What Entrepreneurs can Learn From Toyota's Fall From Grace

Toyota entered into the US motor sales market in 1957. Fifty-three years later, they’re facing a global crisis that has ruined their reputation. A reputation built on quality and trust.

How well the award-winning car manufacturer recovers depends on two things:

1. Their efficiency (speed) with correcting the problems.

2. How well they communicate with their customers and the media.

This isn’t just an internal problem involving Toyota and their customers. It’s being played out in the media and we all know what that means – Toyota’s every response, or lack thereof, will be examined and scrutinized.

Experts Weigh in on Toyota’s Recovery

Industry experts predict that because Toyota has the resources (money) it can overcome the crisis. I’m not totally agreeing with this. Money can’t buy back their reputation and safety ratings. It’s going to take more than multi-million dollar ad campaigns to undo the damage that’s been done. Some Toyota owners have gone on record saying that after years of being loyal buyers they’re turning to other manufacturers for future automobile purchases. Toyota has failed at the one thing that set them apart from their competition. The very thing that has won them numerous prestigious awards. They’ve failed at safety. One of the leading consumer publications has suspended its “recommended” status for eight Toyota models.

The Competition Kicks ‘em While They’re Down

Did you think other automakers were going to stand by and not pounce on the opportunity to add insult to Toyota’s injury? AutoLoanDaily.com reported that General Motors is offering 0% interest rates and $1,000 rebates to Toyota owners who trade their cars for new GM vehicles. This opened the door for Ford to follow suit and offer a similar incentive. While you may not agree with these kinds of practices, all is fair in the world of business. Competing brands who successfully position themselves can gain marketshare in situations like these.

Here’s what I want you to do:

Take a look at your business. I don’t care if you’re a one-person show operating out of your bedroom or if you’re a major enterprise doing business across several different continents. What measures do you have in place right now to protect your brand’s image if you were dealt a blow like Toyota? Are you prepared to answer the questions, “Why/how did this happen? What are you doing to rectify the situation? Why should I trust you and continue doing business with you going forward?”

Learn from Toyota’s mistakes. Don’t push the pedal and accelerate the negative by being unresponsive. Resolve to face the issue head on. This is key in regaining consumer confidence.

 
Photo credit: hobbes8calvin

Unemployment Rose in 43 States in December

The government has reported that unemployment rose in forty-three states last month.


Sophia Koropeckyj, managing director at Moody's Economy.com., stated that Texas and Georgia lost more jobs in December than they had gained the previous month

What can you do if you’re on the receiving end of a pink slip? With fewer jobs being created, what can you realistically do to recover from losing your job?

Having been a hiring and firing manager, I can tell you that it’s always best to notify employees of a reduction in force in advance if at all possible. The surprise of coming to work and being told on the spot that your position has been eliminated is devastating.

Regardless of how you find out, here are three things you can do to increase your chances of recovering and landing on your feet:

• Don't treat your advance notice of layoff as down time - Stay productive. Take an adult education class, update your resume or find a find a support group to join (Meetup.com is an excellent free resource).

• Start Networking Immediately - Get out and start meeting people. Learn how to network effectively to get the best results. Meet as many people as you can and leverage word of mouth referrals.

• Create Plan B - Start brainstorming on ways to supplement your income. Monetize your hobbies. Many successful business people are created during tough economic times.

Being proactive is the key to turning around any unpromising life-experience. This is extremely important when you’re faced with a job loss. If you create a clearly defined action plan, execute that plan, and remain positive, you’ll withstand the hardships brought about in today’s uncertain economy.

 
 
Photo credit: thegr8gavo

Media Exposure for Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses

Free publicity is one of the best ways for entrepreneurs to market their businesses. However, most solo business owners don’t take advantage of it. They aren’t aware of the many no-cost resources available and they miss out on being exposed to hundreds, even thousands of potential new customers.

You don’t have to hire a PR firm, media coach, or pay for leads that may not generate results. You can do it all by yourself and allocate that money to better use.

I was recently contacted by ForbesWoman to contribute expert advice on crafting a concise elevator pitch. I was thrilled! Being quoted by such a respected and trusted business media outlet speaks volumes for my credibility.

The ForbesWoman experience was also a confidence booster. This was the first time a major outlet had reached out to me instead of me being chosen by sending pitches and media releases. Words can’t even describe how I felt when I read, “[ForbesWoman.com]…was hoping you might want to weigh in with advice. Having checked out your website, I think you'd make a great addition!”

