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Value and Price: What’s Your Work Worth?
So you paid $5 to get in to the circus. Behind the scenes, though – you, me, and everybody else in the audience is hoping that the guy who keeps the lions, tigers, and bears caged earns more than $5 that night. And that the lions, tigers, and bears have gotten more than $5 in food before coming out to see all us yummy looking audience members, right? Welcome to the big top! This is a discussion on price vs value – cost vs worth. You’re sure to get your money’s worth! Read on: Nick Armstrong of WTF Marketing Pull my lever: Efficiency and Effectiveness @WTFMarketing facebook.com/WTFMarketing Melanie Kissell of Solo Mompreneur Value Tastes Better Than Price: A Tale of Eating Out and Eating In @melaniekissell facebook.com/SoloMompreneur Sharon Hurley Hall Writer Marketing – How to Focus on Value @SHurleyHall facebook.com/SharonHurleyHall Alisa Meredith Market Value Not Price @ScalableSocial facebook.com/scalablesocialmedia Nicole Fende of The Numbers Whisperer Protect Your Bottom Line with a Profit Wingman @NicoleAFende facebook.com/SmallBizFinance Michelle Church of Marketing Support 4 U Living Your Truth Results in the Delivery of Value @virtuallyassist facebook.com/marketingsupportspecialist Tea Silvestre of Story Bistro The True Meaning of Your Unique Value Proposition (and How to Explain it Like a Pro) @TeaSilvestre facebook.com/StoryBistro Molly McCowan of Inkbot Editing What is the Value of an Editor? @InkbotEditor facebook.com/InkbotEditing Carol Lynn Rivera of Web Search Social Dear Customer, This Is What You Should Pay To Hire A Marketing Company @CarolLynnRivera facebook.com/WebSearchSocial Denisse and Yaritza Are You Pricing Your Time or Your Worth? @BusySuperVA facebook.com/busysuperva Annie Sisk of Stage Presence Marketing What’s It Worth to You? @AnnieSisk facebook.com/StagePresenceMarketing Bonus post: Nick Armstrong’s Pixelated on Purpose Price, cost, and value of a good web person @WTFMarketing facebook.com/PixelatedOnPurpose Photo Credit: Circus Ticket Office by Garry...
read moreRediscover the Real World: Unplug, Unwind, Unleash
The lions are prepped and roaring. The elephants are balancing on their ball. The clowns are packed into their car. The firebreather’s fuel is swirling in her mouth. Except nobody’s started the show because the Ringleader is backstage screwing around on Twitter! This month’s topic tackles getting the hell off the internet and getting out into the real world can restart your business growth! You know … offline networking, coffee house gatherings, meet-ups, public speaking engagements, lunch ‘n learn opportunities with local businesses, trade shows, joining or starting a local blogging mastermind … you get the picture. Read on: Denisse and Yaritza Is it Time for you to Rediscover the Real World? @BusySuperVA facebook.com/busysuperva Michelle Church of Marketing Support 4 U Why Running Away From Home Can Open A New World @virtuallyassist facebook.com/marketingsupportspecialist Tea Silvestre of Story Bistro A Surprising Way to Fix the Drawbacks of Digital Marketing (and Find New Clients) @TeaSilvestre facebook.com/StoryBistro Sharon Hurley Hall Step Away From Your Writing Desk @SHurleyHall facebook.com/SharonHurleyHall Nicole Fende of The Numbers Whisperer Mice Plus Men Does Not Equal Profit @NicoleAFende facebook.com/SmallBizFinance Michelle Nickolaisen of Bombchelle 5 signs you need to GTFO off the computer @_ChelleShock facebook.com/bombchellebiz Melanie Kissell of Solo Mompreneur Real World Networking: Shake Some Hands and Kiss Some Babies @melaniekissell facebook.com/SoloMompreneur Carol Lynn Rivera of Web Search Social Internet Marketing Must Die: Real Life Lessons In Getting Out From Behind Your Desk @CarolLynnRivera facebook.com/WebSearchSocial Alisa Meredith How Getting Out Can Get You “In” – An Introvert’s Confession @ScalableSocial facebook.com/scalablesocialmedia Photo Credit: Jester on Wikimedia...
