Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by
Marianne Yurko, owner
Redesigned With You In Mind
http://www.redesignedwithyouinmind.com/
myurko@sbcglobal.net
630-460-3000
ABOUT MY BUSINESS
The mission of Redesigned With You In Mind is to allow people to “fall in love with their homes all over again.” I’m an interior redesigner and stager who helps people with their home makeovers by simply using everything that they already own. This concept is particularly important in today’s economy for those who are tired of how their houses look, yet can’t afford a totally new interior design that traditionally requires purchasing most things new. Staging, in particular, is perfect for those having difficulty selling their homes often due to the fact that the interiors of their homes are not showing well. Among my specialties is color consultation which is valuable to people intimidated by the overwhelming color options available, today. And, I offer furniture placement that can economically and efficiently optimize the space and function of any room no matter its size or shape.
MY UNIQUENESS
I look at the whole picture, not at a particular niche. Unlike some of my peers who prefer to specialize only in redesign or staging, or just in window treatments or furniture placement, I take it all on so that I can manage the complete project from beginning to end.
IDEAL CLIENT
I have two ideal client profiles - women whose chosen careers are either inside the home caring for their families, or outside the home in the corporate world. Each has their own "house beautiful" vision in mind, but neither has the time to focus on making it come true themselves.
UNIQUE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
One challenge is finding the right way to market myself so that people will find out about me. There are so many people who might enjoy having a room or house redone or just a new paint color who don’t know who to call. The second challenge concerns the economy. It is getting people to understand that they can afford my services. The perception is that people can’t afford to make their homes look better. But, they soon learn that through redesign or staging, it really is possible.
SOLUTION
As my marketing solution, I’m looking for different ways to market my business – networking through chamber events as well as giving presentations on redesign and staging to members of these same organizations. I find that for my business, it is much easier to acquire new clients at women’s groups. As a result, I’ve made special efforts to participate in several women’s conferences and symposiums this year as a way of gaining greater exposure. I also am a member of an association of redesigners and stagers, and am maintaining a social media presence on Facebook and LinkedIn.
As my affordability solution, I am making it clear to prospective clients that I will work within their budgets no matter what their requests may be. And, as a “visual testimonial’ of sorts, I am now showing clients homes on the market for which I had done staging, pointing out how quickly they have sold. These before and after comparisons - either online or in my portfolio photos - seems to have the greatest impact on helping potential clients understand the affordable value of what Redesigned With You In Mind has to offer.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Developing new relationships part of consultant's marketing strategy
Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by
Jerilyn Willin, owner
JWillin Consulting, Ltd.
www.jwillinconsulting.com
jerilyn@jwillinconsulting.com
630-924-8362
ABOUT MY BUSINESS
JWillin Consulting, Ltd. helps people look forward to going to work. How? By providing leadership development program design and facilitation, customized team interventions, change management in terms of working with folks who are left after downsizing, and career strategies coaching for those who are in the midst of career changes – planned or otherwise. Most people enjoy going to work when they believe their employer appreciates their efforts and wants them to grow. Our services deliver that message.
MY UNIQUENESS
My services are all customized. I have no off-the-shelf offerings. I talk with the identified client to discover the problem and the goal from their perspective, then I design a solution. In addition, 98 percent of my coaching is face-to-face which I believe is of unique value. As a coach, there are so many cues I get from that in-person interaction which I would miss over the phone – be it facial expressions or body language – all of which helps to better serve the client.
IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
I have two levels of clients. There are the individuals who come to me for coaching. They are motivated and willing to work hard by doing the "homework" that I prescribe. They also really believe that they will get a return on their investment. Secondly, there are the organizational clients. These ideally would be the small to mid-size companies that may have experienced either growth and want to help their employees make the most of their jobs, or, they have gone through downsizing and want to ensure their surviving employees have the necessary help adjusting to their new work circumstances and responsibilities.
