Perhaps you recall the old Jerry Seinfeld joke in which he observed, “According to most studies, people’s number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. Death is number two. Does that seem right? That means to the average person, if you have to go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than presenting the eulogy.”

While it is debatable whether public speaking (aka “stage fright”) ranks number one among our fears, a couple of things are certain:

1 |  Public speaking causes a great deal of anxiety, stress and fear for a large percentage of small business owners and managers.

2 | Speaking before groups is part of the job for many of those who own and run small businesses.

If, stage fright is keeping you from doing your best in front of an audience of any size, here are seven tips that can help you overcome your discomfort.

1 | Stop thinking the presentation is about you or your product. The presentation is about the people in your audience, and their needs and fears

Publisher and presenter extraordinaire Kathy Sierra says that the worst thing to do if you are trying to improve as a presenter is to focus on your presentation skills. If you do, you’ll be focusing on YOU, rather than on the only thing that matters: The person you are presenting to.

2 | Start with a question you know the audience wants to ask

Most people will tell you the best part of a presentation is the Q&A session that comes at the end. So why wait? Use questions and answers as the framework of your presentation. If you do this, you don’t have to worry about what questions might be asked–or how the questions might be posed. Chances are, you’ll answer the questions the audience members might have and, if not, the questions will likely be simple follow-ups to the questions you have already answered.

3 | Focus on the challenges that keep the people you’re presenting to awake at night? What can you share that will help them rest easier?

If you are in the audience during a presentation, which of these would you find more compelling and helpful: (1) Charts, graphs and bullet points outlining every detail, no matter how small, of the presenter’s product or service, or (2) A presenter who is describing a dilemma you are experiencing and sharing with you how others have successfully overcome the dilemma. (Note: If you chose #1, you probably shouldn’t be making presentations.)

4 | Look marvelous

(Photo via youtube.com)

You’ll feel more confident if your presentation looks good, and you look good, as well. Remember the words of the caricature impersonation of Fernando Lamas performed by Billy Crystal on Saturday Night Live, “It’s better to look good than to feel good and darling: You. Look. Marvelous.”

5 | Relax beforehand

Don’t be that presenter who waits until the night before to throw something together. You’ll end up foregoing the one thing you need  most before you present: rest. Get your preparation done in time so that you can sleep well and, if at all possible, be able to go for a walk or some other light physical activity before your presentation.

6 | Hydrate

Staying hydrated is necessary. Have you ever noticed a professional deliver a speech? They always carry water. If you aren’t hydrated properly you will have a dry throat that can act like a mute button on your voice. (Note: Drinking lots of water beforehand, along with the stress, may cause you to take several trips to the restroom before a presentation. Don’t worry. That urge will disappear once you start presenting.)

7 | Get experience

(Photo via JohnDiew0107 on Flickr)

Although all of these tips can be helpful, you must do one more thing that is required to improve any skill: practice, practice, practice. But you are not alone. Chances are, there’s a local chapter of Toastmasters nearby. Join it and gain the warm and positive support of others who, like you, are seeking to improve their speaking skills and to gain more confidence in front of an audience.

(Photo: Wikimedia Commons)

]]> https://smallbusiness.com/promote/halloween-small-business/ Wed, 25 Oct 2017 13:20:14 +0000 https://smallbusiness.com/?p=29645

And remember, shop at your favorite local and small merchants.

In the SmallBusiness.com Guide to Marketing with Photograph, we feature several sources of free, open-source or Creative Commons licensed photos that are helping small businesses improve the quality of their design without violating the intellectual property rights of the creators. There are several business reasons why creators share their work freely, but an easy one to understand is a marketing practice we’re all familiar with: Sampling. Giving away a few examples of ones creative work is perhaps the most common way to reach a larger audience that can lead to custom work or paid usage. (If you want to learn more about the topic of “free” pricing, here’s where to download a free copy of the book, Free: The Future of a Radical Price.)

Our friend and publisher of Subtraction.com, Khoi Vinh, is seeing a similar trend with free typographical fonts. One obvious source of free-to-use fonts is Google Fonts, the directory of over 800 fonts hosted by Google. But don’t stop there. Vinh says that designer Jeremiah Shoaf’s monthly mailing called Typewolf’s Definitive Guide to Free Fonts surfaces the best of recent free font releases. “Some are quite well executed (while others are merely passable),” notes Khoi.

