Marketing & PR Tips

By Janice B. Gonzalez

There is a saying, “If you fail to plan, then plan to fail”. This is certainly true in the business world. While most people “think” they have a plan, it isn’t really a plan unless it is in writing, is specific, and has a plan of action. Having someone to do this for you is ideal, but for those of you who don’t have a marketing person, here are some tips to help you develop your own starter plan:

The first step to creating a plan or strategy is to identify your S.W.O.T. — Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats. Look at yourself, your profession, your area and look for S.W.O.T. This will help you identify what you are good at, what you are not good at, the opportunities that you can take advantage of and the threats that you need to be aware of. Your S.W.O.T. will help you do the following:

1) Set S.M.A.R.T. Goals—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timed.

Be specific —what is it that you want to accomplish. If you want to increase the number of clients you get a year, specify how many, what type of clients (demographics).
Set a deadline – by when do you want to achieve your goal.
Be realistic and make sure that it is attainable.

2) Identify the obstacles that you will need to overcome. Is there something keeping you from attaining your goal? It could be time, distance, capital, just about anything. List them and develop a plan to overcome them.

3) Identify the people, groups & organizations that you will need to involve or be involved with in order to reach your goal.

4) Identify the skills, if any, that are required?

5) Write your plan of action? How are you going to reach your goal.

6) Set Short Term & Long Term goals. By when will you complete your goal.

7) Identify the benefits of achieving your goal. What’s in it for you.

8) Make a commitment to your action plan.

Example: You are an Accountant. After doing your S.W.O.T. analysis, you determine that you are really good at International Taxation. (Strength) You have low overhead costs and can offer competitive fees (Strength) You are not board certified (Weakness), which would help you gain more recognition, credibility and opportunity. Your office is located in Homestead, which is not convenient for most clients and is away from the center of business (Weakness), You are one of only a handful of accountants that speaks Spanish, English, Portuguese, Creole, French, German and Italian (Strength), helping you create a niche in the International community (Opportunity). There is a proposed change in International Taxation laws which may affect the market negatively (Threat).

Goal: To be recognized as the premiere International Taxation Accountant among the International community. Increase my client base by 50% and sit for the CPA exam in the first 6 months. Expand my company to include 4 Associates – 2 for International Taxation and 2 that handle general accounting matters. Move offices to downtown Coral Gables and eventually buy my own building. Retire in 20 years with enough income to maintain my current standard of living.

Obstacles: Not enough of a client base. Not well established in the accounting community. Limited funds for marketing. Would like to charge more on an hourly basis, but don’t have the experience or credentials of those in the same hourly bracket. Need to sit for CPA exam but haven’t had enough time to prepare. Not enough capital to invest in associates or relocation. Not making enough money to pay bills and invest.

People & Organizations: Local and National Accounting Associations, International Business organizations (banking, accounting, chambers of commerce) Local Chamber of Commerce, committees relating to international business, Legal organizations that deal with international clients, Latin Trade organizations, Consulates for various countries. Realtors that handle transactions for overseas clients.

Special Skills: Certifications— CPA.

Plan of Action/Time frame Immediately: Join the local and national accounting associations as well as the Chamber of Commerce. Get on a committee that involves international affairs. Attend at least one networking event per week and hand out business cards. Send a letter to my friends, family and acquaintances letting them know about my new focus in accounting. Request referrals. Begin studying for CPA exam on weekends. In Three Months Write an article on international taxation law and get it published in one of the business publications. Develop a seminar on international taxation and promote it to others with an international client base. Contact local organizations and get on their speakers bureau. Write and send releases to all media concerning appointments and accomplishments. Create a web site. List my credentials on it. Include the address on my cards. Post important International taxation information on my site. In 6 months— add 10 new clients. Start a newsletter for clients. Take CPA exam. 12 months— Add 10 more clients. Move offices to downtown. Hire new associate and administrative assistant. Increase my rate. 3 years: add 10 more clients, add another associate and assistant. Increase my rate. 5 Years: Increase my rate. Buy building, add 2 more associates and assistants. 20 years: Sell my practice for a sizable income. Sell building or lease it out. Use profits to retire, travel, play golf, relax, and have fun.

Benefit/Reward: By dedicating time and effort to networking, writing, speaking and joining organizations, I will eventually reach my goal of creating a niche, notoriety, increased business and income for myself, my firm, and my family. I will be able to retire at a relatively early age and enjoy time with my family.

Commitment: I am fully committed to accomplishing this goal and will do whatever it takes. I will share my goals with my family and individuals that will be affected by my pursuits. I will do this to gain their support and keep my commitments. I will persist until I succeed.

Copyright 2022 © JBG Communications

Network Your Way to Personal Success

By Janice B. Gonzalez

The key to taking advantage of significant networking opportunities is to improve your interpersonal communication skills. Knowing how to start, how to continue and how to end interesting and sincere conversations will help you circulate among people with ease and confidence.

Try the following suggestions the next time you’re invited to a function. Keep in mind that every event can be made productive if you give it a little thought before you go. Planning in advance will enable you to approach any social function with enthusiasm and purpose.

1. Prepare some short briefing notes for yourself prior to the event. Review WHO will be attending? WHO is sponsoring it? WHAT is the purpose of the event? WHAT is the background information regarding the sponsoring agency? WHEN does it commence? WHEN can I depart? WHERE will it be held? WHERE do I park?

2. Think specifically about the benefits of attending – both professional and personal. List them. Then commit yourself to them. The benefits may vary from event to event. Clarify in your mind how you might benefit prior to attending.

