Dear fwm: Christina Blenk Offers Marketing Suggestions for a Small Business Owner

Dear fwm,

I am a small business owner. I have a gutter cleaning company. Once I get clients I always retain them due to my work ethic. The problem I have is advertising and getting my name out there. I have had tremendous difficulty in getting clients after advertising several different ways. As a single mom with three kids, no child support, and a mortgage, I have to put food on the table. Any suggestions for what works?

Amy M.
ProPerfection

Hello, Amy! Thanks for posing this question to us—we’re sure that you will find just the advice you need from our expert contributors and of course from our community—many of whom are small business owners just like you.

We’ve decided to ask an expert to jump in here and provide a few pointers. Meet fwm Expert Contributor Christina Blenk, President and CEO of WomanOwned.com and a business owner herself (she also founded afsweb.net).

Here are a few suggestions for you:

First, you should get listed on http://www.angieslist.com if it covers your area and have your clients who love you rate you highly. It’s a great way to get those direct referrals for a business like yours.

Second, if you have a bit of money and are able to purchase some advertising such as Google Adwords, you’ll need to focus just on your city – which will save a lot of money.

Third, I don’t see that you have a web site--you could use an inexpensive system like Yahoo’s to get something started. Good pictures will be the best thing you can do for your business to tell the story. Clogged v. unclogged.

Fourth, I had a client who installed decks and got great response from a cheap flyer that he would print up and put in mailboxes in neighborhoods where the houses were nice. He said that was the best marketing he could do.

Becoming a “local expert” works if you know that the local paper might run a story on you. You could call the little local paper (they are doing much better with readership than the big ones and will actually talk to a business person) and see what they think of the story idea. Something like “Avoid costly gutter and landscape damage “ or “How gutter cleaning service will save you money and frustration in the long run” would be great article ideas to bring exposure to your business.

It sounds as if you have mastered rule #1: Take excellent care of your current customers!

Best of luck to you!
Christina Blenk

Words of Wisdom

Seeing things not for what they are but for what they might be creates opportunities.

- Carolyn Kepcher, fwm

One of the things we love most about what we’re building at fwm is an unparalleled network of expert contributors: authors, speakers, celebrities, coaches and executives who are sought after for their career expertise and insight.

And so, since the Yahoo! Seeds for Success contest has us all thinking about what it takes to create and run a business, we’ve asked a handful of these experts to share their words of wisdom with you on the topics of entrepreneurship, fulfilling your dreams, and truly thriving while striving.

From holdups and holdouts to deals and developments, entrepreneurship is a world unto itself -- and can best be enjoyed and conquered in the company of supportive peers and wise mentors. We hope you’ll find fuel for your journey in these…

Take this to heart; your idea came to you and no one is better equipped to make it a reality than you. No matter what happens, know that you have what it takes to be a champion or this idea would not have even occurred to you.

- Tom Volkar, Delightful Work & CoreU.com

Great entrepreneurial minds never go it alone. Seek out mentors in the business area you're interested in. Read every book and article you can get your hands on. Study companies and industries that relate to your idea.Keep sending yourself positive karma but balance that with a healthy dose of idea analysis. Great business ventures spring from well thought out plans and critical thinking.

But don't fool yourself into thinking it's going to be easy. If you're afraid, steer clear of launching your own venture. The path to self-employment and entrepreneurship is often paved with mistakes, missteps, and failure. That's just the way it is, gals. If that doesn't scare the stilettos off of you, then you've got the makings of a true business owner.

- Eve Tahmincioglu, Author, "From the Sandbox to the Corner Office" / Columnist/Blogger, MSNBC.com's "Your Career"and "YourBiz" / Blogger, CareerDiva.net

Never allow fear to stop you from realizing your dreams, there’s a whole new world out there for those willing to step out and take a chance. Follow your passion and your heart and everything will start to fall into place. You never know what magic awaits until you take that first step. You can do it!

- Cynthia Shapiro, The Work Doctor

Think of yourself like a professional athlete. You need to surround yourself with a solid team of coaches, experts, and supporters to achieve your exceptional goals.

