If you’ve read the “Welcome” post on this blog, you’re probably already aware that I am now launching my own small business consulting service specializing in advanced internet marketing due to the immense success & great results I’ve received marketing my own pet sitting business online.
Well, my own success is a big part of the reason I’m launching this consulting company.
The other big part: I love Twitter, my iPhone, my MacBook and may or may not be addicted to the internet. I could talk about Twitter apps for hours. I could critique various changes to Facebook for days.
So now, after building up such a buzz about my local pet sitting business, I’m working on building up a buzz about my consulting services.
I’ve been reading the book Crush It, which is absolutely amazing, wonderful and inspiring. It’s completely the perfect book for me to be reading right now, and backs up pretty much every aspect of my own internet marketing strategy that I implemented with my pet sitting biz.
But now I find myself trying to carve out an identity as a small business consultant. To others of you who have done this or who wear multiple hats: how do you do it? How do you separate “pet sitter you” from “consultant” you?
I wonder about this both in real life and online.
Any other folks who run multiple business or have multiple identities they like to represent? How do you do it? What works? What hasn’t worked?
When is it good to keep things separate and how do you do so?
What’s your favorite Twitter iPhone app and why? I’m a diehard Twitterific fan, but I’ve heard good things about the official Twitter for iPhone app, Echofon, and Tweetdeck.
Any other good ones to try out?
Welcome to the Successful Small Business Blog!
Please bear with me as I work out the kinks. By “work out the kinks”, I mean: wait for GoDaddy to activate the free hosting plan, figure out if the free website builder will be any good or free at all, develop a logo, register a business name, craft a website and ultimately offer you the finest & spunkiest small business consulting services around.
Yes, I said spunky.
If you’re looking for folks to talk to you about ROI and SEO and throw a bunch of technical jargon at you: you’ve come to the wrong place.
We’re here to help those of you who have already started or developed a clear idea for your business, and maybe you’ve already even created your website. (If so, then Kudos to you as you are off to a fine start.)
Tip #1 from the Successful Small Business Blog: You cannot be a competitive business in the 21st Century without a decent website.
It doesn’t have to be fancy, it doesn’t have to be expensive. To establish yourself as a legitimate business, however, you at the very least need a basic, easy-to-navigate website.
I don’t offer web design because it drives me crazy and it is not something at which I excel.
I excel at coaching small business owners by helping them establish a brand & a reputation for themselves online.
I specialize in advanced internet marketing, but the hitch is just this: you might not even know you need advanced internet marketing.
Internet marketing is one of the most affordable, most intuitive, common-sense, most critical ways of promoting your business and establishing a name for yourself. For me, it is also a great deal of fun.
Are you a small business owner who’s heard of this “Twitter” nonsense, but doesn’t really understand how it’s supposed to work for you?
Or maybe you’re already on Twitter or LinkedIn, but you’re a little curious about this Foursquare business.
Speaking of Foursquare: If you run a local business and are not already curious about Foursquare, then you’re missing out. The first five people to leave a comment on this blog post get a free half hour consulting session with yours truly. Default topic: What the heck is Foursquare and how can you use it to increase sales and, most importantly, customer loyalty.
If you’d rather learn about something else (why it’s critical that you maintain & regularly check your social media accounts once you’ve created them, for example), by all means be my guest! And if I’m not an expert in that particular area, I will refer you to at least two other folks who know more about the topic.
So to repeat: The first five people to leave a comment on this post get a free half-hour consulting session with me!
Let’s hear your small business concerns, woes, headaches, heartaches, frustrations and questions. I’m happy and eager to help!
PS: “Who are you?”, you may ask, and “Why don’t you have a halfway decent website with an ‘about’ page?”
Answer: I am a successful small business owner who blows her competition out of the water in terms of internet presence. I run a local dog walking & pet sitting company, and I absolutely love brainstorming with other local business owners about what they can do to improve get the word out about their business and make more money.
