3 Tips for Obtaining More Business Using Apps

I’m always asked about what apps are the best apps for business. And, of course, there are different apps that work for different day-to-day business operations. And, as suspected, not all apps are the same. Some actually hinder your business while others can help you take control of your business.

Since, I’m asked about this topic often- I’ve decided to list the 3 apps that I feel can help you boost your customer base and close business. Now, this list will work for most people, but not all people. Businesses are unique and you should take my suggestions as recommendations only. Consider these apps and then decide if they will work for your particular business or not.

1. Product Upsell. This app allows you to offer relevant add-on products to customers based on cart content, total $ in cart or even a combination!

2. Sale Rack is awesome. It helps you obtain new clients and upsell existing ones. With this app you can effectively batch update prices, either to a percentage or to fixed amounts. You can also schedule updates, and easily revert them automatically on selected dates.

3. MaxTraffic Exit Offers. This allows you to drive up business with pop-up notifications and special offers as someone exits your website!

Still have questions? Want me to speak at your next event?

Let us talk!

Twyla N. Garrett

Care About Your Business....

Someone recently asked me if I had a valuable life lesson that translated to business growth. I do! I wanted to share it on the blog today to help many people understand why I brand my company, IME, as "the company that cares."

My mantra and life lesson is to take everything personally. I hate when people say, "it's not personal, it's business." You are your business as an entrepreneur, therefore everything is personal. If you don't treat everything you do in life and business with a personal investment, what good is it? It you are personally invested in something, you tend to take it more serious. Business means money. Business means your reputation. So, why wouldn't you take it serious?

The most valuable life lesson I have that can translate to business is not taking one specific business deal personally. I had viewed a deal as not "good enough" for my standards. It was just business, not an opportunity. So, I didn't take it personally. I missed out on a great opportunity because I treated the pitch as business. Had I treated it like a personal investment, I probably would have gave it more consideration and would be reaping those rewards today.

My point here is to take everything personally and act from the heart- even in business!

Until next time,

Twyla N. Garrett

I'm speaking at The United Nations on 03/25/15

Yes, I'm back and speaking at The United Nations tomorrow! I'm on Panel Two at 11:40 am - 12:30 pm.

“Women and Social Innovation: Disrupting Global Entrepreneurship”
Lead Disruptor
Julie Anixter, Chief Learning Officer, Relevents, Innovation Excellence
Craig Hatkoff, Co-Founder, Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards (TDIA) & Tribeca Film Festival
Disruptors
Denise Evans, VP Market Development, IBM
Jeanne Sullivan, StarVest Partners, ASTIA, Harvard Kennedy School, ePROVSTUDIO
Jeff Hoffman, Global Entrepreneur & Speaker, GEW, GIST, ColorJar, Priceline
Brandon Frank, Intellectual Property and International Trade Counsel
Craig Hatkoff, Co-Founder, Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Awards (TDIA) & Tribeca Film Festival
Dr. Twyla Garrett, CEO and Founder, Investment Management Enterprise
Rabbi Irwin Kula, President, CLAL, The National Jewish Center for Learning and Leadership

More here: http://www.impactleadership21.com/agenda.html

MEDIA CONTACT:
Helene Vece for Twyla Garrett of IME.
Office@HeleneVece.com

Enterprising Women Magazine Announces - 2015 Enterprising Women of The Year Award Winners

Enterprising Women Magazine Announces
2015 Enterprising Women of The Year Award Winners
Prestigious Awards Program Recognizes World’s Top Women Entrepreneurs

RALEIGH, N.C. Feb. 9, 2015 – Monica Smiley, publisher and CEO of Enterprising Women magazine, has announced the winners of the 2015 Enterprising Women of the Year Awards, an annual tribute to the world’s top women entrepreneurs. Honorees will be recognized at the 13th Annual Enterprising Women of the Year Awards & Conference, Sunday, March 29 to Tuesday, March 31 at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

The annual Enterprising Women of the Year Awards is widely considered one of the most prestigious recognition programs for women business owners. To win, nominees must demonstrate that they have fast-growth businesses, mentor or actively support other women and girls involved in entrepreneurship, and stand out as leaders in their communities. Many of the honorees also serve as leaders of the key organizations that support the growth of women’s entrepreneurship.

