This Sunday is Mother’s Day and as many of the local retailers are scrambling to make a profit on this recognized day of honoring your mother, I decided to devote my marketing blog topic on how your parents have impacted the success of your business.   As the quote above from our first president points out, George Washington’s mother had a profound impact on the success of his life.  What impact did your mother or father have on the success of your business?

My father passed away in 1992, but he was the role model I used for my life in terms of career success.  He was a self made man who didn’t have anything handed to him.  He brought his enthusiasm and passion for life in to his dream of having his own business.  With six kids he was able to accomplish more than most people would dream of accomplishing. His business grew steadily even during a couple of recessions and during the paper shortage of the early 1970’s that affected the printing and design business that he was in.  He had a natural ability to connect with people and to service customers in a way that he seldom lost accounts.  People could see he was genuine and caring and a smart business man.

My mother was the nurturer in the family and I recognized that you need this as the glue to hold everything together in your home and business.  Someone has to do the day to day work of making sure everyone is looked after and if something needed to be fixed, my mother was the one who either got one of us to do it or hired a professional to handle it.  She was great at managing people and projects even though she never worked outside the home all the years of my life.  Both of my parents were advocates for education and making sure their team of 6 kids had opportunity to gain knowledge and skills that would carry us through our life.  My Dad understood that you were never done learning and this has been the foundation to my own business model as I continue to gain more skills as today’s technology constantly changes the landscape in the marketing and advertising field.

Why is all of this important for a business owner to see about their parents beyond the Mother’s Day holiday theme?  Most of what we have today is because of who we were when we were small and the biggest influence on our life and our business is our parents.  We take the best of them and make it our own.  We also try to avoid the parts we may not have liked, but often that gets rolled up in to all of this, too.  So, if you had a parent who was afraid to take risks and never dared to own their own business and you saw this as a negative, you may wish to thank them today for you starting your own company.  And, if you, like me, had a mother who was obsessive about making sure things got fixed, the mortgage paid and that the house was picked-up and in order.  Well, I guess, like me, you need to say “THANKS MOM” for teaching me to  prioritize bills and manage projects, all while presenting an orderly appearance.

Look closely at how much your business has been influenced by your parents and be sure to  stop in at a local retailer today to buy your Mother a Mother’s Day gift!

All my best to your success!

~Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

Have you ever walked the floor of a Trade Show and noticed that there are some presenters at booths who have energy and are actively working the room to draw in leads while others look like they would rather have a root canal than to be attending the event? Which one engages you in conversation? Missed opportunities in a competitive economy can be death to a business. Excuses and lack of enthusiasm because you are not doing the business you once did during a better economy is not working for you or your business. Make a choice today to smile more, talk positively about your business and be prepared to connect with future clients at any time. If you have been stuck in your office too long and you have been living the life of a vampire who seldom sees the sun it is time for you to take a customer or business contact to lunch.  Be sure to include “fun” in your work day and if you can not find that “A” game for your business, then it is time for you to consider working with a Life Coach or someone who can help you to find what it is that brings a smile to your face.

All my best to your success!

~Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

If I came in today as your marketing or sales executive and you heard me chatting with your customers or business contacts and saying that “business stinks” or “sales are WAY down” or something that tells them that your product just is not holding up in today’s market…..what would you think?  Would you want me to be your sales manager or marketing rep? Well, for many small businesses, the owner is the only marketing and sales person so speaking from a place of seeing the worst in your business could be costing you future sales.  Would you really want to purchase goods and services from a company that sounds like they are about to close their doors or that no one is seeing the value of their product including the owner?  Negative talk can be contagious and when a person hears that your business is doing poorly they often share this with other people they know.  “Word of mouth” advertising can both build your business or ruin it so do not be the person who starts the campaign to sink your chances in business. If you need a break from the day to day grind of running your business be sure to take one, but allowing yourself to fall in to having a negative attitude and verbally berating your own business to those who ask will close doors and potential opportunity for growth with your business.

All my best to your success!

~Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

“Mickey Mouse is, to me, a symbol of independence. He was a means to an end. He popped out of my mind onto a drawing pad . . . on a train ride from Manhattan to Hollywood at a time when business fortunes of my brother Roy and myself were at lowest ebb and disaster seemed right around the corner. Born of necessity, the little fellow literally freed us of immediate worry. He provided the means for expanding our organization . . . and for extending the medium of cartoon animation toward new entertainment levels. He spelled production liberation for us.”

So, as you continue to work your business day to day and are faced with many challenges because of the economic climate, how do you put your fear and worries aside to keep your mind focused on new ideas and services that will help your business stand out from others? Do you have a symbol like Walt’s mouse in your company that lifts your mood and keeps you free of the day to day stress?  Something that is fun or has a positive meaning to you that keeps you smiling is a good “mouse”.  My company’s “mouse” is a purple diamond paperweight that has our tagline, “Success wears the Purple Diamond!” engraved on it.  I have one on my desk and I share the purple diamonds with all my clients so that they have a symbol to focus on that will lift them up and remind them that they are moving in the direction of success.

