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.

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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?

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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

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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