Changing tides: Image by: BartMaguire

Every new business has tides.  Sometimes the tide is “high.” New clients are filtering in or your client list is at maximum for the staff on-board.  Sometimes the tide is “low.” Contracts are ending and the search for new clients is stronger.  This is a basic concept that in some way is true for all new businesses.  But changes in tides can be a bit uncomfortable, right?

I have been working with JMPR Communication since its inception. I handle the business-side of our work.  I’m the guy that keeps our finances in check, is responsible for contracts and drums up new business.  Its work I really enjoy.  Since I focus on the business side, I give our changing tides some thought- and consider how we can do things better or change our model so we keep growing.

In the last month or so, we have been very fortunate to gain a number of new clients we love.  In one case, an “old client” came back to work with us on some new projects.  At the same time we have concluded a couple of contracts that expired after the work was completed.

So goes the fluidity of business, but why is it so hard to say “goodbye” to a client?

As the business-guy, I see this movement for what it is: changing tides.  And tides can be good for business.  Jennifer understands the tides, but sometimes reacts to them differently than me. For example, after the conclusion of a 3 month contract that lasted 9 months Jennifer put the final touches on the work she was doing.  Thanks and appreciation were exchanged, with the promise of future endeavors hopeful should the need arise.  As all was buttoned up, I realized: Jennifer was bummed. We talked, and I expressed that I didn’t really understand. We had just signed two new clients that week and we were taking the necessary steps to begin work with those clients.

How to embrace the changing of business tides:

1.  Adjust. Each client requires a special approach.  Ending and beginning new contracts requires adjustment.

2.  Embrace your feelings. It’s ok to feel bummed (for a minute) when you end a contract.  Not because of the loss of revenue, but because you will miss the work itself and the people you worked with. In fact, feeling bummed about a great contract ending is good.  It shows you care about your work.

3.  Focus on your accomplishments: When a 3 month contract ends after 9 months, don’t question your efforts.  Focus on what you learned, what you accomplished and how you can benefit other clients with what was learned.

4.  Say hello to goodbye: Saying goodbye is never easy.  But the flow of contracts in marketing/public relations is inevitable.  Embrace your goodbyes.  Even in business, it’s true that when one door shuts, another opens.  Say goodbye and then focus on how to say hello.

Having a new business is about being flexible, working hard, giving everyone your best and being open to changes.  I would argue that you learn most when changes are presented.

Jennifer and I ultimately agreed: Saying hello to goodbye in business is one step in having a successful business.

Do you agree?  What benefits has your business seen saying hello to goodbye?

The more you know, the more you know you don’t know.

It's ok to learn from others

My grandfather was truly brilliant- the most brilliant person I have ever had the opportunity to know.  He had weathered The Great Depression, WWII, and was a (multiple) patent-holding engineer. He was exceptional. And yet, kept telling me he didn’t know anything about anything.

I don’t think I truly understood what he meant until he died.  After the funeral, I went into his room, and on his nightstand was a book about the decision to drop the atomic bomb during WWII.  My Grandfather was one if the men on Tinian- the island used to launch the first atomic bombs.  He was a “radio guy” and was the first on the island to learn the bomb had been dropped. But even though he had been a part of it, he was interested in learning about his experience- from all angles.

Everyone’s (not) an Expert

When it comes to social media, way too many people have anointed themselves “experts.”  All the discussion about people who think they are experts, coming from others who are also NOT experts is totally played out. (So I won’t do that.)

In my mind, there are only 5-10 people that can be considered TRUE social media experts.  We all know the social media landscape can (and does) change every day.  But these “gurus” are the people:

• That crowdsource, and don’t assume they have the right solution all the time
• That filter through the noise by listening, and build relationships of quality over quantity
• That are always striving to learn more, better themselves and share their progress/set-backs with others
• That as a result of treating life as one big university, can infer what trends are going to happen before they do

I’d go as far as to say:

The more these “experts” know, the more they know they don’t know.

Ok, So Everyone Can’t be an Expert… But (Almost) Everyone Offers Value

Want to provide value to yourself?  To your clients?  To others?

Stop looking at life as though there are two sides to every story, look at everything you do from a perspective of infinite possibility.  Even if you are a seasoned professional, be willing to assume there is always a lot that can be learned and work to seek that knowledge everywhere.

What can you learn from your kids? Image by: Jennifer Mitchell, JMPR Communication

1. Being scared when starting something new is normal.  It’s how you react to your fears that matters most.
2. Making new friends is always important.
3. It’s nice to be nice.
4. Listen to your teachers (mentors).  There is always room to learn something new.
5. Always be prepared.  Bring supplies even if not required.

For those of you with kids in school, what lessons have they learned that could cross-apply to your business?

Let’s just say that some people stayed on their phones the whole show- to tweet.

And let’s just say that “these people”  who are arguably 100% addicted to their Twitter account(s), made fun of me two years ago when I suffered from the same disorder. Only then, Twitter was an unknown, and so my addiction was not understood.