“We are seeing more-and-more free font releases that are suitable for professional design,” Shoaf says. Here are several of the best free fonts Shoaf has identified during the past couple of years.

Infini

A calligraphic sans-serif that was selected as one of Typographica’s favorite typefaces of last year.

Space Mono

A monospaced typeface designed by Colophon Foundry.

Work Sans

A sans from Wei Huang inspired by early grotesques.

Cormorant

A refined Garamond created for display use rather than text like traditional Garamonds.

What does this mean for the market of paid typefaces?

When this question was asked to Shoaf by Khoi, he responded, “I think free fonts and commercial fonts can co-exist peacefully.” He believes free fonts are raising the bar for typography in general and stoking demand for more distinctive, paid fonts.

VIA | Subtraction.com

istock

Starting January 31, 2017, Google AdWords will only support the creation and editing of “extended” text ads. They no longer will accept new text ads in the “standard” format, the classic text ads that have been a staple of most small business online advertising.  Existing standard text ads will continue to work past that date, but all new ads must be created and edited using expanded text ads.

This is a good thing for advertisers as it will enable your customers using mobile devices to more easily find and use your ads.

Here are some things Google wants you to know about expanded text ads.

One of the most challenging things for a small business to obtain is, with great irony, often described as being “free” — as in, “free publicity.” But such publicity can cost a lot of time and creativity and hard work. (Thus, the more enlightened marketer calls it “earned,” not free or paid.) Traditionally, the work of someone who helps raise the visibility of a business or product is a public relations expert. Big companies and their experts know that getting covered by the news media adds credibility, recognition and brand reinforcement to a business of any size. But I think that’s especially true for a small business. These days, it is even harder to get covered by the news media. Why? There are fewer and fewer full-time reporters or producers working at traditional media companies. That’s because there are fewer listeners, readers or watchers of those channels. (I blame those new-media online sources like SmallBusiness.com.)

Some public relations tips from the experts

Recently, Anna Issac, writing for the Telegraph, asked several public relations experts for their tips to small businesses who hope to gain recognition in their targeted media (be it, hometown or the industry in which they work).

“The reality is that you have about four lines to pique their interest, and if you spend that time not getting to the point of your story, you will have lost them…Don’t force a story to tie in with a national or global event – it almost always sounds as if it has been.”

(Shauna McCarthy, Edelman)

“Translating your drive, energy and confidence in a written press release can be hard. Keep it simple, refreshing and to the point. If you get this right, journalists will write and readers will engage with you and talk about you….Stay away from unrealistic clichés such as ‘groundbreaking’ or ‘world’s first’. Save them for the cure for cancer.”

(Jenny Tod, Marlin PR)

“It also helps to begin your approach by following journalists on Twitter, to get a sense of what interests them, then start talking to them about it. And be persistent; building relationships with journalists can take months, or even years.”

(Zoe Amar, Zoe Amar Communications)

For more tips, see: the Telegraph”PR tips for small businesses”

On SmallBusiness.com | Story about this year’s ten finalists
On SmallBusiness.com | Story about this year’s top three finalists
On SmallBusiness.com | Interview with Death Wish Coffee Owner, Mike Brown

The grand prize is being featured in a $5 million, 30-second commercial during the CBS telecast of Super Bowl 50 on February 7. The prize also included production of the big-budget, no-holds-barred TV commercial (below) that features a Viking ship filled with actors numbering about three-times the employee-count at Death Wish Coffee. Considering the cost of production and airtime, the value of being featured in such a spot is easily over $6 million and is likely one of the most valuable contests ever won by a small business. (Not counting being acquihired by Google.)

The guy smiling in the photo below is Mike Brown, owner of Death Wish Coffee and leader of the fun crew who works there.

Here’s the killer Super Bowl commercial

Not since the famous 1984 Apple Super Bowl commercial has there been such a dramatic portrayal of a small upstart company out to conquer the world.

Just in case you think I was exaggerating about the number of actors being more than the number of employees at Death Wish Coffee, here is a staff photo from a few months ago. I’m sure they’ll be needing to scale up production after a Super Bowl ad.