read moreBeing an Expert Doesn’t Mean You Know Everything
Is your lion tamer an expert at taming lions? You’d better hope so! How about the ringleader? Do they know what’s up? Can they keep those dirty clowns in line? Elephants balanced? Trapeze artists flying? Bearded Lady’s beard groomed? If you’re an expert – how do you convey that expertise while still maintaining your humanity? After all, you’re not perfect – you can’t know everything. And that’s what this month’s Word Carnival is all about! How to know when to stop pitching yourself as an expert and ask for advice, or refer a client to someone else. In other words, how to hold yourself to a high enough standard that you’re honest with a client about the fact that you don’t know the answer, rather than guessing, bsing or just muddling through! Read on: (FYI: the links may not be live until Wednesday!) Nick Armstrong of WTF Marketing Just Because You’ve Got Yourself An Expert… @WTFMarketing facebook.com/WTFMarketing Melanie Kissell of Solo Mompreneur Comprehensive Knowledge And Skill Doesn’t Mean You’re An Authority @melaniekissell facebook.com/SoloMompreneur Molly McCowan of Inkbot Editing Being An Editor Doesn’t Mean You Know Everything…Even When You Think You Do @InkbotEditor facebook.com/InkbotEditing Michelle Church of Marketing Support 4 U Sometimes we have to call ourselves out @virtuallyassist facebook.com/marketingsupportspecialist Halley Gray of Evolve & Succeed Your Cerebrum Will Never Be Full @evolvesucceed facebook.com/evolvesucceed Sandy McDonald of Why You Must Blog An Owen Meany moment and blogging @theclanmaker facebook.com/whyyoumustblog Ashley Welton Thank You For Teaching Me as Well as I Teach You @miniskirtninja facebook.com/miniskirtninja Sharon Hurley Hall Why I Don’t Need to be a Know-It-All Writer @SHurleyHall facebook.com/SharonHurleyHall Alisa Meredith Three Good Reasons to Say I Don’t Know @ScalableSocial facebook.com/scalablesocialmedia Denisse and Yaritza Being an expert doesn’t mean you know it all @BusySuperVA facebook.com/busysuperva Carol Lynn Rivera of Web Search Social The Myth Of The Expert: Why Saying “I Don’t Know” Is Better For Your Business @CarolLynnRivera facebook.com/WebSearchSocial Nicole Fende of The Numbers Whisperer When You’re NOT The Expert They’re Looking For @NicoleAFende facebook.com/SmallBizFinance Photo credit: The Lion Queen – Wikimedia...
read moreMental Health and Your Small Business
Clowns. Are they really nuts or just acting that way? Sure, it takes a certain degree of focus to confidently juggle all those chainsaws, stay perfectly balanced on top of your fellow clown’s shoulders, and stay upright in those big shoes. They couldn’t stuff so many of themselves in a tiny VW Beetle or keep us all so entertained without a significant amount of skill, either. So what is it about clowns that makes us feel so unsettled? The idea of mental health gone awry – and for many small business owners, it’s a reality rather than a circus fantasy. This month we decided to dive into the depths of mental health in your small business, the consequences when mental health is anything but healthy, and what to do to get your sanity back. Read on! Nick Armstrong of WTF Marketing Depression and Anxiety are Thieves @WTFMarketing facebook.com/WTFMarketing Nicole Fende of The Numbers Whisperer For Sale: Small Biz Owner’s Sanity, Slightly Used, Only $20 @NicoleAFende facebook.com/SmallBizFinance Sandy McDonald of Why You Must Blog Blog your way out of the gulf @theclanmaker facebook.com/whyyoumustblog Sharon Hurley Hall Writers, Are You Looking After Your Mental Health? @SHurleyHall facebook.com/SharonHurleyHall Melanie Kissell of Solo Mompreneur The Number One Factor that Makes You Look, Feel, and Perform Better in Your Business @melaniekissell facebook.com/SoloMompreneur Carol Lynn Rivera of Web Search Social Zombies, Vampires And Other Client Nightmares: How To Keep Cool And Slay Your Business Dragons, Too @CarolLynnRivera facebook.com/WebSearchSocial Photo credit: Clowns Shouldn’t Be Scary by...
