Meagan Kerlin

If you are in charge of people in any capacity in a professional setting, you know that it is critical to manage this responsibility well. Management is hard work, and it’s not something a person can do without preparation or effort. If you are in a position of leadership, it may be helpful for you to pinpoint your management style and determine how you can develop an approach that is effective without being overbearing.

Some managers are actually too hands-off with their team. They may offer some guidance and instruction, but the members of the team are often left to figure out their own path forward. Without feedback and direct interaction on a regular basis, people may not be sure where they stand. Lack of management can lead to people feeling insecure about their work, unsure of what to do next and how they can grow in their current role.

Managers who are undermanaging are often like this because they have confidence in their team and want to give them space. Even if that is the case, it is still the responsibility of the person in charge to provide definitive leadership. The opposite of this problematic management style is over-management. This happens when a person is directly involved with too much, leaving team members feeling stifled and frustrated.

Over-managing can be just as damaging as not managing at all. There must be a balance between allowing people room to do their jobs and being overbearing. It’s certainly not easy to know where this line is, but it may help to talk with your team and to find out how they perceive your role. With mutual respect and a willingness to talk through issues, you can develop a management style that will allow you to lead your team with confidence.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

If you are like the many people who make New Year’s resolutions, you probably made your choice based on things you want to improve upon or change in the New Year. People often resolve to lose weight, eat healthier, maintain better habits and do other things that will make them healthier, happier and more successful. While the intention behind these things is good, the trouble with resolutions is that people rarely keep them for more than a few weeks or months.

Many resolutions won’t work long-term, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t important to make goals and strive to get better and do better. Instead of making resolutions that will fizzle out over time, instead try to implement habits that will bring effective change. In fact, you may find it helpful to look at your currents habits and simply make positive adjustments that will bring the most meaningful changes to your life.

It will also help to remember that for any change to actually stick, you have to give it time and remain consistent. Over time, you’ll be rewarded for your efforts and find that your better habits are working to bring positive change to a specific area of your life. One reason why New Year resolutions rarely work is because people become frustrated and quit when they don’t get the change they want quickly enough.

Even small changes are good changes. You don’t have to change the world overnight or completely transform yourself in order to make and celebrate positive steps forward. Don’t fall for the trap of thinking that your resolution has to be amazing or huge to count. Focus on one or two small things to change or habits to improve, and go from there. Resolutions might not always work, but effective change is worth the effort.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

When you’re planning on starting a company, you may think you have an innovative plan and an idea that virtually guarantees success. It’s easy to allow excitement over a business idea to cloud your judgement instead of honestly assessing whether that idea is, in fact, good. Even plans that are brilliant and thought out sometimes fail, and it’s prudent to move carefully through the planning and preparation stage. When you test your idea out and challenge yourself to improve issues before you even start, you can save yourself a significant amount of heartache and stress down the road.

There are certain questions you can ask that help you assess the integrity and potential of your idea. Asking yourself any of the following can help you see whether your idea “holds water” and will allow you to achieve success in your entrepreneurial venture:

-Who else is doing something similar?
-Will your concept confuse consumers?
-Will you have to enter a highly competitive market as the new kid on the block?
-How much funding do you need to get started?
-What needs will your product or services fulfill?
-Who is your target audience, and why would they be interested in your product?
-Do you need to take steps to secure patents or legal protections for your product?
-What do you have that will give your business a competitive edge?

Starting a business and achieving success is not easy, even with the best business model in the world. This is why it is crucial to really test your idea before you move forward. It takes a careful balance of an original idea and hard work, but all the effort in the world may not overcome an inherently bad idea.

Many successful entrepreneurs learned the hard way that their original business idea was not that great, but that doesn’t have to happen to you. After an honest assessment of your plans, you may find that a few tweaks or even starting from scratch is necessary. However, this is always better to do now than after you’ve already invested a significant amount of time and money.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Do you feel stuck? Do you find yourself unhappy in your current professional situation? If you do, you aren’t alone. Virtually everyone will deal with feelings of stagnation and unhappiness, and these could be signs that you need to make a change. If you think it’s time to move on or start something new, how can you know what to do next? The next step may not be immediately clear, but there are questions you can ask yourself to help figure out the best way forward for your individual situation.

No two people will have the same path. Everyone has a different journey, but there are certain things you can ask yourself that will help you sort through your emotions, separate fact from feelings and help you see how you can find a sense of fulfillment in your professional life. Some of these questions include:

-What is your definition success, and what would it look like for you to feel like you’ve arrived?
-What parts of your current work do you find rewarding, and what do you dread doing each day?
-Do you feel excitement about your work?
-What would you have to change about your job to make you look forward to work each day?
-Do you like working with people, or do you prefer to work on your own?
-Do you feel like your talents are being wasted at your current job?
-Do you have ideas and dreams that you are not able to implement at your current job?

These questions can help you determine if your feelings of unhappiness are permanent or it’s time to move on to something new. When you evaluate your answers, you may also find that you have a better idea of what you need to do in order to find a sense of accomplishment and peace of mind with your job. You may feel stuck, but you don’t have to stay in that place forever. A few questions and an honest assessment of what you really want can help you get “unstuck”.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Have you ever felt like you just couldn’t maintain your momentum once you got going with something or started making headway with a goal? Have you felt like it was impossible to just get a task off the ground and that taking the first few steps were impossible? If so, you aren’t alone. Sometimes, getting to a point where you feel like you have forward momentum is incredibly difficult, and at other times, it’s impossible to hold onto. Unfortunately, you need momentum to reach your goals, making it important to know how to get — and keep — momentum.