Twitter can be addicting: Image by: dewaldp

One of two things is going to happen when you start Tweeting:

1) Oprah Effect: You sign up for Twitter, because you heard so and so has been using/loving it.  (Remember the surge in numbers when Oprah signed up?)  As you begin to participate, you don’t “get” the big deal about Twitter. Your usage disappears over time.

2) Twitter Addiction: You love reading tweets on the stream and you tweet a lot in-kind. You read and post updates constantly.  If your Twitter activity distracts from your day-job, or annoys your family/friends, you have a “Twitter Addiction.”

I always tell my clients:  Twitter is a useful tool if implemented correctly, but it can be very distracting and even “addictive” if not managed properly.

Here are some tips/tricks I employ to manage my own Twitter addiction:

• Schedule Twitter sessions two times a day
  On busy days I sign onto my Twitter account in the morning and in the afternoon/evening for 5-15 minutes to participate in the conversation.  During the day, I work.

  This is a great tip for companies who are just beginning to tweet.  By participating twice a day, you show that you are present for the conversation.  Feel free to send one tweet about your company each day.  But dedicate your morning or evening session to building relationships with others.

• Use Tools to Moniter Your Stream
  Maybe you’re on Twitter all day because you are looking for direct messages, @replies or mentions of your company?  You don’t need to do this all day.  Let cool Twitter applications do that for you.

  TweetDeck: TweetDeck is my favorite Twitter tool.  You can group your followers, so you never miss a Tweet.  You can conduct a search that will then live in its own column.  You can see your @replies and DMs in their own columns, as well.  TweetDeck allows you to keep an eye on your Twitter stream, so you can focus on your work.

  Twitter Search: Twitter Search (which is part of TweetDeck and Twitter Web) is a one stop search spot to see who has been talking about your company.  I utitlize Twitter Search to monitor the conversation for clients.  I also monitor the conversation on TweetDeck. Here’s the current stream discussing Twitter Addiction.

• Go Mobile
  Having Twitter access on your phone is important.  Sometimes you need to reply to a Direct Message or @reply on a timely basis.  And yeah, it’s just cool to be able to tweet from a concert or TweetUp.  I’m on Blackberry, and so I’ve tested TweetCaster, TwitterBerry and UberTwitter. I’m a huge fan of UberTwitter for a few reasons.  The updates don’t overtax my phone, I can see pictures posted without having to click any links, Re-tweeting is really easy, and basically, it’s 10 steps ahead of the other services.  Test the services yourself and settle on the one that works for YOU.
• Utilize Alerts
  Sometimes I’m not at my desk, so I use TweetBeep to send certain alerts directly to my e-mail.  As a Blackberry user, I can see any important tweets in real-time, even if I’m not on Twitter.
  
  
• Just put it down.  Really.
  There is a time and a place for Twitter.  Don’t tweet when you are driving, in a meeting, at dinner, in the movies, and on and on.  And sometimes, it’s just good to cut the cord.  Your messages will be there later.  I promise.

Hang Your Hat Here (Photo: Raymonda Doncev)

I am very pleased to welcome you all to the new blogging home for JMPR Communication.  As many of you know, I have blogged for the last 6 months or so under the name SocialMedia PR.  SocialMedia PR was “temporary” blog for a long time as I got my business started.  And the time has come to let it grow into what it was originally intended to be- a corporate Web site with a blog.

I want to thank Phelan Riessen (@imagium) for the great work he did setting up this site.  I also want to thank JillAnne Ohana (@jillanne) for her awesome design work and portaits of Harvey and I.   If you ever need web work or design, these are the people to ask!

I’ll have new content coming in the next few days. Meanwhile, feel free to check out the site, and our archived blog entries.

Take off your hats and stay a while!

Work-Life Balance

As a new business owner I often find myself grappling with balance.  I have a family, exciting business demands, and of course myself to take care of.  I don’t know about you, but business and family take precedence for me at the cost of self-sanity.

Those who say that you will never work harder than when you start your own business speak the truth.  For me, the pros outweigh the cons.

• For the first time in my life, I LOVE what I do.
• I am responsible for all business activities/results, good and bad.
• I can work in my pajamas.
• Start time and end time?  That’s up to me.
• I learn something new every day whether it be in the area of social media, PR or entrepreneurship.

But there are a few cons:

• Start time and end time?  That’s up to me. And since I have a Blackberry, there is no end time.
• I can work in my pajamas, and therefore sometimes I DO.
• I need to learn better work/life balance.

But there are 6 major areas of life that I need to take better care of- even as a new business owner.  They include:  Family, Career, Mental, Physical, Social, and Spiritual.  How many of these life areas are YOU taking care of?

I have been taking stock these past few weeks, and while career certainly gets the most attention from me, I am putting the emphasis back on family and physical needs, too.  I make time after work (even if there is more to do later) to hang out with my daughter.  I also take time out each week to go to the gym and release stress.  I realize, the more balanced I am, the better businessperson and mother I become.

For me, I schedule my self-care.  In this social world it’s easy to get tied up on the computer or taking care of one area of your life without regard for the others.  I am hopeful that by the end of 2009, I will be taking care of all areas in my life.

I’m interested: How do you achieve work/life balance?  What areas are most important to you?  And finally, how has this made you a better business owner and/or employee?