- Nina L. Kaufman, Esq., Ask the Business Lawyer & Business Partnership Central

Trust your gut. Often we intuitively know the direction we want to follow well before our brain catches on.

- Pamela Dodd, Internet entrepreneur

Stop being flattered when asked to do business. You have every right to be in the game, play the game, and win!

- Joni Daniels, Power Tools for Women

For those contemplating taking what Thoreau called 'the leap in the dark to our success’, it’s necessary to gather data, including seeking out advice from several sources. Too often, though, you’ll find that people may not be so excited about your idea or may not believe in you. Don’t listen to them. You must know with absolute certainty that you are going to make this thing work, one way or another. Once you have that confidence and determination, nothing will stop you.

- Deb Owen, 8 hours & a Lunch: A Search for Balance and Sanity

While you are pouring energy into your new business, don't forget to drink as you pour. Drink from your well, whether that well is exercise, meditation, spending time in Nature -- whatever replenishes you.

- Judy Martin, Work/Life Monitor

I started my marketing business 20 years ago and, looking back, I remember wondering if I would make it. Here are three things that worked for me. I used affirmations to remind me of what I could do, connected with successful entrepreneurs to inspire me and gave thanks every day for the little victories along the way.

- Tricia Molloy, Author of Divine Wisdom at Work: 10 Universal Principles for Enlightened Entrepreneurs

It all started with a window

Quite literally, a window has changed my life.

Upon moving into our new home three years ago, we child-checked and child-proofed every room from top to bottom, as we have three young girls. But we missed the window.

Days later our then 2-year-old, Audrey, pushed the screen and tumbled out, falling three floors to the ground below.

It seemed like an eternity before I reached her. Like running in a dream, my brain was racing but everything else seemed to be in slow motion. The horrors I imagined in my mind prior to reaching her still haunt me.

I am convinced an angel carried Audrey to the ground, because after a full medical evaluation, she left the hospital the next day with only a bruise on her leg.

The whole instance shook me to my very core. And caused me to reevaluate my priorities and my goals in life. The reality of life being fragile caused me to take personal inventory.

Right around that time, Carolyn and I began talking about the importance of building a life that allows for career success and as well as life’s other priorities. It’s something that personally resonates with each of us. We talked about how there’s really no company or brand addressing this growing need among women.

And then, it just became apparent. We needed to start that company.

The rest is history unfolding, in fwm: finding what matters.

To bring things full circle, NBC’s The Today Show aired a segment this past Friday on child safety, during which I had the opportunity to share Audrey’s story with millions of viewers. This is something that is very important to me, as I have a strong desire to help others avoid a similar scare – or, worse yet, a tragedy. The Today Show segment gave me that opportunity.

Amazing how everything works.

And it all started with a window. My daughter was kept safe (a gift for which I will be forever grateful), and I was propelled to a new and more meaningful career and family life.

Have you ever experienced something that has caused you to reevaluate your work and life? Please share.

And thanks for hearing my story. I feel blessed that it’s brought me here, to you.

***

Watch fwm co-founder, Jen Marr, in a featured “child safety” segment on The Today Show.

When the long hours are totally worth it...

The cost of something is the amount of life that you must exchange for it.

I've seen this quote before, but I saw it again this morning while standing in line to pay at my favorite country market. Just being in there puts me in a good mood, because the people who run it have a passion for what they are doing and it shows in every home-made item. And in the lovely quotes they put up on their white board by the cash register.

I've had jobs I loved and I worked a lot of hours at them. When I married, and when I later became a mother, the amount of life I was exchanging for a good job and a good paycheck somehow became too big a cost. I do a different type of work now. In a small way, I am helping to launch fwm. My role isn't the biggest one on the team but like everyone else here, what I do does matter.

I suppose here would be the place in the story where I happily report that I work less hours and have more time with my family. Well, I do. However, that doesn't mean there aren't some weeks that require more hours--there are. I'm happy to work them. Why? Didn't I leave that all behind? I'm happy to work those hours because we're building something here that matters and because this work fits perfectly into my life (I do a portion of it from a home office).