So How is the Coffee?

As I wrote in October, I conducted some personal research on Death Wish Coffee in preparation of SmallBusiness.com’s coverage of the competition. I brewed a cup before my daily 6 a.m. walk with my two dogs. By 15 minutes into the walk, the dogs were begging me to slow down. Imagine brewing coffee with Red Bull to wash down a NoDoz tablet and you’ll begin to understand the magical powers of Death Wish Coffee.

Surprisingly, the coffee has a smooth, gentle taste; the opposite of what I was expecting from a product that has a skull and crossbones as its logo.

Within a few days, I became addicted (in a positive way) to Death Wish Coffee and had to email Teah Teriele, the manager of marketing and shipping, “Are people as surprised as I am that a coffee called Death Wish tastes pleasant? What do people think it’s going to taste like?”

“Most probably, they expect something similar to tar. We make it our mission to shock people with how good it is,” she replied.

Teah’s answer reminded me why I love small businesses.

Photos: Death Wish Coffee, Intuit

In a dream world, a small business would start each new year with the knowledge that it will retain 100 percent of the previous year’s business. Unfortunately, the odds of that happening diminish the larger your business grows. Consumers move away or business-customers may change jobs or ownership. Each year starts knowing that you first have to replace the “leaky bucket” of lost business. Unfortunately, the expense of acquiring new customers far outstrips the cost of retaining old ones. Research reveals that by shifting even small amounts of your marketing budget to reaching existing customers can have a positive and significant impact on your company’s sales. So how do you maximize the retention and loyalty of current customers and clients?

 This data about marketing doesn’t add up

A couple of years ago, Adobe analyzed 33 billion visits to 180 major online retailers worldwide. Here’s what they discovered:

80% | Percentage of digital marketing budgets spent acquiring traffic (banner and search ads)
20% | Percentage of digital marketing budgets spent on communicating with existing (returning) customers

8% | Percentage of traffic from existing customers
40% | Percentage of revenues coming from existing customers

Let that sink in | The average online retailer spent 80 percent of its marketing budget on a category of shopper that generates 60 percent of its revenue while spending the other 20 percent of its budget on a category of shopper that generates 40 percent of its revenue.

Bottom line | Adobe analysts estimated that among these major retailers, each 1 percent of shoppers who return for a subsequent visit represent and increase in revenue by approximately 10 percent percent. Or, said in another way: If the online retailers invested in keeping another 10 percent of their existing customers happy enough to keep buying, they would double their revenue.

How to reward the loyalty of your current customers or clients

Add value to your product in simple ways

Don’t just sell products or services to an existing customer or client. Teach them how to use those products. A great example of a big company that does this is Williams-Sonoma. They are a company that used to focus on selling pots and pans. Now, their company mission says they are a company that helps their customers become better cooks and entertainers. Customers don’t just buy your product. They buy your help to accomplish what they were seeking when they purchased your product. Find your version of what Williams-Sonoma does: Don’t just sell pots and pans, help customers become better cooks and entertainers.

Add value to your product in creative ways

Customer appreciation comes in many forms. Add value to your product or service by adding something special. Be creative. We know of businesses who have provided their most loyal customers free parking in their parking lot for after-hour events like high school football games, Fourth of July fireworks, and arts and crafts shows. Finding that hidden bonus of being your customer will be like an Easter egg hunt. It’s there but you may have to search hard to find it.

Reward and celebrate loyalty

Don’t be like the cable and mobile phone companies that spend most of their marketing dollars on trying to get new customers to break contracts with their existing carrier. Have special sales for long-time customers. Offer special classes or prizes or other promotions to show your appreciation for loyalty. Surprise recurring customers with the kind of rewards only they can receive.

Go Offline

You’re not a mass marketer, you’re a local or tightly-focused industry vertical business. While you should use digital tools to serve your customers, realize that one of the reasons customers want to support you is your size and proximity to them. Go out of your way to find ways to meet face-to-face. Use the phone and talk, not email. Use paper to communicate. Use handwritten notes, not typed ones.

Support your community or industry in partnership with your most loyal customers.

