My Love Affair

My lover calls to me in the light of the early morning as the moon drifts higher in the sky and the smoke from nearby chimneys drifts gently into the clouds. I curl my toes in glee as I sink into his familiar warmth knowing he will always be there.

I cannot recall a time when my lover was not present. At the age of two when I picked up a book desperate to untangle the mysteries of the dark and structured letters, he was there. At five when I could not put crayon to page in my coloring book without first telling the story behind the pictures, he was there.

Throughout the angst of my terrible teens, my lover was a gentle presence allowing me to express my anger, frustration and uncertainty as he guided me on a voyage of self-discovery. When the hospital called to say that Daddy was gone, my lover took my hand and helped me to say Good Bye as he gently recalled the man who had so wonderfully sparked the fire that birthed our love.

First love, first dance, and first heartbreak – he was there. Year after year, he listened as I questioned, reasoned, wondered and chronicled love, loss and life. He was sometimes quiet with an air of mystery, and other times bold, aggressive demanding to be heard but always, he was there.

When I lost my mom, my best friend, and had to be reminded to fill my air with lungs, my lover wrapped his arms around me and carried me through the dark days. He was there when I once again felt the sunlight on my face and the joy return to my spirit.

When my husband was dying of cancer, he was there in the middle of the night, attentive to my tear stained prayers and declarations of love. And when my husband died and my pen went silent, my lover waited patiently for my return.

My love affair with writing has been a constant in my life. Writing has allowed me to express my deepest thoughts, sorrows and joys without censure or fear of recrimination. Pen and paper beckon me and as I unite them, I am still awed by the power and passion they produce. I am mesmerized by words that unite and pulsate to a rhythmic beat unaware of their magnetic beauty as they wind across the page challenging me to follow their lead to places unknown.

Karen

This post is a contribution to the Group Writing Project sponsored by Confident Writing. Joanna Young’s theme this month is Leaps and Bounds. The deadline for this project is February 28th so it’s not too late for you to take part!

Click Here?

“Click here to update your email.” I never would have guessed that this simple little phrase would one day have me dancing with joy.

Last week I changed internet service providers. This also meant that some of my email addresses had to be updated. I expected it to be an annoyance but some companies managed to make it down right impossible.

There were those blessed few companies that made it simple with a nice little hyperlink in the communication allowing you to simply update your email address. Ah, how I have come to value the one click, one-step link. Others, provided an unsubscribe option but no update option forcing you to go to the website, recall your login and then change your information. This was an extra step that proved costly in time. It’s fine when you’re updating one company, but try doing it for 15 or 20.

Ah, but even that extra step was not as bad as the companies that simply provided no way for you to update your email address. One even taunted me with allowing me to edit everything else except my email address.

I learned a lesson that I had not intended to learn. If you are going to take the time to communicate with your customers, make it easy for them to stay in touch with you. When doing business online, we spend a great deal of time crafting messages and strategies to drive traffic, why not spend an equal amount of time keeping those same customers?

You got me to sign up for a newsletter, why not make sure I can continue to receive it? Must I unsubscribe and then go back to your site, hunt down the link and subscribe all over again?

Footloose and Fancy Free

As a child I loved musicals. Shirley Temple, Fred Astaire, anything with a song and dance delighted me. I sang and danced along with gleeful abandon.

When I was 5 my mother took me to a tap dance class. Naturally, she thought this child who sings show tunes in the hallway and dances to Teddy Bears on Parade will love this class. I was excited until we arrived and I discovered I would have to dance in front of others. I was painfully shy (yes I know hard to believe!) and simply could not let loose in front of strangers.

We returned home, my dancing dreams on hold but my love for the art form firmly intact. I still love to dance and do so frequently with the same gleeful abandon I had at age 5. I dance until I am breathless and spent, but never for an audience.

In the past week, I heard three different variations on the “dance as though nobody is watching” quote. Two of the variations revolved around the theme of writing as though no one is reading. I love to dance but writing is my passion.

