PR Basics....

Love or hate Donald Trump- there is no doubt in my mind that you know who he is. Why do you know who he is? Really, think about this. He inserts himself in the middle of the media on the constant. Behind his brand is a company that has had more failures than Elizabeth Taylor had marriages. So, why is Mr. Trump considered media relevant? Because he says so.... yes, this is the reason.

If you don't have an aggressive publicity plan, you need one. Here are some basic tips to get you started;

1. Say what is on your mind... all the time. Don't wait for the media to come to you. Instead, start a YouTube channel. Once a week make a video post commenting on the most trending story of the week. Put your personal spin on it. Go ahead, have an opinion. Trump does and it doesn't prevent him from being in the media- in fact, it helps him get rebooked. Political correctness isn't for the media savvy.

2. Prepare to have enemies... and then engage with them. Yes, talk to your enemies on social media. Keep your cool but stay consistent. The media loves to comment on public fights... don't shy away from the enemies you're going to make giving your opinion.

3. Be charitable. I say this for a million reasons plus one. There are many benefits when it comes to giving back. And, your company's reputation can't be hurt by giving a little or a lot!

Until next time,

Twyla Garrett

Failure.... Why It's Great for You!

I have a series of books coming up regarding the topic of failure. People are so afraid of failing. They are concerned what other people may think of them. Really, failure is a beautiful thing. Failure allows for growth. Personally and professionally- having a failure is needed to expand and increase profits. That's right- you really do have to learn from your mistakes.

Failure makes you become a patient person. You have to learn patience when you fail, which is a needed lesson in today's quick-to-act social media culture. Not everything needs an answer NOW!

Failure also grounds who you are. Your job is not all that you are. Most people believe this. It isn't true. You are not one sided. Failure allows you to push yourself forward and enhances the creative process. Without failure, you are only your job. With failure, your possibilities are endless.

If you're not seeing my point here- you have never failed in life or in business. It will happen. Just make sure failure doesn't defeat you when it happens. Oh yeah, failure teaches persistence!

Twyla

Essentials for the Virtual Office

More people are working from home or running their businesses out of their homes. It seems easy, it's not. At home you have more distractions. You're easily tempted to take an early lunch, chat up the mailman or watch Dr. Oz! If you create the perfect virtual office, you're more likely to stay on schedule.

1. Hire a virtual assistant. You can't do everything all of the time. You will need this assistant, especially as you grow. Even if you work for someone else, the virtual assistant can be your dirty little secret to staying on task and focus. I like this website (AskSunday) because the assistants work and are affordable. How affordable? Prices start at $130 a month! http://www.asksunday.com/services

2. A dedicated virtual office phone. You don't want one of your kids grabbing your business phone, right? I really enjoy the services of Grasshopper. Here's the link. http://www2.grasshopper.com/

Why I like Grasshopper;
A. Call forwarding to mobile phones - work from anywhere
B. Voicemails via email
C. $12.00 a month!

3. Obtain a professional mailing address. You don't want clients to think the packages they sent to you are sitting around on the dining table, do you? Even if this is the case, presentation is everything! I like Virtual Post Mail. Here's the link: http://www.virtualpostmail.com/tour/online-mailbox

This service collects your mail for you, allows you to preview it via email (great for those who travel often), and forwards the mail to your home address. The address is not a PO Box, which looks great on any business card or website. Pricing starts at $5.00 per month.

These are the basics for starting a virtual office. If you have more questions, or need recommendations, please get a hold of me via Twitter.

Happy Friday & I'll talk with you again on Monday!

Twyla

Self-Sabotage- How Ugly It Can Be!

Have you ever met someone who has all the opportunity in the world- who also self-sabotages? It happens often. I've know very smart people who are on the brink of making it big- and then a scandal happens or they find a way to crush the opportunity. Have you ever been the victim of self-sabotage? Yes, I said victim because there are people out there who make a decision to self-sabotage themselves without knowing it.

Mike Tyson's interview today on the Today Show show how someone can be so accomplished, yet still self-sabotage them self. I've posted it below in case you missed it. The interview truly is an amazing example of self-sabotage being identified.

Here is how to over come self-sabotaging behavior.

