1. Mailing list databases

Many libraries have a subscription to a database such as InfoUSA.  You may need to go into the library to use the database, but it still beats paying a monthly subscription to get your data.  You can use these databases to research your target market, create a mailing list or even do some research on your competitors.

If you get stuck while working in the database, ask a library staff member for assistance.  They may even be able to tell you about additional databases that can help you with your research.

2. Software

If your library has public computers, chances are they have some good software on them.  Most will at least have a business productivity suite such as Microsoft Office, and some may have additional programs such as publishing or graphics software.   Again, you’ll need to be in the library to use the software, but it’s less expensive than buying your own software license.

Or if you’re thinking about buying some software, you may be able to try it out on the library computer first.  And not only can you try out the software, your library can help you use the software you already own.

3. Software training

Some libraries offer free classes to help you learn popular software programs.  Even if the library doesn’t have a class, they probably have books or videos to help you learn your software.   And if they don’t have them locally, they can get them for you through interlibrary loan.

4. Ebooks and audio books

As audio books and ebooks become more popular, libraries are expanding their collections into cyberspace.  Your library may have a subscription to online library sites that offer audio, video and  ebook downloads.   You should be able to access these online libraries from home using your library card.

Some libraries take this service a step farther and offer the actual ereaders too, so you can get your ebook and borrow the library’s ereader to enjoy it.  It’s also a great way to try out these devices before you commit to buying one for yourself.

If your library doesn’t have these tools

What if your local library doesn’t have some of these tools?   Then consider a small investment in a library card from a nearby area.    If you live in a suburb of a larger city, get a nonresident card for the main city library.   If you have a university nearby, get a library card from there.  Our local university gives you a library card if you become a Friend of the Library — a tax-deductible donation of just $20.

If you haven’t been in your local library lately, make time to stop in and see how they can help you grow your business.   And while you’re there, grab a good book to read after your busy work day is done.

In spite of this I did make some progress over the last three weeks.  The one thing I’m happy about is that I didn’t come to a complete standstill in spite of everything going on.  And although I could have done more,  I also could have done less… but I chose not to.  So how did I manage to squeak out a little bit of work each of those weeks?  There are three main guidelines that kept me going.

1. Be accountable to somebody

I belong to a private forum where members post actions they’re going to take and then regularly post their progress on those actions.   I’ve gotten to know some of these members pretty well, and I know they’re reading my action plan and cheering me on.  I know if I stop for too long somebody is going to nudge me to get going again.   Having that support system has been essential for keeping me going.

Find someone in your family or business community that can keep you accountable for your goals and update them regularly on your progress.

Sometimes making progress in the midst of chaos means reducing your goals.

2. Set smaller goals

I knew the distractions would take time away from the business, so I allowed myself to set the bar a little lower the past few weeks.  And while some may think this is a recipe for doing less work,  I saw it as a way to at least get some work done instead of not doing anything at all.  I set smaller goals that I knew I could achieve.

And with those smaller goals, I also set shorter timelines.

3. Give yourself permission to stop early

I gave myself permission to stop after just 15 minutes of work each day.  In most cases, once I actually sat down and started to work I easily got focused and went well past the 15 minute mark.  But knowing that I could stop at 15 minutes made it easier to get going.  I knew that no matter how hard it was going to be,  I could stop after 15 minutes if I really wanted to.

But doesn’t this just condone slacking off?

You may think this was just a plan for officially slacking off, and maybe you’re right.  If I had set more aggressive goals or forced myself to work more each day I might have gotten more done.  Then again, the thought of trying to meet those goals amid all the chaos might have discouraged me enough that I wouldn’t have even tried.

In the end I chose smaller actions that at least kept me moving forward instead of stressing out trying to meet loftier goals.  And while I didn’t make as much progress as I have in past months, I made more progress than I would have if I had done nothing.

But there is a price

Now let me make this very clear: those smaller goals came at a price.  This week I need to build my momentum back up again after three weeks of less focused work.  I have more resistance to overcome, but it’s still less than I would have if I had done nothing during those weeks.

So in the end, I revert back to that age-old lesson from the tortoise and the hare: slow and steady wins the race.   I’ve been moving slower these last three weeks, but I’ve still been moving steadily forward.

