Oh small businesses how do I love thee. I remember the early days of running 834, when it was myself, Bentley the wonder dog, my computer and a can-do attitude. The world was my oyster and I was going to make it my bitch.

Then reality set in, how would I get my name out? What organizations should I join? How do I manage social media? How will potential clients find me?

As 834 continues to grow so does our client base, but my love and passion for small business has only intensified. Understanding where a business needs to focus it’s time and money as it relates to marketing is why we have been around for 10 years.

When starting out, here are my suggestions on what to focus on.

1. Social media: this is a great way for you to connect to potential customers and supporters. Understanding how to utilize your networks is the key. What content do you post? How should you structure a post? What are your competitors doing well?
2. Email marketing: creating a tool for ongoing communication and news sharing is key. Who should be on your list? What should be included in an email newsletter? How do I design it?
3. Website: I am hoping you have a site, if not – get one. A website is the first place a potential client will go to find out more information about your company, social media is a close second. Do you know what keywords you should be weaving into your copy to ensure you are found through search engines? How do you ensure that your site is optimized for search engines? What about blogging?

Social, email and your website are all examples of inbound marketing and they are all incredibly important to growing your business. I know this firsthand as the founder of 834. In the coming months, my team will be launching small business specific tools that will allow you to compete with the big dogs on a small dog budget.

Stay tuned.

In the past few months I have been solicited multiple times through LinkedIn, email or phone. These individuals always have a great partnership opportunity for 834 and it is always mutually beneficial. Just today I got a job offer. Seriously?

Listen up, cold emailing/LinkedIn connecting or calling is NEVER going to work in your favor and it is time you learned a few things about sales.

• If you are connecting over social media, then engage with the person you are reaching out to. I accept anyone’s request to connect on LinkedIn, but that sure as hell doesn’t mean I now want to grab coffee and learn all about how YOU can help grow my business. If I don’t know you from Tom, Dick or Harry (and I don’t even know those guys) then what makes you think I am craving an awkward interaction with you at a local coffee shop? Study my profile, learn more about 834, read my posts and then figure out the best way to reach out.
• Know your audience. For fuck sake, if you reach out to me about printing services am I even the right contact? Did you go to my website and see if there is a creative director or designer on staff? If so, don’t you think it would make more sense to start there? Also, stop with the canned messages – “So glad we could connect. I am looking forward to learning more about your business.” No you’re not, you don’t actually give a shit.
• Mutually beneficial is really a thing, but you aren’t using it right. When I am targeting a potential client, I don’t send them a LinkedIn message and then pat myself on the back for a job well done. That is lazy, you are lazy. I figure out how to provide value to that company/person such as free publicity, a ticket to an upcoming event or I send a handwritten note that congratulates them on a recent accomplishment. Did you notice what is missing from my list? I didn’t ask them for anything, I gave instead.
• Network, network, network. If your company serves a certain industry, then attend events that attract those companies. Talk to people, hand out business cards and send them note that says: “Hey, it was great to meet you and learn about SOMETHING INTERESTING THEY SAID. Looking forward to connecting at the next event.” Did you notice what is missing from my list? I didn’t ask them to buy from me or to listen to my really shitty sales pitch.
• Get involved. Join a board, organization, volunteer…do something. Part of selling is building a network and constantly growing and cultivating it.

As Jeffrey Gitomer said, “If they like you, and they believe you, and they trust you, and they have confidence in you…then they MAY buy from you.”

Stop being lazy, your tactics are not working and never will. Put in the time and effort.

Oh, and stop trying to sell me life insurance, financial services or some dumb partnership opportunity. If you really want to win me over, then introduce me to someone who needs my services and buy me wine with plenty of ice.

Grief is a funny thing. They say time heals all things and perhaps that is true but at the time it is crushing, suffocating and unbearable. Loss leaves an empty, sucking hole that can easily overtake you. How you deal with it, is what enables you to move forward…not on but forward.

Understanding that in some form that sorrow will remain with you forever is perhaps the hardest to come to grips with. How you come out of this is solely up to you.

