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The best thing I did for my business in 2010

What’s the best thing I did for my business in 2010? You’re reading it.

That’s right. This little old monthly e-newsletter that shows up around the middle to end of every month. Why? The obvious answer is it led to work with two or three people from my network and another two or three referrals that also led to new projects. All from a 300-word e-mail sent once a month.

Yet it would be easy to say the same thing if not one dime of work came from this e-newsletter. Why? Because it kept me connected to folks I want to stay connected to.

The old school folks out there believe you have to pick up the phone or meet with somebody face-to-face. That scenario is ideal. From a time and travel perspective, it’s also unrealistic. People just don’t always have the time to gab on the phone or get together for a cup of joe and discuss business. But if your network has a general sense of what you bring to the table and, every so often, you figuratively tap on the glass to say “hey, I’m still out here, how about you”, that’s worth its weight in gold.

On a personal level, it can sustain business relationships that are more like friendships. And at this time of year, friendship and family are really what it’s all about.

So, if you would like to stay connected or reconnect to your network, I can think of no better way than a regular e-newsletter to reach the greatest number of people. I encourage you to take Constant Contact out for a free 60-day trial. What have you got to lose?

To help you get your e-newsletter started, I’ve attached an old white paper of mine, Why Nobody Reads Your Newsletter…And How To Fix It. This white paper can help you find ways to consistently generate content for your newsletter and avoid some of the common traps many small business owners fall into when creating their newsletters.

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Why you can finish your turkey dinner but not your Web site

Hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving. I sure did. Per usual, the biggest challenge was pushing away from the dinner table and declaring myself officially finished from stuffing my face. But I did and this act led to a very weird, tryptophan-induced thought at how my just consumed turkey dinner was much like a Web site.

Think about it. Most businesses get all geared up to build a site, loading it up with content, images and other items. Then, after the site is up and running, they figuratively plop down on the couch, loosen their belts and take a snooze. In fact, many businesses will put up a Web site and not make any changes or additions for months, even a full calendar year. Probably around the time for your next turkey dinner.

The fact is a good Web site should never be finished. It’s a constant work in progress. That doesn’t mean major design changes, but adding content on a regular basis.

Why? For starters, there are hopefully things going on with your business–new or improved products or services–that you want to share. Not to mention, providing useful content that educates visitors to your site and presents you as an expert in that subject area, perhaps making them want to do business with you. Or it could be a simple announcement of a new hire, an event you’re hosting, a speaking engagement or some sort of accreditation or certification.

Making your site an active site also will help you with search engine optimization. Google is far more likely to notice a site they have previously indexed if there’s a change on those pages than if it remains stagnant. And, to finish off this seasonal analogy, much like you are more likely to have room for turkey leftovers on Thanksgiving night if you take a walk after your meal instead of a nap.

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Applause for the cause.

A recent study by strategy/communications agency Cone LLC indicates that “83% of US consumers have a more positive image of a product or company when it supports a cause they care about”. Even more compelling, the Cone study reveals, “The “88% of Americans say it is acceptable for companies to involve a cause or issue in their marketing, 85% of consumers have a more positive image of a product or company when it supports a cause they care about, and 90% of consumers want companies to tell them the ways they are supporting causes.”

Given those statistics, it is truly amazing how few businesses-large or small-take advantage of this opportunity.

Sure, some businesses might prefer their act of charity to be about the charity and somehow benefiting from such a gesture is wrong. And it’s quite possible most businesses don’t realize the newsworthiness or marketing potential of their generosity. Whatever the reason, if you actively support a cause or charity and are NOT making it part, you’re missing out on a golden opportunity to market your company and, most importantly, the cause.

That’s right. While it may seem like blowing your own horn by issuing a press release or adding language to your Web site or collateral material, you’re actually bringing attention to the cause. Perhaps you’re even speaking to people who your chosen cause has affected in one way or another. And that’s a very effective way to attract a new and sure-to-be loyal customer.