Below are my four biggest takeaways, in the order they appear in the article.  I recommend you read the article for yourself – -there’s a lot of food for thought there.

“Making money is not the same as starting a business”

How often do people launch a business because they have a technical skill?  What they don’t realize is they also need to know how to turn that skill into money.  It’s one thing knowing how to fix a car.  It’s another knowing how to market that skill, to charge for it appropriately and ensure you turn a profit.

“People’s reasons for buying things often don’t match up with the company’s reason for selling them”

You may want to sell your product because it’s got this nifty new feature in it that’s highly technical and really gets you excited.  But your customer couldn’t care less.  What they want to know is that this new feature will save them time or money.  Beware of using technical jargon when trying to sell your products; don’t think in terms of what you find interesting.  Think in terms of what benefits the customer will get from buying the product.

“People will pay for things they love”

The above quote was from a section on charging for your products.  So many times businesses are afraid to charge what the product is worth.  Fried says if you have a quality product you should be charging for it.  After all, you invested your energy into creating the product, so be proud of it.  He also says charging for a product makes you want to make it better.

If you give something away, what incentive do you have to keep your customer happy?  On the other hand if they’re paying you for the product or service, now you’re motivated to make sure they keep liking it and buying more.

“Remove the fear and people will be more willing to pay you”

This is about overcoming your client’s hesitation to try your product.  To put this concept into practice think of a way to reduce the risk of a purchase for your potential clients.  Maybe you can offer a money-back guarantee.  If you provide training maybe you could offer a free repeat of a class.

When we ran our custom picture framing business we had a design guarantee.   Sometimes clients would be afraid to make a decision on a mat or frame.  Even though it looked great in the store, they were afraid they’d get it home and it would look awful.  We told the clients if they got home and decided they didn’t like the design, they could bring the frame back and we would only charge them for the difference in any new materials that were used.  This removed the hesitation about placing their custom framing  order.

Time to read the rest

The above are just my lessons learned from Fried’s article.   When you read it, something different may jump out at you.   Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below.

I’m only going to share the headlines from the WAHM Manifesto with you, because I believe you should read the whole thing for yourself.  You don’t even need to provide an e-mail address to get the document.  Just go to the page and download it, no strings attached.  To entice you, here are the headlines from the WAHM Manifesto:

1. Every WAHM has the right to earn a decent income
2. WAHMs need to charge what they’re worth
3. Work at home businesses are professional businesses
4. Raising well-mannered, responsible, educated kids is our most important job as mothers
5. WAHM is NOT a derogatory term
6. Working at home can be harder than working outside the home
7. Having it all is a Myth

Curious to read more?  Good!  Head over to Mel’s website and download your copy.  And while you’re there, check out the SuperWAHM 1000 Challenge — Mel wants to help 200 WAHMs clear $1000 a month in profit in 2011.  Care to join us?

In companies with employees this may not be much of an issue, but what about sole proprietors?   What can you do to ensure your business can carry on without you, whether for a few days or forever?  Here are some suggestions:

1. Document your processes

Naturally you know your own process so well you don’t even have to think about it.  But would someone trying to take over for you know what to do?

Take action today to create some sort of documented process.  Even if you don’t have time to write out a full-blow procedures manual, you can at least do SOMETHING.  Here are a few ways how:

Screencast it

If a lot of your business is done on a computer, download a free screen recording program such as Jing and record yourself going through the steps of servicing an account.

Talk it out

Sit down with a friend and a voice recorder and have him interview you about your process.

Videotape it

Get in front of a video camera — even if it’s the webcam on your laptop — and talk about your process.

Write it down

Or just sit down and write out some notes on what you do.  Include websites, file names, folder names, etc.

2. Store the documents in a known location

Once you’ve created the document, video or audio file, put a copy of it some place where the person taking over for you can find it.  Buy a special jump drive just for the purpose or burn a CD or DVD.   Put it in your lockbox or a designated folder.

Better yet, give a copy to your attorney for safekeeping.

3. Tell at least two people where the information is stored

Tell your spouse, best friend, dad or cousin — someone trustworthy who will remember the information and be able to get to it.  Tell the person named as executor in your will (you DO have a will, don’t you?).  If you have a living will, tell the person designated as the decision maker about your business process document.

