Ladies, you might finally have the perfect rationale to explain away your shoe shopping problem. And gentlemen, ditto on your penchant for porn. It’s not your fault, your genes made you do it. And what does this mean for business owners? Read on…

In his latest book, Dr Gad Saad, professor of marketing at Concordia University’s John Molson School of Business, argues that consumer behaviour is largely governed by evolutionary forces. And that we’re designed to consume.  For example, evolution has fixed it so we crave high-fat, salty burgers from McDonald’s. This is not because of slick advertising or low pricing. Rather, it’s because we’re genetically programmed to load up on calories to protect ourselves from starvation during times of scarcity.

Similarly, we’re not likely to see Danny DeVito replace Fabio on the covers of romance novels. Why? Because women are the primary consumers of such books and a rugged, uber-masculine, high-status male plays into female evolutionary fantasies of the ideal mate. (Don’t feel too bad for Danny, though, because what he lacks in stature, he makes up for in wallet-power– another strong attractant for the fairer sex).

Saad posits that evolutionary psychology, the study of how biological forces affect the way we think and behave, explains more about the behaviour of homo consumericus (your average shopper) than pure economics or social science. Most of what we buy is governed by our need to mate, fit in and gain higher status within our social circle.

Examples of consumer irrationality (eg: paying double or triple for a high-end item when a much cheaper, just-as-functional option exists) begins to make sense once you realize that studies show that women consistently rate the same man as more attractive when he’s driving a Porsche rather than a regular sedan. Evolution dictates that women tend to choose men with higher status because they make for better providers. Interestingly, this preference doesn’t hold true the other way around: men don’t seem to care what car a woman drives. They tend to be more fixated on the outward manifestations of fertility such as a low waist-to-hip ratio.

But what does all this mean for entrepreneurs and marketers? Evolutionary psychology can help you design an ad that will work across cultures in a global market, choose colours that will have a desired effect on your target consumers, and make more money by developing products or services that people really want. This includes using nature as a model to appeal to “biophilia” or humans’ innate love of nature and the environment.

But is this a business book?

Yes… and no. “The Consuming Instinct” is certainly an informative and entertaining read, filled with pop culture references from movies, sitcoms, songs and books. But the breadth of its scope means that there’s a LOT to wade through before you get to a clear, actionable business takeaway. Time-starved entrepreneurs might find themselves frustrated by this. Saad would do well to distill the book to perhaps a third of its length and release a business-specific version instead of one aimed at both consumers and marketers.

My final word: If you’re open to the idea that our biology affects the decisions we make, you might feel as if none of this is really news (although the book offers plenty of ways to put this knowledge into action). But if you’re a social scientist who firmly believes that man is 100% rational and purely a product of culture, prepare to be enraged.

Dorothy Kryworuchko has been a friend for years. We share a love of the planet and of furry creatures. So when she decided she wanted to finally launch her own brand around the furniture she’d been reclaiming and refurbishing for more than a decade, she called me.

One of the first things we needed to do was sit down and decide exactly what sort of brand she wanted to create. I teamed up with the indomitable Adriana Palanca, a copywriter and English-to-French translator with more than a decade of experience and we asked (among others) the following key questions:

1. Who is your target audience?

2. What sort of emotion would you like to elicit in them?

3. What is the structure of your business (online, in store, both, etc). Is it primarily B2B or B2C?

4. Do you see yourself branching out into sub-brands or other lifestyle areas?

5. How important is it for the name to be bilingual or Frenchified? (There was the possibility that Dorothy would move to Ontario and therefore not absolutely need a French-friendly name).

Adriana and I sat down with Dorothy and her husband and business partner David, and worked our way through the list of questions. We drew diagrams illustrating the fact that Dorothy saw herself as having one clear brand and several furniture collections within it. We suggested the possibility of something as simple as using her name (à la Martha Stewart), but Dorothy wasn’t totally into it.  So we went away with our heads buzzing with ideas.

