What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?

Dr. Seuss was a favorite at our house and as my family gets a little bit older, we find we all need a break from the commercialism of the holiday season.

Let us remember that the Christmas heart is a giving heart, a wide open heart that thinks of others first.

You are all probably familiar with the Christmas time story of Dr. Seuss', The Grinch Who Stole Christmas.

In moving some boxes recently I came across a copy of the now famous Dr Seuss tale and in reading the book it brought back great memories of watching the original show on TV with my daughters.

There is a part near the end that has always moved me and I trust this holiday season it will help you with what’s really important!!!

From Dr. Seuss:

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?

It came without ribbons. It came without tags.

It came without packages, boxes or bags.

And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store?

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?

As the holiday season approaches, we at Floodlight would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support.

It is business associates and customers like you who make our jobs a pleasure and keep our company successful.

We value our relationship with you and look forward to sharing our business thoughts with you in the year to come.

From all of us at Floodlight we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a New Year filled with peace and prosperity.

Donald Robichaud - President
FloodLight - Build Your Business
 1-888-768-9415

http://www.floodlight.ca

"Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of other's opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary."



Steve Jobs

1955-2011, Co-Founder of Apple Computer http://amplify.com/u/a1g82n

"And so it has come to this. I am one of the lucky people in the world. I found something that I always wanted to do and I have enjoyed every single minute of it."

Johnny Carson

1925-2005, Television Host and Comedian http://amplify.com/u/a1fk73

Donald Robichaud - It starts with a Great Elevator Pitch

I recently attended an Ottawa Chamber of Commerce networking with 100-plus people and had the pleasure of meeting many new business owners.
When I meet someone for the first time at one of these events, I usually start with something like, “So, (use their name here), what do you do at (their company)?”

It helps to be a good listener, and ask open questions. I let the other person speak first.

While they speak, I’m able to assess if my services are the right fit to their needs.

I can take it one step further and deduce the specific area where I might be able to help, by breaking it down between Sales, Marketing or Branding. If my service is appropriate for their business, I use my tried and true Elevator Pitch to explain my services.

I spent time with all my friends and business acquaintances and as I left the event, I realized that I had made 10 new business acquaintances and found 5 new leads.

Another successful night of networking!

FloodLight - Tip of the month / You need an Elevator Pitch

Every day you meet people who could use your products or services, or people who know others who could benefit from what you do. But unless you tell them what you do in a clear, concise and compelling manner, these relationships go nowhere.

That’s why you need an Elevator Pitch – a short description of your business that enables prospective buyers to know who you work with and what value you bring to the relationship. An elevator pitch conveys these marketing messages in a manner that literally attracts the right
customers to you.

In today’s fast-paced world, the average person is bombarded with thousands of marketing messages from multiple mediums every single day. Advertising is everywhere and most people don’t even notice them anymore.

To break through all this marketing clutter, it’s imperative to have an enticing elevator pitch that speaks directly to the needs of your customers. And it has to roll off your tongue easily, naturally and conversationally – and in about the time it takes, you guessed it, for an average elevator ride.


Click here for great examples of Elavator Pitchs from MSNBC Your Business


How do I write an elevator pitch?
If you need help creating your Elavator Pitch Click here!!
Donald Robichaud
President
FloodLight Consulting
250-768-9415
http://www.floodlightconsulting.com/
http://donaldrobichaud.blogspot.com/
Sales Coach Sales Consulting Kelowna Canada

Great Quote from the late Steve Jobs

Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work.

And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.

If you haven't found it yet, keep looking.

Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it.

And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on.

So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.

Steve Jobs - 1955-2011 http://amplify.com/u/a1ean4

It's the little things you do that can make a big difference.



What are you attempting to accomplish?



What little thing can you do today that will make you more effective?



You are probably only one step away from greatness.



Bob Proctor http://amplify.com/u/a1e8m7

Ottawa Business Coaching

Ottawa Business Coaching

At Floodlight our Ottawa Business Coach  and Consultants work with business owners, executives, and senior managers to Assess their business needs, Assemble a comprehensive business strategy, and Apply tailor-made business solutions in a practical, day-to-day action plan.

Floodlight will help you to illuminating the dark corners of your business and to expose things that you don’t always look at closely enough. Our goal is to help you breakthrough your present situation, with actions to maximize your results and achieve a business turnaround..
What to do! How to do it! And When to do it!

What our clients like best is that we help to identify the inefficiencies or problems in their work flow, and set forth a plan that ultimately improves the success of the company.


Floodlight specializes in:

Business Coaching,
Sales, Marketing,
Branding,
Business Development,
Web Content and SEO development
Debt Reduction and Profit Strategies in Kelowna, Ottawa, Kingston and Toronto Canada.

To start  to Build Your Business today:
Please contact Ottawa Business Coach  Donald Robichaud at 613.466.0416  or email us (Click Here) for more information on how we can help you “Build Your Business”!

Donald Robichaud President
FloodLight Consulting - Build Your Business - 613-466-0416
http://www.floodlight.ca

Ottawa Social Media Marketing

Ottawa Internet Marketing Social Media Solutions and Ottawa Marketing Support

At Floodlight we can help you through the marketing maze!

We work closely with our clients to identify and action the marketing strategies and opportunities that will grow and improve your business.

■ Create a quarterly marketing plan -- Set the following year into four key quarters and then begin to target marketing dollars and resources to achieve your business goals

■Send out monthly Newsletter -- Create a strategy to inform, educate and support all products and services to your past present and future clients. This program keeps you top of mind which becomes the branding of your organization.