read moreService: Acknowledging the Invisible Elephant in Your Office
From the Cellus the Lion Tamer to Helenbar the Trapeze Girl, every member of the circus has a vital service role to play–without them them the show couldn’t go on. And what about the unsung heroes, those people who toil tirelessly behind the scenes to make it all run smoothly; people like the clowns, ticket takers, and yes,…even the people who have to clean up the you know what left behind by Marcellena the Elephant. Every single person is committed to giving the best possible service to their clients! This month each of us Carnies decided to examine the who, what, how, and why we are in service in our businesses. We are committed to providing excellent service to our clients, but this act is not without it’s challenges from time to time sapphire resort timehsare. Collectively we thought it was high time that we acknowledge the invisible elephant in the room, and come clean about the sometimes dirty truth about service. So step right up and have a read… Explore available properties for sale in New York via https://www.housebuyers.app/new-york/. Nick Armstrong of WTF Marketing What good is a marketing company? @WTFMarketing facebook.com/WTFMarketing Téa Silvestre of Word Chef Find Your Purpose in the Tiny Details and Make a Big Difference – Story Bistro @teasilvestre facebook.com/storybistro Michelle Church of Marketing Support 4 U Who says you only drink wine from a wine glass? @virtuallyassist facebook.com/marketingsupportspecialist Annie Sisk of Pajama Productivity 12 Dirty Digital Jobs You Can’t Afford to Ignore @AnnieSisk facebook.com/PajamaProductivity Carol Lynn Rivera of Web Search Social Wear That Hat (And The Other One, Too): A Small Business Owner’s Guide To Staying Sane @CarolLynnRivera facebook.com/WebSearchSocial Nicole Fende of The Numbers Whisperer Customer Service Shouldn’t Be Self-Serving @NicoleAFende facebook.com/SmallBizFinance Blaze Lazarony of Blaze A Brilliant Path Step Right Up Ladies and Gentleman, Let’s Talk about Service in Your Business @blazelazarony facebook.com/BlazeABrilliantPathwithBlazeLazarony Photo credit: helenbar via photopin...
read moreParentpreneurs: What Being a Parent Can Teach You About Business
Why do parents make great entrepreneurs, and vice versa? How does parenting have anything to do with business, anyway? This month, the carnies share their experiences with parenthood (or, for some, pet ownership!) and how it has made them better at business. Click through the links to read all of their anecdotes and advice, and feel free to add your own in the comments! Nick Armstrong of WTF Marketing Baby Blues and Buyers Remorse: Expectations are Everything @WTFMarketing facebook.com/WTFMarketing Téa Silvestre of Word Chef My Big Why: On Motives, Mentors and Defining Moments @teasilvestre facebook.com/mywordchef Sharon Hurley Hall 7 Lessons from a Write at Home Parent @SHurleyHall facebook.com/SharonHurleyHall Melanie Kissell of Solo Mompreneur The Parent [Preneur] Trap @melaniekissell facebook.com/SoloMompreneur Sandy McDonald of Why You Must Blog Blogging is Your Legacy @theclanmaker facebook.com/whyyoumustblog Molly McCowan of Inkbot Editing How My Dog Makes Me a Better Editor @InkbotEditor facebook.com/InkbotEditing Nicole Fende of The Numbers Whisperer Kidproof Your Small Biz Profits @NicoleAFende facebook.com/SmallBizFinance Blaze Lazerony 3 Rapid Fire Decision Making Strategies for Entrepreneurs @blazelazarony facebook.com/BlazeABrilliantPathwithBlazeLazarony Annie Sisk of Pajama Productivity Productivity for Parental Couch Warriers @AnnieSisk facebook.com/PajamaProductivity Image Source: Trapeze artists in circus, lithograph by Calvert Litho. Co.,...