When charities seek your support, find a way to involve your most loyal customers in targeting the causes they support. Consider starting a customer advisory committee that will meet once a year to help you focus your major community support efforts.

(HT: Yodel Insights)

Illustration: ThinkStock

A recent article from the Wall Street Journal provides great advice for those who speak to groups, but may not be comfortable doing so. Sometimes, when things don’t go as planned—as often happens— panic may occur. Here are some of their suggested solutions for such occasions. (Also, see our previous advice on this topic: “Get Over Your Fear of Presenting With These Helpful Tips.”)

Problem | Brain freeze. You completely forget what you planned to say.
Solution | Camouflage your confusion by pausing to take a deep breath or a sip of water while you recall main points.

Problem | Your joke falls flat.
Solution | Don’t dwell on it, move on and apologize to the host afterward if needed. If people are so offended that the room falls silent, apologize quickly and sincerely.

Problem | You lose your notes.
Solution | Try to recall your beginning, ending and main points in between.

Problem | You notice a wardrobe malfunction on stage (mismatched shoes, zipper down)
Solution | Fix it quickly. If the audience has noticed, use humor to weave the misstep into your talk.

Problem | You have pre-presentation fear.
Solution | Arrive early, allowing one or two hours to detect and fix problems with audio or video gear or lost notes. Take a minute before speaking to check your appearance in a mirror and make sure your clothing is zipped and clean.

Problem | You have stage fright.
Solution | Take a quiet moment to think about your stress in a positive way. People who say, “I am excited” before making a two-minute speech are more likely to be rated by listeners as persuasive, confident and competent, compared to people who say, “I am calm,” according to 2014 Harvard Business School study of 140 people.

If all else fails, take this additional advice (from our own personal experience):

Say, “Let me tell you a story.” Then tell the audience a real-life example of something that happened to you related to the topic of your presentation.

(via: WSJ.com)

If you haven’t already started, it’s time for independent, local and small businesses to get ready for Small Business Saturday. This year, it’s November 28.

Previously on Small Business Saturday

• In the United States, Small Business Saturday is always the Saturday after Thanksgiving (the fourth Saturday in November).
• The day is intended to encourage shoppers to include small retailers and merchants in their holiday shopping plans.
• The event is a promotional response to the Friday after Thanksgiving, a day nicknamed “Black Friday” by retailers to suggest the move from being “in the red” (unprofitable for the year) to being “in the black” (profitable).
• The term “Black Friday” became so ubiquitous in the retail industry and the media covering the day-after-Thanksgiving shopping, it jumped from being “inside business” jargon to a term major consumer retailers began using for day-after-Thanksgiving promotions featuring deeply discounted “Black Friday” specials.

A Brief History of Small Business Saturday

In 2010, American Express officially created (and has funded enormously ever since) the promotion known as Small Business Saturday. It was inspired by the 3/50 Project (which chose three independent businesses at which to spend $50 each) created by Cinda Baxter, a small business advocate in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

While American Express has the trademark on Small Business Saturday, we’ve never heard of them preventing anyone from joining in the promotion. (Would Hallmark try to go after competitors if it owned the trademark to Mother’s Day?) Besides, who cares that the day serves as a giant public relations bonanza for American Express? We don’t. We think all large corporate marketers who serve the small business market should be so generous with their marketing budgets.

You still have time to prepare.

Many customers start planning their post-Thanksgiving shopping far in advance. Be ready to reach them early and often. Put up signs in-store, stuff fliers in bags, place ads on your website, email your customers: It all helps.

American Express will send you a Shop Small Kit if you get your order into them by 11:59 P.M. EST on November 9, 2015. If your business accepts the American Express card, you can get even more support.

Start thinking of something special to offer your best customers.

While the big box retailers use Black Friday to promote “doorbuster” sales (items so discounted they bring in hordes of shoppers), use Small Business Saturday to reward your best and most loyal customers.

Have you had success with a Small Business Saturday promotion? Share your experience for an update in the coming weeks: email Tips@SmallBusiness.com

Goblin Grins and Monster Mouths

“Boo”-Nana Pops

Witch’s Broomstick Snacks

Tangerine pumpkins and banana ghosts

Ghost Berries