■Blog Marketing -- Re-purpose all relevant information to the blog so that you become the leaders in your field and utilize all the free internet tools made possible on Google to drive down traditional marketing costs.

■Search Engine Optimization (SEO) -- This includes, the Research of Key words, Develop search strategy, Optimize web content(tweaks), Link Building, Monitor and adjust

■Competitive Analysis- We then determine what your competitors are doing we look at how many links they have, where they are getting those links and the keywords they are optimizing for their websites. This gives us an edge as we can see what is working to get top results for your keywords. This analysis will allow us to implement strategies that should move your site above your competitors in the search engines.

■Localized Search Optimization -- Local search sites are primarily supported by SEO for businesses that wish to be prominently featured when users search for specific products and services in specific locations. Local search optimization can be highly effective because it allows your services to be targeted very precisely to the search terms and location provided by the user.

■Analytics -- Floodlight can help you track your efforts and analyze the visitors to your Blog and website, and assist you in making better internet marketing decisions for your business.

■Social Media Optimization -- Set up of accounts and tools to push out marketing message • Need a social media strategy that will incorporate Site-Specific Programs •Micro blogging (Twitter)
•Business Networking (LinkedIn)
•Social Networking (Facebook, MySpace)
•Photo & Video Sharing (Flickr, YouTube)
•Submissions to web based Articles Directories

■Link Building -- What is your back link Strategy? -- High rankings can ensure that your message is viewed first. One of the most important aspects of increasing your Google Page Rank The search engines still believe that back-links are an important factor in assessing your site, so until that changes, we still have to work at generating valuable back-links.

■YouTube Videos - Videos are a great way to promote your products and services. Signature Videos set the tone for your company; Testimonial Videos give you instant credibility with your consumers
Give us a call today to implement your Internet Marketing Plan.

Contact us today and start to Build Your Business!!
Floodlight -- Build Your Business
Kelowna -- Ottawa -- Kingston -- Toronto
1-888-768-9415
http://www.floodlight.ca/

Donald Robichaud
President FloodLight Consulting
Build Your Business

"Forgiveness is not always easy. At times, it feels more painful than the wound we suffered, to forgive the one that inflicted it. And yet, there is no peace without forgiveness."

Marianne Williamson

Author and Speaker http://amplify.com/u/a1dnnu

Floodlight Expands Across Canada

Floodlight Business Solutions Group of Kelowna, BC, is growing. With the addition of more experts in a variety of business disciplines, Floodlight offers a wider range of products and services for its clients in the Okanagan Valley and now across Canada.

Floodlight was founded by local entrepreneur Donald Robichaud in the summer of 2005. His vision was to
offer cost effective business coaching, sales training, marketing advice and branding solutions to small and medium sized businesses in Kelowna and surrounding areas.

Robichaud‘s ultimate goal has been to develop the same services for business owners across Canada. That dream is becoming reality
as Floodlight opens for business in Ottawa, Kingston and Toronto.

Robichaud says, “With changes in the global economy there is tremendous pressure on businesses to operate effectively in all facets of their business. They are looking for expert guidance through cost effective coaching and mentoring.”

Floodlight advocate’s a 3-stage process they call Assess, Assemble, and Apply.

“What our clients like best is that we help to identify their key priorities with our free assessment focused on ten key areas of business”, says Robichaud. “This helps us set forth a plan that ultimately improves bottom line results. At the core of our solutions based coaching programs is our ability to help Build Your Business.”

Being a business owner presents a variety of challenges. FloodLight Business Solutions Group offers one-on-one programs to provide the coaching and mentoring necessary for success in today’s ever-increasing competitive market place.

“We found that our clients were using Floodlight as the sounding board to guide them through their many decisions”, says Robichaud. “As a result, we surrounded ourselves with experts in the areas of Sales, Communication, Marketing, Debt Reduction and Profit Strategies, IT and Software Solutions in order to improve our services.”

Among the new products to be launched this fall are Floodlight Corporate Video Production, Corporate Identity Packages, Mobile Web Pages and Digital Signage.

Clients now have the ability to introduce and promote the virtues and benefits of their brand to current and prospective customers by using powerful corporate videos on their websites and in other marketing venues like mobile devices.

On September 20^th 2011, Floodlight is holding a launch party at the Avenue Bar in the Prestige Hotel on Abbott Street. Please
join us from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, to meet the Kelowna based Floodlight team, including Ted Farr, Andrew Gregson, David Anderson, Jerry Mason, Rudy Jaspers and John Gibson.

RSVP at 250-768-9415

Floodlight Business Solutions Group services clients across Canada with consultants in Kelowna, Ottawa, Kingston and Toronto.

Within the next year, Floodlight plans to expand further with more consultants in other key Canadian markets.

For more information please contact Donald Robichaud at 250-768-9415 and you can visit us on line at www.floodlight.ca.

Social Media Marketing ..Is it for You? Lets get Social!!

Social media marketing is the process of promoting your site or business through social media channels such as:

Social media marketing is the process of promoting your site or business through social media channels in Kelowna, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto and throughout Canada.

• Micro blogging (Twitter)
• Business Networking (LinkedIn)
• Social Networking (Facebook, MySpace)
• Photo & Video Sharing (Flickr, YouTube)

This is a powerful strategy that will get you backlinks, attention and a great amounts of traffic.

There is no other low-cost promotional method out there that will easily give you large numbers of visitors, some of whom may come back to your website again and again.

Tradtional marketing like TV, Radio and the Newspaper are having their market share reduced.

If you are selling products/services or just publishing content social media marketing is a potential method that will make your site profitable over time with the appropriate strategy.

