SCORE Client – 2010 Small Business Marketing Resolution: Attend a SCORE Seminar

A guest column from one of our SCORE clients.

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It’s a new year and the perfect time to take stock of what you do to market yourself or your business.  Signing up for a SCORE small group seminar is one way to jump-start any marketing plan.

As a self-employed public relations consultant, my work often includes writing media releases and web content that utilizes key words easily tracked by internet search engines.  The goal is to get my client’s service or product to the top of the first page results of any relevant searches.

In the past, I sometimes neglected my own company’s search engine rankings in favor of “billable work.”  It was easy to justify that decision until I participated in the SCORE small-group workshop, Get a Grip: Turning Technology into your Best Business Partner. I am happy to say that I am still using the knowledge I gained from that evening in my everyday business marketing efforts. And, when I say, everyday, I mean everyday. Not just when I am ending one assignment and looking for another or have a couple of hours of down time.

I have changed my web site blog to the very easy, self publishing Word Press. Now, when I add a new blog, I announce it via Facebook and LinkedIn to keep my own search engine rankings current and at the top of the page. And, speaking of site rankings, I now regularly take a quick check of my rankings by typing in my key words to see where I land. In addition, thanks to SCORE seminar, that little window on Google now includes my branding statement on every page.

I once heard that any business owner should spend at least one –two hours of each day marketing their product or service. It’s a lot easier when you include specifics on your daily To Do list! And, for that, I thank SCORE!

Susan Z. Weiss is an award-winning public relations expert. Susan provides media relations and professional writing services for start-ups to Fortune 500 companies – and everything in between. Susan Z. Weiss Communications delivers measurable results at reasonable rates. Clients pay for service, not administrative overhead. susan@susanweisspr.com

Comments from SCORE Chicago counseling clients

SCORE surveys clients after their initial visits.  Below is a set of comments from clients.

• Score was very helpful and I would recommend this helpful free service to anyone! Thank you for all your help!

• Extremely impressed and overwhelmed at the professionalism and execution of my experience. Thus far with Score. My experience from navigating the website, to emailing and phone conversation with counselors, to setting appointments all has been wonderful experience. Kudos to the organization.

• At first the counselor did not know exactly what I wanted but we got on the same page . thank you again.

• I had no idea what to expect from SCORE.  I found it to be one of the most valuable hours I have spent in a long time.  What a wonderful service!

• There are no easy or immediate solutions to my situation.  Hopefully, the first meeting will lead to future meetings and further discussions.

• He enlightened me to a few new ideas. He affirmed the direction I needed to follow. We covered a lot of ground in the short time we had together.  He made a few suggestions that I am considering and pointed me in the direction of S.C.O.R.E. seminars that are offered.

• He got us to think about our business from a different angle.  It was an hour well spent!

• Counselor was helpful beyond my wildest expectations. He gave me what is basically a blueprint, I just have to execute. Anything else he would have been doing the work for me. The very next day I was recommending SCORE to a friend who is interested in starting a catering business

Of course, not all comments are this positive.  For some clients, it takes more than one visit.   For help for your business, visit our web site. www.scorechicago.org

Moms In Business — Enter Competition, Maybe Get PR

Parkers Markers

Are you a mom with a business? Enter Startup Nation’s new competition and maybe get some free PR.  The Leading Moms in Business Competition is “the one and only ranking focused on those ‘can do’ moms who run families and businesses at the same time.”  Parkers Markers has entered, and so should you.  (You can vote for Parkers Markers here.)

The competition will rank the top 200 mom-run businesses across America as determined by popular vote.  It’s open to U.S.-based businesses only.

Benefits of Entering

Publicity. StartupNation will choose moms from among the finalists and create editorial feature stories about them.  “Winners of the Leading Moms in Business Ranking will be part of a very high profile list that will be published and promoted widely in traditional media such as national and local TV, radio, in newspapers and magazines, and on some of the largest, most influential websites on the web, MSN and StartupNation among them.”

Engagement. When you enter, you can post your entry on your website and mention it in emails.  This deepens your engagement with customers and prospects.  “By encouraging them to vote for you and support your quest to be a winner, you provide them with an engaging and fun way to participate in your success. This can help you create deeper loyalty and affinity, which ultimately can lead to business opportunities and increased revenue.”

Credibility. If you win, you can display their emblem on your site.  This is a point of pride and adds credibility to your business. “It’s a huge achievement to be selected from among the millions of moms in business, and your customers will recognize and respect this immediately.”

How to Enter

“To enter you must be a mom and be a majority owner of a business. You must also have a website for your business. No matter what industry, what business model, what size and stage, if you meet those three requirements, you are encouraged to enter.”

Enter here: Leading Moms in Business Competition

Selection Process

Enter by March 31, 2009.
Winners will be announced in early May, 2009.

Is it tough to be a mom with a business? Leave a comment and tell us how you do it.

by Peg Corwin

Lesson Learned: Importance of Plans and Financials

Melissa Raman Molitor with students

Business: art & soul, an art and wellness center for kids and families, located in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago.