4.  Update/review as needed

Take time on a regular basis — once a year or maybe even more frequently — to review and update the document.  It’s also a good idea to review the list of people who know about the document and see if any changes need to be made there.

Chances are, you’ll never need to resort to using the document.  But if a circumstance comes up where someone needs to take over your business for a while, taking a few moments of preparation will help ensure your business remains viable in your absence.

1.  Use a good subject line

Tell me what the e-mail is about; don’t just give me something vague like “Question for you” as the subject line.  A subject line like that  really doesn’t tell me anything, and if I have to find that e-mail later, having a good subject line will make it easier.   Plus I’m more likely to read the e-mail if I know what it’s about.

And once you put a good subject line on the e-mail, be sure you stick with the subject.

2.  Stick to the subject

My golden rule is one subject per e-mail.   If you’re sending me an e-mail about an upcoming event,  don’t throw in a by-the-way question about an unrelated project at the end of the e-mail.    First, there’s a chance I won’t even see the question at the bottom.  And second, if I have to find that question later I probably won’t be looking in the e-mail about the event to find it.

Sometimes it’s easier to reply to an e-mail by picking up the phone.  It amazes me how many people neglect to put this simple piece of information in their e-mail signature.

3. Include your phone number in your signature

Yes I know you sent me an e-mail.  But it just might be quicker for me to pick up the phone and call you instead of e-mailing each other 10 times.  So put your phone number in the signature line and make it easy for me.  Don’t make me dig through my contact list to try to figure out how to get a hold of you.

Just follow the three simple rules above and you’ll be amazed at how much more responsive people are to your e-mails.

Most people will never have to face the dangers of the Iditarod Trail, but we can all learn a lesson from the diligence of the mushers who take on this annual challenge.  Any worthwhile goal will require a certain amount of diligence to achieve.

Stay on Track with Goals

Achieving goals can be tough work.  You need to build up momentum to keep working toward your goal even when obstacles crop up.  By remaining diligent in your efforts you will keep making slow progress.  Some days you’ll be so fired up about working toward your goal that you won’t need any motivation.  But there will come those days when you just want go hide in a dark, quiet place for a while.  It’s at those moments when being diligent in your work becomes critical.

Diligence Reduces the Effect of Distractions

Distractions crop up every day. It’s so easy to get pulled away from your work.  Once that happens your momentum is gone and it’s hard to get it back.  Diligence will pull you back to your work when you’d rather be playing video games online.

Diligence Creates Habits

Habits are powerful.  Unfortunately, the bad habits are just as powerful as the good ones.  Being diligent creates a good habit in helping you work toward your goals.  Researchers say it takes about 30 days for something to become a habit, and those first 30 days may be the toughest ones.  Once the habit is set, though, the diligence becomes almost automatic.  Would you go to bed without brushing your teeth?  On the rare occasions this could happen, you probably feel like something isn’t quite right.  That’s the power of habit.   Unfortunately, slipping into bad habits can happen almost imperceptibly, one lax decision at a time.

Diligence Keeps You Off the Slippery Slope

After days or months spent working toward a goal, it may be tempting to allow yourself a day off.  You figure one day won’t hurt you.  The next day you find it harder to get started, so you postpone the start time.  You struggle to get your momentum back.  Maybe it comes back, maybe it doesn’t.  You are now on the slippery slope.

The only way to avoid the slippery slope is to keep moving forward, even if your progress is painfully slow.  In the Iditarod, mushers may only cover one mile in three or four hours through some sections of the trail, and other times they may easily cover hundreds of miles.  But they keep moving forward through the challenges.

In the pursuit of your goals, you must be as diligent as those mushers, plodding forward with steadfast resolution.

The great thing about the Internet is that there’s hundreds of search results when you type in a keyword.  Sadly, this is also the problem with the internet.  And it seems like Google doesn’t pay much attention to timestamps.  Some search results I looked at were from information posted two years ago.  In Internet time that’s like prehistoric times.

I would follow a link from a post only to find out the software was no longer around.  In another case, I found a review for a Firefox plug-in that sounded great, but when I installed the plug-in and tried to run it, my Firefox browser crashed.

