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Added by Veronique Topping
Guest Post
Kelly Watson
Women Wise Marketing
War language has been dominating business—and making women uncomfortable—for a long time. We’re not sissies. It’s just that most of us don’t relate to language that talks about making a killing and blowing away the competition and all the other war clichés used in marketing.
I admit: I’ve been guilty of this in the past. I’ve injected my marketing with phrases like “secret weapon” and “battle for the wallets” in hopes that it would make the offer more compelling.
I can’t say it’s done me much good. And in an article by Danny G of AdColumnist, it may even be turning off potential clients. He writes:
“Simply put, you can’t use the language of war or criminal behavior and expect people to like you. … Am I overreacting? Is it okay to embrace war language? After all, they’re just figures of speech, right? Wrong. It’s too easy to use war as a metaphor for business. It gives everything a false sense of urgency; it implies that in every business decision there are outright victors and losers.”
No wonder women in business are turned off by sales and marketing. We think in terms of creating relationships. We prefer it if everybody’s happy in the end. So this talk of winners and losers doesn’t click with us.
What’s worse: because the tone of most marketing conflicts with their beliefs, many women start to feel that all marketing is pushy or aggressive. And then some women business owners start avoiding marketing altogether. Not a good idea if you want to be successful.
Just because most marketing techniques are male-oriented doesn’t mean YOUR marketing has to be that way. Women are great at building relationships, and can excel at marketing on social networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn. There, entrepreneurs can promote their business simply by connecting with potential customers.
You might also find it helpful to change the way you talk about marketing. In her book Testosterone-Free Marketing, marketing consultant Denise Michaels offers some advice on this topic:
“Women generally do not regard people as targets. Are we shooting to kill or providing customers with a benefit? People who buy from me are my ‘focus market.’ I attract my customers, entice them with what they want and embrace them when they become customers. A more gentle approach, wouldn’t you say?”
Similarly, you can refer to your competition as colleagues, then work with them to get a bigger market share. This kind of talk might not come naturally at first, but over time, it could reshape the way you view marketing.
Kelly Watson is a freelance marketing coach and the founder of Womenwise Marketing, a web site full of free marketing tips and other business resources exclusively for women. Visit the Womenwise Marketing blog and subscribe to Kelly's free bimonthly podcast at WomenWiseMarketing.com.
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Saturday
June 6, 2009 at 7am to September 1, 2009 at 8:30am – Harlem Office Building
Harlem Business Networking International (BNI) Cordially invites you to be our guest at our next networking breakfast onTuesday, June 9, 2009 at 7:00 am. Come out and meet the members of Harlem BNI...
Organized by Eula M. Young, COO | Type: networking
Wednesday
July 15, 2009 from 6pm to 8pm – Sovereign Bank
You’ve got a great business. Phone’s ringing off the hook. Customers are placing orders despite the economic downturn. But somehow cash is still slow to come in. What are you doing wrong? We’ve gat...
Organized by National Association of Women Business Owners - NYC | Type: business workshop
Suze Orman, Personal Finance Guru; Jillian Michaels, Celebrity Personal Trainer and Star of The Biggest Loser; and Tyra Banks, Supermodel and Talk Show Host to speak at the First Annual Women Empow...
Tagged: Summit, Empowering
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Recession Times are hard, but we hold strong Maintain and will not give up We are Americans, and Foreigners of all sorts Living in this great US of A Other countries are fighting for their lives ...
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The Women's Venture Fund, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that targets women entrepreneurs in under-served urban communities. As a multi-service micro-lender, the Women's Venture Fund, Inc. a...
Started by Veronique Topping in Business Resources. Last reply by Veronique Topping Mar 8.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 24, 2009 CONTACT: Eula M. Young, COO 212-281-2286 eula@griotsrollproduction.com www Business Networking International (BNI) is looking for Substitutes for its Harlem ...
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BUSINESS OWNER RESOURCES




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Credibility. Authority. Every business owner knows the value of being perceived as an expert, the go-to source when people think about your product or service. But, getting found as the expert in today’s market, with all of the market noise, is the challenge. ExpertClick helps you overcome this challenge by placing you in front of journalists for media interviews.
The site and service is designed for the business owner who does not have time for more elaborate or money for moreRead More
BlogRank is a new ranking system for blogs. You really should check it out.
