Happy New Year

I found this quote in the New York Times Magazine that eloquently says how I feel about writing this blog. And, it also speaks to the encouragement I hope to give to you in the coming months.

It was said by an award-winning poet: Lucille Clifton.

"I think everyone has in his or her self the urge to express . . .

Cooks do it with food, there are people who do it with hair,

with clothing, fabric. I loved words, always, the sound of

words, the feeling of words in my mouth, and so I did it

that way."

Here's to creating something satisfying in 2011. We can do it.

Joan Chandler

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Getting the Word Out

A few months ago I had lunch with a dynamic woman, Elaine Soloway. She is a fellow blogger, and public relations guru. PR simply means spreading the word about your new product or service. I've adapted some of Elaine's good ideas to give you some common sense tips with, of course, your customer in mind:

. Make a list that matches your customers' profile. Think of all the places, web sites, organizations, newspapers, schools, health clubs, etc. These are your initial contacts.

. Scan the local media daily for notices of meetings, fairs, shows. Contact the sponsors. This is where you can display your goods, explain your services, meet people up close and personal. If your business has an ethnic flair, don't forget to examine that media.

. Develop an interesting story about you and your start-up. Send a letter to local newspapers describing yourself and your business in a few sentences. Tell them they can have an "exclusive" story. Local media are always looking for content.

. Most urban neighborhoods have a Chamber of Commerce or Business Group. They are a definite resource so pay them a visit soon.

Take a look at Elaine's blog: Never Too Old to Talk Tech

Next time . . . more tips and encouragement.

Joan Chandler

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Ready to Take Action?

My clients usually call on me when they are ready to take action. This may involve naming the business, developing copy for packaging, a web site, brochure, sales letter, flyer, press release, ad. The goal is to tell a clear and compelling story that evokes a response.

We talk about the essentials: What is your product or service? Who are your customers? What is your most important benefit? How will you handle response?

Getting some help with the words and design makes you look like and be a pro!

Joan Chandler

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You Become Who You Say You Are

When I wrote the other day: "you are now an entrepreneur", I was speaking from personal experience. After many jobs that did not satisfy my creativity, a dear friend, who was also a career counselor, asked me: "What would be your ideal job? What would you like to do?" When I said" "Something that involves writing", she replied: "So now, you are a writer. Whenever someone asks you what you do, you reply "I am a writer." Then, she said, "Start writing. Write something everyday."

Eventually, I turned that life-changing advice into a career as a copywriter and a free-lance writer. I never turned back.

Joan Chandler

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Start Focusing . . .

I once met with a potential client who said: "I want to sell everything to the whole world." When I asked him how he wanted to start, he replied: "No, no, you're limiting me!" Yes, he was crazy, but we're not, so we're going to look at all of the good ideas you've been gathering and decide how to use them to start a business.

Here are some guidelines:

Identify ONE of your talents, or interests, as the one you will use to create a product or service. You will be using all of your abilities along the way, for now we are focusing on creating a business.

Think small, and do-able. Something you can get started on right away. You don't have to make big investments of money at this stage. You do have to set aside time to work on your business. You are now an entrepreneur.

Now, write out a description of your business. Be very specific. It is important at this stage to really know what it is you are selling. A good way to get a firm definition of your business is to put yourself in the head of your perfect customer.

What's the most important reason your customer will LOVE your product?

Start focusing . . . start writing . . .

Joan Chandler

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Success Tastes Delicious

Before I tell you this true success story, I want to strike a note of caution about success stories in general. The most important thing I can say is this: the only story that matters is the one you will tell about YOUR success.

It's easy to sit on the couch and watch The Biggest Loser. Or, attend one class after another, or seek one more opinion. Yes, stories are inspirational and your research plays a big role, but at some point only YOUR ACTION will take you from here to there.

So, now for the story.

Many years ago I had a friend Gloria (a housewife) who was a great cook. Baking was her specialty. Her daughter Janet worked at Eli's Restaurant -- a popular steak house: where cheesecake was the dessert specialty. Gloria and Janet decided that their cheesecake recipe was as tasty as Eli's, so they rented kitchen space from a bakery (in the off, off hours) and started baking. Gloria adjusted her ingredient amounts for commercial fare while Janet went around to restaurants, grocery and specialty stores to give them tastes. People loved Cheesecakes by JR.

Although his cheesecake is still around, Eli's restaurant is long gone. But, every time I drive down Howard Street, I smile when I see J.R. Dessert Bakery. It's still going strong.

Joan Chandler

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Ideas -- More Sources of Inspiration

Today, I'm reaching into my past, to talk about another potential source of good ideas. I once took a weekend course called Silva Mind Control. I know the name sounds sinister (and they have subsequently changed it to the Silva UltraMind System.) But, the purpose was a good one: to expand the mind's capacity to function more fully. The premise was that we use only 5% of our brain power.

Silva exercises involved a lot of visualization. A picture leaves a strong impression and activates the creative side of the brain. One exercise involved imagining an entity that would serve as our "personal helper" or "guide". We could seek guidance in dialogue with this imaginary source. Good ideas would come forth . . . maybe in a dream.

Okay, if this is too "far out" for you, just skip this entry. There will be many more.

If you're still with me, try the dream thing. Before going to sleep, say to yourself: "I will wake up knowing what I need to know." Pay attention to those dreams.

Personal note: During the Silva weekend, I imagined my entity as a weathered Mexican man. Several years later, when I was lost on a road in Arizona, my imaginary friend materialized as a real man working in a service station. He smiled and pointed me in the right direction.

Joan Chandler

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Idea Mining -- The Path to Gold

Every successful enterprise begins with a good idea. Ideas are the spark of life that spring into your head spontaneously (kind of like the "big bang theory"). They occur most frequently when you are focused on a goal. Our goal now is to awaken your inner-entrepreneur. That business urge will come forward when you concentrate on what you naturally love to do.

Do you love animals? Children? Fixing things? Cooking? Fashion and Design? You get the point.

Ideas are elusive, so it's important to capture them as they occur. I like to keep a pad and pen with me, so I can jot them down. Or, if your computer is handy, you can open a file and store them.

Important tips: Ideas will wither away if you judge them too soon. And, it's not time yet to expose them to others seeking their opinion or approval.

For now, just gather your ideas.

Recommended book: WISHCRAFT by Barbara Sher

Joan Chandler
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