I now write for a living and it thrills me, but I no longer write as though no one is reading. The same fears that gripped me in that long ago dance studio creep back in to mock me daily. “People are watching, you’ll really screw it up and make a fool of yourself.” Each client project brings a fresh wave of doubt mixed with the pleasure that I get to do this for a living.

Yet, I long to go back in time and quiet those idiot voices, to step out onto that dance floor and work it out!

Instead, I have decided to work it out on paper (or screen). I will write as though no one is reading. Tapping keys, twirling pens, words moving in time to the music of my choosing, and writing until I am spent and breathless. No longer bound by the voices that hold me back from expressing, learning and growing and most importantly enjoying something I love.

What about you? There is room on the dance floor for us all. Will you join me?

Karen

Good Bye Kaleb

I sat at my desk gazing at the vast expanse of freshly fallen snow. I could see little clouds of smoke from nearby chimneys as they swirled up and into the cold morning air. Warming my hands on my coffee mug, I contemplated my day ahead when the phone rang.

“Something is wrong with Kaleb. He didn’t eat, his eyes are almost closed. Can you help me? He’s my favorite dog.” Anxious and unable to think, I googled “favorite dog sick,” as my brother searched for a vet who could see him immediately. After typing strings of terms which yielded no other answer, we hung up, my brother off to the vet with his favorite dog and me left to hope that all would be okay.

Two hours later I received the call, “The vet said he has a bug. He has lots of medicine.” I breathed for what seemed the first time since the morning call. Longing to hang on to hope, we hung up again but there was an unexplainable unrest.

The day wore on and near the end of what surely must have been the longest February 12th on record, the phone again rang. “We’re headed back to the vet.” I hung my head in silent prayer and instructed my brother to call when he knew something.

Two hours later my stomach clenched when the phone rang. I heard my nephew’s choking sobs and then my brother’s quiet declaration, “He didn’t make it.” “No, what, he didn’t make it?” I heard the voice of a father trying to be calm for his son in the midst of his own heart breaking, “He went into a coma. We tried to call him back but he wouldn’t come. He fought hard. His tail was still wagging.”

And so it was that dear sweet Kaleb with the giant head, wagged into eternity. He was my brother’s favorite dog.


Karen

Social Faux

A couple of weeks ago, I discussed my leap into social networking with Facebook. Since then I have embraced the whole notion of social media. Facebook, Twitter, Plaxo Pulse, LinkedIn, Digg, Yahoo Groups, LinkedIn groups, Facebook groups, you name it I'm networking it.

I have met some really interesting people and gained great insights from them. With a click of a button I can tap into my network with a question or share a new resource that will benefit a cyber colleague. I began this journey as another way to grow my business but the benefits are so much greater than I expected.Yet, there has been one troubling aspect that is common to all social media - the invitation.

The always insightful Seana Mulcahy nails it on the head in her latest blog post. I want to share and interact with my network through social media, but how much is too much? I find that each platform offers something different. For example, LinkedIn is great for pure networking but the only way of interacting is through the Answers section. Twitter is a fun and useful way for quick communications but not one I use as a networking tool. So I find myself asking who to invite and to which platform.

There are many people in my network that I'd like to share with across platforms but have largely resisted out of politeness. My hope is that one day someone will create a unified tool that allows multiple interactions across all of these various applications. Plaxo seems to be heading that way with their Pulse Stream but we'll have to wait and see how effective their efforts will be.

In the interim, I do not have hundreds of people in any one single network. In fact until today I was friendless on Twitter. I am open to exploring these applications and anyone who wants to join me...well, these days I'm everywhere!

read more | digg story

What Message Are You Really Sending?

A group of older men are gathered in a barber shop. A younger man looking freshly scrubbed, wearing a dark suit walks in and hands the owner an envelope saying “Usually I just mail this but I thought I’d bring it in person.” The owner opens the envelopes and joyfully replies, “After all these years I finally own this place.”

Huh? The ad is supposed to brand Charter as the bank that offers personal service. It makes me cringe each time I see it. The guy is so old he can barely cut hair! It took him 30 years to buy his building! Oh yeah, as a business owner that’s exactly what I want in a bank. (Not!)