One thing that can be incredibly helpful is to seek the guidance of someone who is further ahead than you are. A mentor who has walked the path you are walking can be an invaluable support as you chase a specific goal. Don’t listen to people who’ve accomplished less or don’t know what they’re talking about. Get your advice from the right people — otherwise you’re just slowing yourself down needlessly.

Another way you can get some momentum and keep your forward progress going is to increase your output and decrease your input. This sounds overly simple, but it’s a helpful principle to keep in mind. For every hour or so you spend consuming information or entertainment, including social media, you should spend four times as much being productive. It’s possible that a lack of focus and your own distractions are what is keep you from gaining any momentum.

You may also want to consider putting yourself on a strict work schedule and sticking to it. This may mean scheduling every minute of your work day, down to how long you will take to check email. When you commit to this type of self-discipline, it may surprise you how it can boost your results and improve your productivity levels.

Getting some momentum may be as simple as changing your schedule or taking a few small steps to increase your output. If you’re struggling to get going or can never seem to keep the momentum going that you need to reach your goals, it may help to evaluate yourself and your habits closely to see what may be holding you back.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Do you know who you’re selling to? Have you identified your target audience and customer base? Without an accurate understanding of who it is you’re trying to reach, you could be walking blindly. It’s beneficial for the direction of your business and the future of your company to build a strong customer base. But first, you have to know who that is.

Growing a customer base starts with knowing who is most likely to want and benefit from the product or service you’re selling. This allows you to implement a targeted marketing strategy that will appeal to the right group of people. Casting a wide net can work to some degree, but you may be more successful when you know what you’re fishing for.

It‘s impossible to connect with your customer base when you don’t know who’s in it. Meaningful connection is the key to effective advertising and building a base of people who will patronize your business again and again. Ultimately, these are the people who will play a role in the long-term success of your company.

There are a few ways you can identify your target customers. Surveys, questionnaires and talking with people about your product can help you understand who is most interested. You can also get invaluable input about issues with your product and how you can improve it before it even hits the market. Getting to know your customers and what they really want is one of the most important benefits associated with the research stage of product and service development.

If you haven’t narrowed down your target audience and figured out how to better reach your target audience — take steps to do that now. It’s always better to have focus and intention as you market and advertise. You’re not going to sell to everyone, and that’s okay. Figure out who you are selling to, and put your effort into connecting with that specific demographic or group.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

You put your best effort into your interactions with potential clients and customers. You provide all the information they need, answer their questions and make sure they have an understanding of why they should turn to you for their specific needs. However, even after all of these efforts, you may hear nothing back from them. It’s normal to have to follow-up with a customer.

Through a phone call or email, you may reach out and ask what they are thinking and how you may be able to help them. It’s hard not to take this personally, especially if your follow-up isn’t effective. How can you improve the follow-up to the point where it’s effective and allows you to take the next step with a client or customer?

Start by assuming the best about the client. Life is busy, and perhaps the lack of response is due to unexpected things popping up. When you follow up with a client, don’t be offended or surprised by the lack of response up until this point. Be kind and understanding in your communication with the client, and offer him or her an option to opt out. The client’s lack of response may be due to the fact that he or she is not interested and doesn’t know how to communicate that to you.

Another way to make your follow-up efforts more effective is to try reaching out at different times of day. People are bombarded by emails, texts and phone calls all day, and it’s easy for something to get lost in the shuffle. You may get a response if you simply change up when you send out your follow-up communications. Another good rule is the “three strikes” rule. This simply means that after your third attempt at communication with a client, you can assume he or she is not interested. You can then close the file and move on.

Effective communications is an important part of doing business. You’re going to have to learn how to close the deal, and part of this is mastering the art of the follow-up. Think about ways you can get better responses and have more profitable exchanges with the people you do business with.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

There are multiple factors that affect your success. From your ability to run your own business to chasing specific goals for your career, your mental health will have a big impact on your ability to reach your long-term goals. You should not overlook the importance of taking care of yourself and getting help when you need it. There is often a lot of stigma surrounding the issue of mental health, but there is no shame in admitting you are struggling.

Research suggests that perhaps as many as one-half of all entrepreneurs struggle with depression and mental health. There is significant stress associated with starting and running a company, and over time, this can exacerbate or create issues that impact a person’s mental and emotional well-being. Unfortunately, many people who could benefit from counseling or help from a medical professional are ashamed to reach out. They may feel alone, and they may also wonder if their issues could impact the well-being of their business.

If you’re struggling, you need to know that there is no shame in seeking help. Thankfully, it’s becoming more common to hear people, even famous athletes and those in leadership positions, talk about their own personal mental health struggles. Your success and the stability of your business should never come at the expense of your personal well-being.

Talking to your doctor about your concerns is a good place to start. Some people find that certain types of medications can be useful, as well as counseling, exercise and finding a person with whom you can share your concerns. There is nothing wrong with prioritizing your own mental health and finding what works for you. The main thing to remember is that you matter, and so does your well-being. Don’t wait to seek out support and treatment if you need it.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC