The Role You Play

The Role You Play
There's a term in business called Corporate Governance that refers to the way a business is "governed." A large corporation is typically governed by a CEO, with managers reporting to him and "technicians," or people who perform more technical or specialized tasks, reporting to the managers.

But in small business, these three roles often are done by the same person: the company founder. In the beginning stages of a business, this is OK and in some cases, there is no choice. But as a business grows -- and if you want your business to grow -- these three roles should be handled by three different people charged with very different responsibilities.

The CEO assumes the leadership role, advocates change, makes decisions and is the "visionary" for the company.
The manager is responsible for making sure everyone has everything they need to do their jobs efficiently and effectively.
The technician is the person with the special skill or knowledge that is core to the business, i.e., the dentist at a dental practice or the graphic designer at a graphic design business.

What role do you play in your own business? If it's all three, or even two of these roles, it may be time to look at delegating some of your responsibilities. I would be happy to assist you in your evaluation. Please feel free to contact me for more information, Tom Long, 708-524-0886, SolidOakConsulting.com.

Guerrilla Marketing Makes Good 'Cents'

Guerrilla Marketing Makes Good 'Cents'

In a good or poor economy, Guerrilla Marketing is a great method for businesses to market their goods and services. Guerrilla Marketing is effective for three reasons:

Because of big business downsizing, decentralization, relaxation of government regulations, affordable technology, and a revolution in consciousness, people around the world are gravitating to small business in record numbers.
Small business failures are also establishing record numbers and one of the main reasons for the failures is a failure to understand marketing.
Guerrilla marketing has been proven in action to work for small businesses around the world. It works because it's simple to understand, easy to implement and outrageously inexpensive.

For for more information about Guerrilla Marketing, please contact me, Tom Long, 708-524-0886, SolidOakConsulting.com

What A Recession Can Cost You

What A Recession Can Cost You



During a recession, many businesses, acting out of fear, start to put up barriers. They make short-sighted decisions that affect the long-term relationships they have built with their customers.

For instance, they decide to cut vital customer-service staff in an effort to save money. But instead of saving money, it ends up costing them because these kinds of decisions affect their ability to serve their customers well. Smart businesses realize this and make an effort to take extra good care of their customers during a recession. Customers will always remember that you took extra care of them during a tough time.

When you make cost-cutting decisions in your business, make sure to look at the long-term effects it may have. You can't afford to lose customers, especially during a recession.
Tom Long, 708-524-0886, SolidOakConsulting.com.

Preparing For The Rebound

Preparing For The Rebound

It's understandable to feel a little discouraged as you watch what's happening with our economy these days. Some of us are feeling the effects directly, while others are not. Either way, the one thing we know is that the economy will improve. The question is: Will you be ready for it when it does?

There are several areas of your business that you should focus on right now to prepare your business for an economic recovery.

Sales. Hopefully, you haven't let your good salespeople go. But if you did, devise a plan for hiring new ones, or rehiring past ones, as soon as your finances allow. Your sales department will be crucial to building up your business once the economy recovers.
Marketing. Many businesses slash their marketing budgets during a recession. But if there was ever a time you need to promote your business, it's now. Nevertheless, sometimes it can't be avoided. If that was the case for your company, try to start investing in your marketing as soon as possible. If money is tight, you may want to try Guerrilla Marketing (below) if you don't already.
Human Resources. Take advantage of this downtime by training your staff so they'll be prepared for an increase in business. Also, there are a lot of great people out on the market right now; see what you can do about getting them on your staff.

Unfortunately, there is no telling exactly when this recovery will occur, but we know from history that it will happen. If Solid Oak Consulting can help you with an economic recovery plan for your business, please contact me Tom Long 708-524-0886, SolidOakConsulting.com.

Get 'Blogged' Down

Get 'Blogged' Down



A great way to generate your own publicity these days is through a blog. A blog is an inexpensive, do-it-yourself forum that many businesses are using to get their name out. Many businesses are making the most of this opportunity. You can start a blog about any topic that you want. If you want to promote your business, it's a good idea to write about your business expertise. But even blogs about personal interests can drum up business for you.

With a blog, you can:

Create your own interactive community. People can find your blog through a search engine, or you can invite certain people to participate.
Improve your chances of being pulled up in a search engine.
Generate your own buzz and control the message you put out there.

You can find a lot of information online to help you start your own blog. One of the more common blogs is wordpress.com.
Tom Long 708-524-0886, SolidOakConsulting.com.

Publicity: Make Sure You're 'Covered'

Publicity: Make Sure You're 'Covered'

No matter what type of business you're in, you need people to know about you. You can gain exposure through a variety of ways, some of which cost money and others that do not. In light of the recent economic conditions, I'd like to focus on one of the "free" options that are available to you.

Public relations, also known as PR, means gaining publicity through topics of public interest or the news, rather than through advertising and other paid promotional efforts. Many business people think PR is something that can only be done with the help of a PR expert. While PR experts do have a specialized knowledge of how they can gain exposure for their clients, it is possible to do your own PR. Here are a few ways:


Make yourself known in the community. When something happens with your business - an expansion or a new hire - send a press release to the local newspapers to inform them of your news. They may either print the release or follow-up with you to write an article. Also try to take advantage of local sponsorship opportunities as a way to get your name out in the community.
Be a reliable source. When a member of the media calls you, always take his or her call. Being featured in an article is a great way to get some free PR. Be honest and patient with reporters and try to answer all their questions. Send them additional informational materials if you think it will help them with their article. If you aren't able to help them, try to direct them to someone who can help. By doing so, you will be putting yourself foremost in their minds and they will likely call you back again.
Establish yourself as an expert in your industry. These days, many reporters do their research online. If you have a strong website that features your published articles and whitepapers, they will call you for your comments on a particular article. Also, try to get published in any trade publications within your industry.
See if you can write for a publication. If you can offer valuable insight and are a good writer, you might actually get paid for an article you write while gaining some PR in the process.

There are many good online resources regarding public relations, including prweb.com and publicityinsider.com. Solid Oak Consulting can also assist you. For more information, please contact me Tom Long, 708-524-0886, SolidOakConsulting.com.

Creating An Action Plan

Over 30 years of business experience has shown me there are business basics which when mastered, result in success even for the small business start-up.

Solid Oak Consulting's Action Plan Program for business success is based on hard-won experience and research from many organizations including: the Institute for Independent Business, the Small Business Administration, Harvard Business School, the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, Inc. Magazine, the Economist, Dun and Bradstreet and the Coleman Entrepreneurial Center of De Paul University, among others.

The Action Plan Program begins with a comprehensive but rapid assessment of key functions and issues in the business. This assessment forms the basis for a set of action plans designed to focus effort and investment on the most critical areas for success.

One part of the Action Plan Program is a focus on repeatable processes. The technician worries about today. The manager worries about tomorrow. But an owner worries about a legacy - "What will happen when I'm gone?"

For more information on Solid Oak Consulting's Action Plan Program, call me, Tom Long 708-524-0886, solidOakConsulting.com.