The banker in the ad smiles like he’s just given a 5 year old a squiggly puppy. The message I took away was that the American Banking System is not designed to help us build wealth but to be debtors. And we wonder why our economy stinks? But that’s a topic for another post.

I am sure the creative minds behind the Charter ad would be dismayed about my take on their ad. While I would agree that you cannot tailor your message to please a general audience, it is worth taking time to ensure that you’re saying what you meant to say to your desired audience.

What’s your take? What methods do you use to make sure that your message is clearly articulated?

Now, if only I could get the makers of Celebrex to cut that annoying music from their very loooonnng ad….

Karen

Super Bowl Musings

Super Bowl XXXXII is now history. The New York Giants ramped up a 17-14 win over the Pats, spoiling their perfect season.

The Pats played a perfect season and still lost the championship. And this year’s champs will suit up next season and none of this will matter.

Business owners and athletes have much in common. Running a business requires intense focus and dedication. You can’t just show up on game day and expect to win. You must practice, prepare and do the work day in and day out.

Like athletes we have W's and L’s in our column totals but every game stands alone. We know that our record has historical validity but we don’t allow it to dictate our continued pursuit of absolute excellence.

The Pats will feel the sting of their loss for some time to come. But they will use that loss to fuel their drive when they suit up next season. The Giants will ride the waves of celebration and savor their remarkable feat. They too will find motivation in their victory when they suit up to try to do it all over again next season.

For the business owner, well, we play everyday as if it’s the Super Bowl. And we all hope to take home that trophy year after year.

Karen

Punxsutawney Phil sees shadow, predicts more winter ahead

If you believe in folklore, bundle up for six more weeks of wintry weather.This is Groundhog Day, and the furry little critter known as Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning. That, according to tradition, means six more weeks of winter. As I sit at my desk looking out at our snow covered grass and icy pond, I'm inclined to agree with the little critter. With the Writer's Strike, my TiVo is not getting much action and I find myself spending more time working and checking out the blogosphere. So, maybe six more weeks of winter won't be so bad..

read more | digg story

I Coulda Been A Contender!

It is Election year in the United States and candidates faced with shrinking support and dollars are beginning to drop like flies. High profile candidates who seemed promising last year are now out of the race.

As I read the latest list of casualties I realized that for business owners every year is an election year. Political affiliations aside, the now former nominees were filled with hope, and ideas for a new America. They marketed those ideas vigorously finding favor with many people. Yet, in spite of their expertise, talents and marketing their bid for the presidency is now over.

Although each former candidate could list their own reasons for failure, the end result is the same –They lost the race to be in the race. Ouch!

Education, experience and great plans mean nothing when you simply can’t connect with enough people to keep you afloat.

Business owners must stump for votes day in and day out. Thankfully, unlike the nominees, our “voters” can choose more than one front runner. Yet, we still must win them over day after day. And like the candidates, if we fail to connect with enough people, we too will be out of the running.

My own solution is to stay focused on my mission of helping others move their business forward. I have a genuine passion for helping others to give birth to their vision. In order to continue to be a solution I must remain open to always learning, growing and sharing.

What about you, how do you remain relevant to your customers? What do you do to stay in the running?

All the World’s A Stage

My stomach quivered with excitement as I sat riveted by the words spoken by the actors on the stage. However, I was not moved by the performances as much as the thought of the playwright who had written the dialogue now being spoken on this stage.

I leaned in closely to capture the texture, ideas and power in the playwright’s words. Once again, I was my 5 year old self in love with the ability to tell a story.

All these years later (and trust me I am decades past 5!) my fascination and respect for those who write has not diminished. In fact, today I believe I have a greater appreciation for those who dare to inspire, educate, inspire, engage or entertain with their words.

So how does this translate in business? Writing for business is no less powerful. Your audience is (potentially) rapt with attention and you have the power to persuade them to listen to your thoughts, ideas, solutions and passions or you can cause them to leave at intermission.

