Food For Thought
Message from the President
The definition of insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again; not changing anything and expecting different results.
As we start a new year, I can’t help but think of this. In our businesses, if we want to grow, we have to make some adjustments, change our marketing, look closely at our target markets and determine what works best and do more of it. With our businesses, we have to make sure our current clients are well taken care of and find more just like them. We want to make sure you, our NAWBO-SA members, are well taken care of. We want to know what you want out of your NAWBO membership. We want to know how you wish to be engaged. We want you to receive value from your NAWBO membership – we want you to want to be involved and to participate actively in at least one area. Therefore, you can expect to hear from us, the NAWBO-SA leadership, more and more via phone, website, Face Book, LinkedIn, etc.
We have talked of change many times in the past few months. For NAWBO-SA to continue to grow, we must continue to make changes. As of December 24, our new website is up and working. We are continuing to “tweak it”. We are working to populate the database so that members will be able to complete their profiles and be able to access each other’s information. As we move forward with the new website, we will be adding new things to it -- a little at a time. If you have questions, do not hesitate to call or email us and let us know.
Other changes include our recent ESA Winners’ Reception which was held at Cavender Audi on January 12. Please save the date and join us at the March 21st Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards Event at the Omni Hotel to congratulate the 2012 ESA Winners.
- Benefactor – Diana Barrios Trevino, La Hacienda de los Barrios
- Innovator – Lisa Ingle, Bikram Yoga San Antonio
- Inspirational – Cristina Heaney, U.S. Safety Services
- Mentor – Sybel Lopez Pici, PiciCo dba McDonald’s
- Visionary – Mary Reilly-Magee, Love to Swim and Tumble School
- Rising Star – Dr. Renee Dunlap, Texas State Optical Stone Oak
Posted by Patsy Foxworth on 16th January, 2012 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: women owned business, ESA Winner, Omni Hotel, Cavender Audi, PowerExchange Conference, Entrepreneurial Spirit Awards, Entrepreneurial Connections, Foxworth Consulting, NAWBO-SA
NAWBO-SA Implements New Online Communications Platform
You may have noticed something dramatically new about the NAWBO-SA website.
- It is not just the professional design
- It goes beyond the relevant information focused on professional women business owners (WBOs) and those who support WBOs
- It surpasses the ubiquitous social media links that are connecting everyone these days
While everything you see is all well and good, it is what you don’t see that makes NAWBO-SA’s new website a powerful marketing tool for their organization, membership, and partners. NAWBO-SA now has the ability to:
- Provide members, partners, and guests with relevant information about what matters to each audience most
- Attract, nurture, and strengthen NAWBO-SA’s relationships with WBOs and those who support WBOs
- Lower the amount of unnecessary and unproductive emails from your inbox by sending targeted emails that remember when you have registered for an event
And more!
So check it out, be a part of this established community of women entrepreneurs, participate, and connect!
We at Integrated Marketing Werx and Asenz Marketing are privileged to be a Gold Corporate Partner of this incredible organization and to have the opportunity to develop and power NAWBO-SA’s new online communications platform.
NAWBO-SA member Kathy Swanson is the Owner of Integrated Marketing Werx, providing marketing teams the strategies, techniques, technologies, and even talent for more profitable marketing results.
ASENZ Marketing a global online marketing platform and design company with its North American headquarters is located in San Antonio, TX.
Posted by Kathy Swanson on 6th January, 2012 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: NAWBO-SA, Asenz Marketing, Integrated Marketing Werx, targeted marketing, event website, email, online, marketing
Protecting Your Online Business Reputation
One of the wonderful things about the Internet is that you can not only find a business in your local area, but you can also immediately read the experiences of other patrons to help you better decide which business to patronize. In a recent online search for a repair shop to get a sole replaced on a pair of cowboy’s boots, I found several businesses in my immediate area. One had a laundry list of negative comments. The other had no comments at all. Guess which one I chose to patronize?
These days, most of us are quite adept at posting our experiences about local retailers, vendors and restaurants online. However, what happens when those negative comments are about your business? You can’t retract them so what do you do?
One positive step is to offer customers a blog, forum, or satisfaction survey form on your website. This gives a disgruntled customer an opportunity to air their concerns in relative privacy. Without this, disgruntled customers are more likely to air their concerns in a much more public forum.
However, some negative comments are likely to be aired publically so it’s very important to be aware of the comments being posted far and wide about your business. These days, it is easier than you might think to keep track of public postings about your business.
One way is through Google itself. If you don’t have a free Google account, you should. Those masters of search have some wonderful, free tools, like “Google Alerts” which will ferret out and alert you whenever reviews and comments appear any where on Google regarding your business.
For more comprehensive monitoring of both online and print publications, there are several good subscription services, like ewatch through PRNewsWire.
If you choose a free service like “Google Alerts,” you can set it up to scan the Internet for standard queries, like the name of your business, and you will receive an email alert when anything matching your search appears.
When setting up your queries, keep in mind that people making a comment about your business may use a variety of forms of your business name or specific employee name. For instance, if the business name is “Joe’s Tire Store,” someone writing a comment about that business might write, “Joe’s Tires,” or “Joe’s Tire Shop, ” etc.; so you’ll want to set-up multiple queries that include your business name in the forms most often used. You might also want to include your name or manager’s name’s as these names may be used in a posted comment as well.
Next is to take action. Nothing soothes a disgruntled customer like an acknowledgement of their experience. If the comment is posted in the place that you can respond, do so. But carefully word your responses so that they don’t appear defensive or argumentative. Use the 4 “R’s” of crisis management.