Award winners were recognized in seven categories this year: annual sales revenues of more than $100 million; annual sales revenues of more than $25 million and up to $100 million; annual sales revenues of more than $10 million and up to $25 million; annual sales revenues of more than $5 million and up to $10 million; annual sales revenues of more than $2 million and up to $5 million; annual sales revenues of more than $1 million and up to $2 million; and annual sales revenues of up to $1 million.

Winners in the “over $100 million in annual revenues” category:
Kay Ivie, Ivie & Associates, Inc., Flower Mound, TX
Beatriz Manetta, Argent Associates, Inc., Plano, TX
Jennifer Maier, WDS, Inc., Lake Wylie, S.C.
Julia Fournier, HCMWorks, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Veronica Muzquiz Edwards, InGenesis, Inc., San Antonio, TX
Camille Thomas, JMC Retail Group, Minneapolis, Minn.

Winners in the “over $25 million and up to $100 Million in annual revenues” category:
Raegan Moya-Jones, Aden & Anais, Inc, Brooklyn, N.Y.
Traci Lounsbury, ELEMENTS, Denver, Colo.
Lisa Sackuvich, ARJ Infusion Services, Lenexa, Kan.
Diane Medley, MCM LLP, Louisville, Ky.
Noreen King, Evolve Manufacturing Technologies, Inc., Mountain View, Calif.
Carol Hackbarth, Hackbarth Delivery Service, Mobile, Ala.
Mary K. Davenport, TransTech IT Staffing, Itasca, Ill.
Marygrace Sexton, Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company, Fort Pierce, Fla.
Jennifer Jeansonne, Eagle Consulting, LLC, Belle Chasse, La.

Winners in the “over $10 million and up to $25 Million in annual revenues” category:
Britnie Turner, Aerial Development Group, Nashville, Tenn.
Tammy Cohen, InfoMart, Inc., Marietta, Ga.
Marie Seipenko, Preferred Solutions, Northville, Mich.
Patty Comer, AccruePartners, Charlotte, N.C.
Sylvana Coche, Gravity Pro Consulting, LLC, San Clemente, Calif.
Fiona Gathright, Wellness Corporate Solutions, LLC, Bethesda, Md.
Paula Lombard, WEXCO Industries, Pine Brook, N.J.
Hetal Parikh, Rangam Consultants Inc., Somerset, N.J.
Olga Smirnova, Global Language Solutions, Irvine, Calif.
Barbara Issett, IQ Business Events, Inc., Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Sheila Benson, Employment Screening Services, Birmingham, Ala.
Lauren Herring, IMPACT Group, St. Louis, Mo.
Joy E. Taylor, TayganPoint Consulting Group, LLC, Lambertville, N.J.
Deborah C. Weaver, Midwest Litigation Services, St. Louis, Mo.
Claudia Mirza, Elahi Enterprises, Inc., dba, Akorbi, Plano, TX
Marilyn Grabowski, AtlanticInfra, Wall, N.J.
Mary Miller, JANCOA Janitorial Services, Inc., Cincinnati, OH
Angela Lee, The Happy Point Resto Group, Chicago, Ill.
Diana Harbour, The Red Dress Boutique, Athens, Ga.
Natalie McDonald, Create NYC, New York, N.Y.