Well developed characters and tightly woven plotlines will peak their interest and have them on the edge of their seats as they anticipate the next act. And like the playwright you must tell a story that is meaningful to you and will resonate with your audience.

The next time you sit down to write for your business respect the power that your words can have and then write not only from your head but from your heart – your audience will thank you by sticking around for Act 2.

The Road to Success is Paved with Giving

I received my weekly e-newsletter from Jeff Crilley, TV Reporter and in it he writes:

“Whether you are having a Starbucks with a potential client or trying to pitch the media a story, it is important to remember--- IT IS NOT ABOUT YOU!

I run into a lot of people who say they are networking. But I have discovered that if you go into any relationship with YOUR goals in the forefront of your mind, you will fail.

Try this the next time you are approaching a member of the media or trying to attract a new client or customer---help them first.”

I could not agree more. I am a huge proponent of AUTHENTICITY in marketing. Authentic according to the dictionary is to be genuine, real, not false or copied. I believe that for your marketing to be authentic you must create real connections with your market. Connections which are only possible when you truly care about their needs and wants.

Are your marketing materials all about YOU? When speaking with potential customers are you more interested in what you can sell them than what they need?

In his newsletter, Jeff quoted one of my favorite Zig Ziglar quotes: “You can have everything in life that you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want.”

Try implementing this simple philosophy into your networking and marketing. I guarantee that if you look for way to help others get what they want your business and life will be richer than ever imagined.

Sexy Text Messages Sink Mayor’s Credibility

It’s been quite a week in Detroit, Michigan. A series of steamy text messages between Detroit Mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick and his Chief of Staff, Christine Beatty were made public. Both the Mayor and Beatty had vehemently denied an affair under oath, during a whistleblower trial last summer.

In the racy text messages Beatty and Kilpatrick had much to say, but since the story broke on Wednesday there has been an eerie silence. Considering that each can be indicted for perjury, one can assume they won’t be texting each other anytime soon.

In our technology driven society we don’t give much thought to what happens to the words we text, IM or post in cyberspace. This case is a chilling reminder that words can come back to haunt you.

When it comes to texting, email and cyber communications there is really no such thing as privacy. Before you press enter, consider how your words will be viewed and more importantly, how would you feel if they were plastered on the front page of a newspaper?

Job seekers are often surprised when I ask about their online identity management. Your Facebook or MySpace profile or comments in forums are discoverable by employers. It’s worthwhile to make sure that like the clothes you wear, your words are presenting the right image.

Should we simply never text or IM? Of course not. We should however practice self restraint. I’m sure that Mayor Kilpatrick and Christine Beatty now wish that they have saved those steamy love messages for in person conversations.

2008 The Year of the Meltdown?

A scant two weeks into the New Year and the keyword in headlines seems to be meltdown. Hillary Clinton, Miley Cyrus and Paula Abdul have all reportedly had one, and poor Britney has had several. These personal meltdowns are all in addition to the Capital One, subprime mortgage and global meltdown. What’s going on?

Has the year of the DUI given away to meltdowns? Will we now have teary eyed public confessions followed by stints in rehab for meltdowns? Well, count me out. I’m happy and make no apologies for it. Not only am I happy, I’m downright giddy. Take that you negative naysayers!

It’s a brand new year with brand new opportunities. In spite of the writers strike, the wobbly US economy and the continuing mortgage crisis, I’m optimistic.

Tales of meltdowns, break ups and disasters are the normal ups and downs of life. The headlines spouting them are not a trend in meltdowns but a trend in our insatiable demand for negative news.

It seems we North Americans enjoy a good train wreck. We want to look away, we want to bypass those headlines but we just can’t seem to avert our eyes. So we keep getting more of the same.

Business owners have even resorted to courting controversy to capture attention. Can you blame them? It seems the only way to get attention these days is to cash in on the controversial. Negativity has become the new “sex sells.”

