Tips and Tools for a Comprehensive PR Plan

It’s amazing. People are crowded into your store, and the phone won’t stop ringing. You’ve exceeded your goals for this quarter, and your employees can barely keep up. With all your profits, you’ll keep expanding, keep increasing your market.

Then your alarm clock rings and you wake up. It’s time to face the day and figure out how to make that dream a reality.

If you’re like most people, you want to grow your business. But what are the best ways to do that? Here are some ideas to get you and your brand noticed.

• Hold an event. No, your business may not be new, but find something to celebrate. “1^st Anniversary!” “Customer Appreciation Day!” “Open House!” However you label it, having a party will bring people into your store and generate traffic. Be sure to list the event in newsletters, newspapers, or other local media outlets.

• Give a speech. Doing some public speaking is a great free way to make yourself familiar to the community. Join organizations such as the chamber of commerce, Rotary, and business-related groups, then offer to talk about topics you think members will find interesting. You’ll become more recognized and have more opportunities to network.

• Find a cause. Support a nonprofit group in the community and get active. By working with a local charity, you’ll meet terrific people and spread goodwill.

• Make contact. It may sound old-fashioned, but take some time to figure out what local media your customers favor. It is radio and TV? Or maybe a community newspaper? Then contact the people who write for these outlets. Send them press releases on a regular basis, talking not only about your products but also how you solve problems for your clients.

• Go electronic. Social media may seem daunting, but embrace it! Make sure your website is appealing to visitors and stays current. Begin at Twitter and start following people and groups that you like. See what they are doing and then post your own tweets. Next, explore other platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn. If you don’t have the time to update on a regular basis, hire a social media group to do it for you.

No matter what strategies you favor, never miss an opportunity to meet people and talk about your business. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to boost your brand.

Marketing Your Small Business

According to The United States Small Business Administration, small businesses account for more than 99% of the unique businesses in the country and provide jobs for more than 50% of the private sector. Some are involved in small business because they prefer to work for themselves. Others don’t mind having a boss but would rather work in a more familiar environment. Whatever the reason, small business is a prevalent force in the United States’ economy. If you are involved in one, then you know how customer-dependant your business is. This may sound simple minded, but consider that business seasons and other environmental factors can realistically be less harmful to franchises that are most often backed by corporate budgets. If one store is down, but another is picking up the slack, they cancel each other out as part of something greater than their individual initiatives. For those of you that own or operate a small business then you understand how nice that kind of cushion would be at times. Important buzz-building, traffic-driving marketing is critical to keep you on the path that will ultimately increase your bottom line – in good times and in bad.

Marketing can be a true lifeline for small business. It is one of the factors that can directly and indirectly lead to increased revenue and profitability. A small business must approach marketing form a different standpoint than a large one. Small business deals with leaner budgets and often more precisely targeted customers. Large businesses can afford a variety of marketing outlets and can step outside of targeting specifically in an effort to attract new customers. Small business must think about what they do, how they do it and ultimately who they do it for. Here are some tips to consider when putting together your small business marketing plan.

Tips to market your small business

Establish you presence- You have likely already chosen your location. Ideally you are easily accessible to your customer base. You need to make sure that they see you.

• Is your physical location physically visible? If not ensure that you have signs that announce your presence.
• You also need a virtual presence. If you have not done it already, set up a website and maintain it. You may opt to pay someone who knows more than you to do this for you. This is not a bad idea as web knowledge can get very deep very fast. Remember, people take to the internet when making purchasing decisions these days, whether you do or not.

Find your best customers- As you are involved in running the business, you know who your best customers are. These clients use you regularly and constitute a considerable portion of your overall revenue despite the fact that they may not be a considerable number of your total customers. These people are extremely important.

• Get to know them! Find out personal things about them that you can include into regular interaction. This will help you communicate with them on a more personal level and help you to find ways to please them while you are doing business. These factors combined will help you to keep them and their revenue.
• Ask them for referrals. These customers are coming back because they like your business and think that you do a good job. Ask them to refer their friends and colleagues that can use your services. Word of mouth is the best advertising and there is no shame in asking for it.

Position yourself- In marketing terms, positioning means to present yourself so as to communicate how you are different from your closest competitors. This seems basic but many businesses fail to do it.

• You can start as early as choosing a name. Think of something memorable that clearly describes your business. Carry this attitude and idea of your business over into communicating with customers. Describe yourself in your chosen way when talking in person or placing written content on your website.
• Making friends with non-competitors is another way to do this. Find other small businesses that you feel have the same “feel” as yours and that share similar customers. Partnering with them for promotions is a great way to find new customers that match your target market and making connections with fellow business owners can lead to new opportunities down the road.