Winners in the “over $5 million and up to $10 Million in annual revenues” category:
Jean Thompson, Seattle Chocolate Company, Seattle, Wash.
Carol Fitzgerald, Buzzback LLC, New York, N.Y.
Mandy Gilbert, Creative Niche Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Tabatha Turman, Integrated Finance & Accounting Solutions, LLC, Woodbridge, Va.
Billie Bryant Schultz, CESCO, Inc., Dallas, TX
Carolyn Williams Francis, Williams Interior Designs, Inc., Columbus, OH
Victoria L. Vasques, Tribal Tech, LLC, Alexandria, Va.
Brooke Partridge, Vital Wave, Palo Alto, Calif.
Lisa Rosenthal, The Mayvin Consulting Group, Inc., Alexandria, Va.
Carla Percy, The Mayvin Consulting Group, Inc., Alexandria, Va.
Teresa Sherald, Diversity Search Group, Columbus, OH
Stacy D. Phillips, Phillips Lerner, A Law Coroporation, Los Angeles, Calif.
Susan Gilbert, APOGEE Interactive, Inc., Tucker, Ga.
Ellen Dickson, Bailey Edward Design, Inc., Chicago, Ill.
Sue Bennett, Bennett Design Associates, Inc., Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada
Mashell Carissimi, JMC Electrical Contractor, LLC, Saint Clair Shores, Mich.

Winners in the “over $2 million and up to $5 million in annual revenues” category:
CJ Stafford, Stafford Communications Group, Inc., New Providence, N.J.
Jennah Purk, CPA, MST, Purk & Associates, P.C., St. Louis, Mo.
Eugenia Rangel Vera, Tabiques y Acabados de Ceramica SA de C.V., Juarez, Mexico
Crystal Arlington, Affiliated Grounds Maintenance Group, Inc., Erie, Pa.
Melissa Lackey, Standing Partnership, St. Louis, Mo.
Heidi Krupp, Krupp Communications, New York, N.Y.
Melanie Querry, Beyond Spots & Dots, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Ania Rodriguez, Key Lime Interactive, Doral, Fla.
Emily Merson, Global Experiences, Annapolis, Md.
Kathy Palokoff, Firestarter, Baltimore, Md.
Dorothy Botsi-Tulare, Botho Ubuntu Cleaning, Johannesburg, South Africa
Delois Babiker, Intellectual Concepts, LLC, Atlanta, Ga.
Reginalea Sturns-Kemp, Kemp & Sons General Services, Fort Worth, TX
Gabriela Leon Gutierrez, Gresmex, Naucalpan City, Mexico
Tanya Little, Hart Advisors Group, LLC, Dallas, TX
Jane Sydlowski, AMI Strategies, Livonia, Mich.
Ann K. Luciani, First Capital Engineering, York, Pa.

Winners in the “over $1 million and up to $2 million in annual revenues” category:
Linda A. Fanaras, Millennium Integrated Marketing, Manchester, N.H.
Adie Horowitz, Licenders, New York, N.Y.
Debbie Oberbillig, Allen Partners, Inc., Seattle, Wash.
Melinda Maine Garvey, AW Media, Austin, TX
Susan L. Dawson, Waltz, Palmer & Dawson, LLC, Rolling Meadows, Ill.
Charmane H. Sellers, ALEON Properties, Inc., Austin, TX
Diana Peters, Symbol Training Institute, Skokie, Ill.
Francine Friedman Griesing, Griesing Law, LLC, Philadelphia, Pa.
Dr. Angela Marshall, Comprehensive Women’s Health, Inc., Silver Spring, Md.
Moira Vetter, Modo Modo Agency, Atlanta, Ga.

Winners in the “up to $1 million in annual revenues” category:
Rashi Bajaj, Carpet Couture by Rashi, New Delhi, India
Marla Rausch, Animation Vertigo, Irvine, Calif.
Latoya Bullard-Franklin, The Bulsard Group, LLC, Houston, TX
Deborah K. Delaney, Touching Lives Adult Day Services, Savage, Minn.
Kathy Kamei, Kathy Kamei Designs, Kentfield, Calif.
Tena Z. Payne, Earthborn Studios, Inc., Leeds, Ala.
Maria Teresa Cepeda Casasus, Imaging Supplies de Mexico SA, Mexico City, Mexico
Jeri J. Brooks, One World Strategy Group, LLC, Houston, TX
Dr. Marlene N. Mahipat, Mediquest, LLC, Randallstown, Md.
Kelly Ehlers, Evoke Brands, Inc., Madison, Wis.
Dana Marlowe, Accessibility Partners, Silver Spring, Md.
Elaine Gordon, Gordon ADR, LLC, Westbrook, Conn.
Chandra Moore, coG-studio, Detroit, Mich.
Sheila Stenhouse Lee, Sheila Lee & Associates, LLC, Baltimore, Md.
Sandra Sassow, SEaB Energy Limited, Southhampton, United Kingdom
Yaneek Page, Future Services International, Kingston, Jamaica
Sandy Riser, SwanRise Productions and The Next Level Business Solutions, Tucson, Ariz.