I don’t know about you but I’d rather remain upbeat and positive. I want to attract new clients by being, well nice. I probably surf hundreds of blogs each week. There is a great deal of quality content out there. There is a also a dark underbelly. I’ve been to blogs that have more traffic than a Southern California freeway during rush hour, but I cringe when I read the comments.

Readers are not only nasty to the blog author but nasty to others commenting. Many other blogs have managed to really develop a nice community. These blogs have great content and great readers who are kind and supportive. I’ll take that any day even if it means a few less traffic hits.

Social Media Mania

Well, I'm officially on Facebook. I even managed to add a few friends. As a business proposition I am still not sure of the value but I did catch up with a few long lost friends.

Joanna Young, of Confident Writing raised an issue that resonated for me. All of the social media require you to invite people to join you. I can see how easily these invitations can get out of hand.

I have always prided myself on being minimally intrusive. I've been on LinkedIn for awhile and was comfortable inviting people. Then I signed up for StumbleUpon, Digg, and now Facebook, Twitter and others. How do I manage this process so that I am not filling up mailboxes with endless invitations?

It is predicted that the social media space will soon experience some consolidation. However, that does not include "specialty" social media sites which are expected to survive consolidation.

Because social media is still evolving many people like me sign up for multiple services as we seek to find the service that will best meet our needs. As I take the journey I'll share my findings with you. Of course if you have any advice or tips for making the most of the social world, please share your comments.

Hot Trends - Facebook

Well, I finally did it. I took a leap into the social media network and joined Facebook. Moving from observer to participant was actually easier than I anticipated. In the past I simply had not bothered because I did not clearly see how it would help business.

It took one conversation with a search expert to sort it out for me. In a friendly conversation with Jon Rognerud of Microsaw, he enlightened me on the value of Facebook. Jon is nothing short of an expert in the search field. He is the first person who made search understandable for the "common folk" and I trust his advice.

Jon shared an Alexa Movers and Shakers graphic with me via skype that convinced me that this Facebook thing was indeed worth a try. The numbers indicated that in a short period of time Facebook has driven an impressive amount of traffic.


As search traffic grows more competitive and adwords cost prohibitive for many website owners, social media becomes a more interesting platform. And quite frankly one that makes sense. Social media provides an opportunity for you to engage your audience. I realize that in marketing on or off line there is no magic bullet but I'm interested to see how the social space evolves and how I can use it to drive business.

Are you using social media for business marketing? I'd love to hear about your experiences. And if you're a Facebook user look me up and add me as a friend.

Happy Networking!

Give Your Business More Legroom

The other day I braved frigid temperatures to walk the ½ mile to get my mail. I was rewarded with my January copy of Runner’s World. I was tempted to run back to begin reading but was slowed by all of the icy patches.

I peeled off my layers and ran up the stairs to grab green tea and read the latest running news. Just as my toes were thawing out, an ad caught my eye. The ad read:

Dear Runners,

We now have the most legroom in coach.* Perfect for stretching out those sore quads, calves, hamstrings and pinky toes.

Sincerely,

jetBlue Airways

Now if you’re thinking, “so what?” allow me to enlighten you. I don’t ever recall seeing a jetBlue ad in Runner’s World. I have every issue since January 2002 so I could actually check…but trust me on this one. If there was an ad it didn’t catch my eye like this one.

The ad was ingenious in its sheer simplicity. It spoke directly to runners. Now I have personally always like jetBlue but when traveling for marathons I’ve settled on any airline that was going. Will I think twice next time? You betcha!

The ad is a beautiful example of how easy it is to create a new niche and expand your brand. jetBlue did not rebuild their planes for runners, they simply leveraged an existing asset to an audience with matching needs. Genius.

What business asset do you have that can be used to target a new audience? Answering that question could very well revitalize your business this year. I’d love to hear your ideas on the subject.

I’m off to stretch those sore quads.

Happy New Year!

Happy 2008! Well, here we are in a brand new year, a blank slate waiting to be filled with what I believe will be victories, successes, breakthroughs and joys.