Carolyn and Jen have had big jobs and worked tons of hours, too. And now they have big jobs and work tons of hours. What's the difference? Fwm is theirs and they are building it with a passion and dedication that differs from other kinds of work.

You entrepreneurs know what this is--so tell us about it. Did it come as a surprise to you that you have had to work some unbelievable hours to build your business? Is the cost worth it to you?

Surviving Launch Anxiety

A few years ago I read that the latest savvy business trend was to "go green" and I immediately came up with the idea of creating eco-friendly, reusable grocery bags. After Googling my idea I found that other people were already banking on it, but I also discovered that the bags that existed were expensive and not accessible to every market. So I did some more research, drafted a business plan, and started calling suppliers to figure out how I could provide a similar product for less. My plan was to create colorful polypropylene bags with large white figures that would serve as canvasses for children to decorate. Parents everywhere would display their kids’ creations while saving the planet and there would also be an interactive website to teach children about the environment.

But I never went through with my idea because I experienced launch anxiety. You know the feeling: that something will go wrong and everyone will know. I was paralyzed with what ifs. It seemed like everyone I told my idea to would either laugh or question the need for such a product. At the time, I thought my decisions needed a seal of approval from everyone else. I was afraid of the embarrassment that I would feel if things didn’t go according to plan and they asked, “What ever happened to that bag business you were planning?” I always knew my idea was a great one, but I made the big mistake of thinking that everyone had to agree. If I planned on doing it all by myself, why did I care so much what everyone thought? I was afraid of failing and being stuck at square one again for everyone to see.

These days I want to be a writer and that launch anxiety is slowly creeping up on me again. With college graduation quickly approaching I have to make career decisions pretty soon. I know I have plenty of choices like freelancing, editorial work, or writing for public relations; but I always have that gut feeling telling me to proceed with caution. Every time I want to sit down and write clips I wonder: can I really make a living as a writer? What experience do I have that might encourage anyone to care about what I have to say?

I still don’t know the answers to these and many questions, but I know that every day I wake up and I want to write about something. This is my calling. So I’ve decided to just listen and take small steps everyday. My mentor says that fear is a good thing and anyone who has ever achieved great success has gone through what I’m feeling. I know she’s right so I’m going to try to ignore my anxiety as much as possible and take small steps for my career every day.

Have you ever experienced launch anxiety? What helped you cope with the feeling? I’d love to hear about how being nervous or afraid of the unknown affected your career path and helped you keep going.

Starting a Business: "Of Coffee and Pastries"

Not long ago, I had a dream of opening a bakery/coffee shop.

It was a fabulous idea, as it effectively combines my love for baking with my love for having a good chat over a slice of lemon loaf and cup of coffee.

What more raison d’etre did I need? (See, I sound like a baker already. And a good one.)

But my dream effectively was squelched when I honestly assessed my life patterns in direct correlation to my new business idea. Simply put, I am a homebody. And a night owl. I realized I’d begin filling pastries and baking muffins about three hours later than I usually go to bed. And spending more waking hours away from, than at, home.

I’d be grumpy.

And nobody likes a grumpy baker. Shoots the whole jolly-pink-cheeked-flour-dusted-nose image thing.

On top of that, there was the whole two-step with a business plan and financing. Yawn. (Sorry – did I just do that?) Honestly, all that just sucked the fun right out of it for me.

And so, I remain happily employed. No start-ups on the horizon. But I’m thinking that, should a new idea come to mind, it’s got to be something I can do from home between 10PM and 2 in the morning. And love enough to withstand all the red tape.

Hey, I know my parameters. I’d say that’s 101 in starting a business.

For now, I’ll stick with writing. And baking during writer’s blocks.

Starting a Business: "Why Would Anyone Want to Do That?"

fwm staffer Viviana shares her thoughts on starting a business:

Why would anyone want to launch a business?