This is not a comprehensive marketing plan but it is a good start. Take these thinking points and decide how they can be applied to your business. These tips all focus on low to no monetary cost techniques. As a small business, see what you can do for yourself without spending a lot of money first.

How to Integrate Marketing and PR within Your Business

Now that you’ve launched your business, you understandably want to announce it to the world.

But before you click the “send” button on that email with your initial press release, you need to quiz yourself on your marketing readiness. For example:

• Do my employees understand the company brand, mission and vision?
• Has sales training been conducted?
• Is our website user-friendly?
• Are my print marketing materials consistent with the website?
• Are my electronic marketing materials consistent with my print materials?
• Do we have a method to acquire leads and convert them into prospects?
• Do I have a way to measure ROI?

If you answered “yes” to these questions, I’d say you have done your homework and are well on your way to marketing success. On the other hand, if you answered “no” to two or more of these questions, you need to craft a more comprehensive marketing strategy before telling everybody who you are and what you do.

Marketing and PR go together

Gone are the days when a company sold itself using radio, TV, billboards and newspapers. While those mediums are still relevant depending on the audience and the message, email, the Internet and social media have drastically changed the world of marketing and PR.

Bottom line: If your messages aren’t consistent across all these communication platforms, and the look and “feel” of your marketing and PR themes aren’t the same, you will come across as disjointed or inconsistent. While marketing is sales-based and PR is image-based, both elements need to be integrated into your business promotions.

It’s critical that employees grasp this. When they understand the service you provide, the products you offer and their role in delivering them to customers, they will not only support the external marketing and PR efforts, but they will also complement them. Employees loyal to what you stand for and clear on how they contribute to the company’s success make the best sales people.

Alignment isn’t just for cars

Will any of your employees be assigned to work trade shows, to serve as a community liaison, or represent the company at sponsorship events? If so, they will be much more effective brand ambassadors if they are in sync with your company’s marketing strategy. And aligning employees with your strategy is much easier when it’s implemented consistently throughout the organization.

Increasing employee understanding and enthusiasm for your brand can be done in a number of ways, including frequent communications about the company’s operational goals and achievements; team-building exercises; and incentive campaigns.

So before you shoot off that first news release, be sure you’ve integrated your company’s marketing and PR efforts and messages – and that your employees are as ready for your company’s big debut as you are.

10 Tips for In-House Marketing Directors

So you’ve just been hired as a marketing director, or promoted from within your organization to this position.

No matter how you got the job, congratulations. Being in charge of a company’s day-to-day marketing effort is a huge responsibility, as I’ve discovered, but it can be a highly rewarding one as well. Depending on the size of your staff – if you even HAVE a staff – you will be assigning tasks to your team, outsourcing work to agencies, or running the show completely on your own.

Here are 10 tips to help you get it all accomplished.

1. Plan: You can’t do enough of this. You need a big-picture marketing strategy for the year, including your budget. Then create more detailed plans for your various marketing initiatives.
2. Delegate: If you have staff, give them as much responsibility as they can handle. If you don’t feel someone is up to the challenge, can you coach or mentor this person?
3. Repurpose: Don’t reinvent the wheel. Figure out what content can be used for more than one medium.
4. Network: Keep up your professional contacts outside the company; and build them within the company. These allies will help you stay on top of trends and internal politics.
5. Share: Spread your wealth around. Marketing should be contributing to internal departments and customers, external customers and branding efforts, and any charitable causes and community organizations that the company supports.
6. Innovate: Don’t do things the same old way. Come up with new ideas for marketing strategies and campaigns. Try to bring a fresh perspective to standard tools like press releases.
7. Invite: Don’t build a wall around Marketing. Encourage input and suggestions. People are going to offer their opinions whether you like it or not, and embracing it will make you seem more approachable, and supportive of the company.
8. Appreciate: If Marketing gets helpful feedback from internal customers or external ones, show your appreciation. This is especially important within your company, where Marketing can be seen as aloof and superior by other employees – some of whom feel undervalued.
9. Decline: Sometimes, it’s best just to say ‘no’ to an internal or external customer when their request is not in anybody’s best interests. But don’t just cross your arms and shake your head from side to side; explain your reasoning and your concerns.

