Meagan Kerlin

The relationships that you have with your co-workers and people with whom you do business are important, but it can seem nearly impossible to make these key relationships function properly when two parties simply do not get along. Whether it is a one-sided annoyance or sharp disagreements over vital issues, making your work relationships work can be exhausting. While it makes life much easier when you get along with these individuals, it may be good to hear that you can actually disagree or just plain old-fashioned not like a person and still do business. Here’s how:

• Keep the main thing, the main thing. Good relationships with co-workers, business partners and contacts are wonderful, and they can improve both the success and culture of your workplace. However, the ultimate goal is to do business, so when no other common ground is there, simply focus on your business goals in a polite and professional manner. As hard as it is to believe, and as much as you may want to just give someone a piece of your mind, remember that getting along is not always a prerequisite to doing business.
• Let work stay at work. Stewing over something for hours or days on end only makes things much worse than they actually are. Whether you had an out-and-out disagreement with someone or simply cannot deal with that guy who always comes back from lunch with something weird stuck in his teeth, it’s almost always better to just let it go. Ranting to your date over dinner about work issues or venting online is almost never necessary and is almost always harmful. Don’t dwell on it, don’t gossip and don’t be unprofessional….and for crying out loud, never put anything online that you would be embarrassed to read later.
• Look people in the eye; show respect. This is a lost concept for many people in today’s world, but you can be kind and respectful to everyone, despite deep ideological differences or even simple personality differences. Looking someone in the eye and treating people with kindness is, hands down, the simplest and most effective way to move past issues and disagreements. Be nice, do what you need to do and move on—it’s easy!

You will not always get along with everyone in your professional circle, and that’s okay. Learn how to navigate these matters by maintaining a professional demeanor and keeping your eyes on the goal, whatever that may be. Work relationships won’t always be perfect, but they should certainly never stand in the way of doing good business or meeting your next goal.

By Meagan Kerlin by Vertu Marketing LLC

In your efforts to grow your business, be careful not to miss one of the most obvious sources of income: your existing customers. Organic growth is, surprisingly, one the easiest ways to grow your company and increase profits. In this sense, the word “organic” relates more to business growth through existing channels and has less to do with growing crops with cow manure. Unless you are actually an organic farmer, organic business growth is a less smelly, more cost-effective way to grow.

Marketing to existing customers is significantly cheaper than attempting to generate new sales, but that is not to say you should neglect the latter altogether. The point is to put sufficient effort into external growth, but not to neglect the relationship you have with the customers who are already giving you money or those who have given you money in the past. If they have done it once, they are more likely to do it again, right? Here’s how you can push for organic growth in a few simple steps:

• Focus on long-term. Existing, repeat customers are valuable, and they should be made to feel valued and important. By offering discounts, membership benefits and other perks, you can emphasize that your business doesn’t just want customers, you want lifetime customers. While it may be costly in the beginning, a lifetime customer is incredibly profitable in the long term.
• Focus on customer needs. Good customer service goes beyond being nice and helpful. Customer service must also mean meeting customer needs and appealing to each one individually. A one-size-fits-all approach is rarely effective, and if you want lifetime customers, you must target specific needs and wants.
• Focus on customer loyalty. Existing customers are already buying your product, so you don’t need to throw a lot of sales pitches in their faces. Instead, focus on solutions and meeting needs, creating relationships and establishing loyalty. Take care of existing customers, and they will remain loyal to your business and your band.

New customers are great, but make sure you are focusing on all available avenues for growth. By growing organically, you can increase profits and stimulate new growth for a fraction of the cost and time investment.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Are successful entrepreneurs born or made? Are the skills you need for success natural gifts, or are they something you can learn over time or in a classroom? While the experts, whoever they may be, are free to debate this issue for ages, you can rest assured that many of the skills needed for success can be cultivated or improved. This alone may not guarantee your business success, but when you improve what you already have, you are more likely to do better, go farther and end up with more.