read moreThe 100 Best Ways To Screw Up Your Business Website
Wait, you HAVE a website for your business, right?! For businesses of all sizes and stripes an online presence is a powerful marketing tool, but simply tacking a site on to your otherwise bullet-proof biz plan isn’t all there is to it. Our roundup of small business bloggers tackle the best ways to screw up your business by screwing up your website. Carol Lynn Rivera of Web Search Social How To Totally Tank Your Brand Without Ever Leaving Your Website @CarolLynnRivera facebook.com/WebSearchSocial Sandy McDonald of Why You Must Blog Seven Costly Business Blogging Mistakes @theclanmaker facebook.com/whyyoumustblog Sharon Hurley Hall Promoting Your Website? How to Screw Up Your Guest Posting Campaign @SHurleyHall facebook.com/SharonHurleyHall Melanie Kissell of Solo Mompreneur Here’s The Thing About Personal Drama And Trauma On Your Business Blog @melaniekissell facebook.com/SoloMompreneur Molly McCowan of Inkbot Editing When Websites Go Wrong: 5 Common Web Writing Mistakes @InkbotEditor facebook.com/InkbotEditing Ashley Welton of Miniskirt Ninja News Flash: Your About Page Isn’t About You @miniskirtninja facebook.com/miniskirtninja Nick Armstrong of WTF Marketing Problems With Your Website? It’s Probably You. Featuring the: Not All Villains Twirl Mustaches PSA. @WTFMarketing facebook.com/WTFMarketing Nicole Fende of The Numbers Whisperer Don’t Fall Victim to the Serial Profit Killer! Here are the rules… @NicoleAFende facebook.com/SmallBizFinance Téa Silvestre of Word Chef Revamp vs. Rebrand? 10 Considerations for Your Business Website @teasilvestre facebook.com/mywordchef Photo: Courtesy of Marnie Weber and Praz-Delavallade Gallery,...
read moreCan You Hear Me Now? Make sure you and your customers speak the same language
Mishaps and mistakes or just miscommunications? They happen to everyone. Mostly because we’re human and we all have this ability to hear and see what we want to (as opposed to what’s really going on). That goes double for clients. If you’re not careful, things can snowball and before you know it, it might feel like you’re stuck in cage with a bunch of hungry lions. This month, the carnies share their advice on how to avoid these pitfalls so you’ll have a much better chance at having happy, satisfied clients. Annie Sisk of Pajama Productivity Making the Client Expectation Pieces Fit Without Losing Your Ever-Lovin’ Mind @AnnieSisk facebook.com/PajamaProductivity Sharon Hurley Hall of Get Paid to Write Online: Are You and Your Writing Clients Speaking the Same Language? @SHurleyHall facebook.com/SharonHurleyHall Michelle Church of Virtually Distinguished: I’m Talking, Don’t You Hear Me? @virtuallyassist facebook.com/virtuallyassist Ashley Welton of Miniskirt Ninja Media: Same Meaning, Different Language: How to Clear Up Your Client Communications @miniskirtninja facebook.com/miniskirtninja Nick Armstrong of WTF Marketing: Can You Hear Me Now? How to make sure you and your customers are speaking the same language (you probably aren’t) @WTFMarketing plus.google.com/+Wtfmarketing Carol Lynn Rivera of Web Search Social: Same Page, Wrong Book. How To Manage Client Expectations So They Don’t Manage You @CarolLynnRivera facebook.com/WebSearchSocial Nicole Fende of The Numbers Whisperer®: Client Communication Explained by Prime Numbers @NicoleAFende facebook.com/SmallBizFinance Sandy McDonald of Why You Must Blog: Coherence is the business @theclanmaker...