3. Develop and practice your self introduction. It should be clear, concise, distinctive and engaging. It should be tied into the event in some way with a connecting statement. For example, at a wedding reception: “Hello! I’m Janice Gonzalez. I’m a long time friend of the mother of the bride.”

4. Practice your handshake. It should be a firm clasp that joins palm to palm, not finger to finger. Keep in mind that your handshake always makes an impression on others. It is a significant indicator of competence and confidence.

5. Prepare your small talk in advance. Read up on local and national issues. Come prepared with at least three pieces of conversation. When stuck for something to talk about, positive comments about the function, the facility or the food will always be appropriate.

6. Make yourself a more interesting person to be around by reading more and increasing your vocabulary. But read good literature – books related to the history of the area in which you live, motivational books, books about famous people.

7. Make yourself more visible! Volunteer your services on a church committee or community organization. Join a service club. Place yourself in a position where you can not only meet new people, but also contribute to make your community a better place.

8. Listen to others actively – not passively. Look people in the eye when talking to them. Nod, smile and ask relevant questions. Focus your full attention on the reactions, feelings and words of the other person and not on your own thoughts. Be in the moment with them!

9. Adopt a mind set that willingly offers help to others – without expectations. Incorporate the important questions, “How can I help you?” and “What can I do for you?” into your regular conversations. Think about what strengths you have to offer others. Build a powerful momentum with your life that leads to people being helped by you.

10. Have your business card ready to hand out, especially when asked for it. The exchange of business cards is particularly effective when it follows a meaningful conversation.

11. Regularly collect business cards from new contacts. Write relevant comments on the back as soon as possible regarding date, conversation and follow-up strategy. Then make sure you follow up!

12. The value of networking contacts is diminished if you neglect to implement an appropriate follow-up procedure. Whether by phone, fax, personal appointment, or a hand written note, make sure to follow up on your networking contacts. Keep accurate records of contacts by using a personalized documentation method that works well for you.

Remember to approach every new contact with an open mind and an open heart. You never know where each new relationship may lead. Doors will be opened . . . friendships gained . . . your life will be greatly enriched.

Copyright © 2022 JBG Communications

Keeping Clients Informed

By Janice B. Gonzalez

Finding clients isn’t easy. It takes a lot of effort and money, which is why keeping your clients satisfied is as essential as finding them. It costs much less to keep existing clients than it does to constantly compete for new clients. So it makes good business sense to include methods for client retention in your marketing plan.

One way to keep your clients happy is by staying in touch with them at least quarterly. By communication with your clients on a regular basis, you will be letting them know that you value their business and you will also ensure that they don’t forget you. Thanks to modern day technology, the electronic newsletter is one way that you can keep your clients informed, even if your budget is limited.

“And how do I do that?” you may ask! There are various templates available online and in your Microsoft Word. Visit www.microsoft.com and search for an e-mail newsletter template. Once you’ve found one that you like, change the graphics and fonts to your liking and include your information.

Keep it short and simple, and think service, not sales. Include information about your products and services, event announcements, news items, tips on how to do things as it relates to your industry, or any other information that you feel will be of service to your clients. Also include your company, employee or personal accomplishments. Let your clients know that you are involved in the community and other areas. Add graphics or pictures with captions to help break up the text and create some visual interest. Make sure that it is relevant to the information and that it is tasteful. Never include pictures of others without their expressed consent. And make sure that you have the rights to any graphics that you choose to include.

Proofread!! Nothing says “unprofessional” more than a misspelled item. Using your spell check isn’t sufficient. Many words may be spelled correctly, but the context or grammar may be wrong. Ask someone else to look it over before you send it out.

Lastly, include contact information throughout the newsletter. Include it at the top, in the margins and again at the bottom. Be sure to include links to your website as well as an e-mail address. Consider acquiring an e-mail address that will be used only for the e-newsletter. This will help you keep track of where your mail is coming from.

Start with a simple e-newsletter the first month. Plan to write one quarterly until you feel that you have enough information to publish one monthly. Open a “newsletter file” and gather information that you come across that you think will be good for your next newsletter. Then, when it’s time for your next newsletter you will have plenty of information right at your fingertips.

©2022 Copyright JBG Communications

What Need to Know About Making Statements “Off the Record”

By Janice B. Gonzalez

We’ve all heard of the term “off the record”, which technically means that whatever you tell a reporter won’t be printed.

Don’t assume that just because you uttered those three little words that your information won’t appear in a news story the next day.

Here are a few tips and things that you should be aware of when giving an interview:

1) What you say isn’t off the record unless the reporter agrees to it. Make sure that you have confirmation from the reporter BEFORE you give the information.

2) You are better off not giving out information that you do not want made public. Just because you say, “this is off the record” doesn’t mean that the reporter won’t bring the subject up with someone else and get them to go on the record about the same information.

3) Reporters hate information that is “off the record” unless it means that they can publish the information without naming you as the source. Their job is to find information and report on it. Interviewing someone who gives information off the record is viewed as a waste of time.

4) If you are a government employee or part of a public agency, everything is public record , except classified information, and there is no such thing as “off the record”. Always assume that whatever you say, in any capacity, might appear as a quote in the reporter’s story.

5) Lastly, remember that the interview starts the minute you start talking to the reporter. Never let your guard down. Reporters are looking for information. You’d be surprised what information can come from “chit-chat” and “small talk”.

Copyright 2022 JBG Communications