BlogRank dynamically ranks blogs in a wide variety of categories. Here is a small sample of the categories:
The sheer number of categories and blogs is impressive. Data is collected on about 20,000 blogs, although not all of those blogs appear in the rankings.
And of course there’s a category for small business blogs. And that’s good, because Small Business Trends is currently rankedRead More

In additional to cartooning, I’m also a stay-at-home dad to my two young children. This means I read a lot of children’s books. In fact, I read so many that I can rattle off rather lengthy impromptu Seuss-like verse on almost any subject. (Fun at parties!)
Mother Goose is especially great for cartoon inspiration because it’s something that everyone gets right away. You just have to say “Hey diddle diddle,” and not only does everyone fill in the rest, but youRead More
Some businesses try to encourage early payments from customers by offering what are known as trade terms. Typical trade terms might be 1/10/30. Those terms mean that the buyer gets a 1% discount if paying within 10 days, and the balance is due in 30 days from the date of the invoice.
Sounds simple enough, right?

But I wanted to know if trade terms work in the real world, especially from the point of view of the company extending the trade terms. Read More
The Straight Skinny on When to Offer Early Payment Discounts
Facebook has come a long way since its inception. No longer just a site for college kids, Facebook has created some amazing advertising opportunities for SMB owners to take advantage of. And those opportunities have become even more powerful with the creation of Facebook Fan pages.
Facebook Fan pages allow you to officially represent your business on Facebook. You get to give your “fans” and customers a unified place to hold conversations about you, to get updates on what you’re doing, interactRead More
Welcome to July, folks. We’re now officially knee deep in summer. That means along with the BBQs and sunburns, you’re probably also facing sluggish sales and a loss of in store face time with customers. As happens every year, warmer weather means people are spending more time at the beach and less time making heavy buying decisions. It’s the summer lull and there’s nothing you can do to combat it.
Or is there?
As an employee, I always loved summers in businessRead More
Not so long ago, Yelp received quite a bit of attention when they began allowing business owners to respond to reviews left on the site. It was something SMB owners and others had been salivating for. And for good reason. Review sites and local search have changed the way your customers are discovering you and helping them make important purchasing decisions. If your company is who your customers say it is, then these online reviews play a pretty crucial part inRead More
It’s easy to watch someone else get all the glory. All you have to do is stand and listen. But if you’re an entrepreneur who craves media attention, you may ask yourself, “Why isn’t that me in front of the camera?”
Molding your business into an industry and media darling takes time and planning. If you truly want free publicity, it’s up to you to start and maintain the process of becoming an industry leader. Here are three painless steps toRead More
So you have a product or service that you think is the greatest thing yet. You believe that people should really want it. And they will as long as you do a good job of explaining why. You think that sales is persuading and convincing.
Sales is really about matching your product or service with someone else’s needs. It’s not about trying to fit your product or service into their world, or about convincing them that they should have your productRead More
People sometimes use the terms “credit card” and “charge card” interchangeably. However, they are different animals, and their differences should be clearly understood by any business owner searching for new credit.
Let’s look at some key needs/features that a small business owner might desire when seeking credit, and see whether credit cards or charge cards are best able to meet those needs. There is almost always a trade-off, so think hard about your business requirements to determine which is right forRead More
There is something we are not hearing enough of when we turn on the news at night – stories of small business owners who are not only holding their own through this economic downturn, but also making huge strides to branch out or grow their businesses. The most successful business owners among us don’t take their cues from surveys that say consumers aren't spending, and optimism for business growth is down. After spending several days at NAWBO in Chicago one thing is clear - Some of the most determined entrepreneurs and business owners in our midst are women. They see dreams as goals with deadlines, and will not let the economy stifle their dreams. The theme at this year's conference was ‘Power Your Dream’. A more practical interpretation might be ‘Find the answers to grow your business and meet your goals even when it appears the world is not on your side’.
Marion Hook owns the Adobe Rose Inn Bed and Breakfast in Tucson, Arizona. Her story is such a rich example of what small business entrepreneurs face in a variety of industries. For one, she is feeling the impact of the economy. The hospitality industry has seen a decline in business of about 35%, but The Adobe Rose Inn is down just 12%. How has Marion done it? She’s always known her loyal customers, and has always put them first. Weekenders who came to know the Adobe Rose Inn as ‘the’ place to stay during college football season were always given first priority. Now that tourism is down, and patrons might skimp on the luxuries of her B and B for a cheaper alternative, she still has the weekenders booking weeks in advance.