Women receiving honorable mention:
Hima Kolanagireddy, ASCII Group, LLC, Farmington, Mic.
Catherine M. Tojaga, CT Mechanical, Lombard, Ill.
Simona Faroni, G.S. Gelato and Desserts, Fort Walton Beach, Fla.
Juliet Shrader, iVantage Group, Brighton, Mic.
Loni Mouton, Access Land & Title Services, Inc., Metairie, La.
Christine Lotze, Philosophy IB, LLP, Florham Park, N.J.
Deborah Wooldridge, DW Training and Development, Inc., Carlsbad, Calif.
Debbie Drury, Market Doctors, Dickinson, TX
Rashi A. Khosla, MARS IT Corp., Wauwatosa, WI
Danielle Hughes, Divine Capital Markets LLC, New York, N.Y.
Megan Buzzetta, Global Planners, Inc., Hamilton, N.J.
Joaneane A. Smith, Global Commerce and Services, LLC, Harvey, La.
Barbara Wichmann, ARTEMIA Communications, Inc., San Francisco, Calif.
Christy Lamagna, Strategic Meetings & Events, Bernardsville, N.J.
Robin Franks, TGE Resources, Inc., Houston, TX
Cindi Shelby, R Meyers, Nichols Hills, Okla.
Shari Yocum, Tasman Consulting, LLC, San Francisco, Calif.
Connie Golleher, The Golleher Group, LLC, McLean, Va.
Twyla N. Garrett, IME, Washington, DC
Vandana Mehrotra, Meteonic Innovation Pvt Ltd., Bangalore, India
Susan Munro, Hybrid Edit, Marina del Rey, Calif.
Stacy Francis, Francis Financial, New York, N.Y.
Patricia Vice, CRM, FAI, CRM & Associates, Inc., Houston, TX
Sassa Akervall, Akervall Technologies Inc., Saline, Mich.
Julianne Erhart-Graves, Worley Erhart-Graves Financial Advisors, Inc., Indianapolis, Ind.
Sandy Wyman, Tidestone Solutions, Portland, ME
Shelly Aberson, Aberson Narotzky & White, Inc., Kenilworth, N.J.
Joyce Brocaglia, Alta Associates and the Executive Women’s Forum, Flemington, N.J.
Hilary Kaye, HKA, Inc. Marketing Communications, Tustin, Calif.
Lisa Fairclough, Fairclough Realtors and Property Managers (Lisa Fairclough Enterprises), Sparta, N.J.
Johnette Van Eeden, Star Wellness, Euless, TX
Andrea Mason, barre3, Oklahoma City, Okla.
Carrie Brewer Martinez, CM Productions, Inc., Dallas, TX
Karin Caro, BluChip Marketing, Smithtown, N.Y.
Carrie Rich, The Global Good Fund, Arlington, Va.
Heather Howell, Rooibee Red Tea, Louisville, Ky.
Madeline Ann Lewis, PhD, Executive Women’s Success Institute, Upper Marlboro, Md.
Heather Anne Sams, HAS Art Solutions, Jacksonville, Fla.
Natasha Pongonis, Nativa, a Multicultural Communications Agency, Columbus, OH
Sharon W. Reynolds, DevMar Products, LLC, Nashville, Tenn.
Kristin Carrington, Carrington Risk Consulting, LLC, Ft. Myers Beach, Fla.
Susan McCormick, M.S., The Wellness Connection, LLC, Stone Ridge, Va.
Della Simpson, Relan, Mendota Heights, Minn.
Memuna Williams, Avantgarde Translations, Charlotte, N.C.
Jacqueline E. Muller, 3DOM (Asia Pacific) Ltd., Hong Kong
Moni Singh, STEM For Kids, Raleigh, N.C.