- Regret – express “regret” at the situation
- Resolution – offer an immediate “resolution”
- Reform – Let the customer know what you will do to prevent similar situations in the future
- Restitution – offer some perk/discount that allows the customer to feel like they are made “whole” after the experience.
Your open acknowledgement and resolution will assure future customers that your business, while not perfect, will make every effort to correct a concern.
If the comment is posted in manner that you can not publically respond, make every effort to determine who posted the comment and contact them offline via telephone or email using the same 4 “R’s.”
Another action step is to encourage happy customers to post their favorable comments. Most online review sites post the most recent comment first, so adding positive comments will push the negative ones down on the list. Additionally, one or two negative comments interspersed among positive comments will probably not tip the scales against your business. Most people recognize that not every transaction with a business is going to be perfect.
When guarding your business’s public reputation, the most important step is to be vigilant in knowing who is saying what about your business.
Jean M. Rowan is the Senior Web Marketing Specialist with ASENZ Marketing a global online marketing platform and design company with its North American headquarters is located in San Antonio, TX.
Posted by Jean Rowan on 23rd December, 2011 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: customer satisfaction, marketing, Google Alerts, busines reputation, online, Asenz Marketing, NAWBO-SA
Message from the President
Curling up by the fire, watching the Christmas lights, listening to music and making plans for 2012 - aside from the normal day-to-day business - these activities are things we do this time of the year. We have more social engagements than normal. How to get to them all is the question on most of our minds. In our businesses we are looking into the future to see what the next year is going to bring. We review the past year to see what we did well and what adjustments we need to make going into the next year. The best way to maximize your membership in NAWBO is to actively participate in at least one committee if not several. Through committee participation, you as a member will get to know other NAWBO members and they you. It is through building these relationships that you will leverage your membership. Your NAWBO-SA officers and Chapter Administrator, Anne-Marie Weldon, are here to assist you in any way possible. We want you to be happy with your membership. We want you to get connected and be successful in your business and within NAWBO. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any concerns you may have. We are listening. Let us help plan your 2012 NAWBO-SA success.
January 2012, we are going to go live with our new website. You will see updated information in addition to new and better ways for us to communicate with you. Be patient with us as we move through this transition. We thank you for hanging in there with us.
The first Tuesday of each month we will have a member orientation meeting at Amegy Bank. This is for ANYONE who wants to get refreshed on what is happening inside NAWBO-SA. We will give you an over view of the chapter, introduce you to Committee Chairs and give you an opportunity to sign-up for involvement within committees. It is a fun time to exchange information and get to know other members of NAWBO. Email info@nawbosa.org to secure your seat at the January 3, 2012 Member Orientation Meeting.
As January 2012 comes into view, our activity calendar is going to fill up fast. After the Member Orientation Meeting, there are numerous committee meetings; The ESA Winner's Reception on January 12 at Cavender Audi; along with our normal monthly Women Mean Business Luncheon where we are going to be educated on how to use all those new gadgets we got for Christmas. Get your calendars out and put the events below in so that you do not leave any out.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, a Happy and Very Prosperous New Year!
Patsy Foxworth is the current President of NAWBO-SA and owner of Foxworth Consulting, specializing in business success coaching and consulting services.
Posted by Patsy Foxworth on 15th December, 2011 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: New Year, Foxworth Consulting, women owned business, NAWBO-SA
Donating Appreciated Property
With the holiday season now in full swing, the spirit of giving is in the air and we want to make sure you to get the most out of your charitable contributions. If you follow this tax-savvy gifting strategy, both you and your qualified charitable organization will come out winners. So… this year, try gifting appreciated assets such as stocks, bonds, or mutual funds to your charitable organizations instead of simply writing a check. Here’s why…
… When you gift appreciated assets to a charitable organization, you get to avoid the capital gains tax, you get to deduct the full fair market value of the property, and the qualified charitable organization receives the proceeds from the property tax free. It’s a win-win-win!
Allow us to illustrate: Assume you have stock in ABC Company with a fair market value of $1,000 that you purchased 5 years ago for $500. You can gift the entire amount to a charitable organization and deduct $1,000 on your income tax return. The organization then receives the stock worth $1,000 (which is non-taxable to the charity). On the flip side, if you sell the stock, you will have a $500 gain at 15% thus owing $75 to the Feds. Your net proceeds from this transaction are now $925. Assuming you donate the entire amount to charity, you are only able to deduct the $925 and the charity only receives $925.
So, this holiday season, try something new and donate appreciated stocks instead of cash. However, be diligent because December 31st is the deadline to claim the deductions on your 2011 income tax return. If you would like assistance, more information, or have any questions, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’re here to serve you.
Teryn Grater and Melanie Kirk are Partners of ATKG LLP, specializing in business and tax advisory services.
Posted by Teryn Grater and Melanie Kirk on 5th December, 2011 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: income tax, capital gains tax, charitable contributions, business, NAWBO-SA, ATKG LLP
NAWBO-SA's Holiday Social
Join me Thursday, December 8, at SAKs Fifth Avenue North Star Mall from 6pm-9pm. for NAWBO-SA's Holiday Social.
Best way to shop - food, drink and a great cause as we support NAWBO-SA's Teen Mentoring Program: Entrepreneurial Connections - Fostering the Entrepreneurial Dream.
Check it out. And be sure to RSVP by Friday, Dec. 2 for extra goodies.
Kathy Swanson is the Owner of Integrated Marketing Werx, providing marketing teams the strategies, techniques, technologies, and even talent for more profitable marketing results.
Posted by Kathy Swanson on 29th November, 2011 | Comments | Trackbacks | Permalink
Tags: Entrepreneurial Connections, Saks Fifth Avenue, Holidays, Integrated Marketing Werx, NAWBO-SA
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