Those who ignore the benefits of social media usually fall into three categories;

1. the ones who don’t know much or anything about social media
2. the ones who are interested but don’t know how to use it
3. those who don’t believe in the value that a social media strategy can bring to any site or business.

Which one are you? Let's Get Social!

For more information contact:

Donald Robichaud
President
FloodLight – Build Your Business
250-768-9415
http://www.floodlight.ca/
http://donaldrobichaud.blogspot.com/

"You must constantly ask yourself these questions:



Who am I around?



What are they doing to me?



What have they got me reading?



What have they got me saying?



Where do they have me going?



What do they have me thinking?



And most important, what do they have me becoming?



Then ask yourself the big question: Is that okay?



Your life does not get better by chance, it gets better by change."



Jim Rohn - 1930-2009, Author and Speaker http://amplify.com/u/a1c9v5

"Love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimisim is better than despair."



Jack Layton - 1950 - 2011 Canadain http://amplify.com/u/a1bqq7

Build Your Business in Ottawa by Listening more!!

Listening is the key to selling

In today’s business world, unless you go into the sales arena with a strategy in mind, you will fail more times than you win with prospective clients, as they are busy with their own businesses.

When selling in these times, you must learn to ask the proper questions in order to gain the appropriate information that then leads to increased knowledge.

What are your best questions?
Knowledge is power, and as you ask great questions, listen to your client’s answers, you will discover a tremendous amount of information that will be pivotal in the sales process.

What are the top 10 questions that you will ask every client?
Once you fully understand the client’s situation, you will be able to make effective presentations which will enhance your personal credibility.

This will give you the confidence to express your own ideas clearly, specific to the situation, and visually when necessary.

All of these factors will significantly increase the probability of making the sale.

Please contact us for more information on how we can help you "Build Your Business"!

Floodlight – Build Your Business
Kelowna – Ottawa – Kingston – Toronto
1-888-768-9415
http://www.floodlight.ca/

"Deal first with whatever is causing you the greatest emotional distress. Often this will break the logjam in your work and free you up mentally to complete other tasks."

Brian Tracy

Speaker and Author http://amplify.com/u/a1aeyf

When was the last time you did a Google search on you or your company?

Who are you? Who, who! Who, who!

Amplify’d from www.floodlight.ca

When was the last time you did a Google search on you or your company? Everybody does a search for information, and especially for relevant information about you and your services.

I publish volumes on the web, and I check to see if my name comes up readily in a Google search and it does. I also want to see if my information is relevant and if it’s been re-purposed (copied), on someone else’s site. As business owners we should always be checking to see what people are saying about us or our business.

The web is a great place for businesses to expand their presence, but it a can also be a dark area for people to rant, rave and target businesses and individuals without any retribution. No different than the bully in school, the unsuspecting can be torn apart in forums with no way to add their own comments or defend themselves.

I have worked with a few clients who have been attacked on blogs and forums by people who hide behind the anonymity of bogus names. It’s been upsetting to my clients and the negativity can affect their business.

I recommend to my clients that they raise their profile on the web by being an active user of blogs and social media with a targeted message about their business or themselves. Positive information on the web can be a real bonus. If someone does take an unkindly swipe at you or your business, at least you’ll have information on the web that speaks and reflects well of your business and what you do.

This is where testimonials on a web site can pay major dividends. When you have lots of people stating how much they love your products and service, and one person on a forum putting you down, who are people most likely to believe?

I believe that in our instant access world, you really need to think out your internet marketing strategy and decide how to build up a wealth of positive information about you and your business.

Used effectively and skilfully, the web is a great marketing tool and a great way to ‘Build Your Business’.

Donald Robichaud is the President of FloodLight Consulting and can be reached at 250-768-9415 Read more at www.floodlight.ca

 

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/a1aaeo

"As for worrying about what other people might think - forget it. They aren't concerned about you. They're too busy worrying about what you and other people think of them."



Michael le Boeuf - Speaker and Author http://amplify.com/u/a1a94v

"When I thought I couldn't go on, I forced myself to keep going. My success is based on persistence, not luck."



Estee Lauder - 1906-2004, Entrepreneur http://amplify.com/u/a19mlm

"Everybody talks about wanting to change things and help and fix, but ultimately all you can do is fix yourself.



And that's a lot.



Because if you can fix yourself, it has a ripple effect."



Rob Reiner - Director http://amplify.com/u/a19lna

"Every individual has the power to change his or her material or financial status by first changing the nature of his or her beliefs."

Napoleon Hill http://amplify.com/u/a17nce

Summer, a great time to plan your Fall Business Strategies

When the long days of summer begin and your business starts to be affected by clients’ holidays, it’s a great opportunity to develop your fall marketing plan.

Amplify’d from www.floodlightconsulting.com

There are two great times of the year to do planning and the one that is most often overlooked is summer. In July and August, conduct a review of the first part of the year and set forth a plan for the fall to finish the year with a bang.  Develop a top 10 list of things to accomplish in July and August that will help you through the summer doldrums and accelerate your business through the fall. If you wait till September to start you won’t be ready until Thanksgiving.

Start now with 10 summer business development ideas

Deepen your relationships

Build your sales team.

Time-line for your fall marketing strategy.

New product launch.

Clean up your database

Work on your video strategy.

Update your website.

Create your blog.

Develop your Social Media strategy

Plan some Rest and Relaxation

Summer means renewing old friendships, meeting with long time business associates, taking care of you and preparing to Build Your Business in the fall.

Have a great summer, from the team at Floodlight Business Solutions Group.