read moreOwn Your Worth: How To Charge What You Deserve Instead Of Settling For What You Get
Do you sometimes struggle with feelings of doubt and insecurity when it comes to pricing your services and sharing that pricing with customers? Do you ever get told your prices are too high? Do you find yourself caving in when someone requests a price reduction then getting frustrated with the outcome, or just getting frustrated by how hard it is to convince people what you’re really worth in the first place? Us, too! The good news is there’s hope. Our carnies have been there and have plenty of experience when it comes to pricing and conveying the value of that price to customers. Come along and read what they have to say about this particular challenge, then share your challenges, too! Sharon Hurley Hall of Get Paid to Write Online: How to Get the Writing Pay You Deserve @SHurleyHall facebook.com/SharonHurleyHall Melanie Kissell of Solo Mompreneur: Pimp Your Pricing Or Be Prepared To Eat Crumbs @melaniekissell facebook.com/solomompreneur Michelle Church of Virtually Distinguished: Stepping Up With My Big Girl Panties On @virtuallyassist facebook.com/virtuallyassist Ashley Welton of Miniskirt Ninja Media: Get Intimate With Money {and Get Paid What You Want} @miniskirtninja facebook.com/miniskirtninja Nick Armstrong of WTF Marketing: Generation Y (Millennials) have a Branding Problem: Value @WTFMarketing plus.google.com/+Wtfmarketing Carol Lynn Rivera of Web Search Social: How To Convince Cheap, Broke, Price-Shopping Customers To Pay What You’re Worth @CarolLynnRivera facebook.com/WebSearchSocial Nicole Fende of The Numbers Whisperer®: What will you learn in the cave on Dagobah @NicoleAFende facebook.com/SmallBizFinance Sandy McDonald of Why You Must Blog: The coach and the consultant @theclanmaker...
read moreThe Ins and Outs, Ups and Downs of Biz Referrals
As business owners we are always looking for effective ways to grow our businesses. One the most flattering and best sources in attracting new business is through referrals. There are many strategies, resources and techniques available to accomplish this. This month the fabulous carnies share their wisdom on “The Ins and Outs, Ups and Downs of Biz Referrals”! This is gonna be good, so make sure to get comfy and read each one of the posts below and don’t forget to share and post your comments, we’d love to hear from you! Carol Lynn Rivera of Web Search Social: Referrals Make Better Prospects. Here’s How To Get Them @CarolLynnRivera facebook.com/WebSearchSocial Tea Silvestre of aka The Word Chef: How to Get Referrals From Your Peers and Colleagues @teasilvestre facebook.com/mywordchef Michelle Church of Virtually Distinguished: 9 Ways to Educate Your Best Allies for Referrals @virtuallyassist facebook.com/marketingsupportspecialist Melanie Kissell of Solo Mompreneur: The Cost of Unfriendly Referrals @melaniekissell facebook.com/SoloMompreneur Sharon Hurley of Get Paid to Write Online: Referrals – The Key to a Healthy Writing Biz @SHurleyHall facebook.com/SharonHurleyHall Eugene Farber of Content Strategy Hub: How to Get Referrals (The REAL Way) @EugeneFarber facebook.com/ContentStrategyHub Nicole Fende of The Numbers Whisperer®: Need More Profit? Unleash Your Happy Clients! @NicoleAFende facebook.com/SmallBizFinance Nick Armstrong of WTF Marketing: Want Referrals? Get People To Hate You First. @WTFMarketing plus.google.com/+Wtfmarketing Sandy McDonald of Why You Must Blog: Are You A Matchmaker. @theclanmaker facebook.com/whyyoumustblog Michelle Nickolaisen of Bombchelle: Want More Referrals? Get Better Systems, YO. @_chelleshock facebook.com/bombchellebiz photo credit: Poppy Wright via photopin...
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