But it’s not just the convenient parking that comes with the room that gives the inn an advantage. The Adobe Rose Scones have always been met with rave reviews. In fact it’s those scones that give Marion’s story another layer of interest and inspiration. This past year she decided it was time to enter the food industry and take her scones to market. She could use the brand recognition of her inn to sell her scones, and in turn foodies who discover her product would learn about The Adobe Rose Inn. She admitting there’s more to it than she ever imagined, she also takes pride in the headway she’s made. Her scones are now in her local Whole Foods store, more proof that Whole Foods and their commitment to buy local means great opportunities for ‘home’ bakers. Now she faces the challenges of reaching a larger market, both the cost of ramping up production and navigating the world of marketing. As we know, small business owners don’t have the big bucks to gain national recognition through traditional and costly marketing strategies. And that is why she is here - to find a plan that will take her to the next level. At NAWBO there is no question too small, and no one unwilling to offer guidance. There’s no better formula for success – an entrepreneur not afraid to ask for help, and an organization who is always there to lend a helping hand. Pass the butter!
The annual Internet Retailer conference has wrapped up for 2009, and SBTV.com was there in Boston to assess both the tone and turnout. The internet retail economy has been considered a bright spot in this recession. As consumers have sought to find discounts they have gone on-line to use price comparison sites, and find quality overstock or used goods. But are e-tailers thriving or just surviving? And are the hopeful they will be positioned to grow their companies to the next level?
The short of it is this, some are holding their own, while others are seeing lots of green. In general it is an area of growth as other retail outlets contract. Everyone seems confident that when the economy turns around e-tailing will be bigger than ever and here to stay. The companies that grow their inventory, and improve their systems for dealing with customer inquiries and complaints, and learn to properly use social media for marketing will be ready to face the future. In fact, an increase in on-line retailers has led to an increase in the number of companies offering services that will help with growth through marketing, sales, and customer service. We saw one company offering outsource call center services, while another touted lower cost shipping services to Canada and other foreign markets. In general U.S. companies have not aggressively sought to reach even the Canadian market because of the high cost of shipping.
In terms of turnout, we can’t deny that turnout was down. However, one company that provides a hi-tech product for invoicing told us while they were seeing fewer people inquiring about their product, those who did stop by knew exactly what they were looking for. They were shopping around for the best option, and trying to figure out the best time to make the investment. In years past a lot of people showed up at the event thinking they too could jump on the e-tail bandwagon without even having a business plan first. In this economy only the lean and mean companies intent on growing their businesses, or the serious and savvy entrepreneur, seem willing to spend the money and time to attend. In the end many of the companies on the showroom floor were happy to talk with fewer people who were clearly more likely to bring them future business. A good analogy might be real estate. An agent would rather not show the house 100 times to curious lookers, when their time is better spent giving extended tours to 10 buyers who are pre-qualified, have the money down, and really want to live in that neighborhood.
This year there was also a greater spirit of sole entrepreneurship. More individuals with a passion for certain products are finding a place on-line, and are able to compete with the bigger companies because of services that help them develop relationships with suppliers and manufacturers. Alibaba.com took up space at the center of the showroom floor, and was a first stop for many sole entrepreneurs looking to start or grow their businesses. Taj Izhar works out of his home office in Princeton, NJ and runs two sites – www.safarijeweleryshop.com, and www.organicteacafe.com He’s doing business in a competitive landscape and feeling his price points just can’t match or compete with the larger sites on-line that offer the same products. At the same time he wants to find those products that consumers can’t find anywhere else. He, like so many other e-tailers here, sought out Alibaba.com as he looks for ways to find suppliers with competitive pricing. As Alibaba.com grows so does their reputation for helping business owners like Taj Izhar. Todd McCartney sells promotional goods to some of the major airlines. He was able to compete with larger companies and bring his costs down by 300 percent after finding a foreign supplier through Alibaba.com.
There is an interesting observation from e-tailers this year that also makes for a good closing thought. This industry was born out of the boom economy of the last 7 years, and has now become the most immune to going bust. In fact internet retailing might help us get back on our feet a little sooner.
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