Donald Robichaud FloodLight – Build Your Business Kelowna / Ottawa / Toronto Email 1-888-768-9415 http://www.floodlightconsulting.com/ http://donaldrobichaud.blogspot.com/ Read more at www.floodlightconsulting.com

 

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/a16xzi

"The moment you commit and quit holding back, all sorts of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance, will rise up to help you. The simple act of commitment is a powerful magnet for help."

Napoleon Hill

1883-1970, Author http://amplify.com/u/a1652j

"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles."

Christopher Reeve

1952-2004, Actor, Director and Producer



www.floodlight.ca http://amplify.com/u/a15plg

New Media - Interent Marketing Canada

Bryson Gilbert is a web developer and designer, specializing in WordPress-based solutions and Internet Social Networking with New Media interaction.

Having learned to code shortly after learning to write, Bryson brings years of experience to any web-based project.

His in-depth knowledge of both sides of the web world – design and development – is the key to building effective solutions for the web.

Bryson has worked with FloodLight since its inception assisting FloodLight Clients in Kelowna, Ottawa and Toronto with guidance and council for Internet based New Media Solutions.

The New Media areas of Twitter, Facebook and YouTube expands the possibility of on-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital device, as well as interactive user feedback, creative participation and community formation around the media and marketing content.

To Build You Business with New Media Strategies contact:

Bryson Gilbert – New Media Specialist

Floodlight – Build Your Business
Kelowna – Ottawa – Kingston – Toronto
1-888-768-9415
http://www.floodlight.ca/
http://donaldrobichaud.blogspot.com/

Increase your Productivity – Time management

In the last couple of weeks I have been reading many books and one in particular has struck a key note with me. “The 4-Hour Work Week” . The first 100 pages are gold !!!!! Excellent read....now put it into action!!!

Amplify’d from www.floodlightconsulting.com

In the last couple of weeks I have been reading many books and one in particular has struck a key note with me.

Daily I deal with clients and friends who are slaves to technology, specifically emails, cell phones and their own struggles with time management. The book “The 4-Hour Work Week” by Tim Ferriss is about how to radically change your lifestyle or go from ‘living to work’ to working (as little, but effectively as possible) and making life as big as possible.

‘living to work’ to working (as little, but effectively as possible) and making life as big as possible.

Here is a summary from chapter seven (Interrupting Interruption and the Art of Refusal) that is focused on step-changing one’s personal efficiency. With these tips you can get 15 times as much done in a normal workweek”. The key is to do things quicker, faster better and to enjoy the things that are really important in life. Interested? Donald Robichaud- FloodLight Consulting Eliminate time wasters:

Severely limit e-mail consumption and production Read more at www.floodlightconsulting.com

 

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/a157g0

"What will your children remember? Moments spent listening, talking, playing and sharing together may be the most important times of all."

Gloria Gaither

Songwriter, Author and Speaker http://amplify.com/u/a15799

"The attitude you have as a parent is what your kids will learn from more than what you tell them. They don't remember what you try to teach them. They remember what you are."

Jim Henson

1936-1990, Creator of The Muppets http://amplify.com/u/a150ao

Air Canada and Social Media... Who Knew!

When we think about a company’s brand, we often tend to think first of its visual identity: logo, colours, maybe the look and feel of their online presence.

Those are all key components of a brand, but something that is overlooked all too often is the experience of the brand.

Marketers like to say that your brand is actually the relationship with the customer; that is, the brand is the sum total of your customers’ experiences and interactions with your brand. With that in mind, you’ll want to make sure that when a customer interacts with your company in any context, from browsing your website to seeking customer service, they come away from the experience with a good impression.

Recently, I had just such an experience with one of the most well-known Canadian brands: Air Canada. This is a brand with more than its fair share of scars from poor customer service in the past. But with a carefully-planned social media strategy, they are going a long way towards healing those scars in the eyes of their most valuable customers: frequent fliers.

On a quiet Sunday afternoon, I received an automated email from Air Canada letting me know that the schedule for one of my bookings had been changed. This is fairly common, as they adjust their flight schedules frequently to match fluctuations in demand. Unfortunately for me, the new arrival time meant that I would be late for an important commitment. I suspected that they had a policy in place to deal with this sort of thing, but seeing as it was a Sunday and I didn’t want to spend my time on the phone, I decided to send a tweet to Air Canada’s official customer service Twitter account, asking for some general information about my situation. I was not expecting an immediate reply, and I did not necessarily need one since this booking was for a trip several weeks in the future.

Later that same evening, while having a sandwich in between flights at the Vancouver airport, my phone rang. To my surprise, it was a friendly Air Canada rep calling to let me know that she had seen my tweet, and wanted to take care of the situation for me quickly, rather than having me call the customer service line myself and wait on hold for an hour. She had taken the liberty of looking up my file to find my phone number, and she had all my booking information on hand so that we could quickly and painlessly choose a new flight schedule that suited me. No charge. And as an added personal touch, she had read enough of my recent tweets to know that I was in transit at the Vancouver airport at the time, and asked me how my trip was going.

After the call, I picked my jaw up from the floor and went back to my sandwich. Thirty seconds later, my updated flight itinerary landed in my inbox.

This is a great example of a company employee going way beyond the call of duty to quickly take care of a customer in need. It’s also an example of a company recognizing that they can use an effective social media strategy to save customers a great deal of time and effort, to make loyal customers feel valued – and to score some serious brand brownie points.

The whole experience left me feeling very confident that I had made the right choice flying with Air Canada, and it’s a feeling I will certainly remember next time I’m shopping around for a flight.