Last but not least…

1. Acquiesce: If you’ve stated your case and you’ve made the best argument for or against something, learn when you need to give in and/or make a gracious retreat.

Following these 10 tips will help you become, or remain, a highly-effective marketing director, whether you are a department of one or have a staff backing you up.

Best Practices When Pitching Media

Getting the correct information out is our job. In order to do this you need to know how to pitch ideas and stories to writers, editors or whoever else can get your story distributed through media channels. As with anything there are methods of doing this that are better than others. You cannot simply call or email a journalist without careful research, planning, and yes some basic professional principles. Here are some practices that will help ensure that you get the attention of the media and convey a message that they can help you promote.

1) Remember journalists are people AND professionals.

Journalists have a job to do just like everyone else. They dislike being interrupted at work at an inappropriate time by a disorganized person. Have a plan for the message you want to convey. Know what you are going to communicate before you communicate it. Also, find out when and how the individual journalist likes to be contacted. If they check email while working in the office in the morning before heading into the field, leaving repeated voicemails in the afternoon will likely get you ignored. Be aware that they have deadlines and it is your job to work around them if you want to be heard. Being prepared and respecting the preferences of the individual will allow your message to be received in a positive light.

2) Present your story so it is news, not blatant advertising.

Journalists report news; they are not advertisers. Think of angles for your pitch that can add a human element to your message. It is your job to know what is considered newsworthy. It’s always smart to take some time to monitor the news being written by those reporters you want to approach so that you can find ways to make your story relevant to them at a certain point and time. Can you think of a way that your story can tie into something that the publication is currently reporting on? If so you are more likely to get the attention of the reporter and that they will pass your story on to their audience. Include necessary details with facts to back them up, but avoid the mundane. Reporters have heard the same detail-oriented pitch before so make yours something that they will want to work with.

3) Establish relationships with your contacts and know what they do.

Know who the journalists are, what publications they work for (keep in mind some freelance outside of their regular jobs) and what topics they report on. Not knowing these things will show a lack of initiative on your part. Journalists often cover specific beats. Don’t waste a reporter’s time by pitching them a business story when they write about entertainment. Establishing relationships with reporters well before you need their assistance makes your approach a mutually beneficial one. If you have a source for a story they are working on perhaps you can connect them. Though nothing is in it for you your willingness to help, making their job easier in the long run, will make them remember you. It will be easier to get future articles written and far more likely that your material will be presented in the light you want it to be. It’s always easier to call a friend than to pitch to a stranger.

4) Remember there is a fine line between assertive and pushy.

You are going to have to make efforts to contact members of the media. Whether you have established a relationship with them or it is your first time reaching out always use tact. Introduce yourself and immediately ask them if they are on deadline. If not, and they have the time then you can introduce your client is and your story idea. Do not however, repeatedly call, email or otherwise try to contact them. If you reach them by phone and they say they are busy at the moment, politely schedule time to discuss your ideas with them at their convenience. Bottom line, be a professional, not a pest.

Could you include something here about the importance of reaching out to thank them after the story runs and how important it is to keep the conversation going? That would be another tip.

Working with media professionals requires a special touch. Mastering the technique pays off in terms of valuable relationships and positive media coverage for you and your business.

Seven Tips for Marketing a New Restaurant

Have you wondered why some fledgling eateries succeed, while others bite the dust?

Restaurant marketing is much more than placing ads and sending out press releases. It’s about how well the person in charge of promoting the restaurant knows the owners, how they do business, and how the restaurant operates. It’s how well the PR person knows the menu, the food, and the clientele.

During my career, I’ve worked for restaurants all over the country. Drawing from my hard-earned experience, here are seven ways to help ensure a dining establishment’s success.

1. Forget a “one size fits all” model. In my years with Chipotle, they did not advertise, but employed a grass roots approach, and focused strictly on the customer. On the other hand, at Bonefish Grill, we adopted a wider marketing strategy that worked well as the number of locations grew.

1. Establish brand awareness. What does the restaurant have to offer, food-wise? Experience-wise? Community-wise? Just who or what is Restaurant X? Some restaurants choose not to provide discounts or coupons. It’s just not their style. So tell the story of who they are.

1. Advertise. Once you create brand awareness, then you can think about advertising. The brand identity should be reflected in every kind of promotion you do, whether it’s TV, radio, print, web, or social media.

1. Track marketing dollars and ROI. You will want to focus your budget in the areas you have targeted as those which will grow the business, and redirect funds when something isn’t working.

