Debra Kasowski, Author at Debra Kasowski

9 Unconventional Ways to Showcase Your Business in the Marketplace

February 17, 2017 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

If you are running a business, you should be spending most of your time focused on sales and marketing NOT on operational functions. We tend to get caught up in the operations making sure that everything is functioning like a machine. It is easy to feel exhausted by the end of the day and then realize that you did not put in the time into your sales and marketing efforts. You need to be doing one action step every day or else you can become irrelevant quickly.

Your marketing efforts do not have to take up every waking moment. It does need to be intentional and you need to create a strategy for execution. No matter what economy you are in, people are buying and selling products and services that meet their needs. It is up to you to share why they should choose you.

Sometimes you need to put a spin on an old marketing strategy and sometimes you need to stick with the tried and true. Constantly test to see what works and what doesn’t. Ensure that you are measuring your results. What gets measured, can be managed.

Facebook Live – Allows you to interact with your audience in real time. You can make your business come alive versus people just seeing a traditional advertisement. Don’t be afraid to showcase your business by offering tips, tricks, strategies and solutions to common problems. Share milestones and celebration by allowing people to be a part of the action. Better yet, the low-cost marketing phenomenon with boost your credibility and your presence in the marketplace.

Host a Charity Event – Giving Back to the Community is one way to build your reputation as a go-giver. There is no better PR than sharing what is happening the in the community and who is – doing good!

Collaborate with Others to Cross Promote – If you are selling candles, you may want to collaborate with someone who sells bath bombs and soaps to create that “spa” experience for your customers. Discover ways to create win-win solutions.

Sponsor a Local Event – Supporting your local business mixer gives you an opportunity to take step into the spotlight. Sponsors of events of usually receive public recognition and they are advertised in the marketing of the event.

Write An Article Or Blog For Your Website. Showcase yourself and position yourself as the expert in your field and the benefits people will gain by working with you. People are always asking themselves, “What is in it for me?” ask others to share your post with their audience.

Offer an Information Night. Find a sponsor or a low-cost space where you can share information to your audience on a pressing topic. By doing so you are giving people, a way to sample your work. You building rapport and the “know, like, trust” you factor before anyone will do business with you.

Volunteer at Conferences or Networking Events. Volunteering is a great way to meet new people and learn about what your audience is involved in and doing. You can make some great connections by being a part of the team putting on the event. The community is already there for you to start connecting with people and building those relationships. It is also a great way for you to step out of your comfort zone and do something new.

Build Your Online Persona. Get known as the go to resource for information. Share your articles, blogs, and ideas. Share curated content that is relevant to audience. Don’t be afraid to comment and offer tips and valuable information when responding to comments, posts, or online forums.

Offer Testimonials or Give Provide Referrals to the People Your Do Business With. What a better way to promote your business than promoting the people you do business with. Building and nurturing relationships are important in business. There is nothing more powerful than social proof and getting results.

Thanks to creativity and innovation most of the unconventional ways to grow your business are low-cost and can make a big impact. The biggest obstacle is that you could be getting in your own way by thinking you need to follow traditional marketing and sales strategies. Sometimes all it takes is trying out something new and see where it takes you. Exposure is the way people get to know about you and your business.

DEBRA KASOWSKI, BScN CEC is an award-winning best-selling author, transformational speaker, blogger, and Certified Executive Coach. She has a heart of a teacher and is certified in Appreciative Inquiry and Emotional Intelligence. Her writing has been published in a variety of print and online magazines. Debra Kasowski International helps executives, entrepreneurs, and organizations boost their productivity, performance, and profits. It all starts with people and passion. Sign up the Success Secrets Newsletter and get your free mp3 download today! www.debrakasowski.com

Episode 71 – Leveraging Your Social Media Presence

February 16, 2017 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

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What was once believed that social media was only a trend that the “kids” were using is now considered a valuable business tool. People are making more of their buying decisions based on what they learn and see through digital media. Social media is not going away so instead of resisting and why not learn more about leveraging it for your business, organization, or brand. We are human and we have the need to be social.

In today’s podcast, I want to talk about some of the fears that people get caught up with when it comes to social media. I understand why people are fearful yet I also understand there is a way to leverage social media for your business to position yourself in the marketplace effectively.

Let’s talk about some of the fears people have:

I am NOT _________enough! Social media is changing on a daily basis and I think sometimes people get overwhelmed with trying to keep up with all of the changes. For the most part, the practice of using social media stays the same. It is too easy to say you do not know enough to use social media and use that as an excuse not to engage. If you feel you don’t know enough about how social media works, consider doing some of your own research and take a look at what other people are posting and how you may be able to leverage this opportunity. You may decide to go to a networking event where you know that there’ll be some social media marketers. They can share information to alleviate your fears. Take some time to experiment and start small. You have all the resources you need now all you have to do is tap into them – get social!