The 2015 Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration and Conference will bring together dynamic women business owners from North America and around the world for two full days of top-notch workshops, networking opportunities, corporate sponsor exhibits, and awards presentations. The celebration will shine the spotlight on award winners and finalists, with award presentations at the Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Gala Dinner. During the annual “Hall of Fame Luncheon,” one woman entrepreneur will be inducted into the Enterprising Women Hall of Fame, an outstanding nonprofit will receive the 2015 Advocacy Award, and two women will be recognized with the 2015 Legacy Award.

The event is open to winners and finalists of the Enterprising Women of the Year Award, corporate supporters, members of the Enterprising Women Advisory Board, VIPs in the women’s business community, readers of Enterprising Women magazine, and members of the many partner organizations affiliated with Enterprising Women.

Partner organizations represented on the Enterprising Women Advisory Board and supporting the 2015 event include:
The Women Presidents’ Organization (WPO)
Women Impacting Public Policy (WIPP)
Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)
National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC)
Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW)
The Global Initiative for Women’s Entrepreneurship Research
Women’s Business Development Center (WBDC)
Quantum Leaps
Springboard Enterprise
UnitedSucces
Small Business & Entrepreneurship Council (SBEC)/Women Entrepreneurs Inc. (WE)
Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence
Women’s Leadership Exchange
The International Alliance for Women (TIAW)
Asian Women in Business (AWIB)
eWomenNetwork (EWN)
Association of Women’s Business Centers (AWBC)
National Association of Women REO Brokerages (NAWRB)

QUOTES:
“When this awards program began 13 years ago, there were only a handful of nominees in what was then the highest revenue category – over $10 million in annual revenues. This growth reflects the fact that more women are scaling their businesses to the $100 million plus level. The Enterprising Women of the Year Award has grown each year in prestige and stature so women entrepreneurs at all levels want to be recognized with this award for the great work they are doing. We could not be more proud of the outstanding women who make up the Enterprising Women Class of 2015,” Smiley said.

DETAILS:
- For more information or to register to attend the 2015 Enterprising Women of the Year Awards Celebration and Conference, visit http://enterprisingwomen.com.

NEW MEDIA CONTENT:
Enterprising Women Facebook Page:
https://facebook.com/EnterprisingWomen

Enterprising Women Twitter Page:
https://twitter.com/EWMagazine

Enterprising Women LinkedIn Page:
http://linkedin.com/groups/Enterprising-Women-Magazine-4470189

ABOUT ENTERPRISING WOMEN MAGAZINE:
Enterprising Women, with headquarters in Cary, North Carolina, is the nation’s only women-owned magazine published exclusively for women business owners that chronicles the growing political, economic and social influence and power of entrepreneurial women. The magazine provides a friendly meeting place, a public forum and a national stage for the critical issues confronting women’s businesses and daily lives from the unique perspectives and experiences of entrepreneurial women. Published in both print and digital editions, the online edition of the magazine reaches nearly one million readers in 185 countries. For more information, please visit http://enterprisingwomen.com or call (919) 362-1551.

Ferguson - Too Little, Too Late?

What can I say about the events last night in Ferguson, Missouri? I've watched the news this morning and from a Homeland Security perspective- it was a disaster. With all the time and preparation going into giving people the right to protest and to protect the community- all I am left with is a big question mark as to what happened?!

So far, we have 61 people arrested and several cars and businesses burnt to the ground. Is this how we protest in the country? Is this how we navigate and implement security measures? Is this violence how we promote a message of peace and further movements to justice? No! It isn't what one says that matters in these types of situations. Instead, it is how one says it! If the police stood calm and had a great plan in place- like being stationed across the city and in front of different businesses- I truly believe less structures would be burned this morning. The same goes for the protestors. If they stood together in silence- like here in Washington, D.C.- more would have been spoken through the silence and stillness.

We have a lot to learn about communication within individual and security platforms. I'm sad today on so many levels and hope- going forward- we can learn from last night's events.