Grieve. Scream. Cry.

Embrace the soul-crushing grief and make a promise to yourself to never take the small moments for granted. Focus on the shit that is so important.

In time you will come out of this. I will come out of this.

If everyone agreed, what would be the point of teamwork? Idea exchange is messy, loud and conflicting and that is how it should be.

Too often, in this politically correct world, we want things and people in nice, neat, cooperative packages. That expectation kills creativity. Collaboration should be opinionated, noisy, messy, bright, creative and challenging. Not all conflict is bad, in fact conflict is great for business.

A recent article by Harvard Business Review (HBR) states, it’s time to change your mindset about conflict. Let go of the idea that all conflict is destructive, and embrace the idea that productive conflict creates value. If you think beyond the trite clichés, it’s obvious: Collaborating is unnecessary if you agree on everything.

Think about it, when was a great idea ever born out of unilateral agreement? Building a team that looks at situations differently, enables a business to better serve their clients. Give your team permission to disagree.

This line by HBR says it all: Collaboration’s promise of greater innovation and better risk mitigation can go unfulfilled because of cultural norms that say everyone should be in agreement, be supportive, and smile all the time. The common version of collaboration is desperately in need of a little more conflict.

Anyone interested in some productive conflict?

This past week I met with a young woman in her 20s that was considering starting her own business, primarily because she didn’t see another option. Her degree was not relevant to what she wanted to do, her current position pigeonholed her and due to this she didn’t see any opportunities in the current job market.

It reminded me of how I began as a business owner. I started 834 around the age of 27, I had no clue what I was doing and failure was an every day occurrence. So what did I have going for me? Age and inexperience. Quite frankly, I had no idea what I was up against, what it actually took to run a business or how much the government would want a piece of it.

This all worked in my favor.

As we get older, we become more risk adverse and tend to overthink everything. Responsibilities start piling up, we get comfortable and then we become sedentary.

There is nothing in life that truly prepares you for being an entrepreneur or running a business, it is hard, frustrating, terrifying and exhilarating. The fact is, life is short, do what you love. Quit your job, start a business, travel or start a new career. Don’t let age or fear of the unknown stop you.

There are tons of resources out there, and people like myself that will sit down and have a conversation with you. Just ask.

We live in an age where every tweet, post, gram and snap are available for the masses to see. Privacy is at a premium and those at the helm of companies (or countries) are hard pressed to find a balance between public and private.

The sooner business owners, politicians and leaders of the free world accept this, they can use it to their advantage. People utilize social media as a way to connect on a more personal basis with brands. The hard part is the listening. As a company it is up to you to hear your customers, by taking note of what they are saying you are ensuring that you are aware of their pain points, needs and happiness.

Transparency is not a choice, it will happen with our without your permission. You cannot control what individuals say about you, your company or your product. You might succeed in the short term, but in the end the public will prevail.

How will you embrace transparency moving forward?

This past weekend was emotionally charged for a large portion of America and the world. There is no doubt that our nation is in a transition period and we have a choice in how we react.

This reminds me of the endless decisions that have to be made by a business owner on a regular basis. We can choose to approach with negativity or positivity. My goal this year is to look at all decisions as an opportunity for 834 and that how I react is up to me.

As we start out this new week, I think it is important to remember that when faced with opposition we have a choice and it starts with us and our actions. Choose empathy and respond with kindness. You will never make everyone happy, but you can always take pride in how you respond.

Deep thoughts on this Monday morning.

No lie, this is mapped out in our standard operating procedures. I absolutely hate meetings to have meetings, you can feel the productivity just sucked out of your day.

Meetings are a necessary evil of agency life; however there are ways to run a successful, methodical and short meeting that are beneficial to all parties.

Prior to meeting:

• 2 or 3 days prior to the scheduled meeting, send an email that confirms the date, time, agenda, call-in number or location and meeting attendees.

Day of meeting:

• Send a reminder email, reiterate the agenda and any items needed from meeting attendees.