1. Generate publicity. Some examples of good restaurant PR may include: offering the restaurant’s signature recipes to the local food or “taste” section; secure and appear cooking segments on television that highlights a seasonal dish available at your location or get the cook out of the kitchen and participate in fundraising or ‘taste of’ events. (Hint: Don’t schedule any of these time-consuming initiatives on “truck day”, which is the day of the week the restaurant gets its food distribution). Once again, you’ve gotta know the operation in order to market most effectively.

1. Reach out to customers (and get their feedback). A server or a manager may ask a customer how their meal was. If they say “fine” when they really mean “not so good”, and the staffer lets it go, an opportunity is missed. Fine is never what you want your customers to say about you. Fine is not a response that will motivate them to tell their friends, families, colleagues or neighbors that your restaurant is worth the trip. Though a less-than-satisfactory meal might be rewarded by not having to pay for it, or an “it’s on us the next time”, letting those customers go without getting detailed feedback about their experience brings me to my final tip…

1. Fix mistakes and acknowledge unusual circumstances. Honesty is critical. If you dismiss a customer or insult their intelligence, you will lose that customer. They have choices, and if they are unhappy, they will take their dining dollars elsewhere – and tell others about it. And believe you me, there won’t be a “next time” to redeem yourself.

Roll with change

Some things you simply cannot help. Case in point: the current oil spill, which has affected fishing in a large area of the Gulf of Mexico, is impacting seafood availability and pricing in some areas.

Other extraordinary situations that could affect a restaurant are recalls on products like vegetables, or natural disasters, such as hurricanes, blizzards, floods, earthquakes and tornados.

Just remember that knowing the business is the key to marketing the business. This goes for all types of companies, not just places to eat.

If you keep these things in mind when signing on to do marketing and PR for a restaurant, your chances of tasting success will be that much better.

New AMA Tampa Bay President – My Look Ahead

For those of you who missed it, on June 22, Colleen Chappell, the AMA Tampa Bay President and President of ChappellRoberts, passed the gavel of leadership to me.

After a year of serving with Colleen as President-Elect and several years working with the organization in other capacities, I am excited to now be President of AMA Tampa Bay, which has more than 400 members and is one of the fastest growing chapters in the United States.  

I’d like to take a moment to thank each and every one of you for your ongoing support as we move into the new fiscal year.  Many of you have asked me, “Do you know what you’re getting into?” 

You know, it’s funny, but I totally do.  

Challenges and successes

During my term as President-Elect, I had the opportunity to work with, troubleshoot, problem solve, and  have a heck of a lot of fun (and wine) with one of the most dynamic and well-respected leaders in Tampa Bay — Colleen Chappell.  While I learned a lot about the details, deliverables and some of the downright difficult aspects of running our chapter, the most important things I gained from her are life skills that will continue to help me not only as a professional, but also as a wife, mother and friend.

Colleen and I have shared a year full of life-changing experiences, both personal and professional.  I had a baby, and she prepared her “baby” to fly away from the nest.  We had moving nightmares, and business successes.  Working with Colleen and AMA Tampa Bay has become an incredibly personal experience.

Without Colleen’s continued support and guidance, I would not be ready to take on this role.  Knowing that she will still be here not only as Immediate Past President but as a confidante, sounding board and friend, means that this will be a year that will be full of surprises and laughter (and yes, even more wine).

Thanks, Colleen, for everything.

“Above and Beyond”

Under Colleen’s leadership, the Board of Directors shared her vision to “Keep on Growing,” and you know what, it worked!  At a time when other professional organizations have found it incredibly difficult to stay afloat, AMA Tampa Bay’s membership has increased steadily. This proves just how important we are to the marketing community.

Our growth is in no small part due to our dedicated volunteers, committee members, sponsors and Board of Directors. Everyone’s worked diligently to spearhead new and exciting opportunities that have proven to be incredibly successful.  With this strong foundation beneath me, I look forward to working with all of you to take our chapter “Above and Beyond.” 

Now that we’ve achieved substantial growth, I am committed to a focused approach that will help us to find new ways to engage, serve and connect with our membership on an even more personal level. 

This brings me to our chapter’s new President-Elect, Sean Halter.

Interesting times ahead

Sean is dedicated, passionate and funny. He has served on our Board of Directors for quite some time now, and he’s more than prepared for his new role as President-Elect.  He has proven himself as a resourceful and talented leader, and I am eagerly awaiting the fresh perspective and new ideas he will surely contribute.