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
My biggest challenge is to realize that when I am not working with clients I should be marketing my business. Most of my business comes from word-of-mouth. So when my calendar is full, I don’t feel the need to market. That is a dangerous mindset because at times you may have all your proverbial eggs in one basket and in this type of economic climate that basket can be easily dropped.
SOLUTION
Early on, I made a mind map to determine where most of my business was coming from and found that is was from people who knew me or had known of me. This didn’t surprise me because consulting is a relationship business. So, as a way to form new relationships, I have joined new business networking groups, have developed a book review newsletter and have collaborated with a colleague in actually writing a book. The book, Deep, Deeper, Deeper Still, was published in 2009. All of these methods are giving me new opportunities to put myself in front of a lot of new people. To keep my marketing efforts ongoing, I am committed to spending eight hours a week both planning new marketing strategies as well as actually following through on them.
Jerilyn Willin, owner
JWillin Consulting, Ltd.
www.jwillinconsulting.com
jerilyn@jwillinconsulting.com
630-924-8362
ABOUT MY BUSINESS
JWillin Consulting, Ltd. helps people look forward to going to work. How? By providing leadership development program design and facilitation, customized team interventions, change management in terms of working with folks who are left after downsizing, and career strategies coaching for those who are in the midst of career changes – planned or otherwise. Most people enjoy going to work when they believe their employer appreciates their efforts and wants them to grow. Our services deliver that message.
MY UNIQUENESS
My services are all customized. I have no off-the-shelf offerings. I talk with the identified client to discover the problem and the goal from their perspective, then I design a solution. In addition, 98 percent of my coaching is face-to-face which I believe is of unique value. As a coach, there are so many cues I get from that in-person interaction which I would miss over the phone – be it facial expressions or body language – all of which helps to better serve the client.
IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
I have two levels of clients. There are the individuals who come to me for coaching. They are motivated and willing to work hard by doing the "homework" that I prescribe. They also really believe that they will get a return on their investment. Secondly, there are the organizational clients. These ideally would be the small to mid-size companies that may have experienced either growth and want to help their employees make the most of their jobs, or, they have gone through downsizing and want to ensure their surviving employees have the necessary help adjusting to their new work circumstances and responsibilities.
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
My biggest challenge is to realize that when I am not working with clients I should be marketing my business. Most of my business comes from word-of-mouth. So when my calendar is full, I don’t feel the need to market. That is a dangerous mindset because at times you may have all your proverbial eggs in one basket and in this type of economic climate that basket can be easily dropped.
SOLUTION
Early on, I made a mind map to determine where most of my business was coming from and found that is was from people who knew me or had known of me. This didn’t surprise me because consulting is a relationship business. So, as a way to form new relationships, I have joined new business networking groups, have developed a book review newsletter and have collaborated with a colleague in actually writing a book. The book, Deep, Deeper, Deeper Still, was published in 2009. All of these methods are giving me new opportunities to put myself in front of a lot of new people. To keep my marketing efforts ongoing, I am committed to spending eight hours a week both planning new marketing strategies as well as actually following through on them.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Consultant communicates value of marketing and publicity to uncommitted small businesses
Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by
Mary Gerace, consultant
Mary Gerace Enterprises
http://www.marygerace.net/
mary@marygerace.net
708.345.8045
ABOUT MY BUSINESS
Mary Gerace Enterprises offers marketing and publicity services to small businesses and small nonprofit organizations in the greater Chicagoland area. My consulting services are individually tailored to be comprehensive, effective and affordable. If you are a real estate agent, an author, an artist, a public speaker or a small business owner, or if you run a small nonprofit organization with limited staff on a tight budget, Mary Gerace Enterprises can take your message to a higher level of visibility and success. I offer a wide range of expertise, including branding, long-term strategic planning, website analysis and content creation, market research, special event management and all types of media outreach. Choosing professional representation builds credibility. My clients become cost-effective; they spend wisely and avoid expensive mistakes while they gain a higher profile in a message-cluttered environment.