I am going to FAIL! Fear of failure is one of the biggest things holding people back from achieving success. You may be afraid to share your ideas for fear of being criticized or ridiculed if something goes wrong. Failure and mistakes are nothing more than learning experiences giving you feedback and letting you know what worked and what didn’t work. That’s it! Learn the lesson and move on. You need to have confidence in your ideas and what you stand for. When you don’t your own and believe in your ideas, how do you expect others to believe in you?

Create a strategy for yourself. Many businesses are reluctant to get into the social media game as they are not sure what to post and what times of day to post. Why not test to see if something works for a short period of time and if it doesn’t work you can change it. You can always check out what times are best by Googling it or checking out iconographic on Pinterest. When creating your strategy you want to be very clear about your intention, your why-what is the outcome that you’re hoping to achieve? What is the message that you want to share? Who is your audience? What do they do? What platforms are they spending their time on? You need to be positioned where they are. Social media is a great way to build brand loyalty and it is a cost-effective marketing tool to promote your business.

You can share some personal posts here and there so that your persona shines through but you do not have to post pictures of your dog regularly unless the dog is part of your brand or is the mascot or ambassador for your company. Think about what you post and post with intention. Random pictures should be saved for a personal profile. Give Facebook Live or Instagram Stories a try by giving life to your brand and sharing a little glimpse into your day and what you do. Video, by far, is one of the most captivating and engaging marketing tools you could be using.

I am going to be ________! Criticized, judged, or ridiculed – you fill in the blank- if I post the wrong thing or say something silly. Worse yet, I may look foolish on video. People are always going to be entitled to their opinions whether we like them or not. They see the world through their eyes. What they believe is truly none of your business; it is their opinion. You are not going to please everyone. Those people who are critical or judgmental often lack information. They may make assumptions because they may not be willing to do it themselves or see if the strategy actually works. Their thoughts and actions come out of their own fears and beliefs. If you are holding yourself back based on what others believe, you may not take the leap necessary to achieve your goals. What others believe is more about them than it is about you. If you get one negative response from someone, do not let it steal your joy from all the great things people say about you and your business.

What if you shifted your thinking to, “I am going to be positioned as an expert in my field.” “I am going to share valuable content that will boost my credibility.” See the difference! When you are using social media with the intention to captivate and add value to your customers, how can you go wrong?

Each blog post or social media post that you post leaves a digital footprint. Think about the message or the legacy you want to leave. Keep your posts positive and intentional. By leveraging social media, you are opening up the opportunity to expand your exposure activities at a low cost and reaching more people in a different way. Quit leaving money on the table – people need to know what you are doing.

We would love to have you subscribed to the Success Secrets newsletter on my website at www.debrakasowski.com where you’re going to get us free MP3 download 10 Surefire Strategies to Power Up Your Productivity and Performance. I would love to hear about this podcast has impacted your life. E-mail me at Debra@DebraKasowski.com. Thank you for listening to The Millionaire Woman Show where we talk about leadership, business, and human potential to help you live rich from the inside out. Subscribe to The Millionaire Woman Show. Share it with Your Friends. Give us a 5-star rating!

Time: 09:41 min

Keywords: brand, branding, leveraging social media, fear of failure, fear of social media, cost-effective marketing, comparison trap, target your audience, lack of confidence, confidence, strategy

Episode 70 – Picture Your Prosperity with Ellen Rogin

February 14, 2017 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

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Meet Our Guest:

Ellen Rogin is the co-author of the New York Times bestselling book: Picture Your Prosperity: Smart Money Moves to Turn Your Vision into Reality.

Ellen challenges you to look at your money through a wider lens, break through your barriers to success and think beyond the traditional approach to personal finance and prosperity. Chockfull of financial credentials – she is an MBA, CPA, and Certified Financial Planner^TM – Ellen also has deep-seated certainty of the importance of money mindset and beliefs for creating the life you desire. She built her own successful business by masterfully combining a classic business approach with innovative strategies that includes balancing values, money mindset and beliefs, big picture ideas, meditation and humor.

Ellen is also founder of the Abundance Activist® movement whose mission it is to help the world think and act more prosperously.

An expert on living a life of success and prosperity, Ellen and her work have been quoted in such national publications as The New York Times, Money, Time.com, Forbes.com, The Huffington Post, and US News and World Report. Ellen serves on the Board of Directors for Metropolitan Capital Bank in Chicago.

Episode 69 – Supercharge Your Networking Experience

February 9, 2017 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

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“Becoming well-known (at least among your prospects & connections) is the most valuable element in the connection process.”

―Jeffrey Gitomer

For some people, the thought of networking makes them sweat. Not just a little perspiration on the brow, but clammy hands and nervous pacing of the hallway wondering if they can go into the room. It can be nerve-racking meeting new people and learning what to say. Reading about it is one thing – jumping in and introducing yourself to strangers takes courage. It can be a game changer for your business or your career goals.

Isn’t it time to take charge of your networking experience and take it to a new level? You need to take consistent action. Now with social media, people can follow you and see what you’re up to and then when they meet in person the “ice” is already broken so to speak. I was emceeing an event and one of the speakers came up and started speaking to me. It was like we were long-lost friends and then I mentioned to her that it was the first time we had met. She said, “No” in disbelief. “It feels like I already know you.” It was great as it reinforces congruency in my messaging on social media.”

