It’s hardly a secret of the business world that there are far too few women in corporate Boardrooms around the country. Fortunately, there are organizations that advocate for changes in this situation. Women in the Boardroom (Edna, Minnesota) is one of them. It holds seminars in major cities, such as Washington, Dallas, Boston, San Francisco, Chicago and others, for women who aspire to Board service.

Expressing an interest in becoming a corporate director does not land you a seat on the Home Depot Board overnight, however. There are dues to be paid and a good place to start is with a local charitable organization, say a homeless shelter, an animal rescue program or a community literacy project. Become a volunteer, do a good job, get noticed and when an opening on the organization’s Board of Directors occurs, make sure the Chairman or a member of the nominating committee knows you are interested in serving.

From a nonprofit Board, it is possible, through networking and demonstrated effectiveness, to be tapped for the Board of a privately held company and eventually, with a successful career and valuable Board contributions noted, you may get invited to join the Board of a public company. This is not a short or easy process.  Click to keep reading...

It’s an old, stale trick. You call a well-know crowd pleaser you’d like to have as keynoter for your next event and ask her if she believes in “free speech”. When the answer is a predictable “yes”, you offer her the opportunity to come and deliver a speech – for free!

Dee Dee Myers, Suze Orman, and Sarah Palin do not have to travel around the country to give free speeches. They are handsomely compensated, whether for personal income or for charity giving. Speaking is their job and kudos to them for getting paid for what they’re good at. That’s the way it ought to be.

But, when we look at speaking as one of the three legs of a personal marketing plan (see March 7 and February 28, 2010 posts), then getting paid is not the objective.

It has often been said that if you are a speaker, you ought to publish a book and if you are an author, you ought to develop a speaking strategy. Very true, but let’s not confine our thinking to these two activities.  Click to keep reading...

Donna Satchell, an Atlanta-based speaker, writer and trainer, knew from the start, after leaving her corporate position at Clairol, that as a trainer she had to develop a marketing strategy that would work for her. Whether it worked for others was not a concern of hers – she was out to build her own business, not anyone else’s.

Writing and publishing became important tools right off the bat. In the past six years, she has co-authored seven books, in addition to numerous articles, which she has used effectively to build a business that has made her a popular speaker and trainer and routinely takes her around the country, interacting with diverse audiences, many consisting of employed women who dream of someday owning businesses of their own.

Donna’s initial decision to publish led her to join with others to self-publish books in her areas of focus: leadership, time management and communications. Selling books is not, however, her main motive for writing. She uses her books as door openers for her speaking and training business.

This is what Jody Gabourie (see February 28, 2010 post) had in mind when she identified “writing” as one of the three vehicles we should consider using when, as small business owners, we go out to explore new markets.  Click to keep reading...

Jody Gabourie, the recently retired Canadian “Marketing Plan Queen”, knew what she was doing when she simplified marketing for small business owners. There are three practices, she advised, that we should consider deploying when we go out and look for new clients or customers. They are: networking, speaking and writing.

Think about it. Simple, isn’t it?

Let’s talk about networking today (speaking and writing will follow in future posts).

These are the Four Laws of Networking:

1. You’ve got to show up. No matter how wonderful the event is and what benefits await you there, if you stay home, you’ll never know.

2. You’ve got to participate. Showing up and sitting at a table with your best friend, or standing aloofly on the sidelines, waiting for someone to notice you and come and speak with you, is not a great deal more effective than not showing up at all. Join conversations, introduce yourself, ask questions, begin to explore a rapport.  Click to keep reading...

We think we can do it all, don’t we?

We had an idea for a business, we got it established, we began attracting clients or customers, and we are now in the thick of it. We have signed a lease for our office or retail space, we have designed our logo, hired a printer for our business cards and begun work on a web site. We keep our accounts, design our brochures, write marketing plans and make phone calls. We write and publish a newsletter, we go to networking events and make sales calls. We write and send out press releases and seek out radio interview opportunities. We are exhausted!

The popularity of do-it-yourself TV programs is testimony to the fact that ours is a country with a DIY ethos.

When we decide that our concrete patio should be replaced by a deck of distressed wood, we tackle that project with zest. The antique chandelier we bought at an estate sale – of course we’re going to install it ourselves! We sew our bedroom curtains, embroider our tablecloths and dig our herb gardens. Then, when we start our businesses, we continue that habit.  Click to keep reading...