This is a great example of how a well-executed Internet Marketing and Social Media strategy will help you Build Your Business.

Floodlight Consultant - Bryson Gilbert - New Media Specialist
Donald Robichaud
FloodLight – Build Your Business
Kelowna / Ottawa / Toronto
Email
1-888-768-9415
http://www.floodlightconsulting.com/
http://donaldrobichaud.blogspot.com/

How debt crushes a business in Ottawa!!!

Borrowing money to acquire real assets or buy new equipment can lead to genuine improvements in a business’s opportunity to make better profits. Borrowing money in this situation is a reasonable bet, but it needs to be supported by a genuine plan and clear sightedness by management.

But borrowing money to solve business problems like cash flow shortfalls or finance receivables is a double-edged sword. Debt incurred for these purposes typically makes matters worse by crushing profits into the dirt. As debt increases, more and more of the daily, weekly and monthly revenues are assigned to service debt. Less and less goes to keeping the business healthy. Debt then forces businesses to borrow indirectly by slowing supplier payments, getting behind with payroll taxes, and cutting owner pay.

Then more borrowing takes place and the debt spiral takes a sickening lurch and the end is near.

Here is the mechanism.

People and businesses borrow money. Essentially this is a long term bet that the enterprise will generate the cash to repay the loan. But debt service charges are a fixed cost, like rent, payroll and lease payments, that do not rise and fall with revenues. You can cut purchases in response to a fall in revenues. You can cut hours; you can switch off power; you can lay off staff. But you cannot stop making debt payments without repercussions.

Moreover, the debt servicing amounts are taken directly from profits and if profits are not there or are slow to arrive, then the business can collapse.

This is why lenders want to see a concrete plan for recovery.

How to solve debt problems:

Borrowing more money to solve the immediate problem may be a great move, provided there is a credible strategy to return to manageable levels of debt. Quite often, however, there is no plan beyond wishful thinking.

So, having a written plan is step one. This plan must have good research and solid numbers backed up by that research. Quite often this will mean a better pricing strategy that builds in a pre-determined profitability on each transaction. Need a better pricing strategy? Then read my book Pricing Strategies for Small Business.

Step two, would be to devise written management targets to retire the new debt within a 2 to 4 year period. This should take the form of a cash management programme.

Step 3 would be to work that strategy to retire the debt and get into the habit of retiring debt.

But what happens if the problem is truly intractable?

When this position is reached, it is possible to park the debt while rebuilding the business. Sometimes the solutions are harsh and sometimes lengthy. If it took a few years to get to that unhappy position, then it will not be a five minute fix. But it can be done.

This typically involves convincing the creditors to stand by for a limited period. But assets pledged against the debt are in danger of being seized. That pledge could have been for the receivables, equipment, vehicles and even personal homes.

When the plan starts to work?

When the plan is underway and the cash comes in it is perfectly normal to think that all problems are solved. But you are wrong. Why?

Even the re-payment of debt has to be managed. Some debts are more dangerous than others even if they have lower costs attached. Debts for payroll taxes can lead to seizure of bank accounts. Debts to workman’s compensation can lead to the premises being locked down. Debts against assets can lead to the assets being seized.

What to do? Refer to the cash flow plan. It is unwise to pay “soft” debt before the dangerous ones. If your plan was accepted by the creditors, then work the plan. Pay early or at least on time. Rebuild your credibility and please stop whining.

Next, pay the high interest rate debt first. And when you can utilize some credit availability to move high interest to lower interest, then do so.

Finally, when the worry of debt is gone and cash is not totally dedicated to servicing that debt, you can Build Your Business.

Remember that the people who worry least about money or a temporary downturn in business are debt free and have low fixed costs. You want to be there.

To discuss your debt challenges call:

Floodlight Business Consultant:

Andrew D. Gregson B.A., M.A. M.Sc.(Econ)
Kelowna, BC, Canada V1Y 8A6
toll free: (888) 959-0752
Andrew@pricingstrategies.ca

"One hour per day of study will put you at the top of your field within three years. Within five years you'll be a national authority. In seven years, you can be one of the best people in the world at what you do."

Earl Nightingale

1921-1989, Author and Speaker http://amplify.com/u/a13sk8

"Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven't half the strength you think they have."

Norman Vincent Peale

1898-1993, Author of The Power of Positive Thinking http://amplify.com/u/a127ru

Digital Oil Change a new marketing vehicle!!!

As a marketing consultant and business coach I have been challenged by my clients in the last while to find new and innovative ways to market their products locally in Kelowna.

Many of my clients prefer not to use traditional mediums of radio, TV and newspaper. They tend to leverage the internet with websites, blogs and various social media sites including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and marketing tools like Twongo.

I did not think I’d find the next marketing opportunity when I was changing the oil in my car.

Last week I visited Mobil 1 Lube Express on Enterprise Way to do an oil change on my 1976 Pontiac Lemans classic car. I was in for a simple oil and filter. I like Mobil 1 Lube Express for their great service and pleasant staff.

Sitting in my car I noticed a large LCD screen and I thought this was pretty interesting as I could watch my sport updates.

Within a few minutes of starting the oil change Pat Chassie, the owner of Mobil 1 Lube Express, came over and explained that they had just added some new technology the ‘Pit Cam’ to enhance the service levels at his location.

Pat said “We wanted to have the ability to show clients the problems they have with their cars or just review what we have completed with the customer. Our insurance does not allow clients in the basement of the shop, so live video feed was a great option”.

The solution was a new product from Northern Computer; Digital Signage Solutions as it serves a dual purpose.