It doesn’t matter if it’s print, online, tv, or radio – any medium that puts you in the spotlight will drive traffic to your website and raise your expert status while affording you the opportunity to give valuable advice that will benefit the audience.

Are you interested in getting media exposure for your business? Leave me a comment below and I’ll answer your questions and offer suggestions to help get you noticed.

The Unemployed Entrepreneur™ Framework

Over the past couple of weeks, I’ve found myself sharing my daily framework with people who need some help managing their day as a work-from-home entrepreneur.

My Facebook friend, Tera McHugh, posted an update about something similar and I chimed in saying that I’d switched from a daily to-do list to a weekly one. This one change has done wonders for me, in that I’m getting so much more done. Tera stated she wanted to hear any suggestions I have so here goes…

Disclaimer

1. What works for me may not work for the person next door. Having said that, take these suggestions (and any others that you get) and modify them to best suit you. That’s the only way you’ll be satisfied with the outcome.

2. Leave room for adjustments. Don’t hold yourself accountable to the point where you feel less than pleased with yourself for not getting as much done as you set out to do. The key is to remain flexible while still being focused.

3. Do what feels natural to you and do it consistently. Don’t abandon your framework before you’ve given it a chance to actually work. Simply put – it’s going to take you more than 3 days to develop a pattern so don’t quit after 2 days saying that it didn’t work.

Here’s my real-life framework. I really don’t have to refer to it because I’ve used it for over a year now. I’ll be making revisions to it soon, like the tasks I complete between 9pm – 10:30 p.m. This time will be dedicated solely to completing special projects, program development, and implementation of new launches, etc. On days when I'm out of the office, it means I'll have to work on the weekend or a little past my normal weekday "business" hours.

9am - 2pm = WORK! (write articles, blog, marketing, networking, teleseminars, coaching, etc.)

2pm - 4pm = Transition (this is when I'm preparing for kids to come home, picking up kids, scheduling appointments for family, etc.)

4pm - 8pm = Family

8:30pm       = Son's Bedtime

8:30pm - 9 = Me & Daughter time

9pm - 10:30 = Check emails, update calendar, tweet, Facebook

10:30 - 11 = Read (Sometimes I use this time for brainstorming or prep for the next day)

Friday = 12p to 1:30p meeting with my Action & Accountability group. No other work-related appointments on this day.

I don’t put a lot of emphasis on timeblocking every task. This just doesn’t work for me. Again, since I’ve used this schedule for so long, I know what needs to be done at what time and I prioritize the tasks on my weekly list accordingly. For example, I’m not going to start an in-depth project at 1pm that’ll take longer than an hour to complete because I’ll have to “clock out” at 2pm. Instead, I’ll work on it first thing in the morning – as long as it’s a real priority. I focus on doing the things I need to do for the week and manage my time around those tasks.

Did this help at all? Leave your comments and questions below and I’ll be sure to clarify and elaborate for you.

 
 
Photo credit: Zach Klein

Today's Video: Pretty vs. Prepared

This is Part 1 of the Pretty vs. Prepared series. Take a look at the video and let me know if you're up for the challenge.

Where do you stand on being pretty vs. prepared? Do you think it can be detrimental to your business if you focus on one more than the other?

Walgreens Offers More Than Prescriptions and Chia Pets

I’ve been called everything from frugal to down right cheap. Oh well! That only motivates me to continue to save and find deals. And when I do, I’m blogging and sharing them with you.

I must admit that sometimes I’m a bit skeptical when it comes to taking advantage of certain bargains. However, the one thing that can always sway me is if someone I know and trust has used the product or service.

A family member told me about the printer ink cartridge refills available at Walgreens. She’d gotten hers refilled there and was totally pleased.

I woke up on Monday ready to work and couldn’t print a single page. I got online to see if the Walgreens closest to me offered the service (not all stores do according to their website). Sure enough they did and I didn’t waste any time getting over there.

They charge $12.99 per cartridge for color and black refills. If I’d bought them from Dell, the color cartridge would’ve been $26.99 and the black $29.99. That’s definitely not in my spending plan.

The technician did a test on each cartridge to make sure they would “take” the refills. My black cartridge failed (you’re not supposed to have more than 5 line breaks on the test strip of paper…mine looked like a row of mismatched legos!). My color cartridge test didn’t look too good either. She advised that she was going to proceed with refilling them, but there was a possibility they may not work. She told me to ensure you get the best results, bring the cartridges in immediately when you get the low ink warning. Mine were dry as a bone since I’d ignored all previous warnings.

