This month on Business Chick Chat, the weekly show Bonnie Cranmer and I co-host, we’re all about Squidoo. I am about to embark on my own Squidoo experiment.

Bonnie and I both work with small business clients to create marketing and social media strategies so that our clients have both a strong online and community presence.

While most of our clients come to us in search of help with Twitter, Face Book or LinkedIn, there is much more to developing a winning social media plan than just implements just these three platforms.

Squidoo is an excellent way to draw attention to a small business’s new product, service or program. It’s also a super way to build page rank by linking the Squidoo page to the clients website and using the right keywords.

I am a Squidoo novice – I admit it. Bonnie is the guru and so I have become the guinea pig this month in what I call “The Big Squid Experiment.” Bonnie is “The Big Squid.” And she’s experimenting with ME. My goal for this week is to get 1 lens up. So hop on over to:

Take a look and leave a comment.

Every Monday at 1p.m. Eastern Time the Blog Talk airwaves are filled with the voices of Jill Freeman and Bonnie Cranmer (or @jilliebfree and @bgreen as they are known on Twitter)

The show is Business Chick Chat. As one of the hosts, I share insights and info for small businesses. This past month has been Social Media Month on the Business Chick CHat. In my last post I shared some take-a-ways from a Twitter class I recently taught. Today I’m going to share information gleaned from the show that aired on 2/8/10 about LinkedIn.

By the way – you can still listen to at broadcast,as well as any one of our past broadcasts at :http://www.blogtalkradio.com/businesschickchat.

Our guest was Janice Teeter, a health and wellness marketing exec who uses LinkedIn to grow her business. I need to tell you that up until now, I haven’t been all that active on LinkedIn. “Too formal I thought. “Not so user friendly.”

I’m a convert. Janice, Bonnie and the listeners in our chat room have made a believer out of me.

Here are 3 things I learned about LinkedIn:

1. Fact: The profile section is longer than most other social network sites. Don’t worry about it. Fill out the basics. Every time you return, fill out more until you have it done. Simply said: Just jump in.

2. Take the time to explore the tabs. They have a wealth of information and help make it easier to navigate the site. As a matter of fact, under the “More” tab, there’s a nifty section called “Learning Center.” This is a great place to start, as this is the section with valuable info about how to use LinkedIn.

3. Join groups and take part in discussions. Look under the “Answers” link to share your knowledge with others.

So, if you’re not a LinkedIn convert, go check it out and , fill out the basics of your bf your profile and jump in! And be sure to listen to Business Chick Chat every Monday for great information about growing your business.

If you want to feel successful, achieve goals and see your life and/or business move ahead, the ability to stay motivated and re-motivate are crucial skills.

Beginnings of projects, business ventures and new jobs are likely to be filled with enthusiasm and eagerness. We start out with the burst of energy and hit the ground running.

After a while the burst dwindles and the enthusiasm fades. Maybe our efforts haven’t produced the outcomes we would like. Maybe we’ve had a few (hundred) doors shut in our faces. Maybe finances have dried up.

The result is the same. We start to doubt our actions and ourselves. If we don’t have a plan we get caught up in feelings of defeat, failure and lack of motivation. Staying motivated becomes an uphill battle.

Here’s the thing: Motivation on it’s own is like a sugar high. It starts with a burst of energy that burns out quickly. We need to anchor our motivation to a strong belief system in order for us to stay motivated and succeed where others give up.

Check out these four great ideas designed to help over come lack of motivation.

1. Be Prepared For The Let Down.

It is normal to have highs and lows on the road to success. If work were fun all of the time, it would be called vacation. There are bound to be roadblocks and bumps to get over. Make a plan to handle those times and pact not to give up.

2. Re-evaluate Your Strategy

Take the opportunity of a down turn to look at what you are doing. Analyze your plan. Are you putting too much energy in one place? Are you spread too thin? Do you need more training in an area? You may want to think about hiring a coach to objectively take a look at your plan and help you analyze and re-tool if necessary.

3. Take Positive Action Daily

Once you get wrapped in a down cycle it’s hard to turn around and pull yourself out. If you take positive action every day the likelihood of you getting caught in the downward spiral is drastically reduced. How do you take action when you feel yourself slipping into the abyss? PLAN AHEAD. Positive action steps should be part of your daily agenda.

Also have a positive action back up plan. If all else is failing and you feel like giving up, have a plan to reach out or dig deep to gain perspective and get the positive boost you need to keep moving forward.

4. Three word Quotes

Have you heard about the power of three? The brain finds it easy to remember things in threes. So tuck some three-word affirmations up your sleeve and make sure you remind yourself daily just how great you are!

Some examples:

I’m a winner

Never Give Up
Never Look down
Negativity Breed Negativity
I am smart
I can change
This will work
My ideas rock

Dealing with emotional highs and lows are a fact of life. With knowledge and planning it is possible remain positive and productive even in a downward turn.

I just finished a Twitter Camp for small businesses.

I have to tell you that I love teaching small business people about the value of Twitter and how to apply this social media tool to the marketing of their businesses.

Most of the time I get some skeptics…at first. This usually ranges from “I don’t see how this applies to me or my business. Or, “ I don’t have time for social media.” I love a challenge. Turning skeptics into believers is one of my favorites.

So I had some skeptics last week. By the end of the 1.5-hour camp I had believers. It’s a beautiful thing.