Twyla N. Garrett

Homeland Security and Feguson.....

Pictures of Homeland Security officers are causing a stir and raising questions whether the Feds will be on the ground in Ferguson after the Grand Jury decision is announced. According to TacticalGear.com, Federal Protective Services has been spending money with them, providing proof of recent transactions for police gear by officers in town from Washington DC. As I write this blog, there has been an announcement that the verdict is in as to if a manslaughter charge is going up (or not) against the copy who fatally shot Michael Brown and the media is feeding the feeling of impeding chaos in the air. But is Homeland Security's presence really needed?

In my opinion, the answer is 'yes'! Anytime you have a group of people that have reason to be heated or outraged, the public's safety becomes an automated priority. I'm not saying that I agree or disagree with any decisions or actions on either side of the fence. My concern is for the city and the safety of both law enforcement and the citizens. This said, Homeland Security has to help provide a plan to local law enforcement because they can become a target regardless of the verdict! And the same goes for ordinary people who live, shop and work in the surrounding neighborhoods!

There is no doubt in my mind that today is going to continue to be an emotional day for many. There are several apparent and underlining issues feeding the heartbreak of the Ferguson community. The Department of Homeland Security may or may not be directly involved with boots on the ground service, but the do have an obligation to offer securities training and resources - if requested. For those of you who read my prior blog about the Vet who was fired for snapping a picture of the DHS's cars in a local hotel- you know that I am of the belief that we need to let these men and women do their jobs and keep us safe.

So, as we head into the evening seeking an answer as to what the decision is, I remain hopeful that the right thing will be done and that the peace will be kept.

Twyla N. Garrett of IME

3 Ways to Get Rich Quick, Yes... Really!

There is a story trending on the internet today regarding getting rick quick. This story notes nine fail-safe ways to boom your business. I read the tips. While I wish I could endorse them, I simply can't. There is no way to beat hard work and years of failures and successes to develop wealth, unless you win the lotto!

However, if you want to become rich, consider some of the following traits;

1. Did you have it tough as a child? Yes, adversity can create wealth. People who have had to survive and thrive in unlivable environment tend to make the most money in this world. If this is you, don't think of yourself as defeated. Think of your background as a competitive edge. It has provided you with the stamina to see things through, especially though situation!

2. Do what you love. People who invest in business they're not invested in usually limit how much money they can make. If you do something you love, the chances of success greatly improve.

3. Live poor. Two thirds of America's millionaires are self-employed. They didn't have anything handed to them. They continue to grow their business because they live below their means and invest their profits back into their passion. In other words, they're not making it rain every Friday night at the club. Be discreet with the money you do have and live as if you're broke!

While I hate to say there is no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, it's true. However, you can grow your own rainbow and fill up your own pot with gold, it just takes work.

Twyla

3 Good Steps To Start A Business.

Starting a business can be as simple as 1, 2, 3. Here are the basics tips to get started with a business.

1. Don't give up. Too many business owners will get frustrated within the first year. Things will go wrong, you will spend more than expected, you will deal with employees and clients whom aren't honest. Don't let all of this detour you. Stay in the game.

2. Don't take out loans you can't pay back. If you need to get creative with financing, do so. If you need to pay yourself 1/2 of what you were paid working for another employer, do so. If you have to get a second job, do it. Don't, however, take our high interest loans that will doom your business.

3. Don't copy someone else's business plan. Too often I see people download a business template online or use a friend's template. Each business is unique to their owners specific goals and circumstances. You can't mirror someone else's plan so don't try to do this.

If you don't give up, stay away from high interest loans, and remain unique- your business has a fighting chance.

Until next time,
Twyla

My Personal Website is Up!

I'm so pleased to announce that my personal website is up. You can find it at AuthorTwylaGarrett.com or HireACorporateSpeaker.com

This website is offering a free webinar for people who want my business advice. The webinar will take place in July and you can sign up now via the website. Also, if you're looking for more information about me, my companies, my speaking programs and/or personal coaching, the website offers a lot of information that can answer all of your questions!

I look forward to talking with all of you at the webinar.

Twyla