So where do I post information on the problem I had with the plug-in?  So many sites reference the plug-in; I can’t possibly go to all of them and report the problem.  The natural solution is to go to the official page for the plug-in and report the problem there.  But how do I know that another person trying the plug-in will take the time to look through the bug reports?

So the lesson here is twofold.  First check the timestamps on any recommendations you see for software.  And second before you download the software check the bug reports on the official website.  That little bit of extra research may save you a lot of headaches down the road.

Thanks to Phil Bradley’s post about video screen capture alternatives, I learned about several options to explore.  After looking around on the software websites and looking for more information, I quickly narrowed the list to about seven options to explore further.  After downloading all the versions, going through the install process and trying some test video captures, I’m now down to three serious contenders.

They are in order of preference (so far):

• BB Flashback Express
• Jing
• CamStudio

I’ll be reviewing each of these packages in more detail in future posts, but for now let me tell you some things I looked for that helped me make my decision.  First, I wanted a program that could export a file that was editable with Adobe Premiere Elements.  That eliminated two other programs I had considered right away because their formats weren’t compatible.

I also looked at the ease of installing the software and the ease-of-use of the recording interface.  The favorites I listed above made the short list for two reasons.  First, all three packages installed easily. Second, the recording startup for all three was pretty easy to figure out.  I’ll need to do some more testing to figure out which package I like best, but if you’re looking for a free screencasting solution now, I would look at the above three options first.

As business owners it’s so tempting to make excuses for why things aren’t working in our business.  So today let’s talk about some common excuses about why we’re not getting as many customers as we would like.

1. My competitor is too big

The first excuse I hear so often is, “My competitor is too big;  I can’t compete with their price model.  They have volume pricing, I don’t.”  Okay, so you can’t compete on price.   That’s OK, you don’t want to compete on price anyway.  If clients only come to you for your low prices, they’re not really loyal.  They may jump ship as soon as they find a lower price somewhere else.

Find something else to compete on.  Maybe it’s expertise.  Maybe it’s specialization.  There’s a  hardware store in my town whose specialty is plumbing supplies.  The big box hardware stores send people down to them because they carry specialty parts the big boxes don’t have.

2. My marketing isn’t working

Marketing works if it’s done correctly, but how do you know if you’re marketing correctly?  You have to measure your results.  Here are some ideas for measuring your results.

First, if you’re advertising in multiple publications create a custom link on your website for each publication.  So if you’re advertising in a local newspaper make a link specifically for the ad in the local newspaper.  That way you’ll know if people click on that link they saw your ad in the paper.  If you also advertise in a magazine put a different link in that magazine.  People coming to that link will only come there if they saw your ad in that magazine.

If you’re doing radio ads, put a different phone number out there – and only publicize that phone number in your radio ads.  That way you’ll know that anyone calling that number heard your ad on the radio.    In my area, the phone company calls this kind of phone number a Market Expansion Line.  It’s a special phone number that gets set up, but when users call it they’re forwarded to your regular business number.  Your phone bill will show you how many calls came in through the expansion line.

3. I don’t have time

This is the most common excuse of all:  “I don’t have time for marketing.”  I know as a small business owner you have a lot of tasks you need to do.   You’ve got customers to service, you have bills to pay and meetings to attend.

But regardless of those tasks, understand this: no matter what business you’re in, your most important job is marketing.   And because it’s your most important job, make it the first thing you do every day.  When you get into your office, before you check your e-mail or go to your favorite online forum, sit down and spend 15 or 20 minutes working on your marketing.

Spend that time designing new ads, writing blog posts, responding to sales inquiries or crafting your next e-mail campaign.   Set up a regular schedule to review your marketing efforts – maybe once a week or once a month.   Whatever you do, do not give up that time first thing in the morning, that is your gold time.

No excuses, you can do it!

Any of us can make excuses for why things aren’t working.  But as the business owner, the buck stops with you.  You are responsible for marketing your business.  Even if you delegate marketing to one of your employees, it is still your job to make sure the marketing is effective.  After all, that’s why you’re the boss.

So take some time right now and think about how you’re going to spend your 15 minutes of marketing time every morning.  And remember no excuses, you can do this!