MY UNIQUENESS
I pride myself on my commitment to outcome-driven affordability. After a very thorough initial consultation that is free of charge and without obligation, I devise detailed proposals and quote budget-friendly hourly and project-based fees, with negotiable payment terms. My nonprofit clients receive a discount off my corporate rates. My approach is both big picture-oriented and detail-oriented, a rare combination. I welcome small projects and cost-consciousness. Also, I offer reliable and economical outsourcing referrals -- If I don’t do it, I know who does.
IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
I have two ideal types of clients: a small local nonprofit organization, with little or no staff, that recognizes how a consultant can significantly benefit its mission; or a small business owner who recognizes that a consultant can provide an important competitive edge and worthwhile ideas executed with flair.
UNIQUE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
As any consultant can tell you, money matters. How discretionary dollars are utilized is the foremost concern of my clients. Sometimes, a small business owner or the board of a small nonprofit finds it very difficult to gather the courage and commitment to work with a consultant in a meaningful way. A prospective client can take that leap and gain the opportunity to boost business or mission to the proverbial next level, or hold back and continue to muddle along with mediocre results or worse.
SOLUTION
By using persuasive communication skills and applying decades of pertinent business experience along with a measure of patience, I do successfully convey to a reluctant prospective client why marketing and publicity assistance is invaluable and indispensable. It can be money exceptionally well-spent, and it’s my ongoing responsibility to demonstrate as much.
Mary Gerace, consultant
Mary Gerace Enterprises
http://www.marygerace.net/
mary@marygerace.net
708.345.8045
ABOUT MY BUSINESS
Mary Gerace Enterprises offers marketing and publicity services to small businesses and small nonprofit organizations in the greater Chicagoland area. My consulting services are individually tailored to be comprehensive, effective and affordable. If you are a real estate agent, an author, an artist, a public speaker or a small business owner, or if you run a small nonprofit organization with limited staff on a tight budget, Mary Gerace Enterprises can take your message to a higher level of visibility and success. I offer a wide range of expertise, including branding, long-term strategic planning, website analysis and content creation, market research, special event management and all types of media outreach. Choosing professional representation builds credibility. My clients become cost-effective; they spend wisely and avoid expensive mistakes while they gain a higher profile in a message-cluttered environment.
MY UNIQUENESS
I pride myself on my commitment to outcome-driven affordability. After a very thorough initial consultation that is free of charge and without obligation, I devise detailed proposals and quote budget-friendly hourly and project-based fees, with negotiable payment terms. My nonprofit clients receive a discount off my corporate rates. My approach is both big picture-oriented and detail-oriented, a rare combination. I welcome small projects and cost-consciousness. Also, I offer reliable and economical outsourcing referrals -- If I don’t do it, I know who does.
IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
I have two ideal types of clients: a small local nonprofit organization, with little or no staff, that recognizes how a consultant can significantly benefit its mission; or a small business owner who recognizes that a consultant can provide an important competitive edge and worthwhile ideas executed with flair.
UNIQUE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
As any consultant can tell you, money matters. How discretionary dollars are utilized is the foremost concern of my clients. Sometimes, a small business owner or the board of a small nonprofit finds it very difficult to gather the courage and commitment to work with a consultant in a meaningful way. A prospective client can take that leap and gain the opportunity to boost business or mission to the proverbial next level, or hold back and continue to muddle along with mediocre results or worse.
SOLUTION
By using persuasive communication skills and applying decades of pertinent business experience along with a measure of patience, I do successfully convey to a reluctant prospective client why marketing and publicity assistance is invaluable and indispensable. It can be money exceptionally well-spent, and it’s my ongoing responsibility to demonstrate as much.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Cleaning and restoration company relies on technical training to resolve exotic client challenges
Showcasing experienced entrepreneurs offers an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. In addition, it provides a forum through which they can share solutions to unique business challenges that might be the answer to a similar challenge with which yet another entrepreneur is struggling. This openness of information flows with the following story offered by
Ken Brown, owner
Assured Services
www.assuredclean.com
ken.assured@comcast.net
847-870-9960
ABOUT OUR BUSINESS
Assured Services started offering carpet and upholstery cleaning in 1986 then branched out into the wide scope of other services that we offer, today. These include in-plant area rug cleaning, window, fan and chandelier cleaning, a no-sand floor refinishing process for hard surface floors - an alternative to sanding without the mess. We handle all sorts of stone and ceramic floor and grout cleaning, mattress cleaning and sanitizing, pet and smoke odor removal, spot carpet dying, plus water and fire damage restoration.