Here’s what this group took away with them:

1. Twitter is a tool. It’s not a magic bullet that’s going to skyrocket your sales overnight. Like all tools they need to be handled correctly for them to work appropriately.

2. Talking about where you got coffee from and other seeming banalities of life really is a good thing. People want to do business with real people. Reaching out and sharing in this way helps people get to know you.

3. Twitter is about having conversations, giving value by sharing information and learning about others.

4. You can’t make people follow you but most likely if you Tweet it, they will come.

5. Time management is everything. You can get addicted. Set time limits and shut it down when time is up.

Everyone went home happy campers and the tweets have been coming.

I really like Twitter Camps. If you’re a skeptic or just want to learn more about Twitter, lets set up a camp! Email me at jfreeman@roarcorps.com.

What are your marketing  goals for 2010?  Do you have your marketing plan ready?  Is it on paper?  Many clients tell me they have a plan -  in their heads.  If you’re one of these people you’re setting yourself up for a fall.  Goals are only made real by writing them down.

Whether you use a pencil and paper or a computer get you business goals for 2010 written down and in front of you.

The first step is to look at the plan you’ve been using for  past year.  I look at the marketing plan from a few perspectives.  What worked?  What didn’t?  Why?  How can I work more effectively? After I’ve analyzed this, I can get SMART.

I use the SMART goals when writing my marketing plan. I find that SMART goals helpful in narrowing down and defining  exactly what I need to do within a specific time period. It takes a broad goal such as “ I need to grow my business by 20% this year,” and whittles it down to exactly how that can happen.  SMART  forces you to get detailed about your plan.  SMART defined is as follows:

•    S = Specific   “Specific” answers the question, “What do I want to do?”

•    M = Measurable “Measurable” answers the question “How much time do I have to accomplish this?”

•    A = Action “Action” answers the question “ What am I going to do and how am I going to accomplish this?”

•    R = Reasonable  “Reasonable” answers the question “Really? Is this really doable?” You need to be really honest here.  Sometimes getting a second opinion helps.

•    Time lined  “Time-lined” answers the question “When?”  When does each piece of  the  goal need to be accomplished by?  Cann I do it in the time specified?  If not, your goal isn’t reasonable.

As you go through this process,  notice how this method of planning continues to bring up questions.  These questions walk  you through the process of getting the detail you need to build a solid plan.  As this happens you will see how specific goals with specific action steps to be completed within a specific time line develop and mold your marketing plan into a SMART marketing plan for 2010.

Keep your plan in a place that is easily accessible.  Plans that are filed away get lost and forgotten.  Your marketing plan should be a living and breathing document.  Look at it regularly.  Add items, refocus, retool if needed.   Some of my clients keep a master document but also copy it into their calendar.   Some color code their action items  into their task lists.

It really doesn’t matter what method you use as long as it keeps the plan in front of you.  Think of it as your GPS to business success.

If you have questions about how to develop your plan, feel free to e-mail me at: jfreeman@roarcorps.com

I welcome your comments!  Tell me if this article helped you or gave you room for thought.

Just a note:  Honestly I couldn’t have said any of this better myself.  I want to make sure all of the kudos go to Sean Cohen at AWeber.

Thank you  Sean!

The future of customer service is here. Technology has made seeking out support faster and easier than ever. But, has your digital age company sacrificed true service in the name of automation?
Today, finding customer support is as simple as writing an e-mail or picking up the phone. But, even though you’re not face-to-face with your customers, you still leave a lasting impression. Do you come across as caring and competent, or menacing and mechanical?
Offering stand-out service on the Internet isn’t as hard as it is rare. Take these simple steps towards old-style service in the digital age:

•    Give Each Customer a Personal Response
•    Be Clear, But Sincere
•    Offer Live Customer Support
•    Make Sure Your Support Reps Have All the Answers

Give Each Customer a Personal Response

When a customer sits down to e-mail your company, it’s because he needs help. He chooses e-mail because it’s quick, but his request still warrants a satisfying and personal response!
Companies eager to save time and money often take automation too far in their customer support. Each customer has a unique question, and deserves a unique answer. Even if you save time by copying and pasting stock replies, change the opening and closing to make the message sound less robotic.

Be Clear, But Sincere

When responding to customers’ e-mail, be sincere and to the point. Before sending a message, try turning the tables. Ask yourself, “Would this answer satisfy me if I were the customer?”
Take that extra moment to give your customer the help he deserves. It might mean the difference between a satisfied customer and a credit card chargeback!

Offer Live Customer Support

E-mail has become an acceptable form of communication. But, live customer support is still necessary. The plethora of information available online can be overwhelming to customers, especially those new to the Internet!
Single your company out from the crowd by providing customers with a real person to talk to. Live phone support is an invaluable way to foster trust. When your customer has reached the end of his Internet rope, and just needs help, your toll free number is the answer he’s looking for.

Make Sure Your Support Reps Have All The Answers

The presence of phone support will do no good if your staff doesn’t know your product! Customer support reps should be warm and friendly, and willing to help with any aspect of your product.
What a good feeling it is to talk to someone who feels confident in his product. It’s even better if he’s knowledgeable enough to solve your problem without transferring you all around the company!

Provide Stand-Out Service; Gain Lifelong Customers

Too many e-businesses skimp on customer service, hiding behind web sites and message boards. Customer support is an integral part of every company, even those operating solely online. Be one of the few to offer stellar service, and gain customers for life!