Owners:  Sally Adler, MA, ATR-BC, LCPC, and Melissa Raman Molitor, MA, ATR-BC, LCPC

Problem: How to strengthen their business plan and prepare for loan applications and interviews

Solution: Strengthen business and marketing plans, develop cash flow statement

Results: Successful launch, children are playing/learning, revenues start

The Story Link.  Read how this happened.

SCORE Counselor Reaches Out to Hispanic Community at Erie House

While manning a booth at the Navy Pier Business Fair a few months ago, Carlos Bastidas, a volunteer counselor at SCORE Chicago, met Aurora Dawn Reinke, a consultant to Erie House, and was asked to come to brief its clients on business plan preparation.

Erie House, located on west of downtown Chicago, was founded approximately 135 ago. Today, it provides educational opportunities to the Hispanic community.

On October 21, 2008, Carlos gave a two hour presentation on business plans. Since the students were Hispanic, he spoke in Spanish.  Because the students were grouped in four teams creating plans for four different businesses, Carlos focused on planning for those specific businesses.

Even thought their plans had to be written in English, the students appreciated the Spanish language presentation.  They had the chance to hear explanations of difficult points in their native language.

Carlos returned on October 24, 2008 to share with the same students his personal experiences in the US as an immigrant.

“This was very gratifying,” said Carlos, “since I had the opportunity to convey to all of them that, with hard work and dedication, many of the barriers that we Hispanic immigrants face, due to language and culture differences, can be broken.  One day, we all can be successful beyond our imaginations.”

Because Erie House clients were so receiptive and appreciative, Carlos intends to stay connected with this organization.  He also plans to involve other SCORE counselors in future events.

“I am convinced SCORE can provide a great contribution to the people that go to the Erie House.  They have a tremendous thirst for knowledge and a desire to improve their lives,” he says.

If you would like counseling in Spanish to start or grow your business, please fill out this form and Carlos will contact you.

- Peg Corwin

Related Posts:

10 Reasons Why Small Businesses Fail: In Spanish and English

SCORE Client Gets Unexpected Extras from SCORE Counseling

What won’t a SCORE counselor do for a client? Sometimes an entrepreneur who comes to SCORE Chicago hits the jackpot. Take Twanda Mobley, who has patented and wanted to market an outside garbage can receptacle. She never expected her counselor Al Grossman would get so involved with her business launch.

Al Grossman, Charles S. Cordovano,, Twanda Mobley and Ron Kirshbaum

Hosted Focus Group

Mobley never imagined that Grossman would host her focus group. While Mobley paid for the focus group to be conducted, and for participants to attend, Grossman both sat in and coordinated the venue, using the SCORE office, running the video camera to record the event and offering coffee.

Big Box Rep Connection

And what was the likelihood that Mobley’s counselor would get her a meeting with a rep to explain how she could approach “big box” retailers? Grossman did just that. He invited  Charles S. Cordovano, President, National Distribution Sytems of West Columbia, SC to meet Mobley.  Cordovano sells to Lowes and other major retailers. The meeting lasted two hours, and Mobley got invaluable advice on how volume selling to large stores works, how they view new products and how to pitch such retailers.

So when you see Mobleys Garden Gate Garbage Can for sale at a “big box” store, you’ll know that she has a secret weapon in a SCORE counselor.

Get your own secret weapon to help your business succeed.  Set up an appointment with a SCORE counselor today.

Financial Therapy for Psychotherapy Group

Terry Hefter, of Terry Hefter Associates LLC

Business: Terry Hefter Associates LLC. 

Problem: Psychotherapy group lacked revenue growth and profits.

Solution: Review financials with counselor Mitch Morris.  Better understand profit margins and devise new marketing strategies to meet bigger revenue targets

Results:  Revenues and profits increased 14% in 2006 and again 16% in 2007. The profit percentage grew from 7.7% in 2004 to 18% in 2007.

The Story Link

Lesson Learned: Find Mentor To Help with Financials

Suzanne Nicksic of Organic Garden Co.

Business: Organic Garden, the Midwest distributor for Terra Biotics, the manufacturer of natural biological lawn and garden products, including an organic fertilizer known as Bio-Tea.

Problem: Suzanne knows dirt, but not financial details

Solution: Connect with a mentor who “gets” the numbers and helps her understand them

Results: Up and running, with targets and profitable products

The Story Link

Lesson Learned: Counseling May Bring You PR

Robyn Bruns

Business: Red Letter Event Planning, “a Chicago based wedding and event planning firm, specializes in crafting memorable and noteworthy special events by using a winning combination of creativity and planning.”

Problem: Launching and promoting a new business

Solution: Robyn gets startup and marketing advice and keeps in touch with her SCORE counselor

Results: Counselor recommends her for a story in Illinois Meetings + Events Magazine.

The Story Link

Lesson Learned: Write Your Own Plan

Adolphina Goodwin

Business: Precious Images Ultrasound provides prospective mothers with 3D and 4D ultrasound videos of their babies to share with family and friends

Problem: How to get from “0 to 60″ as fast as possible

Solution: Writes her on plan and wows her banker

Results: Revenues from the startup year exceeded her conservative projections by a large margin. The Southtown paper plans to do a feature on her.

The Story Link