OUR UNIQUENESS
What makes Assured Services unique is the extraordinary service we provide. Our goal is to provide the best service experience ever. So, when our uniformed technicians come into a home - from the moment they pull up to the curb until they leave the house - they are constantly thinking about how our company looks through the customer’s eyes. We begin by first asking permission to pull into the customer’s driveway to make certain we won’t be blocking homeowner access to the garage. From there we continually ask for the customer’s okay to touch or move certain items as we do our work. We don’t just barge in and take over their home. With us, courtesy is key.
OUR IDEAL CLIENT
Our perfect client would be a person with allergies, asthma, pets, or just anyone wanting to keep the life of their carpets to last as long as possible by getting on a regular maintenance program.
UNIQUE CHALLENGE
Our unique business challenge is staying current with the latest industry technology to have the training necessary to handle the full spectrum of unusual client needs. Just as an example, years ago we were faced with cleaning a Frank Lloyd Wright house in a Chicago suburb that at one time had over 100 cats living in it. It was so contaminated that we needed to do extensive structural repairs to the home as part of the clean-up process. No doubt, the house would have been condemned if it hadn't been designed by the famous architect.
RESOLUTION
To handle every type of unusual circumstance such as this, we rely on continual training. Our technicians all have Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certifications. They are trained in technical knowledge as well as in how to be courteous and speak intelligently to the client. We all participate in the industry’s on-going educational programs, not only to make us the most capable professionals, but at the same time to help make our industry the best it can be.
Ken Brown, owner
Assured Services
www.assuredclean.com
ken.assured@comcast.net
847-870-9960
ABOUT OUR BUSINESS
Assured Services started offering carpet and upholstery cleaning in 1986 then branched out into the wide scope of other services that we offer, today. These include in-plant area rug cleaning, window, fan and chandelier cleaning, a no-sand floor refinishing process for hard surface floors - an alternative to sanding without the mess. We handle all sorts of stone and ceramic floor and grout cleaning, mattress cleaning and sanitizing, pet and smoke odor removal, spot carpet dying, plus water and fire damage restoration.
OUR UNIQUENESS
What makes Assured Services unique is the extraordinary service we provide. Our goal is to provide the best service experience ever. So, when our uniformed technicians come into a home - from the moment they pull up to the curb until they leave the house - they are constantly thinking about how our company looks through the customer’s eyes. We begin by first asking permission to pull into the customer’s driveway to make certain we won’t be blocking homeowner access to the garage. From there we continually ask for the customer’s okay to touch or move certain items as we do our work. We don’t just barge in and take over their home. With us, courtesy is key.
OUR IDEAL CLIENT
Our perfect client would be a person with allergies, asthma, pets, or just anyone wanting to keep the life of their carpets to last as long as possible by getting on a regular maintenance program.
UNIQUE CHALLENGE
Our unique business challenge is staying current with the latest industry technology to have the training necessary to handle the full spectrum of unusual client needs. Just as an example, years ago we were faced with cleaning a Frank Lloyd Wright house in a Chicago suburb that at one time had over 100 cats living in it. It was so contaminated that we needed to do extensive structural repairs to the home as part of the clean-up process. No doubt, the house would have been condemned if it hadn't been designed by the famous architect.
RESOLUTION
To handle every type of unusual circumstance such as this, we rely on continual training. Our technicians all have Institute of Inspection, Cleaning and Restoration Certifications. They are trained in technical knowledge as well as in how to be courteous and speak intelligently to the client. We all participate in the industry’s on-going educational programs, not only to make us the most capable professionals, but at the same time to help make our industry the best it can be.
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