You may not need every skill in the book for your particular business, but it’s always handy to be well-versed and prepared in a number of areas. Here are a few skills you may need if you are an entrepreneur:

• Communication. Not a talker? This in no way precludes you from being a successful entrepreneur, as long as you are willing to step outside of your comfort zone occasionally. You must be willing to talk to people, answer questions and present your product or service in an effective way. If communication is an area of struggle for you, work on it. Preparation and practice can go a long way toward meaningful communication.
• Planning. Many of the most successful entrepreneurial ventures start with the “snowball effect.” One friend asks for your help, another friend notices, and before long, you realize that your particular talent, product or idea would be a great business. “Fly by the seat of your pants” is not great long-term strategy, and there comes a time when you must develop a plan and take control of the direction of your business.
• Productivity. Time-management is such an important skill, it really should be on this list at least three times. While some people thrive on independence, others need accountability and structure. If you struggle to stay focused and be productive, you must wrangle this issue once and for all, as soon as possible.
• Dealing with setbacks. Failure is unpleasant, but it’s an inevitable part of doing business. Things will not always go your way, but you can choose to learn from these experiences. When things go awry, successful people find a way to put on their grown-up underwear, glean some wisdom from their mistakes and keep moving forward.

Skills are important, but a willingness to learn, improve and seek guidance in these areas is even more so. If you need to improve in any of these areas…well, get to it. The best business people do not hide their weaknesses, but confront them head-on and work on being better, smarter and more versatile.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

It’s February, and for some of us, 2017 has not been kind. While we are only a little over a month into the new year, it may feel like it’s been 100 months since you excitedly prepared for the fresh start that a new year offers. However, by the time February rolls around, any enthusiasm you had for your 2017 goals and resolutions may be long gone, and you may be left feeling a little stuck in a slump…is this sounding familiar?

Bad news: You’re in a slump.

Good news: You don’t have to stay in said slump.

Look, being an entrepreneur or business owner is hard work, and it is certainly not for the faint of heart. You can go from “THIS IS MY YEAR!” on January 1 to “Eh, maybe 2018 will be better” on February 1 faster than the Atlanta Falcons can give up a 20+ point lead and lose the Super Bowl (too soon?). Not only is this feeling of defeat possible and even likely at some point, it is completely normal. The tricky thing about a slump is that it can feel like a failure when really it’s just a minor setback. It may seem like you’re barely keeping your head above water, but chances are, you can break free of this feeling with just a bit of effort.

Here are some tried-and-true slump busters that may help you defeat the feeling of defeat and resuscitate your motivation:

• Take a break
• Go on vacation
• Get better sleep
• Talk things out with a mentor
• Read
• Stop thinking so much
• Exercise more
• Get outside
• Make a list of things that are going right
• Rework your business plan
• Hire a business mentor

Breaking out of your slump may take longer than one or two strolls through the park, but there is so much benefit in stepping away, clearing your mind and making room in your schedule for things that are not business related. You are the only person who knows what it will take to get out of your slump, but for most people, this frustrating feeling is just a mental block that can eventually be pushed out of the way. Experiment with the above ideas, talk to people who have been where you are and breathe. A slump can’t last forever, but it’s up to YOU how long it will last.

In terms of your digital marketing plan, your list of email subscribers is pure gold. Many entrepreneurs overlook the importance of building this list, but having a growing list of subscribers is a good thing, because it means you will make more money, which is kind of the point, right? No matter how passionate you feel about your craft, products and services, you have to make money to stay afloat, and, believe it or not, your list can play a role in your success.

Social media marketing is critical, but email still has higher conversion rates. This means it does a better job of turning your potential clients into paying customers. It may not be as flashy as a Facebook Live video, but it is personal, effective and allows you to target a very specific audience. It is also important to note that if someone subscribes to your emails or provides you with their email address, it indicates that there is already an interest in your business— and this is good news! Studies indicate that as many as 90 percent of people with an email account check it on a daily basis, which means you have the ability to send purposeful, fresh content to your potential clients on a regular basis.

Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms frequently used for digital marketing purposes often change their algorithms and rules, but email is constant. It’s not going anywhere and it’s incredibly simple to use. In fact, while social media is a great way to instantly connect with followers, email allows you an opportunity to connect without concerns involving boosting posts or other nuances of social media marketing. Consider the email component of your marketing strategy a long-term investment that will pay off significantly in the future.

Through your website, your blog and social media pages, you can incorporate opt-in forms, allowing followers to subscribe to your email list with just a few clicks. This is fairly simple, and one of the most effective ways to turn website or page visitors into paying customers. Do not overlook the financial potential in your email list, but work to build it and use it as a way to grow your business.

By Meagan Kerlin for Vertu Marketing LLC

Are you always frustrated by setbacks and failures in your business? While taking the occasional step backwards is a normal part of any career, when this becomes the rule and not the exception, it’s time to figure out why you are going in the wrong direction. For many of us, the things that get in our way are often related to things we ultimately control, whether we realize it or not. Behavioral blind spots may be to blame for your lack of progress, and it’s critical to acknowledge, address and fix these self-sabatoging problems.

Intentions, idea and plans are the bedrocks to business success, but these three components are ultimately worthless when they are not coupled with action. You may be limiting yourself, but, fortunately, corrective action is often relatively simple. Some of the most common behavioral blind spots include:

• Blame-shifting: Blaming someone else is the easiest, and often most natural, reaction to a problem. However, this does little to fix underlying issues, but instead may only divide your team and develop resent. It’s important to put the oxygen mask on yourself first, but you have to aware that you need it in the first place.
• Distraction and procrastination: It’s no secret that everyone battles distraction every day, whether it’s compulsively refreshing their email inbox or checking Facebook instead of doing, well, anything productive. Procrastination is a habit, which means with dedication and discipline, you can replace it with something much more conducive to your success. If you have a hard time meeting deadlines or doing certain tasks in a timely manner, one or both of these two mental blind spots may be to blame.
• Mixed priorities: It’s highly likely that your problem in meeting goals and reaching success has nothing to do with your actual priorities, but rather is related to how you prioritize. It’s hard to go far when you put the cart before the horse. Do the right things in the right order, prioritize and then delegate–it’s an effective combo.

Bad habits sometimes form slowly and over a long period of time, and you may not see how any of these blind spots could be the reason why you are still not where you want to end up. It’s always easier to see where others fall short, and much more difficult to be honest with ourselves regarding how we may need to improve. Regularly and honestly checking for your own behavioral blind spots is a simple and effective way to avoid unnecessary setbacks.

If you have a blog or have created content for a website or other medium, you know how unbelievably impossible it can be to write content that is original, interesting and informative. It’s hard to be interesting when it seems that everything has already been said, either by you or a random person on the internet, but it is still possible to create something that people want to read, and, better yet, something that is not a total snooze-fest.

It can be difficult to create content that is unique when you are following someone else’s formula or trying to retell something you’ve already said in a new way. Stop trying to find new ways to say old things, and, instead, just tell you own story. Here is the great thing about reliving your own story through your content: you can cover the entire scope of the internet and never stumble across a person who has lived your life. The things that make you tick, the reasons you became an entrepreneur and reason why you believe what you believe is unique to you and you alone.

Creating content on a regular basis is a great way to run out of ideas really fast. Blogging is great, even necessary, for anyone looking to increase exposure, and this is a great opportunity to think back to the beginning of your small business venture. Explain why you started, look back at your missteps and explain your growth. Don’t be afraid to tell the whole story–the good, the bad and the ugly. Retelling your personal and professional experiences is one of the most effective ways to generate more interest in your content. It’s why art always imitates life—nothing is as interesting as reality.

As you tell your story, be honest and funny, but don’t be afraid to also use daily life experiences to engage with your readers. Engaging, relateable, shareable content is a lighting-fast way to increase your exposure. So don’t be afraid to lean on your own experiences to connect with your readers and potential customers.