In the week before our second and final meeting for this branding exercise, Adriana and I brainstormed and trawled the internet for name combinations that expressed Montreal’s dual English-French cultures. We looked for words that spoke to the environmental aspect of Dorothy’s company; also the personal stories with which she imbued each piece of furniture that she worked on. During our meeting, Dorothy had said:

“Each time I find an old, discarded piece of furniture and spend time with it, getting to know its character and then transforming it, it’s like a part of myself comes alive again.”

We wanted her brand to reflect that spirit.

At first, we thought of “Deuxième Chance”, but the URL was already taken (that’s such a huge challenge while creating a brand in today’s globalized market.” We loved “Dorothy K”, but remembered how Dorothy’s face had looked when we suggested she be the front man of the operation. She was just too shy!

We looked into French and Latin for “carpenter” or “woodworker”,  we Googled relentlessly to check if there was a patron saint of furniture (there isn’t– but we spent way too much time giggling over this post).

We kept coming back to the reason Dorothy had started up her company. How it was an ode to her mother, and how she saw beauty and undiscovered personality and potential in each abandoned piece of home decor.

And suddenly, it hit us! Each piece of furniture was a sort of aged debutante! A mature belle at an entirely different sort of ball. And just like that, everything clicked into place.

At our meeting, Dorothy actually cried (in a good way!). And now, she is ready to launch her brand new business!

If you’re in Montreal and want to meet an amazing human being, drool over some truly luscious vintage furniture and help some rescued animals get the medical care they need, come on down! Dorothy is teaming up with several local businesses to provide freshly baked goodies and fabulous door prizes including a consultation with an interior decorator and a bottle of your choice of designer perfume!

A portion of all proceeds go to Petits Pawz animal rescue to help puppies and kitties like the ones in the video below.

Warning!! Cuteness alert!

EVENT: Le Début de Deuxième Debut

DATE: September 15, 2011

TIME: 4pm to 7pm

ADDRESS: 3837 Rue St Jacques in St Henri

As many of you know, I have a pretty heavy business book habit. I recently found a wonderful way to share the joy: I’ll be doing a monthly business book review for the Montreal Gazette. Here’s the first book in the series.

Why would anybody want to spend $40 on a mop (and up to $60 on mop accessories) when you can get one for $5 at the dollar store? This was Vanessa Simpkins’s challenge. She literally sold mops – the high-end microfibre kind – for a direct-marketing firm. Thing is, she made commissions of up to $900 a day doing it. She says the secret to her success was a process she calls “authentic selling.” And it all started with her discovering the Law of Attraction.

Are you groaning? Yeah, me too…
Read the full review here.

I also had a chance to interview Vanessa to clear up some aspects of the book that didn’t add up for me. She was extremely gracious and we had a lot of fun.

Here’s my favourite quote from her:

”

“People don’t buy products or services; they buy experiences. I really enjoy helping people change their perspectives on things, i.e. personal transformations. And sales is all about transformation. You buy a plane ticket to another country and that experience changes your life. You buy a new pair of shoes, they make you feel confident, and that changes your life. Sales is at the crux of transformation.

“I’m really authentic in how I present my product. No script, no hidden agenda. Just … here I am, here’s what the product is; do you want it or not? In today’s market, if you’re in it just for the money and if you don’t care about your clients’ experience, don’t even bother with sales, because you won’t make it. There’s nothing worse than a slimy salesman.”

Here’s that article.

And if you want to visit Vanessa’s own site: http://americassalesattractioncoach.com/

A recent customer service experience made me ponder how many small businesses shoot themselves in the foot by taking things personally.

Many of you have written and tweeted mentioning the long silence on this blog. My apologies. Lots has been going on chez LMM. Firstly, I’m pregnant! And about three weeks ago, we moved into our new condo. It’s been a difficult first trimester, but I’m feeling more like myself (if a little more zaftig) every day. Thanks for all your congratulations.

Now, back to business.

When my husband and I moved into our condo, we noticed that the dishwasher (that came with the place) wasn’t working very well. I shan’t get into the details of how disgusting it is to have someone else’s accumulated gunk coat your dishes, but suffice to say we were a little frustrated.

We tried every cleaning technique we could find online. Vinegar, soap, hot rinses, unscrewing stuff and cleaning in crannies. Yeah, my husband did it all. But the dishwasher remained temperamental. So we decided to call for professional help. And here’s where we ran into what I’m beginning to realize is a pretty common small business problem….

One of the questions my husband asked the repairman we found in the online Yellow Pages was, “Do you work with a guarantee? What if you service the machine and the next wash we do comes out dirty?”

The guy on the phone mumbled something about problem customers and actually  HUNG UP!

I realized immediately that he had taken our questions personally. As if our enquiring about his customer satisfaction policies were an affront to his workmanship! For sure, I understand a small business owner’s need to weed out overly demanding, nitpicky customers, but this was a simple, standard question. “What happens if you leave and the problem remains?” As a dishwasher repair guy, shouldn’t he have a policy in place that covers this occurrence? Even if he does a stellar job, there remains a chance that he missed something or that the machine is beyond redemption.

Fast forward now to the phone conversation we had with the repair department at Sears. They explained to us patiently that there was no 100% guarantee and that the repairman would do everything in his power to ensure a good service, including hanging around for a full wash cycle to test it. But if the machine continued to malfunction once he left, we would have to pay to have the repairman come back.

We didn’t like hearing this, but at least we didn’t get hung up on. We’re still debating the pros and cons of getting this old machine fixed v/s investing in a new  (or used, but better quality one), but if we decide to go with a repairman, chances are we’ll pick the Sears guy. At least he’s willing to communicate.

Pity though. Because we really do prefer supporting the little guy. If only he’d grow up.

It also occurs to me that as a small business owner, the  first dishwasher repair guy has a golden opportunity to fill the gap that Sears isn’t able or interested in servicing. I would have booked the appointment in a heartbeat if he’d said, “We can never guarantee anything 100% with older machines, but if you have the same problem, we’ll send our guy back for one free hour.” Or even at half price. Just something to make me think that the guy was really invested in fixing my machine.
As a small business owner myself, I’m now beginning to think up ways that I might be able to offer similar guarantees with my own service. Do you have any ideas?

Used my Epson printer and some cardstock from Omer Deserres to customize this card.

When is the last time you sent a hand-written note of thanks? You might be surprised at how much these little touches affect your business (and personal) relationships!

Call me old-fashioned, but I do so love a hand-written note. It carries a different weight from an email or text message. It’s special. And so few people take the time to make the effort these days.

Which is why I make it a point to be the exception.

Nothing says, “You’ve made an impression on me” like a hand-written card or note. I use them to say thank you. Or “I loved meeting you”. Or even “hey, how’s it going?”. And 99% of the time, I’ll get a phone or email response from the recipient thanking me for making their day. Isn’t this the sort of impression you’d like to make on your clients?

I confess I spend a pretty penny on fancy stationery (and often buy handmade letter paper while traveling abroad). But it doesn’t have to be complicated. Here are some tips on making the people you do business with remember you (and how to make sure your card doesn’t just end up in the recycling bin)…

For sure, there are times when a lightning quick email is the best way to follow up after a meeting with a potential prospect. But there are times when a personalized message (that isn’t blatantly business-related) can really help a relationship blossom. Here are some helpful hints to making a good impression with your pen:

1. Stock up on stationery: I like to always have a card or a sheaf of pretty blank notes in my purse. That way, I can sometimes scribble a message on my way home from a meeting. It’s useful to write notes while the emotion is fresh. There’s a dynamism that isn’t always possible when you write the note later. Plus, it helps me maximize the time I spend on public transit.

2. Ask for your recipient’s mailing address: While I hate losing the “surprise” factor, not everyone that I write cards to has a Google-searchable business mailing address. Keep this in the back of your mind. If the person is a confirmed client, you could simply have them fill out a standard form that includes address information. Otherwise, just mention that you love sending letters and postcards and would love to add them to your mailing list.

3. Create an easily searchable address database: I tried many different (and maddening) systems before settling on using Evernote as my address database. No more shuffling notebook pages. No more wondering where I might have stashed a business card. Plus Evernote is searchable on my iPhone, so anywhere I have access to wi-fi, I can simply search by name or keyword and find my subject’s address. I especially love this for when I’m traveling and want to send postcards.

4. Make your note (a little) personal: As someone who is careful about adding to her environmental footprint, I must admit I don’t much care for cards that simply have a signature or a one-line message in them. Those go right in the recycling bin. If I’m going to use paper (even if it’s from a recycled or sustainable source), I want to make it worth it. So I always include something personal. Something that dips under the superficiality of most business correspondence and says something about how meeting the person moved or affected me. Something about how much I liked a particular idea or what they were wearing. Something about how our meeting continues to make me feel good. About how I have a whole bunch of ideas that they helped catalyze.

I have a cork board in my home office filled with personal notes that I’ve received from those I’ve done business with. One editor always sent me notes when I submitted articles about how much he was inspired by my writing style. Another client wrote me a note about how good she felt after our meeting and some of the changes she made immediately. Those notes fill me with joy and confidence. So that’s the feeling I want to evoke with the notes that I write other people. In a way, I’m simply paying it forward.

5. Stock up on “permanent” stamps: Nothing is more frustrating than having a note languish in your bag and gather dog biscuit crumbs because you don’t have time to run out and get a stamp. Yes, I learned this lesson the hard way. Also, it’s worth paying a teensy bit extra up front to get the “permanent” stamps for mailing within Canada. These are the ones with the little “P” in the corner. This means that they’re always good for mailing a letter within Canada, no matter how much stamp prices rise. And believe me, prices seem to go up a few cents every couple of months, so these babies are a good investment. Otherwise you’ll be stuck with a bunch of stamps that require you to go to the post office anyway to purchase $0.3 stamps to round off their value. VERY annoying!

6. Use Vistaprint.ca or Etsy.com to get customized address labels: This is definitely not a prerequisite, but I find it certainly adds to my writing pleasure when I can affix a personalized address label (with my address and logo) to each envelope before sending it. You can get fantastic deals on Vistaprint or choose a classy, personalized or vintage-style label (and support an independent artist) via Etsy.

7. Include other people’s writing: Another thing I love to do is to include either a humorous or particularly fitting quote or, better still, a photocopied article that refers to something we talked about. I read constantly and so most of my conversations tend to be peppered with half-remembered references to articles or books that I know my client/friend will enjoy. A hand-written note is the perfect opportunity to send them the full name of the book or clipping you talked about. It says, “I pay attention and you’re on my mind even when you’re not in front of me.”

8. Some content ideas: If you’ve never written one of these notes before, a safe place to start is completing the following sentence: “Meeting you was so much fun. I can’t wait to implement …. ideas we talked about.” Or “You’ve really inspired me to….”. You could sum up the meeting and list some of the key points in a chatty way. You could ask a question– perhaps they mentioned a book or article, the name of which eluded them. Ask about that. Remind them to put you in touch with contacts they might have mentioned. Just don’t make the letter blatantly self serving. Make it about the client. And make it fun.

So there you go. These are some ideas I use to keep my business relationships warm and personal. Do you have similar ideas? I’d love to hear them. And if you’ve enjoyed this article, please use the social sharing links below to spread the joy!

For me, choosing a printer for my home office was a really big deal. And based on all the conflicting advice I was given, I get the feeling lots of you struggle with these sorts of decisions too.

When I first launched LittleMissMultimedia last year, I was on a shoestring. There was so much to learn and I didn’t want to go into debt. So I made a careful list of priorities (ergonomic desk, good chair, training, Smartphone with data plan, etc). A printer, though useful, was definitely on the “B” side of my wishlist. There’s an office supply store with professional printing services two blocks from my place. I figured I’d make do.

But as business blossomed, I found myself making ever more frequent trips to the corner store. Printing contracts, invoices, consult notes, social media flyers for clients, etc. And it wasn’t as cheap as I’d expected it to be either! Those $.10 copies add up!

I figured it was time to take the plunge and invest in a decent multi-function printer/copier/scanner/fax machine. Problem was, which one?

What would Facebook recommend?

I put out a call on Facebook and asked fellow entrepreneurs to guide me in my decision. I was surprised by the flood of comments and emails. Problem was, it was a 10 people 20 opinions situation. However, I did get this excellent advice:

Check the price of the refill cartridges. And try to pick modular cartridges (where each colour can be replaced separately as needed) rather than ones where you have to replace the whole lot even if some colours have tons of ink left.

Apparently, it’s quite common to buy a really inexpensive printer ($99 or cheaper) only to find out the refill cartridges will set you back almost as much each time they need to be replaced! Egads! I was told at one Bureau en Gros outlet that I visited that some people actually replace their printers when they run out of ink because it’s almost the same price! How devastatingly un-green!

From then on, I decided I would try and find a machine that took eco-friendly and inexpensive cartridges, even if the actual unit cost me more up front.

I ended up at Cartouches Certifiées on St Denis.

This little store is an incredible resource for eco-minded small business owners! The shop itself isn’t much to look at– there are boxes of brand new printers stacked floor to ceiling. But the staff is pretty helpful and you can’t beat their prices. You see, they offer recycled ink cartridges (that they’ll deliver to your office for a small fee, or free if you order more than $100 of merchandise). They will also recycle your used cartridges. Apart from being kinder to the planet, you can save up to 40% on the cost of new cartridges, your biggest printing cost! Woo!

Cartouches Certifiees also offers various custom printing services that are worth checking out (though I can’t comment on those since I’ve never used them).

I ended up purchasing a Brother MFC-295CN

I picked it because it was:

* Compact (I share my home office with my husband and space is at a premium).

* Inexpensive (I paid $124.11 which included the cost of a 6 foot USB connector cable (sold separately) and all taxes).

* Came with recyclable and recycled modular cartridges (which would cost me the princely sum of $48.71 tax in to replace).

* It was easy to install, even for a techno-bimbo like me.

* The guys at the shop assured me that it would give me an excellent return on investment in terms of number of copies per cartridge (I forget how how many they said).

Things I wish it did:

* Print better when it comes to images (but the guys did warn me that it’s inkjet and therefore best suited to text printing)

* Print double-sided. This really rankles because I think this should be a standard feature with all printers. Perhaps even a default setting!

All in all, I’ve been really happy with my Brother MFC-295CN. I thought I’d found the perfect printer. Until I got a call from a woman named Sherline Joe at Epson. They made me an offer I couldn’t refuse:

They basically said they’d send me an Epson Workforce-840. All I had to do was play with it. Use it and write about it. No strings attached. And no, I didn’t just have to write fluffy, gushy stuff (I checked!). Just an honest opinion about how it suited my needs as a small business owner.

And so, I said yes.

And, as of yesterday, my brand new Epson has replaced my still fully functional Brother (the jury’s still out). How do they compare? Stay tuned, because I plan to answer that question in rather a lot of detail!

Do you own either a Brother or an Epson? What have your experiences been like? Do you have advice for other printer-buyers out there? Please share!

My favourite find this week from a consumer’s point of view is also an excellent Quebec small business success story. Meet the world’s only sound-and-massage therapy bed, invented right here in our province!

I recently had the pleasure of trying what has got to be Quebec’s hardest working bed! It’s an oddly shaped device that combines carefully programmed sounds, vibrations and music to create deep relaxation. It’s the brainchild of Quebec-based G-Lab, and I believe that at this time the only working prototype resides at Spa Ovarium.

Skeptical? Yeah. Me too. I also wondered if this was a little too new agey for me.

But after trying Spa Ovarium’s epsom salt floatation baths and loving them (a truly out of body experience), I figured I’d give the bed a shot. Full disclosure: Ovarium is one of my clients and I was invited to a neuromassage bed session gratis. But since my integrity is pretty much my brand, rest assured that this fact won’t affect my honesty within this post.

The bed itself is built so that you lie on your back with your knees bent and feet raised. For someone with chronic lower back issues, this is by far the most comfortable position to lie in. An Ovarium staffer explained that I merely had to remove my shoes and make myself comfortable on the bed, making sure to scoot as low as possible so my back and butt made full contact with the mattress. She explained that I would hear a mix of music, ocean waves and deep sounds that were almost vibrations. The bed itself would also vibrate and at times the vibrations might be quite intense. Her advice was to do my best to relax into the experience and go with the flow. If, however, it got to be too much, I was shown a small button that would reduce the intensity of the “massage”.

Then she helped me onto the bed, covered me with a blanket, dimmed the lights and left the room.

At this point, I had very controlled expectations. I figured at best, it would be like one of those massage chairs you see at airports or at Place Montreal Trust (outside Lenscrafters). They’re pleasant, but nothing special. At worst, I figured, the new age music would be annoying and the vibrations would piss me off. Not a terrible outcome for trying something outside my usual field of experience.

And so the treatment began.

There was music (it was new-agey, but not particularly bothersome), the sounds of waves crashing on a beach (one of my favourite noises. When I was little, I would often turn the TV on to channel with electronic “snow” and then manipulate the volume controls to mimic the sounds of waves washing the shore!). The bed also began to vibrate. At first it was subtle, but the vibrations quickly built in intensity to a rather pleasant full-body buzzing.

Despite my reservations (and the fact that I was tightly wound from the guilt of my long overdue, still-to-be-filed GST return), I found my mind slowly slipping its leash.

And then something strange happened.

The space between my eyebrows began to tingle. The tingling slowly blossomed to a feeling as if someone was dabbing at my “third eye” with a soft-bristled paint brush. It was so vivid that I actually put my hand up to my face to feel if there was something there.

There wasn’t.

The feeling continued.

“Weird,” I thought. I’ve never felt anything like this except that one time I tried transcendental meditation. And even then, the feeling had been fleeting. Certainly not as insistent as this one.

The treatment continued and the soundscape deepened in pitch to something almost sinister. The kind of sound that would give me goosebumps in an early Night Shyamalan film, for example. I wasn’t creeped out, but it did prevent me from slipping all the way off and falling asleep. The lady who’d given me the orientation had mentioned this; the soundscapes and vibrations are arranged to create a sense of deep relaxation without allowing the subject to fall asleep. This was supposed to heighten the experience.

I guess I agree. I wouldn’t want to spend $29 to fall asleep in a vibrating chair. I did feel like the hypnotic  swirl of my thoughts was a far more rewarding experience. As a feeling, it reminded me of a prolonged version of those last few minutes right before you fall asleep. As a writer, that time is often my most creative and inspired. I often jot feverish notes on a bedside notebook before I surrender to sleep. I’ve had some of my best ideas at moments like that.

Did I see God or have some sort of epiphany in the neuromassage bed? Sadly, no.

But sitting up after the half hour session, I felt sure I would try it again.

That night, I finally filed my GST/PST return and slept a deep, dreamless sleep. As with any therapeutic treatment, I have no idea how much of it is attributable to the bed itself. And as with any therapeutic treatment that I’ve enjoyed, I don’t so much care. It felt good. I’m going to do it again.

And yes, next time I’ll pay the full price of $39 (first-timers pay $29). In fact, I’ve booked my next session for before one of those wicked sports massages I’ve mentioned on Facebook. The combination of physical and mental bliss is something I’m really looking forward to.

Would you try this unusual treatment or is it just too weird for you? Have you ever had a similar experience with that “third-eye” thing? I really want to know what it means!

It’s been a little quiet here on the blog, and I apologize. But I’ve been up to all sorts of adventures. And lots of writing! If you’re looking for an excellent read along themes of family, adoption, identity and motherhood, I’d recommend “Secret Daughter”. Especially now that I’ve interviewed author, Shilpi Somaya Gowda, and heard the story behind the story!

When Shilpi Somaya Gowda started writing five years ago, she had a very simple goal: To produce a novel. Just to see if she could.

“The furthest I allowed myself to dream was that maybe one day someone would publish it,” the diminutive investment banker-turned-bestselling author said during a recent visit to Montreal. “Maybe it would be in the bookstore for two weeks and sell four copies.”

It sold a few more than that. Gowda’s publisher, HarperCollins, reports that it sold 300,000 copies in the first 12 months alone, a number that continues to climb as women all over North America recommend the title to their book clubs.

For more, go to the Gazette’s website where the original article was published.

Whether you’re a work-from-home entrepreneur or one who’s in charge of  managing a team, setting your own schedule can be a real challenge. Here are some tips for getting things done.

Here’s yet another “bitch” we didn’t have time to tackle at Pitch ‘n’ Bitch:

I need help with structuring time as an entrepreneur when I have no clear schedule. Is there a key to productivity or tools to stay organized and efficient?

*squirming uncomfortably in seat*

Man, this is something that I definitely struggle with! Setting priorities and creating a schedule is tough in and of itself. But it’s even tougher when you work from home and your friends and family have trouble understanding that you’re not just kicking back with a martini!

As Iris King said, “I’m self-employed, not UN-employed!”

I won’t say I’ve figured things out completely, but in the months I’ve worked as an entrepreneur, I’ve certainly gained some insight as well as a few useful systems that will vastly reduce “productivity stress”.

Read on…

1. Have a dedicated work space: The mental membrane between “work” and “play” is already too permeable when you work from home. So set up a space where it’s clear both to you and to family members that you’re “at work”. It may just be a desk in one corner of the living room (a dedicated room is better, but not all of us have this luxury). When you’re at your desk, train spouses and kids to only speak to you if it’s really urgent.

Another option you might look into is renting a desk at a co-working space like Ecto or Station-C. For a fraction of what it would cost you to rent a proper office, you’ll have access to wi-fi, printing and easy networking! Plus, you don’t have to make it a fixed 9-5, 5-days-a-week thing. In fact, starting next week, I’m going to be renting a desk three days a week at Ecto! Come join me!

2. Get your priorities straight: I’ve been reading a phenomenal book called “Time Power” by productivity guru Brian Tracy. In it, one of the first exercises he forces  you to do is to figure out your purpose in life. To decide what makes you happy. A simple way to do this is to think, “If I won a million dollars tax-free and never had to work for money again, what would I do?”. The answer might surprise you. Tracy posits that doing something that gives you that sense of personal accomplishment will make you rich MUCH faster than doing something else and working much harder at it.

I can attest that knowing what your larger goals are can really help you power through all the millions of requests for your time that come at you from all directions. Once you have your goals in front of you (written down, Tracy insists), it becomes a no-brainer to say “no thanks” to things that don’t fit. I can’t even begin to describe how much less stress I have having done this one step!

3. Outsource: No one can be an expert in all things. This has been a very hard lesson for me to accept. But I’ve come to realize that instead  of trying to be proficient in every area of my business (remember, entrepreneurs have a much wider job description than “technicians”– people who have a narrower task-oriented one. For example, when I worked as a reporter for CBC, I was a technician. All I had to do was write and perform. I didn’t have to worry my pretty head with payroll, scheduling, insurance, etc). Now, as a business owner, I have to think about EVERYTHING!

You might find it’s cheaper and less stressful to hire out some of these tasks on a per project basis. There are plenty of freelance accountants, planners, office efficiency experts, life coaches, etc who can help you do the stuff that you’d have to break your head to learn. One of the smartest things I ever did was to hire a cleaning lady from Maid in Montreal. Doesn’t seem business-related, but man, does it save me time. Not just in terms of cleaning, but in terms of mental space not spent fighting with my spouse or feeling guilty about the fur balls in the corner.

4. Schedule: Adriana Palanca once gave me a game-changing piece of advice: “Schedule the right task at the right time and save yourself a slice of Hell.”  Adriana, by the way, is one of my dearest friends and mentors. She’s a brilliant writer AND a yoga teacher, so coffee with her tends to be like “attitude chiropractic”. Anyway, Adriana’s point is that observing your energy honestly is key to planning your days and weeks. If you’re sharpest in the mornings and tend to get foggy after lunch, you’d be doing yourself a huge disservice by scheduling demanding tasks for 2pm. Afternoons might be better suited to workouts or filing or something lower maintenance. Tweaking my schedule with this in mind has boosted my productivity oh, approximately 200%. Thanks, Adriana!

These are some of the thoughts that come to mind for me. Do you have tips to share?

What’s a busy entrepreneur to do when it comes to ever expanding social media channels and limited resources? Almost all of us can relate to this particular problem!

A couple of weeks ago, at Pitch ‘n’ Bitch, an anonymous Montreal entrepreneur wrote, ” I am overwhelmed by social media. So many platforms, etc. What is required? What works? What doesn’t? How to walk the line between being there/selling/actually participating?”

*rolling up sleeves*

You are SO not alone, anonymous entrepreneur. 100% of my clients struggle with these questions. Don’t worry, help is at hand…

Staying on top of social media is like trying to read every single book that gets printed: it’s a fool’s errand.

You’d be much better off focusing on a few key platforms and servicing them consistently. “But which ones?” you ask. Here’s a checklist that should help you decide:

1. Who is my ideal client? We’re talking about someone who really gets what you do and won’t hesitate to pay your prices to get it. During a consult, I always help  my own clients figure out exactly who their ideal client is. Sometimes your business will have a family of ideal clients, each representing a specific demographic or psychographic that you’re marketing to. I encourage clients to create names and personalities for these ideal clients (when you don’t actually have a person who comes to mind) and then ask themselves constantly, “What would Mrs X get excited about?” Weirdly enough, the more specific your marketing is, the more people in your general target audience feel like you’re speaking directly to them!

2. Where does my ideal client hang out? Once you’ve identified your ideal client, start looking for which social media channels appeal to him or her. You’ll get a lot more bang for your social media buck if you go to where your clients are already playing (instead of trying to make them come to you).

3. How can I build community? Are there blogs or community boards out there that deal with issues that your ideal client is interested in? For example, if you sell cloth diapers, you need to be following and commenting on (in a non-sales pitch way) various prominent mommy blogs in your area. People LOVE doing business with people they know. But be careful not to cross that fine line and get overly promotional. You’re a member of the community first and foremost. A salesperson later. This takes time, typically six months to a year. So be patient! People smell desperation and will run screaming!

4. Pick a platform that excites  you: Unless you know that tons of your clients are active on Twitter, there’s no reason to get into it if you’re not enjoying the process. Consistency is KEY when it comes to social media. And if you’re not having at least a little fun, you’re not likely to stick with the program and make regular updates. So, if you love blogging, do that. If podcasts are more your thing, focus on that. DON’T start up profiles on every new platform and then just let them sit there incomplete and empty. That’s like inviting people to a party and then not being there at the appointed hour!

5. Pick a schedule that seems reasonable: Not everyone can blog every day. Most of us can barely manage once a week. We can debate for hours on the quality v/s quantity debate, but let me say this: there has to be a certain minimum quantity. And there has to be consistency. Think of it like newspapers. Some are daily, some are weekly; but if you expect one to be weekly and it only shows up on stands every two months or so, you’re going to give up on it, right? So pick a schedule that feels doable and STICK TO IT!

6. Sit. Your. Bum. Down: Getting into the social media habit is tough. Well, balance is tough. From my own experience and from talking to other successful social media types, I’ve notice that the pendulum tends to swing pretty wildly; either we’re online ALL the time or we’re M.I.A. If this happens to you, know that it’s probably normal. Balance will happen. There’s a liminal phase where you might lose your mind a little. Prepare for it. It too shall pass. But you must not give up. I find it’s useful to dedicate a few hours a week to updating your social media channels. You can use tools like WordPress and Tweetdeck to schedule your updates, so you can do them all at once and then simply check in at the end of the day or on a lunch break.

So that’s my advice. Anyone else want to chime in?