I don’t know if anyone can truly prepare to work with me on an almost daily basis (haha), though I made a big effort to provide Sean with the tools and resources that will help him through this year. 

So my husband, Chad, gave him a book full of insults and comebacks.  (Sean should enjoying using that in the coming year, I am sure.)

Together we’re better

In closing, I want to again thank everyone who has helped me on my path to chapter leadership. I am positive that this year will once again be stellar, and we will continue to serve the marketing community unlike any other professional group in Tampa Bay.  

We have a truly talented Board of Directors this year, and I would like to take a moment to recognize our incoming 2010-2011 Board at this time.  

Sean Halter, President-Elect

Colleen Chappell, Immediate Past President

Thryth Hillary-Navarro, Secretary

Greg Millman, Treasurer

Susan Follick, VP Communications & Branding

Vince Bailey, VP Research

Shanna Kurpe, VP of Programming, Co-chair

Jeff Young, VP of Programming, Co-chair

Will Rose, VP Sponsorship

Doug Engel, VP Collegiate Relations

Jeremy Dixon, VP Human Resources

Jennie M. Jordan, VP Volunteers

Tracy Beck Clouser, Director of Public & Media Relations

Jennifer McCafferty, Director of Programming Development

Andrea Gorder, Director of Event Management

Shelly Bramm, Director of Membership Retention

Thanks to all of you for agreeing to take this journey with me.

It’s All about the Right Fit

When you are trying to decide which public relations and marketing partner to best represent your company, there are some important factors to consider.

We’ve all heard stories about public relations or marketing campaigns. What was outsourced? How much money was spent going back and forth on changes and proofs? Then there were the overtime billings and disappointment with the results, when all was said and done.

If you meet with or speak to a representative of a firm, know the answers to these questions:

• What is the goal of a marketing/PR campaign? Do you want to attract new business, grow business with existing clients, make yourselves known, enhance your image, or avert some kind of crisis?

• What is our budget? How much can we afford to spend?

• How would we define our brand/company culture? Are we laid-back, highly driven, quirky, unconventional, traditional? Do our employees know what we stand for?

• Has the marketing/PR person or agency done work we admire? Have we seen samples of their designs, case studies of their campaigns?

Is the person/agency known within the marketing and PR community in our area? Have other local companies worked with them? Do they have a good reputation?

For example, I’m well connected enough to pick up my phone and get a story placed.

What will your hired PR guns do for you?

Large agencies often have high overhead requiring them to charge higher rates for the work that they do. The fees can add up quickly. They also can require a rather large retainer for their services. What’s more, the top practitioners who are the names and faces of the marketing firm may not be the ones actually handling your account.

Every day, I’m helping my clients develop marketing plans. I’m constantly using the skills I’ve honed over 15 years in the public relations business to get them noticed and grow their market share. And I also do pro bono PR work for charitable agencies and organizations in the area, because giving back to the community that has allowed me to be successful, is very, very important. I live here, too.

PR seems fluffy and lacking in substance to some corporate honchos. Many of you know companies that stripped down their marketing or PR staffs when times got tough. Of course, they think industry pros are just looking out for their own jobs when they say that struggling businesses need marketing and PR more than they did during the good times.

BP strategy: open mouth, insert foot, repeat

It’s a proven fact that the wrong messages being sent by or about a company can be devastating. Tony Hayward, the CEO of British Petroleum, is a global laughingstock. By the same token, the right messages being delivered to the right audience at the right time will boost a company’s bottom line; or save its reputation if something goes wrong, such as the Tylenol scare in the early 1980s.

While meeting with/talking to a marketing/PR agency, you should ask these questions:

• What is your experience? Find out how much general and specialized knowledge the firm has. Do they have it in the area(s) you need?
• What do you charge? Some will require a retainer or charge per project. Be clear on how much it will cost, and how and when it will be invoiced.
• How will you track results? The firm should be able to demonstrate ROI and provide periodic updates. Ask how they will do it. You will want to see who does what and for how long.
• What will your access be? When you call the firm, who is your contact and how reachable will they be?

If you’re not in sync, you’re sunk

Both the client and prospective marketing/PR firm need to do some homework before entering into an agreement. It’s a problem when the hiring company isn’t clear on what it really wants to achieve, or when the public relations or marketing partner can’t meet real or perceived goals. Either situation is a sign that the fit wasn’t right to begin with.

Sources:

http://www.odwyerpr.com/pr_firms_database/how_to_hire.htm

http://money.cnn.com/2010/06/10/news/companies/tony_hayward_quotes.fortune/index.htm

http://www.ou.edu/deptcomm/dodjcc/groups/02C2/Johnson%20&%20Johnson.htm

Snickers Salutes Branding “Big Dogs” of the Animal World

Hey there. Snickers again. While Tara takes care of a few things, I thought I’d help out with the blogging for a little bit. After all, that’s what teamwork is all about, and I am wo-man’s best friend.

Since I spend much of my time in the Pure PR & Marketing office, I’ve accumulated an impressive bit of branding know-how, though I don’t get many opportunities to put my knowledge into action. Such is life when your main roles in the company are morale officer and foot-warmer.

Some of the best examples of skillful branding can be found in the animal world, and not all of them come equipped with four legs. Take for example, Jack Hanna. I’ve heard that some older fella named Marlon Perkins could do no wrong in the 1970s with his “Animal Kingdom” show, but welcome to the 21st century, folks. Talk about creating a likable though occasionally dim, folksy character! Hanna’s built a successful enterprise recognized by television viewers of all ages and by animal organizations, zoos and nature attractions world-wide.

Like Hanna, Jeff Corwin of Animal Planet has definitely carved his own niche and constructed a really consistent brand identity: he’s the sometimes goofy, often clever, always friendly, kooky and altogether ooky boy next door. Unlike the occasionally slow-witted Hanna who both entertains and confounds Letterman and Leno draped in his animal visitors, with Corwin, you don’t doubt his science. You’re just amazed the boy ever scored a date.

On the other hand, has anyone ever noticed that fellow Animal Planet show host of “Pet Star,” Mario Lopez is so darn good-looking? No keen marketing observation here or anything. I just think he’s got a nice – brand.

And then there’s my personal favorite icon in the canine world, the Dog Whisperer, Caesar Millan. What can I say? He just “gets” us, you know? But more than that, he gets thousands of viewers in over 80 countries who tune in each week to his acclaimed television show and turn to him for unconventional wisdom about integrating their pets into their households with as few mishaps as possible. I’m probably taller than him, and I’m pretty sure I could take him, but he’s so cute and cuddly. When I see him coming, I just want to sit pretty and play with the Kong.

Once again, we see that businesses can learn a few things from the animal kingdom.

1. It’s survival of the fittest. Plan ahead and persevere.
2. Hey, look out! Behind you…monitor, monitor, monitor! And…
3. You don’t need four legs to build a solid brand, but it helps.

Work and Family: Find Joy in Finding the Balance

At a steadily increasing pace, women are going into business for themselves. It’s exciting to watch, speaking as a woman entrepreneur myself, and it will be especially interesting to see how our culture here in America shifts over the next decade or two as a result of it. After all, if a greater number of women are lining the business landscape, they will be setting the tone for exactly what doing business will look like, and we women lead some full, productive lives.

Let’s face it: for quite some time, we were told that we couldn’t have it all, shouldn’t want to have it all. We were asked to choose – motherhood or career. And after enough Murphy Browns and celebrity supermoms became part of the scenery, it grew to be apparent that maybe we didn’t have to choose but simply plan ahead.

Balancing family and business isn’t any different than the art of practicing smart, sound planning, prioritizing and forethought in your business and marketing strategies. I have a young son already and am about to have my second child. Like lots of other female and male entrepreneurs out there, I already know that raising a family is one of the most rewarding things you can ever experience. And I also know that running a business and helping a company surpass their goals is exciting and rewarding, too.

I feel fortunate because I live during a time when I don’t have to give up one to have the other. Business goes on, even when big events like having children or getting married enter your life. As with any other professional with a big event happening down the road, we simply plan ahead and make arrangements to keep all of our customers happy – at the office and at home.

I’ve asked an old friend to stop by and serve as a guest blogger for a little bit, and she’s just dying to say hello again. And get a treat. As my trusted Snickers pops by to share some of her wisdom, I’ll be continuing to share insightful articles and observations on current business news as usual. But I’d like to offer a toast (Welch’s white grape juice, of course)…to all the women and men out there who prove every day that we can wear a mommy or daddy hat while we’re conducting a data analysis or plan a big client event while on our down-time we’re planning a three-year-old’s birthday party.

Living and working in balance is just good business, and as small business owners, this is a wonderful area that I plan to be focusing on more in my blog in the months ahead, to offer some tips and resources for helping you continue to prosper and grow your business even as your life circumstances or household changes.

So stay tuned, get ready for Snickers and you might want to arm yourself with a Pupperoni, too.