So, if you have not found your business “mouse” and you are bogged down with the worries of your business, consider going to the store and finding something that makes you laugh and connects with your business in a positive way.  Place that object where you and your staff can see it and focus on it when you start to get distracted from your business due to worry.  Then, pick-up the phone and call a client or a prospect or have a creative team meeting with your staff and continue on your way to success!

All my best to your success!

~Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

DREAMS

One person says,

“There’s no way I’ll ever be able to achieve

my dreams.”

Another person says, “I’ll do whatever it takes to make my dreams

come true.”

Both will be right.

Which one are you?

by Jace Carlton

Choosing to have success this year in business is as important to your marketing strategy as coming up with creative ideas.  A positive attitude and a belief in your goals is essential to any campaign and to the success of your company.  If you are starting 2010 off feeling like you are still “hung-over” from 2009 and you don’t “feel” like you have a clear direction, then you need to stop what you are doing and re-commit to your business and your dreams! You do not need to be a marketing guru since you can hire help in that area, but without the belief in yourself and the direction you want to go, you will never get anywhere.

I am told daily by clients and other business professionals that I meet that I am filled with energy, ideas and positive thinking.  YES….because I know where I am going and how I will get there.  If you need help with marketing please reach out to the professionals in your area or contact Purple Diamond. And, be sure to check out sites like CHANGE YOUR STARS that have a way to motivate and inspire and keep you focused on your dreams.

All my best to your success!

~Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

]]> http://purple-diamond.net/blog/2010/01/11/which-one-are-you/feed/ 0 http://purple-diamond.net/blog/2009/12/29/yes/ http://purple-diamond.net/blog/2009/12/29/yes/#comments Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:28:04 +0000 Charlene http://purple-diamond.net/blog/?p=127 As a small child the word I probably heard the most was “no”, but as an adult I am hooked on the word “yes”.  “Yes” opens the door to possibilities that lead to opportunities that brings us to more success in both our life and our business.  Sounds simple, but the majority of people today have been raised on the word “no” from their childhood and “no” is an ending to dreams.  And, for people who like their life to be in order, the word “no” is easier than ‘yes”, because it doesn’t challenge us.  Once you get the no you are all done and you can then go home and give up.

If you are the owner of your business or an employee who wants more out of life, you must put down the fear of success and embrace it.  Take “no” out of the equation and look for solutions so that when you are asked to do the impossible, you answer YES!  Growing as a business requires being “bold” and “brave” and the willingness to try new things when the old is no longer working as you wish it would.  Right now there are probably several small business owners who are reading this and thinking that they just do not have the staff to handle taking on new things or larger projects, but that is “no’ thinking.  Stuck in the fear of failure will keep you from ever succeeding.  Embrace the “yes” and consider your options for taking on a part-time person or temporary help or maybe going to the local colleges and asking for an intern that is studying in the field you are working in.  Look to your family and friends and see if they can offer help to your business. Consider the network of other businesses in the area that might be a partner to your new idea or bigger client.  Look beyond yourself and recognize that when you say “yes” you are breaking through your past fears and on to an exciting new venture that is filled with possibilities.

Purple Diamond is in the business of helping business owners say “yes”.   Your marketing plan and your advertising campaigns will never succeed unless you embrace the “yes” language and see that it opens more doors and helps to increase sales.  Make 2010 the year you bury the word “no” and jump at the opportunity to say “YES”.

All my best to your success!

~Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

I mentioned this tip to a group of local business owners who attended a Marketing Breakfast Seminar talk that I gave today for the Beverly Chamber. “Stay positive!” No matter what is happening behind the scenes at your business, always smile and stay positive. People worry about doing business with struggling companies because they may not be around if there is a problem with a product later. Lead by example. If you believe in your product….others will follow! And, when you meet business people in the community and at networking groups, if you find that someone is draining all your energy or their negative talk is creeping in to how you see your own business, limit your contact with them.

This also holds true to social networking on-line, be sure that you are representing your business in a positive light and that you are not using these places as a place to vent about your problems. It is ok to connect in a fun way with others, but be sure your comment is coming across as comical and not something that someone may misinterpret as serious. If you are not sure how your post will be received it is better to be cautious and write something else. The same goes with posting on Twitter or Facebook a link that is very controversial or negative, not a good idea. If you are using on-line social networking sites to help your business and you are someone who posts about politics, religion or any other topic that can divide people in to groups “for” and “against”, my best advice is to avoid these topics and look for more positive messages to share.

Remember, avoid “Energy Vampires” and surround yourself around “Positive People” and watch your business grow!

All my best to your success!
~Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”