For years, I was a corporate woman all the way. I considered it essential to work for a large organization because (please don’t laugh, I was young at the time) of the stability that offered. If your company wasn’t big enough to require a diversity statement and at least a few regional offices, I didn’t work for you.

As you may have guessed, life quickly got around to teaching me not to put my faith and trust in the stability of any company or job, big or small. That is a good thing, because it has made me more open to (and less afraid of) looking at different types of organizations. In fact, it’s made me look at work in general a little differently. Before, I would have never considered becoming involved with a company launch of any variety. Every hotel I managed was built long before I arrived, and any web community I moderated was buzzing and humming by the time I logged my first post.

What was I missing? Several things. There is no comparison to the fulfillment, fun, and just plain excitement you derive from your work when you are helping to build something that you know is a winner. I’m sure you’re familiar with the feeling I’m describing, because you know it deep down when something is destined for success. Being a part of it, even in a small way, sticks with you.

If you are an entrepreneur, either in practice or just as the keeper of an idea that is brewing in your mind, then I must tell you, the thing I was missing most of all in my work life was you. Those of you with this gift are not like the rest of us. You can ignite passion for an idea and take us along with you. Working with people who approach their work this way is a gift that sat under my tree for years because of my fear of the unknown. I’m glad I finally got around to opening it.

So, to all of our fwm member/entrepreneurs...tell us--when did you realize that you had "the gift" of a great idea or simply the desire to start a business?

Starting a Business: "I'm the CEO of My Writing Career"

fwm staffer Lauren weighs in on our hot topic of the week: Starting a Business.

In January of 2006, I gave up a fairly cushy job in financial services to pursue my dream of being a freelance writer. I was excited not only to write full time, but also to enjoy a less stressful working life.

It's more than two years later, and I now realize how wrong I was! Being a freelance writer is a business, and as Chairman and CEO of my writing career, I've got to hustle constantly. I've got to network, keep up to date on topics I write about, constantly seek out new work and then,of course, write. If five deadlines fall on the same day, so be it. As any entrepreneur will tell you, you must put your client first, always.

Is it stressful? Yes. Making an actual living as a writer is not about coffee shops and long lunches. It's about long hours, persistence and patience. And it can be lonely. But is it worth it? Absolutely, and at times, it's actually thrilling.

The truth is, stress is part of any new venture, and probably part of work, period. It's all in how you manage it. I'm looking forward to being involved in this community and finding better ways to do exactly that!

Roundtable Responses: Starting a Business

“Is it the right time to make the leap and get my idea for a business off of the ground?”
“How do I know if my concept is good enough?”
“What resources are out there to help me?”
“I’ve gotten the ball rolling – now what?”
“Where can I find other people who are in the same situation as me to share stories and advice?”

You’re not alone in wondering, and we’re sure you have a million more queries about starting your own business. (We do too!) Until we have our expert contributors geared up to share their wisdom on the complete fwm site, I’ve asked a few of my fellow fwm staffers to share their perspectives on starting a business.

Our angles are as different as our personalities: Carolyn and Jen are already well into the process nurturing their business idea from a tiny seed into a flourishing flower (a.k.a. this website!), Renata had a yen to open a bakery/coffee shop, Lauren is a freelance writer (she is her own business), Viviana wonders why anyone would want to start a business, and I not-so-secretly dream of being my own boss.

Come back every day this week and you’ll find a new post on our hot topic of the week. Our hope is that not only will you get to know our team a little better, but maybe you’ll also identify with one of us and find some snippet that helps you keep moving forward. Or, of course, your situation could be completely unique to you! As always, please share.

Carolyn, fwm, and Yahoo! Small Business: A Great Partnership

An entrepreneur herself, Carolyn is excited about the role she and fwm are playing in the Yahoo! Small Business contest, Seeds for Success: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs.

Yahoo! Small Business will award three women grants of $20,000, plus additional web and online marketing services to help turn their business dreams into reality. Then, those winners will receive mentoring on growing their businesses directly from our highly-connected fwm network. So whether you're an entrepreneur just starting out or are trying to boost your already-established business to the next level, we suggest you grab this app and run with it!