It’s hard for me to believe it’s 2008. I can so vividly remember the start of this new millennium and the Y2K hysteria leading up to it. Before the clock struck midnight, I was pulling money out of the bank, stocking up on canned goods and bottled water and waiting for the massive computer crash that was predicted.

Thanks to careful planning from the tech community, Y2K went off with barely a glitch.

I’m pleased to say that the dawn of 2008 was not filled with any angst, only joyful anticipation. It’s a year that is fresh, new and filled with possibilities. We begin the year with another 12 months of wisdom and life lessons to help guide the way. The challenges and victories of 2007 continue to feed us with knowledge. As we look back we know what to do to continue moving forward.

As you look back over 2007, assess what went well. What were the positive things that you did that contributed to your business? How can you increase that in 2008? Are there systems or processes that will help you? Focus on the positive and resolve to do more of it to get even greater results in 2008.

Who were your best customers in 2007? Increase your efforts to your best customers; let them know how much you value their business. Why are they your best customers? Identify the common traits to refine your ideal client profile. You can then use that information to target more customers just like them.

What marketing channels worked well for you in 2007? Do more in 2008. Even in downturns the companies that are consistent in their marketing efforts, increase their market share.

What was the greatest thing that happened in your business last year? Use that great success to set an even bigger goal. Set a goal that scares you and then break it into smaller goals that can be attained throughout the year. Keep challenging your business and yourself. You are only limited by your own beliefs.

I look forward to celebrating your successes in 2008.

The Random Journey to Somewhere

I have a TiVo, well actually two which I love. This thought crossed my mind today as I sat staring at the white background of Microsoft Word. A background I might add that should have been covered with words. So, I thought of the dreaded “blue screen of death” feared by TiVo users. Of course thankfully my TiVo has never been broken which then made me think of things that had been broken. This is the random thought process in which I often engage when words fail me.

At one time I would have chided myself for engaging in pointless head chatter. I have learned, however, that allowing my mind to wander and roam free often actually leads somewhere. It leads to a place, a thought , an idea that never would have been allowed to form in my otherwise structured, deadline driven day. So often in doing nothing I accomplish a great deal.

Everyone can find value in allowing time to drift along with their thoughts being carried wherever they may lead. Seemingly unrelated threads can sometimes form the basis of true innovation. Far too often in business we focus so much on structure that we miss the opportunity to dream, plan, visualize and create.

Engaging in random thought is different than brainstorming. With brainstorming you are still focused on a specific problem or concept. You simply free yourself from censoring any idea or solution. Random thought is wholly unstructured in every way. You take a back seat and allow your thoughts to do all the driving. Random thoughts have a number of benefits including:

· They can help you overcome a challenge or problem. Giving your mind a break from mulling over something can often lead you right to a solution.

· They can reveal underlying issues that you have been avoiding.

· They can reignite your creative spark.

· They open the dam and allow a release of fresh thinking and new ideas.

· They help you to recover lost memories.

The next time you find your mind drifting along don’t try to harness your thoughts. Unless of course you’re behind the wheel of a car in rush hour traffic! Otherwise, give yourself the freedom to drift along on a sea of random thoughts. You may be happily surprised where those thoughts take you.

This post was inspired by the awesome writer, Joanna Young who wrote a post on Random Facts which got me thinking….

What you can Learn from Kiefer Sutherland

Kiefer Sutherland, star of 24 is currently serving a 48 day jail sentence for a DUI. His popularity with fans has apparently not suffered. Kief is receiving boatloads of fan mail in jail.

Surviving a setback is not limited to celebrities. Many companies have not only made it though a crisis or bad publicity but emerged better and stronger. What’s the secret?

Fess up. Acknowledge your mistake and work to make it right. Whether you are dealing with one irate customer or a major recall, “We were wrong, we’ll fix it” goes a long way.

Learn from it. Adversity has a way of making us stronger. Take the time to assess what went wrong and why. What systems can be put in place to prevent the error from happening again? Don’t fix a problem one time, fix it for all time. If a customer brings something to your attention, standardize the solution.