1. Ask yourself if you feel motivated. If no, ask yourself why. Write these answers down.

2. Identify why you're not accomplishing anything based on the answers you wrote.

3. Ask yourself if the reasons why you're not accomplishing anything are really true or just assumptions. Ask yourself if you've tried to overcome these feelings or beliefs in the past.

Stop believing your own lies. Your internal dialogue isn't always right. If you feel unmotivated or are not making enough money, it isn't because they money isn't there or the opportunities aren't coming your way. No, other people are making money right now and there are always opportunities. You have to identify what your self-sabotage thinking is. Address what is fact and separate what is fiction. After you make these distinctions, you can develop a step-by-step plan to get yourself back on track.

It's never easy overcoming self-esteem issues, which is really why people self-sabotage. I've had to do it. My mom was very abusive to me. In fact, she told me I wouldn't amount to shit. Learn from your past. Identify when you are setting yourself up for failure. Move forward.

Twyla

3 Ways You're Failing Customers

It happens. We get busy with how to run the business, growing a business, developing our brand, etc. that we forget why we are in business- our customers. I'm listing three ways to tell if you've lost sigh of your customers' needs. If so, ask yourself what you can do to correct the situation at hand.

1. You half-ass tasks. Sorry to be so blunt, but it is true. If you perform at your highest level upon first signing a client, but months or years later you could care less if the product/service is amazing or of quality then you've lost focused and are denying your customer what he or she is entitled to.

2. You believe the customer is always right. Um, no. The customer may think he or she is always right, but they're not. You wouldn't sell a standard kitchen oven to someone who wanted to open a bakery would you? No, of course not. If you see a client making a mistake and you don't step in- you're failing that customer.

3. You avoid the evil client. If you ditch a client because he or she is too demanding than you might not be up for the challenge of expansion. Try your best to handle evil clients and resolve inner-conflicts before giving this type of customer the boot.

Dealing with customers isn't always easy. You are not going to have easy clients in life. There will be difficult clients and situations. Remember these three tips and make sure the problem isn't you.

Twyla

Sending an Impressive Email

I received a question yesterday about email. The person wanted to know how to send a business pitch via email. My first question was "why email?" The response explained how this person couldn't get the decision maker on the phone. Yes, this scenario does present a challenge. Inspired, I decided to jot down a couple of tips on how to write an impressive email. I hope this helps!

Step 1: Get to the point. If your email borders beyond two paragraphs - it is to long for an introductory email. In fact, ideally you want to keep the email within a paragraph. Be direct and don't go on and on and on and on about yourself. Explain what you need, why you need it, and how the other person can problem solve and/or benefit.

Step 2: Write to one person at a time. The mass email is impersonal and unprofessional. Yes, you are going to have to cut and paste the body of the main email and then write each person's name as the introductory at the top of the emails.

Step 3: Your subject line is an ad. Keep it simple, compelling and make it scream "open me first!" People tend to browse their emails early in the morning. They usually open what looks important first and will wait until the end of the day, if not tomorrow, to open up the other non-important emails. Write a clever subject line for your email.

There is no secret to getting past the cold call or cold email. However, these three simple steps can improve your chances!

Until next time,

Twyla

Customer Service 101

I tend to blog a lot about how to grow your company and treat your employees. Today, I want to talk about customer service. You see, customer service is a challenge- especially in today's social media society. You're not going to please all the people all of the time. The key to dealing with difficult customers is knowing how to identify a problem before it happens.

1. The customer is always right. I hate this thinking. No, the customer is NOT always right. However, the statement holds true as to what your customer is thinking- that he or she is right. So, you have to identify these know-it-alls and figure out a way to make them feel like they are right while still understanding your position. Try to view the customer's point of view, put personal feelings aside, and figure out a way to excel within the situation. Chances are that no matter what you do, this type of customer will never be happy and you will not see a piece of repeat business from him or her.

2. The negative naysayer. This type of customer resents spending his or her money in the first place. This customer wants to find, even create, problems. The easiest way to deal with this type of customer is to convey your empathy, explain you understand him or her and then redefine the terms of the purchase/contract, and finally- figure out a way to end the conversation on a positive note.

There is a lot to customer service. I'll be posting more throughout the month of September. In the meantime, happy Monday everyone!

Twyla