When she paged me to come to the photo department (I was off browsing…they had these orange “last chance” stickers all over the cosmetics section with ridiculous markdowns!) she gave me great news. She told me she wasn’t going to charge me for the black refill since it probably wasn’t going to work. I got both cartridges for $12.99 plus tax. That’s a savings of more than $40! And on top of that, I got two coupons for 50% off my next refills.

Summary: The Walgreens printer cartridge refills are an exceptional value. I saved over 75% and didn’t sacrifice convenience. Both cartridges are like new. I have the same print quality. I’ll never pay full retail for refills again.

Do you know of any awesome specials? Share them here in the comments below.

Photo credit: hargo

Reading is Fundamental. Seriously.

How many books have you read in the past 90 days? 30 days?

Please tell me you’ve read at least one book in the past 6 months! I’ll be heartbroken if you haven’t. I know it probably seems like I repeat things you’ve heard before, but it’s true – some things definitely need repeating until you decide to listen and take action.

Reading is critical to your personal and business growth people. Yesteray on twitter I tweeted, “If you don’t read, you don’t grow.” It’s just that simple. Even if you don’t want to read books you can visit blogs, article directories, and subscribe to newsletters. It doesn’t matter how you get it as long as you’re feeding yourself new and useful information you can learn from, implement, and share.

The majority of the books I read have been recommended to me by people in my network. The last book I purchased was Buzzmarketing by Mark Hughes. My friend Bev Smith told me it was one of her favorites. I’ve read the book twice already and will be starting it again in the next few days. Why am I reading it so much? Each time I pick it up, I get new insight. Of course the book’s content isn’t changing, but I’m changing so something I may have skimmed over the first couple of times may be relevant to where I am right now. I’ll be doing a more in-depth blog post about Buzzmarketing in the very near future.

Here’s what I want you to do: make a list of all the topics you’re interested in or the areas you want to improve upon. Once you’ve compiled your list, ask friends and colleagues if they know of any books on that particular subject matter they can recommend. Note: If those in your network aren’t reading, this may signal a problem. Take the list and go to Amazon.com and read the reviews. Then decide which books you’re going to purchase. Read and repeat.

If you want my recommendations, leave me a comment and I’ll be sure to respond. And if you get your hands on a must-have read, do share it with me!

Photo credit: keithhull

Are You Punctually Challenged or Know Someone Who Is?

Punctually challenged is just a politically correct way of saying, "I'm always late." 

Have you ever sat down and gave serious thought to the reasons why you're late? Have you thought about the message you're sending to others when you arrive late to appointments and events?

Obviously, this is rude but I believe there are two main factors that contribute to someone not being on time:

1.  Agenda Overload - you have too much on your plate.
2.  You don't make good use of your time.

These two things are valid reasons - not excuses. Excuses are what you give when you come in apologizing and explaining why you're late. You know, things like "I got lost...my other appointment ran over...I spent 15 minutes trying to park." Regardless, all of these factors are within your control. You can correct this pattern. And yes, if you've been late three or more times, it's definitely a bad habit that needs to be corrected.

First, you must understand that being on time is a conscience decision you make. Let's get a bit deeper for a second. People who are late are also procrastinators. They wait until the last minute to start and finish projects and rush to beat deadlines. All of this behavior is a learned, lifelong pattern. You are choosing to put things off and you need to get to the root of why you're doing so.

How do you deal with the Late Lucy/Larry in your network?

set a grace period - You know how the doctor's office has that 10-15 minute window that states if you arrive beyond that you may not be seen? Decide how long you're going to wait for late comers  before you proceed with the meeting. Once you've done that, stick with it and don't allow any exceptions.

communicate the costs - What does Tardy Tina stand to lose or gain by being on time? Being late guarantees that you're going to miss some important information. Let people know that whatever they missed won't be repeated. One of the payoffs of being on time is the feeling you give others that says you value and respect their time.

coach the offender(s) - Don't punish the entire group. Talk to the specific individual and let them know that their reputation is on the line. Late people are looked at as not being dependable, reliable, or organized. Is this what you want attached to your personal brand? Of course not.

If you're someone who struggles with being on time, I want you to do the following exercise:

Start a "Late Log" and document your answers. Ask yourself:

• How late was I?
• What prevented me from arriving on time?
• Is this a legit reason or an excuse?
• What can I do differently to break my cycle of tardiness?