You can supercharge your networking experience by:

Engaging and being social online platforms where your clients hang out this is Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn and maybe even SnapChat.

Ask your prospects or clients where they network or socialize and go spend some time there. Don’t limit your thinking to specific networking events. You have the ability to connect with people at the bank, grocery store, the gym, the opera, or a conference or fundraiser. Attend industry or trade association functions.

Arrange to speak at a business Association, Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, or even a group or club in your area. Public speaking gives you credibility and put you centre stage where people can get to know you. It positions you as an expert where you can build rapport and trust quickly. Put together 1 to 3 signature speaking topics so you can showcase your knowledge and promote yourself.

Once you have a speaking engagement, ensure that you get to your speaking engagement early so you can have the opportunity to meet some of the attendees. I find that doing this, it really calms the nerves as you already have gotten to know a few people and when you speak you feel like you’re speaking directly to them. They will be pleasantly surprised that you took the time to take interest in them. At the end of your talk, invite people to come and speak with you after the talk to continue building that connection. Remember handing out your business card to everyone is like playing blackjack and it’s not invited. Hand out your business card as you really connect with people so they will remember you.

Submit articles to industry magazines or online directories. This is another great way to showcase your talents and expertise to people can get to know you more.

Check out a variety of networking and association event in your area. Make a point of intentionally connecting with 2 to 3 new people. It is a habit to gravitate to the people you know. You do not expand your network by hanging out with the same people all the time. Pick times to meet up and you may even choose to introduce who in each of you has mapped to each other. On average each person knows 250 people and each of those 250 people knows at least another 250 people- this is how your network expands.

“Networking is not a part-time or occasional exercise. Everywhere we go, we have an opportunity to network with others.”
―Timothy M. Houston

Networking can also take place on online forums, webinars, and podcasts. The sky is the limit. Make a list of networking events for the next one to two months. Ensure you have business cards. Smile! Be friendly and initiate conversation. Create strong solid connections by discovering what you may have in common with another person and find out what matters to them. Take a genuine interest in who they are and what they do. Think of ways that you may able to help support them. And don’t forget most importantly follow-up with the connections you make within the next 24 to 48 hours of the meeting. If you don’t follow up, you are not intentionally networking you are out for the social event and you could be leaving a lot of money on the table. Not only that you could be missing out on truly amazing relationships that make your life rich from the inside out.

Time: 08:18 minutes

Are You Giving Away the Farm?

February 8, 2017 by Debra Kasowski Leave a Comment

How much is too much? As a business owner and entrepreneur I have asked myself this question over and over. In my mind the voices battle it out saying, “Don’t be too salesy. You are a teacher at heart.” When it is right to sell and when is it right to educate? How much should I be sharing?

I say…give it all away!

No, I am not talking about giving away all your products and services for free!

I am saying you need to be sharing your best stuff! Your best information, tips, and techniques!

I can hear you from here…What? Has she gone mad?

No I have not gone mad!

I want to share with you what sharing your best stuff does!

Breakdown Barriers and Build Trust – As people see you interact online, read your articles or books, or hear you speak; they get to know you, your personality, and what matters to you. Ensure that you are sharing content that speaks to your core values and about what you stand for. People get to know, like, and trust you when you share content that resonates with them. It can about anything from the challenges you face whether it be creating engaging teams to your personal journey of empowering yourself at the gym. They want to know that they can trust and believe in you to do what you say you’re capable of doing. That is when they will consider working with you. Building the connection and relationship is important.

Establish Credibility – When you write articles, speak on stage, write a book, or share information with others even one on one, you are building your credibility. You are perceived as someone knowledgeable and helpful. If people implement what you share and get results, BOOM! You create loyalty. They will want to tell others about you and the VALUE you provide. You never know who you may inspire.

Extend Your Reach. Ideas are abundant. You will be continuously coming up with more awesome high value content. If your content helps people take a leap in the business or take the next step in their career and get the results they are looking for, don’t you think that they will want to share what your information, tips, and techniques have done for them? They will be champions of yours and want to share your content. The more people who have your content, the more chances your content will get shared with others. Be sharable! At some point, you may put out an offer and people may jump at the opportunity to work with you directly because they have gotten to know you and the social proof is already there.

The question comes back to selling versus educating…

It is important to meet the emotional needs of your clients by sharing information with them that will help them make an informed decision. Is that selling or educating? There is a fine line. Can you do both? Absolutely! Pay attention to how you feel in the process and take note of the body language and how your clients appears to be feeling. If you notice that they seem disinterested or they are turning their body away from you, you may have given them too much and they are overwhelmed or you are not meeting their needs. You will know if you hit one extreme or the other.

Ask questions to make sure you are on the right track in meeting their needs. Find the right balance for each conversation you have and have them coming back for more of your great content!