Number one: It allows Pat’s crew to visually show the issues under the car immediately through the camera to the clients.... Example.... In my case they were able to show me on the screen the oil pan for my car and that it had an oil film on the exterior, which means I needed to have the gasket changed before it became a bigger problem.

Number two: It allows Mobil 1 Lube Express to feature products and services on the screen to a captive audience.

That’s when the light bulb went on!!!!

I asked Pat if he was going to do some additional advertising.

At this point he smiled and said....”Yes, we have a few advertisers lined up, but we’d love your help.”

Not only do I have a few ideas ......I have a few clients looking for new avenues to market their business to a targeted audience.

In discussions with Pat I came to realize that this will be a great opportunity at a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising.

He also mentioned that Northern Computer will be doing some presentations in the next while to explain the technology and its many uses.

All in all the Pontiac Lemans is running great and I have found another way to help my clients.

Technology is moving so fast and allows you to Build Your Business with new and innovative ways.

To learn more contact Pat directly at Mobil 1 Lube Express or John Gibson at Northern Computer.

Donald Robichaud
FloodLight – Build Your Business
Kelowna / Ottawa / Toronto
Email
1-888-768-9415
http://www.floodlightconsulting.com/
http://donaldrobichaud.blogspot.com/

"Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results."

Willie Nelson

Singer-Songwriter http://amplify.com/u/b10pxf

"Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world."

Harriet Tubman

1822-1913, Abolitionist http://amplify.com/u/byt3i

Reaching your business goals in 2011

Are you on track?

Amplify’d from www.floodlightconsulting.com

The first quarter of 2011 is over and we are well into the spring. .

This is a great time to review your business goals for the year and your results for the first quarter of the year.

Are you on track?

I’ve had many discussions with business owners and entrepreneurs in small to medium sized companies and some are struggling to find new leads, close sales, and grow their business. In fact, some are losing market share or seeing sales decline, and aren’t sure what to do. When I ask if they’re experts in their field or whether they have a plan, I get all types of answers from, “I’m not sure what to do”, to, “I’m not smart enough”, or even worse, “It’s the market’s fault”.

If you’re not an expert in your field and fully confident of your products and services, then your customers and potential customers will sense your weakness and not be motivated to purchase from you. Read more at www.floodlightconsulting.com

 

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/by957

"The thing always happens that you really believe in; and the belief in a thing makes it happen."

Frank Lloyd Wright

1867-1959, Architect, Writer and Educator http://amplify.com/u/by5tm

Million Shoe Mission - Soles4Souls

We need your help – Sponsorship Support – Soles4Souls

Amplify’d from www.floodlightconsulting.com

As the owner of Floodlight Consulting it’s important that every year my wife Donna and I connect with the community and the generosity of its people.

Last year I became a Sponsor of the Soles4Souls campaign and it was one of the most uplifting experiences of my life.

From this  small Canadian city Kelowna, we were able to help the local charities and then also assist the people in Haiti with such a simple donation as a pair of shoes.

We were able to gently touch the lives of 40,000 souls.

This year we have expanded the Soles4Souls campaign and with the help of the Sunrise Rotary of Kelowna we are once again collecting shoes up and down the valley.

*The funds raised are for the operation of the campaign and 50% of the fund will be used to purchase shoes in your name. You will also be listed as a sponor on our website http://www.soles4soulscanada.com Read more at www.floodlightconsulting.com

 

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bxz5l

"What is the difference between an obstacle and an opportunity? Our attitude toward it. Every opportunity has a difficulty, and every difficulty has an opportunity."

J. Sidlow Baxter

1903-1999, Author and Theologian http://amplify.com/u/bx487

In the last few weeks we discussed how to define a great Mission Statement and we covered the importance of a great Vision Statement. This week we will focus on your Company Values.







Values:Strong values will be those which actually operate in practice. Your company values underpin the vision and the mission. No business is value-free and it is important to be explicit about those values that are essential to the business achieving its vision. If values are not made explicit, then the values of the most dominant people are likely to be those which actually operate in practice.



If you do not define your company values, the company will be adrift without proper direction.



Four key questions to define your Company Values:



What are the values that are important to you as the business owner?

What are the values that will be important to your team members?

What are the..........



http://www.floodlightconsulting.com/2011/03/24/how-to-define-your-company-values/ http://amplify.com/u/bwf41

PVR Means – Persistent Video Recollectio

Interesting post by Ted Farr dealing with branding in the changing world of technology.. Don

Amplify’d from tedfarrmedia.wordpress.com

Stopped being an “early adopter” of new technology years ago. The speed of change is so fast that the big dollars for new and improved today will be affordable dollars in a matter of months, maybe a year. Paid $950 dollars for the first front loading Sony Betamax back in the day and that was wholesale. By the time it finally broke down, the latest VHS machine was around $200. Today the DVD player has become disposable. Under $100 dollars for better than decent. It breaks, throw it away and buy another.

TV commercials might be even more effective. In the pre PVR days, commercial breaks provided that 3-4 minutes to check another channel, hit the fridge, get another cookie, chat about the last segment, play with the dog, anything but pay attention to the commercials. But they got me. Dammit! Fast forward means I have to pay attention in order to hit the play button at just the right time. Fast forward is actually fast. 30 second commercials fly by, no sound, no advertising claims, no bad jingles, no stupid story lines. But hold on! I am remembering words on screen that are there just long enough to be an impression, a logo that is sharp and colourful and well defined. Got me to thinking. Not an original thought I hope. If I were to produce a 30 second tv commercial right now, I would want to make sure the message is strong in fast forward. How many more of these quick messages do you see because you are watching more episodes of more shows. Read more at tedfarrmedia.wordpress.com

 

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bw7mz

Oil Prices rising

Amplify’d from money.canoe.ca

Oil price tops $116 as Libya airstrikes continue

Oil prices rose by $2 a barrel on Monday as a wave of U.N.-mandated airstrikes on Libya and proliferating unrest in the Middle East fanned concerns about oil supply from the region.