Let me hear your thoughts and suggestions. What else can we do to get folks to arrive 5 minutes early instead of 10 minutes late?

 
Photo credit: Eureeka's Window

How I Saved 50% on Internet Service

Back in October I tweeted that I'd called my internet provider, AT&T, and that one phone call saved me about $15.00 per month on my internet service. A month or so prior, I'd given them a call and got my home phone bill reduced too. I've done this with my cable and cell phone bills as well.

With everyone focusing on saving and getting out of debt in the new year, I wanted to share some easy steps you can take to reduce your monthly expenses.

Just about every service provider has a Customer Retention department or something equivalent. If you don't know the name of the specific department, just tell the customer service rep you're thinking about switching providers and they'll get you over to the right people ASAP.

Before you call, research a competitor that's offering compatible services at a lower rate than you're paying with your existing provider. I used this strategy when dealing with Tmobile to get my cell phone bill reduced. I went online and compared two different companies that had similar rate plans. This signals to your company that you're serious and are ready to drop them immediately if they aren't willing to work with you to lower your bill.

Ask the rep how long you've been a loyal customer. Don't leave out the word loyal. Although you know good and well how long you've been with them, this puts the attention on them to acknowledge the fact that you've chosen to do business with them for X number of years. Note: It doesn't hurt if you throw this in for good measure, "As a consumer, I have choices and I've chosen to do business with you for 5 years." This is exactly what I did with AT&T.

More than likely, the rep will come back with something along the lines of the lower advertised rates only apply to new customers and not existing customers. I love it when they say this! This is when you ask one simple question, "So you're saying I can't save money because I've chosen to remain a loyal customer for 5 years? If so, please tell me why I should remain your customer." You want to reinforce the fact that you're already a paying customer and have been for a long time. Oh - and when you ask why you should remain their customer, expect a brief moment of silence as the rep tries to gather his/her thoughts.

Set aside a few hours one day before the end of this month and make the phone calls. Some companies will be more cooperative than others, but don't back down. If they flat out refuse to work with you, be prepared to make a decision to stay or move to another company. In my case, I was genuinely prepared to switch residential phone services. Although I wouldn't have saved much, I could've bundled my home phone and internet with my cable provider...whom I've also been loyal to for about 5 years.

Which company are you going to call first? I suggest starting with the one that could save you the most money. Let me know how it went and how much you saved.

Photo credit: theantibride

13 Real-Life Exercises to Reinvent and Enhance Your Life

Are you all pumped up and ready to get started with your 2010 goals and resolutions? When you set those goals, did it make you uncomfortable? If you aren't getting shook up - you're playing it safe and you'll never grow. Sure, you'll make progress but you won't ever reach the heights you're capable of soaring to.

I've been guilty of doing it myself so don't think I'm just sitting here finger pointing. Moving outside of what's comfortable and familiar doesn't take much effort. You have to be open and willing to do it.

Here are 13 practical exercises to incorporate into your routine to help you jump start the transformation process:

1. 
   
   Decide to do Better - The difference between this being a great day or a bad one depends solely on your attitude. This is the only variable you can control. Train your mind to identify the positive in every difficult person or situation you encounter.
   
   
2. 
   
   Free Yourself - We spend a great deal of time holding on to emotional baggage. When we do this, it's almost impossible to enjoy the present and recognize the improvements we've made. Stop allowing past pains to hold you hostage. Confront them and let it go.
   
   
3. 
   
   Recognize the Power of Your Thoughts - You have the choice of expecting the worse or looking forward to the best out of life. This goes hand-in-hand with Exercise #1. When you visualize and anticipate strength, prosperity, and harmony, they'll show up. If you look for the bad and subscribe to negative self talk, you'll eventually get what you ask for. We become what we think.
   
   
4. 
   
   Manage Your Relationships - I've often told people to completely avoid dream crushers. This isn't very realistic since some people live with energy zappers and naysayers. Limit the amount of time you spend with toxic people. Surround yourself with supportive folks who want you to succeed. Put them on speed dial for times when you're feeling vulnerable.
   
   
5. 
   
   Study Diligently - You don't have to resort to being a "professional student" in order to have a lifetime of learning. Set aside a certain amount of time each day to read/listen to self-help and other educational materials. Tap into your intellectual resources to stimulate your mind.
   
   
6. 
   
