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IABC

Knowing When To Fold (How an IABC Business Column Comes to an End)

by Daria Steigman on December 8, 2011

What's holding you back in your business? IABC, Independent ThinkingSometimes you have to know when to let go:

The best small business owners are constantly innovating—rethinking a product, redesigning our Web sites, tweaking our marketing approaches, testing productivity tools and technologies. It’s what we do.

But we’re really bad at stopping the things that are part of our routine but shouldn’t be anymore. Like advertising in the yellow pages. Or sending a telex rather than a tweet. These might have been useful or cutting-edge at one time, but now they’re just eating up your resources and/or your attention.

My latest IABC business column is out, and it’s all about knowing when it’s time to fold.

For the past year, I’ve been struggling to figure out what content should be “held” for the column versus what I’m writing about here (let alone anywhere else). It’s become a chore, one more thing to do, without seeing a compelling business purpose to put the time into it anymore. So I’m letting it go.

Read the column here. There’s also a nice “Top 7″ editors’ picks list–their favorite Independent Thinking columns over the years.

What are you doing today in your business that you need to let go?

Photo by laffy4k (Flickr).

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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How to Set Up Your Business to Maximize Brand and Bottom Line

by Daria Steigman on December 10, 2010

Branding, Business | Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llcIs your business structured the right way?

There are legal, tax, and liability implications to how your business is structured. Not just the legal structure (e.g., LLC or corporation), but also whether you have an operating agreement and how it’s written. And what about equity (both for founders and key employees)?

My latest column for IABC’s CW Bulletin is out, and it’s all about how to set up your business the smart way. Some sample fare:

Legal, tax and liability implications aside, adopting a formal structure has a business value… It’s a lot easier to make the case for yourself as a business professional if you’re set up to be one. In this era where putting up a Web site and printing out business cards is cheap and easy, it is more important than ever that your business signals that it’s around for the long haul.

Read the complete article here.

Bonus reading: Fred Wilson has a good piece about employee equity and vesting over at A VC.

Photo by bucklava (Flickr).

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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Why Marketers Are Getting the Axe

by Daria Steigman on July 22, 2010

This recession has not been kind to marketers and other communications pros. Especially at the senior level.

Frankly, I’m not surprised.

Just look at how we typically refer to ourselves. Marketer. Public Affairs Specialist. Writer. Editor. Media Relations Manager. Videographer. It’s all task-based.

IABC has the word “business” in it, but our titles rarely do. And too often we haven’t made the case that storytelling is key to selling widgets (or sneakers, politicians, goodwill, or support for your cause). That communications is a core business function, as necessary to organizational success as product designers and the sales team.

We talk about transparency and authenticity. Our bosses care about sales, opportunity costs, and ROI.

I’ve heard a lot of hand wringing about how communicators don’t have a seat at the table. Yada, Yada, Yada. Feel better?

Now, what are we going to do about it?

The comments are yours.

Note: This post originally appeared on IABC’s Communication World blog.

Photo by Randy Son of Robert (Flickr).

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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The 9-Step Plan to Managing Your Time

by Daria Steigman on July 13, 2010

9-Step Time Management Plan for Business | Steigman Communications, llc | Independent ThinkingMy latest column for IABC’s CW Bulletin is out, and it is about time: how we claim it as business owners, and how we can manage it to keep ourselves from being overwhelmed or letting critical tasks and projects slip through the cracks.

It can be a challenge for even the most organized. I’ve written before that it doesn’t take a superhero. While I wish I had a time turner, like Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter books, I live in a world where the wizardry is really just a product of hard work.

The column looks at 9 strategies for managing your business. They range from identifying the five business buckets to prioritizing the big stuff to understanding cash-flow cycles.

You can read it here.  Then come back and tell me: What would you add?

Photo by Laffy4k (Flickr).

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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You’re Using Social Media, But is Your Audience Listening?

by Daria Steigman on June 10, 2010


Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llc

I wrote here about the secret to a great client relationship (hint: it’s about how you communicate). Now I want to talk about a related issue: understanding how your audience is listening.

For example:

  • Have you ever had someone say, “Well, I tweeted about that”?
    Okay, but I didn’t see your random tweet at a random-to-me time in a sea of tweets from the 500+ people I’m following.
  • Have you ever had someone tell you they posted the event to their LinkedIn Group?
    Great, except I get a weekly digest and your event was three days ago.

  • Have you ever had multiple people send you Facebook notifications for the same event, even though you’re on the organization’s distribution list and so have obviously received at least one event invitation (and possibly signed up already)?
    Gee, now you’re spamming me.

Here’s the problem: When you do this, you’re making assumptions about my behavior and how I use various social media channels. Get it right, and we’re cool. Get it wrong, and your message is lost. You become irrelevant. Or worse, I unfollow, unlink, or unfriend you.

Whether you’re asking directly, monitoring online behavior, or accessing analytics, it’s important to understand how people consume information.

What strategies do you use to understand how your audience is listening?

Note: This post originally appeared on IABC’s Communication World blog.

Photo by cogdogblog (Flickr).

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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