"With the nature of the external military involvement becoming clearer, there is a further escalation of the situation, and the damage to infrastructure might be larger, keeping Libya out of the oil market for longer," said Amrita Sen, an analyst at Barclays Capital.

"The market is very headline driven and we don't know what the next headline from Libya or Japan will be," said Olivier Jakob, an oil analyst at Petromatrix.

"The main question for the oil markets is how long production outage could last ... We could end up by having two countries or a protracted civil war. We assume Libyan oil exports will be zero for the next six months," said Mike Wittner, Head of Commodities Research at Societe Generale. Read more at money.canoe.ca

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bvw2r

On Line Coupons

My clients are finding that this is a great marketing tool. Most are reducing their traditional marketing costs and spending the money with this new service.

Amplify’d from www.imediaconnection.com

Drive Consumers with Online Coupons

In order to tap into this demand for coupons you need to determine what consumer behavior you want to reward, and then figure out a suitable reward. Here are a few generic examples that achieve various business objectives: Read more at www.imediaconnection.com

 

See this Amp at http://amplify.com/u/bvw0w

"It's the little things that make the big things possible. Only close attention to the fine details of any operation makes the operation first class."

John Willard Marriott

1900-1985, Entrepreneur and Founder of Marriott Corporation http://amplify.com/u/bvvza

The Malarkeys latest release just in time for St. Patrick’s Day - Right as Rain



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzzrTosVBFI http://amplify.com/u/buylk

"We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude."

Cynthia Ozick

Writer http://amplify.com/u/buaux

"We all have to start with ourselves. It is time to walk the talk. Take the journey of making very difficult decisions. Start removing things from your life that are not filling your cup and adding things that bring joy in to your life."Lisa HammondAuthor of Dream Big http://amplify.com/u/bsljb

"Everybody is like a magnet. You attract to yourself reflections of that which you are. If you're friendly, then everybody else seems to be friendly too."Dr. David HawkinsPhysician and Lecturer http://amplify.com/u/bs03e

The most important resource of a business today is it’s people. This is increasingly meaningful not merely as rhetoric but also in practice.If we depend more and more on fewer people and if the loyalty of these people, particularly managers, can no longer be assumed but rather must be earned and retained, then clearly we need to be concerned about how we utilize them, develop them and resource them.We also need to consider the opportunities for rewards, promotion and success which we provide. If changes depend upon the people who implement them one must be concerned to ensure that those people possess the necessary skills. If those same people are motivated by challenge and opportunity then we must provide that as well.If we are to bring people together effectively, then we must adopt managerial styles conducive to learning, to development, to creating and to ........ http://amplify.com/u/aqiav http://amplify.com/u/brnpd

"The person who makes a success of living is the one who sees his goal steadily and aims for it unswervingly. That is dedication."Cecil B. DeMille1881-1959, Film Director and Producer http://amplify.com/u/brgz6

"The secret of joy in work is contained in one word - excellence. To know how to do something well is to enjoy it."Pearl Buck1892-1973, Winner of both the Pulitzer and Nobel Prize for her writing. http://amplify.com/u/brbb5

TIPS TO SUCCESSFUL PRICING STRATEGIES Part 1 of 5 http://amplify.com/u/aqnip This is a great series of articles by Andrew Gregson of Pricing Strategies that I will be posting on my website over the next few weeks. DonAlways when I begin my speeches or my workshops, I tell the participants that I cannot instruct them to price their widget at $4.95. Rather, I plan to teach my audience advanced ways of thinking about pricing and several methodologies to help them make informed and intelligent pricing decisions.Don’t follow the crowd!For most small businesses, the everyday pricing regime starts with checking the competition’s rates and prices, and then following the crowd. This is even the recommended strategy in many popular guides for small business.During the days of prohibition, 25 of Chicago’s top bootleggers were rounded up in a surprise raid. During their arraignment, the judge asked the usual questions, including the occupation of each suspect. The first twenty-four were a http://amplify.com/u/bqniw

"You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear. Do it! Develop an appreciation for the present moment. Seize every second of your life and savor it. Value your present moments. Using them up in any self-defeating ways means you've lost them forever."Wayne DyerAuthor and Speaker http://amplify.com/u/bqji3

The most important resource of a business today is it’s people. This is increasingly meaningful not merely as rhetoric but also in practice.If we depend more and more on fewer people and if the loyalty of these people, particularly managers, can no longer be assumed but rather must be earned and retained, then clearly we need to be concerned about how we utilize them, develop them and resource them.We also need to consider the opportunities for rewards, promotion and success which we provide. If changes depend upon the people who implement them one must be concerned to ensure that those people possess the necessary skills. If those same people are motivated by challenge and opportunity then we must provide that as well.If we are to bring people together effectively, then we must adopt managerial styles conducive to learning, to development, to creating and to articulating/communicating vision.............read more http://amplify.com/u/aqiav http://amplify.com/u/bqiaw

"Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn't stop to enjoy it."William Feather1889-1981, Writer http://amplify.com/u/bqh7z

"One half of life is luck; the other half is discipline - and that's the important half, for without discipline you wouldn't know what to do with luck."Carl Zuckmeyer1896-1977, Writer and Playwright http://amplify.com/u/aqbnk