   Do Something New - Commit to introducing something new into your life. This is one of the best ways to break old habits and replace them with new ones. It doesn't have to be anything drastic. Something as simple as trying a new food, listening to a different genre of music, or visiting a part of town that isn't along your regular route will gradually take you outside of your comfort zone. When you do this, you become more open minded and look forward to challenges and experimenting with new things.
   
   
7. 
   
   Set Goals - There are thousands of personal development experts and we each have our own opinions regarding goals. Here's mine: set realistic goals that make you happy when you're pursuing them, write them down, and reflect on them daily. Achieving your goals shouldn't feel like a chore or obligation. If you aren't excited about the goals you've set, you need to go back to the drawing board and revisit your list.
   
   
8. 
   
   Establish Boundaries - Don't allow people (friends and family included) to manipulate you, use you as a doormat, or treat you like a dumping ground. Love, value, and respect yourself and accept nothing less from others.
   
   
9. 
   
   Keep it Real - Stay true  to yourself and your beliefs. Be honest no matter what. Don't be afraid to go against the grain even if it means not being liked or accepted. Adhere to a strict ethical code - never compromise your integrity. Always do what's right.
   
   
10. 
    
    Give Cheerfully - Look for opportunities to share your blessings. It doesn't always have to be monetary. Donate your time and talents to those who are less fortunate. Serve others from the kindness of your heart and expect nothing in return.
    
    
11. 
    
    Don't Procrastinate - When you have a task to complete or a deadline to meet, Just Do It! Some people perform well under pressure but for others it can cause anxiety and tension. Devise a timeline and finish your projects ahead of schedule whenever possible.
    
    
12. 
    
    Accountability 24/7 - You and only you are responsible for your actions. No one else can cause you to react or respond. Don't point the finger or blame others when things don't go well or according to plan. Be flexible and don't hide behind excuses.
    
    
13. 
    
    Redefine and Embrace Failure - We're not perfect. We're bound to fall short and miss the mark along our journey toward excellence. The same mistake shouldn't be repeated if you learned from it the first time. New failures signify growth. The insight you gain is essential  to your success.
    
    

I've said it before and I'll say it again - Reinvention is a never ending process, not a a destination. If you follow my friend Zara Green's advice and make your next decision better than your last, you'll be just fine.

Which exercise are you going to put into practice first? Do tell!

Photo credit: aramoe_mi

Do You - You Can Always Change Your Mind

Welcome to 2010! I'm really excited about the new year. Not because of the typical new year hype, but because I'm back at home blogging again. It had been about seven months since my last post and although I wasn't here, I'd been writing articles, posting videos, and blogging in other places. Speaking of which, I'll be guest blogging at The Work at Home Woman with my first post debuting on January 19th.

When I ran across the photo to the left, it was perfect for my entry today. I've often felt that my blog didn't  matter, but I now know this is so far from the truth. After I came back to blogspot, I read my previous posts and comments. The fact that I had friends here who were supporting me should've been reason enough for me to hang around and keep at it. Hindsight is 20/20 and this has allowed for yet another learning experience.

Why I Took a Blogging Hiatus
I was doing just fine here at Blogger, but had several different people tell me that my blog wouldn't be taken seriously. I was told things like no one reads blogs on Blogger and Google owns your content just to name a few. I've spent the last few months going back and forth with starting a blog on Wordpress vs. coming back here. It was going to cost me a few hundred dollars and I didn't have the money to move forward. Or should I say, I chose to allocate that money to other uses. It simply made no sense for me to pay for something that I could do myself for free. I already knew how to use Blogger and felt comfortable with it. More importanly, The Unemployed Entrepreneur's™ brand is one that gets results using an organic, low-cost approach to business. Nothing costs less than free.

What This Has Taught Me
We have so many choices these days and the best thing we can do for ourselves is to choose what's right for us as an individual. Besides, we have the right to change our minds. What you're doing today may not work for you tomorrow and you should be flexible and able to adapt to and manage change - in your personal life and in your business.

When you're listening to feedback (solicited and unsolicited), you have to carefully discern what's being said and figure out if the information you're getting is in your best interest. While I believe that more often than not it is, there are those people who'll tell you things that will ultimately benefit themselves. Those folks trying to convince me to move over to Wordpress were well aware of my technological challenges and could have benefited from me hiring them.

Take advantage of the free resources that are available. You won't be able to accomplish everything without spending money, but when you can - you should. Invest only after weighing all of your options and doing your research. It will certainly pay off in the long run.

Talk to you soon...

Photo credit: MrLomo