paying writing and marketing gigs there are out there. Set your standards, know your rate structure and don’t settle for a job that doesn’t offer decent compensation for your skills.

4. Be prepared for strong months and weak months. There are highs and lows to self employment. Even if you start out strong, you will inevitably hit a downturn. Try not to be reliant on one or two clients because if you lose them you will be scrambling to find replacement work. Offer a range of services–think about other services you can add to your mix so you can secure larger deals.

5. Work odd hours. You may have to work early morning, evenings or weekends to get the tasks done–when the kid(s) are asleep. This will not be a 9 to 5 job, especially at the start when you will be building your client base.

Hope these pointers are helpful. I’ve enjoyed self employment tremendously and recommend it for mothers with young children.