"I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition."Martha Washington1732-1802, First American First Lady http://amplify.com/u/aq7ff

Build Your Business – Defining a great Vision Statement http://amplify.com/u/aptbz So you need to ask yourself a few key questions:What is the purpose of your business? Does it represent your core values as a person? Does everyone who works with you know what your Vision is? A Vision statement is usually the first part of a three-part statement of purpose. The second part is the Mission statement, which is a concrete and localized statement of intent. Finally, the third part is the Values statement, describing the values that are important to the running of the business and that are implicit in the vision and mission of the business. (Mission and Values will be covered in the next few articles.)This week we will focus on the Vision statement.A lot of Entrepreneurs struggle with coming up with a vision and when they do write one, it usually sounds like their primary aim in life, the end goal.Here is a simple and easy guide to follow:Vision: the ideal destination. It is where the busi http://amplify.com/u/aptpx

Another AHA Moment in the Life of a Boomer http://amplify.com/u/bpnee http://amplify.com/u/apnef

Another AHA Moment in the Life of a Boomer http://amplify.com/u/apne5

For the love of sales, not the love of money!!Do you love sales?Do you love what you do?Do you love your product?Do you love your company?Do you love your customers? These are not questions I pulled out of the air. These are questions that directly affect your productivity, your attitude, your income, your success, and your fulfillment—not to mention your longevity at your present job. Many salespeople are reluctant to come to grips with WHY they are in sales and WHY they are in their present job. Some salespeople will respond, “I’m in it for the money.” Some will respond, “I need the money.” Others will respond, “I have bills to pay and debt to overcome.” And even more will say, “I have a family.” What you won’t hear is: “I haven’t saved enough to do what I really want to do.” And, unfortunately, even less are willing to take the risk. http://amplify.com/u/apcxu http://amplify.com/u/apcy2

Courtesy Is Kindness in Action http://amplify.com/u/bogpn http://amplify.com/u/aogpv

"To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time."Leonard BernsteinConductor and Composer http://amplify.com/u/aobnd

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish."John Quincy Adams1767-1848, Sixth President of the United States http://amplify.com/u/ao87x

"If you don't like the road you're walking, start paving another one."Dolly Parton http://amplify.com/u/ao7r0

"Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I shall have the belief that I can do it. I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it, even if I may not have it at the beginning."Mahatma Gandhi1869-1948, Indian Nationalist Leader http://amplify.com/u/ao7ai

When you boil it all down, there’s really only 2 strategies for getting more new clients.Perhaps you’re familiar with them.In marketing circles they’re known as “Push” and “Pull”.“Push” (as the name would imply) involves pushing yourself onto prospects in the hopes that you can convince them, before they hang up or walk away, that you have a service they desperately need. The classic example of the push strategy is cold calling.Does it work?Sure. But it’s got a lot downside to it.It’s labor intensive…not a whole lot of fun…you get lots (and lots) of rejections.But, the upside is that it doesn’t cost much of anything to implement, doesn’t take a lot of time or thought, so for people who tend to confuse activity with productive, and have a lot of time on their hands, it’s something to do.And, who knows, maybe it will lead to something.However, for most anyone who offers high value services, the “Push” marketing strategy leaves a lot to be desired. Whi http://amplify.com/u/ao7ah

"The individual who wants to reach the top in business must appreciate the might of the force of habit and must understand that practices are what create habits. He must be quick to break those habits that can break him and hasten to adopt those practices that will become the habits that help him achieve the success he desires."J. Paul Getty1892-1976, American Oil Tycoon http://amplify.com/u/anoo8

"The day you catch an idea you fall in love with, even a small one, is a beautiful day."David LynchFilmmaker and Television Director http://amplify.com/u/anldr

http://amplify.com/u/bnjcx New Internet Marketing Trends – Social MarketingInternet Marketing or Online Marketing is a new way to promote your product and services through the web.Your core marketing strategy stays the same as you raise your visibility in the target market while increasing sales and profits.Today, Internet Marketing is considered the fastest and most economical medium for promoting product and business growth.Internet marketing strategies cover various services such as search engine optimization (SEO), search newsletters, email marketing, copy writing, web development, blog posting, social media sites, pay per click and numerous others.And now the power of social media, team buying and twitter, have changed the landscape of how people are finding out about local merchants in Kelowna and throughout Canada.One internet marketing strategy that has caught on quickly is the Groupon and Twongo models, now in operation in Kelowna, Canada. This new marketing avenue harness http://amplify.com/u/anjd1

http://amplify.com/u/bnjcr Always when I begin my speeches or my workshops, I tell the participants that I cannot instruct them to price their widget at $4.95. Rather, I plan to teach my audience advanced ways of thinking about pricing and several methodologies to help them make informed and intelligent pricing decisions. Don’t follow the crowd!For most small businesses, the everyday pricing regime starts with checking the competition’s rates and prices, and then following the crowd. This is even the recommended strategy in many popular guides for small business.During the days of prohibition, 25 of Chicago’s top bootleggers were rounded up in a surprise raid. During their arraignment, the judge asked the usual questions, including the occupation of each suspect. The first twenty-four were all engaged in the same activity. Each claimed to be a realtor. “And, who are you?” the judge asked the last prisoner. “Your honour, I’m a bootlegger,” he said. Surprised, the judge http://amplify.com/u/anjcs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZgn70FESn8 http://amplify.com/u/anjco

Hi Amplify friends... I'm new here. Looking forward to sharing interesting things, learning something new and engaging in conversation with you! http://amplify.com/u/anjck