quick update
I’m still off on maternity leave with the twins…promise to get a post in soon!
My three things
I poised a challenge to you, my faithful reader, as to the things you do to keep your business running on target. I’ve had some time to think of it and realize that to widdle that answer down to three is going to be a great challenge to me – the often long winded storyteller.
Here goes anyway!
1) Communicate and have checks and balances for accountability.
2) Have both intangible mutual respect backed up with tangible reporting tools with your clients to ensure that the work you’re doing is meeting and exceeding their expectations.
3) Don’t keep your nose so close to the grindstone that you loose sight of the fun and joy of your work.
I’m not going to wax poetic about these points as I think they will need to be interpreted in a way that is useful and pertinent to you. Drop me a line and we can share a cup of coffee if you want to talk more about this topic. I’d also be interested in hearing additional thoughts on finding and maintaining success in the workplace.
WIFI me
I’m writing this blog as I sit in the doctor’s office awaiting results of a series of blood draws my doctor has ordered for me. Ahhh the joys of pregnancy! The virtual nature of how we work has changed over the years allowing one the ability to set up shop where ever and whenever he/she chooses.
The key is – can you unplug from your work when you need to?
I know I’ll be tethered to this waiting room for 2-3 hours so I’ve brought both my laptop and a business book that’s been sitting on my night stand for the past week. These steps ensure that I will be productive to my workday as I am armed to both expand my business knowledge and knock out a few blog thoughts. As a business owner the million-dollar question remains – can you remain productive yet balanced?
I spoke with a long lost friend from New York yesterday. He has recently gotten out of a creative freelance career and is diving into a more creative yet corporate route. I know for a fact business acumen like planning the work and then working the plan is a concepts that is completely foreign to him. His definition of balance and mine are worlds apart….but yet still a concept that every man and woman that has to make a living must examine and personally evaluate.
The difficult part about being in a career that mixes a strong part of its success mix on being a strong relationship builder, is the ability to quantify tangible goals (aka fulfilling the campaigns for my paying clients) with the intangible of building bridges with targeted audiences of (in my case) the media, new business prospects and business partners.
My question to you is – what are the top three things you do that help you keep your business running on target? I’ll share mine next week (promise!).
New Media
Seth Godin wrote a great book recently called “Meatball Sundae” that contends that too many companies are jumping on the New Media bandwagon because it offers shiny, trendy new technology that everyone ‘should’ be adopting. The problem remains that when rolling out a stand alone marketing initiative just cuz it’s cool will fragment a company’s marketing efforts and send out a confusing message.
I’ve written a bylined article that’s posted on our website about some of my thoughts on all the new spiffy technology and how business can most benefit when they integrate it into their established marketing plan.
http://www.sterlingcrossgroup.com/news/integrating-new-media-into-your
Enjoy!
Mary
Mother’s Day
Mother’s Day was very special for the Lower family – we had some fun news to share amongst family during a gourmet catered brunch hosted by Chef Royal. It was a Mother’s Day that none of the Lower mothers had to prepare or work at….I think I see a new tradition starting up!
With the family gathering on the Saturday of Mother’s Day weekend, we were free to visit the Mall of America on Sunday to meet and have a few cookbooks signed by one of my husband’s favorite chefs – Bobby Flay. The best part for me was riding the new amusement rides with our daughter Hailley while Chris kept our place in line!
Mary
When it rains it pours!
My speaking opportunities seem to come in short bursts. About two years, four speaking opportunities came my way because of networking and negotiation to get in front of specific target audiences. This year in my professional goals, I established that I would secure and fulfill a minimum of two speaking gigs. Great news – as of 2:15 tomorrow afternoon I can check that off my goal list!
I’m speaking to the local chapter of a national association that I joined briefly in 1994 when I lived in New York. It was my first foray into a professional association (soon after I would join Long Island PR Professionals). Fast forward 14 years and that brings us to my presentation that I’m giving at the Business and Professional Women (BPW) annual state conference.
My presentation provides tips introducing and providing practice advice on effective use for online marketing technologies. I’m being somewhat resourceful and taking the 5 main talking points from last Friday’s presentation to the Women in Marketing and Communications and presenting them with a new point of view to this group of diverse business women. Wish me luck!
Mary
Cobbler’s kids….
I’ve come to the conclusion over the years of working in-house and at agencies that the cobbler’s kids usually run around bare foot for a reason – there’s always too many paying customers to service! I’ve done my best to incorporate best practices that I’ve learned throughout the years, cities and industries that I’ve had the privilege to learn and practice my PR craft. I bring into my own business select practices and with this structure, hard work and a little luck, am pleased to be blessed with year over year growth.
One practice that I’ve recently instituted is to dedicate Friday afternoon to marketing and PR initiatives for Sterling Cross. It’s been hard to push aside deadline projects, or new business work, but in the past few weeks of having the whole office working together has reaped great benefits. We’ve been able to focusing on larger scale projects as opposed to spending 5 or 10 minutes on things in between projects. I realize treating your company like a client isn’t rocket science but it’s a discipline worth establishing as it’s easy to get in your own way of progress when you don’t take a look in the mirror every so often. Now late on Friday afternoons we host a rockin Sterling Café…….but that’s another post….. What are you doing to practice what you preach?
Mary