During the meeting:

• State the purpose of the meeting. Be very clear what the expectations are, indicate the time allotted for the meeting, state the agenda again and then move into the first item.
• Stay on topic. After each agenda item, recap action items and move on.
• Take copious notes throughout the meeting. If there are 2 people in the meeting, have one person take notes while the other person leads the meeting.
• End early. Start wrapping up 15 minutes early by asking if there needs to be additional clarification on any items.
• Excuse yourself. If all else fails, stand up and indicate you have another meeting and need to be on your way.

Follow-up:

• Send meeting notes the same day as the meeting and map out action items. Sending notes the same day, keeps the information fresh in everyone’s mind and ensures nothing is missed.

Meetings are a necessary evil, however there are ways to ensure they stay on time and on topic. Share your tips in the comment section.

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” – Albert Einstein

As a business owner you need to constantly adapt, innovate and be willing to change to remain relevant. Some of the most well-known companies such as Yahoo!, Radio Shack, Sears, etc. are in danger of extinction or are already gone due to their inability to embrace change or their top-heavy leadership.

As a small business, you have the ability to moveHere are some easy ways to take your business to the next level.

Utilize video
Video is by no means new, however the way companies are using it has changed considerably. Video can be a great tool to educate, entertain and engage. Post Monday productivity tips via Facebook Live or interview a thought leader in your community. Be relevant, timely and brief.

Develop processes
As you grow your business, whether in revenue, size or both, it is incredibly important to have your processes mapped out. 834 has standard operating procedures that map out how to run a meeting, writing a blog, developing a marketing strategy and more. Having everyone in your company on the same page will simplify your life, increase productivity, eliminate confusion and more. Trust me, it was worth spending hours and hours and hours creating it.

Create great content
If you want to remain top-of-mind, you must write and share engaging content, often. Sit down with your team and map out ideas for the coming year based on customer pain points, industry trends and company highlights. Shoot for once a week and then move up to twice a week.

Understand and integrate technology into your business
There are a lot of tools out there that can help your business run smoothly. Whether it is project management, sales tracking, social media tools or whatever – be aware of what is out there that can assist you in streamlining a process, then explore and integrate it into your business.

Read
This is a big one. Never stop learning. I am constantly carrying around a business book with me, for that brief moment I have time to read a chapter or two. I’m currently reading a book on creating winning organizational cultures.

Sometimes just setting time aside to think or strategize will keep you sharp, becoming comfortable can be dangerous to a business.

Mondays seem to hang over our heads mocking and taunting us as we enjoy football and relaxing on Sunday before heading back to work. As a business owner, prepping for the work week is incredibly important as we are often pulled in a hundred directions first thing in the a.m.

I created the following routine for myself to feel better prepared when Monday morning hits.

1. Break out tasks per day. What do I need to do each day of the week. This will change as the week progresses, but at least you have an idea of what your schedule holds and can plan accordingly.
2. Schedule emails. To avoid overwhelming and annoying my staff or clients on a Sunday night, I utilize Hubspot’s Sidekick to schedule out emails. I can send updates, confirm meetings and follow-up on outstanding items.
3. Map out my calendar. Depending on my workload for the coming week, I will reserve time in my calendar to get shit done. If I need to follow-up on a press release, put together a proposal, etc. I know I have the time set aside.
4. Read. Sundays are my day to read one of several business books I have started. During the week I am fully focused on meetings, strategy, management, etc. and I don’t have the time to read. Sunday, while watching football, I try to catch up and apply what I am learning to the company.
5. Write. My favorite time to write is Sunday. Whether I am writing for 834, Small Biz Musings or Huffington Post, my head is clearer and I have less distractions on the weekend.
6. Meal prep. Each Sunday I whip together a few meals that I can then take for lunches throughout the week. If you don’t have a crockpot, get one. It is so easy, throw some chicken and ingredients together to cook throughout the day, place in tupperware containers and you are set.

By prepping on Sundays, I am able to increase my productivity throughout the week and feel less overwhelmed. What is your routine?