Actions speak louder than words. Kiefer Sutherland admitted his mistake, apologized to his bosses and quietly made arrangements to serve his time. He did not make the talk show rounds with a tearful apology and public plan for redemption. Once you’ve acknowledged your error and set about fixing it. Let your actions continue to speak for you.

Bad things happen – in business and life. How you handle the tough times can show your customers (and competitors) what you’re really made of.

Is Your Business on Welfare?

Recently a writing colleague posted an article on the Elance water cooler. The article written by Ron Lindeboom, highlighted the three different buyer types. The article is several years old, but the principles still hold true.

Lindeboom discusses the three marketing types and groups them into top tier, middle market and low end. The top tier clients representing about 15% of your client base are those that value quality and relationship. The middle tier represents about 70% of the market and they want good but fair pricing. The low end wants high end service for cut rate prices. Lindeboom calls the low end segment “Grinders.”

As a business owner, why would you ever want Grinders? Yet, far too many businesses, particularly small businesses fight for this client type. Understanding the psychology of the client segments is important but it’s equally important to understand what type of business you are.

Many small business owners are standing in the welfare line and not sure how they got there. They work hard. In fact they may be working longer hours than CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. They deliver high quality work. Yet, they are barely making ends meet. These businesses are well intentioned but are not appropriately targeting their market or pricing their services.

Other small businesses are locked into a mentality that says they can only compete on price. To win against the “more established,” or “the “larger competitors” they have to compete on price. Does this sound like you?

Still others believe that volume makes up for low pricing. These business owners proclaim “yes our pricing is low but our volume supports it.” These same business owners would like to convince you to work at a fraction of your normal fees because they’re going to give you a large amount of work.

Although I’m humiliated to admit it for a long time I too had a business that was on welfare. My company was turning out high quality work and a sucker for every sob story that justified someone negotiating our rates lower. We wanted to help and by golly help we did to the detriment of our own profit margin. In fact our margins were negative!

I’m here to tell you “Don’t try this at home! You’ll go broke!” I am a big believer in volunteering, giving back and charitable giving. However, when running a business you must realize you exist to make a profit. You can set a fixed amount of time aside to donate business services (and I advocate doing so) but your day to day operations should be generating income.

Let’s look at this from another angle. In corporate America, did your employer negotiate your salary daily? When you showed up for work, did HR say, “Gee you know right now our budget is stretched, so can you work 3 extra hours for half your salary?” Of course not! Yes, companies get into budget trouble and they often solve it by doing lay-offs or salary freezes but no company negotiates your pay (or value) on a daily basis. So why are you doing this in your own business?

Negotiation is a natural part of doing business. Negotiation however is an exchange and not the seller simply giving everything away. It is an exchange to work toward a mutual win where the critical needs of BOTH parties are satisfied. Great negotiations end with all parties feeling like a winner and it sets the stage for a good long term relationship.

However, you are not obligated to negotiate price with every potential client. When you walk into the grocery store to buy a gallon of milk, there is a price you will be required to pay. Do you get to the register and ask to pay a different price? Do you ask them to give you more milk for the same price?

Yes, I realize milk is a commodity and service businesses operate a little differently, but do you negotiate price with your doctor, dentist or hair dresser at every visit? We ask for lower pricing when we beleive the price does not reflect the value but more often than not we simply pay what is asked or we don't buy.

So, how do you begin turning things around? The first step is to examine what you have to offer. What does it cost you to provide the service? What is the value of that service to your ideal client (ideal being key here as you are not targeting grinders)? Set a fair price and stick to it. Your ideal client will pay you for the value. Grinders will not buy from you.

You may end up with fewer clients, but that’s a great thing. You want fewer clients that pay you what you’re worth. Unless of course you really do want to spend your time killing yourself for the pennies that grinders are willing to pay.

I’ve learned the hard way that clients will only value what I have to offer if I first realize that value myself. This means getting off welfare and saying No to the people who really can’t afford my services. Am I missing out on a large segment of the market? Yes, I am but it’s a segment that does not represent my ideal client anyway.